Singapore
THE future of digital security lies in cloud solutions, according to Ron Efron and Effie Chen, the co-founders of security firm BluOcean Security.
That is why the company is putting all hands on deck in implementing novel cloud system solutions for its customers, with its sights set on establishing itself as one of the pioneers in the market for cloud solutions.
"With cloud solutions, you can troubleshoot issues and support manufacturing processes such as batch design remotely," said Chen, adding that this would eliminate the need for employees to step into the office frequently and render workflows more efficient.
When it was founded 3 years ago, cloud security had not yet been on the company's menu of services.
It started out by providing consulting services instead, building on its founders' experience and expertise, with both Chen and Efron having spent more than the last decade working in the security industry.
The company later expanded its services to include system integration, cloud solutions and embedded services as a way to distinguish itself from competitors in the industry.
"Not many traditional security companies are doing cloud solutions, but for us, we are different. We look into the future and we believe that this will be the future," said Chen.
Beyond providing novel services to differentiate itself, the founders also identified its team of dedicated employees as a key to its success.
The company also prides itself on being able to deliver its services with excellent customer service, which Chen attributes as the reason the company has not lost a single client since its founding in 2018.
"Everyone can install a camera. But it's how you install one, how you serve them (customers), how responsible you are that really make things different… People make it happen," she said.
Such practices have been key to the company's success, which has seen a 2-fold increase in its revenue in the past year, while the total value of contracts signed is expected to double this year.
Chen revealed that the company had also turned profitable within 2 years of starting the business.
Challenges in managing business remotely
Managing a company with offices around the globe has not been easy. With more than 7 offices worldwide, Chen said it has been a challenge trying to coordinate the business on all fronts, especially given the travel restrictions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
This resulted in a delay on some projects as the company navigated around the various Covid-19 policies and restrictions put in place by governments around the world.
But the company has found ways to cope, thanks to its founders' foresight on implementing remote work right from the start, before the pandemic happened.
"We started the business knowing that we are going to be a regional business and everybody's going to work together regionally as a decentralised, online kind of culture," said Efron.
"So when other companies were scrambling to try to find ways to work from home, we were already set up for that," he added.
The company's foresight on having an online-based work environment is what allowed its team to implement a project worth US$1.4 million in Manila entirely remotely, Chen said.
Expansion plans
But the growth does not stop here. The security firm said that it will be looking towards building a presence in places it currently does not have offices in, such as Japan and Australia.
Chen said the company is also working on providing more services to value-add to its existing customer base, while expanding its regional reach to grow its account of customers.
Both Chen and Efron are optimistic on the company's future growth, and they have a target of achieving revenue of more than US$40 million in 5 years.
Beyond topline figures, Efron added that the company seeks to also broaden its presence in Asia, especially.
"What we really want is coverage. We want to be present in all the main locations in Asia where there are investments in industry and offices so we can satisfy that demand," said Efron.
For Chen, her goals for the company are beyond just profits, placing more focus on staff well-being and happiness above all.
"We want our team to be proud, growing as part of the journey… to have a great experience working for a startup," she said.
Keyword added to your list