Look Left @ Marketing

Deb Radcliff’s cyber thriller Breaking Backbones: Information Is Power was released this spring. It’s the initial installment in her Hacker Trilogy series.  

Deb is the first investigative journalist to make cybercrime a beat. Since 1996, she has been embedded in the hacker and law enforcement communities learning their techniques, lifestyles and philosophies that make them unique. Deb has won several awards for her investigative reporting, most notably two Jesse H. Neal Awards, one for best individual feature, for “Hackers, Terrorists and Spies” in Software Magazine, and the other for group reporting, best news story, Computerworld, “Wireless LANs: Trouble in the Air.”

In addition to her work as a novelist, Deb Radcliff is quite busy covering the cybercrime and cybersecurity beat as an analyst, author, speaker and thought leader. Look Left’s Davida Dinerman caught up with Deb to discuss her novels, the latest threats in cybersecurity and a look at some of the pioneering women in cyber security. Here are some highlights of the conversation:

01:28 - Overview of Breaking Backbones and a look ahead to the second installment, Information Should be Free.

03:51 - Covering from cybersecurity over the past 25 years

06:22 - Cyber attacks are longer and better planned than ever

10:14 - New cybersecurity roles in IT

12:46 - Living in an era of zero trust online

15:07 - Pioneering women in cybersecurity 

21:21 - Common traits of groundbreaking women in cybersecurity

23:47 - Growing diversity in cybersecurity

Melody Kimmel is one of the country’s leading media, presentation and message trainers. 

Before starting her firm, MK Media Training, Melody spent many years in the communications industry - as a journalist, corporate marketer and agency PR executive. During that time, she coached countless experts, from B2B CEOs to scientists, authors and celebrities. With Melody’s guidance, these professionals learned how to tell their stories with skill and confidence. Look Left’s Davida Dinerman and John Moran recently connected with Melody to discuss effective communication and presentation strategies. Here are some highlights of the conversation:

01:45 - Melody’s keys to successful communication - the Four As (Authenticity, Assessment, Anticipation and Agenda) 

06:01 - Being prepared but conversational in media interviews

12:56 - Getting C-level executives serious about practice and coaching (it doesn’t come easy)

18:02 - Being persuasive means projecting energy and confidence 

20:50 - Corporate messaging when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion

29:36 - Talk is cheap; companies need to put into practice the values they espouse

31:44 - Continuous improvement; executives must review past presentations and practice to get better 

Like many events over the past year, the Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) 2020 conference was canceled by the organization due to the pandemic. HIMSS is the world’s largest health information and technology show, so the decision was difficult—especially since it was one of the first conferences to make that call. This year, HIMSS21 is poised to return with both in-person and virtual elements Aug. 9-13 in Las Vegas.

Look Left’s Davida Dinerman recently spoke with HIMSS Vice President, Meeting Services and Sales Karen Malone and HIMSS Vice President, Professional Development JoAnn Klinedinst about lessons learned from 2020 and what to expect from this year’s new hybrid event. 

02:18 - Karen shares insight into the decision to cancel HIMSS 2020 because of the pandemic.

04:18- Karen on the future of HIMSS21 and what plans they’re making to potentially be in-person.

06:19 - Despite the uncertainty of the HIMSS21 format, JoAnn says speaking and presentation submissions for this year’s show are strong. 

07:19 - JoAnn talks about some of the new presentation categories, some of which reflect the reality of the pandemic. 

09:11 - JoAnn details the many ways attendees can participate in HIMSS presentations.

09:52 - Karen discusses the big company vs. startup ratio at HIMSS.

10:57 - Karen on how startups and innovation are driving the healthcare industry.

11:45 - JoAnn explains why the show is evolving away from social media ambassadors to influential changemakers.

14:15 - Karen shares tips for first-time attendees.

16:16 - Karen offers a glimpse into new features for HIMSS this year

17:13 - According to Karen, the pandemic has unquestionably changed HIMSS’ approach to event planning.

