- Company: InTech Solutions, Inc.
- Founded: 2006
- Headquartered: Greensburg, PA
- Geographic Market: Greater Pittsburgh, PA
- CEO: Leia Kupris Shilobod
When Leia Shilobod co-founded InTech Solutions, Inc., she never imagined it would become one of the fastest growing cybersecurity and IT firms in Pennsylvania.
The author of “Cyber Warfare,” Leia loved and excelled at business processes. She instinctively knew how to identify where people and processes were out of alignment and then could create systems and standards that produced excellent client outcomes.
She also found she had the ability to translate the outcome the business owner actually wanted so that the systems engineer could successfully design and configure an IT system that met the true business need. Through looking at technology (from a business process perspective), the IT bug bit Leia, leading her to become an expert in the technology side as well. Leia became known for her Midas touch. Aligning her resourcefulness with her ability to take critical feedback and bridge communication gaps with technology, she turns ideas into gold mines for her clients.
“Fourteen years of on-the-job training later, I’ve developed deep knowledge and understanding about systems engineering and cybersecurity,” Leia said. “I’m glad I came at it initially from the business owner’s perspective because it has given me the ability to make sure what we implement drives business outcomes, productivity, and results — not just makes computers work.”
InTech works with manufacturers, law firms, engineering firms, and CPA firms that have 20–200 workstations. For these clients, technology is vital to their daily operations, and security is paramount. Understanding that their clients require specialized business applications, ERP software, or automation networks to run their business, InTech rose to meet these specific requirements, helping them continually improve, become more efficient, and grow by aligning processes and best practices with their company goals. This “business first” look on IT has brought clients to InTech i n droves, doubling the business every year three years in a row. To continue to meet the demand, Leia focused on growing their people internally. “We want to make sure we are delivering the same level of quality service to all of our clients as we grow,” Leia explained. “I am fanatical about making sure we are delivering high quality service. When we put any solution in place for a client, we must make sure it is secure and done right the first time. To make that happen, we created documented systems and processes to consistently deliver the high level of service, solutions, outcomes, and security that our clients have come to expect as we grow.”
Succeeding By Using Principles As A Compass
By focusing on creating an environment where “awesome people come to do meaningful work,” Leia built a team that loves the work they do and is committed to growing both personally and professionally. As a result, employees take exceptional care of InTech clients. “We do that by following our seven Principles,” Leia said.
InTech Principles are:
- Trust In Radical Truth And Radical Transparency
- InTech Is The Team And The Clients
- It Is Okay To Make Mistakes And Unacceptable Not to Learn From Them
- Get And Stay Aligned
- Right Fit For The Culture And The Role
- Find The Root Cause, Solve The Problem
- Manage The Organization Through Systems And Processes
Making Companies Secure And Compliant So They Keep Contracts
InTech excels in security and compliance. By delivering Microsoft Office 365 management and security services, InTech keeps business secure and efficient. “Office 365 does not come out of the box secure,” Leia said. “We can provide a securely configured environment, proactive management, monitoring, and support requests in Microsoft 365.” Another strength is helping with the formal certification process to ensure DFARS/NIST 800-171 compliance to prepare for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). InTech began helping smaller companies to comply well before the government required formal certification. Continually improving their process, they got better and better at getting and keeping companies compliant. InTech developed a CMMC Alignment Process that systematically steps clients through alignment with the controls to get compliant and prepare for certification. “If you fail certification, they give you 90 days to close your gaps,” Leia explained. “If you can’t, you lose your contracts and go out of business. It’s really serious. You want to be prepared on the front-end.”
Companies are also required to maintain compliance and must get re-certified every three years. “Compliance is not an event. Compliance is a journey,” Leia stressed. As such, InTech also created a continued CMMC Compliance Process. Companies have two levels to choose from: 1) Working with internal staff to maintain compliance, or 2) Offloading the compliance work completely to InTech to ensure continued long-term compliance and ability to keep contracts.
“We not only get you compliant, but we can also keep you compliant through tools and documentation,” Leia said. “Documentation is so unsexy; nobody wants to talk about documentation, but the documentation is proof that you have a process and are doing what you say you’re doing. Certain things can’t be passed down through word of mouth, such as policy and standard operating procedures. Those must be written down. We provide all those things for our clients, which is absolutely necessary on the CMMC side.”
Creating Economic Prosperity For Themselves, Their Employees, Their Community
Leia’s commitment is inspiring. She displays an obvious enthusiasm to improve the lives of her clients, employees, and community. “I believe we should do something meaningful every day that impacts the world and our community,” Leia said. Leia and the InTech team do fundraising for local nonprofits and donate their time and talents. Leia does everything from teaching Sunday School to coaching CEOs. She also serves as the chair of the board of trustees for the Westmoreland County Community College. Leia was appointed to the board when they found they were falling behind in technology. “As an employer, I’m very supportive of what they’re doing to train and turn out people who are ready to work right out of school,” Leia said. “I actively give guidance to the institution to improve programming and technology.”
Opening Up New Opportunities For Client Success To Make The Community Stronger
Leia is deeply passionate about helping her clients get stronger so they can expand, grow, and experience economic prosperity — not only through her services but also by proactively searching for ways to link her clients with resources that are outside of her wheelhouse. In doing so, she’s created new opportunities for her clients that have strengthened the community.
When COVID-19 hit, she organized and held biweekly webinars in conjunction with local business associations, chambers, and experts. In addition to covering technical and cybersecurity issues that businesses faced (to sustain working from home for months), she mobilized resources covering a wide range of relevant topics that generated financial, human, and social capital. Leia brought in top-level banking experts who could give a step-by-step plan of what was needed to get PPP funds from banks. She also asked an attorney to demystify the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) and changes in unemployment laws. In addition to the aforementioned experts, she also brought in a business coach to help businesses with pivoting and crisis planning. “The business community and its success are so important,” Leia said. “I told people, ‘Anybody who wants to save your business, get on these calls.’”
Leia and the InTech team’s excitement for serving their clients, and for always doing better for them, has created momentum. However, it’s their clients who drive them to work hard every day. “It’s in our DNA,” Leia said. “It’s fun and fulfilling to work with awesome companies that you’re aligned with — where you both can make an impact.”
