Agile Journeys is an ongoing series of candid conversations with Agile professionals from across the spectrum — from technical leads and enterprise architects to Scrum Masters, Agile coaches, and transformation leaders. Each conversation dives into the realities of Agile transformations, adoption, and scaling: the frameworks that work (and the ones that don’t), the processes and tools that enable change, the techniques and tips that make a difference, and the challenges teams face along the way. With a special focus on the Atlassian eco-system.
Our goal is simple: share unfiltered, practical insights from the people living Agile every day — so you can learn, adapt, and make your own teams thrive.
In this edition of Agile Journeys, we sit down with Asael Sepúlveda, Co-founder of EnevaSys, a Platinum Atlassian Solution Partner based in Monterrey, Mexico.
With over a decade of experience leading Agile transformations across financial and retail sectors, Asael has built a career around one principle: people first.
What started as a small consultancy in 2010 has grown into one of Latin America’s most respected Atlassian partners — guided by a simple, enduring vision: “1,000 success stories.”
“You can’t create a success story unless the client is happy, the solution made an impact, and the experience was positive at every touchpoint.”
In our conversation, Asael reflects on scaling EnevaSys from a service-oriented startup to a Platinum partner, the mindset shifts that define true agility, and why the future of collaboration lies in simplicity, clarity, and trust.
From Vision to Execution: Growing Through Service
EnevaSys’s evolution wasn’t built on aggressive expansion or flashy branding — it was built on service. Asael attributes their success to the company’s human-centered approach.
“The key is surrounding yourself with people who genuinely want to help.”
That focus, paired with adaptability to Atlassian’s growing partner standards, helped EnevaSys rise to Platinum status. Rather than viewing Atlassian’s higher expectations as pressure, Asael saw them as fuel for continuous improvement.
“When Atlassian raises the bar, it’s because the market’s growing. If they see potential, I want to be ready to capture it.”
Agility Is Not Control — It’s Collaboration
When discussing Agile transformation, Asael pinpoints one of the most persistent misconceptions: treating Jira as a control tool instead of a collaboration platform.
“If you use Jira for control, you’ll get frustration. If you use it for collaboration, you’ll get flow.”
He stresses that agility shouldn’t be about micromanagement or compliance but about enabling learning loops — open conversations that help teams adjust plans and stay aligned.
For Asael, success in transformation isn’t measured in dashboards or burndown charts, but in how teams communicate, detect issues early, and reduce rework.
“If you want collaboration, stop worrying about preventing mistakes — start enabling discovery.”
The Challenge of Measuring Agility
Defining success in an Agile transformation, Asael says, is “tricky.” Financial metrics tell only part of the story.
“Everyone wants to link agility to profit, but that’s not the full picture. The true indicators are collaboration, prioritization, and clarity. Those lead to better results.”
By focusing on qualitative outcomes — engagement, transparency, responsiveness — EnevaSys helps clients see agility not as a methodology, but as an organizational capability.
AI and the Next Era of Collaboration
While AI dominates tech discussions, Asael believes its most valuable impact will come from small, consistent actions — not from over-engineered solutions.
He gives a practical example: encouraging leaders to post short updates about progress and risks in Jira epics. Those simple notes fuel Atlassian’s Rovo AI, which can then summarize project status for any stakeholder.
“The magic isn’t the AI model — it’s the collaboration through the platform. That’s what makes information accessible to everyone.”
He also points to Atlassian’s recent acquisitions — DX for tool-usage insights, Browser Company for performance, and Loom for asynchronous communication — as key enablers of more connected, less friction-filled teamwork.
Developing People, Not Just Projects
After executive programs at IPADE Business School and MIT, Asael’s leadership approach shifted from operational focus to organizational growth.
“You can’t grow a company by yourself. You have to grow people.”
He believes the company should act as a vehicle for individual fulfillment — helping team members achieve personal and professional milestones alike.
When hiring, he’s unapologetic about prioritizing cultural fit over technical mastery:
“A thousand times, I’ll choose the person who fits our culture. You can train skills — not values.”
Community and Open Knowledge
Beyond consulting, Asael champions open education. Through the EnevaSys YouTube channel and participation in local user groups, he shares knowledge freely, convinced that transparency strengthens the entire ecosystem.
“You do it to give back. Karma takes care of the rest.”
He agrees that Atlassian user groups thrive best when led by the community, not vendors — building genuine trust and collaboration among peers.
A Hard Lesson Learned
Not every client engagement has been smooth. Asael recalls one project where he allowed Jira to be implemented as a strict control tool — and paid the price in stress and rework.
“The lesson was to be firm. If Jira isn’t the right tool, say it early. Don’t compromise clarity for convenience.”
The Future of Agility: Back to Basics
For Asael Sepúlveda, the future of Agile isn’t about the next big framework or buzzword — it’s about returning to the fundamentals.
He envisions a future where client-partner collaboration replaces rigid contracts, where adaptability trumps bureaucracy, and where technology simply enables human connection.
Final reflections
For Asael Sepúlveda, sustainable agility isn’t a bigger framework or a fancier dashboard — it’s the daily practice of clarity, collaboration, and trust. Use Jira to open conversations, not to police them. Measure to learn, not to please. And let AI amplify good habits, not mask weak ones. The work is human first; tools and processes follow.
“Agility isn’t new — it’s timeless. Plans change. People collaborate. That’s where value lives.”
Key takeaways 💫✨
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Collaboration over control. Treat Jira/Confluence as conversation catalysts, not compliance tools.
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Measure what matters. Metrics should feed retrospectives and decisions — not performance theater.
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Simplicity scales. Reduce complexity to protect flow; clarity beats more process every time.
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Leaders grow people. Culture change sticks when leaders coach for autonomy and psychological safety.
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Small habits → big impact. Short epic updates, visible risks, and frequent feedback loops compound fast.
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AI + Atlassian ≠ magic. Rovo and automation shine only when teams keep information current and shared.
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Be firm on fit. Say “no” early when a tool is misapplied; protect long-term trust over short-term wins.
About EnevaSys
Founded in 2010, EnevaSys is an Atlassian Platinum Solution Partner helping organizations across Latin America accelerate their Agile and ITSM transformations through people-centric consulting, enablement, and innovation.
About Agile Journeys
Agile Journeys is a Catapult Labs interview series spotlighting leaders across the Atlassian ecosystem — exploring how they drive agility, collaboration, and developer experience in the real world.