Robert Burke began his professional journey in 2009 as a mid-sized architecture company’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO). After spending five years there, he founded his own technology outsourcing firm called Core12 under the banner of ITMSB. However, Burke found it challenging to make it make sense and eventually started SOBO as a consultant for IT. SOBO has introduced a tech platform that employs data-driven insights and a patent-pending system to match consultants, disrupting traditional consulting practices.
In the latest episode of The Roadmap, host Lee Heisman sits down with Burke to provide entrepreneurs, business leaders, CEOs, founders, and top business personnel insight on how he manages to scale and upgrade businesses.
Key Takeaways
1. As time passed, Burke evolved to the next level of leadership by actively developing next-generation leaders to take over the business, ultimately scaling his platform.
2. Burke believes that when managing a business from a distance, owners should be aware of the learning curve that involves developing their team to reduce their own involvement in daily operations. This requires overcoming one’s ego, learning to delegate properly, and setting measurable and timely goals that align with the company’s vision. In Burke’s case, he had to undertake these steps to effectively pursue his vision for SOBO.
3. Small and medium-sized businesses are facing difficulties in hiring strategic talent. According to Burke, “Roughly 10,000 people are leaving the workforce daily, while only 5,600 are entering it.” Hence, SOBO provides a solution for SMB owners to identify these gaps and fill them with on-demand consulting services without hassle.
4. The company alleviates possible consulting engagements through its engagement insurance process.
5. Moving towards the future, Burke aims to help small and medium-sized businesses level up, because without them, “People wouldn’t have a choice,” asserts Burke.
"This country needs more SMBs because people don't want to live in a world where the government assigns them a job or passion." – Robert Burke
