Jean Kang

✨ PM Career Coach, x7 pivoter, helping other pivoters land amazing Program Manager roles and 🔥 thrive on the job | Founder of 🚀 Path to PM | Senior Program Manager @ Figma • Ex-Linkedin, Meta, Pinterest, Intuit

Over the last decade, I led impactful programs at companies like LinkedIn, Pinterest, & Figma.

But here’s the part that surprises people:

- I didn’t have a PMP certification.
- I’m a proud career pivoter. 
- I didn’t check every box.

What I did have was strategy, storytelling, and a clear sense of how to articulate my value.

That’s how I landed multiple 6-figure Program Manager roles at top tech companies not by following the “traditional” path, but by leaning into my superpowers. 

Eventually, I had a spark to do something different..

What if I used the same skills that helped me thrive in Big Tech… to build something of my own?

So I left to bet on myself (again). 

And what served me well in my career also helped me as a solopreneur.

I owned my story, built with intention and shared learnings in public.

I started creating content in 2023 and in 2 years, built a community of 350K+ across LinkedIn, Instagram, and my newsletter.

Today, I’m the founder of the PM Accelerator, a career transformation program where I help senior professionals land high-paying PM roles without another certification or starting over. 

My mission is to democratize access to tech careers + empower folks to design a career, business & life they love especially in this era of AI.

The Results:

→ Partnered with Google, Hubspot, NVIDIA, Adobe, Kajabi, Notion, & more
→ LinkedIn Learning Instructor with 200K+ learners
→ 100M+ impressions over the last year
→ 230K+ follow my journey on LinkedIn
→ Built a $200K+ business in 1 year 
→ 32K+ read my newsletter 
→ (soon TEDx speaker 😱)

If you want to learn the exact framework I used to land dream PM roles + help others do the same… 

📌 APPLY TO THE PM ACCELERATOR (link in bio)

In this 5-week career acceleration program, I teach you how to get interviews, land dream offers and literally thrive on the job.  

I helped 100+ students land PM roles at Microsoft, SoFi, Scale.AI, Adidas, Workday and more (many in under 4–7 weeks)

→ GO HERE: pm-accelerator.com 

📧 jean@jean-kang.com for partnerships, collaborations, and speaking opportunities

📌 Media kit: jean-kang.com

Founder & CEO

"Jean isn’t a program manager coach solely because she’s done the role. She’s a coach because she’s done both the role AND gone the extra mile to document what she’s researched and learned masterfully. 

“Jean’s the real deal, and I couldn’t recommend her more to someone questioning how to take the next step in their career."

I don’t believe in dream jobs.

But I believe in healthy cultures.

Here are 5 🟢 Signs You’re in a Healthy Workplace:

☝🏼 Work-life balance is expected.

↳ Flexible schedules, real PTO, and no guilt for having a life outside of work.

✌🏼 Mental health is respected.

↳ You can take a mental health day without judgment (it’s seen as part of being human)

🤟🏼 Feedback flows both ways.

↳ You feel safe sharing ideas, concerns, or mistakes without fear of backlash (yes, this is psychological safety).

🖖🏼 Growth is prioritized.

↳ You’re given opportunities to develop, whether it’s new skills, projects, or career growth.

🖐🏼 Your work is valued.

↳ Your work is recognized and you receive incentives with raises, bonuses, impactful projects, and flexibility.

When praying for a job, also pray for a workplace that values you too 🙏🏼

Because trust me, when you believe you’re worth it, the universe will make it possible for you.

That’s exactly how I landed dream jobs after being fired and found compassionate leaders after dealing with awful bosses.

It’s because I never settled for anything less.

Which of these signs do you see in your workplace? 👇🏼

Tech Creator (450K+) & Founder | Ex-LinkedIn, Meta, Figma | Solopreneur, TEDx Speaker & LinkedIn Learning Instructor helping you become AI FLUENT ✨

dont just pray for a job. pray for a workplace that values you too.

