My guest today is Jessica Robinson, founder and CEO of The PurePoint Cyber Security Firm. Security and empowerment are Jessica’s top priorities, and she uses her years of industry experience and her passion for empowering women to change the security game. Computer engineering and security are a largely male-dominated field. Jessica remembers looking around at her peers at her university and seeing no one that looked like her, a woman of color. Knowing that something had to change, Jessica left her job in the private sector and started her own firm. Her core values are above all security, empowerment, and service. Today, you are going to see why Jessica is such a revolutionary in her field, and how a woman’s touch is changing cyber security as we know it.
A Real-Life Nancy Drew
Growing up, Jessica wanted to be like Nancy Drew, solving mysteries and foiling the bad guys all on her own. She also wanted to be like Matthew Broderick’s character in War Games, sitting behind a computer and defending the nation from cyber attack. Cyber Security felt like a natural blending of those two inspirations. As one of the few women of color in the industry, Jessica often felt like an imposter, or that she was unqualified. Her journey is one of learning to trust her own intuition, and opening doors that might never have existed. If you feel like you need a little inspiration to chase that pipe dream, Jessica is a perfect example of a little girl who chased that dream and found something even better.
Cyber Attacks and Cyber Security in a Post-9/11 World
After the terror attacks on New York. the nation as a whole seemed to pivot and refocus on defense and security. The attack challenged what we thought we knew about terrorism, and it brought the United States into the global conversation about the safety of its citizens. Now with data breaches and cyber attacks on the rise, it is more important than ever that we know what to do when our information is compromised. That is where Jessica and her firm comes in. Jessica has seen the evolution of security over time. She knows how frightening it can be to know a hacker has your personal information and will work with you every step of the way. In this episode, Jessica will share her best practices for us as consumers, so you do not want to miss out!
Security with a Mind Toward International Relations
Jessica’s work is not just to protect the homeland. Thanks to her major in International Studies, Jessica has always had a passion for global relations. After being frustrated by the lack of international engagement in her largely domestic-focused corporate job, she knew something was going to have to change. Though it was the most frightening decision she ever made in her life, Jessica decided to quit her job and start her own company. Now, she has the ability to travel internationally and bring a sense of security to a global scale. Starting a business wasn’t always in the plan for Jessica, but it has allowed her to explore her dual passion for international relations and online security.
Practice Your Cyber Hygiene to Ward Off a Cyber Attack!
Jessica operates under a “shared responsibility model.” In this interview, she will explain how both companies and organizations as well as their customers and constitutes, have a responsibility to follow-up after a security breach or cyber attack. She calls this “Cyber Hygiene,” or ways that you can be daily protecting yourself online. We will also discuss the Uber Data breach, and what precedents have been set by how the company handled the information.
Security and Service Go Hand In Hand
Jessica is certainly disrupting the Cyber Security world with a women’s touch. She did so by creating a company that she was interested in working for. The PurePoint is built on a foundation of public service. Through her company’s work, Jessica is working to educate women not just how to be safe and secure online, but in the world as well. It is true that women purchase differently and think about security differently. It makes sense then that companies and institutions led or founded by women would be drawn to Jessica for her services. Today, we celebrate the fact that women are being empowered to make waves in an industry that is not always welcoming to them. Listen to be empowered today.
Episode Highlights:
- 3:00 – How Jessica found her way to Cyber Security and owning her own business
- 9:00 – The world has changed post-9/11 and after the invention of the iPhone
- 15:00 – Learning from the recent spike in data breaches in the U.S.
- 20:00 – When Jessica took a big risk, and the lessons she learned by trusting her own intuition
- 25:00 – Jessica confronted being the only Woman of Color in her field, dropping out of computer science, and working to be great as a business owner
- 31:00 – Jessica shares her perspective on the Uber hack cover-up
- 37:30 – Consciously Secure Living is how Jessica supports you through the most vulnerable times
- 49:30 – How Jessica blended public service into her business
Resources Mentioned:
- The PurePoint Online
- Twitter and Instagram: @JessRobin96
- Free Security Strategy Call for NextFem Listeners
1.Favorite Book For Women?
Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
2. Favorite self-care hack?
Meditation. I do it in the morning and right before I go to bed.
3. Best piece of advice and who gave it to you?
Shari Belafonte was a speaker at a networking event, and she told me, “You are just like every other entrepreneur!” That was so validating to know I was not alone in the struggle.
4.Female CEO or thought leader you are into right now?
5. A piece of advice you’d give your five years younger self?
“Believe in yourself and have patience.”
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