Sean P. Conroy
Cybersecurity Expert, Author, and Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Sean P. Conroy is a seasoned technology leader, virtual Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), and founder of Inventive HQ, a cybersecurity and cloud consulting firm that helps small and mid-sized businesses stay secure, resilient, and audit-ready—without the complexity of enterprise solutions.
With over 20 years of experience across various industries, including finance, healthcare, legal, and transportation, Sean has led IT and security programs at high-growth startups, public companies, and mission-critical service providers. He's advised CEOs, board members, and operational teams on everything from ransomware recovery to building practical, budget-conscious security programs that work.
Before launching Inventive HQ, Sean served as the technology leader at multiple firms, where he built out infrastructure, led security audits, and helped leadership teams align technology decisions with business goals. He's also been on the other side of the table, helping teams rebuild after breaches, audit failures, and compliance gaps that were overlooked until it was too late.
What Sean Helps Organizations Achieve
- • Understand and reduce their cybersecurity risk
- • Build security roadmaps they can actually follow
- • Navigate vendor noise, insurance confusion, and regulatory complexity
- • Prepare for tomorrow's threats without losing focus on today's business
- • Recover from breaches and audit failures
- • Align technology decisions with business goals
Professional Experience
- • 20+ years in cybersecurity and technology leadership
- • Founder of Inventive HQ
- • Virtual CISO for small and mid-sized businesses
- • Technology leader at startups and public companies
- • Expert in ransomware recovery and audit remediation
Industry Focus
- • Finance and financial services
- • Healthcare and medical billing
- • Legal and professional services
- • Transportation and logistics
- • High-growth startups and SaaS companies
Sean's Philosophy
“Security should be led from the top, made simple for everyone, and measured by business impact, not just technical checklists. You don't need to become a cybersecurity expert, but you do need to lead.”
Areas of Expertise
Virtual CISO Services
Strategic cybersecurity leadership for organizations without a full-time CISO
Ransomware Recovery
Helping organizations recover from attacks and build resilience for the future
Audit Remediation
Fixing compliance gaps and preparing for regulatory requirements
Security Program Development
Building practical, budget-conscious security programs that actually work
Cloud Security
Cloud consulting and security for modern business infrastructure
Executive Advisory
Strategic guidance for CEOs and leadership teams on cybersecurity risk
Author & Speaker
Published Author
Sean is the author of “Cybersecurity for CEOs: What Every Business Leader Needs to Know”(2025), a practical guide designed specifically for C-suite executives at small and midsize businesses.
The book focuses on practical, actionable guidance rather than technical jargon, helping leaders understand their role in cybersecurity and build effective security programs.
Speaking & Consulting
Sean is a frequent speaker, writer, and consultant on cybersecurity for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). He helps leadership teams understand that cybersecurity isn't just a technical issue—it's a business responsibility.
He lives in California with his family and continues to help organizations prepare for tomorrow's threats without losing focus on today's business.
Companies
Inventive HQ
inventivehq.com
A cybersecurity and cloud consulting firm that helps small and mid-sized businesses stay secure, resilient, and audit-ready—without the complexity of enterprise solutions.
Services: Virtual CISO, Security Audits, Incident Response, Compliance
Focus: SMBs, Startups, Professional Services
Alert24
alert24.net
Your status page just got smarter. Alert24 keeps your users informed automatically — even when your cloud provider goes down. Connect, monitor, and auto-update your status page.
Services: Status Pages, Incident Management, Multi-Channel Alerts
Focus: Cloud Infrastructure Monitoring, User Communication
Connect with Sean
Ready to strengthen your organization's cybersecurity leadership? Sean offers consultations, security reviews, and virtual CISO services tailored for small and midsize business leaders.
Cybersecurity and cloud consulting for SMBs
Virtual CISO services • Security audits • Incident response • Compliance