Earnest’s Post

For the CISO's out there...what's your next role? "As the CISO role matures in enterprise settings and security executives level up their positions from technology managers into more well-rounded risk advisers and business leaders, career progressions are changing. The CISO job is no longer the final executive destination for folks today, as security leaders seek to parlay their growing sets of business skills into a broader class of executive positions in the C-suite." CISO as a CTO: When and Why It Makes Sense https://lnkd.in/eVUfzXFT

#FridayVibes I could have not imagined better end of the workweek. The last couple of weeks lasted in tremendous work on increasing our #cybersecurity posture as well as #compliance programs. 📢 I want to share in public since this effort was recognized and I received the IT „Rockstar Rookie Award” . This award recognized an employee who has recently joined the #INFA and is on the way to becoming a star perfomer. ⭐️ This is the second global recognition during my 5 month journey at Informatica. This provides me more confidence on the effort I personally do, with an ❗️ enormous ❗️ contribution from our #INFAteams. However I know one thing: I did not personally win. WE won. Our team. Our effort. Our collaboration. Our continuous support, continuous trust and continous improvement. (Sounds familiar to clause 5 &10 of #ISO?) Why am I saying that in public❓  Not only to be more self-motivated and work harder, not to celebrate online and focus only on "winnings” (failures may always come, even – or particularly? - after successes). I do want to say that "sky is the limit” . Even if sometimes you have troubles (including personal, health, any other bad moments...), do not stop believing and trust your team, #teamobjectives and #values. As my menthor (and manager!) says: WE win together, we lose together. I can add only that we will not lose. We do want win - and we will. Sometimes it would be hard, but the effort and final outcome is worth it. Not for you. For everyone.   Just do good, act as a one team, think customer-first and aspire and innovate (#DATAvalues #DATA #INFADATA). 🔅  I would like to say a big THANK YOU for our #GSO and #IT  #leadership and #teams for fantastic team collaboration. 💯 🔎 What’s next? Keep pushing? 😉 Will be hard? I guess but… sky is the limit?🏃 #TGIF #award #ISO #compliance #audit #ISMS #cybersecurityprogram #strategy #companyculture #personaldevelopment #personalbranding #globalallhands #ITallhands

I've learned a lot in my career, but it has taken time to get here! There are certain things you can only learn from experience, but there are ways to better prepare yourself for these experiences, and these bits of knowledge from Andrada Fiscutean can definitely help. One of the pieces of wisdom that I think is most important that Fiscutean provides is this: Tech alone won’t cut it. Tech is important but it's about so much more than that. “A superior process associated with weak technology is more effective than a weak process associated with superior technology,” says Dimitri Chichlo. #CISO #CISOAdvice #BusinessStrategy

Sitting in a plane departing from Washington DC, where the cherry blossoms were starting to show off and the city's energy was as captivating as ever. The trip began with a dinner at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab—my favorite spot—with our CEO Hal Brooks and John Wilson, our President of Forensics and CISO. There’s nothing like discussing future strategies over some of the city’s finest steaks and stone crab - yes, there were pies as well. This visit was pivotal, anchored by our year in review meeting with one of our key law firm clients. In the relentless pace of eDiscovery and #cyberincidentresponse, where our projects cascade from one urgent deadline to the next, these reflective pauses are crucial. They're our chance to recalibrate, to assess our journey from what was to what’s next. This annual summit transcends the usual quarterly business review's focus on immediate transactions. It's our forward-looking radar, ensuring we haven't just been running in place. It’s about accountability, and more importantly, candidly owning up to our missteps before anything else. This honesty paves the way for a raw, unfiltered dialogue about our past year's performance—what we aced, where we veered off path, and how we can elevate our game. While we're dissecting past actions, we're simultaneously laying the groundwork for the future. It's a strategic session of goal setting, of aligning our ambitions with our capabilities, ensuring that come next year, we can either celebrate our foresight or recalibrate our trajectory. This process isn’t about maintenance; it’s about growth, innovation, and pushing boundaries. Our discussions make it abundantly clear: we’re in this together. The unique challenges and insights our clients bring to the table don’t just keep us agile—they ignite our creative engines. It’s a dynamic exchange of ideas and strategies, each conversation potentially birthing the next breakthrough. So, yes, while these meetings are a look back, they're fundamentally about leaping forward. About striving for more, bettering our collective offering, and deepening our partnerships through shared ambition and mutual respect. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Have you had similar experiences with year-end reviews or strategic planning sessions? How do you approach the balance between reflection and forward planning? #grateful #ediscovery #cybersecurity #strategicplanning #innovation #washingtondc #businessgrowth

Turning risk into opportunity.

Two years ago, I was overwhelmed with administrivia and finance challenges. We decided to make a non-cybersecurity hire, someone who could help me run the business. Brad Lauer joined the team as Director of Business Operations. In short order, Brad's presence could be felt. This process, that issue... magically got resolved. Things that I didn't know needed to be done got done. One by one items came off of my plate. A year later things were running much smoother. But then we had a terrible quarter in Q2 of last year. Brad promptly took over the sales process and transformed the company. We had a monster quarter in Q3. We are now talking to many more prospects AND not dropping the ball. Brad has helped to transform Fractional CISO. Much of the process and culture is due to his leadership. That is why I am excited to announced that Brad Lauer has been promoted to VP of Business Operations. It is well deserved. Congratulations, Brad! #fciso #businessleadership #businessoperations

My colleague Joe Munson at BDO USA has continuously contributed to the business for **30 years**. As a Managing Director driving our #cybersecurity team's operational #consulting mechanics, it's difficult to overstate the impact he has making sure our clients are served well. I've been blessed to work alongside him and observed a few lessons that make him an incredible part of the team and any professional can learn from: - People Focus: Care for the lifecycle of what people need, yes there are mechanics involved but first and foremost look at communication, understanding, structure, and next step to help people feel comfortable and move forward. - Relentlessly Positive: In 30 years, BDO's Digital business and the prior structure of SWC have experienced good markets and tough markets. Stay focused on the next challenge, the next opportunity. Figure out what that is, and go do it. - Keep your feet moving: Joe is constantly working. Some of its tactical work. Some of its being a career advisor for new team members before we know where the best fit for someone is in the team. It doesn't matter whether its shiny work or operations work, if it needs done, delegate where its needed, and go do the thing when its just better for the business to dig in and do it. 30 Years is a tremendous time in any technology or consulting company, and our whole tree of professionals are the better for having someone so passionate, engaged, and caring to make sure our mechanics are sound to drive critical things like estimation and staffing.

The first 100 days of a CISO’s tenure are critically important to setting up their role for success. Ensure security is aligned to best support the business with these tips.

The first 100 days of a CISO’s tenure are critically important to setting up their role for success. Ensure security is aligned to best support the business with these tips.

The first 100 days of a CISO’s tenure are critically important to setting up their role for success. Ensure security is aligned to best support the business with these tips.