Allen spent more than two decades working for others and climbing the corporate ranks where he eventually rose to COO and then CEO. But something was always missing along the way, and he often felt fundamentally unhappy, unfulfilled, and ultimately disillusioned. So he ‘quit to start’ more than once on his journey, sometimes well, sometimes not so well. He had successes and he had stumbles. Then with what he learned, he discovered his gift for helping others believe in themselves, gain the knowledge, and achieve their dream of independence, team building, creativity, impact, and self-actualization.

Allen now teaches entrepreneurship at the University of South Florida and is an Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Tampa Lowth Entrepreneurship Center. He is a co-founder of the Tampa Bay Wave non-profit startup accelerator, one of the largest in the United States, and is an advisor to many early-stage companies. Allen has been directly involved in helping raise more than $20M in early-stage capital for his ventures and others.

Allen recently published his first book "Quit to Start - How to Discover Your Best Idea, Gain the Confidence, and Plan Your Escape," and is dedicated to helping aspiring and early entrepreneurs everywhere realize their fullest potential and achieve their biggest dreams.