In today’s digital age, information technology has become an essential component of modern business operations. With the ever-evolving landscape of technology, organizations must adapt to stay ahead of the curve. Digital Beachhead Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that specializes in providing innovative IT services and consulting solutions to help clients achieve their goals.
The term “Digital Beachhead” was coined by Mike Crandall, CEO, in 2005 and later endorsed by William J. Lynn III, the United States Deputy Secretary of Defense, in 2008. Unlike traditional “beachheads,” which are confined to a specific location, the “Digital Beachhead” is present wherever information technology exists. With a strong commitment to customer satisfaction, Digital Beachhead aims to deliver the right services at the right price while fostering an open and sharing corporate culture.
Digital Beachhead provides a wide range of cybersecurity services, including virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO), 24/7 email, system and cloud monitoring, awareness training, and compliance support for NIST, CMMC, HIPAA, GDPR, and more. With extensive experience in the Federal market space, the company has a long history of supporting the Department of Defense and other Federal Agencies.
The CEO Views is delighted to introduce Helen Hazer Thomas, Director of Governance and Risk Compliance at Digital Beachhead, a highly accomplished leader in the field of cybersecurity. Here is the interview excerpt.
Congratulations on being recognized as one of the ‘Best Inspiring Leaders to Watch 2024.’ Can you tell us a bit about yourself, your educational and professional background, and the journey that got you here?
I was always interested in both art and science. I could spend hours sketching and painting in different media, but I also loved reading books and learning. I remember in high school, we were introduced to electronic circuitry with very small projects. I found it fascinating to build things and make them work, so I wanted to learn more.
When we moved from France to the United States, I majored in electrical engineering and completed my bachelor’s and master’s degrees. I liked the software and hardware projects and loved solving problems. After a twelve-year career in engineering, where I developed products for an environmental sensor company, I started my own small business.
I enrolled in the UNLV MBA/MIS program to stay up to date with business processes. Through the Information Systems studies, I was introduced to Cybersecurity and capture-the-flag competitions such as Cyber Skyline’s National Cyber League. This ignited my passion to learn more about the broad field of Cybersecurity.
After graduation, I pursued more cybersecurity-related classes such as digital forensics and data management. I enrolled in a cybersecurity bootcamp by ThriveDX through UNLV. That is where I met my mentor, Mike Crandall, whom I still work with today.
How did you overcome the initial hurdles in your leadership journey? What lessons have you learned that contributed to making you the leader you are?
Of course, to be successful, you have to put up a lot of effort, show determination, and seize opportunities when they present themselves. Family support is also very important; my husband is a huge positive influence in my life. There are always obstacles in life; however, the way we tackle them and what we learn from failures makes us better in the future. When I came to this country, English was my third language after Persian and French, and I was far from fluent in English.
My father always reminded me to tackle one problem at a time. Looking at a mountain of problems can be overwhelming. This is also the approach we take with our clients. We start with the low-hanging fruit and easy fixes that get our clients closer to compliance, then gradually tackle the bigger problems.
In light of the industry’s volatility, what are the key strategies you’ve implemented as a leader to drive growth and manage risk and compliance? As a leader, how do you approach innovation? What values guide your leadership philosophy?
Mike Crandall, our CEO, sets a great leadership example by addressing the cybersecurity needs of our clients based on their unique situations and concerns. A small business with two computers does not need to have overly complicated and expensive products and services.
We listen to our clients, analyze the information, and include all parties involved in the decision-making process so that all members of the team are committed to implementing tailor-made cybersecurity plans. We handle serious issues with compassion and understanding, but we also have a sense of humor that enlivens conversation and helps our clients see the light at the end of the tunnel. Being a small company, our clients receive individual attention, and they are not passed from one person to another or left to fall through the cracks.
We are always there for our clients. Being part of the team for several months instead of doing short condensed projects allows us to address their issues better over a reasonable amount of time and educate them along their cybersecurity compliance journey. Many of our clients keep us onboard with biweekly or monthly meetings to make sure they do not slip backwards as the cybersecurity landscape changes and technologies evolve.
Could you please give an overview of Digital Beachhead and its position in the industry? What sets your company apart from others in the industry, and what’s your unique value proposition?
Digital Beachhead is a small company dedicated to helping and guiding small to medium-sized businesses with their cybersecurity concerns. Ransomware can threaten the existence of a small company, making them more vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
Mike Crandall, CEO and founder, gained extensive cybersecurity experience in the military and helped pioneer many cybersecurity concepts used today. His experience ignited his desire to build Digital Beachhead into a service company that helps other small businesses. We offer very competitive pricing that is beneficial for companies with small budgets.
We become part of the client’s team for a year and address all cybersecurity issues, depending on individual needs, including compliance such as CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification), HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).
We are product-agnostic and recommend tools that fit our client’s needs and budgets without putting undue pressure on their finances. We partner with industry leaders and are currently offering a $1-a-day per user program with flexible packages that allow individuals and small businesses to be more secure in the presence of many cyber threats. We train users monthly on cybersecurity awareness and perform continuous monitoring of devices.
Do you believe diversity at the workplace impacts team performance? As a leader in your business, how do you encourage diversity and inclusivity?
It is always better to solve problems with different perspectives and fresh ideas. Especially in cybersecurity, we need different perspectives because the bad actors come from all corners of the world, and knowledge is power. The more diverse we are, the better prepared we are to fight threat actors.
We publish our quarterly Digital Beachhead magazine, and our contributors’ backgrounds show how diverse we are. We respect the experience and knowledge each member of our team brings from our vastly different backgrounds.
How do you ensure that your company remains future-proofed in the highly competitive business market?
We are constantly testing new products, learning about new technologies, utilizing Artificial Intelligence, and adapting to changes in rules and regulations so that we can guide our clients effectively. We offer our clients cost-effective options that lead them to compliance in a relatively short time.
Our team members pursue new certifications and improve their expertise to better serve our clients and create additional value for them. We are a candidate for C3PAO (CMMC Third Party Assessment Organization), which will enable us to conduct CMMC assessments and audits for defense contractors who are not our clients to verify compliance. As a result, we will be able to approach compliance from both angles: preparing some clients while conducting audits for others.
What are your advice and tips for aspiring leaders, especially in your field?
Nobody is immune to cybersecurity events and breaches. We must do the best we can to manage risk and help each other through open communication and learn from our mistakes. We also have a responsibility to help the next generations get on board and facilitate their introduction into this career. There are too many entry positions in cybersecurity requiring many years of experience. Mike and I teach cybersecurity at night at ThriveDX and we meet so many talented and enthusiastic students who are eager to learn and fight threat actors. Most of them have encountered one or more personal breaches of their own and are determined to make a difference. We need to encourage them, train them, and give them an opportunity to shine.
At Digital Beachhead, we try to do our part by mentoring students and offering internships so they learn a little more about the day-to-day work involved, which helps them gain experience and confidence to look for jobs.
We seek to build customer trust and corporate value by delivering cybersecurity and consulting services solutions in inventive, economical ways.
