Claire Gallagher, Designer and Solopreneur Strategist, comes to Hacker Valley to break down branding, visibility, and choosing solopreneurship over business ownership. Combining the terms solo and entrepreneur, solopreneurs are a different breed of business owner, and Claire has made it her mission to help them not make the same business mistakes she once made. Claire walks through the essentials of how her business caters to individuals looking to go it alone and how to make an impact while sta...
Aug 23, 2022•30 min•Season 6Ep. 231
We’re joined by sponsor and guest Dan DeCloss, CEO and Founder of PlexTrac, on the podcast today to talk about communication and collaboration between the red and blue side of cybersecurity and why security success depends on those two sides working together. On their mission to build stronger, more productive, and well-rounded security teams, PlexTrac provides incredible and insightful metric and messaging tools that change the game for the cybersecurity industry. Timecoded Guide: [05:36] Under...
Aug 18, 2022•36 min•Season 6Ep. 235
Anne Ricketts, Founder & Principal of Lighthouse Communications, brings her techniques for public speaking and presenting to the show to help Chris and Ron unpack unhelpful mindsets around storytelling and unhealthy speaking habits. Covering the basics from filler words to hand gestures, eye contact to working the camera, Anne explains the role storytelling plays in the way people communicate at the office, out in public in their free time, virtually on Zoom, and even onstage at events like ...
Aug 16, 2022•30 min•Season 6Ep. 230
We’re breaking down the concept of difference makers this week, and we couldn’t help but call upon Mari Galloway, CEO of Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu, to be our guest during this conversation. As a black woman in cybersecurity who has dedicated a large portion of her career to helping women and girls become a part of the cyber community on both the technical and non-technical sides, Mari is a stunning example of making a difference and creating a path to expand cybersecurity beyond stereotypes....
Aug 11, 2022•42 min•Season 6Ep. 234
Christian Hyatt, CEO & Co-Founder of risk3sixty, knows the secret to building a strong cybersecurity team, and he calls it: Security Team Operating Systems. Walking through his entrepreneurial journey from inspiration as a young child to discovering his interest in the new phenomenon of cyber to co-founding risk3sixty, Christian covers every aspect of intelligent leading and team building. Ready to take your team to the next level? Christian knows 5 key elements you won’t want to miss. Timec...
Aug 09, 2022•27 min•Season 6Ep. 228
Those on the red team may not be household names to the everyday person, but they are absolutely legends and icons in the world of cybersecurity and hacking. While we have our personal favorite hackers between the two of us, we also invite our guest, Davin Jackson, to share his favorite cybersecurity legends and the lessons he’s learned from them. Timecode Guide: [00:50] The importance of red teaming, especially during this season [02:17] Ron and Chris’ first experience working in a red team env...
Aug 04, 2022•30 min•Season 6Ep. 229
Kevin Apolinario, better known as Kevtech IT Support on Youtube, brings his teaching skills to Hacker Valley to talk about the barriers to entry in IT. Disheartened by the lack of good advice given to him as he entered the tech world, Kev breaks down programs and concepts, such as helpdesk, for IT practitioners that may not have access to expensive equipment or formal education. Anyone can learn IT, and it’s Kev’s mission to help everyone find the method and the teacher that helps them learn the...
Aug 02, 2022•25 min•Season 6Ep. 227
In this season of Hacker Valley Red, we focus on cybersecurity legends in offensive operations with a legend in the physical pen testing and lockpicking: Deviant Ollam. As a pioneer in our industry and an author of two incredible books about lockpicking, Deviant shares his history from hobbyist to professional and all that he’s learned along the way about making the secrets of the hacking world accessible to all. Timecoded Guide: [01:28] Defining the pioneers in cybersecurity [08:47] Deviant’s f...
Jul 28, 2022•34 min•Season 6Ep. 226
Karim Hijazi, Founder & CEO at Prevailion and host of the Introverted Iconoclast podcast, comes to Hacker Valley Studio to discuss his varied experiences in entrepreneurship. With a humble start in bartending, Karim explains how learning about people inspired his exploration into counterespionage and cybersecurity. Armed with stories from the streets of NYC to the hallways of his own companies, this episode is a look into the mind of a successful entrepreneur and founder of 2 incredible busi...
Jul 26, 2022•33 min•Season 6Ep. 225
Henri Davis, CEO of TechTual Consulting & host of the TechTual Talk Podcast, comes to Hacker Valley this week to talk about his history with cybersecurity incident response and the content he currently creates with the TechTual Chatter Youtube channel. From interview tips, passion vs creativity, the intersection of cybersecurity and content creation, Henri walks through the path his career has taken him on, as well as imparts advice on those looking to follow a similar journey. Timecoded Gui...
Jul 19, 2022•33 min•Season 6Ep. 224
Eddie Thomason, bestselling author, speaker, consultant, and creator of the Simply Secure podcast, comes to Hacker Valley Studio to discuss financial independence, the freedom of a healthy work-life balance, and habits that have helped him succeed. As a father of two with a full-time job and a thriving content creation career, Eddie explains not only how he does it all, but also how much he cares about helping other security professionals achieve the same level of success. Timecoded Guide: [00:0...
Jul 12, 2022•34 min•Season 6Ep. 223
Jeff Gardner, CISO at Germantown Technologies, comes to Hacker Valley Studio this week to talk about the future of cybersecurity and what up-and-coming hackers may encounter on their journey into an ever-evolving industry. With a specific focus and interest in artificial intelligence, or AI, Jeff’s discussion in this episode covers the current perception of AI in tech, the timeline of when we may see highly-intelligent AI come into play, and what the future of AI looks like from a cybersecurity ...
