The Heart of Crest
As an American I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase “The American Dream” uttered countless times. The dictionary defines the phrase as “ the ideal by which the equality of opportunity is available to any American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved”. Quite the majestic phrase but there is a reason it's considered a dream. In practice one reaps the benefits of this standard American dream with material possessions and a state of unwavering comfortability: white picket fence, luxury car(s), fat retirement account, vacations, feasts, lavish parties. But what can be done when the resources you start out with leave you at a disadvantage to achieve that dream.
For Frank El (and many others like him I’m sure) the American dream never included the Gatsby lifestyle associated with the term. It was a dream more based on financial independence and security of basic needs, not only for himself, but his family to come. The dream is still in the back of his consciousness, but first and foremost; where should he start to get the biggest benefit for his labor expenditure? The military seemed like the most beneficial option for him, as a newly married man hoping to start a family, the minimum wage jobs of his youth would no longer suffice. So in 1998, Frank joined the Airforce where he was educated in the intricacies of cybersecurity at night, working his regular hours as a man in the service, and training physically to keep in standard with the physical requirements of the military. While this may not seem like much, his days were filled from dusk until midnight, powering through sleep deprivation, fatigue, stress, for his ultimate goal. This hard work provided him with many benefits though, housing, food stipends, free amenities, covered college costs, a salary, and all the insurances necessary for himself and his family (now grown by one). It gave him the opportunity to save for the future, while building his life in the present, a stability not many employers can say they offer.
His time in the military did not last forever though. When Frank finally made his exit from the institution in 2007, he thought to himself, what's next? He immediately took his expertise into the private sector working for a decent salary, and a few essential benefits. This was his first job away from the structure and comradery of the service, so once again his main goal became finding the best way to take care of his family (grown to 4 at this point). It was here though, that he found the leadership he was under to be quite disingenuous, putting personal and professional gain above the candor and encouragement expected of leaders trying to promote excellence. This problem evoked a remembrance of his time in the military, when Frank heard a saying that stuck with him: “integrity first, service before self, excellence in all we do.” It was these core values he chose to live his life with, and failed to see in his place of employment. How could he both provide for his family while having a positive work environment filled with genuineness and collaborative leadership ? Could he find that in the workforce or was it somewhat of a unicorn; a reality he would have to hunt or create of his own fruition?
Frank being the person he is, and always has been, made the decision that his happiness and hopes could only come to be at his own hands (being in control of his own destiny at the end of the day was the American Dream in a nutshell). Thus, Crest Security Assurance was born, a cybersecurity and information technology company specializing in protecting the valuable information and priceless data every company possesses. He would run his business with his business partner and co-leader Judith El the way they believed was just, with specificity, integrity, and excellence at the foundation. His goal was not only to grow this business for his family’s benefit, but for that growth to provide a multitude of securities and opportunities for those that chose him as their leader. He wanted the best for everyone, and would make that happen, no matter the lengths and obstacles. Leading by example was at the front of his mind, showing his employees that he would work just as long, put just as much passion, and be just as truthful as they were. He knew the path ahead would be difficult and full of failures, but he was that much closer to making that American Dream, a reality for himself and those around him.
Fast forward 15 years and we now see Crest as a legitimate, trusted source for all cyber security needs, holding a multiplicity of seasoned professionals and a devotion to protecting all businesses from, and preventing, cyber threats and attacks. Specializing in the protection of government agencies from foreign adversaries, Crest has worked tirelessly with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Department of Defense (DOD), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and many others to solidify the safety and privacy of our county’s critical infrastructure. The business has and will continue to grow as an ISO 9001:2015 certified SBA 8(a) Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) paving the way for the American Dream to become a reality for all.
When asked about his opinion on developing a small business from the ground up while keeping up with the demands of government contracting, Frank offered some harsh, but accurate wisdom: “failure is guaranteed, especially with writing proposals and trying to grow a business for the very first time. You are going to fail so many times that it feels like success is obsolete, but you cannot be discouraged. Every failure holds a lesson for how to improve next time, think to yourself ‘what could I have done to make this proposal, this business, better than I could comprehend?’ The challenge is not in running the business, it's in the belief that you are doing your absolute best to promote excellence, to make the right decisions for your employees and stick to them no matter the opposition. It's about trusting yourself and your ability to find success, do anything for that success, and think with ingenuity. Failure is inevitable, yes, but when you finally get that win, you will find that your hard work and strife was worth it.”
