The Pathway Course
Discover how to create your Pathway to Cyber Resilience, without overwhelm or becoming a cybersecurity expert, in 6 weeks
Create your Pathway to Cyber Resilience
As a small business owner, do you feel overwhelmed by cyber risk? In this course, you will discover a simple 5-Step Strategy to manage cyber risk, learn how to control technology risk, people risk and governance risk and create your Pathway Plan to Cyber Resilience, without needing cybersecurity expertise. If you complete one module per week, you could complete the course in 6 weeks without feeling overwhelmed.
Have you ever felt too overwhelmed by the complexity of cybersecurity to create a Cyber Resilience Plan for your business; one that you can understand and implement?
Are you a small business owner, providing a professional service to your customers but worried about cyber risk? Perhaps you realise that a cyber incident could have serious implications for your business and your livelihood.
It is increasingly clear that small businesses are highly vulnerable to cyberattacks and that all small companies should become cyber resilient; they should be able to survive the inevitable cyber incident when it happens because it really is a matter of “when” and not “if” a cyber incident will occur.
Most small service-based business owners face this challenge! Imagine for a minute, feeling the peace of mind of knowing that you had a plan in place to make your business cyber-resilient and knowing exactly how to maintain that feeling...
In this course, I will walk you through a simple 5-Step Strategy to manage cyber risk designed for business owners without cybersecurity expertise. You will discover how to manage technology risk, people risk and governance risk and create the Pathway Plan to cyber resilience for your small business.
If you take one module per week, you will be empowered to manage this business-critical risk in the next 6 weeks without feeling overwhelmed.
The last five years have brought a dramatic increase in cyber risk, and the pace of change is quickening. The global ransomware cyberattacks of 2017 revealed the huge cybercrime threat. Massive data breaches have followed every year since, and the pressure for regulatory change resulted in the introduction of the GDPR in 2018, dramatically changing the data protection legal obligations of all businesses.
In 2020, the risk environment worsened when the global pandemic forced unplanned working from home on most workers and dramatically increased personal and corporate cyber risks. Ransomware has now reached epidemic proportions, and phishing attempts against small companies have grown exponentially. These attacks can devastate small businesses because of a lack of resources and understanding. Many small business owners now recognise that digital transformation has “changed the game”. Cybersecurity, Data Protection, Privacy and Trust are now mainstream business-critical issues, and cyber risk is unavoidable.
The consequences of a cyber incident could be catastrophic for businesses providing a service to clients based on their knowledge or intellectual property, e.g. accountants, lawyers, insurance brokers, business consultants, financial advisors, architects, engineers, surveyors, medical professionals and IT service providers. For these businesses, a cyberattack could cause financial loss, legal liability, loss of trust and loss of reputation.
John Byrne
I have personal and business experience with cyber risk. In the late 1990s, when cyber insurance first began, I was an underwriter at one of the leading global companies involved in this area. Later in my career, while CRO of the Lloyd’s business, I was cautious in setting the risk strategy, including exposure to the emerging cyber insurance area.
In 2012, my LinkedIn account was impacted by a massive data breach, and in 2013 my personal email account was hacked. I almost suffered a painful financial loss when my pension advisor received an urgent fraudulent email request, to transfer my pension fund to a third party. Knowing that a cybercriminal had control of my personal emails was a violation of privacy that hurt! However, at the time, my knee-jerk reaction was to change my passwords and close my social media accounts. I didn’t know it then, but I was making a mistake by not engaging.
The global ransomware cyberattacks of 2017 changed my views on cyber risk. In 2018 my personal data was compromised in 4 of the largest global data breaches. This experience convinced me that I had to engage with digital transformation. I decided to focus my energies on cyber risk to see how I could add value to small businesses.
Initially, I struggled with cybersecurity technology as I do not have an IT background. Even insurance, my area of expertise, was challenging. Cyber insurance policies use technology, legal and insurance jargon, making them hard to read and understand. I learned about critical SME cybersecurity issues by researching the cyber risk management InsurTech opportunity. During 3 years of focused effort, I created surveys, conducted interviews, issued reports and interacted with the SME community in the UK and Ireland. I also provided demos of the proof-of-concept cyber risk management platform.
