Kraken Technology Solutions, LLC

09/08/2026

Higher education technology isn’t really about technology.

It’s about building a stronger institution.

At Kraken Technology Solutions, we believe the real outcomes of strong technology leadership should be felt throughout the organization.

A Board of Trustees with greater confidence in the institution’s direction, risks, and investments.

Leadership with a clearer understanding of where the institution stands and what needs attention next.

Employees with technology and processes that help them do their jobs instead of creating unnecessary friction.

Students and families who can trust the institution to protect their information and reliably deliver the services they depend on.

An organization better prepared to satisfy regulatory, contractual, audit, and funding-related obligations.

And an institution capable of moving forward with modernization, cybersecurity, AI, new programs, and new opportunities without constantly wondering what might be hiding underneath the surface.

That’s why we believe technology in higher education has become a leadership issue, not simply an IT issue.

Cybersecurity matters. Governance matters. Compliance matters. Risk matters. Resilience matters.

But those are not the end goal.

A better institution is the goal.

One that understands its risks.

One that can demonstrate its controls.

One that gives its Board decision-quality visibility.

One that supports its employees.

One that earns trust from students and families.

And one that is prepared for where leadership wants to take it next.

We took a much deeper look at this in our latest article, including what Florida higher-education IT audits can teach us, the role of Governance, Risk and Compliance, institutional technology assessments, co-managed cybersecurity, continuous GRC, and why higher education needs strategic technology partners—not simply more vendors.

If you’re a higher-education leader, CIO, trustee, or someone responsible for helping your institution move forward, we think this is a conversation worth having.

The question isn’t just, “Do we have good IT?”

It’s:

“Do we have the technology-enabled capabilities necessary to become the institution we’re trying to build?”

Read the full article:

https://krakentechnology.io/higher-education-technology-is-a-leadership-problem-not-an-it-problem/

It supports enrollment and admissions. Financial aid. Student information systems. Learning management systems. Human resources. Finance. Identity.

09/08/2026

Technology problems aren’t always technology problems.

In higher education, they’re often leadership, governance, and organizational problems that happen to involve technology.

Think about something as simple as removing access when an employee leaves.

HR may initiate the process.
A manager may need to approve or communicate the change.
IT may disable the identity.
Different application owners may control access to individual systems.
Someone needs to verify that everything actually happened.

That’s not just an IT control.

That’s an institutional control.

And the data reinforces why this matters.

As part of our ongoing research, Kraken has been analyzing a working cohort of 17 Florida public higher-education IT operational audits.

Account-management findings appeared in more than 8 out of 10 audits reviewed.

Application-access, authentication, and vulnerability-management findings each appeared in nearly two-thirds.

Logging and monitoring findings appeared in more than 4 out of 10.

Those numbers don’t mean Florida’s colleges are failing.

They show how difficult it is to manage technology, cybersecurity, governance, compliance, and risk across a complex organization.

And they reinforce something we believe strongly at Kraken:

You cannot solve an organizational problem with technology alone.

Higher-education institutions are expected to protect sensitive information, satisfy regulatory and audit requirements, maintain resilient operations, modernize aging environments, improve the student experience, and prepare for what comes next.

That requires strong internal technology teams.

But it also requires strategic technology leadership that can connect the institution’s mission with its people, processes, data, technology, cybersecurity, governance, compliance, and risk.

For Presidents, executive teams, CIOs, and Boards of Trustees, the goal shouldn’t simply be getting through the next audit.

The goal should be knowing where the institution stands before someone else has to tell you.

Know what’s working.

Know where the risks are.

Know what capabilities need to mature.

And have a deliberate plan for where you’re going next.

That’s how technology helps build a stronger institution.

🐙 Kraken Technology Solutions
Build Stronger Organizations Through Technology Leadership.

09/07/2026

Our Founder 🐙

This week, our Founder, Steve Brickner, earned his Distance Learning Essentials certification from Polk State College as he prepares to step into the classroom as an Adjunct Professor.

And we’re pretty damn proud of him.

Years before Kraken Technology Solutions existed, Polk State was part of Steve’s own educational journey and helped build the foundation for his career in technology and cybersecurity.

Now he gets to come back and give some of that experience to the next generation.

That’s a pretty cool full-circle moment.

But there’s another lesson here that we think matters.

Even when you’re the one teaching, you’re still learning.

Steve is building Kraken, helping build a nonprofit technology council, working with business leaders, getting involved in our community, and now teaching future technology and cybersecurity professionals.

And he’s still a student himself.

Because education doesn’t stop when you graduate.

It doesn’t stop when you become an executive.

It doesn’t stop when you start a company.

And apparently, it doesn’t even stop when they let you become the professor. 😂

At Kraken, we believe success should create opportunities for more than just ourselves.

Someone invests in you.
You go out into the world and build something.
Then you find a way to invest in someone else.

We’re incredibly proud to see Steve giving back to the college that helped lead him to where he is today.

