Bare Knuckles and Brass Tacks

Andrew Owlett joins the show to talk about what actually matters in cybersecurity career development (hint: it's not your GPA)!

George K and George A talk to Andrew about:

• Why "failing" early in his career shaped his approach to leadership
• The problem with cyber's culture of shame and how to build confidence
• What cross-functional skills ACTUALLY look like (and how you probably already have them)
• Truth about work-life balance and corporate "family"

Plus we dive into real advice for career transitions, building authentic relationships, and how to craft your story.

No buzzwords, no BS - just practical insights from someone who's lived it.

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👊⚡️BECOME A SHOW SUPPORTER

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For as little as $1 a month, you can support the show and get exclusive member benefits, or send a one-time gift!

Your contribution covers our hosting fees, helps us make cool events and swag, and it lets us know that what we're doing is of value to you.

We appreciate you!

🎙️ Veterans Day Podcast Panel!

We brought together an incredible panel of veterans who made the leap into cybersecurity:

George K and George A get into a raw and honest conversation about:

🔄 The realities of transitioning out to civilian life

😳 The culture shock of moving from military to corporate life

👏 Why military experience IS relevant experience (even if you think it isn't)

🤝 The power of networking and how to do it well

Many thanks to our panelists!

• Rick McElroy (USMC)
• Tom Marsland (US Navy)
• Larci Robertson (US Navy)
• Rafael Nuñez (US Air Force)
• and George A (Canadian Army)

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👊⚡️BECOME A SHOW SUPPORTER

https://ko-fi.com/bareknucklesbrasstacks

For as little as $1 a month, you can support the show and get exclusive member benefits, or send a one-time gift!

Your contribution covers our hosting fees, helps us make cool events and swag, and it lets us know that what we're doing is of value to you.

We appreciate you!

BONUS! In the last of our interviews recorded live at GoSec 2024  in Montreal, we talk to Andréanne Bergeron, PhD, Director of Research at GoSecure. 

George K and George A talk to Andréanne about her unconventional foray into cybersecurity and the lessons learned, as an academic, for workforce development and educating the next generation of defenders. She discusses her studies of cybercriminal psychology as a social scientist, and what the implication might be for defense strategies.

This episode was produced with the support of GoSecure.

Ofer Klein CEO & Co-founder of Reco AI jumps into the ring to talk about making the leap from e-commerce to cybersecurity, and why having "outsider" experience can be a superpower.

George K and George A talk to Ofer about:

🧠 The psychology behind selling to enterprises and why it transcends industry verticals

📈 Making the tough calls during rapid growth and learning to "get invited to the party"

🎯 Why admitting mistakes and building trust matters more than technical prowess

🌱 Building a lasting company culture vs. engineering for acquisition

Don't miss this episode on finding product-market fit, scaling with intention, and bringing fresh perspectives to cybersecurity!

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👊⚡️BECOME A SHOW SUPPORTER

https://ko-fi.com/bareknucklesbrasstacks

For as little as $1 a month, you can support the show and get exclusive member benefits, or send a one-time gift!

Your contribution covers our hosting fees, helps us make cool events and swag, and it lets us know that what we're doing is of value to you.

We appreciate you!

Episode 100! And this time, George K and George A are the ones in the hot seat!

Guest host, and friend of the pod, Amber DeVilbiss takes the mic to put the Georges on the spot.

They take on listener questions about:

• Tech and industry trends, AI, new risks
• The deep, dark, and personal
• Selling and marketing tactics
• And MORE!

Thank you to all the listeners who submitted questions!

This week we step outside cyber to learn how to make sales a profession that sellers can be proud of. Lauren Palmer, VP of North America at Interlink, joins the show!

George K and George A talk to Lauren about:

• Why she believes sales is a "giving profession"
• What sales leaders can do to equip their teams for success without relying on high pressure tactics
• What objectives really matter when measuring sales success
• Her mission to transform the operation and perception of sales

Recorded LIVE: The Bare Knuckles and Brass Tacks closing keynote at SecureWorld Denver!

Titled, "Radical Transparency," George K and George A took on the holy trinity in cyber: people, process, and technology. 

For each part they break down where we need radical transparency to build trust, on both the buying and selling sides of the industry.

They also ask something new of the audience...

All year we've been trying to rebrand "soft skills" as essential business skills for any cybersecurity professional. Evgeniy Kharam has literally written the book on it. He sat down with us live at GoSec 2024 to talk about his new book, "Architecting Success: The Art of Soft Skills in Technical Sales."

This is a great breakdown of what kinds of communication skills are needed for both buyers and sellers trying to solve security problems. Don't miss it!

This episode was produced with the support of GoSecure.

Aaron Pritz of Reveal Risk joins us this week to deepfake George K in real-time video! Also, how to engage the workforce on new and emerging risks

👀 To see the video deepfake, check out our LinkedIn Page!

George K and George A talk to Aaron about:

🤖 Using deepfake tech for good - security awareness training that will blow your mind

🗓️ Why limiting security awareness to October is a mistake

🧠 Un-commoditizing training and making it relevant year-round

📱 Real-world advice on preventing deepfake attacks (it's easier than you think!)

For all you CISOs and security awareness pros out there - this episode is a must-listen. Aaron brings the heat with practical tips and a fresh perspective on engaging employees.

How do you build multiple successful companies? The dynamic duo behind Knight Group, Alissa and Mel Knight, join the show to talk about their relentless entrepreneurial journey.

In this episode:

💡 How to balance multiple passion projects and determine which ideas to pursue

🤝 The challenges and rewards of working with your spouse (spoiler: therapy helps!)

🧠 How their technical cyber backgrounds inform their creative endeavors

🏥 Alissa’s recent health scare and the wake-up call that changed their approach to work-life balance

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🏆We’ve been nominated as Podcast of the Year for the SANS Difference Maker awards! Voting is open now through Oct 4. You can vote for the show here: https://www.sans.org/about/awards/difference-makers/

Thank you for your support!