18:33 - JoAnn and Karen share what occupation they’d pursue if they weren’t in their current roles.

19:43 - Karen talks about the various benefits of the traditional HIMSS venues — Chicago, Las Vegas and Orlando.

For the past 35 years, Peter Arnold has been immersed in the high-stakes world of Washington political and corporate affairs. Following his years as a White House speechwriter during the Reagan and Bush administrations, Peter began leading national media campaigns, including serving as director of public affairs for UN-50, which organized the United Nations' 50th anniversary. 

In 1998, Peter founded Arnold Consulting in Washington, D.C. Since that time, he has managed successful government and media campaigns for some of the nation’s highest-profile public policy issues of the past quarter century.

Peter Arnold is a graduate of Dartmouth College and a classmate of Look Left’s Davida Dinerman. Davida and John Moran recently caught up with Peter to talk about his illustrious career and the best ways for corporate leaders to communicate in today’s fast-paced media climate. Here are a few of the highlights:

01:43 - Tips for planning a successful communications campaign 

04:37 - Corporate executives should not treat speeches like policy papers

06:10 - Tech companies need to earn the trust of consumers and policy makers

09:03 - Most people would be shocked to know how much of their data is gathered by tech giants

12:13 - Allocating financial resources for 2021 political and corporate campaigns

16:53 - Peter’s experience as a White House speechwriter

22:10 - Having a front row seat for many of the dramatic events of the late 1980s

24:44 - How should companies handle negative news?

26:42 - Suggestions for effective speeches

29:35 - An experience that left a lasting impression - the importance of “doing good things”

Don Fluckinger covers customer experience (CX) management and its enabling technologies for Tech Target’s Search Customer Experience and their allied systems for SearchContentManagement. His previous articles have appeared in publications and websites including SearchHealthIT, Ziff Davis’ PDFzone.com, Briefings on Hospital Safety, The Boston Globe, Billboard and Antiques Roadshow Insider. 

Don also had a stint working as a PR pro alongside Davida Dinerman. The two chatted about a variety of topics.

02:07 - Don’s intro into journalism started with music

05:15 - How being a music journalist prepared him to write about tech

06:34 - The evolution of journalism over the last 30 years

11:41 - Article ideas often news-based, but PR pros are also helpful in framing a topic

14:01 - When breaking news is your beat, schedules can be fluid

16:19 - The best time to reach out with an embargo

17:53 - How Don determines what he’ll cover and who he’ll talk to at a trade show

21:48 - Virtual are necessary now, but Don misses the face-to-face experience

23:51 - Topics that are particularly interesting to him right now

27:42 - The transition from journalism to PR was harder than anticipated

30:25 - On how he prioritizes PR email

31:35 - Things PR pros do that drive him “bananas.” 

35:37 - Don shares his affinity for cooking — especially with cast iron skillets and barbecue

39:03 - Don offers details on an unexpected brush with a member of the J. Geils Band

Welcome to part two of Davida Dinerman’s fascinating conversation with Deb Radcliff. Deb is the first person to recognize cybersecurity as a reporting beat. She was immersed in the hacking community in the mid-1990s, when few people were familiar with hacking. Deb has won several awards for her investigative reporting, most notably two Jesse H. Neal Awards, one for best individual feature, for “Hackers, Terrorists and Spies” in Software Magazine, and the other for group reporting, best news story, Computerworld, “Wireless LANs: Trouble in the Air.”

Deb’s business, DeRad CyberSecurity Publishing Services, built a white paper and webcast program for SANS institute. She has also written for the SANS Security Insights blog, including Top Three COVID-Related Risks from earlier this year. 

Radcliff has recently created a new cyber thriller screenplay, Breaking Backbones, as part of a hacker trilogy TV or streaming series.

In this portion of the conversation, Deb Radcliff shares her insights on the role of the CISO and gives us a preview of her cyber thrillers.