I began to understand the struggles that small business owners faced with cyber risk. They were confused about where to start and their efforts were ad-hoc and reactive. There was no clarity of vision, no plan and few proactive steps. I realised that they needed a complete system to lead them towards cyber resilience.
And here’s the good news that may surprise you…
The essential steps that small businesses need to take are well known and are neither difficult nor expensive to implement once you know the step-by-step process and have a plan to implement it. I formulated “The 5 Steps to Cyber Resilience”, using my experience and learning, implemented it in my small business and decided to teach the approach to others.
This self-study online education course helps the owners and managers of small businesses to create their Pathway to Peace of Mind. The Pathway Course is a comprehensive course concentrating on essential areas of risk that can be addressed quickly.
This course delivers a transformation in the way that you think about and manage cyber risk in your businesses. You will discover:
It will help you to leave worry about cyber risk behind as you are empowered to manage cyber as a business risk in return for a modest investment of time and money.
When you Enroll Today, you get access to the 6 Sections of the Course:
Each topic builds on the previous one. Each Section includes teaching, presented through a series of pre-recorded videos, a Poll to gather your views, a Q&A feature, Slide deck handouts, supporting documents and Action Points. The Action Points help you to apply the concepts to your business and to take immediate action.
All the content is held on Thinkific, and much of it is downloadable. Audio files along with written transcripts are provided for each video. The course video material adds to approximately 5 and a half hours of content. All content is available upon joining the course and lessons can be completed at your own pace. There is also a final end-of-course test where you can test your learning.
This course contains what you need to know and nothing that you don’t. You’ll learn the key concepts and get the tools needed to create your Pathway Plan. You’ll leave with clarity about your business and new confidence in your ability to manage cyber risk.
PW Welcome Video
PW Thinkific Orientation Video
Welcome Email
Pathway Course Schedule
Student Intake Survey
PW Video 1 - Introduction
Student Resources Directory
Slide Deck - Introduction
Bonus Content
PW Section 1, Video 1- Mindset & The Environment
PW Section 1, Video 2 - Sources of risk & threats
PW Section 1, Video 3 - Mindset
PW Section 1, Video 4 - Case Study
PW Section 1, Video 5 - Poll, Recap, Action Points, Q&A
Section 1 - Poll
Action Points - Section 1
Slide Deck - Section 1
Supporting Documents for Section 1
PW Section 2, Video 1 - Introduction, Recap & Agenda
PW Section 2, Video 2- Cybersecurity Maturity & Inherent Risk
PW Section 2, Video 3 - Reduce
PW Section 2, Video 4 - Transfer
PW Section 2, Video 5 - Respond
PW Section 2, Video 6 - Report
PW Section 2, Video 7 - Poll, Recap, Action Points, Q&A
Section 2 - Poll
Action Points - Section 2
Slide Deck - Section 2
Supporting Documents for Section 2
PW Section 3, Video 1 - Introduction, Recap & Agenda
PW Section 3, Video 2a- Introduction to Cyber Essentials
PW Section 3, Video 2b - The 5 Technology Controls
PW Section 3, Video 3a- Introduction to People Risk
PW Section 3, Video 3b- Introduction to Governance Risk
PW Section 3, Video 4 - Case Study
PW Section 3, Video 5 - Poll, Recap, Action Points, Q&A
Section 3 - Poll
Action Points - Section 3
Slide Deck - Section 3
Supporting Documents for Section 3
PW Section 4, Video 1 - Introduction, Recap & Agenda
PW Section 4, Video 2 - Risk Transfer
PW Section 4, Video 3 - Cyber insurance Features & Benefits
PW Section 4, Video 4 - Case Study
PW Section 4, Video 5 - Poll, Recap, Action Points, Q&A
Section 4 - Poll
Action Points - Section 4
Slide Deck - Section 4
Supporting Documents for Section 4
PW Section 5, Video 1 - Introduction, Recap & Agenda
PW Section 5, Video 2 - Incident Response
PW Section 5, Video 3 - How can Cyber Insurance help?
