We Are Here Part 2: A Tech Titans Roundtable

We invite Bob Kruse, Co-Founder and CEO of Revelstoke Security, down to Hacker Valley Studios this week to talk about his journey from investment banking to cybersecurity sales to owning and operating his company with Josh McCarthy. With a focus on communication and peoples skills, Bob discusses how to be a leader in the cybersecurity community, including building strong relationships with staff members, connecting with cyber experts, and developing successful security teams. Timecoded Guide: [03:40] Selling software to cybersecurity practitioners and managing the skepticism around marketing to an audience that’s taught to doubt and question [08:12] Gaining inspiration for Revelstoke Security from the entrepreneurs in his family and his experience starting his cyber business with his partner Josh McCarthy [12:51] What being an early-stage startup looked like for Revelstoke and lessons learned from their first pitches to cybersecurity investors [15:01] Comparing and contrasting being someone in cybersecurity sales to being a CEO of his very own company  [20:58] Looking towards the future of Revelstoke Security as they expand into new markets and continue to build their business around providing solid cybersecurity jobs Sponsor Links: Thank you to our sponsors Axonius and Uptycs for bringing this episode to life! Life is complex. But it’s not about avoiding challenges or fearing failure. Just ask Simone Biles — the greatest gymnast of all time. Want to learn more about how Simone controls complexity? Watch her video at axonius.com/simone. With Uptycs, modern defenders can prioritize, investigate and respond to threats across the entire attack surface—all from a common solution: uptycs.com.    Were there any speculations like, "Hey, can this guy really go from sales to being a CEO at a tech company?"  Bob’s focus throughout his career in cybersecurity has completely revolved around sales. From his first cybersecurity role at Oracle Corporation to his recent position at Demisto, Bob’s prominence and impact on the cyber industry has always had sales at the center. Co-founding Revelstoke, Bob encountered skepticism and wariness from investors, curious if he would be able to transition into a cybersecurity CEO. Thanks to his knack for knowledge and his confident partner Josh, Bob has defied expectations and built up his own confidence in his new role. “It's about having a co-founder that compliments you, that you can implicitly trust, and implicitly trusts you. You can have the best technology in the world and the best idea in the world, but if you don't have a trusted relationship…it's not going to be successful.”  Between your previous life in sales, and now, being a founder and CEO, what are some of the parallels?  With so much experience in sales on his resume, we were curious which parts of Bob’s journey to CEO were similar to previous positions he’s held. It turns out, just like we’ve discussed on Hacker Valley Red, communication has been a key element no matter Bob’s position in cyber. No matter who he’s talking to, or what side of the house he’s marketing towards, people skills continue to be his forte. Being able to have discussions with employees, investors, and potential clients relies heavily on honest authentic communication skills, even though his business knowledge has had to grow immensely since becoming CEO. “Today, I still lean on my people skills, and over-communicate. I try to have one-on-ones with everybody in the company. I welcome every new hire we have, and it's increasingly important, obviously, as we have a widely distributed team.”   Where has your focus on introductions and networking come from?  We know Bob as an introduction master, and he’s even helped us with meeting some of the biggest guests we’ve invited to Hacker Valley. With so many cyber security experts in his network from all corners of the cybersecurity industry, we had to ask Bob where he learned the value of making those connections. It turns out— it’s always been that way for Bob Kruse, from the days of his early childhood working at his father’s business. Connecting others, communicating with them, and learning how to help has been his passion for his entire life. “When somebody needs your help, it's a compliment. I've always found it as a compliment in that I have something they don't, and I can impart on them some sort of an introduction, or a reference, or some knowledge.”   What impact or impression are you hoping to leave on the world with Revelstoke? There are a lot of cybersecurity startups that make their way down to Hacker Valley, but Revelstoke Security seems like a different breed, with a strong staff at its core— so strong that they’ve only grown since they began and have yet to lose a single employee. With an impact like that on the cyber job market, we asked Bob what he sees on the horizon for Revelstoke. He made it clear: more jobs. Success, for Bob and Josh at Revelstoke, relies on building strong teams and providing the right jobs for those team members and their families.  “Success…is starting a company and providing jobs for people, jobs that never existed before you decided to start a company. I want my legacy to be somebody that not only started a successful company financially, but that employed a lot of people and supported a lot of families.” ---------- Links: Stay in touch with Bob Kruse on LinkedIn and the Business Journal Leadership Trust website. Learn more about Revelstoke Security on their website. Connect with Ron Eddings on LinkedIn and Twitter Connect with Chris Cochran on LinkedIn and Twitter Purchase a HVS t-shirt at our shop Continue the conversation by joining our Discord Check out Hacker Valley Media and Hacker Valley Studio

