From Mike Stramaglio, President/CEO, MWAi
Good Morning Friends of MWAi!  
 
Screen Shot 2014-04-10 at 4.01.46 PMThank you for the opportunity to provide a short executive  update and I look forward to seeing at one of the events or meetings I mention below.  I appreciate your time and support ….a little fun data to consider 🙂 
 
I thought I would take a moment to share a little update regarding MWAi.   We have been and will be very busy the next few months thanks in large part to our MWAi FORZA strategy and various projects we are engaged with at both the client level and partner development initiatives.    
 
“Times are a changn”  as always  and this is good for our  industry, frankly we are pleased to be a part of the change management.  Theodore Levitt wrote articles in the Harvard Business Review and one of them he called Marketing Myopia.   This is a great piece that addresses “what business are you really in?”  For example,  “are you in  the business of selling quarter inch drills or selling quarter inch holes?”   Sounds funny but man is that ever true !  
 
Another one I like is the age old story about the “buggy whip.”   He wrote that a buggy whip company may have survived and grown if they had defined themselves as being in the business of “providing a stimulant or catalyst to and energy source” or, as others have suggested,  being in  the vehicle acceleration business.    I know it sounds funny but the point was very clearly made!   I might add that the last standing buggy whip company owned 100% marketshare 🙂 !  Building a new buddy whip ….because  of the shrinking need for buggy’s brings a whole new meaning to “riding off into the sunset!”  
 
So whats my point?   When any company focuses on the product vs the result we lose sight of our true goals.   MWAi for example MUST build and grow a great MWAi FORZA product but it is the quantum improvement in infrastructure we sell…..it is the dealers ability to manage and grow their future with the best Business Intelligence in the world.     MWAi and all Technology United members have the ability to drive our business to new levels of success and I am proud of your commitment to making that happen.    
 
FOR PARTNER COURTESY:
 
1.   MWAi continues to roll out the MWAi FORZA suite and it is going well …special thanks to our early adopter friends!   Gary,  Scott and Jeff!  
2.   MWAi has hired a net new  total thus far… 8 net new engineers  (All SAP experienced n B1 or R3 or both) and wow what a great contribution they are making to our strategy anne for our clients!  Thank you Jeff and Jay and team!  Awesome ….
3.   MWAi created a very important relationship with In Source and my partner and friend Nigel Blower!    A terrific company/partner who are the experts in SAP project management,  contact for hire and consultant support.   They have proven to be absolutely fantastic to work with and an enormous help.  
4.   MWAi has established a very close working partnership with Soliton and the President Mr.  Ken Staker.    Some of you have already met Ken and can attest to the fact that he and his team are exceptional in every way.   Years of customer experience in managing projects with SAP Business One and or R3 for the past 18 years.   Soliton is based in Mesa,  Arizona which is our backyard and they have now taken space in the MWAi facility as a part of the MWAi family.    
5.   Jenna and I did visit ITEX and next I will be visiting the BPCA dealer group in Florida (and presenting TU),  from BPCA I move to LA for our annual FOG Golf Tournament at beautiful Bel Air Country Club.   Joining me will be roughly 30 dealer Presidents,  Rick Taylor of Konica Minolta and Jim D’Emidio.    Jim and Rick  providing much appreciated sponsor support.    I am grateful to the BPCA group for the invitation to join them and I am looking forward to a great exchange of information.   As for the FOG tournament ….how can I possibly thank so many wonderful dealer friend and Jim and Rick for your years of support.
6.   MWAi is laser like focused on addressing two primary areas  …ensure our deliverables are the best in the industry and provide the value the dealers require to move away from their existing and dated infrastructure and join us in the new world.   
7.   Special thanks to TU membership and especially Arron Dyck,  Tanya Flores and Jenna Mammoser for moving the next Executive Summit forward.   This is always a fun and yet demanding project but the excitement is growing for the event!
8.   Kudo’s and thanks to Patricia Ames and her team for her great effort with the BRAND NEW and well positioned WorkFlow Magazine!   Nothing like this in the industry ……..and worth the investment.    More to come …..
9.  Along the industry editorial lines I would also add my kudos to CJ Cannata for your outstanding job in moving MRC forward.  I love the new format and content and no doubt the industry welcomes this type of improvement.  
10.  I might add that the gen x’rs and millennials are making a real difference in the media world (thanks Andy Slawetsky) of the pick up in your Industry analyst piece 🙂 
 
 
I always appreciate your support as friends, partners and industry veterans and as always if there is anything I can do to encourage you or support your efforts please do not hesitate to reach out to me.   It is my honor to be associated with you and I am happy to assist!       I am having more fun than I have had in ten years because of what we are doing as an industry and as partners …lets spread thew word  and make magic  together!  
 
Talk soon!
Ciao,
Mike