About Lewis Borsellino:
Lewis is renowned for his incredibly successful trading career and has over 20 years of expertise in the international finance and risk management market. Borsellino prevailed in some of the largest and most dynamic markets, including Eurodollars and S&P futures. As a member of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, he was referred to as the top trader at S&P futures.
Borsellino gained an immense following in the financial news media. Lewis is the author of two books highlighting the trades and his success story. His memoir is called “The Day Trader: From the Pit to the PC.” His second release is titled “The Day Trader’s Course and The Day Trader’s Course Workbook.”
In this interview, Lewis tells us about his transition from analyzing markets to founding and channeling the success of DefendEdge.
Question 1: What strategies and skills did you learn from working in the CME that helped you build the foundation for DefendEdge?
“I think one thing that is very analogous is that markets aren’t predictable and neither are hackers and numbers.” Additionally, the weakest link in your trading strategy and in the cyber-world are the people executing the work. You can’t protect against financial loss. You can mitigate it. Set a detailed plan to react when markets go bad, otherwise they could wipe you out. In cyber security, you need a recovery plan as well. If you don’t have a plan to keep control over your processes, then a cyber attack will bring you down. It’ll be the end of your company.
In cyber security, there are three key components. One is technology, buying the best technology does not guarantee you will be the most secure. You need to ensure that the latest technology is properly integrated with the legacy technology. Most companies are unaware of the best technology, and need a verification process.
The second key is running the process smoothly. Companies need to know how to properly use the technology bought. Write down ideas to expand and reconstruct until you get a polished idea that can be implemented.
Lastly, the third key to cybersecurity are the resources, do you have enough people to perform all necessary tasks? Employees need to be experts at the technology bought and keep quality control over the processes.
DefendEdge excels in these three components. “We have the resources to fill the gaps for companies that don’t have enough budget or enough people on the payroll to be able to have top-notch cyber security.” Most companies have infrastructure and IT, but many do not have a budget for the security. It is too expensive for a company to recreate what DefendEdge does. Instead, it is better for a company to outsource to a professional rather than attempting to replicate internally.
Question 2: How does lacking cybersecurity controls impact the company shareholders and marketplace?
“If you don’t have the right cyber security combination of technology, good processes, and the right people in place, it literally can destroy your business.” According to the US National Security Alliance, 60% of small companies go out of business six months after suffering a cyber attack.
You cannot completely prevent threat actors from attacking. Setting up the proper plan to mitigate damages is essential. DefendEdge is incredibly effective at quick recovery. One of our clients came to us after getting hacked on Thursday. Everything was back and running smoothly on Monday. Only one business day of operations was lost.
Question 3: Since the founding of the company, what additions have been most critical to driving the company to success and growth?
DefendEdge has been able to adapt and create new divisions. The Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) team deals with more proactive cyber threats. Another key initiative is the SkillBridge program which provides training to people coming out of the military.
Since DefendEdge has an abundance of resources, we have the ability to scale overnight. Most companies approach cyber security with a funnel method meaning employees will cold call thousands of customers, hoping to connect with a few. DefendEdge has resisted this and has found that we find it best to create customers based on relationships.
“Channel relationships, organic growth, and our partners and clients have actually fueled our growth versus creating it.” The only way to successfully grow a business is by reaching the decision-makers. We believe channel relationships are the way to go. Consistently obtaining strong divisions has enhanced the security and stability of DefendEdge.
Securing the Legacy
Borsellino’s impact on the trade industry is undeniable, as well as his impact on DefendEdge. He has cultivated a company that is driven towards success and continuous innovation. The DefendEdge team is handpicked based on their ambition and commitment to improve security. There is unlimited potential for growth of the company and a secure future ahead.