14 Kesä 202228min

In the turbulent world of cybersecurity, it can be difficult to not get caught up in the emotions of it all. Fear uncertainty, doubt...not to mention, burnout. It's not surprising cybersecurity is often seen as being a highly stressful field. But is it possible we may be addressing and interpreting our emotions, as practitioners, in the wrong way? Ron and Chris are joined by author and coach, Sherianna Boyle, to talk about the role that emotions play in our daily lives and how to process them correctly. In this episode, Sherianna walks us through:     -What goes into emotional detoxing     -The difference between reaction and emotion     -How breathwork can transform your life Sponsor Links:  Thank you to our sponsors Axonius and Uptycs for bringing this episode to life! Life is complex. But it’s not about avoiding challenges or fearing failure. Just ask Simone Biles — the greatest gymnast of all time. Want to learn more about how Simone controls complexity? Watch her video at axonius.com/simone  With Uptycs, modern defenders can prioritize, investigate and respond to threats across the entire attack surface—all from a common solution uptycs.com/  Be sure to stop by their booth #435 at RSA 2022 Guest Bio: Sherianna Boyle is an author of nine books  including, Emotional Detox Now: 135 Self-Guided Practices to Renew Your Mind, Heart & Body. She is also the founder of the CLEANSE Method® Emotional Detox Coaching® Cleanse Yoga® servicing clients, businesses, healthcare providers and educators worldwide, virtually or on site. You can hear more from Sherianna, and her work, on her show Emotional Detox Now Podcast.  Links: Stay in touch with Sherianna Boyle on LinkedIn and Twitter Connect with Ron Eddings on LinkedIn and Twitter Connect with Chris Cochran on LinkedIn and Twitter Purchase a HVS t-shirt at our shop Continue the conversation by joining our Discord Check out  Hacker Valley Media and Hacker Valley Studio

7 Kesä 202233min

Making an impact in the cybersecurity community as a content creator is no easy task! Just ask Derek Scheller, aka The Cyber Warrior. Derek joins hosts Ron and Chris to talk about how he brings his unique personality and positive messages to inspire folks within, and breaking into, cyber. In this this episode, Derek shares: His passion to inspire and motivate others How to make your content stand out How the WWE has inspired his unique persona His thoughts on vulnerability and being authentically yourself Tips for making impactful and sticky content Check out Ron and Chris’ interview with The Cyber Warrior on Security Happy Hour, here!  Sponsor Links:  Thank you to our sponsors Axonius and Uptycs for bringing this episode to life! Life is complex. But it’s not about avoiding challenges or fearing failure. Just ask Simone Biles — the greatest gymnast of all time. Want to learn more about how Simone controls complexity? Watch her video at axonius.com/simone With Uptycs, modern defenders can prioritize, investigate and respond to threats across the entire attack surface—all from a common solution Uptycs.com Be sure to stop by their booth #435 at RSA 2022 Guest Bio: Derek Scheller is a Senior Security Consultant for Seiso, LLC. In 2017, he retired from the US Army as a Cyber Network Defender and worked in both defensive and offensive operations. When he is not helping clients with their security needs, he is a content creator that aims to help as many people as possible enter the cyber security space. You can find him on YouTube Twitch, LinkedIn, and Facebook under Cyber Warrior Studios, where he posts weekly. Links: Stay in touch with Derek Scheller with Cyber Warrior Studios on LinkedIn and Twitter Connect with Ron Eddings on LinkedIn and Twitter Connect with Chris Cochran on LinkedIn and Twitter Purchase a HVS t-shirt at our shop Continue the conversation by joining our Discord Check out more from Hacker Valley Media and Hacker Valley Studio

