My Next Ten Years

This is my first week being a CEO and founder of a company, which is something I’m still getting used to!  For most of my career, I’ve been an employee.  I held a salaried position, getting paid every two weeks for the role I was hired to fill.  I tried in the past to start up a small company, only to return to the comfort of a steady paycheque.  Fear of failure and being broke drove me back to more familiar territory.

I’ve grown more these past five years than I have throughout my career.  I know who I am as a person and a leader.  I realize now that facing this fear isn’t as scary as it seemed not that long ago.  Sure, I’m worried about paying the mortgage and making sure I can afford the good dog food.  I’m not crazy, I recognize I need to earn a living and hopefully retire (not sure when that will happen, though!).

But there’s clarity now in what I want to do.  And how I want to help others.  I truly believe now is the best time for me to bring TaleCraft Security to clients and security professionals because I’ve grown more comfortable with who I am, what I’m good at, and how I can help others succeed.

This isn’t about becoming a millionaire or buying an island!  Don’t get me wrong, both are really appealing, but it’s not the driving force behind what I want TaleCraft Security to represent.  It’s a chance to really help a security professional become more confident in their role.  It’s about helping a company realize that their security program doesn’t have to be a burden, but an enabler.  And it’s about giving back and helping others grow.  Let’s face it, if we’re not growing or challenging ourselves mediocrity sets in.  I’ve been there myself, and I wasn’t happy with who I was or what I was doing with my career or my personal life.

I know, this kinda sounds like bullshit to some folks.  And that’s OK, I get it.  Who starts a business and doesn’t want to make the big bucks?  Why go through all the hassle of getting something off the ground and not sell it quick to make a big payday?  It doesn’t make sense!

That’s the beauty of what I want to do.  I know deep down that if you do the right thing, good things will follow.  And I get to remain true to who I am – a servant leader who wants to help others grow in their career.  My goal is for organizations to fully embrace the concept that a security program, if it’s designed following the principles of ESRM, can truly make your company stronger and more resilient.

I am so happy helping another security professional learn how to tell their story and then feel confident enough to step onto a stage and share that story with others. That really brings me so much joy.  I get to do that now as part of TaleCraft Security, and I can’t wait to help.

Let me know what you think about this post!  I’d really enjoy getting your thoughts and feedback.

Let the next ten years begin today…