Navigating Uncharted Territory: Growth, Grit, and the Journey of North Star Strategies
It’s funny how conversations can start one way and take you in a completely different direction. When Jesse Miller and I first connected, I’d reached out to him to hopefully absorb his insights on building an effective CTO/CISO practice. We found ourselves chatting about everything from Midwest roots to California dreams. As often happens with me, our discussion shifted to something we’re both passionate about: building and growing businesses in this ever-evolving space.
We found ourselves diving deep into these honest realities of building something new in a space that’s constantly evolving, and keeping hyper-focus upon your specific audience where you can provide real value. And if there’s one thing that kept coming up, it was this: transparency and grit are critical when navigating uncharted territory. These themes aren’t just talking points—they’re at the core of what North Star Strategies is all about.
The world of cybersecurity compliance, especially with frameworks like CMMC, is still a relatively new frontier. Few people are true "experts" because the landscape is shifting beneath us…all of us. Whether you’re a business owner, a fractional CTO, or a consultant, we’re all learning and adapting. And that’s okay. What matters is having the tenacity and willingness to learn and grow as you go.
Jesse and I talked about the importance of transparency in this journey. Nobody has all the answers right away, but what makes the difference is partnering with someone who’s willing to dive in alongside you. That’s where grit comes in—it’s about working through the inevitable challenges, keeping a focus on steady progress on the road ahead - whether that be compliance or company technology strategy for business growth contribution.
One key takeaway from our conversation was about accepting that you have to be bad at something before you can be good. It’s a concept many people shy away from, but it’s something we embrace at North Star Strategies. We (all of us) naturally avoid the unknown and unfamiliar. It’s just our brain doing its job, keeping us safe. But remember when you were a kid, It’s in those early, imperfect moments that real growth happens. We’re here to help you take that first step, or to keep it going when you need a helping hand. And in this case, most of the time you’ve gotta take the leap anyway, so why not do it with North Star being hyper-focused on your destination.
It’s this philosophy that drives us. We know that most business owners don’t have the time or energy to become cybersecurity or compliance experts—and they shouldn’t have to. Your focus should be on growing your business, innovating, and delivering value to your stakeholders - whether that be clients, customers, subscribers, and of course your board. Our role at North Star Strategies is to take on the heavy lifting of technology strategy and cybersecurity compliance, ensuring that your business stays on track without losing momentum.
The conversation needs to shift from technical jargon to real business benefits. Executive teams care about risk, return on investment, and how compliance ties into the bigger picture, their vision for the future of their company. At North Star, we focus on making sure those conversations happen in a way that’s meaningful to your business, not just a checklist of security protocols.
In the end, it’s not about having all the answers right from the start—it’s about working with someone who has both the expertise and the grit to get you where you need to go. So, let’s embrace the challenges ahead, confident that we’ll tackle them together. After all, real growth is found in the journey, not just the destination.
And before I wrap this up, a big thank you to Jesse Miller for sharing his insights and taking the time to connect. If you haven’t come across his work yet, be sure to check out the incredible work. He’s all about leveling up the industry and creating real value for the community. Definitely worth keeping on your radar. Thanks again, Jesse!
