Digital infrastructure has become the quiet force powering modern life. Telecom networks carry the world’s conversations, enterprises run on interconnected systems, hospitals depend on resilient data pathways, and governments require secure platforms to protect national operations. Behind all of this are engineers and leaders who understand the weight of keeping critical systems running. Ryan Groves is one of them.
Ryan Groves, Founder and CEO of Xpand-Net, has emerged as one of the rare leaders who combines hands-on technical mastery with the vision to build a global professional services and security engineering firm. Today, Xpand-Net supports some of the largest telecom operators, enterprises, government programs, and healthcare networks across North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom.
Ryan is often described as an “engineer first” leader. He still sees himself that way and has shaped Xpand-Net around technical depth, straight talk, and long-term trust. His leadership style centers on ownership, clear communication, and the belief that great engineering teams thrive through mentorship and empowerment. Under his direction, Xpand-Net supports Tier 1 telecom operators, Fortune 50–500 companies, national healthcare systems, financial institutions, universities, and government agencies that depend on zero-failure environments.
Behind the professional success is a deeply personal story. Ryan credits much of his journey to the support of his wife Sylvia and their children, Ethan and Catelynn. Their recent relocation to the United States under an intracompany visa has allowed Ryan to strengthen Xpand-Net’s U.S. operations while building family roots in Florida. Balancing rapid growth with family life remains a challenge, and he is committed to making 2026 a year of greater presence and intentional time at home.
Two Moments That Sparked Xpand-Net
Ryan often reflects on how Xpand-Net truly began. In his view, the company was shaped by two pivotal experiences that revealed gaps in the global networking and security world.
During his years working with major vendors and international carriers including Brocade, A10 Networks, AT&T, BT, and Vodafone, he repeatedly noticed the same problem. Organizations facing mission-critical situations were often left without the senior engineering talent they needed. Promises made during sales cycles rarely matched what customers actually received. The disconnect was industry-wide, and Ryan saw it up close.
A second turning point arrived when A10 shifted toward a partner-led services model. That change made something undeniable. There was a global shortage of seasoned experts who could manage A10 ADC, CGNAT, DDoS mitigation, and complex migrations from platforms like F5 and NetScaler. Many viewed that shortage as a limitation. Ryan saw it as the opening. The chance to build a specialized, agile, borderless engineering organization. That vision became the foundation of Xpand-Net.
He also began with something rare in the startup world. Xpand-Net launched with a sizeable project backlog already confirmed through A10, momentum that positioned the company for early stability and long-term confidence. Support from A10’s executive leadership during that period helped him take the first steps and strengthened relationships that continue to this day. As the company gears up for its biggest year yet, with both a strong pipeline and Xpansion becoming a reality, those early foundations continue to fuel its upward trajectory.
Motivation Rooted in Work That Matters
Ryan’s motivation comes from the real-world stakes behind every assignment his team handles. Whether Xpand-Net is protecting a national telecom operator from large-scale DDoS attacks, migrating critical applications for a healthcare system, or supporting transformation programs that touch millions of end-users, the sense of purpose stays strong.
The company is no longer defined purely by services. It is expanding into automation offerings, AI-powered tooling, and an international partner ecosystem that includes A10, MazeBolt, Fastly, Sentrium, and others. Ryan believes the combination of meaningful work, exceptional people, and an ever-evolving mission keeps the journey exciting and far from complete.
Scaling Without Compromise
Among all the obstacles Ryan has faced, the toughest was building a global organization while personally delivering on high-pressure, deeply technical customer programs. Growing fast without lowering engineering standards is one of the most difficult balancing acts in the industry. He addressed it by hiring with precision instead of urgency and bringing on people who were stronger than him in their areas of expertise. He focused on fostering a culture where ownership, quality, and reliability were absolute requirements. He also confronted something personal. At his core, he has always been an engineer and CTO type, not the stereotypical CEO. Accepting that reality allowed him to surround himself with strong operational leaders who would help him grow into the chief executive role.
That approach is the reason Xpand-Net is now trusted by Tier 1 and Tier 2 telecom operators, Fortune 100 corporations, healthcare providers, and global enterprises. The trust was earned gradually through consistent delivery.
A Commitment to Do Better
Ryan is candid about his challenges with work-life balance. As Xpand-Net expanded across regions and industries, the company demanded long hours, international travel, and nonstop focus. The cost of that growth has been clear. He has not spent as much time with his family as he wants to.
Ryan’s wife Sylvia and their children have supported him through every phase, including the family’s relocation to the United States and the constant movement required to manage both European and American operations. He has made a promise to himself and to them that 2026 will mark a better balance. More presence at home, a more thoughtful travel schedule, and more time dedicated to the people who have stood by him. It is still a work in progress, but a priority he is actively pursuing.
Daily Habits That Fuel Resilience
Ryan relies on a few simple routines to stay grounded, productive, and clearheaded in a fast-moving environment.
- Begin each morning by identifying the tasks that absolutely must be completed.
- Keep communication early and frequent across projects, pre-sales needs, and internal teams.
- Keep calls focused on decisions rather than conversations that stretch endlessly.
- Delegate confidently but always confirm outcomes.
- Treat each day as a fresh start and avoid carrying yesterday’s failures into today.
These practices help him stay effective while managing global programs, navigating time zones, and working with an expanding network of partner organizations.
The Achievement That Reflects Xpand-Net’s True Purpose
When Ryan thinks about the milestone that best represents Xpand-Net’s mission, one achievement rises above all others. The company has grown into a global professional services organization trusted by customers operating at the highest tier of their industries.
