The interview process revealed several organisational challenges. No room had been booked in advance, causing delays and giving an impression of poor preparation. The room eventually used was very small and lacked air conditioning, making the session uncomfortable. Despite this, the directors seemed to like me and even shared a draft offer. However, when I began negotiating—raising valid concerns that the responsibilities didn’t align with the proposed salary—they abruptly withdrew the offer. This raised further questions about internal communication, professionalism, ethos, values and democratic operation of the business.