Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Burke Jr.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Robert. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My journey from making $40k a year to building a multi-million dollar firm has been very interesting.
I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. It was instilled in me from a young age working with my father in his carpet cleaning and janitorial business. I recall many days as a kid, no more than 6 or 7, being woken up by my father before sunrise to serve as his assistant. From an early age, I knew I would one day open the doors to my own company and never look back.
In January of 2009, I opened the doors to Sobo. Sobo provides Information Technology Support & Advisory to businesses in a wide range of professional services industries – from Architecture to Wealth Management and everything in between. To date, Sobo has experienced an average annual growth rate of over 50% and has grown to become one of the top IT Managed Service Providers in Atlanta.
Starting a business is a struggle financially and in many other ways. Every business owner goes through it, though not all of them make it out to the other side. The way you get through the struggle is by being stubborn and refusing to give up. Stay focused on WHY you started your business, not necessarily where you are now.
As an Entrepreneur, I’ve learned a lot but there is so much more to learn. Over the next twenty years, I plan on growing Sobo to become the largest MSP in the country, and I know that it’s going to happen sooner than I ever imagined. It will take vision, commitment, and belief in myself as well as my team to sustain the growth rate required to get there.
If you’re interested in following my journey you can find me on social media @iamrobburke.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As I mentioned, the struggles that business owners face are real. You will go home some days wondering if you did the right thing. You will question yourself and every decision you make. You will always be your worst critic.
I remember driving home one evening in January of 2012 wondering if I should cut my losses, close the doors and go to work for another consulting firm. I had no support and I was struggling to keep the business running during the day while attending MBA courses at night. I was literally sick with the fear of failing and losing it all.
This is why it is so important to always remember WHY you started your company. There will be times when you feel like throwing in the towel and giving up.
Sobo – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Sobo is an Information Technology Support & Advisory firm. We serve a wide range of professional services industries, and some of the top Architecture and Engineering Firms in Atlanta.
I feel pride in knowing that I created a great space for IT professionals to thrive. But what I really feel most proud about is pushing our clients forward. We are partially responsible for the operational health and productivity of our clients. Beyond this, our focus on Lifecycle Management through a continuous Advisory practice is what sets us apart from our competition.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
This year, Sobo has grown to the point where additional management systems are required to sustain continued growth. This is the proudest moment thus far for me because it means that we have outgrown our current foundation and are in need of more sophisticated systems to monitor, measure, and manage our business operations.
Contact Info:
- Address: 10 10th Street NW Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30309 - Website: soboatl.com
- Phone: 404-633-6633
- Email: rburke@soboatl.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/iamrobburke
- Facebook: fb.com/iamrobburke
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