31 Touko 202228min

Life is full of complexity -- just ask adaptive athlete Amy Bream, this episode's special guest. She was born with one leg, but that didn’t stop her from growing up to become a kickboxer. In 2021, she competed in the CrossFit Games, placing in the top five. And in 2022, she came in first at Wodapalooza — one of the biggest fitness competitions in the world. The key to her success? Controlling what she can. Join her, Ron and Chris as they discuss:         -How self perception shapes how others interact with you         -The power of showing up and believing in yourself         -Amy’s viral moment at the CrossFit Games         -Her partnership with Axonius         -Her advice for those struggling to show up in life Check out Amy's Controlling Complexity video, presented by Axonius: axonius.com/amybream    Sponsor:  Thank you to our Axonius, for bringing this episode to life! Life is complex, but it’s not about avoiding challenges or fearing failure. Just ask Simone Biles — the greatest gymnast of all time. Want to learn more about how Simone controls complexity? Watch her video at axonius.com/simone Links: Visit Amy Bream on Instagram Connect with Ron Eddings on LinkedIn and Twitter Connect with Chris Cochran on LinkedIn and Twitter Purchase a HVS t-shirt at our shop Continue the conversation by joining our Discord Check out  Hacker Valley Media and Hacker Valley Studio

26 Touko 202232min

The metaverse seems to be the hottest thing in technology today. From virtual environments to avatars, our lives are being digitized more and more. Is there even a reason to go outside anymore? Robin Thurston, CEO of Outside Inc., built his entire company around this very question. What's even more interesting is that he is using web3 technology to help get people reacquainted with the great outdoors. In this episode, Ron and Chris chat with Robin about:  Why Outside decided to create the Outerverse  How the Outerverse is aimed at getting people outside What the Outerverse entails (i.e. NFT marketplace, tokens, creator platform) What this means for the future of outdoor content/outdoor content creators Sponsor Links:  Thank you to our sponsors Axonius and Uptycs for bringing this episode to life! Life is complex. But it’s not about avoiding challenges or fearing failure. Just ask Simone Biles — the greatest gymnast of all time. Want to learn more about how Simone controls complexity? Watch her video at axonius.com/simone With Uptycs, modern defenders can prioritize, investigate and respond to threats across the entire attack surface—all from a common solution Uptycs.com Be sure to stop by their booth #435 at RSA 2022   Guest Bio: Before joining Outside (previously Pocket Outdoor Media), he ran a consumer genetics company called Helix in Silicon Valley before returning to his home state of Colorado. Prior to Helix, Robin co-founded and built MapMyFitness into one of the world’s largest open fitness tracking platforms. Following the acquisition of MapMyFitness by Under Armour, he joined the innovative sports apparel organization and served as Chief Digital Officer, where he led the overall strategic direction of the company’s Connected Fitness and eCommerce business.  Robin spent the first ten years of his career building a mutual fund classification and ratings platform at Lipper (a Thomson Reuters Company), as well as a risk and compensation platform at both American Century Investments and Wellington Management. He graduated with a MS in Finance from University of Colorado at Denver and lives with his wife and three children in Boulder, Co. He is a lifelong cyclist who started riding and racing in the early 1980’s.   Links: Stay in touch with Robin Thurston on LinkedIn and Twitter Visit Outside Inc website  Visit the Outerverse Connect with Ron Eddings on LinkedIn and Twitter Connect with Chris Cochran on LinkedIn and Twitter Purchase a HVS t-shirt at our shop Continue the conversation by joining our Discord Check out  Hacker Valley Media and Hacker Valley Studio

24 Touko 202226min

“If you believe in yourself and you're willing to put in that work, it WILL happen.” - Jon DiMaggio In this episode, Ron and Chris are joined by author and Chief Security Strategist, Jon DiMaggio, to talk about the power of believing in yourself and following through on your dreams. Jon shares the story behind writing his book, The Art of Cyber Warfare, and how he learned to overcome rejection.   Sponsor Links:  Thank you to our sponsors Axonius and Uptycs for bringing this episode to life! Life is complex. But it’s not about avoiding challenges or fearing failure. Just ask Simone Biles — the greatest gymnast of all time. Want to learn more about how Simone controls complexity? Watch her video at axonius.com/simone With Uptycs, modern defenders can prioritize, investigate and respond to threats across the entire attack surface—all from a common solution. Check them out at Uptycs.com and be sure to stop by their booth #435 at RSA 2022   Guest Bio: Jon DiMaggio is the chief security strategist at Analyst1 and has over 15 years of experience hunting, researching, and writing about advanced cyber threats. As a specialist in enterprise ransomware attacks and nation-state intrusions, such as”Ransom Mafia: Analysis of the World’s first Ransomware Cartel”,“Nation State Ransomware” and a “History of REvil”. He has exposed the criminal cartels behind major ransomware attacks, aided law enforcement agencies in federal indictments of nation-state attacks, and discussed his work with The New York Times, Bloomberg, Fox, CNN, Reuters, and Wired. You can find Jon speaking about his research at conferences such as RSA. Additionally, in 2022, Jon authored the book “The Art of Cyberwarfare: An Investigator's Guide to Espionage, Ransomware, and Organized Cybercrime” published by No Starch Press.   Links: Stay in touch with Jon DiMaggio on LinkedIn and Twitter Connect with Ron Eddings on LinkedIn and Twitter Connect with Chris Cochran on LinkedIn and Twitter Purchase a HVS t-shirt at our shop Continue the conversation by joining our Discord Check out  Hacker Valley Media and Hacker Valley Studio

