In this episode of Founders, Future, Jae Encarnacion sits down with Mike Crandall, CEO of Digital Beachhead, a service-disabled veteran-owned cybersecurity firm based in Colorado Springs. With a deep background in military IT and federal cybersecurity, Mike shares how a layoff and a mission to protect underserved small businesses led to the founding of Digital Beachhead in 2015.

We dive into how Mike pivoted from chasing federal contracts to building a scalable, client-focused cybersecurity solution—offering virtual CISO services and affordable endpoint protection. Mike also breaks down common misconceptions about cybersecurity, the real threats small businesses face, and how he's scaling through partnerships, referrals, and educational outreach.

From winning a Comcast RISE grant to navigating the evolving cyber risk landscape, this episode unpacks what it really takes to protect businesses in today’s digital age.