"The biggest mistake we made in the beginning was to try to be everything to everybody" with Jeri Morgan
Jeri Morgan is the Founder and CEO of Code Blue Computing a Denver, Colorado-based Cyber Security and I.T. Support organization. Celebrating their 10th year in business Code Blue Computing supports Professional Services firms throughout the United States. Jeri is an accomplished speaker, author, and expert on Cyber Security.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
Absolutely. I spent 23 years working in the sunglass industry. I started in the industry in an entry-level capacity and through the years with knowledge and with hard work was able to work my way into many different roles. Those positions ranged from Customer Service, Transportation, Management, and Logistics. My husband and I have been married for 10 years and have 8 year- old twins.
What inspired you to start your business?
My husband and I both found ourselves in Corporate positions that we were not particularly happy in. My husband had spent 15 years in I.T. operations for Fortune 500 organizations. One night over dinner, we decided that we both had a passion for technology. We were driven to bring Superior Service and Cyber Security to smaller organizations that typically do not have an in house I.T. person and have little to know security precautions in place.
Where is your business based?
We are headquartered in Denver, Colorado but remotely support companies throughout the United States.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
We started our business part-time while working in our Corporate jobs. It took us 4 years to build up our customer base to be able to leave our Corporate jobs behind. The first steps we took were networking in our local business community. Building those relationships, providing value, really becoming the Cyber Security experts in our business community. As those relationships grew, so did our business.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
We have done a lot of things to raise awareness. I would say utilizing live video on Social Media, in-person networking, and speaking have all been particularly effective for our business.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
Scaling the business has been our single biggest challenge. We are a family-owned business and initially, customers were always working with myself or with my husband. In the last 3 years we have grown significantly, added team members; figuring out how to scale with that growth has been challenging to say the least. We are still in the process of overcoming this challenge. The most important thing we have learned is that we must have written processes in order to provide our clients with the same experience no matter who was taking care of their issues.
How do you stay focused?
I am a big believer in time blocking. I will chunk out blocks of time to complete certain activities. While I am working on that task; I will shut down email, send calls to the answering service, and really focus. This really allows me to accomplish more in smaller periods of time.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
There are two ways that we differentiate ourselves in the market. First, we are a Security First organization. Every single time, we approach what we do from a security perspective. Our job first and foremost is to protect our clients and their client’s data. Secondarily, we are not an Outsourced I.T. company; we are an extension of their team. Once we partner with a company it is our job to help them succeed, not just in technology, but in business.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
For me, the most effective marketing strategy has been to focus on a few key niches where we are particularly knowledgeable and can provide a lot of value to our clients. We are hyper-focused on Legal and Financial Services. Additionally, we utilize live video on Social Media and have started to make better use of marketing automation.
What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
The biggest mistake we made, in the beginning, was to try to be everything to everybody. Everyone is not your client and that is okay. Figure out who you enjoy working with most, the areas where you have the most knowledge, and where you can make your impact. If you can focus on these things it is going to make it much easier as far as your messaging and the ability to reach your ideal client. Also, the process is going to take a lot longer than you think it will. Do not give up, dig in, and pivot when you need to.
What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?
My favorite app is Brain FM. I couldn’t tell you why it works but when I put my headphones on with this app I accomplish so much more in a short period of time than I do any other way. It is amazing! I love Duct Tape Marketing Blog. I am always getting great ideas that I can put into action for my business. Most of the time they are things that I can implement without a lot of cost to my business. Finally, my favorite book is The E-Myth. I have read this book many times. It is so important as business owners to move away from the role of technician, or doer. If you do not, you will never be able to create the 7 or 8 figure-business you are envisioning.
What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
My favorite business tool is Canva. What haven’t I created in Canva? Book covers, infographics, social media images, business reports. I would be lost without this resource. So worth, upgrading to the Pro version.
Who is your business role model? Why?
My business role model is Sheryl Sandberg with Facebook. I have always worked in male-dominated industries. I appreciate what she has done and the path she has made for other women in technology. The work she does in service inspires me as a person and as a business leader. Finally, I lost both of my parents in the last year. The process of being a leader through grief is something about her that particularly resonates with me.
How do you balance work and life?
Running a family-owned business with 8-year old twins does not really allow for balance. We do our best. We have tried to define family time vs work time and do our best to protect that time fiercely. Creating those lines, enabled us to really be present for our kids during family time and create a way for us to focus on growing the business during work time. It is not perfect, but nothing is.
What’s your favorite way to decompress?
Quiet. I am an introvert at heart. I need silence, to process my day, my thoughts, where I am in relation to my goals. If I can have 30 minutes to do that, it is pure heaven for me.
What do you have planned for the next six months?
· I will be adding employees to our team as we are in a significant growth period.
· I will be Co-Authoring my 2nd book on Cyber Security
· Growing our business through acquisition
· Celebrating the 10th anniversary of our business this summer
How can our readers connect with you?
Email: jerim@codebluecomputing.com