KLS presents "Together Thursdays" feature #7 with Boots 2 Cyber

"Together Thursdays" feature #7: Boots 2 Cyber

Some Background on Boots 2 Cyber

The company was created by Patrick Gillespie a little over 5 months ago. The goal is to build the infrastructure of this Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. The core business will be providing managed security services for small-medium businesses, CMMC compliance, and federal contracting to protect our nation from cyber warfare. The biggest contribution will be working with Veterans transitioning from ending their service. Boots 2 Cyber will not only train Veterans with Cyber Security skills but also give them real-world experience through apprenticeships. They will complete the training by assisting with job placement or hiring the Veterans outright.

Patrick has been in the world of IT/cyber security for over 18 years. A Veteran himself, he also struggled with the transition once he was back on home soil. He mentioned that when he returned from Afghanistan in 2008, he struggled with his medical health, including depression and alcohol for roughly 10 years. What helped get Patrick on the right path was having work to focus on, and a sense of responsibility and purpose. And thus, he decided to create Boots 2 Cyber to help other veterans during their transition and throughout their careers.

Company objectives

The company is planning to acquire 5-10 clients by the end of 2023 for which they are managing security protection. Patrick mentioned that 51% of small businesses do not have any protection from cyber warfare. Patrick is working within the state of Arkansas to build strategic partnerships among state members, small businesses, and local chambers of commerce.

In addition to the cybersecurity offerings, the other component of Boots 2 Cyber is their commitment to aiding in the transition of Veterans. The company is hoping to have 25-30 vets in the summer/fall this year. Hopefully expanding on that number in 2024 by having 100 total vets as part of their training.

Their reach

Being a SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business) that is 100% veteran-led is one of the most important aspects of the company. Patrick has had a lot of help and guidance from others to create Boots to Cyber. Peter Cline (Army) who founded Boots to Books in San Francisco, CA has provided startup and marketing guidance. Bryan Stewart (Marines) who has founded several companies provides executive mentorship to Patrick. Paul Cummings (Navy) who founded Whole Cyber Human Initiative in Jacksonville, FL has provided startup and training guidance. Paul is also a co-founder of Boots to Cyber.

Patrick met two of his co-founders, Chimeria Gonzalez (Air Force) and Tom Gill (Coast Guard), through their work together at Boots to Books. Patrick has built a relationship with his other two co-founders, Cindy Gaddis (Army) and Eric Svetcov (Air Force) through a shared vision and mission of helping veterans as they begin their civilian careers and upskilling throughout their careers. Building a company that serves other Veterans appealed to each co-founder as they joined the company and the vision.

Patrick mentioned that the first 3 months after separating are the highest chance of Veteran suicide. Boots 2 Cyber is working to provide another avenue to remove barriers to entry and get Veterans into stable jobs. All training will be remote which adds another layer of ease for aspiring veterans in the world of cybersecurity.

SkillBridge is a program from the Department of Defense (DOD) where they sponsor a soldier for the last 3-6 months of enlistment to learn a skill. Boots 2 Cyber is now part of this process and thus can train Veterans within their company.

Patrick eloquently stated that veterans can thrive in the cybersecurity industry because of their experience and soft skills. Many civilian training organizations focus on education and certifications only. Learning how to protect businesses is best learned in real-world situations and that is the Boots 2 Cyber difference. Boots 2 Cyber provides free and low-cost certification training alongside real-world training to protect SMBs. He also made a great pitch for them, "We will have a trained team who have fought to defend our country now fighting to defend your organization."

Why choose Boots 2 Cyber? They will manage a company's security but will not implement a cookie-cutter approach. Every company is unique and the protection they need should be unique. They believe in learning the client's needs first and building a relationship. From there they will employ a team with decades of experience defending our nation. This company believes in giving back not just to their clients, but also with the work they have planned for Veterans. The more work they can bring in, the larger number of Veterans they can train and hire.

In Conclusion

KLS wants to thank Patrick Gillespie for his time in educating us on his new venture in the world of Cybersecurity. The mission and goals of Boots 2 Cyber are remarkable. We applaud this Veteran-Owned Business not only for helping small businesses but also for the contributions they are going to make to helping Veterans along the way. If you have any questions for Patrick you can reach him here, or visit their Website and LinkedIn. Check out Boots 2 Cyber to learn even more about this great start-up. KLS is thrilled to feature them in this week's "Together Thursdays".