Agile Frameworks Q&A
MESA sat down with Mike Anders, President of Agile Frameworks, to ask him about his experience working with MESA.
Tell us a bit about your background, your career history, and your business. What prompted you to get involved with MESA?
The genesis of Agile Frameworks was an effort to commercialize a mobile software solution that had been created as works-for-hire by my company for a client. After exhausting several business models, we decided to jointly create a merged, subsidiary company with this as its mission. I knew bringing a Software-as-a-Service product to a niche market would challenge my skills and experience, and was referred to MESA as a source of expertise and guidance.
What was your biggest business challenge before working with MESA? Has MESA been able to help you work through it, and if not, what happened instead?
Surprisingly, our biggest issues were not related to finding capital and funding. They were more foundational – about how to establish discipline and accountability, and develop a “start-up” pace and culture within an “intrapreneurial” entity.
What, specifically, is your favorite part about working with MESA, and why?
MESA mentors provide unvarnished, straight guidance and feedback, shaped by experience and motivated by a pure desire to see their mentees succeed. Sometimes the advice can seem harsh, but it’s always been spot on and focused on addressing the “sticking points.” They’re a great sounding board for strategic planning and major operational decisions, and have been very helpful in preparing me for Board meetings.
If you were going to recommend MESA to a colleague, what would you say?
Look at MESA as an external, disinterested expert advisor. They’re not investors, they’re not your Board – not even your spouse or best friend. They bring pertinent, experience-based guidance and to the extent you are willing to be open, honest and prepared, they will give you perspectives you simply cannot get elsewhere.
What three words would you use to describe your experience with MESA?
Best value on the planet. (Sorry I know that’s 5, but it really fits.)
Insightful, capable, committed.
Anything else you want us to know about your experience with MESA?
I always looked forward to my mentor meetings, even when it was “Oh God, another thing to prepare for!” The return on the time and energy I put into my discussions provided huge returns, and I learned a huge amount about creating software solutions for a market, selling them, and making a business of it.