The Rise of Side Hustles and the Journey of a Cybersecurity Entrepreneur
In today’s fast-paced economy, the concept of a side hustle has become increasingly popular. More than one-third of U.S. adults now have supplemental income from side ventures, with an average monthly earnings of $891, according to recent research. While some may earn modest amounts, others have transformed their side hustles into full-fledged businesses that rival or even surpass their primary income sources.
Marcin Kleczynski, 35, is a prime example of this trend. As the CEO of a cybersecurity firm, he started his journey as a teenager, laying the foundation for what would eventually become a multi-hundred-million-dollar business. His story highlights the potential of side hustles when fueled by passion, innovation, and perseverance.
Early Experiences and Inspiration
Before heading off to college, Kleczynski worked at a local break-fix computer shop called Computer Express. This experience gave him hands-on exposure to fixing various machines and understanding the challenges users face with malware and technical issues. It was here that the seed for Malwarebytes was planted.
The idea for Malwarebytes came to life in 2004 when Kleczynski, still a teenager, downloaded a video game from a sketchy website, only to end up infecting his family’s computer with malware. He tried everything to fix it, but none of the big-name antivirus tools could fully clean the system. That moment sparked a determination to build a better solution.
Building the Business from Scratch
Kleczynski began by picking up a “For Dummies” programming book, believing that if he could learn to build a calculator, he could create something useful. From there, he released his first malware removal tool on online forums where people helped each other clean infected computers. To his surprise, the tool gained traction and became a go-to resource used by tens of millions of people.
Online forums played a crucial role in his early development. He found mentors who offered guidance, feedback, and direction. Free websites and resources also helped him teach himself how to code, creating a virtual apprenticeship that made all the difference.
Lessons Learned and Challenges Faced
Looking back, Kleczynski admits he could have professionalized the business sooner. He and his co-founder, Bruce Harrison, were passionate coders, but they delayed bringing in experienced leadership. Investing in seasoned professionals earlier could have saved them a lot of stress and accelerated growth.
Cybersecurity is a high-stakes field, and Kleczynski emphasizes that cybercriminals are just as scrappy as early-stage founders. They have time, money, and skill, and they’re constantly evolving. This dynamic makes the work fast-moving and challenging, which most people outside the industry don’t fully appreciate.
A specific instance of something going wrong nearly a decade ago involved a false positive that blocked critical IP addresses, including their own update servers. The team responded with resilience, spending days recovering and working with customers. This experience highlighted the importance of strong rollback processes and the high stakes in cybersecurity.
Growth and Revenue
Kleczynski started seeing revenue within days of launching the first product, and within four months, it became serious enough to make him rethink staying at university. This early indicator showed that they were solving a real problem and that people were willing to pay for it.
Today, Malwarebytes is a several-hundred-million-dollar business, growing, profitable, and serving millions of users worldwide. The company has expanded from consumers to enterprises and managed service providers (MSPs), continuing to scale and innovate.
Passion and Product Development
What Kleczynski enjoys most about running the business is building products and the speed at which they can be scaled. Turning an idea into code, then into a product, and seeing it used by millions of people within days is the magic of entrepreneurship. It’s deeply fulfilling and never stops being exciting.
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Kleczynski’s best piece of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to focus on the team. Find co-founders and early employees who share your passion. Build something great, let the product lead the way, and invest deeply in early adopters. Their feedback is the most valuable compass you’ll have.
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