Fireside Chat w/Billy Langenstein Director, Security @NFL

[00:00:00] Hello, hello. [00:00:30] Thanks for joining. [00:00:34] What's up, Tom? [00:00:38] Let's get this right. [00:00:42] I've just got my timezone mixed up. [00:00:46] Let's see. [00:00:48] Hello, hello. [00:00:50] Thanks for joining. [00:00:52] What's up, Tom? [00:00:54] Let's get this right. [00:00:56] I've just got my timezone mixed up today. [00:01:00] I happen to be on the West Coast. [00:01:04] I almost forgot. [00:01:08] This is 8pm Eastern time. [00:01:10] Not Pacific. [00:01:16] If you're just joining the room, we'll get started in about [00:01:20] 9 minutes or so. [00:01:22] So thank you for joining. [00:01:24] We'll get started in about 9 minutes or so. [00:01:26] We'll be joined by [00:01:28] Billy Langston. [00:01:30] Should be a very interesting conversation. [00:01:32] So thank you for joining. [00:01:34] Just hang tight for a bit. [00:01:36] As I get the room set up. [00:01:38] So just hang tight for a bit. [00:01:40] Please. [00:01:42] There's Billy. [00:01:44] Billy, we'll do a quick microphone check for you. [00:01:47] So on the bottom right of your screen, [00:01:49] you should see something that looks like a microphone. [00:01:51] Just click that and I should unmute you. [00:01:54] There it is. [00:01:56] Hey, Billy. [00:01:57] Can you hear me? [00:01:58] Hey, can you hear me? [00:01:59] I can hear you loud and clear, my friend. [00:02:01] Loud and clear. [00:02:02] Awesome. [00:02:03] So you can mute and unmute with that to the bottom right. [00:02:07] I'm just going to go through some logistics. [00:02:10] And then we'll get started in about 8 minutes or so. [00:02:13] So just hang tight there. [00:02:15] Let the folks in the room gather. [00:02:17] Hey, Professor Roger. [00:02:18] Good to see you. [00:02:19] I see somebody who's new. [00:02:22] Hey, Jeff. [00:02:26] I don't know who you are who's trying to come up on stage. [00:02:29] So since I don't know you. [00:02:32] And I don't know what you're about. [00:02:35] We're going to actually hold on for questions. [00:02:38] So about 30 to 45 minutes or so, then we'll open up for questions. [00:02:42] So why don't you hang tight in the audience. [00:02:45] If you do have a question that you want to raise, feel free to put it in the chat. [00:02:49] But we haven't started yet. [00:02:50] So I don't know what you're curious about or why you want to come up on stage. [00:02:54] But just hang tight and we will bring you up in a little bit. [00:02:58] Hey, Octavia, quick microphone check for you. [00:03:01] Hey, hopefully you can hear me. [00:03:04] I can hear you coming a little bit low, but I can't hear you. [00:03:08] I can absolutely hear you. [00:03:11] Thanks for thanks for joining us. [00:03:12] Let me just do some quick logistics here and get the room set up. [00:03:16] So let's talk about some topics. [00:03:18] We'll do some networking. [00:03:20] That's always a fun topic. [00:03:22] We've got Billy, so can we do some sporting? [00:03:28] Yeah, maybe do some sporting. [00:03:30] There we go. [00:03:32] And Billy has an MBA. [00:03:45] Still possibly the shit. [00:03:47] Here we go. [00:03:48] So if it's the first time you're joining us, this is our weekly fireside chat. [00:03:52] We will get started in about six minutes. [00:03:54] We do have a few moderators joining us. [00:03:56] Russell, quick microphone check for you, my friend. [00:03:59] Tomas, how are you? [00:04:01] Great to see everybody. [00:04:02] Great to be back after being off for a little bit. [00:04:04] Yeah, good to hear you. [00:04:06] Good to hear from you, Russell. [00:04:08] So, David Cass, microphone check for you, my friend. [00:04:12] Hey, what's going on? [00:04:14] Good hearing you guys. [00:04:16] Not that I just didn't see you a couple of weeks ago, but... [00:04:18] I know, that's right. [00:04:20] So you had a black hat. [00:04:22] We spent a lot of time at Black Hat. [00:04:24] We missed Octavia. [00:04:25] We didn't see Octavia. [00:04:26] Actually, we missed Russell as well. [00:04:28] We did not see Russell at Black Hat. [00:04:31] Octavia was in Orlando at Disney. [00:04:36] That is correct. [00:04:37] In the sun. [00:04:38] It was so hot. [00:04:39] That is correct. [00:04:41] All right. [00:04:42] So we've got a question already in the chat. [00:04:45] That is great. [00:04:46] So I think that's Bobby G. [00:04:49] If I'm reading that correctly, I know it's a bunch of eights in there, but I'll read it as Bobby. [00:04:55] We will answer that question in a minute. [00:05:02] We'll answer that question shortly. [00:05:04] So just hang tight. [00:05:05] We'll get to it. [00:05:06] For those in the audience with the little sort of celebration hats, if you will, welcome to Clubhouse. [00:05:13] That tells us that it's your first year. [00:05:15] Just joined within the past week. [00:05:17] So welcome to Clubhouse and welcome to our weekly Fireside Chat. [00:05:21] It's good to have you here. [00:05:22] We do this every single Wednesday for about an hour and a half or so. [00:05:26] If it's again, if it's the first time you join us and those who are new to Clubhouse, there's a little green house on the top left of your screen. [00:05:34] You can click that right next to where it says Fireside Chat. [00:05:38] You can click that and you can join the Fireside Chat Club and you'll be able to listen to prior playbacks as well as look at the schedule to see who's coming up next week and subsequent weeks thereafter. [00:05:53] I don't know why. [00:05:56] I thought I hit save on this before. [00:05:59] I didn't save the topics that we want to talk about. [00:06:02] So let me just add that in again. [00:06:04] So just really, really quick, some quick guardrails for the conversation this evening. [00:06:14] You know, again, this is a safe space, if you will. [00:06:19] This is middle of the week. [00:06:20] We like to have a good time. [00:06:22] Really have to hold this as a as a as an opportunity to to get to know our guests in a little bit more detail than their sort of day job, if you will, and maybe get past some of the hey, what do you do at Company X, but more about how did you get and arrive to to the position and the title that you might have today. [00:06:41] So really find out a little bit more about the person, the person behind, you know, the title, if you will, and get get an opportunity to dig a little bit deeper on along the lines of their journey. [00:06:52] So it's a different type of a setup. [00:06:54] If it's the first time you join, it's a different type of setup than your than your usual sort of panel discussions around career and the likes. [00:07:00] But it's more focused on that sort of journey to get to where they are and then what's next for them. [00:07:05] So if you are a vendor in the audience, we're happy to have you. [00:07:09] I think vendors are very important, especially vendors that deal with anything security or anything industry related. [00:07:14] But this is not the time nor the place to jump up on stage to sell us on your product or solution. [00:07:19] Now, please save that for some other opportunity, not the fireside chat. [00:07:25] You're welcome to stay and listen to our guests and learn more about them and find things that resonate with you. [00:07:31] But please do not sell us on your product or solution. This is not the correct time. [00:07:35] The other sort of guardrail I'll say is our opinions and comments today or this evening are really our own and not representative or should be construed as representative of our current or prior employer. [00:07:47] So please keep that in mind. We're speaking candidly. Our thoughts and opinions are own and not our current or prior employer. [00:07:55] Again, fireside chat, little greenhouse top left of your screen. Feel free to click that and you can join the fireside chat club. [00:08:03] This evening, I'm happy to have Billy be our sort of guest in the hot seat, as we like to call it. [00:08:12] Billy Langstein, who is the director of security services and investigations at the NFL and we'll get into sort of Billy's background in a few minutes. [00:08:24] But I'm happy to share the stage with him. He's someone that physically sits in the office right across from me in New York. [00:08:33] So I get to interact with Billy on several occasions in several different capacities. [00:08:39] So I'm looking forward to this evening's conversation. I hope you all enjoy it as well. [00:08:43] So without further ado, why don't we go quickly around the room and hey, Katie, quick, we'll get to you in a second. [00:08:52] You can do a microphone check in second. But why don't we just go quickly around the room and introduce ourselves. [00:08:57] So I am Tomas Maldonado. I'm the CISO at the NFL. Octavia, over to you. Billy, we'll leave you for last. Octavia, over to you. [00:09:06] Hi, I'm Octavia Howell. I'm the CISO for Equifax Canada. [00:09:13] Thanks, Octavia. Russell, go ahead. [00:09:16] Thank you, Octavia. Russell Eubanks here. Been in cyber for a long time. [00:09:20] Last couple of years been leading my company, Security Ever After. [00:09:23] We're helping people get promoted to their first CISO job. And over to you, David. [00:09:29] Thanks, Russell. David Cass, I'm the Global CISO and US CTO for GSR.io. [00:09:36] We are a crypto market making company. So prior to that, a former Fed, as well as, you know, share that in common with Russell. [00:09:43] So happy to be joining everybody tonight. [00:09:46] Hi, everybody. Good evening. Katie Hanahan. [00:09:49] I am the Vice President of Cybersecurity Strategy for a Boutique SI out of Chicago. [00:09:54] I also run our VC program and I'm a CISO for a healthcare company. [00:09:59] All right. And so, look, we're joined this evening. And thanks, Maud. Thanks for sort of joining us and introducing yourself. [00:10:07] We're joined this evening by Billy Langstein. Billy, why don't you take a moment to introduce yourself and you can take as long as you like. [00:10:14] And while you're going through that introduction, why don't you tell us a little bit about you and your origin story? [00:10:19] Yeah, absolutely. Good evening, everybody. And hopefully you guys can all hear me. [00:10:23] Excited to be here and spend the evening with all of you and learn from all you as well and enjoy the conversation. [00:10:29] So a little bit about me and how it started. It's amazing. Everyone has a little bit of a different journey and how we get to where we are today. [00:10:36] Just fascinated just listening to the titles of the group and what you guys do. [00:10:41] For me, in my journey, it really started with a bottle of water, something a necessity for all of us. [00:10:48] And that's sort of how my ironically how my career started in the sports and entertainment field was a bottle of water. [00:10:55] And at 15 years old, I had an opportunity to become a water boy for a event staffing company. [00:11:02] And when I say water boy, that's not for all the Bobby Boucher water boy fans out there. [00:11:07] That is a I was an opportunity to give water to staff and learn it and music venues as a summer job. [00:11:15] Who wouldn't love to be paid to watch shows and concerts of your favorite bands all summer? [00:11:20] And all I had to do was give out water. And that was the one task I had. [00:11:23] Come in, fill up a bucket of water and make sure all the staff working hard, the security, the guest service, the food and beverage, the production, the operations, all had water. [00:11:33] So I run around as a kid, got to see my favorite bands and just make sure it got water. [00:11:37] And that's what I did for several summers. And as I grew in that, what I didn't realize is what the company was doing was teaching me different positions. [00:11:45] So I got to be a ticket taker and usher and a fan ambassador and a security guard as I grew and learned how to set up bike rack and the operations. [00:11:54] And I would still give out the water. And because I what the best thing about a bottle of water taught me was that every person I gave a bottle of water to, [00:12:01] I stopped and had a conversation with them and got to learn a little bit about them in their story and why they were there working all the summer in the shows. [00:12:07] And I got to learn about more about staffing. And as I got a little bit older, that bottle of water turned into heavier objects and more responsibility and opportunities. [00:12:15] And I got to work a little bit with Life Nation in Philadelphia. [00:12:18] And that's where I was born and raised and had an opportunity still in high school, still learning and in the summer jobs and got to expand a little bit into the winter and in the fall. [00:12:28] And I got to be other things from learning how to do backup house operations and being a runner. [00:12:34] Those stories you hear of your favorite artists who love specific writers and they have, you know, we only want brown M&Ms and and certain foods and certain way room set up. [00:12:44] So I I have actually picked out all the colorful M&Ms before just to make sure there's one color in a bowl for the specific artist. [00:12:51] And from there, I ran laundry and did different things. And what I learned was I was learning more about the production and the operation side of the concerts. [00:12:59] As I was growing a little bit in my career, I had an opportunity in the summer. [00:13:03] So I was going in high school and get a little bit older. I got to do some of the music festivals and travel a little bit across the country doing different music festivals and learning different event operations and production operations with how major music festivals go out of school. [00:13:18] I knew that I was not blessed with height. So I knew I wasn't going to be a professional athlete. [00:13:24] But as much as I loved being around people, love being around the music and entertainment and sports, I knew that was something I always want to be part of. [00:13:31] So entering school, I went to the University of Maryland for my undergraduate degree. [00:13:36] Go Terps for all those hard shells out there. [00:13:39] And I studied communication and throughout school and college and through my time, I still went back and would go back into the music side and still give out the water. [00:13:49] But I did a lot more other different operations of working different music festivals and travel throughout the country and but still go back to my home of Philadelphia, [00:13:56] where I really started the music and sports scene and doing a lot of different cool events and working with that staffing company and working more with the production and operations side. [00:14:06] After school, I was very fortunate. I had an opportunity to join the Washington Nationals, my first job right out of school. [00:14:13] So I became the coordinator guest services for the Washington Nationals Major League Baseball and from there grew through the ranks of learning every little bit about the operation and how to put on a baseball game at special events and how the ballpark moved and breathed and how it operated from every facet of the business, [00:14:31] which excited me from marketing and revenue and to the operations. And that's what really had grew. [00:14:38] And at the same time, I still went back home to that bottle of water and giving out