Cook holds a bachelor's degree in economics and mathematics from the University of Southern California and an MBA from Harvard Business School,[1] where he serves on the dean's advisory board.

With personal computers just coming out at the time, Scott thought there might be a market for basic software that would help people pay their bills.

Since the 1990s, he has "more than doubled his donations to Republicans and Democrats, giving the maximum [in 2007] to mainstream politicians such as Mitt Romney and Harry Reid.

[2] Scott and Signe founded and are trustees[8] of their $348 million[9] family foundation, Valhalla, which funds early childhood development, K12 education, medical research and talent, environmental innovation, data literacy, and collaborative philanthropy.

[10][better source needed] The Cook family owns and manages a ranch that both raises livestock for local restaurant trade,[11][12][better source needed] and breeds, raises, sells, and trains show jumping horses from stallions and mares chosen from European bloodlines.