Each month, Capitol Post interviews a veteran-owned business to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly on creating a sustainable and scalable business. This month, we spoke with Dark Cubed, a startup focused on simplifying a new approach to cyber security.
Business Name: Dark Cubed
Year Founded: 2014
HQ: Washington, DC
CEO Name: Vince Crisler
Key Members: Theresa Payton
Brief Business Description: 
Dark Cubed is a cyber security company focused on developing a new, innovative product that focuses on simplicity rather than complexity. We are developing a product that can scale and provide value to the smallest and the largest companies alike. We take a different approach to information sharing, threat awareness, threat discovery, and triage.
Little-Known Fact About You:
I have been a DJ, Camp Counselor, and a Magician!
Briefly tell us how you decided to become an entrepreneur.
I am not sure I ever “decided” to become one, it has always been a part of me. I started my first company in high school doing web design and have always enjoyed starting new and interesting projects.
You are a veteran-owned (or led) business. How has military service (Air Force, Communications) influenced your company?
Patience is probably one of the most important lessons I learned. Everyone in the military has experienced the phenomena of “hurry up and wait.” Many tend to get comfortable with the fact that things happen in their own due time, but when the moment happens that you have to take action, you must seize it.
What have you done that you’re most proud of to date?
The thing I am most proud of is starting the companies I am running now, Fortalice and Dark Cubed, and the team that we have built. It is humbling to pull together people that you highly respect and see them give their all to a vision that you helped build.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to a startup?
Constantly question your ideas and your approach and don’t get too invested in your current solution. Time is limited and every day that goes by is a day that you won’t get back. Many of our family and friends won’t tell us when an idea we have is bad, they try to be supportive. Never be afraid to walk away from an OK idea to pursue a GREAT idea.
Where would you like to see your organization in ten years?
I would love to see our product fully deployed across the business and consumer markets and our team continually focused on bringing innovation to the cyber security market. I also want to be in a position to financially support members of my team spinning off and building their own companies and products.
To learn more about Vince and Dark Cubed, visit DarkCubed.com.