Brian Hamilton (businessman)


Brian Hamilton is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the co-founder of Sageworks, a fintech company acquired by Accel-KKR in 2018. He also founded the organizations "Inmates to Entrepreneurs" and the "Brian Hamilton Foundation."

Early life and education

Hamilton grew up in Milford, Connecticut. He attended Fairfield College Preparatory School, and, the first in his family to attend college, received a bachelor's degree from Sacred Heart University, and then an MBA from Fuqua School of Business at Duke University

Career

Hamilton ran his own consulting business in Durham, North Carolina from 1990 to 1996. He offered consulting to people trying to start businesses. He also gave lectures and taught college courses. During a small business course, Hamilton mentioned the idea of software that would make reading financial statements easier for executives. One of the students, Sarah Tourville, liked the idea. They would go on to form the company Sageworks in 1998.
Sageworks was one of the first fintech companies. It grew into a firm of approximately 400 employees and was acquired by Accel-KKR in 2018. Hamilton sold his stake in the company as part of the acquisition.

Charitable work

Hamilton was a lecturer at prisons, being under contract with the SBA to help with a minority set-aside program. One of his clients, Rev. Robert Harris, asked him to be part of a prison ministry where Hamilton would discuss entrepreneurship. This led to Hamilton forming Inmates to Entrepreneurs, a program offers training and mentoring for people who have criminal records, with graduates going on to start their own businesses.
In addition he founded the Brian Hamilton Foundation, an organization that provides advice for young people and others who want to become entrepreneurs. He has provided commentary as an expert for The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC and Fox Business Network, and also sat on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University.