My Biography
B. SCOTT BURKETT
Serial Entrepreneur, Tech-Geek, Dad
If I can be of service to you, please do not hesitate to contact me. You can also find me on Twitter.
I am currently cranking away at StarPound Technologies, an open-source software company that provides a platform for call centers, PBXs, and other voice applications.
I also co-founded StartupLounge.com, which provides a focus on entrepreneurship and venture capital in the southeast. We publish a professionally-produced podcast which gets far more listens than we ever imagined it would. We also do a boatload of free events for entrepreneurs and investors, including our thrice-yearly CapitalLounge event (which draw hundreds of fast-growth entrepreneurs and investors) and PitchCamp, which is a free interactive workshop session aimed at helping entrepreneurs refine their elevator pitch. You can read about my partner-in-crime Mike Blake here.
Mike and I are involved in all sorts of exciting things here in Georgia, such as:
- Serving as mentors and judges for the Georgia Tech/Emory TI:GER Program, the Georgia Tech Business Plan Competition, and the Technology Association of Georgia’s Business Launch Competition
- Lecturing from time-to-time for the University of Georgia’s MBA Program in Athens, GA
- Even scarier than the above one, guest-teaching at places like Wheeler High School’s Magnet Program
- Pitching in to help folks like the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce, the American-Israeli Chamber of Commerce.
- Occasionally, we have the need to bail each other out of jail. Thankfully, we know most of the attorneys in town (and the judges that matter).
Prior to StarPound, I was the interim-CEO, and later CEO/Chairman of PlayMotion, Inc. I took over a company that had lost money for the first four years of its existence, and we turned it around. We crossed the $1M revenue line for the first time, and were profitable on revenues of $1.5M. We grew the business by 86% in 6 months. We expanded the pipeline from $200K to nearly $10M, lowered the cost of sales by 17% and rolled out a new product line. It was cool. We had a nice business portfolio with Walt Disney, Cartoon Network, NASCAR, Bravo TV, Sanofi Aventis, SEGA, and AMC Theaters. We also earned a Top 10 Innovative Company award from the Technology Association of Georgia.
Before diving into PlayMotion, I founded Incursio, which was a technology incubator/IP farm. We did 12 deals, sold 6 – so we batted .500 by the end of the run.
- an online image analysis ASP (sold the business)
- a popular P2P rating engine (sold the business)
- a portable software license management platform (C/C++, J2EE, PHP) (sold the business)
- a boutique web hosting provider serving 5K+ clients (sold the business)
- a niche B2C/B2B hybrid commerce site which grew to over 500,000 SKUs and inventories of $65M (sold the business)
- a 65,000+ subscriber online creative community (sold the business)
- a business intelligence social network (failed miserably – that’s life!)
I also started the “Gang of 5″ concept, a unique entrepreneurial advisory network.
Before starting Incursio, I was VP of Technology & Development for MetalMaker, Inc., a venture-backed startup B2B exchange on the supply side of the steel industry. We raised a boatload of money from Lehman Ventures, then ran into the dot com wall at 100 miles an hour. Shit happens.
I started my professional career in a big company, although our logo wasn’t as cool at the time:
I realized that big companies were not for me. Entrepreneurial-minded people typically don’t do well working inside of a box. So, I moved downstream and got into the consulting game. It was marginally more fun telling other big companies what they should be doing.
Then, I got into startups, and lived happily ever after.
I used to do a fair amount of writing, and I do my fair share of speaking. It’s fun – I love meeting new people who are swinging for the fences.
Oh, yeah, I used to be in the Army, too. Good stuff. I was stationed in cold-war era Germany back in the 1980s – 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), 1st Brigade, 3d Battalion, 64th Armored Regiment. Rock of the Marne, baby. A shout out to all my old buddies who did their time at Conn Barracks in Schweinfurt.
I have a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a double major in Computer Information Systems from Thomas A. Edison State College.
I live in Atlanta, Georgia with my wife and two daughters. We collect art, are patrons of Atlanta’s High Museum of Art, and we’re involved in a number of charities, including the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and the Humane Society.
Comments
Comment from Scott Burkett
Time: December 8, 2006, 9:46 pm
Thanks for the kind words, Lisa. I’m glad you’ve found my ramblings to be of some value.
I look forward to seeing you comment!
Cheers.
Scott
Comment from danielle posa
Time: December 29, 2006, 3:03 am
I’m currently a college student and I’m in the process of starting a website company centered around networking… and your site has been very clear and helpful…. especially with insight on building an advisory board. Thanks
Comment from Christopher J. Swift
Time: June 1, 2007, 3:40 pm
Great site.
What unit in the 3rd ID where you with?
Comment from Scott Burkett
Time: June 1, 2007, 6:13 pm
Hi there, Chris. I was 3/64 Armor, 1st Brigade, 3d ID, Schweinfurt, Germany.
Cheers.
Scott
Comment from Christopher J. swift
Time: June 5, 2007, 12:33 pm
http://yankeetirade.com/blog/2007/06/04/abraham-burkett-11th-pennsylvania-cavalry/
I wonder if you are related?
