Small Business Guidance Requested

Salutations!

I'm a soldier of 10 years (CAF, Signaller, I pass intel back and forth from Pint A to point B) with some basic IT training (front end support, Cisco IT Essentials, setup/ troubleshooting basic communications equipment). I'm looking at starting a small business in September in my province in Canada. There's no local competition, which is kinda great. However, I have minimal experience (less than this guy https://www.antionline.com/showthrea...esting-Company ). I'm studying some cyber basic's (looking at you, Kali Linux), rapidly realizing that I'm more apt at Social Engineering. So I'll probably have to hire a small team to make this work (Cyber Operator/ IT Guy).

There's a local program to support small business (you can be on Employment Insurance for a year, eligible for ~$20,000 in business loans at low interest rates, receive guidance on business strategy) which I'm looking to get on ASAP. That financial support, plus being able to do some part time shifts with the Army should supplement me through a year (no mortgage, wife, debts, or kids). So I'm set to try, only thing is that there's not much in the way of knowing what I'm getting into. I've contacted ~10 pen testing companies to see what their process is paperwork wise (Initial groundwork, identifying what is and is not okay for the testing, financial estimates for Black/ Grey/ White box approach, etc), no response.

There is no local company to get hired on for a few years to get an understanding of the process of Security Consulting/ Pentesting, and I'd rather look like the humble fool to you fine folks than to be an ignorant confidence man. Please help me.

I kind of know what I should look for with hiring a Cyber savy staff member (Linked in Profiles + Indeed job ads help set the standard). I know nothing about the paperwork behind this line of work, and I know I gotta get that right else risk being sued (sole ownership of company means all risk falls on me, gulp). I also know nothing about pricing (what to pay staff, what to charge, expected revenue for this kinda small business and expected expenditures with it being a start up). Still doing research on my Business Plan, there's alotta Googling involved. Glad I have a couple of months to figure this out.

So, to summarize: I need help, and I'm not afraid to ask/ get roasted in trying to get support. I need guidance, any and all is appreciated. Read through the experience of our self proclaimed NetSecExpert (reference link above), I'm setting far more realistic expectations and goals for myself. Anything above bankruptcy is a net win in my book :)

Have a nice day!

How to Run a Business
Understand the marketplace and define clear KPIs.
Draft a business plan.
Set revenue and profitability goals.
Create a human resources team.
Hire the right employees.
Offer benefits for staff.
Implement the right tools for your growth strategy.

Maybe networking with entrepreneurs in similar fields or seeking advice from small business consultants could shed light on these aspects. Keep that positive mindset—every step toward your business goals is a win.

Since you don't have direct experience in the field, networking becomes crucial. Attend cybersecurity conferences, workshops, and local meetups if possible. Engage with professionals in the field, ask questions, and seek mentorship opportunities. In addition, use lead enrichment tools to gather data and use it for selling processes. Building relationships with experienced individuals can provide valuable insights and guidance. xx

It's inspiring to see you taking the leap into entrepreneurship after your years of service. Starting a small business can be both challenging and rewarding, but it's fantastic that you're exploring opportunities and seeking support. The local program for small businesses sounds like a valuable resource, and it's wise to leverage your skills and experiences to make the most of it.