Xpand-Net now supports:
- Tier 1 carriers and national mobile operators across North America and Europe
- Multiple Fortune 50 and Fortune 100 enterprises
- Leading broadband and regional telecom providers
- Major healthcare systems, including some of the largest hospital networks in the United States
- Financial institutions and payment-critical digital infrastructures
- National government bodies and federal security programs
- Universities and research networks serving millions of students and faculty
Earning long-term trust from organizations that consistently appear in the Fortune 500, FTSE 100, and national telecom categories reflects the engineering strength, delivery consistency, and culture that Ryan and his team have worked hard to build.
Strengthening the Digital Backbone of a Connected World
Ryan believes that every assignment Xpand-Net undertakes contributes directly to the evolution of the world’s digital infrastructure. His teams support environments where stability, security, and uptime are non-negotiable. Their work ranges from mitigating complex DDoS attacks to modernizing ADC and data center frameworks, migrating thousands of Virtual IP Services (VIPS), and creating secure multi-cloud architectures that can support millions of users.
He points to one example that captures the weight of their responsibility. Moving critical infrastructure inside a hospital without interrupting patient care is not an abstract technical accomplishment. It is a direct safeguard on human lives and public confidence. That level of impact defines the standard Xpand-Net carries into every project, no matter the geography or industry.
A Culture Built on Ideas, Ownership, and Mutual Respect
Creativity, collaboration, and accountability inside Xpand-Net are rooted in a culture that Ryan keeps both simple and intentional. People are encouraged to bring forward their ideas, even when they are incomplete or unpolished. Open and respectful communication is expected. Everyone is responsible for the commitments they make, and excellence is treated as the baseline because customers depend on it.
Ryan leads with the same approach. He often jokes about his spontaneous “brain farts,” ideas that appear unexpectedly and get written down before they disappear. Some make it into the company roadmap, others don’t, but the openness to share ideas without fear is what fuels innovation.
Much of this mindset comes from his years with teams at AT&T, BT, Brocade, and A10. He often compares a high-performing team to a finely tuned engine where every component matters. When each person understands their role and supports the people around them, the entire system becomes incredibly resilient. That is the model Xpand-Net follows: a team that thinks creatively, collaborates naturally, holds itself accountable, and consistently produces solutions that rise above expectation.
Choosing Integrity Over Revenue
There was a moment early in Xpand-Net’s journey that shaped how Ryan makes business decisions to this day. The company was offered a project that looked highly profitable, yet completing it would have introduced real risk to the customer and the end-users who depended on them. Walking away from that revenue was not easy, but Ryan chose to decline the engagement. He explains that sometimes the most responsible advice is telling a customer to remain with their current solution for another year or two while they plan correctly, instead of rushing into a new technology simply because it is newer, faster, or cheaper. Partners may not always appreciate that stance, but it builds a deeper level of trust.
Ryan holds a firm belief that reputations are built slowly and lost quickly. A single poorly executed project can undermine years of credibility. That principle has guided many of Xpand-Net’s decisions and contributes heavily to the company’s long-term success and the loyalty of its customers.
Global Partnerships as the Foundation of Scale
Ryan describes global collaboration as essential to achieving Xpand-Net’s vision. The company’s partnerships with A10, Fastly, MazeBolt, Sentrium, major system integrators, and an extensive reseller network give Xpand-Net the ability to deliver internationally. These relationships allow the company to respond quickly, enter new markets with confidence, and maintain consistent quality across regions.
With engineering teams based in the Netherlands, the United States, the United Kingdom, and other strategic locations, Xpand-Net provides around-the-clock support without losing the depth of expertise that customers rely on. The global structure enables the company to scale rapidly while remaining deeply technical, highly responsive, and aligned with customer needs.
Creating Space for the Next Wave of Innovators
Ryan sees leadership as a responsibility to the people who will shape the future of the industry. He works to build an environment where talent is recognized early and individuals are given room to grow rather than being tightly controlled. His philosophy centers on guidance, trust, and visible opportunities. Career progression at Xpand-Net is not something spoken about in abstract terms. It is woven into the daily rhythm of the company.
He encourages the team to challenge assumptions, explore new approaches, and push themselves into areas of automation and intelligent engineering that can redefine what is possible. Ryan believes the next generation of innovators emerges when people feel safe to experiment, confident in their strengths, and supported when they want to take on something bigger. His goal is to ensure that everyone in the organization feels empowered to lead, contribute ideas, and help shape the next chapter of Xpand-Net.
Advice for the Builders, Dreamers, and Future Founders
Ryan often shares three principles with aspiring entrepreneurs who want to make a lasting impact in technology. The first is to solve real problems instead of theoretical ones. The second is to surround yourself with people who surpass you in skill and allow them to lead. The third is to move faster than feels comfortable but never lower your standards. He believes that a business built on these three foundations stands a strong chance of enduring.
A Legacy Rooted in Excellence and People
Ryan’s long-term vision goes beyond building a successful company. He hopes to create an organization known for true technical excellence and a culture that nurtures the next generation of engineers and leaders. He aims for Xpand-Net to be an example of what can be built through trust, family values, and genuine care for customers.
Above all, he believes great companies are grounded in integrity, transparency, and a genuine commitment to customers that goes far beyond the scope of a contract. This philosophy has shaped Xpand-Net’s identity and continues to guide its future. He wants people to remember Xpand-Net not just for large-scale transformations and high-profile partnerships, but for meaningful relationships, authentic service, and real impact on the customers and communities it touches. To him, that is the legacy worth building.
