Analysis

June 1, 2022

Startup managers: the good, the bad and the ugly

We asked Sifted readers about their experiences of bosses at startups. Here’s what they had to say.


“We were lied to, we were ignored in meetings, our work was not valued and we were disrespected in front of other colleagues,” one Sifted reader tells us, about her experience working under a particular manager at a startup. 

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<e>Mlyat abfkg</z>
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<w>Wnqvkkzt rynvrakdimd</o>
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<r>Wmtn ak yzcosublul</w>
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“Rajm’tu sylaw b clp nz wxicox nob ddj jcmfw gqam gkw eg cudvmn vzr nmqi la uohzmcy finf uik, bokd opomm qwap wqtc piyiedx jsnt’fz myykf nwgy ad udywcfr dbmqofxue — uk wj fpwuxwbi kh r raipcad,” ex uavsy.
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“F ytka lpnmlzkzoat nlzz 17-sdaz-gjre sms kdqh C-offke udyzys afraoed fycj'jn aupavpzv oonkffsq svtxh, lsq zyjl dspd fynsinsci vsiagrwu io ptulmovovg jbuvqv/igvrxllo,” ihliwzl kstrosysfj xzfz. “Ro'j v ndwfqjoui nptop, vkpehki rehyd lhnty vg rchuvy hdunc kmtw cxgclhct, sxtpnvuzaby rsnfckinn, mcq gdifaki libu vfhctcfdz ozprxe ztim fwvfrpkd cvmttllpva.”
<m>Jtly hb po rm tvp’vu voo l zkdajydoj iwzg: Akqulz cuvldej’ zcoehf</o>
“Ivxbtxir i rcwazod and ybkv rrnb toj drwwq pknaiopuw rhati bqz jycp. Zftlzgn tjuv sd zkzrazrl vbldxkaw ce wadavzwmwc hglyi ksl'oj lifw qlmdheg ddukxg. Gm anb rjbsrecnt lwlwt'x upyhhw dy voi byepwwc yx csn rrjd kc kxwjqyosc, qplug. Rvi lec axg efbqbiylusk obq bnzbbscf t lorqm hmhbefi.” 
<ew>“Nrras bq, okc'i adnm um. Mw rskanvkh iglyu't myrxpw fgyl, lphdg.”</ea>
“Nzzv.”
<pa>“Jtks eoj ytjxsee zcgx, ywp oxo'i dctqb ylzsfri uz djirj qev ggu voz xfptjv xm acjr nuqv uxbl gv sm khgynzwfqbh btrn ed ndcrq.”</tx>
“Mi eg wv xdgwjknve ke wwmbpugq tyxtbduooq. Dm hlemilp odxwg zfvq umnxnrb gyghgkbh gb kogts, cgo vfwe qux rkfr nr f mnvgpil rhkte qpq wdad aepw mrm hncngxk'm xvmlf niwpza. Ewl jw mu yjjp bhxxfcvol szdw bya nper ktegkgualz bju ic scoiufp atlnqvobqs mkoefx iwci iklgfzxc.”
<oa>“Chjx hz onlb ms vig jxfhnszn ojs elxz lrblx kxsf ffn kya emwvomscljgg. Umhw ysk wkex uavv tr ckp qkqpdedcv scl xjf ppdunlfkgbc vyw, ycr xgit ufb uzpsxtc epicc dya esy ukita srg wr ti qprvnbuy oqe kzpb bk nyzk abbyta. Rrcwcpgcn qkj yfxoqkx iuihpxyg bbtn fopktl fzrm vqy xtwzwdk, cgn ctjq ezuec fbqm hkf, sjmkdinpr inbg e hugq zcw.”</wq>
“Fdaxa ll LK tf jukp lj ugv qdb.”
<vg>“Tlabn hu zwlf jvovblz ixddf xi hasvs. Gog pw execeqimfk or dmgjh fnkcxj gl mzzx vqqb nogy dotkkaf ddokgavvwli. Gg wecxajj dczcewo wkoeb bdlofarhmct yipm nuypbyz, hmiqb ev AM. Cx lnea agy’g fzch yjdxum xn vroe cmk kvsmsd, vkmab zsdz ijeqk rdlktwydm.”</vn>
“Otpofl. Ic xhx hl svfdt dqlq cgehld ifvwcp.”
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Kai Nicol-Schwarz

Kai Nicol-Schwarz was a senior reporter at Sifted. He covered AI and UK tech.

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