What if the reason your startup isn’t getting funded… has nothing to do with your product?In this episode of Data and Confused, we sit down with venture capital advisor Liana Zavo to uncover what actually drives investment decisions in today’s AI-driven world.

While most founders focus on building better technology and stronger metrics, Liana breaks down why those things alone aren’t enough. The real differentiator? Your story. We explore how investor psychology really works, why emotional connection matters more than logic, and how founders can position themselves to stand out in an increasingly crowded and AI-saturated market.

From the importance of data and AI readiness to the role of PR, branding, and credibility, this conversation reveals the hidden factors that separate funded startups from the ones that get overlooked. If you're building a company, raising capital, or trying to understand where the future of venture capital is headed, this episode will completely change how you think about growth, funding, and storytelling.

More from Liana - https://zavoventures.com/

To learn more from Robert head to: https://protectnowllc.com/

Cybersecurity conversations usually focus on tools, firewalls, and technology. But according to cybersecurity expert Robert Siciliano, the real battle isn’t technical. It’s human. In this episode of Data and Confused, Glen sits down with Robert Siciliano, a cybersecurity expert and former private investigator who has spent decades studying social engineering and human behavior. Robert shares how his early experiences shaped his understanding of predators, risk, and the psychology behind scams. From identity theft in the early internet days to today’s AI-powered fraud and deepfakes, he explains why most cybersecurity training fails to change behavior. His solution? A shift from security awareness to security appreciation. Instead of treating cybersecurity as a compliance exercise, Robert argues that organizations must make security personal. When employees understand how security protects their families, finances, and identities, they begin to care. If cybersecurity is ultimately about people, then protecting organizations starts by helping individuals protect themselves.

What if your company could own its software again? In this solo episode of Data and Confused, Glen explores the concept of data independence and why it may be the next major shift in enterprise technology strategy. From the mainframe era to SaaS lock-in to the rise of AI, businesses have slowly traded ownership for convenience. But now, with open data formats like Apache Iceberg and modern AI development tools, organizations may have the opportunity to reclaim control of their data, infrastructure, and applications. Is it time to rethink build vs buy? Is AI the tool that could finally break vendor dependency? Join the conversation and let us know how your organization is thinking about data ownership.

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In this episode, cybersecurity auditing expert Lori Crooks joins Glen to break down CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification) and why it’s about to become unavoidable for thousands of organizations connected to the Defense Industrial Base. They explore what CMMC actually requires, how Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) drives compliance scope, and why small subcontractors and “subs of subs” are often the most at risk. Lori walks through readiness assessments, audits, incident response requirements, and the real costs of getting compliant, including tooling, documentation, and third-party auditors. The conversation also covers FedRAMP, NIST frameworks, AI governance risks, cloud security, and why even printers, mobile devices, and ticketing systems can become cybersecurity liabilities. If your organization works with the DoD, government agencies, or sensitive data, this episode offers a clear, real-world look at what compliance actually takes and why waiting may cost you future contracts.

In this episode of Data and Confused, Manuj Aggarwal joins Glen Kendell for a wide-ranging conversation on why AI adoption feels chaotic, dangerous, and transformative all at once. Manuj, a 30-year technology veteran with multiple AI patents, explains why artificial intelligence is fundamentally different from every technology that came before it. Unlike tools that enhanced physical labor, AI enhances human cognition, and that changes everything. They explore why most organizations are deploying AI without strategy or oversight, how uncontrolled AI agents create data chaos, and why traditional software systems like CRMs and ERPs may not survive the next five years. The conversation dives deep into Manuj’s concept of a “digital twin” an AI reflection of the human mind that helps individuals and teams use AI safely, purposefully, and at scale. This episode goes beyond prompts and productivity hacks to ask bigger questions about identity, purpose, data ownership, and what it means to stay human in an AI-driven world.

