Life, Like the Seasons, Except with Cyber Security!

So, here’s something interesting... Apparently, if you’re an Australian, the peak time to own and manage a business is age 50.

Bernard Salt AM who knows a thing or two about numbers and demographics, dropped this little nugget recently. Turns out that in 2021, 47,000 Australians aged 50 were business owners... the highest number in the lifecycle.

This is the stage where people seem to say, “You know what? I think I’m done.” Maybe they’re tired of the grind, the constant battles with red tape, or just figuring out how to keep the cash flow healthy while avoiding the latest regulatory buzzsaw.

But what happens next?

As Salt says, 50 is the magic number when people look for exit strategies. And then there’s the whole 'reckoning' thing, the same age range when divorces are most common, as people reassess their relationships, businesses and probably their Netflix watchlist.

Call it the autumn of life, if you’re being poetic, or the point at which you’ve weathered enough winters to start thinking about planting new seeds!

Here’s where it gets interesting. Salt’s observations about life cycles made me think about cyber security (hang with me here, this is going somewhere!).

See, running a business in your 50's isn’t just about managing cash flow and dealing with your HR department.

If you’re not thinking about cyber resilience, then autumn might come a lot sooner than you’d like.

In today’s world, no matter what business you’re in, whether you’re selling organic wines in Tasmania or managing a data centre in Sydney, cyber security is no longer optional.

It’s like, I don’t know, installing a fence but forgetting the padlock. You need the padlock!

Autumn, Fires and Starting Anew

If we’re sticking with the seasons metaphor, think of cyber incidents as bushfires.

Sometimes, it takes a fire to clear out the old growth and spark new life, except in this case, the fire is a data breach or ransomware attack and the 'new life' is hopefully the better business practices you adopt afterward (assuming your business survives).

Some seeds only sprout after a bushfire, and in the cyber world, many companies only invest in serious protection after they’ve been scorched.

It’s like, “Oh, we got hit with ransomware last year... maybe we should implement multi factor authentication (MFA) now.”

What we need is a brigade to run toward these fires, just like the SES or emergency services do when there’s a real bushfire or flood. These people are lauded for risking their lives, running into the flames to pull someone out or cutting up trees after a storm.

But where’s the same spirit when it comes to cyber attacks on SMBs? After a breach, it’s not just about plugging the holes, it’s about cleaning up the mess, picking up the pieces, learning the lessons and getting these businesses back on their feet.

At the Australian Cyber Network (ACN) we’ve been thinking a lot about this... how we can be that support system, how we can help build a cyber equivalent to the SES. With the ACN, we’re pushing to create a unified, rapid response team that can jump in when businesses get hit, helping them recover as quickly as possible.

The Seven Year Cycles ~ How Life Evolves

In many ways, life also unfolds in cycles, much like the seven year cycles of the 'Up' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up_(film_series) series. As we pass through different stages... 7, 14, 21, 28, and so on, each phase brings its own lessons and challenges.

Every seven years marks a transition, a time when we reflect on where we’ve been and where we are going. Studies on human development suggest that these shifts are not coincidental. Our body and mind undergo noticeable changes every seven years, influenced by everything from hormonal shifts to psychological growth.

Looking back, I can clearly see how my life has followed this pattern. In my twenties, it was all about exploration and discovery, my 'spring,' if you will. There was excitement in laying the foundations for what was to come.

My thirties, which I think of as the summer of my life, were filled with growth, passion and hard work, but also the realisation that life, like a harsh Australian summer, can be relentless at times.

Now, moving into my 'later years', I’m experiencing an autumn phase, a time of reflection and harvest. This stage allows me to reap the benefits of the hard work I’ve put in over the decades, to sit back for a moment and enjoy the fruits of those labours while preparing for the next cycle.

And I know winter will come eventually, a time for rest, slowing down and wisdom. But just like in nature, I also know that spring will follow once more, with new opportunities and experiences to come.

Choosing Your Own Season

What’s fascinating about Australia is that you can choose your environment. The diversity in our country’s landscape mirrors the choices we can make in life.

Don’t like the cold? Move north to the tropical rainforests of Queensland. Prefer something a bit cooler and more temperate? Tasmania might be your answer. Whether you find yourself on the pristine beaches of Western Australia or the rugged outback of the Northern Territory, each part of our country offers a different “season,” and with that comes a different experience.

This ability to pick and choose reflects a powerful lesson in life... you don’t have to be stuck where you are. Whether it’s a literal location or the metaphorical season of your life, you have the power to change. You can find your sunshine, your harvest and your rest by embracing both the cycles and the choices you make within them.

And when it comes to cyber security, you also get to choose how prepared you are for the seasons of risk. Will you wait until the fire hits, or will you plan ahead, build your defenses, and have a team ready to support you when disaster strikes?

At MurFin Group , Dynamic Standards International (DSI) (formerly CSCAU) and ACN, we’re working to be that team, the ones who run toward the cyber flames when others are running away, the ones who help SMBs rebuild after the storm.

As I look back on the seasons of my life and the seven year cycles I’ve moved through, it’s clear that each phase serves its purpose. Just as we move from drought to rain, from bushfire to regrowth, life and business continues to evolve. And in that evolution, we find strength, meaning, and the ability to shape our own future.

#Innovation #Technology #Future #CyberResilience #SmallBusinessSupport #BusinessGrowth #CyberSecurity