Jeff Dawley – President and Founder of Cybersecurity Compliance Corp.
In 2018, Jeff co-founded Cybersecurity Compliance Corp. to address a communication gap in the cybersecurity space. The Cybersecurity Pulse™ solution provides board members and non-IT executives with a complete view of their cybersecurity environment, while equipping IT professionals with a framework-based assessment and roadmap for future improvements.
Before devoting his career to helping SMEs better understand their cybersecurity environment Jeff worked in finance and technology across a broad spectrum of Canadian and international organizations. Over 25 years Jeff has benefited from exploring many industries including financial services, mining, information processing, manufacturing and professional services. His career has seen him operate as a CFO for 10 years with both publicly listed and private companies, as well as 5 years as a CTO/CIO, responsible for all aspects of information management and technology.
Jeff holds a Chartered Professional Accountant designation from Ontario, Canada, a Certified Public Accountant designation from Illinois, USA and a Chartered Global Management Accountant designation, recognized in the UK and USA.
1. How can businesses smooth the transition of reopening their business in the coming weeks or months?
Create a plan and be ready to adapt to changes. We have all seen how fluid things can be with respect to regulations and best practices. Spend the time now to research requirements, create a plan that fits your business and its particular risks and be ready to adjust the plan as necessary. Above all, make sure you are already in regular communication with your internal resources and external stakeholders and keep them informed throughout the process, inviting input to improve buy-in from everyone.
2. What are the differences between business operations pre and post-COVID and what is your advice to small businesses adapting to the new normal?
I think the biggest difference for small businesses after COVID will be the buying/selling process. Many people still believe that you need to shake hands, break bread or look someone in the eye before you do business with them. This is especially true for most investors and new customer/supplier relationships. The second largest issue will most likely center around corporate culture and team building. With limits on the concentration of people in one location and the introduction of other social distancing measures, organizations will need to come up with new ways to engage with their teams. We will all need to be creative in making sure that team members are connected with one another in a meaningful way.