00:49 - The term “hacker” has been mangled through the years

04:37 - CISOs are in a tough place

07:12 - CISOs must be able to speak the language of the business - not just security

11:21 - Deb’s latest cyber thriller, “Breaking Backbones”

13:56 - Story characters are based on real-life personalities

18:37 - Getting started as a book author

19:32 - Privacy issues related to chips embedded in humans

Deb Radcliff is the first person to recognize cybersecurity as a reporting beat. She was immersed in the hacking community in the mid-1990s, when few people were familiar with hacking. Deb has won several awards for her investigative reporting, most notably two Jesse H. Neal Awards, one for best individual feature, for “Hackers, Terrorists and Spies” in Software Magazine, and the other for group reporting, best news story, Computerworld, “Wireless LANs: Trouble in the Air.”

Deb’s business, DeRad CyberSecurity Publishing Services, built a white paper and webcast program for SANS institute. She has also written for the SANS Security Insights blog, including Top Three COVID-Related Risks from earlier this year. 

Radcliff has recently created a new cyber thriller screenplay, Breaking Backbones, as part of a hacker trilogy TV or streaming series.

Look Left’s Davida Dinerman recently spoke with Deb Radcliff on the Look Left @ Marketing Podcast. In part one, Deb describes how she got into cybersecurity and some of the characters and adventures she encountered in the early days.

01:55 - Started her cybersecurity career in 1995 researching Kevin Mitnick for Jonathan Littman’s book, “The Fugitive Game.” 

09:05 - Reporting the first email viruses

13:08 - Cybersecurity is still not being done properly

16:28 - Even corporate cyber IT pros don’t fully grasp where vulnerabilities exist

19:25 - Evolution of “hackers”

23:10 - Today’s bug bounties

Janice McCallum, managing director for Health Content Advisors, is a marketing strategist for companies that produce healthcare content or data products. She specializes in developing and assessing business models that leverage the value of data and has a strong focus on how the healthcare industry can improve information access to enable informed decision making. 

Over her 25 years of consulting, Janice has led engagements with dozens of companies, including Thomson Reuters, Elsevier, D&B, Microsoft Health Solutions Group and some of the top medical journal publishers like NEJM. She also serves as an independent board member for the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery and is a past board member of The Society for Participatory Medicine.  

In addition to speaking at industry conferences, Janice is consistently on the #HIT100 list of top contributors to health IT in social media, as well as being a HIMSS social media ambassador for three years. 

Look Left’s Davida Dinerman recently spoke with Janice McCallum on the Look Left @ Marketing Podcast to talk about a wide range of healthcare and data topics.

06:22 - The challenges brought on by today’s vast volumes of data

09:16 - Janice’s interest in infodemiology

15:46 - The promise and challenges of patient-provided information

22:11 - Why aren’t we prescribing more information?

25:53 - The development of patient communities

27:35 - Not all patients are alike and the system needs to reflect that

Notable quotes:

"One of my hot buttons is that we don't  spend enough time or put enough dollars or effort into gathering data and preparing data for analysis.”

Data is only as valuable as your ability to accurately analyze it: “I think there's a lot of promise in information that patients can provide either through their  own observations or through devices and sensors. One of the issues, and, this is an age old problem that I've dealt with since the early days of my computer use, is the data has to be normalized and it has to be in a common format so that analyzation makes sense. If something's not in the same unit as the next item in your  data input, then it's not going to make any sense. So

"Patient empowerment with agency means the patient can  actually direct some of their care and and control information flows.”

The difference between engagement and empowerment as it relates to patient data: “The concept of patient engagement that we mostly see now in practice is, ‘Oh, here patient. Here's some more information,’ or ‘Here patient, do this.’ And it's a one-way delivery of orders, if you will. Whereas patient empowerment would be much more of an  interactive process."

Few publications have stood the test of time. SC Media is one that, over the decades, has continued to improve, expand and align with industry needs. And its new editor-in-chief, Jill Aitoro, has plans to keep it moving forward.