17 Touko 202228min

Cybersecurity podcast hosts, Chris and Ron, had the pleasure of sitting down with US Olympic gold medalist, Simone Biles, for a very special interview! You might be wondering, “what does cybersecurity and elite-level gymnastics have in common?” - both have a strong focus on controlling complexity. Complexity comes in many forms — whether that be staying calm in the face of a malicious cyber attack or performing complex moves on the competition floor. While complexity isn’t something you can prevent, having the right team and mindset can make controlling its outcome much easier! In this episode, Ron and Chris chat with Simone about: - Her recent life changing event - How Simone controls the complexity in her life - Why doing your best is always good enough - and her partnership with Axonius!   Guest Bio: Simone Arianne Biles has boundless energy, natural strength and fierce determination, taking those God-given talents to become the greatest gymnast of all time. The 4-foot, 8-inch dynamo is the most decorated American gymnast in history, with 32 medals (19 of them gold) from the World Championship and seven medals (four gold) from the Olympics. She is also the first American woman to win seven national all-around titles and first female gymnast to earn three consecutive World All-Around titles. She is a three-time recipient of the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year and has received widespread recognition, including TIME 100 Most Influential, Forbes 30 Under 30, Ebony Power 100, People Magazine’s Women Changing the World, USA Today 100 Women of the Century, and two-time Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year, among others.   Links: Thank you to our friends at Axonius for making this episode a reality! Follow Simone on Twitter and Instagram Watch Simone content and more at Axonius+ Connect with Ron Eddings on LinkedIn and Twitter Connect with Chris Cochran on LinkedIn and Twitter Purchase a HVS t-shirt at our shop Continue the conversation by joining our Discord Listen to more interviews like this from  Hacker Valley Media and Hacker Valley Studio

11 Touko 202219min

Anxiety and nervous energy is palpable in cybersecurity. If practitioners allow this energy to take control, it can be stifling and paralyzing. But what if we were to use this power to do what it was intended to do? In this episode, Ron and Chris chat with Dr. Chloe Carmichael, author of the Deepak Chopra endorsed book, Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of Your Anxiety. They discuss: -The purpose of nervous energy -When this energy enters our lives -How we can use this energy to our advantage -and how it can even become a superpower   Guest Bio Dr. Chloe Carmichael, Ph.D, is a clinical psychologist, known as Dr. Chloe. She holds a Master’s degree and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Long Island University and graduated Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude, with a Bachelor’s degree and departmental honors in psychology from Columbia University. Her practice in New York City employs multiple therapists to serve high-functioning business executives, people in the arts, and everyday people seeking support with personal or professional goals. Dr. Chloe is the author of the book Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of  Your Anxiety, endorsed by Deepak Chopra! She is a member in good standing of the American Psychological Association, as well as the National Register of Health Psychologists, an elite organization for psychologists with gold-standard credentials. She is also a consultant at Baker McKenzie, the third largest law firm in the world. She is an Advisory Board member for Women’s Health Magazine (Hearst), and a featured expert for Psychology Today. She enjoys relating with the media, as well as public speaking. She has been featured as an expert on VH1, Inside Edition, and other television; and has been quoted in the New York Times, Forbes, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, and other print media.   Links: Thank you to our friends at Axonius and Uptycs for sponsoring this episode! Stay in touch with Dr. Chloe Carmichael on LinkedIn and Twitter and by her Book here! Connect with Ron Eddings on LinkedIn and Twitter Connect with Chris Cochran on LinkedIn and Twitter Purchase a HVS t-shirt at our shop Continue the conversation by joining our Discord Check out  Hacker Valley Media and Hacker Valley Studio

9 Touko 202225min