People I know who currently work for Groupon say that the culture there is falling apart. To get the numbers investors expect the sales people need to reach unrealistic sales numbers. Management is grasping at straws, trying every trick in the book to not let the whole thing fall apart. The Groupon model is simply not sustainable, it was a onetime gimmick.
As someone who lives in Chicago, I am worried about its failure and with that the future of the tech scene in Chicago.
Groupon is a large part of the tech scene here in Chicago, contributing a lot to the scene.
But they're not our sole pillar any more. I think we all know that pillar is going to come crashing down in the near future, and we're ready.
Groupon helped propel us to where we are, and we're standing on our own now. In my opinion, the future of tech in Chicago will not solely depend on Groupon's activity.
I, too, live in Chicago, and I don't think this matters one bit. If you think Chicago should live and die by the same rules as Silicon Valley, then that's your first problem. Native mid-westerners live by the philosophy of "Show Me", which is apt for Missouri's slogan. If Groupon, or any other company, can't show real results then let the chips fall where they may. I ran into a few Groupon employees at a bar on the northside a few months ago. They (the man, not the women with him) were bragging about Groupon and the fact that he was in the "sales" dept. at the company. This was before any shit hit the fan. And all I could think about was, "I hope you have other job prospects." I didn't think this because of some hatred toward Groupon, but rather the naivete of making such a statement. So, the fat salesman wandered off with the cute salesgirls. And I wonder what they're life is like now.
My impression from working in their building (at a different company) is that they really don't have that many tech people. From what little one can divine from elevator conversations, it seems like far less than 1/10 have anything even remotely technical in their conversations.
Those that are sent packing when Groupon shuffles off this mortal coil will get snapped up in a hurry. The other 5k+ twenty-something sales force will be much more problematic. If you're under 35, you know at least one person who works there, so it's going to be a real horror show when all those people get tossed out on their collective asses.
As someone who lives in Chicago, I am worried about its failure and with that the future of the tech scene in Chicago.