The plans for what eventually became North Suffolk cybersecurity firm Sera-Brynn were hashed out on a napkin at Uno Pizzeria and Grill.

From that humble beginning, the company has risen to recently be rated No. 16 on Cybersecurity Venture’s “500 Hottest Cybersecurity Companies to Watch in 2015” list, making it the top firm from Virginia on the list.

“Our goal is to make Suffolk the center for cyber-risk security management on the East Coast,” said Rob Hegedus, chief executive officer at Sera-Brynn.

The company, located in Harbour View, has been around for only three years, but it has clearly made its mark on the cybersecurity field.

During a round of federal budget cuts several years ago, the former military and government contractors saw a need for a business like this. They also knew people who were knowledgeable in the field, so that fateful night at Uno, the napkin became the first drawing board for the company.

Sera-Brynn helps to lessen their client’s risks of suffering from “electronic theft,” or hacking, as well as help minimize the damage from a security breach.

“Sixty percent of small businesses are out of business within six months because of cybersecurity breaches,” Hegedus said.

“This is one industry where crime does pay,” said Darek Dabbs, chief information officer.

When a breach occurs, small businesses can lose a lot of money, because their reputations are damaged, fines can be levied and equipment must be updated to prevent future hacking, Hegedus said. The equipment business owners are required to buy can be very expensive, he added.

“We kind of call ourselves the ‘Tech Translators,’” Dabbs said. This is because they communicate with the clients, lawyers, insurance companies, IT personnel and other potential parties involved in helping someone deal with or prepare for a cybersecurity breach.

The company has received a significant amount of buzz from the recent rating, Hegedus said. Whether or not the buzz has contributed to it, the company is most certainly expanding.

While Sera-Brynn has acquired local and national clients over the years, recently it gained some internationally. Last month employees started working with clients in Asia.

Another exciting new venture for the firm is a new location it plans to open in Richmond by the end of the year.

The team at Sera-Brynn believes the company’s success comes from their unique approach to the issue. Hegedus refers to the company as a “one-stop-shop.”

Another possible reason for its success is the fact that the company is the only cybersecurity company in North America to be teamed with a bank. The company works with TowneBank and actually shares a building with it.

“I like that we’re helping people,” said John Kipp, chief operating officer.

The team offered up some everyday tips on how to avoid getting hacked:

• Uninstall Adobe Flash.
• Keep your systems maintained, and update them when the computer suggests doing so.
• Don’t click on the links in your emails.
• Never use your computer for private information when you are using a public wi-fi network.