It is challenging in today’s world for an entrepreneur to start their business. Many individuals put their life’s effort into establishing their venture following their dream, ready to face the world. As the venture begins to boost with the smooth workflow, a random cyber-attack could destroy the data in seconds, resulting in one of the worst days for the individual and their business.
To prevent such mishaps of cyberattacks on small businesses, Susie Jones, co-founded Cynch Security with Adam Selwood. Cynch Security is a cybersecurity firm that intends to build a world where every business can be cyber fit. The idea behind incepting the company was crystal, and it came into existence in mid-2017 after recognizing how woefully underserved small business leaders were by the cybersecurity industry.
As the CEO of Cynch Security, Susie meticulously oversees the operations at the firm. She shares responsibility and accountability with her business partner. Over the past four years, they have led the company with empathy and passion. They put their heart and soul into their work to lead by example for their ever-growing team.
Inspired by Ellen DeGeneres, Michelle Obama, and Urzila Carlsson, Susie aims to emulate their approach to succeeding in the world with kindness.
Conquering The Hurdles
A leader’s journey is filled with challenges and overcoming them is a handful of a task. While challenges are not new to Susie, she effortlessly deals with them. Susie says, “The greatest challenge for me as CEO is managing the process of staying on top of all the information requirements of my position.”
“I need to stay on top of our customer needs and desires, the competitive landscape, changes in regulations, our partner requirements and industry trends just to start. The need to be generally across everything, but with enough detail to know which areas require a closer look,” added Susie.
The Opportunity in the Chaos
The pandemic that made every person isolate in their home globally transformed the way leaders view businesses. The use of technology increased over the course of 2020. In Susie’s experience, she saw countless organizations that never allowed their teams to work from home in the past entirely shift to a remote workforce. The isolated culture served as an opportunity on the platter for cybersecurity.
On the one hand, businesses were transforming their cyber risk profile; on the other hand, cybercriminals could quickly adapt their attack techniques to target new ways of working. Some companies fell behind while others prevailed, which created incredible challenges for all organizations that the cybersecurity industry will struggle to overcome in the upcoming years.
The Positive Mental Attitude
Susie genuinely understands that having a positive work culture is vital for productivity. It has been her highest priority since she hired her first team member in late 2019. She conducts daily check-in meetings and weekly celebrations of the small achievements. She also arranges monthly one-to-one meetings with all staff to discuss their needs. Susie also delivers random acts of kindness including deliveries of hampers throughout the pandemic for her team. She believes work-life balance is paramount, and her team chooses their hours to what suits them the best.
Bridging the Gender Wage Gap
At Cynch Security, Susie has implemented a salary calculator that removes the need to negotiate wages for new hires, preventing the development of a gender wage gap from day one. It offers complete flexibility in terms of hours worked per week and on what day, which has helped it build a business where 7/10 of its staff are women.
An Advice to Younger Ones
When asked for advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs, Susie says, “Find a network of peers you can lean on and talk strategically with. I have many whom I speak to when I have issues I wish to work through, and they have been incredibly helpful.”
Towards Secured Future
As the world moves forward, small businesses need to stay intact and secure regarding cyber threats. Susie has envisioned a future where she wants every small business when questioned, “What are you doing to manage your cyber risk?” to confidently answer, “We build our cyber fitness with Cynch.” She works whole-heartedly to make her clients truly ‘Cyber Fit.’