Comment from Elena Lipson
Time: December 25, 2007, 1:20 am
Hi Scott,
This is my second year running my on-line boutique. I am taking some of your tips and utilizing them to help me as my business grows. Thanks for being a great resource. I’m about to launch my site related blog. I am hoping it will become a forum for my customers to share organic tips, advice and resources….any advice on things to not do??
Comment from Scott Burkett
Time: February 28, 2008, 9:45 pm
Hi Elena … didn’t even see your post – sorry for the late reply!
My biggest piece of advice to community builders is to “engage”, “empower”, and “listen”. Failing to do those things will almost certainly result in failure.
Cheers.
Scott
Comment from Janet Whitehead
Time: March 4, 2009, 3:41 pm
Hello Scott, how are you? I just wanted to write and say I am enjoying seeing the developments on your blog and website…very nice! Hope all is well, you and I know each other from the very first StartupLounge meeting…netInteractive is the company name. I have met so many people during the 2006 – 2008 timeframe here in the ATL.
Good luck and until the next event,
Janet
Comment from Ed
Time: March 27, 2009, 12:45 am
“Rampage!”
Scott! I’m an old D Co. 3/64 AR Tanker who was on Conn when you were. Stop by my forum and see “Nubbs.” He knows you from Conn…
Comment from Sharon Strandberg
Time: May 28, 2009, 9:26 am
Found you while researching Kettering. I liked your comments on the Dillusion of Trust. Re: Bio, I’m familar with Edison State University– worked for VP Community Affairs Alumni fundraising & enjoyed walking around a small exhibit on campus with guests. InfoBahn – clever name!
Comment from Richard D. Welsh
Time: June 2, 2009, 2:29 pm
I was stationed at Conn Brks from Jul. 1961 til Jan. 1964. I was RA and was extended for the duration of my enlistment because of the Berlin wall going up at the time. I would love to get hold of some old buddies but don/t know how? I was in A btry 3rd Msl Bn 7th Arty 7th army. We had inf. and tankers at Conn Brks back then and they didn’t care too much for us.
Comment from William England
Time: June 3, 2009, 7:55 pm
Scott was Your dad in the Army also, and did you growup in lawton OK? If so I think i might have known you since we were kids in Gmund.
Comment from Scott Burkett
Time: June 3, 2009, 9:14 pm
Hey William – sorry, no. I grew up not far from Atlanta. My dad wasn’t in the Army, but one of my grandfathers was, and the other grandfather served in the Navy, as did his son (my uncle).
Cheers.
Scott
Comment from les sayles
Time: July 2, 2009, 10:01 am
Rock of the Marne, We pierce…. medic with 3/64 form 71 to 72…. good days at Conn, had a battalion surgeon who took a great interest in us. taught us so much, that I became a respiratory therapist and have been one for 25 years. wish I had followed the good dr’s advise and done it as soon as I got discharged. Could hardly believe how much I remembered about what he taught us.
Comment from Jim Smith
Time: September 24, 2009, 10:20 am
I served at Conn. I was in Charlie 3/64 83-85. Left the cold and went to Hood. Give me a shout sometime..
Comment from David Moline
Time: October 18, 2009, 11:33 pm
Specialist Burkett,… I remember you being a driver for one of the company commanders but can remember whom? Cpt Ryan in Charlie? Lt Cluff as S1? I was 3rd Plt Ldr there in in ‘87 and XO in Bravo during ‘88. Love the picture on your website in front of HQ1.
Time has treated you well.
Comment from Scott Burkett
Time: October 19, 2009, 2:44 pm
Hey David … er…. Lt. Moline 
I remember your name as well.
I drove a lot of people and vehicles for 3/64 back in the day. Off the top of my head, I drove for Lieutenant’s Rey, Acevedo, Knutson, and Cluff, Captain Miller (S4) from time to time, and some others, for Delta Co., and S1/S3/S4 in HHC.
Rampage – We Pierce!
Cheers.
Scott
Comment from Shawn Taylor
Time: October 20, 2009, 1:01 pm
Scott – Just thought I’d say Hi. Its funny, I teach Business Technology Applications at Russell County High School and was telling my class about “this guy that new more about computers than our teacher back then”, so I googled you. I hope all is well. Take care.
Comment from Amanda
Time: April 2, 2010, 10:19 am
Hi Scott,
I just wanted to be able to say a proper farewell to you after you left WetCanvas. I have no idea when that was but I joined back in March 1999 and only this week have returned to be more involved again. I was looking around the site to see where the founding members were and discovered you weren’t there any more. So, this is a very very late thank you for starting the site and a farewell too. Looks like you are enjoying what you are currently doing.
Thanks again!
Amanda (from Australia)
Comment from Lisa Lowe
Time: December 8, 2006, 7:14 pm
Stumbled upon your site – very visually appealing; easy to navigate read. Appreciate your perspective, editorials and sense of humor. I’ll visit again, if permitted. ; )