staff, which is something that is near and dear to my heart of really how I got started. [00:14:46] In a four short, four short, four and a half years, I, through the Washington Nationals, I grew through the ranks from a coordinator guest services to becoming the director of event operations for the entire ballpark with overseeing a lot of different facets of the industry. [00:15:01] Education is really important to me. So one thing that was as I'm growing is we're never stopped learning. Right. [00:15:06] I think all of us can agree that we're students of a classroom or students of we're always learning in our careers. [00:15:12] So part of learning in the ballpark, I also wanted to go back to the classroom. [00:15:15] So I got my master's degree in sports management from Georgetown University, and I applied some of my learnings there to the ballpark. [00:15:24] I had an opportunity after four and a half years, I was approached if I was interested in moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota, which I didn't know where was on the map. [00:15:32] So I apologize if you're from Minneapolis. I didn't know where it was nor how cold it was, but had an opportunity to become the director of event services and open U.S. Bank Stadium home to the Minnesota Vikings. [00:15:43] So 11 months prior to opening before a roof was on the building before there was paint on the walls, I became in charge of the building to build a team, write policy procedures from guest services to security, transportation, parking, emergency management, [00:16:00] event operations, security, public safety, you name it from all that front of house operations and was really, you know, it was an incredible experience. [00:16:11] A lot of life lessons are really happy. You know, that opportunity presented a lot of great challenges, taught me a lot of life lessons, but couldn't have asked for a better opportunity. [00:16:19] At the age I was with responsibility, I had to lead the largest minute, the largest state funded project in Minnesota state's history, opening the stadium from opening the stadium had phenomenal events there from concerts to monster jam to weddings to boat shows to yes, there's football games. [00:16:38] And, you know, we had some marquee events such as the X games playing for the final four and ultimately Super Bowl 52, which we hosted, which was my event at the stadium, which was a really near and dear to my heart because not only was it my event at my stadium, my hometown team won the game in my stadium, the Philadelphia Eagles. [00:16:56] So there's a lot of amazing firsts there. I met an incredible about incredible people and from there had an opportunity was approached by my current boss. [00:17:06] If I was interested in joining her team at the National Football League and short six months later, I packed my bags from Minnesota and moved back to the Northeast where I'm from. [00:17:17] And we as Tomas introduced the director of security says at the National Football League in the league office. [00:17:24] So short career, so I'm learning, growing. That's sort of the journey I've endured so far and excited for the future. But it's been incredible. A lot of life lessons, a lot of fun, challenging at times. But Tomas, back to you. [00:17:42] So don't let that go over your head, people. Billy is young, rising star, definitely at the NFL, but just in his career in general. Definitely, you know, interesting career. [00:17:55] Starting off with a bottle of water, a bottle of water. So I'll tell you, I'll pass it over to you. And oh, by the way, Billy, we do have a mod who's based in Minnesota. She's not on right now. [00:18:06] So if she does come on, we'll let her know so that she could throw a snowball at you when she does join. But I'll say I'm still falling out. [00:18:14] Just, you know, Tomas, I'm still falling out. And Billy, just really quickly, if you see us sort of flashing on microphones, that's us applauding you or laughing or something to that extent. [00:18:25] To that extent. So I'll tell you over to you. Yeah, no, the whole Minnesota thing. I remember like I don't I would not go there to live. [00:18:34] That's just me personally. I remember going there for a target interview when I was my senior year of college and it was negative eight degrees. [00:18:46] And I did not know from Florida. I did not know that weather got that cold, but now I live in Canada. So there we go. [00:18:53] Very nice to meet you, Billy. And you have an incredible story. [00:18:58] It's incredible because you know where your story started. Right. And a lot of people don't understand the origin journey. [00:19:05] But I will just wonder, you know, out of all the things that you've experienced, I know you said that, you know, you had a bunch of firsts and it was exciting to play on to to really coordinate and be over that game where you're, you know, Philadelphia Eagles won. [00:19:22] But what is the most out of your career? What is the most rewarding thing that has happened so far? And what do you want to what would you wish were to happen maybe in the next five years? [00:19:38] Oh, big question. I think it's I was just reading through the chat, Octavia. So before I get in, I have to tell a funny story because I'm glad I was forgiven about Minnesota and the snowballs. [00:19:48] But if you if any of you've ever seen the Christmas story where the kid goes up to the pole and licks the pole and says it can't be that cold, get stuck. [00:19:55] I really didn't think it was true until I tried it in Minnesota because it gets that cold. [00:20:00] So, yes, it really does get negative eight. And I just when you said negative eight, I just started crying. [00:20:05] So it's like, oh, man, I remember those days where you you walk outside and you're you're it's so cold outside. [00:20:10] Your eyes are naturally tearing to sensitivity. But then your tears freeze because it's really that below zero. [00:20:16] Those are my memories from Minnesota. But it's funny you say that. [00:20:20] But my favorite, you know, something that's really memorable is not necessarily a certain achievement or where I thought or what I've done, but what we can what I can do. [00:20:31] And I think that's what excites me about working in live events and why I get so jazzed up and energized is because we can't you know, [00:20:39] I can't control the outcome of the game or the artist on stage or how well they perform. [00:20:44] But what I'm able to control is the memorable experiences and making people smile. [00:20:50] And one thing I love about events is when you work so many months or weeks and count on in with a team of putting an entire event together, [00:20:58] putting the operation together, working through challenges and logistics on sometimes little to no sleep. [00:21:04] But the second you get to open those doors to the fans, the public, it's amazing how happy they are, [00:21:11] how they've taken time out of their days to come spend the day with you at your house. [00:21:15] And that is my most memorable experience is what I love to do and what reminds me of why I do it, [00:21:21] because we can't control the outcome in the field as much as we want to and always have wins or incredible performances. [00:21:28] But we can control how people feel when they come in the stands. [00:21:31] And that's my most rewarding experiences and what motivates me and what I why I love working in live events and the operation. [00:21:38] To answer the second part of the question, where do I see myself growing and going? [00:21:43] I think that's the fascinating thing about Journey is I read different books and different executives and CEOs stories [00:21:53] or admire the story of an individual who sits right across me in my office who might be leading the clubhouse. [00:21:59] And you look at those different stories of how they've grown in their careers and and how I've built my education, [00:22:05] both in the classroom, but in life, but also listening and learning and surrounding myself by a lot of successful people is one day to be. [00:22:12] You know, be in that corner office, to have an opportunity to leave a business or an operation, a team that you can build and really mold behind is something that motivates me. [00:22:24] Being that entrepreneur and leader is something that excites me, challenges me, makes me nervous, but something that I love to strive to do every day. [00:22:34] So that's where I think as I grow in my career and my journey is is rising, rising through and creating opportunities. [00:22:41] But being that leader in a an organization and a job, be an entrepreneur in the field in sports and entertainment. [00:22:50] That is amazing. And I actually think that you should also be a storyteller because just the the way that you convey your passion is very captivating. [00:23:05] If no one has ever told you that before, you can feel it through your voice and it's very captivating. [00:23:11] Russell, I'll just turn it over to you. [00:23:13] I get to see and witness Billy almost on a daily basis and you're spot on, Octavia. [00:23:20] And I've jokingly told Billy this a few times, so it's not new to him, but we'll be working for Billy at some point in time in our careers. [00:23:29] And I aspire to do that and I would welcome that. [00:23:32] So anyways, over to you, Russell. [00:23:35] All right, I'll get my resume all ready. [00:23:38] That's cool. [00:23:39] I really love your excitement as well, like Octavia tapped into and recognized. [00:23:43] You know, as I think about the places that you've worked, you've outlined places like, wow, love that, love that, love that. [00:23:48] Always in the event space. [00:23:50] And I would say that probably a lot of us, maybe all of us, probably very envious. [00:23:55] It's like, wow, the things you get to see, the things you get to do, just in the nature of where you do what you do is just more than extraordinary. [00:24:04] As we see sometimes the output of that work. [00:24:08] What's the things that you're working on now? [00:24:12] What are the things that you're learning or struggling with or maybe recently learned and overcome that might be helpful for us folks, say not in the event space, not in the league? [00:24:22] Yeah, good question. [00:24:24] I think outside of planning my next prank against Tomas, which is usually I've won in the hopper often just to torment him. [00:24:31] It is a lot of the business is also just 24 hours. [00:24:36] I love when people say, hey, the season's upcoming. [00:24:40] Good luck. [00:24:41] Congratulations. [00:24:42] And, you know, best of luck as we go. [00:24:44] And I always laugh. [00:24:45] I say our season's 365. [00:24:47] We work harder in the offseason than we do in the regular season. [00:24:49] And once the regular season hits, it's starting to be more regimented. [00:24:53] The projects we're working on is how do we, you know, we have 32 clubs, 30 stadiums and a league that we work for, work with to prepare to deliver the most incredible experience on the playing field to our fans and engage them. [00:25:10] From a security perspective, security is security operations. [00:25:15] And security is not just what people think about anymore is is access control and screening. [00:25:20] There's so much more to that. [00:25:22] It's a business. [00:25:23] So we look in from a information security, cybersecurity, physical security, intelligence security is operations. [00:25:32] And it's in we're looking I'm working on different best practices. [00:25:36] So how do we make sure our clubs and stadiums and our events are executing at the highest level possible to create a safe and secure, memorable experience for our fans? [00:25:44] Working through protecting the shield and protecting the business. [00:25:47] How do we become how there's a few different initiatives and projects I'm working on to support other departments to make sure that their business as they carry on their day to day tasks. [00:25:55] We're there in the background to support them from a security side and providing the do's, the don'ts, the just here's the information to make those executive decisions. [00:26:04] Also working on special events, as you know, there is there. [00:26:08] They say there's a big game that happens in February, around February every year for those who are football fans. [00:26:15] So we were working on that event in addition to some of our special events overseas and in our backyard, which happens next Thursday is the start of the season. [00:26:24] So high level best practices, new technology, working on some business initiatives from a within our department specifically, but also then how do we work with other departments on different club business and security operations. [00:26:40] So without getting too much in the weeds, keeping a high level. [00:26:43] Those are some of the things I'm working on currently. [00:26:44] That's so cool. [00:26:46] I love a couple of things that you said before I pass over to David. [00:26:49] One, 32 teams that we work for and we work with. [00:26:53] And it's just an epitome of being a value add business partner. [00:26:56] I just I love that. [00:26:57] I'm probably going to have to reuse that myself. [00:26:59] And then the other one, the protect the shield. [00:27:01] I think I'm not going to look at the shield. [00:27:04] I'm going to look at it differently from now on as a result of that. [00:27:07] So thank you for that. [00:27:08] And David, over to you. [00:27:11] Thanks, Russell. [00:27:11] And again, you know, it never ceases to amaze me kind of how everybody has a super interesting origin story and you can tell everybody's passion and a voice by what they're doing. [00:27:22] So, yeah. [00:27:23] How do you recommend, I guess, people that are kind of coming up industry that, you know, how do you recommend that when they kind of find their passion that they explore what's available as far as, you know, career type opportunities? [00:27:37] Yeah. [00:27:38] You know, I think paying it forward and giving it back is so important to me because I, you know, when I've spoken or students reach out or people reach out, how do you get started? [00:27:47] What do you do? [00:27:48] And I, you know, it's always looking for opportunities no matter what it is. [00:27:52] And one of the questions I always ask individuals is, you know, how many of you want to get in sales? [00:27:58] And not many people raise their hand. [00:27:59] Not many people raise their hands. [00:28:01] They said, no, I don't want to sell tickets. [00:28:02] I want to do, I want to be marketing or I want to be in sponsorship or I want to be in operations. [00:28:06] And I, and we, it starts out, well, because sales is a grinder and, and all these different things, because it's not as sexy or attractive. [00:28:13] And I said, what if it was a sales job that gets into your favorite sports team? [00:28:18] And it's amazing how many people raise their hand and say, well, you know what? [00:28:20] Maybe I will do that. [00:28:21] And I say, how many people would raise their hand if it's for your favorite sports team or entertainment industry that you work in or, or, or venue? [00:28:28] And that, and all of a sudden you become in the career field of the department that you want to work in and all of a sudden more hands raise. [00:28:34] And so, you know, I tell the