Ben Robertson has a gift for reuniting talent with ambition — a gift he’s also used to rediscover his own purpose.
Robertson is the founder and owner of TEI Consulting in Fort Worth. He launched the business in 2001 around a simple principle: use people for their natural talents and connect them with those in need of their skills.
“I realized that many of my very capable peers were struggling to secure freelance projects because companies preferred working with other companies rather than individuals,” Robertson said. “There was a perceived risk in contracting with a single person instead of an organization with broader resources.
“The answer seemed obvious. If companies want to work with a business instead of a freelancer, I’ll create the business and unite our collective talents under one name.”
But in 2003, TEI became dormant when Robertson joined Byrne Construction Services. At age 38, he became the youngest vice president in the company’s history. Even as TEI went quiet, it never left his heart. After two decades, Robertson left Byrne to revive the dream.
And that wasn’t the only dream he revived — more on his music later.
How TEI Works
TEI Consulting taps into a national network of consultants, providing a broad range of services including business management and efficiency consulting, marketing, advertising, photography, publishing, music production, graphic design, AR/VR experiences, web and database design, and more.
“I’m proud to say we’ve never had a dissatisfied client,” Robertson said. “In many cases, one project has led to multiple others — both with the original client and through referrals to friends and family.”
“Essentially, we handle the tasks that small businesses and non-profits often can’t, so they can focus on their mission and grow.”
He explained that many clients start a business or non-profit out of passion, not operational know-how.
“We’re often brought in to deeply understand who they are and how they operate, then help them improve efficiencies, boost profitability — or simply affirm they’re doing great,” he said. “I want to be the tide that lifts all boats.”
What’s in a Name?
While living in Washington, D.C., Robertson often heard that he had a lot of “Texas energy.”
“While I don’t think it was always meant as a compliment, I decided to lean into it,” he said with a smile. “So I bought the name Texas Energy, Inc. But I quickly learned that while people liked the bit, they were hesitant to write checks to anything with ‘Texas’ in the name.”
The result: TEI Consulting — a nod to the original name, but generic enough for universal appeal.
Lessons from Byrne
“Byrne came into my life in 2003 — an answer to prayer for a young single father of two, going through a divorce and trying to figure out how to be a provider, a dad, and an adult,” Robertson said.
He credits mentors like John Avila and the late Jeff Stucker for teaching him the power of relationships and how a commitment to excellence should define everything.
Robertson, who had previously worked with non-profits in D.C., said his time at Byrne solidified his belief in going above and beyond a “clock-in, clock-out” mentality — succeeding not just in the office, but in the community. During his 22-year tenure, Byrne secured over $6 billion in projects statewide for both public and private clients.
“We weren’t successful because of me,” Robertson said. “We succeeded because we were a family. And the relationships built over those years will be invaluable as I continue with TEI.”
Serving Others
“I believe we only grow by listening and learning from the journeys of others,” Robertson said. “My mom used to joke that she ‘collects people.’ In my 20s, I finally understood what
she meant. I, too, have become a collector of people. Every person brings a story, a heart — someone we can change the world with and for.”
Robertson began serving through school organizations connected to his children. As they grew up, his focus expanded to the broader community.
Today, he serves on numerous boards, committees, and commissions, including Trinity Metro, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and Hispanic Chamber, TRE Advisory Committee, Welcome Fort Worth Initiative, Downtown Fort Worth Inc., Texas Health Community Impact Leadership Council, Ronald McDonald House, and more.
Connecting People
A sermon years ago made a lasting impression on Robertson — about how we’re all born with a need for connection.
“Even an introvert gets lonely,” he said. “How we connect is a deeply personal journey, but one of the strengths I inherited from my parents is knowing how to meet people where they are and help them find their place in the world.”
A few years ago, a text changed him profoundly. A friend invited him to an event for a group Robertson had no prior ties to.
“It would have succeeded with or without me — the volunteers were amazing. But in that moment, they needed me, even just as a steady, safe presence,” he said. “That was the moment I committed: if it’s in my power, I will always show up. Family isn’t just blood — it’s who you do life with.”
Cowtown Born and Raised
“One of my daughter’s friends used to call me ‘Ben of Fort Worth,’” Robertson said, laughing. “It stuck — with the entire friend group and their parents.”
He’s a fifth-generation local. His mother’s family is buried in Oakwood Cemetery. His late grandfather retired as chief of the Fort Worth Fire Department in 1980 to spend time traveling with his wife, who was given just months to live — and went on to outlive him by 30 years.
Two of Robertson’s uncles retired from careers with the city. His mother’s first job was as a page at the Fort Worth Library. His middle son was a longtime city lifeguard. Robertson himself was born and raised in North Arlington and graduated from Lamar High School.
“My great-grandparents met Bonnie and Clyde at the grain silos in Southside,” he said. “My great-grandmother sang jazz on WBAP over a hundred years ago. My grandfather was likely the last fire chief promoted from within the ranks. We’ve been part of the fabric of Fort Worth since the late 1800s — this is home.”
Economic Development
Robertson views economic development as the lifeblood of any city, region, or state. With Fort Worth now topping 1 million residents, he says opportunities must grow alongside population.
“All families in Fort Worth deserve access to meaningful careers,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to make sure they exist.”
He pointed to Fort Worth’s status as the No. 1 bottling and distribution center in the nation and home to the busiest rail interchange, Tower 55, as signs of a booming future.
Family Ties
Robertson’s mother, Cathey, had a long publishing career — launching more than 30 publications and even working for Fort Worth Business Press in the 1990s. His father, a successful attorney in estate planning, was known for standing up to institutions like the IRS and FDIC.
“My mom helped finesse messages; my dad made sure they landed,” he said.
His stepfather has run multiple businesses, and his stepmother is the assistant dean of graduate studies at the University of Texas at Dallas School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology.
“My sister’s pretty awesome too,” he said, “an award-winning neurologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.”
Robertson earned a Bachelor of Science in Management from Northeastern University’s School of Business in Boston. His wife, Kerri, retired in 2024 after a career in respiratory therapy at Parkland Hospital.
His oldest son is a combat medic with the 82nd Airborne, his middle son works in the Air Force’s Cyber Security Division, and his daughter is entering her sophomore year at Oklahoma State University, majoring in strategic communication.
Now, About That Album
In May 2024, Robertson returned to another lifelong passion: music. Inspired by his mother’s 75th birthday, he released an album titled Mama’s Songs.
“In May 1949, during one of Fort Worth’s worst floods, a baby girl was born on the East Side. She’d grow up with incredible stories and touch everyone she met,” Robertson said. “Her achievements could fill a book.”
He learned to play piano on his grandmother’s upright — a piano that’s traveled with him ever since. His mom, a lyricist, taught him that songwriting helps process even the deepest emotions.
“I’ve tinkered with her lyrics for decades,” he said. “Some of her most personal songs took on new meaning for me as I went through similar losses and struggles.”
He gathered some of Fort Worth’s top musicians and recorded the album as a tribute. One song captures its spirit:
“She never had a band or her name in lights Only words written down to get through the nights Every song she wrote was a picture in time I thank God every day for my Mama’s lines.”
“Bringing music production into TEI Consulting brings me full circle,” Robertson said. “It connects my earliest dreams with the work I love today.”