Unemployment doesn’t make you unworthy.

I’ve been fired, and other times, I left due to a bad culture fit and to be a caretaker for my mother with cancer.

For a long time, I felt embarrassed about job loss.
I assumed it was my fault.

Until I chose to own my narrative.

(it was a circumstance, not a character flaw).

The reality is that unemployment can happen to anyone regardless of performance, tenure, or status.

While it feels personal, here are a few reminders:

1/ You carry your skills forever. 
A layoff doesn’t erase your accomplishments.

2/ You don’t need to settle for less. 
Remember to know your worth and make sure your next role aligns with your values, skills, and culture fit.

3/ Career gaps are normalized. 
We’ll see more and more gaps, and it’s no longer a stigma.

4/ Layoffs can literally happen to ANYONE. 
Your seniority, title, and performance aren’t immune.

5/ It’s okay to take some time off 
Taking time to protect your mental health, realign, and do what brings you joy is not “falling behind.”

6/ This can be a rebuilding season.
You can use LinkedIn to share your story, help others, build genuine connections, and even create opportunities you didn’t have before.

Trust me, investing in yourself is the ultimate gift that will keep on giving ❤️

Dropping the BEST layoff guide, I’ve seen with tasks, tons of resources, and a how-to to get back on your feet

🎁 https://ntn.so/layoffguide created by the talented Christina Warmbrunn + Michael Coleman

Unemployment may be a setback, but you will have your comeback 🙌🏼

unemployment may be a setback. but you will have your comeback

I’ll choose remote work > higher salary.

It’s really simple.

More rest, less stress.

I’ve been remote ever since COVID but up until that point, I prioritized $.

Now, I prioritize my mental health, peace of mind, and well being. 

WFH has personally made me:

✔️ Richer
✔️ Happier
✔️ Healthier
✔️ More Productive

It’s about flexibility and choice.

Give people an OPTION to choose what works for them.

And here’s the thing.

When you feel good, you deliver higher-quality work, and can think and operate better.

That’s why I’ll always champion companies that enable teams to operate at the next level without being tied to an office.

Tango is one of the products I genuinely love because they are transforming how remote teams learn, lead, and share information.

They truly created a people-first product that’s perfect for training, documenting SOPs, and eliminating context-switching. 

Because people thrive when you meet them where they are (not the other way around).

Do you agree?

#TangoPartner

Tech Creator (440k+) & Founder | Ex-LinkedIn, Meta, Figma | Solopreneur, TEDx Speaker & LinkedIn Learning Instructor helping you become AI FLUENT ✨

No office perk beats the benefit of remote work.

I love this story SO much.

What you may not know about the CEO of NVIDIA.

Jensen Huang owns a $4 trillion dollar company 

But his LinkedIn profile lists just TWO jobs: 

☝🏼 Dishwasher, busboy, and waiter at Denny’s

✌🏼 Founder & CEO of Nvidia

His profile went viral, and people started calling it “the most inspiring LinkedIn profile ever.”

Here’s why his story resonates:

1/ Your first job doesn’t define your success

We’ve all had jobs that felt small or irrelevant. That’s normal. 

What matters is what you take from them.

2/ Every experience matters 

Jensen doesn’t list every role he’s had. 

But even working at Denny’s gave him lessons in grit, humility, and service.

These are traits that shaped how he leads today.

3/ Careers aren’t linear 

He went on to earn a Master’s from Stanford, worked as a chip designer at AMD and LSI Logic, while raising 2 children.

In 1993, he co-founded Nvidia while sitting in a booth at Denny’s with “no idea how” to start a company.

This is the true definition of humble beginnings.

30 years later, Jensen is one of the most influential leaders in tech.

Let this be your reminder:

Your resume does not define you.
Your background does not define you.
And no one else gets to define your story except for YOU. 

image credit: entrepreneurshipquote

P.S. So many talented professionals assume their work will speak for itself (then feel overlooked)

My friend & bestselling author, Lorraine K. Lee is hosting a free 30-minute lesson tomorrow! 