story about is don't pass up an opportunity because it's not what you want to do. [00:28:40] Cause it's not right in front of you. [00:28:42] Look at every opportunity as an opportunity to network, build a relationship. [00:28:47] The business we are in, no matter what business is, it's all about relationships. [00:28:50] And, and it's not, how can I help you? [00:28:52] So you can help me in return, help people because you genuinely care and want to help them and see them succeed. [00:28:57] Cause it's that pay it for, you know, karma, it's going to come back. [00:29:00] And that's so important. [00:29:02] And it's, it's, it's not about timing. [00:29:04] Cause it's not just, oh, when's the right time. [00:29:06] There's no, there's no such thing as a good time, right? [00:29:09] Just start and get out there. [00:29:11] And I look at things as far as education and people say, well, I went to Harvard university or I went to Cornell and nothing against the Ivy leagues. [00:29:17] And then you say, well, I went to a little school and, and, and somewhere in, and Podunk university. [00:29:24] And, you know, but I have all this experience and I have all, I volunteered for all these things. [00:29:29] And I love those individuals because they are well-rounded. [00:29:31] They volunteer for opportunities. [00:29:33] Never look at an opportunity too big or too small for you. [00:29:36] Again, I still today give water to individuals because it's something that I love doing. [00:29:41] Or when I'm walking on a concourse, I pick up trash because that's not too big or too small for what I do, where I volunteer for things just because. [00:29:49] So I think that's one person I think I give the individuals is when they're looking for an opportunity to break into sports or entertainment is don't look for the job that you, that you want. [00:29:57] Look for an opportunity to get in. [00:29:59] And then once you get in, make the best of it. [00:30:02] Cause now you've opened up the door. [00:30:04] Once you open up the door, you're the only one who can walk through it and make the best of it and make the biggest impression. [00:30:09] And one story I say is there was an individual when I was back at the nationals, we were hiring for a core, um, a coordinator of guest services position. [00:30:16] And everyone kept looking at operations, operations. [00:30:19] Oh, we need someone with operations experience and staffing and staffing experience. [00:30:22] And I said, why, why do we need that? [00:30:25] Why don't we find the intangibles of an individual who has grit and grind and great communication and has passion, excitement, good energy, right. [00:30:34] And embraces brand. [00:30:36] So they said, well, that's a good idea. [00:30:37] Where would you look? [00:30:38] I said, let's look at our sales team and our inside sales team. [00:30:42] They grind every day. [00:30:43] They're trying to make calls. [00:30:44] They're trying to sell a dream and land a dream and have people spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for a team that might not make the playoffs. [00:30:52] And they get rejected more than they get success, but they go back the next day. [00:30:57] And that's individuals that I love because that individual who was the top in his sales class, the inside sales class. [00:31:04] We took him, interviewed him, and he became our coordinator of guest services. [00:31:08] No staffing experience. [00:31:09] No operations experience. [00:31:10] But he had intangibles that were so incredible that you could teach him the skills. [00:31:15] And he rose through the rents and really grew and embraced it. [00:31:19] So I think what I tell individuals is just because you have a skill set in certain areas doesn't mean it can't be applicable across the board. [00:31:24] Just open those doors. [00:31:26] I think one thing that I love doing is I love reading about people's journeys because everyone's got a different journey about how they got to where they are. [00:31:34] Right? [00:31:35] And everyone has different paths. [00:31:36] But I take a little bit from each other's path. [00:31:38] Okay, they went to this school or they got this certificate or they volunteered for this or this. [00:31:43] They went to this organization. [00:31:45] They jumped to this organization. [00:31:47] They made a lateral move. [00:31:48] What's great is everyone has different experiences. [00:31:50] There's not a science. [00:31:51] Right? [00:31:51] It's more of an art. [00:31:52] And I say keep an open mind. [00:31:55] Be patient. [00:31:57] Let things open up and embrace the opportunity and work as hard as you can because you never know who's looking or who's watching or when another opportunity is going to be right in front of you and it's when you least expect it. [00:32:09] So those are some of the buckets, the tidbits that I give to people or who are asking to get into business and sort of how I got my start. [00:32:18] So that's an awesome answer. [00:32:23] And again, your background and your thoughts and your process is really amazing. [00:32:30] I'll turn it over to Katie for the next set of questions. [00:32:34] Yeah, thank you, David. [00:32:35] Hi, Billy. [00:32:36] Good to meet you. [00:32:37] Hello. [00:32:37] Before I jump into my next question, I'm just going to do a quick room reset. [00:32:41] We've had a number of people join us in the last few minutes. [00:32:44] So I just want to remind everybody, this is the Fireside Chat. [00:32:47] And we're here every single Wednesday at 7 o'clock Central Time. [00:32:51] Sorry, I say Central because I'm in Central. [00:32:53] I think most of our listeners are 8 o'clock Eastern, 5 o'clock Pacific, every single Wednesday. [00:32:58] And please follow the Fireside Chat. [00:33:02] If you click on the little Monopoly House thing on the upper left-hand corner, you'll be able to not only listen to the replay of this room, [00:33:10] you'll be notified of upcoming rooms. [00:33:13] And as they go live, you'll get alerted to them as well. [00:33:17] You can also go back in and listen to old recordings. [00:33:20] And we've had some amazing guests here. [00:33:22] So happy to see all of you here. [00:33:26] Yeah, so much to cover here, Billy. [00:33:27] I mean, obviously, you know, you must hear this a lot. [00:33:31] But, you know, very impressive. [00:33:33] I mean, I love the way you started your story, you know, with a bottle of water. [00:33:38] And then the way you just answered that last question, I really appreciated what you said. [00:33:44] Because in our industry, you know, people are often saying, okay, there's the job I want. [00:33:51] But not necessarily thinking about, hey, maybe I need to take, you know, the opportunities that are in front of me. [00:33:56] And I also love the fact that you did a nice shout out to salespeople. [00:33:59] Actually, my very first job out of college was an inside salesperson working with the Department of Defense. [00:34:06] And that's where I started leaning into the whole cybersecurity career 18 years ago. [00:34:11] So I really appreciate that you've recognized that grit grind and what those young, they're not kids. [00:34:20] But I know I felt like one when I was first starting in my career. [00:34:23] But, you know, your leadership principles and the things that you said about what excites you and challenges you and makes you nervous. [00:34:35] That, to me, kind of stuck out to me. [00:34:37] Because as a new CISO, I'm a virtual CISO. [00:34:40] So, you know, it's not even being on site in an office like you are. [00:34:44] I'm often very nervous about this new direction that I'm in. [00:34:49] You don't seem to ever really be nervous, though. [00:34:51] I mean, you're not coming off as nervous. [00:34:53] Could you dig into that, though, and how you lean into that, how you leverage that, and what that's done for you to get to this place in your career? [00:35:01] Yeah, no, so absolutely. [00:35:05] And I love the plug early on to reset the room. [00:35:07] I thought that was great and sort of just take a deep breath, reset where we are. [00:35:11] And I never knew there was an inside sales for defense. [00:35:15] That's incredible, by the way. [00:35:16] Oh, the defense was my client. [00:35:18] Yeah, no, I wasn't selling. [00:35:21] Wouldn't that be interesting, though, to sell the services of the Department of Defense? [00:35:26] I'm sold. [00:35:27] I think I'm a big advocate for the power of positive thinking because I think that's so important of what we do. [00:35:35] And sometimes we get caught in the grind in a little bit. [00:35:40] And nervousness, geez, it's something we all have, right? [00:35:45] We all have that. [00:35:46] We all say, oh, we have butterflies or we're nervous, and it's all about little things. [00:35:49] And sometimes I think it's the things we're nervous is what the people least expect and say, no way, you're really nervous? [00:35:57] I say, yeah, I was terrified. [00:35:58] I was petrified. [00:35:59] And you never saw it. [00:36:00] I say, we all have those routines, right? [00:36:02] And there's a little bit of ticks. [00:36:05] One of the biggest things – I'll go back. [00:36:08] I keep going back to the cold. [00:36:09] I'm going to go back to Minnesota. [00:36:10] One of the biggest life lessons I've learned, which is incredible, was adversity. [00:36:18] How to handle adversity. [00:36:19] I don't think people know how to handle adversity until it smacks you right in the middle of the face and you look to your left, you look to your right, look behind you, and there's no one behind you. [00:36:28] It's you. [00:36:29] You're the leader. [00:36:30] You have to make those decisions. [00:36:31] You have to grind through the fire, the challenges, or when everything's falling apart, how do you manage? [00:36:36] How do you work through that? [00:36:37] And that was a big lesson for me, both personally and professionally, is how do you handle that or failure or disappointment or when everything you think goes right and all of a sudden it all falls apart? [00:36:50] You know, we all have the illusions. [00:36:51] We all probably – we all go back to our desk. [00:36:53] We're all at home, right? [00:36:54] We all have these different desks. [00:36:54] We have all motivational quotes or little things that make us – you know, that keep us going. [00:36:58] And the reason I tell that story, to get to your question, is there's two things that I have. [00:37:03] One was when I was with the Nationals. [00:37:06] You know, someone taught me at a young age. [00:37:08] He says, in operations, you're like a duck, right? [00:37:10] When we all go to a pond, we look at a duck. [00:37:12] Everyone's float. [00:37:13] Ducks just float calmly across the lake. [00:37:16] They all look happy. [00:37:17] They're all just floating along. [00:37:18] But underneath the water, their legs are moving a million miles a minute. [00:37:22] They're moving so quick to just calmly walk across. [00:37:25] And that's how I sort of taught at a young age about operations is someone gave me a picture of a duck. [00:37:30] And they said, be a duck. [00:37:32] You always need to show that calm, cool, and collectiveness. [00:37:34] Whether you're scared, nervous, something's going wrong, there'll be a thousand things on your plate. [00:37:40] But if you show that, people build off that energy. [00:37:42] People see it right away. [00:37:44] And that was something that always reminded me. [00:37:46] And then when I grew a little bit older, another thing that came up to me was sort of that everyone, I'm sure everyone's heard about the iceberg illusion, right? [00:37:51] On the iceberg, the top is sort of the success is the iceberg, right? [00:37:55] Everyone sees the top of the water and everything that's happening, how beautiful it looks. [00:37:58] But underneath, you see failure and sacrifice or hard work and disappointment and mistakes or the daily grind. [00:38:07] And, you know, one thing I'd say a blessing and a curse for me, it's great on some sides. [00:38:12] Other sides, it's worked against me. [00:38:13] And that's why I never play poker, is I wear my emotions on my sleeve, which is great. [00:38:18] Blessing and a curse, I say, is wearing my emotions. [00:38:21] It's because I can, you see it when I'm working hard and so forth. [00:38:24] But when it comes to nervousness, I really try to hide it. [00:38:26] People say, hey, you got the big game coming up in February for those football fans. [00:38:31] Everyone knows what event I'm referring to. [00:38:33] And everyone's like, wow, that's a lot in 18 months. [00:38:35] You have to be nervous. [00:38:36] And so, say, nope, it's my favorite day. [00:38:39] That is my absolute favorite day. [00:38:41] And now I am smiling. [00:38:42] And they said, you're not nervous? [00:38:44] I said, no, that's one of the last things I am. [00:38:46] And that surprises a lot of people for how much work goes into it. [00:38:49] One of the biggest things I'm nervous is when I public speak. [00:38:51] And people said, you love public speaking. [00:38:53] I said, I know, but I'm so nervous. [00:38:55] I have to psych myself out. [00:38:56] I have to take everything out of my pockets. [00:38:57] So I have a routine. [00:38:59] I take everything out of my pockets. [00:39:00] I take my watch off because everyone has an Apple Watch or a smart watch these days. [00:39:03] I take off my smart watch. [00:39:05] I remove my phone from my pockets. [00:39:07] So basically, I have nothing on me to distract me as part of my routine because I'm with the room. [00:39:13] I'm present. [00:39:14] I'm right there with the audience or when I'm speaking to a room of executives, which I love to do. [00:39:20] I love that when people think, oh, my God, you're going to speak to an executive. [00:39:23] And I said, yeah, that's great. [00:39:24] I'm excited. [00:39:24] I thrive on that. [00:39:25] So I think what's important is that everyone has a little bit of a routine. [00:39:31] And what you sort of, without psyching yourself out, when you go through your routine, sort of take that deep breath that everyone loves. [00:39:38] Do your routine. [00:39:40] Practice whatever it might be. [00:39:41] And then you sort of just go after it. [00:39:43] It's hockey. [00:39:44] Because once you start getting into that rhythm, whether it's up on stage or speaking or on the field or whatever it might be, is once you get a few reps in or a few rhythms or you get speaking, you become calm. [00:39:53] Those nerves naturally go away. [00:39:55] And all of a sudden, you're in your element that you've been practicing in front of the mirror for a whole week or the night before. [00:40:02] And I think that's how I get started. [00:40:03] But I think what the funny thing is, is you'd be surprised, I think, is, right, you never judge a book by its cover. [00:40:09] But what you think people are nervous about is sometimes the opposite. [00:40:13] So those are things that I try to do to not be nervous, which is a great question. [00:40:18] But also, it's something I work on all the time as well. [00:40:21] So I hope I hit sort of the spirit of your question there as I sort of told a story. [00:40:24] Yeah. [00:40:26] Yeah. [00:40:26] Yeah, 100% of the time. [00:40:27] Sorry to cut you off there. [00:40:28] Yeah, no, I just wanted to make sure that, you