Looking for some startup advice? You might want to sit down and chat with one of ATDC’s four new Entrepreneurs in Residence, all experienced in the world of technology startups. Jamie Bardin, Tim Dorr, Hezi Moore and Blake Patton will each serve as advisors for ATDC member companies, providing insight on business strategy, fundraising, team development and more. They will also help connect young entrepreneurs with prospective business advisors, investors and customers in the market.
So who are the four inaugural EIRs?
- Jamie Bardin joins the ATDC with more than 20 years of management, strategic and business development experience across multiple industries spanning Fortune 500, scaling mid-market, and startup organizations. He most recently served as COO of Better World Books, where he was responsible for directing daily operations. Prior to that, he served as CEO of EZ Prints, which he grew from a startup to a $25 million company in under six year. Earlier in his career, Jamie worked at The Coca-Cola Company in innovation and technology development, where he co-founded the company’s Always Cool Global Task Force, developing strategies for alternative refrigeration and environmental initiatives. He graduated from Wichita State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and earned his MBA from Emory’s Goizueta Business School.
- An Atlanta-based entrepreneur and investor, Tim Dorr started his first company while still attending college. That company, A Small Orange, went on to service more than 15,000 customers before it was sold in early 2010. Since graduating from Georgia Tech in 2005 with a BS in Computer Science, Tim has co-founded and run Army of Bees, a design and development firm, and serves as co-owner of Ignition Alley, Atlanta’s popular co-working space. Tim looks forward to sharing his own experiences with young entrepreneurs.“I wish I had heard more about the resources available to me through ATDC and other groups in Atlanta,” he said. “I started off without any help and made some early mistakes that were easily avoidable. Had I made the connections that were readily available to me back then, I would have avoided those problems and maybe have gone even farther in less time.”
- Hezi Moore has raised more than $45 million in venture capital funding and is experienced in security, virtualization and cloud infrastructure. Hezi led the effort to develop the industry’s first Virtual Security Appliance (VSA) that provides visibility, management and security for virtual network infrastructure. He has founded several technology security companies, including Reflex Security and MicroTech Systems, a firm specializing in network design and configuration of point-of-sale systems. Through his new role, he hopes to help young entrepreneurs avoid one of the most common mistakes: not having a clear vision, goal or focus.“They are getting into business without thinking about the business goals, implications and business needs,” he said. “They don’t know what they want to achieve and they don’t know what it takes to achieve it. Talented people tend to get into too many projects because every idea excites them. It’s good when you are experienced and know how to manage time and stay focused.”
- Blake Patton brings 20 years of leadership in startup, venture backed, and publicly traded internet, software, payments, and financial services technology companies. Most recently, he served as the President and COO of Interactive Advisory Software, a leading wealth management software company. Before that, he was CEO of iKobo, an innovative payments company providing online and prepaid card based remittance solutions in 95 countries. He started his career as an Associate at SEI Corporation, a leading provider of asset management, investment processing, and investment operations solutions. In his spare time, Blake serves on numerous corporate and non-profit boards including the Alzheimer’s Association Regional Board of Directors. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Tech, where he was captain of the swim team.
The EIRs will host weekly office hours to accommodate one-on-one meetings with member companies. In addition, they will conduct learning circles to help facilitate peer-to-peer learning and networking and will regularly participate in ATDC events like CapVenture, Brown Bags and the monthly New Member Orientations. You can meet all four of them tonight at a special meet and greet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Community Room.