And we’re even more excited to see where some of his students go from here.

Congratulations, Steve!

Never stop learning. Never stop building. And never forget the people and places that helped you along the way. 🐙

09/07/2026

The Kraken Crew is off the clock today. 🐙🇺🇸

And yes… apparently somebody gave Walter access to the pool floats. We’ll deal with that tomorrow.

Today is about something more important: the people who put in the work.

The employees who show up.

The business owners who take the risks.

The tradespeople who build things.

The professionals who solve problems.

The teams behind the companies that keep our communities moving forward.

Because at the end of the day, businesses don’t build themselves.

People do.

We believe in working hard. Taking pride in what you do. Building great companies. Serving people well. Solving difficult problems.

But we also believe you’re allowed to put the damn laptop down once in a while. 😎

Fire up the grill.

Grab something cold.

Get in the pool.

Spend some time with your people.

Laugh a little too loudly.

And enjoy doing absolutely nothing productive for a few hours.

You earned it.

To everyone out there building businesses, serving customers, creating opportunities, and putting in the work every day — thank you.

Enjoy Labor Day.

We’ll get back to work tomorrow.

Probably. Walter looks pretty comfortable in that float. 🐿️🍹

Happy Labor Day from Kraken Technology Solutions and the entire Kraken Crew! 🐙🇺🇸

Work hard. Relax well. You earned it.

09/04/2026

Founder’s Friday! 🐙

It’s been one hell of a week around Kraken.

Great meetings. Even better opportunities. Support from some incredible peers. New relationships being built. Existing relationships getting stronger.

And somewhere in the middle of all that, Steve apparently decided to turn Kraken HQ into a small commercial printing operation getting everything ready for the Central Florida Business Expo. 😂

But looking back on the week, the most important part wasn’t the meetings or even the opportunities.

It was the relationships behind them.

Kraken wasn’t built by sitting behind a desk waiting for something to happen.

It’s been built by showing up.

Getting involved in our community. Sharing what we’re learning. Being an advisor when someone needs perspective. Making introductions. Supporting other businesses. Helping good people succeed—even when there’s absolutely nothing to sell.

Because credibility and trust aren’t things you can simply claim.

They’re things other people are willing to give you.

When someone recommends you, introduces you, invites you into an important conversation, or trusts you with a problem, they’re putting a little bit of their own reputation behind yours.

And that means something.

It also means you have an obligation to reciprocate.

If someone supports your business, support theirs.

If someone opens a door for you, look for one you can open for them.

Make the introduction. Share their work. Recommend the good company. Celebrate their wins.

Relationships aren’t something you collect. They’re something you invest in.

And if all you ever do is withdraw from them, eventually that account is going to be empty.

That’s why you’ll hear us say:

We Build Better Together.

It isn’t just a tagline.

It’s how we’re building Kraken.

So get out from behind the desk. Show up. Build in public. Be the advisor. Be the connection.

And when someone invests their trust, credibility, time, or relationships in you, make damn sure you’re investing right back into them.

Happy Founder’s Friday from the Kraken Crew.

We Build Better Together. 🐙

09/03/2026

You already have an internal IT team.

Great.

That doesn’t mean you don’t need Kraken.

In fact, some of the organizations we can create the most value for already have talented technology professionals.

The challenge is simple:

They’re busy running the business.

Projects. Vendors. Infrastructure. Microsoft 365. Applications. Support. Onboarding. Security issues. And whatever unexpected problem showed up this morning.

Who’s stepping back and looking at the bigger picture?

Cybersecurity risk. Compliance readiness. Business continuity. AI readiness. Technology strategy. Operational maturity.

Your internal IT team can be excellent without being experts in every one of those disciplines.

They shouldn’t have to be.

Kraken can expand the capabilities of the team you already have, bringing specialized expertise and an outside perspective while your people stay focused on the day-to-day.

That can be especially valuable when your business is growing—or when a new technology leader is stepping in.

Imagine being the new IT Director or CIO responsible for an environment you didn’t build.

Before you start making changes, you need to know:

What did I inherit?

What’s working? What’s fragile? Where’s the risk? What’s undocumented? What needs attention first?

And most importantly:

Is our technology ready for where this business is going?

That’s what the Kraken Strategic Technology Assessment is designed to uncover.

We’re not here to replace a great internal team.

We’re here to make that team even more capable.

Sometimes the most valuable thing you can give your technology leaders isn’t another tool.

It’s the full picture.

https://krakentechnology.io/kraken-strategic-technology-assessment/

09/02/2026

Most businesses don’t intentionally build a bad technology environment.

They simply outgrow the one they have.

What worked when you had 10 employees may have been exactly what you needed.

Then the business grew.

More employees. Bigger customers. More systems. More data. More cybersecurity requirements. More compliance expectations. And now AI is entering the conversation.

Eventually, leadership needs to ask a different question:

Is our technology actually capable of supporting where this business is going?

