Summary
In this conversation, Cassandra Mack shares her inspiring journey from a fundamentalist upbringing to becoming a successful CISO @cybersecurity Spekit, and CEO of T&T Consulting. She discusses the challenges she faced in her education and career, the accidental path that led her to consulting, and her vision for her business. Cass emphasizes the importance of building trust, proactive problem-solving, and treating clients with respect. She also highlights her unique approach to consulting, focusing on understanding clients' needs and providing tailored solutions. In this conversation, Cass Mack also discusses the importance of trust in sales, the concept of bootstrapping security for small businesses, and the challenges faced in the cybersecurity industry. She emphasizes the need for effective communication and understanding business needs, particularly for CISOs. The discussion also highlights the significance of quality over cost in cybersecurity solutions and the necessity of asking the right questions to uncover underlying issues within organizations.

Takeaways

• Cass's journey to education was unconventional and filled with challenges.

• She emphasizes the importance of mentorship in her career development.

• T&T Consulting's mission is to help clients identify and solve their problems.

• Building trust with clients is crucial for successful consulting.

• Cass believes in proactive problem-solving rather than waiting for issues to arise.

• Her approach to consulting is to understand the client's unique situation.

• She values relationships and referrals in growing her business.

• Cass aims to empower others, especially women in tech, through her work.

• She prefers a flexible engagement model over rigid retainers.

• Cass's philosophy is to treat clients with respect and integrity. Selling to the right people is crucial for success.

• Bootstrapping security can empower small businesses.

• Trust in salespeople can alleviate the burden of selling.

• Effective communication is key in cybersecurity consulting.

• Quality should be prioritized over cost in security tools.

Understanding business needs can lead to better security solutions.

• Asking the right questions can uncover hidden issues.

• Building relationships with vendors can streamline processes.

• Cybersecurity should be accessible to everyone.

• Legacy and giving back to the community are important values.

Special Guest
Cassandra Mack   / cassandramack-lasvegas   CISO @ Spekit https://www.spekit.com/ CEO @ T and T Consulting https://www.tandtconsulting.com