know, Tomas shared what his quote of the room is. [00:40:33] My favorite now so far. [00:40:34] I think we're going to probably come out with some more nuggets, though, but be a duck. [00:40:38] I like that. [00:40:40] I might share that one with my kids, put a picture or go, you know, before they go to their peewee football game. [00:40:47] No, thank you so much for that. [00:40:49] Really appreciate that insight. [00:40:51] And so, you know, since you've been talking so much about the cold in Minnesota, there's no better person to turn it over to than my very good friend. [00:40:58] Lisa Beth Lentini Walker, who happens to be a Minnesota resident herself. [00:41:03] So over to you, Lisa Beth. [00:41:05] Hey, everyone. [00:41:06] Happy Wednesday. [00:41:09] Billy, I'm so thrilled that you're here. [00:41:12] Tonight has been fantastic. [00:41:15] Just a little intro. [00:41:18] Katie's right. [00:41:18] I am from Minnesota, and I'm an attorney and compliance and ethics professional. [00:41:26] So my question for you is, what is the thing that you're proudest of? [00:41:33] It can be in your life. [00:41:34] It can be in your career. [00:41:36] But what is that moment that just brings you joy and a spark to your eye? [00:41:45] All right. [00:41:47] So because you're Minnesota, I think you'd appreciate this. [00:41:49] So I have to go back because I have so many memories there and so many friends there, and it taught me a lot. [00:41:54] So being from the Northeast, I'm Philadelphia, and I saw the Will Smith call out. [00:42:01] I wasn't from West Philadelphia, from the Northeast, born and raised, but close, close. [00:42:05] When you go to the Northeast, you know, many people know they talk fast, like I'm doing right now. [00:42:11] They talk fast. [00:42:13] They expect you to keep up. [00:42:14] They jaywalk, and they have something about them, an aura about them. [00:42:18] When you go out to the Midwest, like Minnesota, a lot different audience, much more home-bodied, much more in the, you know, it's just a different group. [00:42:29] So when I got to Minnesota and I started hearing, well, you need to go park on the ramp, I said, okay. [00:42:34] I said, park in a ramp? [00:42:36] What do you mean park in a ramp? [00:42:37] You don't park on ramps. [00:42:38] You park in garages. [00:42:40] And they said, no, you need to go park in the ramp. [00:42:42] I said, okay, I'm going to go pull in. [00:42:44] I'm going to park in the ramp. [00:42:45] So what did I do? [00:42:45] My very first time moving to Minnesota, I'm going into a parking garage, and I actually parked on the ramp. [00:42:52] That person came up to me. [00:42:52] He said, what do you do? [00:42:53] I said, I'm parking on the ramp. [00:42:54] And they said, that's what you're supposed to do. [00:42:56] They said, no, you're supposed to park in the parking spot. [00:42:58] I said, oh. [00:42:59] So I learned that Minnesotans call parking garages, they call them ramps. [00:43:05] So that was my first introduction to Minnesota. [00:43:07] That and roofs. [00:43:08] It's not a roof. [00:43:09] It's a rough, which I didn't understand either. [00:43:11] So that's my Minnesotan. [00:43:13] I love it. [00:43:13] I learned so much there, but I had to call it out. [00:43:16] So one of my proudest moments, man, there's so many that I'm such excited for. [00:43:21] Not just I'm surrounded by, I'm very fortunate to be surrounded by so many great people. [00:43:25] But key milestones, I think, is more the, I'd say, that I had. [00:43:35] And instead of just one, I think one, when I look about is your first job and my first job. [00:43:42] To get my first job, isn't that an excitement for a recent college graduate? [00:43:46] They're so nervous. [00:43:47] They don't know what they're going to do. [00:43:48] Where do I go? [00:43:49] And I got a job in sports and entertainment. [00:43:51] And that was a big milestone for me. [00:43:53] And I grew through the ranks there and had some great opportunities. [00:43:56] So for me, that was a big milestone for me. [00:43:59] Another thing that I'm proud of is education. [00:44:03] I challenge myself because I can never sit still. [00:44:06] I'm never satisfied. [00:44:07] I always try to be the best I possibly can of myself. [00:44:10] Be the best representation of me. [00:44:12] So I recently just graduated with my Master's of Business Administration. [00:44:15] So my third degree. [00:44:16] And this was a challenging one for me because I did it while I was in my current job. [00:44:20] But it was so gratifying for me because I learned so much to expose a lot of my weaknesses. [00:44:26] It made me a little bit more vulnerable. [00:44:28] And I learned so much about myself and met so many great people. [00:44:31] So that was another big milestone for me personally. [00:44:34] I think two other ones, and there's a big list. [00:44:40] And I think we take the little victories, I'd like to say, is celebrate the little victories [00:44:44] because those are so important too and never forget to celebrate no matter how bad of a day or how bad it was. [00:44:49] I think the first day I opened up U.S. Bank Stadium, when I opened up the doors in 2016, [00:44:55] that was such an incredible experience for me to open up a $1.2 billion stadium, [00:45:01] the largest state-funded project in Minnesota history. [00:45:03] I built a team. [00:45:05] I got Safety Act certification, which is a big award that all of you know that I earned it. [00:45:09] Led a team, wrote policy procedures, processes. [00:45:13] It made so many impact to the community that when we opened that door for the very first time, [00:45:19] it was just an incredible feeling that I still remember to this day. [00:45:24] So I think that's a big milestone for me. [00:45:27] And then having the opportunity to host, and I keep referencing the game in February, [00:45:33] to have an opportunity to be given the opportunity and trust and respect to build the plan to execute the Super Bowl [00:45:42] is something I don't take lightly. [00:45:44] And that is one that is a milestone for me because every person I think, an event professional, [00:45:52] they look at that event like they look at the Olympics or the World Cup. [00:45:56] And that's up there, one of the best. [00:45:59] And for me to have the opportunity with what I have respect and am able to do is such a gratifying experience. [00:46:07] That's another milestone, I would say. [00:46:08] Those are some of the, I'd say, the top ones for me that I look back in my career. [00:46:16] So amazing. [00:46:17] And, you know, as students are going back to school, what a timely message about strategic restlessness. [00:46:25] So thank you for sharing that. [00:46:27] And Tomas, I will turn it back over to you. [00:46:31] Sounds good. [00:46:32] Great conversation so far. [00:46:33] Again, if you've just joined us, you missed some good conversation, [00:46:36] but we will have a playback so you can catch up after the conversation. [00:46:41] If you're new to Clubhouse, welcome to Clubhouse. [00:46:43] Welcome to our fireside chat. [00:46:44] We do this every single Wednesday for about an hour and a half or so. [00:46:47] So we're going to open up for questions. [00:46:49] So if you do have a question, feel free to raise your hand. [00:46:52] We will bring you up on stage. [00:46:54] I do have a follow-up question for you, Billy. [00:46:58] And it's a topic that we typically discuss. [00:47:02] I don't want to say typically, but it does come up often. [00:47:05] And it's around imposter syndrome and the likes. [00:47:07] And I'm curious, Billy, you know, you are in a security function. [00:47:12] You don't necessarily have that sort of law enforcement background. [00:47:16] Is imposter syndrome something that you've had to deal with it throughout your career? [00:47:19] And if it is, you know, how did you sort of work through that? [00:47:23] And if it's not, you know, any advice for people that might be going through challenges like that? [00:47:28] Before you even go to school, will you put on the floor like this? [00:47:33] Yeah. [00:47:34] So, Tomas, I think that's a good question. [00:47:36] I am. [00:47:37] Absolutely. [00:47:38] I. [00:47:41] How do I want to attack this a few different ways? [00:47:44] Yes. [00:47:45] Yes. [00:47:46] I think one thing everyone looks at is the age. [00:47:49] Age is something I think everyone looks at as well. [00:47:51] They don't have this much experience. [00:47:53] They don't have this much. [00:47:55] They're at this age. [00:47:56] How can they really know what they do? [00:47:58] Or how do they have this much experience? [00:47:59] Or what have they done to be in this role? [00:48:01] You need this criteria, this age group with this much to be in this role. [00:48:05] And I've been very fortunate enough that with the leaders who believed in me and opened up the doors and the opportunities for me, [00:48:12] whether it be in the full-time jobs I've had that I've sort of talked about or in some of the extra work, [00:48:20] curricular work, you know, volunteer work I've done on the side, [00:48:22] is that those leaders saw beyond just this criteria because you need this resume with this many experiences [00:48:28] or this year's in this role in order to achieve this job. [00:48:31] And I've been very fortunate in my career for the leaders that have hired me to fill a role or fill a job [00:48:38] and then grow in that role to see past that. [00:48:41] And I think that's always something that's worked against me. [00:48:43] But I've always sort of proved the doubter to say, hey, give me an opportunity to open that door, like I said, [00:48:48] like I tell individuals, and from there, make the most of it and make the best of it. [00:48:54] So I think that's something that, yeah, you're right. [00:48:56] I have, you know, worked through that because I think people do experience that age or those criteria that sometimes works against them. [00:49:03] But it takes the right leader who can see past that, give them a chance, give them an opportunity. [00:49:09] And then once they have it, they'll take it and run with it. [00:49:12] From a public safety, yeah, I think it's learning your craft. [00:49:17] I think it takes a really strong individuals to recognize your strengths and your weaknesses, your vulnerabilities, and what you're really good at and what you're not really good at. [00:49:29] And where can you grow? [00:49:31] And I think that's where we always say is, look, the best leaders are the ones who don't say the most in the room. [00:49:36] They actually listen and they surround themselves with people who are smarter than them. [00:49:38] And I think that's what I've always tried to do is ask more questions than make statements. [00:49:43] And then, but also make sure when I'm going into a room or in my career for the public safety you called out is learn the craft. [00:49:51] I don't have to be an expert in that because that's not, it's not my career. [00:49:55] It's not where I want it to be. [00:49:58] However, I knew I made sure I surrounded myself or read enough or took classes or certifications to become enough to understand the basics, to understand that I can talk the role, talk with those individuals who are experts in it, engage them in conversation, lead them with what I'm looking for because they know that I do know what I'm talking about. [00:50:20] I'm not the expert. [00:50:21] That's why you're the expert. [00:50:22] But then I can let them, give them the runway. [00:50:25] So I think that's how I've been successful, Tomas, so far. [00:50:27] I've made some mistakes, but I always try to recognize my strengths, recognize my weaknesses, identify individuals who can help me grow and I can help them grow. [00:50:36] But then understand where does a classroom like an MBA help me learn the financial, the strategic thinking, the analytical thing that I wanted to learn or certification classes that organizations host to say, hey, you know what? [00:50:47] I'm not going to be an expert in this area, but this is where I want to be because this is my career or this is where I want to go. [00:50:52] And this will help me get there. [00:50:53] And I think that's helped me enter fields that I might not have been a subject matter expert or been totally qualified for, but helped me get my foot in the door that once I got my foot in the door, I was able to excel or show them or grow from there and then learn. [00:51:10] So I think those are some of the things. [00:51:12] I sort of went 360 there, Tomas, but I think that's what relates to me and how I've attacked it. [00:51:18] No, that's awesome, Billy, and thanks for that response. [00:51:22] Before I get to our guests, our audience members who joined us, there was a question in the chat earlier, so I will ask that question of you, Billy. [00:51:31] The question was, what are the differences between general security directors, commerce security, and information security CISO at the NFL? [00:51:40] So, Billy, go ahead. [00:51:41] Answer that question. [00:51:42] I have to be careful how I answer this because the CISO knows how to turn off my computer and my internet and really mess with me. [00:51:52] But I would say what's amazing, I think, where security, and I sort of alluded to this, I think it's a great question because there's this, let's say myth, but there's this mantra or thought that there's physical security and that's access control and cameras and security guards and policy. [00:52:11] And then there's information security, which is different than cybersecurity, and I think you throw intelligence security in there, which is also different. [00:52:19] Well, that's computers and understanding how to block firewalls and using different information security technology to address those type of cyber informational threats. [00:52:32] I think people, and still today, I think, look at it as those are two separate fields. [00:52:37] I think what we've seen in the last few years is they're so integrated that physical security is cyber and information security, and cyber and information security is physical security. [00:52:47] It's security operations. [00:52:49] And if you're not thinking about both or learning both or executing both, where if you implement a camera, you better be thinking about the information cybersecurity aspects too. [00:52:59] Or if you're doing something with information cybersecurity, I'm probably pretty sure it's going to impact physical security. [00:53:04] So I'd say that the differences are minimal these days. [00:53:08] Are the skill sets of individuals who carry out their tasks different? [00:53:12] Absolutely. [00:53:13] But they're so integrated today more than ever that I think all of us could pick up a magazine, go on the web and realize if something was hacked, it probably came from a physical side. [00:53:24] Or if something was hacked from the cyber side for whatever it might have been, for ransomware or whatever it is, it probably affects the physical or physical side affects cyber. [00:53:32] So I think the differences are minimal because they're so integrated. [00:53:36] And I think that's the power of security operations today is when you are integrated, it is important. [00:53:45] It's you're more powerful and more well-rounded than two separate departments or two separate operations