Meet Our Team: Mike Fine

We’d like to introduce you to the members of our team. These are the people that you’re working with every day when you join a Betabound test, so we thought you’d enjoy a behind-the-scenes peek at the people that make Betabound tests such a fun and rewarding experience.

So, without further ado, we’d like to introduce you to our Director of Services, Mike Fine. He’s the guy that oversees our team of beta managers and talks with our clients (the people that give us the cool new gadgets you get to test) to ensure that each test we run delivers the best possible results for their new product. Let’s meet Mike.

How long have you been with Centercode?
Almost from the very start. I joined the company four months after it started and founded the services side of the business. They had started writing our software but they didn’t have anyone who really had the beta “expertise.” The guys were kind enough to let me be called one of the “founders” of Centercode.

What’s the best thing about working at Centercode?
That’s a tough one. I love my job and my co-workers. I think there are two “bests.” I love interfacing with our clients and testers. People are a big part of what we do and it’s great working with both. Anyone who knows me knows that I love the “service” aspect of my job and that really keeps me going.

In the big picture view, another great thing is seeing the business grow year after year. Thirteen years ago, I worked in my house and the team in California shared a small office space with some friends. It’s grown into a real business, two offices, and the leader in beta testing. That’s pretty amazing any way you slice it.

In your opinion, what is the most important characteristic in a good beta tester?
I love people who really have fun and engage with us. Testers who love to chat in the forums, contribute to bug reports, and really share a lot of feedback are gold in this business. I want to use those people again and again because I know they honestly enjoy beta testing and that they love contributing. I’d rather have a beta tester who just drops in every day and shares some feedback than some tester who finds one big problem and then drops off the map and/or only does surveys. People who participate regularly are the best!

What is one thing that a beta tester can do to stand out from the rest?
It’s all about being consistent. Some people don’t understand that a little each day is all we need. People often procrastinate and don’t do things on time, which makes our jobs much more difficult. All they have to do is just login each day and participate in the project. It’s very easy and it really shines in our system. Those people definitely stand out and we love them!

If you could beta test one product, what would it be?
I love seeing all-new products, and I love toys. I am completely fascinated by the evolution in two areas: quadcopters and wearables. Both of these have had really big changes in the last year and I love seeing where they are going. I would love to test either one because I believe there is a bright future for both industries.

What’s one piece of advice you’d like to give to our Betabound community?
Read the recruitment carefully and tell us why you are suited to test a product. People who write “Pick me” or sell us on how they are experts are not who we are selecting. If we are testing a new exercise band, tell us how much you exercise. If we are testing an accounting software, tell us how often you use accounting software. We need (require) people who match the demographics of our client. If you don’t regularly exercise, then you aren’t going to get selected to participate in an exercise band test.

If you had an entire day with nothing to do, how would you spend it?
Without a doubt, skiing with my wife and kids. I love being in the mountains. I love the snow and everything about it. It’s where I am at home.

What’s your all-time favorite video game?
I have had several over the years that I’ve really enjoyed, but I have to say that “Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag” is the pinnacle of gaming. I’m a pirate, get to sail ships, dig for buried treasure, and be a swashbuckler. It’s immersive, fun, and totally non-linear. I love it!

What would you like your last words to be?
“I hope this was a beta test, and now I get to try the full release.”

Mike brings his all to his work every day and is committed to helping us get more and more beta testing opportunities for our community members. Keep an eye out for more introductions to members of our team so that you can put a face to a name next time you’re in one of our beta projects.

Are there other questions you’d like us to ask our team? Let us know in the comments below!

Haven’t joined the Betabound community yet? Sign up now!