Cybersecurity & Risk
Security assessments, policy development, MFA & identity rollouts, endpoint hardening, and incident response planning. Built around real-world risk, not checkbox theater.
Cowboy Technology LLC
Modern IT. Frontier Grit.
Independent IT consulting for small businesses and growing teams. Cybersecurity, infrastructure, and strategy — delivered straight, without the agency overhead.
CISSP Certified
15+ Years in IT
Apple & Enterprise Background
About
Hi, I'm Nicholas Ratcliffe.
I'm a CISSP-certified IT and security professional with more than a decade of experience running technology and security operations across non-profits, media organizations, and global tech — including time at Apple. Wherever I've worked, the goal has been the same: build practical, secure, well-run IT that lets the organization focus on its mission instead of its tech stack.
Cowboy Technology is how I bring that experience to teams who need a steady hand. Businesses too small for a full-time CIO, but too serious about security and uptime to wing it. You'll work with me directly — no junior hand-offs, no upsells, no jargon.
- CISSP — Certified Information Systems Security Professional
- Director-level IT & Security leadership experience
- Background: Apple, non-profits, multi-newsroom media
- Based in Cheyenne, Wyoming — serving clients remotely nationwide
What I Do
Services
Pick what you need. Most engagements start with a free 30-minute scoping call so we can figure out whether I'm the right fit.
IT Strategy & Fractional Leadership
Fractional CIO/CISO services, IT roadmaps, vendor selection, and budget planning. Stop bolting on tools and start running an IT function that scales with you.
Cloud & Infrastructure
Design, migration, and cost optimization across Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, AWS, and Cloudflare. SaaS sprawl reined in; backups that actually restore.
Apple & Endpoint Management
Mac-first environments done right: MDM (Jamf, Mosyle, Kandji, Intune), zero-touch deployment, app packaging, and a refresh strategy that doesn't break on day one.
Compliance & Documentation
SOC 2 readiness, vendor security reviews, data handling policies, and the kind of clean documentation that makes auditors — and new hires — happy.
Second-Opinion Reviews
Have a managed services provider or a proposed architecture and want an honest gut-check? I'll review it and tell you straight where it's solid and where it isn't.
Let's Talk
Tell me what you're working on.
Drop a message and I'll get back to you within one business day. For sensitive matters, mention that and I'll send a secure channel.