that don't talk to each other or don't really understand the business of each other. [00:53:56] So that's how I would answer that question because I think it's so important that I've learned in the last few years is that they're one in the same different skill sets, but at the same time, they're very much integrated as well. [00:54:07] And I hope, Tomas, I hope that you're proud of me with how I answer that question and keep my internet on. [00:54:13] Absolutely, Billy. [00:54:14] That was a great response. [00:54:16] You will keep your internet on for a few more hours. [00:54:19] How's that? [00:54:20] Hey, George, thanks for joining us. [00:54:22] Over to you, my friend. [00:54:24] Hey, team. [00:54:25] Billy, that answer has like the nerd brain tickling. [00:54:31] And I wanted to ask all about the GSOC integration that you guys have, but I'm not going to ask that question. [00:54:37] I'm going to it sounds like a lot of the success that you have had has been your capacity to say yes. [00:54:46] And, you know, like the old adage and improv troop, like, yes, I will carry water and I will do this. [00:54:52] And that has opened a lot of doors for you. [00:54:55] And you've seen the positive in gaining a foothold and being able to, you know, learn something new or get into a different field. [00:55:05] So, but I'm going to ask the flip side. [00:55:09] I wanted to see if there are any moments in your career where you found greater value or learning or insight in a moment where you said no. [00:55:17] Yeah, it's a great question. [00:55:21] It's a great answer because I think something I always have in the back of my head is always working towards yes. [00:55:28] It might not be everything. [00:55:30] When someone comes to me and asks me, hey, can we do X, Y and Z in the back of my head? [00:55:33] I'm like, it's just unrealistic or it's just not attainable. [00:55:37] So I think my advice is, okay, yeah, but how do we work towards yes? [00:55:41] How do we, if we can't fully execute somebody, something, how can we do it, find a compromise that meets what I have to achieve or what I have to do and what my role and responsibility is and what the person that I'm working with, my teammate, what they're trying to ultimately achieve. [00:55:57] Sometimes I can execute it fully. [00:55:58] I always try to go above and beyond. [00:56:00] You nailed it. [00:56:01] But sometimes you can't. [00:56:02] So I always try to work towards yes because no just has a negative connotation. [00:56:06] I think when we say no right away, we have to give an answer to no and then justify and explain why. [00:56:12] And there are those tough times. [00:56:14] If something is in the field I'm in, if something could be a threat of vulnerability, put the company or an individual or resource at risk. [00:56:24] That is something we have to evaluate and I have to evaluate. [00:56:27] Say, okay, if we do this, what is the risk tolerance that we have as a person, organization, event it is to carry this out? [00:56:35] And if the risk is so high that we have to say no. [00:56:38] Say, I try to do my best to say, I can't do this and here's the reasons why. [00:56:43] So they understand why it's just that no, can't do that. [00:56:47] And then find ways to suggest, hey, this doesn't work and here's the reason why is for whatever the reason might be. [00:56:54] Can we find another way to achieve that goal that might be more risk applicable, that risk appetite? [00:56:59] Something that still achieves the spirit of what you're trying to do meets somewhat of the operations that I need to do and still be successful. [00:57:09] So that's how I try to attack no. [00:57:10] There definitely are times where I say no, we can't do that. [00:57:13] But I always say, here's the reasons why, how can we achieve it, maybe going a different route. [00:57:20] So I think just saying no gives off a negative connotation and giving no with no justification, no reason to explain it to the individual who can find the understanding of why. [00:57:30] Right. [00:57:30] Always try to always try to find the why in everything we do, I think really helps explain it. [00:57:36] So, yeah, there's definitely been times where I've had difficult conversations, just said no, but it's no because here's X, Y, and Z and justify it. [00:57:43] Here's the reason why. [00:57:45] But let's find another, let's find another way that is, we can both achieve it and both be happy. [00:57:52] Appreciate that. [00:57:53] Thanks. [00:57:53] Thanks, George. [00:57:56] Thanks for jumping up and asking your question. [00:57:57] Yes, and that is a great actual improv technique as well. [00:58:02] If you wanted to get into improv, Billy. [00:58:06] Cyber doctor, over to you. [00:58:08] Anything you want to ask Billy? [00:58:10] Yeah, Billy, just wanted to say first and foremost, go Terps. [00:58:14] You know, in a former life, you know, I had the pleasure of working with your team when I was with the Bureau. [00:58:20] And so just wanted to say, you know, as someone with a law enforcement background, working with, you know, the various different sporting, major sporting events globally, the NFL was one that I had the pleasure and always enjoyed the most. [00:58:36] And so I just wanted to say that comment. [00:58:38] The question really has nothing to do with the 9 to 5, but as another Philly native who was in the D.C. area, I have to ask the question. [00:58:47] Is it Wawa or 7-Eleven? [00:58:49] Wawa. [00:58:50] And my average is three days a week. [00:58:54] Cyber doctor out. [00:59:08] Tomas, I think that might take it to my question. [00:59:12] Is that right, sir? [00:59:14] Go ahead, Ann. [00:59:15] Sorry. [00:59:16] Sorry about that. [00:59:16] Yes. [00:59:17] Thanks, Cyber doctor. [00:59:17] Go ahead, Ann. [00:59:18] No worries. [00:59:20] Hey, Billy. [00:59:21] Nice to listen in. [00:59:22] I'm sorry I missed a good chunk of the first portion. [00:59:26] To give a little context to my question, I was actually listening to a podcast that George, who just asked his question, did with Karen Warstow from VMware. [00:59:36] And Karen kind of noted that one of the issues that she sees in this community is that some of our young folks that are coming in, young meaning new to the industry, are running across an issue with development in their roles. [00:59:53] And so that's leading to burnout pretty badly. [00:59:55] I was wondering if you were kind of seeing the same thing, if maybe you could talk about, you know, any type of advice that you have for like educational content for maybe some of the newer people coming into the field. [01:00:12] Anything like that would be really appreciated. [01:00:15] And thank you so much for taking this time. [01:00:17] Absolutely. [01:00:17] Yeah, no, absolutely. [01:00:21] Education is so important to all of us. [01:00:23] I think we'd be naive if we know it all. [01:00:26] And I think we'd be naive if we don't, we're not learning every day, no matter what field we're in, whether sports and entertainment or anything. [01:00:33] We're students in the classroom, whether it's in a brick and mortar building, taking a class online, or just sitting in a meeting. [01:00:40] I think we, you have to challenge yourself that when you go to work every day or what you do every day, you're going to learn something new and challenge yourself to learn something new. [01:00:50] One of the things that I do is before I make a statement, I try to ask a question because usually I'm learning something and it's not challenging someone, I'm learning. [01:00:57] And I think that's the first step in, I'd say, is how to development is take advantage of the career you have in the organization you have. [01:01:08] Whether you like your organization or not, whether you like your department or not, whether you like your job or not, take advantage of it and learn. [01:01:15] Because you're going to take that job, that opportunity, that position, the person you work with and for and your teammates, you're going to take that experience to the next job, whether it's in the same organization or in a different organization. [01:01:28] So I think that's the first part. [01:01:30] Part one is take advantage of what you have because you're a student and you're being educated right there, right in front of you. [01:01:36] So I think that's the first asset. [01:01:38] That's the first gift we have is we're learning every day. [01:01:41] I think when you look at certain fields, education is expensive and education is a commitment. [01:01:49] When I went back to school, it was one of my milestones that I wanted to get my master's in business administration. [01:01:54] Not because it says you have to run an organization and be in a corner office, you need to have an MBA. [01:02:01] But I wanted to become a well-rounded business executive and not just be specialized. [01:02:06] And this was something that was important to me. [01:02:08] So I recognized I could take classes and you can learn that from being an entrepreneur. [01:02:13] You don't have to go to business school to be an entrepreneur. [01:02:15] And that's how a lot of entrepreneurs are successful is they just go out and do it. [01:02:19] And where I was and where I'm doing, I wanted to go back to business school. [01:02:22] And I got my master's in sports business at Georgetown. [01:02:25] I went back to Maryland and got my MBA in addition to my undergrad. [01:02:29] And that helped me. [01:02:30] And that was my way of growing in certain fields that I wanted to learn to help me grow in my career and advancement. [01:02:36] I think there's other opportunities where we can learn every day. [01:02:40] There's so many free opportunities such as reading. [01:02:44] I mean, reading is incredible, whether it's a book or periodicals or online, read. [01:02:50] That's the gift we have, that we have the opportunity that you don't have to go to school, go back to school. [01:02:56] We're right in front of us. [01:02:57] So I think that is such an opportunity. [01:03:01] The articles and about the career you work in, I think it's development in itself. [01:03:07] And then I think finally is there's classes or opportunities online, whether it's a certification class or something, whether it's in your field or a hobby. [01:03:16] And it's amazing the resources that are right in front of us. [01:03:19] You just have to look and search and research a little bit about it. [01:03:23] And there's so many opportunities there. [01:03:25] I think what's amazing is the limits are endless because there's no limits, right? [01:03:31] And you can explore anything you want. [01:03:34] There's resources out there. [01:03:36] It's just who can you ask for help or where do you look? [01:03:39] And I think sometimes that's the biggest challenge is where do you look? [01:03:42] How do you look? [01:03:43] How do you get started where I want to achieve X, Y, and Z because I want to learn this. [01:03:46] Where do I go? [01:03:47] How do I do it? [01:03:48] Who do I talk to? [01:03:49] Because once you get going, it really opens up a lot of opportunities and a lot of doors. [01:03:53] It does get burned out. [01:03:55] I think that's important. [01:03:56] You do see that. [01:03:57] And I am seeing that. [01:03:59] But I also think that there's just so many different opportunities out there to learn in a lot of different resources. [01:04:07] It's just how much effort and time you put in is what your outcome will be. [01:04:13] Awesome. [01:04:18] Thanks for that question, Ange. [01:04:20] And hopefully that answers your question. [01:04:22] And, you know, I will say, and Billy hasn't said this, but I hope everybody recognizes that. [01:04:27] And I know we're all very busy. [01:04:28] But what's probably short of what Billy has said is that, you know, he did this while still focusing on big temple events and the biggest event that we do at the league every year. [01:04:42] So over the past, what was it, two years, three years or so, Billy? [01:04:45] I think you were working on your sort of master. [01:04:48] So, you know, I'm not sure everybody can fully appreciate that. [01:04:51] But I definitely appreciate that, the amount of effort and balancing that sort of work, a full-time job, demanding schedule, traveling all over the place and having to do that. [01:05:03] So that's pretty commendable. [01:05:04] So kudos to you, man. [01:05:06] Kudos to you, my friends. [01:05:08] It's good to be young and have energy like Billy. [01:05:10] I'll just say that. [01:05:14] Casper, thanks for joining us. [01:05:16] Anything you want to ask Billy? [01:05:17] Actually, there is. [01:05:20] First and foremost, I have to say, go Penn State. [01:05:24] Second, why not Sheets, bro? [01:05:26] What's wrong with that? [01:05:27] And then third, you know, as a senior executive, as part of a storied organization such as the NFL, how are you treating mental health for your people? [01:05:43] How are you ensuring that your security people are not so overwhelmed that they're getting burnout constantly? [01:05:48] And what resources could you possibly be providing and direction and guidance for people to be able to seek out mental health? [01:05:57] Yeah, great question. [01:05:58] So I'm going to hit them hard. [01:05:59] You made a speed round. [01:06:01] Question one, my whole family went to Penn State. [01:06:03] My entire town went to Penn State. [01:06:05] I wanted to go to Maryland. [01:06:07] Lacrosse is my favorite sport. [01:06:09] It's an incredible institution. [01:06:11] So I wanted to be the rebel of the family. [01:06:12] But I still cheer on the Nittany Lions every Saturday except when they play Maryland. [01:06:17] Two, Sheets is a great pretzel bun. [01:06:20] But you can't go Wawa when there's three Wawas in every corner. [01:06:22] It's like a gas station. [01:06:23] It's like Wawa's like gas stations where I live. [01:06:25] There's a car dealership, a gas station, and a Wawa. [01:06:27] When you're surrounded by it, you know, one of your first words is Wawa. [01:06:32] Not the first word, but one of them. [01:06:34] You know it's in your blood. [01:06:36] But Sheets is a good pretzel bun. [01:06:38] Two, or three, I'm going to answer this question a little bit differently. [01:06:41] And I think it's a phenomenal question. [01:06:43] It's very relative. [01:06:44] It's always been something that has been around us our whole lives. [01:06:49] And I'm not going to answer this from an organization standpoint. [01:06:52] I'm going to answer this from my own personal view. [01:06:55] And some of me personally, if that's okay. [01:06:56] Not just from an organization, what the organization's doing. [01:06:59] From me personally, I think what's amazing, mental health is so important to me. [01:07:05] It's very important to me. [01:07:07] It's very near and dear to my heart, actually. [01:07:09] I think it's something that has become so prevalent over the last few years because of the pandemic and things that it's risen to the front of what we've seen and experienced with loved ones and friends. [01:07:21] I think personally, what I do is, well, first of all, I love to work. [01:07:28] So you can't ask me how many hobbies I have because I just love to work. [01:07:31] It's contagious. [01:07:31] It excites me. [01:07:32] I enjoy it. [01:07:33] So a lot of my commitment is time to work because