Jim Simpson

DEFYING CONVENTIONS. Jim Simpson has never been one to shy away from challenging the status quo. Throughout his career in technology and network security, Jim has consistently questioned the mainstream, driven by a desire to see the world from a different perspective. His multicultural background and LGBTQIA+ identity have equipped him with a unique empathy for others’ challenges, allowing him to lead with both vision and understanding.

This empathy and vision are at the core of Jim’s latest venture, Blumira, a cybersecurity company that focuses on making security accessible and effective for small and medium-sized businesses. “Blumira is the only cybersecurity platform that can help small and medium-sized businesses prevent a breach,” Jim explains. His goal is to bring advanced security tools, typically reserved for large enterprises, to a broader market that desperately needs them.

Jim’s journey began with a transformative experience when his family moved to Japan when he was 11. Living in Japan provided Jim with an extraordinary level of independence that shaped his adventurous spirit. “I had way more freedom over there than I would have had in the States,” he recalls. This experience allowed Jim to develop a strong sense of self-reliance, a trait that has stayed with him throughout his life.

Returning to Michigan as a teenager, Jim quickly realized he was different from his peers. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, coming to terms with his sexuality in a conservative, Catholic household with a Marine Corps father was challenging. “I quickly learned that I had to keep who I was to myself,” Jim reflects. This sense of isolation led him to the internet, where he found a safe space and developed an early interest in technology and coding. “The community I found online didn’t judge me; they accepted me for who I was,” he says.

At the University of Michigan, Jim pursued a double major in Computer Science and Japanese, despite being advised against it. “I never really respond well to people telling me I shouldn’t do something,” he admits. His determination paid off, and after graduating, Jim embarked on a career that would see him at the forefront of several innovative tech companies, including NovoDynamics, Health Media, and Duo Security.

Duo Security, in particular, played a pivotal role in Jim’s career. The company’s mission was to make multi-factor authentication easy and accessible, a task that many said was impossible. But Jim and his team succeeded, eventually capturing 90% of the market and selling the company for billions. “People told us we were insane and crazy, but we proved them wrong,” Jim recalls. This experience solidified his belief in the power of entrepreneurialism to transform lives.

DIVERSE SECURITY. However, after the success of Duo Security, Jim faced a crisis of purpose. “I got to my mid-40s and realized I was at the finish line with work, but I still wanted to be fulfilled,” he says. This led him to become the CEO of Blumira with the vision of creating a cybersecurity company with a more inclusive mindset in an otherwise male-dominated space. “I wanted to create a company where we could be more inclusive, where diversity and equity are paramount,” Jim explains.

Blumira’s mission is to make cybersecurity accessible to everyone, not just the big players. “We don’t try to compete with the Splunks of the world because how we do it is so different,” Jim says. This approach, rooted in his own experiences of being different, has proven successful. “I’ve always felt different, but instead of seeing that as a bad thing, I’ve learned to view it as a superpower.”

Similarly, Jim’s message to aspiring LGBTQIA+ leaders is to trust themselves. “You probably know the answer better than anyone else does. And don’t let perfect get in the way of good. Just try something, and if you fail, learn from it. The next hurdle is only around the corner.”