I spent twenty-some years selling security technologies and solutions to a wide range of buyers. Without a doubt, technically savvy buyers are the most difficult to close. They know what they want and they expect you to understand their problems. I endured numerous brutal grillings from these kinds of buyers…

There are thousands of distractions while running a startup or small business. While founders (like me) are fond of dishing out advice on how to woo investors, wow customers, and win talent, I am going to spotlight something mundane that is absolutely critical to your success: getting paid. If your…

Not in its current form and not if the Texas Attorney General gets his way Recently, I was on a panel discussion for the United Nation’s AI for Good program about the Metaverse and Artificial Intelligence. At the end of the discussion, the moderator asked an intriguing question: can the…

Dealerships are uploading the worst parts of car buying to the cloud For the past few months, I have been shopping for that icon of American industrial might, a new pickup truck. Specifically, a Ford F-150. The F-150 is the most popular pickup truck on the market. …

For twenty-some years, I did most of the sales engineering (SE) at my company. I loved SE work. I got to meet people, hear their problems, and help them. I sold complex security cybersecurity products and services. Most of the prospects I sold to were technically savvy. …

What the heck is wrong with CISOs? They seem stressed, angry, and frustrated … more so than usual. And what is with all the drinking? I missed RSA this year, but the stories and Twitter posts are soaked in alcohol. I am not the only one noticing all these stressed…

Years ago, I began collecting leadership aphorisms (sayings). These helped me stay grounded as I struggled with the daily grind of running a company. They also reminded me of the best practices and strategies I had learned in my CEO coaching. Here are some of my favorite leadership aphorisms. You Get What You Tolerate If…

See the Future, Be the Future While doing research this week, I noticed a multitude of articles about the impending startup crash. Here is a good example from Wired. Most of these articles cite on-going supply chain disruption, inflation, or eroding consumer confidence as the causes of the crash. These…

The Metaverse is an expansive, overhyped, often contradictory realm that evades simple definitions. Is it a game? A virtual world? A place to trade NFTs and cryptocurrencies? The next Internet (web 3.0)? An entirely new way for people to interact? A company? A community? A joke? It is all those…