Hunger

The one quality I look for above all others when hiring people is 'hunger.'  In my humble view, hunger is often a bigger determinant of success than knowledge.

When I first immigrated to the U.S as a child, we struggled financially. In fact, In order to furnish our small Brooklyn apartment, my dad and I scoured the neighborhood streets for thrown out furniture that was waiting to join the garbage pile. People would give us strange looks, but in that moment, I fell in love with New York city, and of course our new adopted country. Even though we didn't have much, it felt like we were finally in the land of opportunity. It was up to me to make my destiny - and so I did. 

It hasn't been an easy ride. There have been obstacles at every turn, but 'hunger' is what's helped me conquer challenges through hard work and perseverance. I adopt the same approach today as the CEO of SecurityScorecard, every single week.  In fact, I keep a reminder of how far I've come and how much farther I have to go. Below is a picture of my desk. I haven't changed it for years, even though it's clearly worn out. It reminds me of that young boy searching the streets of Brooklyn, and motivates me to work harder every day. When I see someone else who has that same hunger, I know immediately that they will give our company their absolute best -- and that is something that simply cannot be taught. 

Our employees make us who we are. Today, SecurityScorecard was included in the list of "Crain's 2020 Best Places to Work in NYC" and I want to thank each and every one of our team members, who are the brightest, hungriest group of people I've had the pleasure of working with. Thank you for all that you do, and I promise I will continue to strive to make this the best workplace possible!