Skip to main content

JB Benjamin – Founder of Kryotech Ltd

Breandan hEaghra
29 April 2021

What does he do?

JB is the Founder and CEO of Kryotech Ltd – a cybersecurity specialist and app developer. They are involved in several high-profile projects, including XPRIZE. He is the creator of Vox Messenger, the new competitor to WhatsApp and Signal and is focussed on changing the Old-World paradigms and helping humanity achieve a Star Trek future. They serve enterprise, military and consumer.


Q1. Did you always want to become a consultant, or did you fall into the role?

I didn’t always want to become a consultant. I ended up being driven towards it because I’ve always been someone proactive. This led to my managers in most of my jobs pushing me towards more consultant style positions.

Q2. What makes a good consultant?

I wouldn’t say there’s one single thing that makes a good consultant. You need a few different talents, like the ability to active listen and comprehend what your client wants. I would say an understanding of behavioural psychology will become invaluable as will an understanding of different cultures. Different cultures can require a different approach.


Q3. Do you feel you manage yourself well or is it a case of ‘the cobbler’s shoes’?

I’m good at self-management and I have a lot of drive. I visualise my objectives, including what I want to feel at that point of achievement. And I focus single-mindedly on the attainment of those goals.


Q4. Are there enough hours in your day?

Of course. I don’t support or believe in 996 cultures whatsoever and won’t permit it in my company. If you manage well, you don’t need overtime, or crunch, except at the most unusual of circumstances. It should never be the norm.


Q5. If you could magically stop your clients from making one mistake – what would that be?

If I could magically stop my clients from making one mistake – it would be stop believing that you know more than the subject matter expert you’ve hired to get the job done. The second-guessing wastes money and time.


Q6. What do you find is the best way to market yourself?

For me, I find being my realest self is the best way to market myself. When I used to try to stick to certain stereotypes in business, like being self-effacing when people are being unprofessional or deliberately obstructive, I noticed that the effects of an ostensibly institutionally racist system would hold me back, while permitting progress for others. I noticed that as soon as I became uncompromising in my stance and approach and showed people the real, crazy, occasional-f-bomb dropping mofo that I am, nothing held me back, including the systems around me.


Q7. What do you do to unwind?

I play a lot of Battlefield and Kerbal Space Program. I find it cathartic, and I’m obsessed with space and rocket science on a personal level. Battlefield I find is great for blowing off steam too.


Q8. What advice would you give a starting consultant?

The best advice I can give is be yourself. Develop your personality, as it’s your personality combined with your skillsets that will get you work and kudos. Don’t ever take anything personally, even if it is. Life is too short to take anything personally.


Q9. What’s your guilty pleasure?

I’m obsessed with Batman and Zack Snyder’s Justice League.


Q10. What’s your goal for next year?


My goal next year is to have made our first £1m in profit. And maybe take a short weekend break.