when work is not work and it's something you enjoy, it's not really work. [01:07:38] But the hobbies I have is I love working out. [01:07:40] It's something that is important to me. [01:07:42] I take an hour to 90 minutes out of my day and I go listen to music. [01:07:46] I listen to music so loud I can't hear anybody. [01:07:48] I can't hear the world and it's just me in my zone and that just gets me rejuvenated, re-energized, whether it's at night or in the morning, I think is one. [01:07:56] I'm a big movie person. [01:07:58] So for all those Marvel fans and Harry Potter fans, I can watch Harry Potter and everyone in a row or I can watch Marvel. [01:08:06] And so escaping with a good Netflix or crushing the Disney Channel and movie is something that I enjoy. [01:08:14] Significant other. [01:08:15] My significant other is so important to me. [01:08:16] She is by my side and spending time with her and whether we're going out shopping. [01:08:21] Yes, I do shop and I love to shop or go into a sporting event or a good restaurant. [01:08:27] Just getting out and escaping and not talking about the day is surrounding is important. [01:08:31] Surrounding yourself by those people that you can escape the grind or the work day or that bad day. [01:08:36] And then from a me, what I do as a teammate, a peer or as a leader is checking with your staff by talking to them. [01:08:47] Hey, how's your day? [01:08:48] How's it going? [01:08:49] Break up the monotony a day of checking in, just randomly calling somebody and say, hey, how's it going? [01:08:55] It's amazing when you do that. [01:08:57] They might have had a great day. [01:09:00] They might have a bad day. [01:09:01] They might just have a work day. [01:09:02] But when you call them, it breaks up the day a little bit. [01:09:04] So I think calling people to check in on your staff, just saying, hey, how's it going? [01:09:07] Tell me about your day. [01:09:08] What's going on? [01:09:09] I think more times it catches people off guard. [01:09:11] But they appreciate that. [01:09:12] And I think what's also important is, as I always say, is, look, the work will always be there. [01:09:18] And I'll use the analogy because the field I'm in is the ball will kick out on Thursday, Sunday, Monday. [01:09:24] Got to say it every three days. [01:09:26] No matter what. [01:09:27] The job's not going to stop. [01:09:29] But you need to take care of your health. [01:09:30] You need to take care of your family. [01:09:32] You need to take care of you first. [01:09:34] Don't let the job overtake you. [01:09:35] It's still going to be there when you take a break or go on vacation or take an hour away from your email. [01:09:41] And Tomas will laugh at me because I know I cuddle with my phone. [01:09:44] But take an hour away. [01:09:46] It's all going to be okay. [01:09:48] And I think sometimes we lose perspective of that. [01:09:49] Like we don't answer the email right away or we don't pick up this phone call. [01:09:52] What's going to happen? [01:09:54] And we live with that pressure. [01:09:56] And sometimes it's the pressure we put on ourselves. [01:09:57] And I'm guilty of that. [01:09:59] And I think we have to remind our team. [01:10:01] And it goes back to the duck analogy. [01:10:02] When you're calm, you're relaxed, no matter how bad the day is or how much stuff is happening, [01:10:07] don't let your team see that. [01:10:09] Keep them focused. [01:10:10] Let them enjoy life. [01:10:11] Let them enjoy the job. [01:10:12] Block all the mistakes, all the negative energy, all the negative things that might have happened. [01:10:16] Or if the team made a lot of mistakes, don't let them feel that. [01:10:19] Don't let them know that. [01:10:20] Keep them guided on the right path. [01:10:22] Keep them pushing forward. [01:10:24] Keep them happy. [01:10:25] I think that's also important. [01:10:26] I think that's one of the other things that is important. [01:10:29] I think another thing that's important is food. [01:10:31] We all love to eat. [01:10:33] Every so often, you know, I used to do is a breakfast club. [01:10:36] And every week I do a breakfast club. [01:10:37] And someone had to bring in breakfast. [01:10:39] And for the week, for the team, for the department, right? [01:10:41] And whether you could cook right there in front of you at an omelet station. [01:10:44] Or it could be a, you know, you bring in donuts or bagels or whatever it might be. [01:10:50] I used to do a breakfast club. [01:10:51] Because it's amazing when you have food, everyone forgets about work and you have good conversation. [01:10:56] And I think those are some of the things that are so important to us is let's go out and have it. [01:11:01] You don't have to go out and have a drink, right? [01:11:03] You don't have to go out. [01:11:04] Happy hours are fun. [01:11:05] They're a blast, right? [01:11:06] But you don't need that. [01:11:07] Sometimes you can create those fun environments right inside your organization or what I do with my team. [01:11:15] So those are a couple things I'd say. [01:11:17] Me personally, what I do and how I try to care for the team or my teammates to keep them, you know, engaged, having fun. [01:11:26] Try not to let the stress of work do it. [01:11:29] Because everyone has a different story, right? [01:11:31] When you go home, everyone's battling or working through different things. [01:11:34] And you just want to be a good teammate there to support them with whatever they need. [01:11:37] So I don't want to answer for the organization, but I hope that helps capture the spirit of what you're asking. [01:11:42] It does. [01:11:43] It does. [01:11:44] And I have a follow-on, if I may. [01:11:46] Have you or anybody in your organization ever thought about potentially putting aside a line item on budget to devote to employee resources like going out and getting BetterHelp? [01:11:59] Just using that as an example. [01:12:03] Getting resources inside of BetterHelp and helping the employees beyond what insurance will help. [01:12:10] Or being able to throw those get-togethers. [01:12:13] Have you gone as far as devoting a line item on budget devoted towards mental health? [01:12:22] Yes. [01:12:22] I think there's a lot of yes. [01:12:24] And a short answer, yes, we do. [01:12:27] Yes, there is. [01:12:28] And yes, I've seen other organizations continue to do it. [01:12:31] I think there are some organizations that do it much better than others. [01:12:34] I think there's other organizations that do a really good job. [01:12:37] I also think there's a lot of organizations that do a lot of creative ways to battle it. [01:12:42] I think that the pandemic opened our eyes to that. [01:12:45] We can run a business remotely and we can actually do remote work. [01:12:49] And there's a balance between remote work and being in the office. [01:12:52] There's a balance between doing, hey, let's do breakfast every morning. [01:12:56] Everyone gets a free breakfast or everyone gets a free lunch when they come into the office every day. [01:13:00] Those little things go a long ways. [01:13:02] And I think those are budget items that people don't have to stress about waking up and eating breakfast because it's already at the office. [01:13:08] People don't have to worry about packing themselves a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch because, hey, lunch is provided by the organization. [01:13:14] I think those are little things that might not be tied to a mental health specifically, but go a long way for employee morale and truly do help the culture and truly do help individuals. [01:13:24] Because think about how many of us, right? [01:13:26] When we wake up, we have to grab our coffee. [01:13:28] We have to make ourselves a bagel or protein or have a yogurt or something. [01:13:32] But when you know you can go to work, you're already stressed about how the commute. [01:13:36] But when you walk in, breakfast is there. [01:13:38] Those help you a little bit, right? [01:13:39] It puts a smile on your face when you can go and grab a banana and a coffee and you can go back to your office, right? [01:13:43] I think those are little things as well that go such a long way for mental health, for employee morale, for teammate morale. [01:13:51] I think those are some of the little things, too. [01:13:53] Or activities where you have access. [01:13:55] I think access is such a big thing because people love access, not just backstage access, but access to tickets or access to an event or access to discounted merchandise or access to a pizza party, right? [01:14:10] I think those, to your point out, budget items, I think those are equally as important, which people do, which we do. [01:14:15] We take those opportunities to bring the team together when you can or when they least expect it. [01:14:22] And those unplanned events I think are just as important. [01:14:27] Do I think organizations have a long way to go? [01:14:29] Yeah, I do. [01:14:30] I think some do. [01:14:30] I think it's something that we collectively as a community, all of us can continue to grow and look at different ways to take care of each other. [01:14:40] Thanks. [01:14:41] Thanks for that, Casper. [01:14:42] And thanks for that question. [01:14:44] Thanks, Billy. [01:14:44] Hopefully that answered your question, Casper. [01:14:46] I just want to remind our comments and opinion on our own. [01:14:50] Do not represent our current or prior employers. [01:14:54] Really a great answer. [01:14:55] But, Casper, if you want any more information on what we do specifically at the NFL, I encourage you to maybe reach out to our comms department. [01:15:04] They're happy to share more formal stuff if they need you. [01:15:07] No, we're good. [01:15:08] No, no, no. [01:15:09] We're good. [01:15:10] We're good. [01:15:11] And I get the whole disclaimer thing. [01:15:12] But at the same time, you know, everybody who's in this, almost everybody who's in this room is either in cyber or interested in cyber. [01:15:20] And what we don't do as a community is pay enough attention to mental health. [01:15:24] It is refreshing to hear an organization like the NFL saying, yes, we're going to be thought leaders. [01:15:31] And, yes, we're going to devote resources to something that keeps not only our people healthy, but also the organization healthy. [01:15:38] That's all I'm going to say. [01:15:39] I'm out. [01:15:41] No, I completely agree with you. [01:15:46] Henry, over to you. [01:15:47] Anything you want to ask Billy? [01:15:51] Yes. [01:15:51] Hello, Tomas. [01:15:52] Good to hear you again. [01:15:53] Thank you, Katie, for inviting me up to the speaker panel. [01:15:57] And I'm enjoying the conversation. [01:15:58] I came in a little late, but I was looking at Billy's profile on LinkedIn. [01:16:05] And something that caught my eye is I'm a big music aficionado, that you also have some experience in the music industry, I guess. [01:16:15] I just wanted to hear what your experience is and your background is in that sector, if you could share that with me. [01:16:25] Yeah, absolutely. [01:16:26] Hello, Henry. [01:16:26] So I started in music as a kid. [01:16:28] And music is near and dear to my heart. [01:16:30] I was raised on a pair of speakers on the stage. [01:16:34] I didn't have the voice to sing. [01:16:37] I wish I could sing as well as Taylor Swift does and couldn't play the guitar as well as, I'd say, Keith Richards and the Boys. [01:16:47] But, you know, what I love about music is I did have an opportunity to grow up. [01:16:51] One of my first jobs when I was a little kid, I was working at the amphitheaters and the theaters in the greater Philadelphia, South Jersey area. [01:16:59] And that's where I learned a lot about music and both the back of house and front of house operations. [01:17:05] As I grew a little bit older, I got the opportunity to work in festivals. [01:17:08] So for the music fans out there, the Bonaroos, when they first started out, the Coachellas of the world, the stagecoaches, are some of the big ones where is where I started. [01:17:16] I got to start to travel to Rockberries and and some of the ones here in the New York, the greater New York City. [01:17:23] So that's where I started to grow the festival operations, both security event production operations. [01:17:27] And then also very fortunate I've had the opportunity and it's all about, you know, how you grow is for many of those music fans out there for a band called Phish. [01:17:37] That's not F-I-S-H. That's P-H-I-S-H. [01:17:41] I worked and toured with them for quite a little bit and still worked many of the music festivals, as you know, for after the Great Bull Dead. [01:17:50] Phish really was the leader in the festival type camping markets. [01:17:55] And that's where I grew and gained a lot of my experience, both on the festival side and the touring side. [01:18:00] So that's sort of the grew up and then had opportunities to work a lot of different music events, whether it was Made in America, which in Philadelphia, Live Aid, not Live Aid. [01:18:08] I was not born during Live Aid. [01:18:10] Tomas was, but I was not. [01:18:12] But Live Aid, which came off mute. [01:18:15] I heard that. [01:18:17] Live Aid, which was in 2005, I was part of. [01:18:21] So I've got to be part of some pretty cool monumental events, music events as well, which I gained a lot of experience. [01:18:28] That's awesome to hear. [01:18:28] Thank you, Billy. [01:18:29] I have over like close to 1,500 vinyl albums and, you know, I've been a big music fan. [01:18:36] I don't think many people know that. [01:18:38] But, you know, cybersecurity is a passion of mine, but music is like my love. [01:18:42] So I just wanted to hear your background. [01:18:44] So I really appreciate your insight. [01:18:45] Thank you, sir. [01:18:46] Yep, you got it. [01:18:47] And I have no idea what you were talking about, Billy. [01:18:51] I've never heard of that before. [01:18:52] I was pretty young. [01:18:54] So stop it. [01:18:57] So just a very, very quick room reset. [01:18:59] Hey, I'm glad you came with the dad jokes. [01:19:03] There you go. [01:19:04] You miss me? [01:19:05] I do miss you, Octavia. [01:19:07] I do miss you. [01:19:08] So look, just a very quick room reset. [01:19:10] We've got about a few minutes left, 20 or so minutes left. [01:19:13] So if you do have a question for Billy and you want to jump up our stage, raise your hand, we'll bring you up. [01:19:17] If you don't want to jump up our stage, feel free to put it in the chat and we'll read it off to Billy live. [01:19:23] With that said, I do know, Katie, you have another question you want to ask, Billy. [01:19:27] I do. [01:19:29] Yeah, we've covered a lot of heavy topics. [01:19:31] We've really covered a lot in an hour and nine minutes. [01:19:34] But Billy, just curious, what is the best prank that you've ever been able to pull off on Tomas? [01:19:44] Hey, hey, hey, hey. [01:19:46] Hey. [01:19:47] Let's go. [01:19:48] Hey. [01:19:49] Oh, my goodness. [01:19:50] All right. [01:19:51] Stop it. [01:19:53] Am I allowed to reveal these? [01:19:54] Are these compliant? [01:19:54] I mean, is this compliant, Tomas? [01:19:56] Am I allowed to do this? [01:19:57] This has nothing to do with Tomas at all. [01:20:00] This is a free. [01:20:01] This does not represent the NFL in any way. [01:20:03] So, Billy, just