Fast-growing companies hit the same wall sooner or later. The IT setup that worked at 15 people starts to crack at 50, and every new hire, device and system adds another way in for attackers.

TekConcierge President and CEO Heath Carter sat down with Jeff Crilley on The Jeff Crilley Show to talk about exactly that: how growing businesses can keep their IT secure without slowing down. Here are the highlights.

Heath Carter on The Jeff Crilley Show (full interview, about 8.5 minutes)

From one server room in Hawaii to 30% growth a year

Heath founded TekConcierge in 2009. The company found its footing in 2011, when its first major client came on board in Hawaii. As Heath put it, the reality was less beach and more “a 10×10 server room with no windows.”

Since then, TekConcierge has grown 28 to 30% year over year. Heath is open about the growing pains: hiring too fast, letting go too slowly. For the past six years the company has run on EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System), which brought structure to that growth and set the stage for the next phase of scaling.

What “concierge” really means: help first

Jeff compared the name to a hotel concierge: you ask, they handle it. Heath agreed. The goal is to be every client’s best vendor.

One core value drives that, both for the company and for Heath personally: help first. Solve the problem, get the client back to work, and sort out the money later. Nobody is happy to call IT support. TekConcierge’s job is to make that call as painless as possible.

Why one IT hire isn’t an IT department

Many growing businesses assume the next step is hiring an IT manager or director. Heath sees it differently, especially for companies with 20 to 250 employees, TekConcierge’s sweet spot.

A single IT person, or even one IT lead plus a tier one support engineer, can’t cover everything a business needs. A managed services provider brings the full stack:

• A complete cybersecurity stack
• A security operations center (SOC)
• Procurement
• Project management
• Day-to-day support

There’s also the continuity problem. If your one IT person leaves, or as Heath put it, “steps off the curb and is hit by a bus,” your business is exposed overnight.

Staying ahead of the threats

Not every in-house IT person keeps up with the latest attacks. That gap is where breaches happen.

TekConcierge has an on-staff Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) who tracks what’s happening across the security landscape. The CISO works directly with clients to tighten their cybersecurity programs and make sure the business is protected as it grows.

15 industries, one foundation

TekConcierge now serves 15 verticals, including hospitality, private equity, family offices, oil and gas, manufacturing and automotive. The company recently added defense tech clients as well.

Heath’s point: the foundation of good IT is the same across industries. What changes are the line-of-business applications each sector runs on.

Growth as a responsibility

Jeff asked how TekConcierge keeps scaling at this pace. Heath’s answer was simple: growth creates opportunity for the team, and he sees providing that opportunity as an ethical responsibility.

When staff ask him to slow down sales, his answer is no. In his words, “If we’re not selling, we’re going backwards.”

Outgrowing your IT? Let’s talk.

Maybe you have an in-house IT manager who needs more coverage. Maybe you’re not sure where your gaps are. Either way, TekConcierge will look at your IT holistically and help you move your business forward, securely.

Contact TekConcierge to start the conversation.

Watch the full interview with Heath on The Jeff Crilley Show: watch here