About
Longhorn 100
Inc. 5000
Recognition

Built in Austin.Proven Worldwide.

From a single consultant with a vision to one of the fastest-growing Longhorn-led companies in the world. This is our story.

#17Longhorn 1002024
5xInc. 5000 HonoreeConsecutive Years
15+Years TransformingSince 2009

It Started With a Broken Promise

In 2009, David Hawks watched another enterprise transformation fail. Not because the ideas were wrong, but because the consultants left before anything stuck.

He'd seen it a dozen times. Big consulting firms would roll in with frameworks and certifications, run a few training sessions, declare victory, and disappear. Six months later, organizations were back to old habits, leaders were disillusioned, and millions of dollars had evaporated.

David knew there had to be a better way. What if consultants actually stayed until the transformation worked? What if success was measured in business outcomes, not workshops delivered? What if the goal was to build internal capability so clients didn't need consultants forever?

He founded Agile Velocity on a radical premise: work yourself out of a job. Help organizations build the internal muscles to improve themselves. Don't rent them a solution. Teach them to own it.

Today, David serves as an advisor, while the leadership team he built continues to carry that mission forward, proving every day that transformation done right creates lasting change.

“Most consultants optimize for billable hours. We optimize for the day our clients don't need us anymore. That's how you know the transformation actually worked.”
David HawksFounder
#17Longhorn 100

Fastest-Growing Longhorn-Led Business

The Longhorn 100 celebrates the 100 fastest-growing businesses in the world led by University of Texas alumni. In 2024, Agile Velocity ranked #17, recognition that our approach to transformation actually works.

“This recognition isn't about any single person. It's validation that organizations are hungry for transformation that actually sticks. They're tired of theater. They want results. And that's exactly what we deliver.”
James HawksPartner & Chief Revenue Officer

What This Means

The Longhorn 100 doesn't measure revenue or headcount. It measures growth rate. To rank #17 means Agile Velocity is scaling faster than thousands of other Longhorn-led companies worldwide. That growth comes from one place: clients who see real results and tell others.

Inc. 5000: Year After Year

The Inc. 5000 is the most prestigious ranking of America's fastest-growing private companies. Making the list once is an achievement. Making it five consecutive years proves sustained excellence.

2019#2,981
2018#3,078
2017Honoree
2016Honoree
2015Honoree
“There's a silver lining in all situations. Stay positive and seek it out. That's how we approach every client engagement, and apparently it works. They keep coming back and bringing their peers.”
Mike LepinePartner & Chief Operating Officer
Inc.50005x Honoree

The People Behind The Growth

Three partners. One mission. Transformation that actually works.

JH

James Hawks

Partner & Chief Revenue Officer

30+ years leading sales, operations, and client relations across mid-sized to large organizations. University of Miami BBA in Computer Information Systems. M&A expertise with an obsessive focus on the client experience, because every engagement is a relationship, not a transaction.

Certified Scrum Master
“Invest your time in those that deserve it.”
ML

Mike Lepine

Partner & Chief Operating Officer

Operationally-focused leader with deep software development and engineering expertise. Brings stability, focus, and results while championing an environment that balances productivity with work-life wellness. Always questioning efficiency and identifying improvement opportunities.

CAL ICSDCSM
“There's a silver lining in all situations. Stay positive and seek it out.”
EC

Eric Cussen

Partner & Chief Transformation Officer

20+ years in product development and enterprise transformation. CEO and co-founder of multiple startups. Led large-scale transformations across financial services, aviation, healthcare, and insurance. Designed a financial product featured in the Wall Street Journal. Pragmatic, honest, and willing to roll up his sleeves.

SAFe SPC 6.0P2A CertifiedCSMCSPOKMP
“You're on mute.”
DH

David Hawks Founder

Certified Enterprise Coach and UT Austin McCombs graduate ('95). David founded Agile Velocity in 2009 and built the foundation that continues to drive the company today. Now serving as an advisor, he remains passionate about helping organizations achieve lasting transformation that delivers measurable business outcomes. Known for his 18-hour Longhorn tailgate experiences: arriving first, leaving last.

“Stop Starting, Start Finishing.”

Awards Don't Transform Companies

We don't hang these plaques on the wall to impress visitors. We share them because they answer a question every prospect asks: “Why should I trust your team?”

Proof of Results

You don't grow this fast without delivering results. Our growth comes from clients who see transformation stick and tell their peers.

Stability You Can Trust

We'll be here next year and the year after. Sustained growth means sustained partnership, not consultants who disappear mid-engagement.

Attracting Top Talent

Fast-growing companies attract the best coaches and consultants. The people who work with you are the best in the industry.

“Every client we work with is betting their career on the outcome. They're not looking for a vendor. They're looking for a partner who's done this before and has the track record to prove it. That's what these recognitions represent.”
James HawksPartner & Chief Revenue Officer

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