Cybersecurity CEO Shames Husband’s Career—While Her Own Business Begs for Cash

CEO Stacey Champagne's public missive against her husband goes viral

A female CEO in cybersecurity has gone viral this week after posting a now-controversial message on LinkedIn, criticizing her husband’s lack of career accomplishments. But ironically, the business she claims to lead as “CEO” has been soliciting donations for years.

In her original post, Hackers in Heels CEO Stacey Champagne listed what she saw as her husband’s failures. She noted that, unlike her, he had not completed any new college courses, certifications, or received any awards. He also had not been featured in any documentaries.

She then posed a pointed question to her readers:
“Could you go a year without a single new certification, interview, award, or promotion and be OK with yourself for it? Would you think of a colleague, direct report, manager, friend, or spouse differently for not doing so?”

Champagne’s LinkedIn profile lists a long string of accomplishments, and she claims to have confronted her husband about his “zero” achievements at the dinner table. His response? According to her, he had none.

Backlash and Financial Reality Check

After her post went viral, the internet reacted with shock and criticism. By Thursday noon, Champagne had disabled comments on her LinkedIn post. At the same time, she began soliciting donations to “raise money” for Hackers in Heels—a company that, according to LinkedIn, lists just 0-1 employees.

Despite touting herself as a “Cybersecurity Leader” and being the CEO of Hackers in Heels for the past five years, Champagne is currently crowdfunding through GoFundMe to help “get more women into STEM.” She’s seeking $5,000 in donations—directly for her company, which goes to her.

One fellow coder was critical, asking:

'“Let me ask you a serious question. What makes you think someone should donate money to your for profit business when the people you’re asking to donate have to work for their money? That’s the equivalent of a GoFundMe to support you supporting yourself and it doesn’t make sense” said one public commenter.

According to her GoFundMe, “Through content, courses, coaching, and events, Hackers in Heels has positively supported the careers of over 1,500+ cybersecurity practitioners.”

Yet, financial struggles seem to persist. At the end of December 2024, she sold merchandise to “fill the gap in Hacker in Heels’ income/expenses to break even in 2024.” By January 6, she disclosed in her fundraiser that her company had only $656.95 left in its operational expenses account.

Ongoing Crowdfunding Since 2021

This isn’t the first time Champagne has asked for financial support. In a 2021 Medium article, she announced plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign via iFundWomen, emphasizing that it was important for her company to operate “without dependence on corporate donations.”

In an interview prior to becoming viral, Champagne promoted her work, stating she founded Hackers in Heels to help women break into cybersecurity.

“By empowering women to break free of careers that are no longer serving them, they can bring diverse skills and essential perspectives to a lucrative field critically short on talent. A computer science background is NOT necessary. Women’s lived experiences, for better or worse, make us assets for this work with our heightened vigilance.”

While her mission statement is bold, the contrast between her criticisms of her husband’s professional growth and the financial state of her own business raises questions—both about priorities and the sustainability of her business model.

This report was brought to you by Toni Airaksinen, Senior Editor of Liberty Affair and a journalist based in Delray Beach, Florida. Follow her on Substack and on X @Toni_Airaksinen.