Mark Barkley- CYBER MAVENS
Cyber Mavens originally began in Augusta, Ga in 2005 as a one-man consulting shop operated by Mark Barkley. Nearly 15 years later, Mark has added expert partners and moved the office to theClubhou.se in the Georgia Cyber Center. From an early start in computer science in the 1980s to this being his fifth startup, Mark has constantly been involved with new technologies. Being an early adopter has enabled Mark to be a resource and share solutions. Being at theClubhou.se is a good fit for such an approach.
Mark Barkley and Christ Etterlee working at theClubhou.se.
Mark began with a pre-med track in college before deciding on Computer Science. He was the second person to graduate from Augusta College with a BS in Computer Science in 1982. By 1987, Mark had completed a Masters in Business Administration and soon established his first startup, Clinical Computer Consulting. Mark was one of the first computer professionals to become involved with the internet in Augusta. In 1994, he helped found Znet, one of the first internet businesses in Georgia. It provided internet service connections via dial up and built websites in those early days of the internet.
With Cyber Mavens being Mark’s fifth startup, he shared that, “Entrepreneurship offers flexibility and a challenge.” This is embodied in Cyber Mavens’ approach to “developing, building, and maintaining a business’s cyber footprint which avoids the vast, complicated infrastructure in favor of fast, flexible, and always personal response to any digital need.”
The partners within Cyber Mavens are long-term associates of Mark’s. Programmer Brandon Barkley, FinTech Strategist Chris Etterlee, and Digital Marketing Strategist Randall Ryan currently operate the business with Mark. The diversity and experience of the team enables Cyber Mavens to specialize in database architecture, system testing, project management, and e-commerce. Mark added, “We are now evolving to include more cyber security and IoT.”
Cyber Mavens partners Chris Etterlee, Brandon Barkley, Mark Barkley and Randall Ryan.
Currently, Mark’s days involve reviewing e-commerce results for the previous day or week, as well as system programming and testing. He also handles the computer system and network operations. As with any developing business, lessons are everywhere. Mark says he has learned to focus on their core strengths, yet be prepared to accept new types of engagements to further growth. Within a few years, Mark sees himself working in an advisory role with the younger partners handling the day to day service delivery.
Supporting their company tagline, Our Passion is Your Solution, Mark says, “With our combination of business acumen and digital expertise, we can help any organization, regardless of size.”