A TikTok creator who posts under BXWISE is warning job seekers to think twice before joining a small company. She argues that employees who value a clear workday and a sense of accomplishment may struggle with the demands of working for a smaller business. The creator shared the video on July 14, describing how her attempt to finish work early had backfired. With nearly 48,900 likes, the video sparked a discussion about workloads, boundaries, management and pay at small companies.
"The next time you're thinking, oh, I think I'm gonna join a small company, I just really need you to hear me," the creator said. She then warned viewers against expecting to finish every task on their lists and said: "If you enjoy having your Friday nights free and like feeling accomplished and like scratching a bunch of stuff off of a to-do list, do not join a small company."
She explained that, at her current job, she starts working every day at 5:30 a.m. and always hopes she'll finish earlier. But she's usually still working at 8 p.m., with much of the day's workload unfinished.
"Not even close. Not even close," she added.
Commenters who said they worked for small businesses related to the video, saying they often had to take on responsibilities beyond their official job descriptions. One commenter said she was the director of marketing while also handling customer support, sales, operations and administrative duties. She questioned how so many responsibilities could be covered by one salary and said she felt overwhelmed.
Another commenter summarized the experience with "Small business = 5 jobs for one person." Others complained about a lack of formal processes and workplace infrastructure. For example, one commenter wrote, "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN SOP in a small company. The SOP is in the owner's head." Several commenters also raised concerns about human resources support for career progression and compensation. Some said employees could take on additional responsibilities without receiving pay increases, while others saw limited opportunities for promotion.
Despite the criticism, some commenters disagreed with the idea that small businesses are inherently difficult places to work.
One commenter said they worked at a financial firm with only four employees and described the experience as a dream, citing a supportive boss and flexibility around time off. Another commenter said they consistently received good pay and benefits, along with friendly treatment from the owners of small businesses where they had worked for a while.
Others argued that the real issue was management rather than company size. One commenter explained: "I think this is less of a small company vs big company issue and more of a leadership, culture, and boundaries issue."
Some commenters also advised employees not to feel obligated to work beyond their contracted hours simply because their to-do lists remained unfinished. One commented, "You're paid for 8 hours during the day, so you work for 8 hours. If that's not enough time to finish everything, then don't." Another suggested that employees should set clearer boundaries with their managers, who don't actually do the job, and learn to say no to treating every task as an emergency.
