About Us
AEGIS Financial Solutions, Inc. is a Virginia corporation chartered in March 1998.
About: Mike Lieber
Mike Lieber, President
Mike entered the ranks of entrepreneurship early in his life — at the ripe old age of 10 — when he took over a neighborhood newspaper route for his hometown Columbus Citizen-Journal.
“Of course, I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was developing skills I would use the rest of my life,” he says. “Sales, financial management, collections, customer relations — all those things we must do to run a successful business.”
Within the first year, he grew his route nearly 20 percent and was recognized with an article featuring him and his accomplishment.
He got an early start with computers, as well. While in high school, Mike taught himself to program in “basic” on Texas Instrument’s TI 94, the first domestic 16-bit home computer available in the U.S.
“My monitor was our family’s television, my hard drive was a cassette tape recorder.”
A penchant for early starts continued when, in the summer after his junior year in high school, Mike launched an 11-year Army career by enlisting and completing basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. While attending Ohio State University, he served in the Army Reserve and the Ohio National Guard, earning an officer’s commission in 1984, and a bachelor’s degree in 1985.
In early 1986, Mike was off to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he was named honor graduate of his artillery officer’s basic course. When he was offered his choice of active-duty assignments anywhere in the world, he declined, opting instead to enroll in graduate school at Florida State University.
“It was the best decision I ever made,” he says, “because Florida State is where I met my wonderful wife, partner, and best friend for the past 20 years.”
After completing his master’s degree and earning a certificate in public administration, Mike began writing professionally as a community planner with a community planning council in Jacksonville.
The publication of his 1990 study of philanthropy brought Mike to the attention of the regional United Way president, who soon discovered Mike’s knowledge of computers. For the next 6 years, he was the MIS director, eventually rising to the level of Vice President.
As the power and capabilities of personal computers increased, Mike saw opportunity. United Ways and other non profits with tens of thousands or contributor records to maintain could now have an alternative to expensive mid-range computer hardware and software if reliable fundraising and accounting software were developed for the cheaper and more flexible PC platform. It didn’t take him long to set up AEGIS and start writing the software.
After fifteen years as a business owner, Mike has gained considerable insight into the many challenges an entrepreneur confronts in launching and sustaining a company. This is the knowledge and experience he offers all his clients, together with the “can-do” spirit stirring in him since running his first business on the cold, dark mornings of his boyhood paper route.
Most recently, Mike wrote and published the novel you see featured in the sidebar of this site. “Ops Populi: Inception” is the first of a three-part series of political thrillers centered on the theme of a second U.S. constitutional convention. If you are looking for a little timely, thought-provoking entertainment, this book could be for you.