Jul 05, 2022•33 min•Season 6Ep. 222
Leadership expert, Dr. Stacey Ashley, joins us at the Hacker Valley Studio to talk about her journey from the corporate world of leadership to her current roles in consulting and coaching. As a speaker, author, and educator for leaders, especially executive and C-level leaders, Dr. Ashley shares foundational skills needed to go from expert to leader, mindset shifts that need to occur regarding our perspective on our own leadership responsibilities, and experiences that inspired her to become an ...
Jun 28, 2022•29 min•Season 6Ep. 221
We invite our friend, Ginny Clarke, to Hacker Valley this week to talk about conscious leadership and self-awareness as a way to take our organizations to the next level. Using her prior experience at tech giants like Google and her five dimensions of leadership, Ginny explains how we can better hold the leaders in our lives accountable, what will benefit our civilization the most for future generations in the workplace, and where we should focus our efforts for diversity, equity, and inclusion....
Jun 21, 2022•31 min•Season 6Ep. 220
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: [0...
Jun 14, 2022•28 min•Season 6Ep. 219
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 co...
Jun 07, 2022•34 min•Season 6Ep. 218
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 authenticall...
May 31, 2022•28 min•Season 6Ep. 217
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 w...
May 26, 2022•32 min•Season 6Ep. 216
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 Outerve...
May 24, 2022•27 min•Season 6Ep. 215
“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...
May 17, 2022•28 min•Season 6Ep. 214
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 prev...
May 11, 2022•20 min•Season 6Ep. 213
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 -a...
May 09, 2022•26 min•Season 6Ep. 212
In this episode, Ron and Chris highlight a human problem that affects every company and organization in the world – Insider Threat. Shawnee Delaney, an Insider Threat expert, cybersecurity consultant and CEO of Vaillance Group, joins the guys to provide her expertise on the topic and shares real life examples of treason and espionage. In this episode Shawnee explores: The intersection of empathy and espionage Motivations and vulnerabilities The importance of insider threat programs Protecting yo...
May 03, 2022•30 min•Season 6Ep. 211
What is grit? How much or little do YOU have? Can we grow it? Hosts Ron and Chris are joined by the Executive Coach and Founder of Fivecoat Consulting Group, David Fivecoat, to talk about how grit shows up in our lives and ways that we can cultivate more. Guest Bio: After 24 years as a US Army paratrooper, as well as 4 combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Colonel David Fivecoat, US Army, Retired, founded The Fivecoat Consulting Group. He now blogs, speaks, coaches gritty leaders, and helps deve...
Apr 26, 2022•31 min•Season 6Ep. 210
DeJuan Strickland (DJ) is a huge superhero fan, but when he realized there weren’t many superheroes and comic book characters that looked like him, he decided to do something about it! Enter: Tech Boy! DJ joins hosts Ron and Chris to share his unique experiences as an 13 year old author, entrepreneur, and tech enthusiast. Guest Bio: DeJuan Strickland is a 13-old scholar born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. He enjoys gaming, anime, reading, and indulging in comic books. He is a long-time honor...
Apr 19, 2022•19 min•Season 6Ep. 209
Evan Mayfield, an award-winning 3D animator and founder of the Kingdom of Dwarves NFT project, joins Ron and Chris to talk about how his love of art allows him to experience life in new and creative ways. In this episode, Evan shares his story behind winning an Academy Award and starting a career in the film industry, what led him into creating NFT art and founding Kingdom of Dwarves NFT project, and the importance of being receptive to feedback in your career. Guest Bio: Evan Mayfield is an Aca...
Apr 12, 2022•37 min•Season 6Ep. 208
In this new age of remote work, people are able to live and work in ways that we never thought possible. In this episode Ron and Chris are joined by Isabel Leong, a full-time travel blogger and SEO marketing coach. Isabel shares how she turned her hobby into a career that allows her to fulfill her passion for travel and her tips for those attempting to do the same. Guest Bio: Full-time travel blogger and SEO marketing coach roaming the world at whim, Isabel draws energy from being outdoors. An e...
Apr 05, 2022•24 min•Season 6Ep. 207
In this episode Ron and Chris are joined by the co-founder and CEO of SeclarityIO, David Pearson, to talk about his experience in building a company from the ground up. David shares the challenge of “building something from nothing,” seeking help, and the importance of having a solid support system. David explores the intricacies and inner workings of his mind and his tips on tapping into creativity and innovative thought. Guest Bio: David is the co-founder and CEO of SeclarityIO, the company bu...
Mar 29, 2022•33 min•Season 6Ep. 206
Anyone can start a podcast, but what about a successful podcast? What about a podcast that reaches, connects and impacts people for the better? In this episode, Ron and Chris are joined by Adam Adams to talk about what it takes to create a successful podcast. Adam touches on the importance of having quality equipment, a compelling and entertaining message, and great marketing. He explores the reasons why having a broad audience isn’t the best tactic when trying to stand out and why you shouldn’t...
Mar 22, 2022•40 min•Season 6Ep. 205
Have you ever heard of the term, “Black Swans” or “Gray Rhinos”? Black Swan are events that we never saw coming, while Gray Rhinos are the things we see from a mile away. In this episode, author and strategist Michele Wucker explores the gray rhino and risk fingerprint metaphors and translates big picture trends in ways everyday folks can apply to their lives. Sponsor Links: A big thank you to our friends at PlexTrac and Axonius for sponsoring this episode! Axonius, the first company to solve th...
Mar 15, 2022•35 min•Season 6Ep. 203