be careful. [01:20:06] Don't make me ask questions about shopping habits. [01:20:12] You know, I earned – so for our cyber friends on the phone, I gained some props by, you know, talking about the integration of cyber and physical and how important it is. [01:20:20] And that kept my internet on until midnight. [01:20:22] I'm about to lose that privilege. [01:20:28] You can say one, Billy, if you want. [01:20:31] You can say one. [01:20:32] All right. [01:20:32] Bye. [01:20:34] So, look, I think what's important is we talk about fun is – Tomas and I have a lot of fun. [01:20:39] And I have the utmost respect for what Tomas does and the role he is. [01:20:42] And I only know half the things he does because he really doesn't move away from his computer much. [01:20:47] But one thing that we love to do, and I try to have fun, is bring fun to the office. [01:20:51] Because sometimes, like we said, we get caught up in the monotony of the day or run into a bad meeting or whatever might happen, and you just need to have fun. [01:20:57] And so, I'll share two Tomas stories. [01:21:01] One, Tomas has got an office where we're literally – we have glass walls, and I can see Tomas, and Tomas can see me. [01:21:09] And the glass walls are the only thing that's separating us. [01:21:11] So, one of the things that Tomas has, he has a specialized chair. [01:21:15] And Tomas' specialized chair, the way his desk is built is you can't move anything around his office. [01:21:23] It's literally impossible. [01:21:24] And if you move things around his office, it will take a Herculean task to put it all back. [01:21:29] So, simple things like taking Tomas' very specialized, high-profile chair and just literally carrying it up and putting it on the other side of his desk. [01:21:39] As minute as you think that is, it's actually a pain in the butt for Tomas because he actually has to pick it up, rearrange half his office to get a desk chair back, which creates very much inconvenience for him. [01:21:48] So, those are little things I do. [01:21:50] Also, Tomas is a – I'd say the other one, Tomas, is you have a phenomenal head of hair. [01:21:55] Could not have asked – I mean, we're talking – you know Tomas. [01:21:59] I know you're – phenomenal head of hair. [01:22:02] So, one time I was sitting in my office, and I'm – I can see Tomas. [01:22:06] And the way I look at my office, the way our computers are, is you can only see the top of Tomas' head and maybe his eyes. [01:22:11] And you can't see anything else. [01:22:13] And when Tomas looks at me because I was short a.m., he can't even see me in my chair. [01:22:17] So, I'm just looking across. [01:22:18] He looks really in-depth in a meeting. [01:22:20] He looks really in-depth. [01:22:22] And one of the things that Tomas and I were running joke about is secure networks, right? [01:22:27] You need a secure URL. [01:22:29] You know, in the Google, if it says unsecure, something happened. [01:22:31] Tomas always reminds me, always use secure sites. [01:22:34] Always use secure URLs. [01:22:36] How is it backed up? [01:22:37] So, that's always something that stuck with me and Tomas. [01:22:40] So, I was looking at Tomas who was deep in, and I took a screenshot of – a snippet of a picture from my phone. [01:22:47] I took a picture. [01:22:47] And all in the picture was the top of Tomas' head and a computer screen. [01:22:52] And I could see him. [01:22:53] So, I took the picture. [01:22:54] In the picture, I cropped out where his head was. [01:22:58] And I put a big arrow that says balding with his head. [01:23:02] And I put a big thing on it. [01:23:04] And I took the picture, put it at the body of the email. [01:23:06] And across the subject line of the email, I said, unsecure site, need help, potential problem. [01:23:13] I put something like that to catch his attention right in the middle of his conversation. [01:23:17] I put that across the screen just waiting for his reaction. [01:23:21] I thought he was going to fall off his chair. [01:23:22] I think he lost train of thought in a very serious meeting he has. [01:23:25] But those are little things where I try to throw Tomas off. [01:23:29] Little things like that. [01:23:30] I can't share all the secrets or all the things I do. [01:23:34] But, you know, me and his team, we try to have fun and always try to break each other's stones in the most respectful, fun way. [01:23:40] Because, you know, if you're not laughing, we're doing something wrong. [01:23:44] So, Tomas, sorry to embarrass you. [01:23:45] But I'd say those are the two that came off the top of my head. [01:23:48] That's all right, buddy. [01:23:49] I'm sitting here cracking up, remembering that time. [01:23:53] And, yes, I was at a very serious meeting. [01:23:55] And, yes, it did throw me off. [01:23:57] But all good fun. [01:23:59] So, hopefully, moderators, you guys had a good chuckle for me. [01:24:06] Yes, it was worth the risk of asking that question, I must say. [01:24:10] Yeah, so thank you. [01:24:11] Yeah, and all kidding aside, you talked about culture. [01:24:14] And so, yeah, I agree. [01:24:16] You know, being able to laugh and enjoy the people that you work with and spend the most time with is so important. [01:24:21] So, yeah, thanks, Billy. [01:24:24] And Billy did not lose his access after he did that either. [01:24:27] Even though we do joke about it. [01:24:30] First of all, I know you have a question for Billy. [01:24:33] I do. [01:24:34] And how? [01:24:34] I love that question, Katie. [01:24:36] A nice little what's going on there and what the consequences will be. [01:24:39] We'll have to check in with Billy after a while to make sure he's still in a good place. [01:24:42] But, Billy, you've been so positive this evening. [01:24:45] You've been inspirational to all of us, I would say. [01:24:48] What does a bad day look like for you? [01:24:54] Be careful, Billy. [01:24:55] We've got a few more Super Bowls to secure. [01:24:57] What's a bad day? [01:25:03] You know, we all. [01:25:09] I mean, I'm guilty of this. [01:25:10] I'm not going to try and fool anyone because we're all guilty. [01:25:13] I'm guilty of this, too. [01:25:14] I think sometimes we get caught up in the moment. [01:25:15] A bad day could be you walked into a bad meeting or had made a mistake. [01:25:18] I think for me personally, I always say I'm the hardest critic on myself. [01:25:23] So in a review or a mistake that I made, it's a blessing of a curse to try to be a perfectionist or try to do everything the best possible way you can and strive for perfection. [01:25:32] Where if you make a mistake, sometimes you think so much harder. [01:25:37] It's going to happen so much harder. [01:25:38] Something bad is going to happen. [01:25:40] And really, it's not that bad. [01:25:41] So I think some of it is I hype myself up and I'm the hardest critic and I'm going to be a little vulnerable here. [01:25:46] But I think that's some of my bad days. [01:25:49] I think getting caught up in a tough day is something I try not to do. [01:25:56] I struggle with it. [01:25:57] So please don't be fooled. [01:25:58] I think one of the things that's helped me grow or try not to get caught up in the bad day and what it looks like is if we're all readers, [01:26:12] one of the things, a really good fame, you know, speech that was really inspiring was from a Navy SEAL Admiral McRaven. [01:26:24] If you've ever read the book, Make Your Bed. [01:26:26] And there's actually a quote in my room, in my home, that's all about how you make your bed. [01:26:31] And how you make your bed, you know, he talks about is when you get up in the morning, the first thing you do, it's a great day. [01:26:44] It's a great day. [01:26:45] It's a great morning. [01:26:45] It's a new day. [01:26:47] And, you know, it's the first thing you do when you get up, you make your bed. [01:26:52] And you cut every corner. [01:26:55] You make sure it's crisp. [01:26:57] You make sure the pillows are fluffed. [01:26:58] You make sure the blankets are exactly the way they need to be. [01:27:01] In my case, I have like 25 pillows. [01:27:04] So you make sure everything's exactly how it is. [01:27:06] And when you do it, you're proud of that moment. [01:27:09] That was the first task of the day. [01:27:11] You made your bed. [01:27:12] It looks great. [01:27:13] Go on with your day. [01:27:15] And when you go on with your day, you're probably going to have ups and downs. [01:27:18] And there's some days where it's just a brutal day. [01:27:21] And not always just the biggest game of the year, but some of the little things that you never caught off guard. [01:27:27] I made a mistake. [01:27:28] Someone said something that you didn't like or hurtful or mean. [01:27:32] And you try to take it at surface. [01:27:34] And you try to take the quote it is. [01:27:36] And it's really hard. [01:27:37] Sometimes it's not easy. [01:27:40] And, you know, one thing that is tough is I talked about being the duck, right? [01:27:44] And I saw in the quote of be the duck. [01:27:45] And you try not to let it get to you, right? [01:27:48] And there are those days where you just got to get away from the world. [01:27:52] You're disappointed. [01:27:53] Something didn't go your way. [01:27:55] And you have those days where you lock yourself in the office or you just need to go out for a couple mile run or just listen to music and escape from the world, right? [01:28:03] Try to clear your head. [01:28:04] And that's what I try to do really hard or really well. [01:28:07] I try to do it. [01:28:09] And those are things that I think is important for all of us. [01:28:12] It goes back to mental health. [01:28:13] It goes back to how you handle yourself. [01:28:15] I sort of talked about the story about adversity earlier on where when nothing's going your way, how do you handle it? [01:28:20] It's bad. [01:28:21] It's tough. [01:28:21] It's challenging. [01:28:22] It's in those moments. [01:28:23] How do you manage yourself? [01:28:25] So I go back to the story of a lot of different, let's say self-help books, but things, motivational, leadership, entrepreneurial type books. [01:28:33] And I try to take quips away from that to help me, to remind me and keep me focused. [01:28:37] Even if it's the worst day, things didn't go my way. [01:28:40] I didn't maybe didn't get promoted. [01:28:42] You didn't get a raise. [01:28:43] The project failed. [01:28:44] A bunch of mistakes happened at an event. [01:28:47] You didn't plan properly. [01:28:49] Someone said something. [01:28:51] You take it in. [01:28:52] You internalize it. [01:28:54] And I like to say it's next play. [01:28:55] Next play. [01:28:57] It happened. [01:28:58] Bury it. [01:28:59] Move on. [01:29:00] Next play. [01:29:01] Just like in sports, right? [01:29:02] I grew up playing lacrosse and hockey my entire life through college. [01:29:07] People scored on you. [01:29:08] We had bad games. [01:29:08] We lost. [01:29:09] I missed the ground ball. [01:29:10] I missed the pass. [01:29:11] I hit the post with five seconds left and we lost the game and didn't advance. [01:29:17] Next play. [01:29:18] You can't get caught up in all the things, in every little thing. [01:29:23] Because I think that's what's important is when you get caught up in all the little things, you're not going to do the big things right. [01:29:29] And then you're not going to be back on focus. [01:29:31] And I'd say, go back to why I make my bed and why there's a quote above, why the quote that Admiral McRaven said is because if you had a miserable day, when you come home, the bed's made. [01:29:44] And a bed that I made. [01:29:47] And a bed that I made bed gives me encouragement that tomorrow I'm going to wake up and it's going to be a new day. [01:29:54] And so a little bit vulnerable, a little bit tells me about how I manage a bad day. [01:29:59] I'm not great at it, so don't be fooled. [01:30:00] But those are some of the little things that I do to try to make the big things right. [01:30:04] Way to hit us with tears, Billy. [01:30:09] Yeah. [01:30:10] That's great advice. [01:30:11] I've actually heard that speech as well, so I concur. [01:30:17] Bobby G, thanks for jumping up on stage. [01:30:19] Anything you want to ask, Billy? [01:30:24] Yeah. [01:30:26] There's background noise. [01:30:27] Just a quick question regarding, you know, general security. [01:30:34] Like, maybe the question could be a bit out of scope for this room. [01:30:39] However, someone that wants to study, you know, player health in terms of, like, their physical health, their emotional health, their mental health, their health with their society. [01:30:48] For current players and even retired players, where can I learn more about this information? [01:30:53] Just overall player health while they're in the league. [01:30:56] Maybe if they get cut or if they retire, where can I learn more about overall, like, player health in all facets? [01:31:07] Yeah, I'll tell you. [01:31:08] So I think I'm going to keep it a little more general. [01:31:10] I'm going to bring it out of just the realm of football. [01:31:13] Because I think it's something when you look at players and the incredible athletes we have. [01:31:18] It's in college football. [01:31:19] It's in professional football. [01:31:20] It's in hockey, baseball, soccer, cricket, gymnastics. [01:31:26] I think when you look at it as a whole, it's a great question. [01:31:29] I think there's a lot of different – one thing that came to my mind is kinesiology. [01:31:33] Kinesiology is an incredible major when you look at health as athletes as a whole or in that field. [01:31:40] I think when you start looking at the psychological side, the mental side, or the physical side, I think there's a lot of online resources that talk about it. [01:31:48] When you start speaking specifically about a certain sport, players and so forth, I would say I wouldn't necessarily know how to guide you in that direction. [01:31:57] But I think when you look at it overall, across all athletes or entertainers, if you're in school and education, kinesiology and psychology – sports psychology and kinesiology are two phenomenal majors that put you on those different types of tracks. [01:32:11] I think if you're out of school and you are looking at across the board of all athletics, there's different classes or articles online that talk about different types of practices based on what you're specifically looking at. [01:32:22] So I don't want to just go straight into a specific sport because I think it's bigger than that. [01:32:27] I'd be doing a disservice to all the incredible, talented athletes and entertainers that are out there today. [01:32:34] Thank you. [01:32:35] I really appreciate it, especially the note on kinesiology. [01:32:41] Incredible. [01:32:42] Thank you. [01:32:43] My pleasure. [01:32:44] Thanks, Bobby G. [01:32:45] Thanks for jumping on the stage to ask a question. [01:32:47] Thanks for your question in the chat earlier as well. [01:32:50] Really great response. [01:32:50] Thanks. [01:32:52] So, look, we've got a few more minutes left. [01:32:54] If there's anybody in the audience that does want to jump up on stage and ask a question, Billy, please feel free to raise your hand. [01:33:00] We'll bring you up. [01:33:01] Billy, you mentioned earlier that you like to read and you like to read a lot of different