She’s a powerhouse giving a masterclass on why great work isn’t enough and how to actually get recognized at work.

📌 Register now: https://lnkd.in/gp6yrX9u

the ceo of nvidia has a legendary linkedin profile

How to (finally) sketch 🔥 infographics with AI.

If you want to create slick graphics without hiring a designer, try this:

1/ Upload a reference image you like (to recreate the style)

2/ Go to Gemini or ChatGPT and paste this prompt:

“Create an infographic brief for [YOUR TOPIC]. Include visual suggestions.”

3/ Review and edit the draft as needed

Example: edit the copy, remove specific bullets, add brand colors etc.

4/ Update your prompt with specifics:

“Generate a single image of a physical, hand-drawn infographic on a large whiteboard or notebook page.

Crucial Style Instructions (Read First):

Medium: The image must look like a photograph of a real whiteboard or large paper notepad.

Texture: All elements must look created by hand using colored marker pens (black, blue, red, green) and highlighters (yellow/orange). Lines should be slightly imperfect, wobbly, and have the texture of ink on a surface.

No Digital Fonts: All text, headings, and bullet points must appear handwritten or hand-printed in marker pen.

Layout: Structure the 1080x1350 image as follows:

Use multi-colored markers for emphasis. Keep text large and legible. Make everything look hand-drawn with slight imperfections. Make it look like a photograph of an actual notebook page.

Always include the handwritten text “Follow Jean Kang for more content like this | Repost ♻️” at the bottom of the image, in the same hand-drawn marker style.”

And keep prompting until you’re 100% satisfied with the image.

This is how you can turn any piece of educational content into a killer infographic.

Loved this prompt I found from Charlie Hills 🦩 newsletter as he breaks down exactly how 3 “ugly” graphics got him close to 500K impressions 🤯

Check out the playbook here: https://lnkd.in/gnntBDQA

P.S. I do see a few typos so it’s not perfect but I mean how amazing is the ability to even generate a graphic like this! 

Reshare if you learned a new AI hack today 😉

Tech Creator (445k+) & Founder | Ex-LinkedIn, Meta, Figma | Solopreneur, TEDx Speaker & LinkedIn Learning Instructor helping you become AI FLUENT ✨

I would bookmark this 🔖 

Google launched a free AI learning tool (and it’s so cool) 😱

It’s part of their new AI experiment called Learn Your Way, 

and it’s one of the most intuitive tools I’ve seen for modern learners.

A few standouts:

☝🏼 It adapts to your grade level and your interests

✌🏼 It converts material into formats you’ll actually use (audio, mind maps, slides, etc.)

🤟🏼 It checks in with quizzes and memory boosters so the info actually sticks

Say you’re learning physics.. it’ll literally teach you with rocket examples if you’re into space.

No more boring, generic explanations (bye to old textbooks)

This is still early (and in testing) but this is what I call learning BEYOND the classroom.

You’re not just learning new things.

You’re learning in a way that works BEST for YOU.

And I’m so HERE 👏🏼 FOR 👏🏼 IT👏🏼 

Here’s the link to try it out: https://lnkd.in/eB6J6CeF

What do you think?

Tech Creator (400k+) & Founder | Ex-LinkedIn, Meta, Figma | Solopreneur, TEDx Speaker & LinkedIn Learning Instructor helping you build AI literacy ✨

ChatGPT just got cancelled 🙀

Cancel ChatGPT is trending right now, and Claude did the most brilliant thing.

Let me explain.

OpenAI just signed a deal with the Pentagon over how its AI models would be used across the military.

And people are freaking out because who wants to give our data, our most prized possession, to the government, especially for war? 

While Anthropic publicly refused to give unrestricted use of Claude.

So everyone is rage quitting ChatGPT and going over to Anthropic.

But breaking up with Chat is kind of pain because all of your data is there. I mean, years of it.

So, Claude did something better 

Basically said, I got you, let me make this as easy as possible.

