How it started

Once upon a time, two tech geniuses (we keep telling ourselves that) had a dream to build a software company without becoming soulless corporate zombies. They wanted happy customers, innovative ideas, and a great culture - and they thought it would be a breeze. As they grew, they realized they needed more people who could think like true "2Pinters." They wanted to build a software company without turning into the typical “evil corporate chasing growth”, focus on keeping customers happy, ideas and culture flowing high, whilst being extremely professional. We thought it would be easy. Spoiler alert: it wasn't.

How it went

We did a lot right, some parts I am extremely proud of, some less. As we grew, we needed to hire more and more people, and although we had an initial plan to not hire people and use consultants, we reached a point where we needed more people to think like true “2Pinters” and started to focus on expanding our employee base. As I explained it to one of our employees, we needed people to sit on their couch and think of 2Pint innovation, issues, technology as if it were their own challenges. Not because they have to, but because they want to, because it was in their DNA to solve the same problems we want solve for large enterprises. Both myself and Phil (the two founders), never had a plan around what we would do if we “really” became successful while we were having all this fun. Then it dawned one day – ‘Holy shit’, this is really happening, we are successful!

We need help!

Phil and I are both great technical minds, but we needed help. The Company has been Phil’s and my baby for years, now we needed someone to really take the helm at the rudder while we are working the machinery. We needed a new CEO. (To be honest the old one was never a great CEO - me). We thought, it must be easy to hire someone with 20+ years of Technology experience and then adding Endpoint Management experience, sharing the same culture and ethos as me and Phil, with strong leadership skills and a drive that matches ours, extreme customer focus and someone that we can look up to from all perspectives. Simple right? Well, NO!

Thanksfully,  didn’t have to look to far.  Turns out there was only one possible candidate, and she was right on my doorstep. Michelle for CEO!

I started working for Michelle at 1E in 2004, when she sold me all around the world as a consultant to do remote OS deployments for large enterprises. Phil originally hired her into 1E, (we like to keep things within the family here) and at 1E she really excelled, helping the company move into significant growth and helped make that company what it once was. I believe it is critical with Senior Leadership teams that there is a strong trust and with our history, together that is what we bring. She has a relentless ability to lead, adapt, and strive to do what is right for all people she interacts with – that is what ultimately lead me to ask her to be my wife in 2011. Yes, you heard it correct, she is my wife! She is just awesome in every respect, although a little crazy, but who doesn’t like that?

In a move that some might call crazy, we convinced Michelle to be appointed as the new CEO of 2Pint Software. What's even crazier? She DID accept, and Phil and I are both reporting to her. Yes, you read that right, there is no one we would rather report to. Michelle honed her skills in multitasking, negotiation, and diplomacy at IBM for the last 12 years as a Managing Director, dealing with challenging enterprise IT organizations and large IT delivery teams, hey if she could manage IBM she can sure as hell manage us two mainframes (we feel old occasionally).

How it's going now

We are proud of her accomplishments and have seen her excel at executing our continued plan to assemble a “world-class team” to guide the Company into the “next chapter of our growth.” Michelle, the multitasking, negotiating, gymnastics-loving, promoting women in tech, new technology-learning, house-building, kid-raising powerhouse, who can sprinkle success like fairy dust (except it's actually sweat from all her hard work), is really transforming 2Pint in a hugely positive way!

As anyone that has worked with her before knows, she doesn’t wait around to get into action, I have yet to meet a harder working more disciplined and passionate person than Michelle with a heart of gold that is still in the right place. She has an uncanny ability to never give up and we are pleased she is on board and will fight for our dream!

I trusted her with our Company, my children, there is no one better. Three months in, we are proud to be able to start announcing what we have been up to! Welcome aboard Michelle, we are truly honored to have you on board and think you already make a great CEO. 

//Andreas