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What's Up With The Pirate Theme?

Every year for the past 11 years of holding this event we pick a theme. This year's theme is Pirates Of Profit.

Besides the fact that dressing up as a pirate is FUN, real pirates were the entrepreneurs of the “Golden Age” (roughly 1650-1730) and VERY different from the romanticized pirates of Pirates of the Caribbean pictured today. Technically, a true “pirate” is a lawless scavenger of the sea who pillaged and ransacked for anything they could grab, in peace and war, much like the cyber criminals today; but most “pirates” were actually PRIVATEERS, or sailors honorably operating within the laws of their government, sent to attack an enemy (competitor) of their country and keep the plunder (profits) after paying a percentage to their King and Queen (tax). It was a HUGE business that inspired thousands to risk limb and life to make it rich at sea. So let’s look at how Privateers are kindred spirits to today’s MSPs...

1. You are Captain of your own ship, free to sail the high seas full of adventure and profit. To succeed, you must find investors, round up your crew (employees), create your own rules (pirate code), create your own jolly roger (logo) and create your plan of attack (business plan). You get to work for yourself and no one else. However...
2. You take HUGE risks. Life at sea with hundreds of men had to suck, even for the Captain. Every day you risk being captured, shot, hung, severely injured or taken prisoner. Then there’s always the risk of drowning, starvation, scurvy, disease and dehydration. If another pirate doesn’t take and burn your ship, a storm could be your undoing, or mutiny from your own crew.
3. You work strictly for commission only. The phrase, “No prey, no pay” was the condition ALL pirates, privateers and buccaneers operated under. If your expedition extracted no booty, you didn’t get paid, period.
4. If you’re a “privateer” you are acting on behalf of the “good guys” (your country) to protect ports and steal the plunder from enemy ships (competition). Sailing for a prize (successfully closing a deal) with a letter of marque from your country (business license) was considered an honorable calling combining patriotism and profit, in contrast to unlicensed piracy (cybercrime), which was universally reviled. BUT there are plenty of pirates and privateers commissioned by your waring country (competition) who will do the same to you if you’re not running a tight ship!