To My LinkedIn Community,
A lot went wrong in 2020. Many entrepreneurs like myself were forced to make tough decisions in unprecedented times. Making any thoughtful executive decision while the wildcard known as COVID-19 brought the world to a screeching halt was challenging. Coupled with the strain on the medical community as infectious disease specialists and pharma were/are tasked to come up with the fastest yet safest solution to stop a virus, the pandemic has nevertheless created a new norm—for everyone’s day-to-day lives, and of course businesses. One where loved ones have to forgo making memories together, offices have to shut down, and many jobs are lost. It is tiring to see, experience, and wait for a plausible large-scale solution.
Albeit full of tragedy and loss, 2020 has also been a year to reset —an opportunity to pause, reflect and stick together. With 2021 on the horizon, on behalf of Sure Secure, I’d like to express my deep appreciation for all your support and encouragement this year. I believe we can, and have, reached new milestones together despite the chaos and challenges of 2020. As we bid adieu to 2020 – and enter 2021 with a new normal and adjusted lifestyle, I’d be remiss if I didn’t speak to the incredible growth I experienced as an entrepreneur and the evolution I witnessed for Sure Secure.
1. First and foremost, we exhibited how adaptable we are as a company – navigating COVID-19 was not easy—we had just launched our satellite office in Huntsville, AL and it was during our SVP’s return from that new office in March that we decided to shut our office down. Immediately we redirected a few efforts and kept marching forward through it all. I am extremely proud of our teams and admire their resiliency as these changes unfolded.
2. In addition to our adaptability, our teams have remained highly collaborative and cohesive, if not brought closer together despite being miles apart. The people that matter—that make Sure Secure what it is, survived and worked hard to exceed customer expectations and did so under extraordinary circumstances. They continue to excel at providing our clients exceptional services without skipping a beat. Whether it be finding new ways to stay in touch with our clients or enhancing communication efforts —their work and efforts have been seen and appreciated by our many clients.
3. Lastly, the compassion and empathy I have seen our team show to each other and our communities have me at a loss for words. These two emotions have been infused into the company spirit this year thanks to my team– whether it was being there for one of our very own who tested positive for COVID-19, to assisting each other on work projects as paces picked up —on a personal level they have and continue to show much kindness which is visible in our company culture.
Seeing this continuous and collective growth and staying true to our values as we close the year inspire me to keep going when small businesses are struggling everywhere. I can say that when I reflect on these silver linings, I look forward to 2021. And to everyone in this LinkedIn community that stayed strong, engaged, and collaborative in 2020—I thank you for being an inspiration. For next year, I pledge to stay committed to contributing positively towards the mission of Sure Secure’s customers, the growth of our employees, and the collective communities that I am a part.
With today’s winter solstice welcoming the convergence of Jupiter and Saturn for the first time in 800 years, I take comfort in the symbolism that if planets which are millions of miles apart and appear side-by-side, that our communities can too be at each others sides and as we head into 2021, we will be closer, stronger, and even more together.
May 2021 bring you all health, happiness, and success to you and your families!
–Narjis Ali, CEO Sure Secure Solutions
About Sure Secure Solutions
A leader in providing innovative IT solutions to the federal government and private sector, Sure Secure is a woman-owned small business specializing in cloud services, web development, cybersecurity, and data analytics. Sure Secure is the Managing Venture for the Secure Shiva JV on GSA Stars 2. A services provider to an array of federal clients including NASA, USDA, CBP, FEMA and the U.S. Army, Sure Secure Solutions has been recognized as the Small Business Prime Contractor several times and also received the Outstanding Performance Award by the NASA Chief Engineer. Sure Secure Solutions is also the Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year 2016 for SBA Region 3.