Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

I’m inspired by Dr. Lael Alexander because he represents visionary leadership, innovation, and the courage to build at a high level. As someone building my own cybersecurity company from the ground up, I respect the way he thinks big, creates with purpose, and turns ideas into real-world impact. His journey motivates me to keep building something meaningful that can protect businesses, create opportunity, and leave a lasting legacy.

How do you stay motivated?

I stay motivated by the opportunity to create change, be innovative, and bring superior industry-level solutions to people and small businesses that are often just as vulnerable as major corporations. That mission pushes me to keep building, keep learning, and keep finding ways to make stronger cybersecurity more accessible to those who need it most.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would use the $25,000 to accelerate the development of ShadowEngine, the cybersecurity platform I’m building to power ShadowScan and future security applications. The funding would support core product development, infrastructure, platform architecture, branding, and go-to-market execution. More importantly, it would help me bring stronger, industry-level cybersecurity capabilities to small businesses and underserved organizations that are often just as vulnerable as major corporations.