336: Always Follow Up and Take Control Of Your Career Path with Greg Edwards

In this week's show, Phil talks to Greg Edwards, a technology entrepreneur since 1998. Before founding CryptoStopper, he started Axis Backup, a backup and disaster recovery company for the insurance industry. In 2015, Axis backup was acquired by J2 Global, enabling the creation of CryptoStopper which focuses exclusively on cybersecurity. Greg talks about the importance of following up when it comes to the recruitment process. He also discusses the value in taking control of your own career plans.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Always follow up when you're looking for a company you'd like to work with. Never be afraid to chase your application, or to pursue a hiring manager about vacancies.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Greg lost a huge client to a competitor, which drastically hit his company's revenue. He initially thought it would be catastrophic, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it allowed his company to grow and scale.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT After performing well, early on in his career, Greg was rewarded with a trip, which left a huge impression on him as a youngster.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The tech sector is exploding with possibilities, including machine learning and the advances it brings are growing exponentially.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Necessity! What's the best career advice you received? – Be your own boss. Take control and accept control of your own career path. What's the worst career advice you received? – I've always ignored bad advice! What would you do if you started your career now? – Focus on cybersecurity much earlier, and learning how to be a hacker, using that knowledge for good. What are your current career objectives? – Growing the company to an annual $10m revenue level as well as find great people.. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Being able to identify talent in people. How do you keep your own career energized? – Mental and physical exercise. What do you do away from technology? – Using his private pilot license to fly planes.   FINAL CAREER TIP Determine what you want your career to look like, and plan for the career course that means the most to you.   BEST MOMENTS (4:32) – Greg – "Identify the company you want to work for and then don't be afraid to follow up" (11:30) – Greg - "There are so many opportunities that I see coming over the next twenty years" (14:09) – Greg – "The democratization of currency is already happening and I think that's going to proliferate and ultimately be a positive" (15:45) – Greg – "Accept control of your own career path"   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at [email protected] and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – GREG EDWARDS Greg Edwards is a technology entrepreneur since 1998. Before founding CryptoStopper, he started Axis Backup, a backup and disaster recovery company for the insurance industry. In 2015, Axis backup was acquired by J2 Global, enabling the creation of CryptoStopper which focuses exclusively on cybersecurity.   CONTACT THE GUEST – GREG EDWARDS Twitter: https://twitter.com/cryptostopper LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gedwardswpd Website: https://www.getcryptostopper.com/