It all started on the steps of the living room when Lauren Cobello was an early teen. She announced that “she was never going to work for anyone.” Her dad, Rick Cobello, was a technology director for General Electric and traveled around the world to GE sites. This was a grueling part of his career and Lauren did not want to have anything to do with it!
That was the start of great things!
Lauren went on to attend College at the University at Oswego, just as her dad did! Lauren was an accomplished field hockey and ice hockey athlete in high school and college. Her dad was her ice hockey coach. Lauren was committed to excellence in all her endeavors.
Fast forward to marriage and four kids…
The view of life for Lauren changed significantly!
As a mom trying to survive the rigors of four kids and finances, she began the change that would result in a 13-year entrepreneurial business on the internet.
She was so consumed with keeping up appearances that before she knew it her mortgage was underwater, a car was towed away, she was in $40K of debt, running a deficit every month, and finding it hard to buy diapers and groceries without using credit cards. She remembers sitting on her bed one night, surrounded by a mountain of bills. It was such a dark and desperate time; she saw no hope. Chasing the American Dream had led her down the wrong path and she needed to find a way to control her finances before they controlled her.
In her first endeavor, she started a website in 2008 at LaurenCobello.com. This website helped busy moms learn how to budget and get out of debt, like she had. She operated the eCommerce site as her main business until 2022 and has made a great living through this while being a single mom of four. She has provided quick, easy, well proven ideas and information, without a lot of fluff and filler.
This was only the beginning…
Her dad Rick, has many years of technology experience and managed one of the first external connections to the internet for GE while he was a Technology Director at the GE Research Center. This was the beginning of his cybersecurity adventure. Rick went on to have a successful career in business and government and was a Chief Information Security Officer for a large NY State agency.
After retiring from the state, Rick, didn’t waste any time in starting a local cyber security business, Global Cybersecurity Solutions.
The common thread for him is protecting the private and personal information in all his endeavors. Rick has presented at numerous conferences and has appeared on news outlets speaking about technology and security. His cybersecurity business concentrates on small to medium businesses. If a large corporation gets “hacked,” they have a corporation to back them up. If a small business has a cybersecurity event it could ruin their livelihood and destroy all the work they had created. Rick is also a professor at Albany Law, teaching in their master’s lever cybersecurity program.
In 2022 Lauren was preparing her next move in expanding her reach. She appeared on the Today Show, Fox News, Dr Oz, Rachael Ray, CNN, Nightline, Good Morning America, and many other national outlets. She has published two books on gaining financial freedom.
She believes she can help people expand their reach using media and went on to start “leverage with media.” Leverage with Media is a publicity and book publishing firm helping entrepreneurs and business owners move their message out to the world. Her unique process helps clients leverage media relations into the hands of thousands. Her mission is to help ambitious professionals share their story with the world through media placements and books!
Thirteen years of making a living on the internet has taught her many good …and bad lessons! She wants to use her experience to help budding entrepreneurs move their business to the next level of excellence and growth.
So how do the trails that meandered from Oswego lead to a father daughter combination, or should I say daughter / father combo. Lauren reviews many apps dealing with money and finances. Our goal is to provide cybersecurity services to her suppliers and customers. In a fast-paced media world, protecting personal and private information is paramount for a successful business.
From the shores of Lake Ontario, and as our lives as father and daughter diverged, they ultimately lead to common interests and goals.
Like Daughter, like Father. Sometimes the paradigm shifts!
Rick Cobello, a professor of Supply Chains and Cyber Security programs at Albany Law has over 30 years of experience in enterprise technology and security solutions. His career has spanned from local and state government to Fortune 5 companies, including General Electric. He has global experience in health care, a Master Black Belt in Six Sigma and Security certifications in CEH, CISSP, and CHFI. He currently is President of Global Cybersecurity Solutions.