Hacker in Heels | Attract & Advance Women in Cyber

Hacker in Heels is the premier platform for women to grow six-figure cybersecurity careers.

There are 80,000 cyber attacks daily. That's roughly 1 attack every second, and it's costing the global economy more than $1 trillion every year.

We've seen a 350% growth in open cybersecurity positions from 2013 to 2021. In an industry that must reflect the populations it is charged to protect, women make up only 20% of the field.

Without access to higher paying jobs, many women live one emergency away from financial collapse. Without disposable income, women are at the whim of men's agendas—at home, in the workplace, and in society.

The median salary for an information security analyst in 2020 was $103,590. The number of unfilled cybersecurity positions now stands at 3.1 million globally.

With access to more wealth, professional development, and networking opportunities in cybersecurity, women can raise their salaries and put extra earnings towards causes and efforts that serve them. They can lead more rich and fulfilling lives, and they can shape the future of the workforce.

To achieve the best possible security in cyberspace, it is crucial for women to pivot to a career in this field. We cannot wait for efforts focused on influencing women in the traditional college pipeline to catch up.

When compared to men, studies have shown that women are, in many ways, better suited to work in cybersecurity. "More women considered what they shared online more than men; were unlikely to give away personal information... [and] after experiencing a security problem, women were more likely than men to make lasting changes to their online behaviour in order to protect themselves from future problems" (Frankland, 2017)

I'm Stacey Champagne, founder of Hacker in Heels.

I started my post-college career as a graphic designer, making $50,000 a year, driving a 14-year old car and renting a room because it was all I could afford in the DC suburbs.

I had big ambitions and big plans for my life, but it became apparent very quickly that my career was not in alignment with my dreams.

Fast forward six years and a career pivot, I'm now making 4x more money in the highly rewarding field of cybersecurity.

This field offers tons of opportunity to grow, amazing benefits, and a level of flexibility and balance that enables me to get the most out of life beyond work.

Hacker in Heels helps women gain financial independence while advancing the field of cybersecurity.

The three key areas that contribute to a woman's success in cybersecurity are all found within our two programs, Changemakers and Six-Figure Cybersecurity Society.

Clarity: Holistic understanding of yourself and opportunities in cybersecurity that align with your goals and desires.

Competence: Foundational and deep subject matter expertise in a variety of cybersecurity focus areas.

Connection: Supportive relationships with aspiring and practicing women in cybersecurity.

Our offerings support women's journeys in cybersecurity, from new-to-cyber to six-figure experts with a level of flexibility and balance that enables them to get the most out of life beyond work.

Changemakers

A group program where women from any and all career backgrounds are invited to a two-fold experience: (1) to learn about cybersecurity and understand the opportunities in the field, and (2) go through a career/life coaching experience to help uncover options that are best for them and their life.

Six-Figure Cybersecurity Society

A membership community with resources and events for ambitious women advancing their careers in cybersecurity. Together we cultivate clarity, competence, and connection with both cybersecurity as a career and practice, as well as within ourselves.

Your funding helps Hacker in Heels reach a larger audience, filling cybersecurity positions across the country.

Funding plans for Changemakers

After a successful beta in Fall 2020, we're looking to build out the Changemakers program. We'll move our content to the Kajabi learning platform, enabling Hacker in Heels to effectively serve a larger audience with a greater variety of content while still operating lean.

Additionally, your funding will assist us in producing more video content, and exercise materials for the program.

Funding plans for Six-Figure Cybersecurity Society

Currently, our Six-Figure Cybersecurity Society is still in its infancy. We are planning on using funds to approach professional development in cyber from a holistic perspective, inviting members to join events, organized programming, monthly networking, quarterly workshops, annual retreats, Study Squads, and more.

Your funding will help us bring in experienced facilitators, and allow us to build up a directory of profiles and educational resources focused on different subsets of cybersecurity, giving women even more opportunities to explore.

Funding plans for extra help

Currently, as a team of one the program can only go so far. To grow the platform and community, we need help with community management, marketing, and administration. Your funds will help us to hire a part-time assistant to grow the business.

At Hacker in Heels we know that with the right resources, women can do good and live well.

We are committed to attracting, advancing, and advocating for women in cybersecurity.

Thank you for your support!

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Sources
(ISC)²
Bureau of Labor Statistics
"InSecurity: Why a Failure to Attract and Retain Women in Cybersecurity is Making Us All Less Safe" by Jane Frankland
McAfee
PurpleSec
Cybercrime Magazine