Our Founder and CEO, Shane Parreco, was recently interviewed on the podcast Mission Driven You. The host, Dr. Will Samson, opens the podcast with this question: Why do so many corporate meetings suck—and what would it look like if they didn’t?
Together, Shane and Will discussed corporate culture, how to rebuild it, and how it can all start from fixing meetings. This wasn’t a conversation about productivity hacks, but rather a look into the systems that govern how we work, communicate, and make decisions. Agenda Keeper isn’t built to support performative corporate collaboration; it’s designed to make meetings meaningful.
Meetings are broken
Fundamentally, not enough emphasis is put on preparing for meetings. Of course there’s value in showing up to a meeting prepared, but most people join a meeting and start by saying some version of “what’s this about?”
When we boil down the reason meetings suck, it’s because people don’t prepare for them. It’s not that meetings aren’t valued—in some ways they’re even overvalued. The intention, value, and effort that go into preparing for a meeting simply doesn’t happen on the scale that it should. It’s not a skill problem, it’s a mindset. People know they need to meet to collaborate, share strategy, and align. But it’s challenging to translate that into action.
Agenda Keeper creates intention around your meetings
Our platform isn’t a productivity hack. It’s a tool to prompt better collaboration and preparedness for meetings, which makes meetings more productive. We built Agenda Keeper because we realized a big portion of every week was being spent in recurring meetings, and maintaining continuity between them all was difficult.
Each meeting needed a system to manage notes and content, but they weren’t being run the same across the board. Some were being managed through Google Docs, some through physical notes, and some—quite frankly—weren’t being managed. We wanted a product that was easy-to-use, solved the problems of meeting note access, and prompted us to collaborate. Thus, Agenda Keeper was born.
Agenda Keeper still requires your input
Having better meetings isn’t as simple as just using Agenda Keeper (though, that would be nice). Instead, this platform is the tool that focuses your efforts to make meetings better because working and meetings don’t actually go hand-in-hand. Consider the goal of your meeting, and start building your agenda around that. This will help you from falling into the trap of the adage, “if I wasn’t in so many meetings, I’d get more work done!”
Meetings shouldn’t be the bane of your existence
How many people can say they went to a meeting that finished on time and was well-run? Almost no one. We want everyone’s meetings to be that kind of success story. They shouldn’t just suck less, they should be more effective, more efficient, and a better experience for everyone involved.
Stop having meetings that drain your energy and start moving your mission forward instead. Use Agenda Keeper to upgrade your meetings so you can get back to work and enjoy the entire experience along the way.
About Mission Driven You
Mission Driven You is a podcast that empowers you to make a difference by learning from world-class entrepreneurs and change makers. Each episode explores stories, strategies, and insights on sustainable business, social impact, and building a better future. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, professional, or simply passionate about positive change, you’ll find inspiration and practical wisdom. Learn more on Will Samson’s website.
