Mesa gave me the opportunity at a time when everyone else was picky and not quite hiring yet, offered a quick upgrade onto either the CRJ or 175, and ended up with 1100 TPIC in a three year window and I was able to get out. In those three years I also had a kid with another on the way and life expenses piled up that I was more or less forced to leave. This was before 300% became more prevalent.
I cannot fault Mesa as they are the ones that really made my career takeoff.