See a Need and Fill It: The Story of Butchko, Inc.
Ten Years ago on May 4, 2004, I founded Butchko, Inc. I had been the senior security engineer at ExxonMobil, leading risk assessments around the globe and guiding technology strategy. In my time at ExxonMobil, I witnessed the positioning and delivery of risk, threat, and vulnerability assessments through the consultants and agencies of that time. There were two primary business models for these companies. They either focused almost solely on design (maybe doing risk assessments as a loss-leader to get design work), or designed without spending the effort to understand the client and the full scope of how technology would be utilized over time. Either way, they were not focused on the elephant in the room that could, if addressed, change the approach, the management, and the measurement of security: Organizational Alignment.
So, with a six-month old daughter, six-year old son, supportive wife, and a dream that I could make a difference, I left ExxonMobil and within 6 weeks, incorporated and opened our doors.
The first few contracts came the old fashioned way. I visited with security executives, asked them questions about the management of their program, and the challenges and opportunities that faced them. My credentials were reinforced by the questions I asked. Our first client was the Texas Medical Center (TMC). We supported the conversion of a 750,000 square foot former Nabisco plant to a multi-use office facility. TMC remains a client to this day with off-and-on requests for support.
I mentioned “Organizational Alignment,” as the elephant in the room. Unfortunately, this is a business challenge for most organizations. I see the key elements of successful organizational alignment as:
- Leadership: Clear Vision and Mission communicated across the organization.
- Strategic Action Plans: Each department that aligns their goals with the vision and mission of the organization.
- Measures that Matter: Supporting those goals captured at the people, process, and tool (technology) level.
- Shared Values: Reinforced through a self-correcting culture.
I attempted to construct Butchko with these factors in mine. So at the heart of our company were these foundational elements that have guided us ever since:
- Tell The Truth Even When it Hurts
We provide an honest appraisal of our client’s situation. At times, this conflicts with the client’s reality. This may or may not stall our level of service, but it does build trust over time. - Be the Hub Of Integrity In Your Ecosystem
We attempt to align our values with the right clients, partners, and suppliers. - Success Is In The Little Things
Butchko would be known for our attention to detail. - Ownership
We own outcomes. We align, personally and professionally, with our clients’ challenges and dedication to finding the most appropriate (performance and cost) solution. - Professional Disciplines
Paying attention to the growth of your internal competencies and subject matter expertise creates reliable guidance regarding technical solutions and assessments of capability. - We Learn From Our Mistakes and Others
Observing how programs and projects fail is a professional discipline. We own our mistakes so that we can deconstruct what occurred, learn from them, and restore trust through our actions to remedy them. - Innovation
We never are satisfied with the status quo. We persistently look for ways to take our performance and our client’s performance to the next level.
With these ‘Value Drivers’ in place, we have continued to grow with high-caliber and enthusiastic individuals striving to make a difference while having a good time along the way. We also are expanding and formalizing our partner network around the globe to better serve our international clients and maintain perspective of multi-cultural business demands.