PW Section 5, Video 4 - Case Study
PW Section 5, Video 5 - Poll, Action Points, Q&A & Recap
Section 5 - Poll
Action Points - Section 5
Slide Deck - Section 5
Supporting Documents for Section 5
PW Section 6, Video 1 - Introduction, Recap & Agenda
PW Section 6, Video 2- Mindset, Manifesto & Strategy
PW Section 6, Video 3 - Case Study
PW Section 6, Video 4 - Poll, Recap, Action Points, Q&A
Section 6 - Poll
Action Points - Section 6
Slide Deck - Section 6
Supporting Documents for Section 6
PW Final Video
Student Exit Survey
Final Course Test
Slide Deck - Conclusion
The Pathway Course is available now at the special introductory discounted price of Euro 297.
€297,00
Discounted Price
Join The Pathway Course today and give yourself the process and tools you need to start making your cyber-resilient digital business a reality. You can confidently set out knowing that you have a plan.
Naturally, there are alternatives available when you consider how you wish to address cyber risk.
If you decide to invest in the course, you will receive the outlined benefits and the bonuses. If you complete one module per week, 6 weeks from now you could have completed your new learning, and have begun to implement your Pathway Plan.
In doing so, you will significantly reduce your exposure to cyber risk. You will move away from worry and will feel empowered by the progress you are making. You have begun your journey to Cyber Resilience. Investing in the course will then have delivered a strong return on investment by reducing your exposure to a cyber catastrophe in your business.
If you decide not to invest in the course, your life will be the same. Nothing changes except, perhaps, the threat environment may worsen as cyber risk continues to evolve. You will have at least the same risk that a cyberattack could happen at any time and your worry may well increase until you decide to tackle the issue.
The testimonials below are from customers who took the initial Live Coaching Course. The Pathway Course is an expanded self-study version of this course.
What you learn in this course will move forward your journey to cyber resilience.
Take a moment to think about the kind of small business you want in five years’ time. You might envision a digital business that is cyber-resilient and enjoys high levels of trust with all its stakeholders - a business that is fit for the digital economy.
Really visualize what that future looks and feels like. Got it? Now, answer this question honestly:
"If your business continues on its current path, is it on track to reach that future cyber-resilient state?"
If not, then NOW is the time to change that.
Now is the perfect time to build a cyber-resilient small business. The threat to your business and your personal livelihood is real and worsening right now. Small businesses have never been more vulnerable to cyber risk, but your small business does not need to become a victim. The Pathway Course gives you what you need to create your Pathway Plan to Peace of mind from cyber risk.
(just a few things you might want to know...)
Lots of businesses outsource day-to-day activities to an IT Service Provider, but they still need to accept the responsibility for managing the risk. Unfortunately, planning to call your IT outsourcing contractor is not an incident response plan. This course is designed to help you form your pathway plan to peace of mind and address exactly these kinds of issues.
Buying insurance is only part of the solution and comes after the risk has been assessed and reduced. Insurance doesn't take the risk away. It is financial protection, but you are still responsible to have controls in place. If you do not have a functioning firewall but have indicated to the Insurer that you do, you may not be covered. The Pathway Course has an entire Section on risk transfer through insurance and will help you understand these risks.
Technology is not my strongest area either! I created this course for business owners and managers, not for IT professionals. It is designed to serve the needs of non-technical owners and managers, giving them enough knowledge of cyber risk so that they can usefully discuss the subject with whoever handles their IT and put plans in place for the non-IT aspects of cyber risk. Creating a Pathway Plan will serve the needs of your company regardless of size or sophistication.
The Jumpstart course is designed to jumpstart your efforts to manage cyber risk by helping you create the first Cyber Resilience Plan for your business. It is designed for beginners. The “Pathway” course is a more extensive course that also covers People risk, Governance risk, Incident Response Planning and Cyber insurance. Which course is right for you depends on the needs of your business, your circumstances and how much effort you can commit to your education. Both courses are self-study and available now on demand to take at your own pace.
The Pathway Course is based upon the live Coaching Course “Surviving Cyber: The Small Business Owner’s Pathway to Peace of Mind”. The Testimonials for the live Coaching Course (on this page) show that the course delivers value to its participants. The Pathway Course is presented in a self-study format and contains additional content on People risk and Governance risk, Cyber Insurance and Incident Response. I am confident that the Pathway Course will deliver value for money and that is why I offer a 30-day unconditional guarantee.
"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and a few minutes of cyber-incident to ruin it."
Stephane Nappo, Global Chief Information Security Officer at Societe Generale International Banking