In addition to her role at SC Media, Jill is also the editorial director at CyberRisk Alliance, where she supports content development for the Cybersecurity Collaborative network of chief information security officers. Jill is an experienced journalist and editor who has held leadership positions at numerous business, government and technology brands, leading several through digital transformations. 

Prior to joining the CyberRisk Alliance, she worked at Sightline Media as editor of Defense News and executive editor of the Business-to-Government Group, guiding and developing the editorial strategy for federal outlets and the cyber brand Fifth Domain. She previously worked for Washington Business Journal and Nextgov, covering federal technology, contracting and policy. 

She recently joined Look Left’s Davida Dinerman on the Look Left @ Marketing Podcast to talk about a wide range of cybersecurity topics.

• 01:44 - Careers Jill might have pursued if she hadn’t chosen publishing
• 02:50 - Why SC Media and CyberRisk Alliance felt like the right move for Jill
• 05:29 - Cybersecurity is the underlying factor to innovation 
• 06:57 - Companies are beginning to view cybersecurity as a business driver
• 08:46 - Cybersecurity lessons the public and private sectors can learn from one another 
• 10:45 - The changes affecting cybersecurity professionals. 
• 13:23 - What Jill’s most pleased with, in terms of SC’s coverage
• 16:45 - A preview on SC’s annual Women in Security feature
• 20:33 - Factors contributing to the cybersecurity skills gap
• 22:50 - The evolving nature of cybersecurity and trends 
• 22:48 - TikTok and the difficult balance of access to data and cybersecurity
• 27:31- Cybersecurity predictions for the coming year
• 29:21 - Advice for PR pros working with the SC and CyberRisk Alliance

Lori Cohen is a go-to-market executive with an impressive track record in launching and growing enterprises. The founder and CEO of BlueSky Branding, Lori is a data-driven CMO with deep experience in demand generation including search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), account based marketing (ABM), field and partner marketing, content-marketing, digital and much more. 

She’s also a former journalist. Lori began her career as a business reporter for PBS - and won multiple awards including a National Emmy, Peabody Award and a Nieman Fellowship to study at Harvard Business School.

In this episode of the Look Left @ Marketing podcast, Bryan Scanlon talks with Lori about the importance of branding in enterprise tech.

01:15 - Discovering your “why”

02:23 - Lori’s definition of branding

05:36 - Marketers measuring vanity metrics

08:56 - Gazelle, an example of how proper branding boosts a business

16:42 - Symptoms of a lackluster brand

25:12 - Branding around customer insights

30:09 - Best metrics for measuring branding success

For more information on everything she’s up to, be sure to visit https://www.blueskybranding.com/.

Notable quotes

• The term “brand” can mean a lot of things — here’s how Lori defines it: “I think at the highest level a brand is what people are saying about you when you're not in the room. So the brand is the experience, it's every touch point, your logo and your tagline and your colors and your website. But it's (also) your reps, your emails, your social tiles and what you're talking about. It's all of those things wrapped together that create kind of this emotional bond between you and your customer.”
• The volume of vanity metrics like managed qualified leads (MQL) and sales qualified leads (SQL) doesn’t necessarily help build your brand: “I think it's a little bit backwards. I think if you can figure out what your brand stands for, then you can target the right people. Then you can bring less MQL in. So maybe when you make this transition, they go down and to the left, but the quality is better and it feeds your pipeline. And the end result is the end result you want, which is to drive revenue. Because whether you're in sales or marketing, isn't your job to drive revenue and be part of the go to market team?”
• Lori identifies the symptoms of a lackluster brand: “Your campaigns are no longer performing the way they used to. Your cost of customer acquisition is really going up. You know, your churns are high, your competitors are kind of nipping at your heels. And there's a lot of downward pressure on price, not just from your customers, but even your sales team is saying, “We have to lower the price.” We have to lower our price. And traditionally you've had a great product. I mean, you really do have good technology, but you've, you've always focused on things like the features and the functionality. And now you have competitors in the market that are really blowing you out of the water because they're positioning themselves against you and you're not responding.”