And sometimes there’s an even more uncomfortable question:

Have we outgrown our technology provider?

That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re doing a bad job.

The provider that was perfect for your company at 10 employees may not have the cybersecurity, compliance, governance, business continuity, AI, and strategic technology leadership capabilities your company needs at 30, 50, or 100.

Your business evolved.

Your risks evolved.

Your customers evolved.

Your opportunities evolved.

Your technology strategy needs to evolve too.

Otherwise, yesterday’s “good enough” decisions eventually become technology debt, operational bottlenecks, unnecessary risk, and barriers to growth.

That’s why we created the Kraken Strategic Technology Assessment.

We help business leaders step back from the day-to-day technology conversation and answer the bigger question:

Are we actually prepared for where we’re trying to go next?

Sometimes the answer is yes.

Sometimes there are gaps.

And sometimes you’ve simply outgrown the technology model that got you here.

If your company looks dramatically different than it did three years ago, but your technology strategy doesn’t, it may be time to find out why.

Don’t wait for your next big opportunity to discover your organization wasn’t ready for it.

https://krakentechnology.io/kraken-strategic-technology-assessment/

09/01/2026

Sam had a problem at his last business event. 🦭

Not getting people to stop.

Not starting conversations.

His problem was remembering what happened after all those conversations.

You meet someone.

You learn about their business.

They mention something they’re working on.

Maybe there’s an opportunity to help each other.

Then someone else walks up.

The next conversation starts.

Do that 30 or 40 times and suddenly you’re looking at a stack of business cards trying to remember:

“Which one was the person who needed that thing?”

That’s why Sam has a kiosk now.

Our Event Lead Capture System gives those conversations somewhere to go.

Instead of handing someone a business card, forcing them to schedule a meeting on the spot, or hoping somebody remembers to follow up later, we can capture who they are, what they’re interested in, and the context needed to continue the conversation.

Then the workflow takes over.

Because companies spend serious money exhibiting at events.

Booth space. Sponsorships. Displays. Travel. Staff. Collateral. Swag.

All of that investment is designed to create something incredibly valuable:

A conversation.

Don’t lose the opportunity after you finally get one.

The technology isn’t there to replace the relationship.

It’s there to make sure the relationship has somewhere to go.

Sam’s ready for the next event. 🦭🐙

Is your team?

08/31/2026

🐙 Event lead capture is broken.

You’ve probably seen it.

Someone has a great conversation with your team at an expo.

Then comes the fun part…

Scan their badge.

Take a picture of it.

Grab a business card.

Write down some notes.

Ask them to pull out their phone in the middle of a crowded expo hall and fill something out.

Or collect everything and promise:

“We’ll get all these leads into the CRM when we get back.”

And that’s where things start falling through the cracks.

We knew there had to be a simpler way.

So we built one.

At Kraken events, when someone wants to continue a conversation with us, our team captures a few pieces of information right at the booth.

That’s it.

Behind the scenes?

🐙 An email immediately thanks them for their interest.

🐙 They’re automatically added to our CRM.

🐙 They’re categorized based on what they want to discuss.

🐙 The appropriate automation begins.

🐙 They’re assigned to the right person for follow-up.

Nobody goes back to the office with a stack of business cards to enter.

Nobody tries to remember which badge picture belonged to the person who wanted to talk about cybersecurity.

And most importantly…

No one gets lost. No one gets missed.

Did we invent event lead capture?

Nope. 😂

We just looked at an unnecessarily cumbersome process and asked:

Why does it have to work this way?

That’s how we believe technology should work.

Start with the business problem.

Design a better experience.

Then use technology to remove as much friction as possible.

Technology shouldn’t make your business more complicated.

It should make doing business easier.

🐙 Release the Kraken.

08/31/2026

Business is better when we build it together.

Kraken Technology Solutions is excited to be part of the 2026 Central Florida Business Expo, happening September 29–30 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

This year, our founder Steve Brickner will be there wearing two hats — representing Kraken Technology Solutions and the Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce in the Resource Partner area.

Both organizations will have a presence at our table, so come find us!

Want to learn more about the Chamber? Come talk to Steve.

Curious about Kraken? Come talk to Steve.

Want to tell us about your business, what you’re building, or who you’re trying to meet?

Come talk to Steve.

You don’t need to have a technology problem. You don’t need to sit through a sales pitch.

We’d genuinely like to know what your company does.

Because some of the best things that happen at events like this aren’t planned.

You meet another business owner.

You discover a company you didn’t know existed.

Someone makes an introduction.

A conversation turns into a relationship.

And sometimes that relationship creates an opportunity for both businesses.

That’s what we believe a strong business community should look like.

If Kraken grows, we want the businesses, people, partners, and communities around us growing too.

September 29–30, 2026
RP Funding Center
Lakeland, Florida

Learn more about the Central Florida Business Expo:

https://cflbe.com/

Come say hello.

We Build Better Together.