CALVIN CARTER  |  ADVISOR 

Calvin Carter, Bottle Rocket’s founder and CEO, built Bottle Rocket on the belief that exceptionally innovative technology redefines our lives.

In March 2008, the day after Steve Jobs announced the iPhone was open to third-party developers and months before the App Store opened, Calvin launched Bottle Rocket. His visionary and entrepreneurial spirit would earn him the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2013. Calvin has pushed Bottle Rocket to become a renowned Connected Lifestyle specialist that connects future-focused brands and their customers through sophisticated yet simple experiences. With more than 450 award-winning, preeminent experiences to date and over 200 Rocketeers, Bottle Rocket continues to set new standards in connecting people to what they want and transforming how our clients compete and win in the marketplace.

Before Bottle Rocket, Calvin ran a private equity and business development company. He has founded or co-founded several other businesses, including i.con interactive, an Internet software development and professional services company. This company eventually merged with seven other Internet firms to form Luminant Worldwide, a publicly-traded company with $160 million in revenue and more than 1,000 professionals. Outside of Bottle Rocket, Calvin serves on numerous corporate advisory boards and has served as president of the Dallas Chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization, an international membership organization of more than 5,500 business owners worldwide. He later served on the President’s Council of EO and as its North American Regional Director.

Calvin holds degrees in Accounting and Organizational Behavior and Business Policy from Southern Methodist University, is a graduate of the Stagen Integral Leadership Program and Transformational Leadership Program and is an active member in the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). Calvin and his wife Kelly have twin daughters, Caden and Kellan, and are proud to call Dallas home.