things. [01:33:06] Any specific books that you're reading? [01:33:08] Anything on your either reading or audible list or anything that you found interesting or you're currently reading? [01:33:15] Anything you can share with us? [01:33:16] Yeah. [01:33:18] Yeah. [01:33:18] You know, I love to read. [01:33:22] If I had to say a few of my favorite books, you know, if I just a couple of my favorite books, and I'm just going to throw them at you. [01:33:31] I love Adam Grant. [01:33:32] I think Adam Grant's a phenomenal writer. [01:33:34] So, one of his books of Give and Take or The Corner Office is some great stories about CEOs and leadership. [01:33:42] So, I really focus on the leadership realm, Tomas. [01:33:44] Another great one is Phil Jackson's 11 Rings. [01:33:49] I mean, it's amazing. [01:33:50] It's not just the story of the Lakers. [01:33:53] But what he does as a coach and as a leader, I think, is what really is just phenomenal and inspirational to what he did as an individual. [01:34:04] That you can take lessons from the court and apply them to your everyday life or apply them to the conference room. [01:34:11] So, Simon Sinek is another one of my favorite books. [01:34:15] Authors, Leaders Eat Last is a great book. [01:34:19] I love it. [01:34:19] I think there's so many good takeaways that you can learn from from there. [01:34:25] I think another one I would say, I talked about Captain McGrath, you know, Admiral McGrath's Make Your Bed. [01:34:31] It tells a lot of different stories about being a Navy SEAL. [01:34:33] I love the Navy SEALs. [01:34:35] It's something I enjoy their mentality. [01:34:38] And there's so many good stories about what they endure that you can apply to business and leadership. [01:34:45] So, those are some of the ones that I would say off the top of my head, Tomas, that I've read. [01:34:51] I love to read or I've even read them more than once. [01:34:53] I think the last one that I would throw out there, again, being a sports guy. [01:34:57] But there's so much things that I try to take the locker room talk or the locker room coach athletic mentality, excuse me, to how I lead. [01:35:08] It's not just for the Navy SEALs. [01:35:09] I mentioned Admiral McGrath's book, Team of Teams, is another phenomenal one, which was by General McChrystal. [01:35:15] It's something I love. [01:35:17] I would say Coach K's book, Chizewski's book, about what he's done, a different leader on the court, [01:35:23] but how he worked with different players and worked with different people I thought was phenomenal. [01:35:29] I have a bookshelf full of books. [01:35:30] I love to read. [01:35:31] It's something I enjoy doing. [01:35:33] But those are a few I'd say off the top of my head. [01:35:36] And probably the last one is Relentlessness. [01:35:39] So, Relentlessness is what my last book I actually just read. [01:35:43] It's by Tim Grover. [01:35:45] Tim Grover, if you don't know who he is, he's actually the athletic trainer. [01:35:50] He was the athletic trainer for Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. [01:35:55] And he tells the story of how Michael grew up from North Carolina. [01:36:00] After he got out of North Carolina, he was just selected by the Bulls. [01:36:02] He was one of the first people, the athletic trainer with the Bulls. [01:36:06] And he grew with Michael's success, incredible success. [01:36:12] And he tells a lot of different stories about Michael, but also about Kobe. [01:36:15] And it's incredible from an athletic trainer's perspective. [01:36:18] The book's called Relentlessness. [01:36:21] And that was the last book I just read, which really could teach you about mental health, mindset, [01:36:26] how you go into certain things or attack certain things or how you talk to different people or position yourself. [01:36:31] So, those were some of the books that I just finished or some of my top favorites, Tomas. [01:36:36] No, that's a great list, Billy. [01:36:39] That is an awesome list of books. [01:36:41] And it's good to thank you for sharing that. [01:36:43] So, just very quickly, we're coming up to the end of today's segment, of this evening's segment. [01:36:51] If you do have any kind of questions, we'll bring you up on stage. [01:36:55] Just want to plug next week's show. [01:36:57] So, next week, I realize that I – my apologies. [01:37:01] I haven't put the schedule up for next week, but we do have a full list of guests attending over the next few weeks. [01:37:06] Next week, we have the CEO of Material Security, Ryan Noon. [01:37:10] So, I encourage you all to come back next week. [01:37:12] Again, our usual time on Wednesday. [01:37:14] We'll be here for about an hour and a half or so. [01:37:17] I did see somebody raise their hand, so I'll give them a few minutes to – actually, I was giving you a few minutes to come up on stage. [01:37:24] So, if you want to ask a question, come up. [01:37:26] If not, I will ask Billy our final question or the typical last question that I usually like to get to. [01:37:33] And I don't see the person joining us. [01:37:37] So, Billy, I will ask you. [01:37:40] You're a relative – oh, oh, oh. [01:37:42] Ooh, just keep me to it. [01:37:44] Nate, over to you, Nate. [01:37:47] Sorry to steal that one from you. [01:37:49] Billy, this has been really great. [01:37:50] Really appreciate the stories and insights that you shared this evening. [01:37:54] You clearly take a lot of pride in being able to build out your teams in all the steps throughout your career. [01:37:59] I was wondering if you could share a little bit more about how you approach building the bench. [01:38:03] How do you approach talent development and kind of building out and growing your team once they're on board? [01:38:12] Yeah, it's a great question. [01:38:13] Some of it is – I talked a little bit earlier. [01:38:18] It's not always the – it's the intangibles that people have. [01:38:22] That's not always the skill set. [01:38:23] You can teach people how to do certain things in the job. [01:38:26] But sometimes you can't teach people passion, drive, excitement, energy, some of those detail-oriented things, right? [01:38:33] That just comes natural. [01:38:35] There's leaders, right? [01:38:36] You can teach them. [01:38:37] But some of the intangible things of a specific job, they don't have to know anything. [01:38:42] I look for those as individuals. [01:38:44] Humility is a big thing for me. [01:38:46] Sometimes it's just the people you want to surround yourself is important. [01:38:50] I think another one that I look at when building the bench is a diversified portfolio. [01:38:55] And what I mean by diversified is different skill sets. [01:38:59] And I think we all know that you're not going to have all the answers. [01:39:02] But if you build yourself with a team who has different skill sets that can bring you to the table, it's so much more powerful. [01:39:11] You're so much more stronger as a unit because you're building off each other's energy. [01:39:14] You're building off each other's expertise. [01:39:15] You're learning from each other. [01:39:17] And I think that's what's really important that I look at, that I'm part of, but also really important when building the bench. [01:39:23] If you have one people that specialize in all the same area with all the same mindset, you're going to get a regular singular answer. [01:39:28] When you have a team that's built in an age and different time zones, different age brackets, you have different skill sets, you have different backgrounds. [01:39:39] It's amazing how much more powerful you can become. [01:39:42] And that's important. [01:39:43] I also think what's important is succession. [01:39:45] If you're built for – it's like I don't want to say the bus theory because getting hit by the bus is terrible. [01:39:51] Let's say win the lottery theory, right? [01:39:52] You win the lottery and you leave the next day. [01:39:54] If you don't have a succession plan in place and you don't have true organization where if you left, things aren't written. [01:40:01] People don't understand the mission. [01:40:03] Don't have an idea what's going on. [01:40:04] The department's going to fail. [01:40:05] The organization's going to fail. [01:40:07] And don't tell you you failed as a leader because you didn't prepare your team. [01:40:10] So one thing that's really important for me is when I leave my job or when I'm going to leave my job or whatever it might be, my team is I've written everything down. [01:40:17] They know the organization as a whole will be better when I leave than what it was when I was there. [01:40:24] Because I prepared the team, hired the right team, led the right team, equipped the right team with the right stuff. [01:40:30] Then I know I built the right bench and succession plan for when I'm gone. [01:40:34] So with the short amount of time we have, Nate, I hope that hits a few of the high points you were looking for. [01:40:40] It did. [01:40:41] Thank you very much. [01:40:42] And humility is such a key difference maker. [01:40:44] And I really appreciate the rest of the insights you shared there. [01:40:47] Thanks so much. [01:40:48] My pleasure, sir. [01:40:49] Thanks, Nate. [01:40:51] Thanks for asking your question and contributing to this evening's conversation. [01:40:54] So, Billy, my usual last question is if you had one piece of advice for the younger Billy, and I know you're still young, but if you had one piece of advice for the younger Billy, what would it be and why? [01:41:08] I love that question because I ask myself all the time, Tomas, why didn't I just listen to myself? [01:41:16] I'm going to answer it with two. [01:41:18] I'm going to answer two things. [01:41:19] One is patience. [01:41:23] I think patience, if I could tell the younger Billy or the current Billy or the future Billy, patience is so important. [01:41:31] And believe and trust the process. [01:41:33] Trust the process. [01:41:34] Believe in the process. [01:41:35] Be patient. [01:41:36] Continue to work hard, which I know I do. [01:41:39] But be patient and believe and trust the process. [01:41:43] That's what I would say the younger Billy and the future Billy and the current Billy. [01:41:48] I think it's important and important for the younger generation. [01:41:52] And I think one that's really important to me, Tomas, I'm going to throw it back with a quote that I think I'd tell the younger Billy more and tell the future Billy. [01:42:01] It is an incredible quote by Theodore Roosevelt, President Roosevelt, the man in the arena. [01:42:06] And I think that quote is so powerful that I continue to tell myself I wish I learned it when I was much younger. [01:42:13] But the man in the arena is an incredible quote by President Roosevelt that really lives with me, that I try to continue to tell myself and give myself advice back then, currently, and to the future Billy as well. [01:42:27] So for those who don't know the man in the arena, it's an incredible quote by President Roosevelt. [01:42:32] That's something I hold near and dear to my heart because it really steers me in a lot of different directions in which I learned about it. [01:42:40] I wish younger Billy knew about that one earlier. [01:42:42] So, Tomas, that's my answer for you to end the clubhouse. [01:42:46] That's awesome, Billy. [01:42:48] A great way to sort of put a sort of cherry on the top for this evening. [01:42:55] Moderators, any final thoughts for Billy before we sort of conclude? [01:43:01] So I'd say this was great. [01:43:02] And I appreciate, you know, you being very open and honest with us and just sharing yourself. [01:43:09] So, you know, I think everyone that has listened, heard your story and heard your advice, or I believe in this clubhouse session that much more enriched just by the things that you've said. [01:43:21] So I appreciate everything that you've given. [01:43:25] I will chime in here too, Billy. [01:43:31] Behind the scenes, I have been fangirling over what you have been saying. [01:43:35] I feel like I, much like Octavia, left tonight with a better perspective than I entered the room with. [01:43:46] So really appreciate you giving so fully of yourself to this conversation and this community. [01:43:55] Humbled. [01:43:57] Very humbled to be around all of you and listening for all of you and spending an evening with you guys. [01:44:04] So very humbled for the opportunity. [01:44:09] So with that, Billy, I mean, I'll leave you for the very final, final words. [01:44:14] And again, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule. [01:44:18] I actually don't know where you are in the world these days because I haven't seen you because I've been traveling and you've been traveling. [01:44:23] So I'm sure you're very busy. [01:44:26] So I really appreciate you taking the time to spend with us for the past hour and a half. [01:44:30] But I'll leave you with the final words to bring us home. [01:44:34] The final words to bring us home. [01:44:38] Then I'm going to read where I left with Jamas. [01:44:41] I'm going to read it. [01:44:42] It's not the critic who counts. [01:44:44] Not the man who points out how strong the man stumbles. [01:44:47] Or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. [01:44:50] The credit belongs to the man or woman who is actually in the arena. [01:44:55] Whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood. [01:44:59] Who strives valiantly. [01:45:01] Who errs. [01:45:02] Who comes short again and again. [01:45:03] Because there's no effort without error and shortcoming. [01:45:07] But who does actually strive to do the deeds. [01:45:10] Who knows great enthusiasms. [01:45:12] The great devotions. [01:45:14] Who spends himself or herself in a worthy cause. [01:45:18] Who at the best knows in the end of the triumph of high achievement. [01:45:21] And who at the worst if he or she fails. [01:45:24] At least fails while daring greatly. [01:45:28] So that at his or her place. [01:45:31] Shall never be with those cold and timid souls. [01:45:34] Who neither know victory nor defeat. [01:45:37] The man in the arena by President Roosevelt. [01:45:39] That is a quote I would love to leave tonight with. [01:45:41] And thank you all for an incredible hour and a half together. [01:45:45] Thank you Billy. [01:45:48] That was awesome. [01:45:51] Awesome, awesome, awesome. [01:45:52] We'll work on that sort of reading and public skills a little bit. [01:45:56] But that was awesome. [01:45:57] Thank you for taking the time. [01:45:59] And yeah, you know I had to get a little jab in there for you Billy. [01:46:02] Can't let you go off on too high of a horse there buddy. [01:46:05] Thank you. [01:46:06] I'll see you back in the office. [01:46:07] And safe travels my friend. [01:46:09] Talk to you soon. [01:46:09] Thanks everybody. [01:46:10] See ya. [01:46:11] Thanks Maz. [01:46:12] Thanks everybody for attending. [01:46:13] We'll be back next week. [01:46:14] Hope you enjoyed this. [01:46:16] And please connect with Billy. [01:46:18] If you haven't already. [01:46:19] Connect with him. [01:46:20] Reach out to him on LinkedIn. [01:46:20] I'm sure he'll be happy to connect with you offline. [01:46:23] So kudos to everybody that came. [01:46:25] And talk to you all soon. [01:46:27] Have a great rest of your week. [01:46:28] Cheers. [01:46:29] Bye everybody. [01:46:33] Bye everyone.