Posted Under: Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurship, Our Heroes

Today we are talking to Renee and Dave Chronister who are our next guest under the “Our Heroes” series. Renee & Dave Chronister are the Owners and Founders of Parameter Security, an ethical hacking firm. By the age of 8 Dave wrote his own computer program while Renee found herself writing and hosting numerous products for Microsoft’s developer network television. After Dave decided to leave his previous job he went to work for Parameter Security. Through some unforeseen circumstances Renee and Dave became the only employees within the company. Today, the company is 4 years old and has already bagged a couple of prestigious accolades. Let’s talk to them and find out more…

DD: Who are you and what kind of corporate job were you at?

Dave: Basically since I was 5 years old, I have always been fascinated with computer technology, specifically the inner-workings of my computer. Before the age of 8, I wrote my first computer software program and by the time I was a teenager I ran one of St. Louis’ biggest networked bulletin board systems. It was at this time I experienced war dialing and first encountered the underground world of hacking. As far as my professional career goes, I served as an architect for a fortune 500 company’s electronic messaging system – the largest Exchange Server deployment at the time. Then, I was technical liaison for various credit card organizations, developing their payment card compliance standards. Plus, working with numerous medical and dental practices, I served as Technical Advisor helping these practices meet HIPAA compliance. Just before starting Parameter Security, I was Chief Technology Officer for a $700 million dollar bank holding company.

Renee: I actually fell into it the world of information technology. My background is actually in marketing and media. So at the time, I was in radio and saw an ad for a tech company seeking a person with on-air experience to be the face and voice of their company plus they wanted this person to anchor, write, produce and direct their streaming video programs. This resulted in me being immersed in the technology world as all the programs I was writing, interviewing guests for, producing and hosting were all hardware and software solutions focused. Because of this, I then found myself writing and hosting some programs for Microsoft’s Developer Network Television. I then was hired by another software company to elevate their product into the public eye and market it to non-technical people and it was in this position I realized that people didn’t understand information security.

DD: What made you leave the job? When did you realize that you wanted to be an entrepreneur & why?

Renee: We both wanted to start our own business but just didn’t have a venture that made us go “Yeah, that’s it!” However, we both were at the peak of our professional careers as we directly reported to the company owners and wanted our next challenge. We also knew that with the combination of both of our expertise (Dave in IT; Renee in Marketing/IT) we had a good foundation on which to start a company. That’s when we decided to start an ethical hacking firm and after doing research and bouncing the idea of many people, we knew it was a viable endeavor and went for it. However, the way the company launched wasn’t exactly how we had planned. LOL.

Dave: Yeah, I decided to tell my boss I was starting my own company and that when I was ready to leave I would give 60 days notice so he’d have time to find someone else. My boss heard “I’m leaving in 60 days and we need to find someone else.” So 60 days later I was working for my company.

Renee: Dave came home that evening and told me about what had happened with his boss so our plan was I was going to remain working full-time while he got the company off the ground and then I would eventually join our company. Again, it did not work out as planned. 26 days after Dave started working for Parameter Security, my boss and I had a falling out and I quit. I called Dave and said “Guess what? Parameter now has two employees.” Yeah, we both were little bit scared but it was now or never and so we ran with it.

DD: What did you do to break the corporate jail? How did you prepare for the employee to entrepreneur transition?

Dave: I broke the corporate jail in 60 days as mentioned so I began helping my employer find my replacement and started getting things ready to go work for Parameter Security. There really wasn’t too much prep time.

Renee: As mentioned, I quit on the spot so there wasn’t any time for the employee to entrepreneur transition as I was officially a full-time entrepreneur the very next day. However, both of us had been trying to prepare during evenings and weekends to make the leap. Meaning, we did market research, ordered software and hardware, got appropriately certified in the hacking field and so on but nothing could have prepared us for being an entrepreneur, especially this soon. Yeah, we both were little bit scared but ultimately this was what we wanted so we threw ourselves into it.

DD: What are your suggestions for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Renee: I’d like to start out by saying what I used to say to myself (and Dave) when I was having the “What the heck am I doing? Am I crazy?” moment. My response: “What’s the worst thing that could happen if it doesn’t work out? You go work for someone else and you’ve already done that so no big deal.” I always kept this in the back of my mind as a source of consolation but more importantly as a motivator because I did not want to go work for someone else.

I’d also add, recognize your weaknesses and overcome them. What I mean is, focus on your strengths and embrace that fact that you really don’t know it all, nor will you. A lot of entrepreneurs have a misconception that they either know it all or have to know it all, but that’s not realistic. Surround yourself with people who are experts in the areas you are weak so that collectively you are strong.

Dave: Don’t be afraid to say no. In other words, you don’t have to take every customer or strategic partner that comes your way. Trust me, the time and hassle spent dealing with them isn’t worth the money. (I learned this the hard way.) The thought that “Oh I need this sale or this strategic partner for revenue” becomes the bane of your existence when it results in sleepless nights, unproductive work days and unnecessary stress. You really can’t put a price on peace of mind.
Be prepared to eat, sleep and live your business but don’t forget to take time for yourself and your relationships. This ensures your sanity and relationships stay intact. You don’t want to achieve success only to find your personal life has failed. Success isn’t success if it can’t be shared with others.

DD: How are you doing and how do you feel now?

Dave: Parameter Security is in its fourth year of business and since then we’ve had many ups and downs as the entrepreneurial road isn’t for the faint of heart but overall it’s been worth it. Renee and I were both awarded the Top Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and were recently given the Top 20 Under 20 Award which is for companies with just under 20 employees. This one is special because nominations came from employees, clients and industry peers which really speaks volumes. Overall, I feel great. It truly is a sense of accomplishment. But, I’m really excited to go on our first REAL vacation since we started the company next month!

Renee: Overall, I am very happy and feel good. It’s been a lot of hard work but it pays off. We just returned from 2 weeks in Germany where we did work for the US federal government so that was cool. And, Parameter Security now has clients in 4 international markets and we couldn’t be happier. I’d say the greatest reward is being your own boss and having staff members who really like working for you and enjoy what they do. On any given day, laughter is always heard and that is the greatest feeling.

DD: That’s Renee and Dave, from of Parameter Security. Their story is full of so many lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs and it also highlights the beauty of dedication and sticking to your goals. Overwhelmed with earning the responsibility of an entire company, the duo never let of their goals. Today, they are proud recipients of the Top Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and the Top 20 Under 20 Award.

Remember, one of the most powerful questions you need to ask yourself is, if you fell flat on your face while chasing your dreams, worst-case scenario, how long would it take you to recover? How hard would it really be to find another job? Then ask yourself– is the fear of a few tough months strong enough to keep you in a mediocre situation indefinitely? The answer is – NO. My point is, do not let your fears overcome your decisions, your dreams, your passion, your life… Go hustle and make a success story!

Success to all!