Long before identity theft became a well-publicized concern, Bill Wildprett was looking for ways to secure vulnerable data. As an “information system architect” for the state of Washington, he was part of a department that oversaw home-energy assistance programs for low-income individuals.
“Before identity theft was a big media topic, I was worried about protecting social security numbers and looking for ways to protect that information,” he says.
Wildprett got into IT by accident. He fell into the industry when he became involved with the energy assistance program, after working as an analyst for the state. So when his job was downsized, and Pruitt saw himself unemployed in 2008 after a state career of 20-some years, he did what many people in his shoes do: He decided to pursue his entrepreneurial streak and become an independent consultant.
“I didn’t think it would be hard to find clients and work,” he says. “It’s been an interesting journey and a good experience.”
Starting a business in a recession has been challenging, but Wildprett has been able to find a steady flow of projects since incorporating his company as The Wildprett Group LLC (www.wildprett.com). He does contract work for several big companies, as well as working directly with clients locally and from outside of the state. He keeps his overhead low by working from his Gig Harbor home, and doing a lot of the work virtually.
“I help people state safe online by helping them understand what the risks are to their information,” he says. “…I try to take a holistic look at what’s going on.”
He targets small and midsize businesses because they’re underserved due to lack of resources and dedicated IT departments. “Small and medium businesses are getting hit all the time because they’re the low-hanging fruit,” he says.
In addition to raising awareness of potential security risks, he also helps businesses with regulatory compliance and IT governance. Those assessments are important for anyone who works with secure data like credit card information or social security numbers for billing purposes, for example. He has clients all around the area and many in Seattle, and doing a lot of the work virtually allows him to work with business beyond the state.
As the owner of a small business, Wildprett has encountered challenges similar to those solo-preneurs have when starting out. Wearing multiple hats means he’s in charge of his own marketing and networking, which he has to balance with the time spent serving current customers.
One of his interests is education. When he worked for the state’s energy assistance program, his clients were nearly 30 agencies that provided assistance to individuals. Wildprett liked to educate them about available free resources the agencies could share with their own clients, and he wants to use a similar concept to share information with businesses about online security.
“Even if they don’t hire me, they’re more educated so it’s a bit of a public service — ultimately the community is better because businesses are protected,” he says.
Wildprett notes that one misconception is where vulnerabilities come from. He says the risks are not exclusively created by “bad guys in foreign countries” but can come from less expected places, like disgruntled or careless employees. But he has noticed a trend of computer users becoming better at protecting their own data, partly because the systems and the tools are improving.
He says getting started hasn’t been easy, but he is open to any new opportunities coming his way. “Even if I don’t have a lot of clients, I see it as a success if I can be a resource for local businesses,” he says.
