Community Corner
Enterprising Dad Juggles Cybersecurity, Nine Kids
For Steve Halligan, the only thing more challenging than keeping sensitive data secure is being the father of nine kids ranging from infant to age 17.
About this sponsorship: In honor of the 60th anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary’s historic ascent of Mount Everest, Patch and Grape-Nuts are teaming up to highlight those who inspire people around them to climb their own mountains. Our Crofton Patch originally ran this article in March.
Facing the Challenges
Steve Halligan is two years into helping build n2Grate, a company dedicated to data centers and cybersecurity. His clients include major companies and government agencies, and lately, he’s been working to get the necessary clearances to work with the National Security Agency—a tough nut to crack.
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Not too long ago, he was earning a good, steady salary with a major company. His family was a bit smaller. Now, with nine children, he’s shedding the security of a steady paycheck to build something he believes in.
Finding the Inspiration
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“Security has become the biggest concern among our customers," Halligan says.
In a nutshell, n2Grate's corporate mission is to help government agencies and businesses store and protect their data.
And Halligan's goal for his family is to make it work. It would seem nearly impossible to run a company while handling the responsibility of nine children, but Halligan deflects the credit to his wife, the “chief logistics officer,” who does everything from shuttle the family to sports practices and school events, to making sure there’s dinner on the table every night.
Reaching for the Goal
Halligan is proof that it's possible to take a risk, to follow your dreams and still have a thriving family.
“We just felt it was a a good time to use our skills to build a business that will be around a long time,” Halligan says. “We’re trying to do things that will breed long-term success. We want to build a culture where our profit and our customer’s success are not mutually exclusive."
And when it comes to how the venture would affect the family, Halligan says he and his wife "made sure it was something we thought through, and [Chrissy Halligan] appreciated the fact that we were happy and growing.”
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