Bare Knuckles and Brass Tacks BKBT Productions

Ryan Heartfield — AI PhD and now founder and CEO of Exalens — jumps into the ring to talk about moving from academia to cybersecurity startupland, and his mission to transform OT security.

George K and George A talk to Ryan about:

💡How his vendor pains as an operator now inform his own GTM strategy

🤖 The hype and reality of AI in cybersecurity, and why understanding solution and model limitations is crucial

💼 The challenges and rewards of transitioning from technical roles to founding a startup

🔍 The importance of continuous learning and adapting to stay relevant in cybersecurity

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This is a special episode, recorded live at the Mind Over Cyber Networking Breakfast and Mindfulness Workshop at RSA Conference 2024. George A was called away for CISO things, but I had a chance to sit down with three guests who wanted to share their stories of resilience: challenges to their mental wellbeing and also the strategies and frameworks they use on the regular to navigate those challenges.

You are not alone. Our hope in sharing these stories is to help others understand many of your peers are going through the same stuff, but more importantly, share the ways they've learned to work with and through stress rather than try to block it all out or push it away.

I spoke with Allan Alford, Kade Hennings, and Amanda Berlin. We're grateful for their time.

WARNING: There is a mention of suicide in my last conversation, with Amanda. It's in the general, abstract sense, nothing specific or graphic, but a warning all the same.

Longtime listener Sarah Breathnach jumps in the hot seat! Sarah shares her unique (and refreshing) perspective on cybersecurity marketing.

George K and George A talk to Sarah about:

🌐 The critical balance between being thought-provoking and respectful in content creation

👥 Building an audience and the importance of credibility and authenticity

🔮 How to stand out in the traditional, lead-gen heavy cybersecurity landscape

🤝 The shift towards value-driven content over conventional marketing tactics like whitepapers and tradeshows

🛍️The BKBT Merch Store [https://bkbtpodcast.shop/] is NOW OPEN!

Get 25% off! Use code: RSAC25SWAG

Expires May 24, 2024. $25 minimum order required.

We're at RSA in San Fran this week! Things we're looking forward to:

🧠The Mind Over Cyber Networking Breakfast and Mindfulness Workshop!

🎙️ Sitting down with folks to record "Stories of Resilience", capturing practitioners' personal experiences with challenges to mental wellbeing.

💪The "Ally Armband" Challenge: How we're pushing back on sexual harassment at cybersecurity conferences!

🛍️🚀The BKBT Merch Store is now OPEN [https://bkbtpodcast.shop/]! Get the latest Bare Knuckles and Brass Tacks swag, including the NO BS Tote Bag, Good Ideas Only notebook, and of course the OG Snapback. Get FREE shipping, use promo code BKBTZeroShip at checkout!

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Denis Villeneuve jumps into the ring to share what he's learned working with clients across a storied MSSP career!

George K and George A talk to Denis about:

🚀 His journey through tech giants and what drives cybersecurity at a large scale.

🎨 The art of client interaction and managing big transformations in cyber security.

🤝 Building trust and transparency with clients, especially post-incident.

👥 Career advice for rising stars in tech: leveraging personality insights to enhance team dynamics and client relations.

Works mentioned: Taking Flight! [https://takeflightlearning.com/store/books/taking-flight/]

🔊 New episode! Charles Payne occupies the unique position of being both a CISO and a conference organizer. What's it like in the middle of this weird Venn diagram?

George K and George A talk to Charles about:

🎯 The satisfaction and challenges of working with Big 4 consultancies vs. independent contracting

🤝 Building long-term relationships in the B2B sector and the unique approach of the Horizon Summit

🌍 Insights into the value of executive networking and maintaining connections across career transitions

🛠️ Advice for small businesses and vendors on achieving growth and meaningful engagement at industry events

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💥We're coming to RSA! We're partnering with the Mind Over Cyber [https://www.linkedin.com/company/89538986/admin/feed/posts/#] Networking Breakfast and Mindfulness Workshop on May 7th. We'll be on site to record mini interviews with those keen to share their stories of resilience in the face of stress. Sometimes the first step for someone confronting a challenge to their mental wellbeing is understanding they're not alone.

So sit down with us for 10 minutes or so, tell your story, share it with the world, and inspire others. Be sure to follow our LinkedIn page [https://www.linkedin.com/company/bare-knuckles-brass-tacks] for updates, signup is coming soon!