Exciting New Mandates for ANC

ANC is succeeding because of our discipline and our trust in the people we work with every day.

It’s wild to think that ANC started nearly five years ago. Like most ventures that begin in college, it’s been a lot of learning—lessons that hit you hard, make you think deeper, and ultimately shape the kind of company you want to build.

Recently, I had a rare opportunity to pause and reflect on what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what truly matters to the team and me. I kept coming back to two simple truths: ANC is succeeding because of our discipline and our trust in the people we work with every day.

Lesson One: Trust Your Team

Here’s the thing—I’ve learned the hard way that most external partners will never care as much about your business as you do. We started ANC believing that consultants, agencies, and experts could fast-track our progress, but that almost never worked out. Not because they lacked skill, but because they lacked skin in the game.

Founders: no one cares about your company more than you do. And the people who come closest are the ones in the trenches with you—your team.

That’s where we’ve placed our trust, and it’s paid off in ways we couldn’t have imagined. None of this means we don’t value the incredible mentors and advisors who’ve helped us along the way. On the contrary, we’re forever grateful for their generosity and wisdom. But when it comes to the big decisions, it’s the people who live and breathe ANC every day who have the deepest insights into where we need to go.

Founders: no one cares about your company more than you do.

Lesson Two: Operate Lean

Cost control has been our superpower. While many tech companies only started cutting back in 2022, ANC has been lean from day one.

We didn’t rent swanky offices. Instead, we embraced flexible co-working spaces and built a remote-first culture with team members working from wherever they’re most productive. This approach hasn’t just saved money—it’s allowed us to stay nimble, make better decisions, and focus on what really matters: building a company we’re proud of.

Operating lean also means we’re not at the mercy of external funding. We’ve built ANC to thrive on its own terms, without the pressure of hitting growth-at-all-costs metrics. That freedom has allowed us to experiment, take risks, and double down on what works.

The Role of AI

In 2024, it feels obvious to say that AI has changed everything. But at ANC, it’s been a game-changer.

AI hasn’t replaced what we do—it’s amplified it. It’s made it possible for a small, scrappy team to punch far above its weight, tackling challenges we wouldn’t have had the bandwidth or budget for otherwise. It’s not about automating away the human element; it’s about giving us more time to focus on what we do best: creating meaningful software.

What’s Next for ANC

Looking ahead, ANC is evolving into something bigger—a home for software brands that make life better for people.

Some of these brands, like SimpleDirect, will be homegrown. Others will come from partnerships or acquisitions when we meet amazing founders with brands we believe in. The goal isn’t to do more for the sake of doing more. It’s to focus on what matters, what works, and what can stand the test of time.

We’re deliberate about how we grow. Building a company that’s both profitable and principled takes focus. And for us, that means staying small, staying lean, and staying true to what we believe in: delivering real value to real people.

The Bigger Picture

Starting ANC in 2019 feels like a lifetime ago. We’ve weathered the highs and lows of building a startup, survived the wild ride of the 2021 tech bubble, and watched the industry pivot and adapt in 2022.

Through it all, one thing has become clear: ANC is here to stay.

We’re not just building tools—we’re building tools that last. And we’re doing it in a way that reflects who we are: resourceful, resilient, and relentlessly focused on the future.

The world of tech is changing fast, and we’re excited to be part of that change. Whether it’s through AI or the next big thing, we want to keep creating software that empowers people and makes their lives easier.

The future is bright, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.

George Pu
CEO, ANC
December 1, 2024