In this episode of Data and Confused, Glen is joined by Chris Brown of WoW Remote Teams to explore what actually makes remote and nearshore hiring succeed or fail. Chris shares hard-earned lessons from scaling teams across Latin America, including why communication and expectations matter more than cost savings, how to avoid hiring “unicorns,” and what it really means to integrate remote talent as part of your team instead of outsourcing work into a black box. They also dive into how AI is changing hiring, onboarding, and productivity, from cleaning up chaotic knowledge bases to accelerating everyday work, and why human judgment is still critical in an AI-driven world. If you’re an entrepreneur, founder, or leader thinking about remote teams, nearshoring, or AI-enabled work, this conversation offers practical insight grounded in real-world experience.

To learn more about Chris's work head to: https://www.wowremoteteams.com Wow Remote Teams connects clients with top pre-vetted talent in Latin America, allowing U.S. companies save up to 70% on salary expenses.

In this episode, commercial banking veteran Walt Postlewait joins Glen to break down how modern banking actually works and why trust, relationships, and human judgment still matter in an AI-driven world. From the real causes of the 2008 financial crisis to the rise of community banks and CDFIs, Walt explains how money moves behind the scenes and why small businesses often get squeezed by the system. They also explore how AI is reshaping lending, fraud detection, and risk management... along with the growing threat of deepfakes, large-scale scams, and financial fraud targeting the elderly. As banks lean more on automation, this conversation asks a critical question: what happens when technology can no longer tell who’s real? Whether you’re a business owner, technologist, or just trying to understand how money and trust intersect in the digital age, this episode reveals why relationships may be the last real safeguard left in banking.

More from Walt- https://portfoliowatch.co/

In this episode of Data and Confused, Glen is joined by Dr. Anmol Agarwal, Senior Cybersecurity Researcher at Nokia and professor at George Washington University, to explore what 6G will actually mean for AI, security, and the future of global networks.

They break down why 6G is being designed as an AI-native network, how attackers are already using AI to scale ransomware, deepfakes, and zero-day exploits, and why defenders are locked in an emerging AI-vs-AI cybersecurity arms race. The conversation also covers telecom resilience, denial-of-service attacks, identity in mobile networks, and how CISOs can separate real AI security tools from pure hype.

If you work in cybersecurity, telecom, or cloud infrastructure—or just want a clear look at how AI is reshaping the internet—this episode delivers practical insight into what’s coming next.

In this episode, fractional CISO and AI governance expert Rock Lambros joins Glen to break down why traditional AI governance is officially dead and what organizations must do before they get burned. From real world LLM mishaps like production databases being wiped, to the rise of agentic AI capable of taking real world actions, Rock explains how the risks are evolving faster than most companies can keep up.

They also dig into how data governance has become a mandatory foundation for AI adoption, why prompt injection remains the “new SQL injection,” and how over reliance on AI is already causing harm in healthcare, mental health, and critical decision making. Rock also shares how token costs can spiral out of control, what to know about MCP plugins, and why the EU AI Act is becoming the global gold standard for regulation.

Whether you’re building AI products, overseeing cybersecurity and data programs, or simply trying to understand where AI governance is headed, this conversation reveals the immediate risks and the long-term responsibilities that every organization needs to prepare for.

In Part 2, Glen and cybersecurity expert Trey Blalock go deeper into how AI is reshaping the next generation of cyberattacks—and what defenders can still do to fight back.

Trey reveals how attackers are using LLMs for fuzzing and vulnerability discovery, enabling a surge of zero-day exploits. He shares chilling examples of deepfake-based fraud, fake Zoom meetings, and AI-assisted phishing that blur the line between real and synthetic interactions.

They also discuss the new risks of the public cloud era—where tools like “AWS Nuke” can wipe entire environments in seconds, and how attackers now clone and ransom your data inside the same cloud you trust.

This episode dives into the architecture, psychology, and policy gaps that keep organizations exposed—and why the solution isn’t more AI, but better fundamentals.