Bulletproof Solutions ULC – Fredericton Chamber of Commerce

Interview with Bulletproof Solutions ULC

Can you tell me about how your business began? Does your business have other locations provincially, nationally or internationally?

Steven Burns, Ian Donald, Tim Hawkins, Jeff Shaw and Andrew Jefferies founded Bulletproof in 2000 as an IT consulting company, before adding Cyber Security to our services in 2001 after seeing an immense opportunity for it.   I (Steven Burns) served as Bulletproof’s CEO until 2018 before transitioning into Chairman/Advisory role until October 2022 when I returned as President and COO. As it stands today, we currently have offices in over 20 countries around the world. 

Tell me a bit about your business and what you do.

Bulletproof is an IT Security company that specializes in the Gaming & Lottery space, but we also have pieces of the business that deal in Managed Security Services and Managed Services, specifically. Everything we do has a security component to it.

Who are the people who use your services?

We work with organizations of all industries and sizes, across the globe – this includes those with large amounts of data, those subject to regulations and extensive compliance requirements, and even those managing remote workforces. We deal primarily in SMBs, Midmarket+, Gaming, Lottery, and Tribal Enterprise & Gaming

How many staff do you employ?

We started with just a few people, as any startup does, and now employee over 300 full time employees.

Is your business involved in any community activities or organizations?

• We are! We really try to become an active part of our host communities by pursuing four key areas of corporate social responsibility:
  • “Supporting Our Communities” by providing grants to nonprofit organizations working to support activities and programs with a broad reach and support the needs of underserved communities and advancing racial equality.
  • “Employee Volunteerism and Giving” is something we do each year, where eligible employees receive 8 hours paid volunteer time to give back to local communities where we live and work. We offer a variety of opportunities for employees across the globe to engage where and how they want.
  • “Green Initiative” is our understanding that the environment is the heart of our world. In addition to the support, we give to environmental causes and we engage in green initiatives throughout our global network of offices.
  • “Education” has always been the cornerstone of the future. We support a variety of innovative programs at University of New Brunswick as well as extending those same initiatives to our employees through the Education Assistance Program to ensure our team is empowered to continually achieve their goals.

Can you tell me about one of your most rewarding experiences you’ve had while working at Bulletproof?

It’s the people. Bulletproof has always been my baby, so to see this company grow as exponentially as it has and continue to care for and partner with those customers as closely as we have over the last 23 years, whether new or old, is an incredibly rewarding experience. To be able to witness that on a day-to-day basis really makes me passionate about what it is we’ve done here.

What are you most proud of in your business?

Our incredibly diverse workforce. It’s something we’ve really strived for over the years; to ensure that the new hires that are coming in can see themselves in leadership roles. We have employees who started in entry level or mid-level positions and are now Senior VPs – it’s just something that shows in a company who cares.

Has your business won any awards?

What kind of challenges have you experienced in your business and how were you able to overcome them?

Like any business there are always challenges, but the key to addresses those challenges is having a team focused on the goals of the company.  I am proud to say our team has clear focus and intention in our day-to-day business.

What is the biggest risk facing your business or your industry?

We are expecting to grow by 200 people over the next 5 years and talent is always a concern.

What is next for your business? Any exciting projects you want to tell us about?

We are constantly looking to expand via acquisitions but in the near term we will be opening our first USA based Security Operations Center, tentatively scheduled to open in our Las Vegas office.

How do you feel about the economy and opportunities in New Brunswick?

Most of our business is outside of NB at this point but we feel there is tremendous opportunity to grow our business from our roots here in NB.

What is one thing you wish more people knew about your business?

I wish more people knew what an amazing team we have and how involved we try to be in our community.

What is the best advice you ever received as a business owner?

Never make a major decision in business or in life without sleeping on it….if you decision is the same when you wake up then it’s the right decision.