Quick WINs: Partner buyouts, documentaries, and vertical expertise with Leia Shilobod

By Ian Richardson, Managing Partner, Richardson & Richardson Consulting

Podcast Season 1, Episode 15 Guest: Leia Shilobod, CEO, InTech Solutions Inc.

LEIA SHILOBOD – CEO of InTech Solutions is also known as the “IT Princess of Power.” She has authored 2 books and starred in a documentary around Cyber Crime called the Dark Web Uncovered.

Leia is a sought-after Cyber Security Advisor often asked to speak and share insights at major venues including Harvard, IUP, Catalyst Connection, along with routine appearances at Accounting, Manufacturing, and IT industry events.

Leia saves mid-market firms from hackers and keeps them compliant by delivering enterprise-class IT security solutions that would otherwise be cost prohibitive.

 

I had the opportunity to sit down with Leia on a recent episode of W.I.N. and dive into how she and her team at InTech have navigated the high impact, high stress event of a partner buy out, gotten featured in a documentary, and, through the use of vertical expertise in CMMC, are pursuing a national growth strategy that allows for them to service both end users and fellow I.T professionals. I took copious notes and have transferred those notes here into this article for you to use as you see fit.

1. Partner Buyouts: Leia and I dove into the topic of succession management – her company recently transitioned out a business partner. That partner not only had an ownership stake that had to be managed, but that business partner was also intimately involved in the infrastructure and operations of the business: his role had to documented and transitioned to others to safely migrate those responsibilities. Creating an action plan prior to a transaction event, as well as keeping documentation of ALL roles in an organization (including those of ownership) is a sound strategic focus.
2. Documentaries: Leia was featured in a documentary recently, “The Dark Web Uncovered,” that she flew out to LA for a red-carpet premier. Initially, she didn’t expect the experience to be a big deal, but throughout the process the documentary took on a life of its own. Often, it seems that a seemingly “small thing” can grow and take on legs and far exceed our expectations around it. Making sure to have a strategy to maximize the impact of public appearances should be on the radar of every entrepreneur and organization.
3. Vertical Expertise: Leia and her team specialize in CMMC, a cybersecurity standard that impacts the defense and aerospace contractor industries. The regulations are complex, difficult to understand, and even more challenging to comply with. Through her expertise, Leia and her team not only are able to stand out in a crowded marketplace for their clients, but she’s been able to productize that knowledge and create opportunities for other I.T. service providers around the country, furthering the impact of InTech. Making sure to recognize the full potential of your unique skillsets and pursue opportunities around said potential needs to be part of your strategic planning methodology.

I gain so much value from meeting with fellow entrepreneurs and leaders. Each and every person I speak with brings their own experiences, knowledge, and viewpoints to the table, and without fail, I walk away with a head full of ideas and motivation to do better in my own business. I so greatly appreciate Leia’s willingness to come onto W.I.N. and share her story.

If you’re interested in joining me on an episode of W.I.N., it would be my privilege to host you. You can book your spot by visiting https://randr.consulting/connect and selecting the Podcast Booking option from the services menu. You can find previous episodes of W.I.N. on our website and subscribe to it on whatever your platform of choice is.

Always Forward,

Ian