Literally just paste in this prompt, put it into ChatGPT, and you'll get all of your context back when you move to Claude.

They really made it THAT simple. 

Save this link (from Claude) so you can have your memory back in basically 1 click

🔗 https://lnkd.in/g9Em7Gky

OR feel free to do it manually:

Step 1: Copy Anthropic’s prompt below and paste it into ChatGPT

I’m moving to another service and need to export my data. List every memory you have stored about me, as well as any context you’ve learned about me from past conversations. Output everything in a single code block so I can easily copy it. Format each entry as: [date saved, if available] - memory content. Make sure to cover all of the following — preserve my words verbatim where possible: Instructions I’ve given you about how to respond (tone, format, style, ‘always do X’, ‘never do Y’). Personal details: name, location, job, family, interests. Projects, goals, and recurring topics. Tools, languages, and frameworks I use. Preferences and corrections I’ve made to your behavior. Any other stored context not covered above. Do not summarize, group, or omit any entries. After the code block, confirm whether that is the complete set or if any remain.

Step 2: Copy and paste the results into Claude’s memory settings:

https://lnkd.in/gC3EztGf

Are we seeing a mass ChatGPT exodus? Let me know your thoughts 💭

P.S. I actually did do this, and it was WILDLY easy to do. I’ve been appreciating Claude more and more for how intelligent its AI models are, but I still like Chat for ease of use, but who knows that might change 🫣

1.5 Million users leave ChatGPT. If you cancel, make sure you do this first.

10 years ago, I was in a job I hated…

Toxic bosses, high turnover, & poor company culture.

Thanks to Rob Dance for this quote 🙏🏼

No matter how hard I worked, I wasn't ever good enough.

I tried to stick it out but was fired in under 1 year.

I was crushed. I never thought I’d be able to get back up.

10 years later, I’ve worked at dream companies like LinkedIn, Meta, and Figma.

I led incredibly impactful projects, 5X my salary, and worked with world-class leaders.

The lesson?

NEVER give up. You can turn each rejection and redirect it into something better.

Regardless of the situation, I ALWAYS bet on myself.

Because if not you, then who?

Never let a toxic workplace or person define your worth.

Only YOU define your worth.

Betting yourself is one of the best investments you can make.

__

6 questions to ask if you're in the right place 👇🏼

1/ Am I challenged?
2/ Am I learning & growing?
3/ Do I feel like I can make an impact?
4/ Do I align with the values of the company?
5/ Am I being valued & recognized for my work?
6/ Do I enjoy working with my team and my boss?

Remember what your non-negotiables are (and never settle for less).

Choose yourself daily 💙

How are you choosing yourself today?

i used to think people changed jobs for money.but now i realize people just want to feel valued and have piece of mind

Failing is *actually* a good thing.

But most people let it consume them…

I’ve failed A LOT in my life.

- got fired twice
- bombed presentations
- stayed too long in toxic relationships

But here’s what it taught me:

↳ grit to keep going
↳ take failures as lessons
↳ made space for something *better*

And because of these “failures”, I’m right where I need to be:

I met the love of my life 🥹

I’m living my dream doing what I love ❤️

Allowed me to quit tech + create a life on my terms 🙏🏼

__

Try these 5 things to bounce back (even when you don’t want to):

☝🏼 Feel the pain

Give yourself permission to feel it fully.

Your emotions are valid (and it’s okay not to be okay).

If you’re sad, be sad. If you’re mad, be upset.

You’re literally be sick if you bottle your feels. 

✌🏼 Zoom out

You are not your worst moment.

Recognize that this too shall pass.

9/10 times you won’t remember this 1 month later.

🤟🏼 Find the lesson

Ask yourself: What is this trying to teach you?

How can I make my worst day my best one?

What would you do differently next time?

🖖🏼 Rewrite the narrative

Stop calling it failure. The only way to grow is through falling.

Remember, you are a beautiful work-in-progress.

✋🏼 Start slowly (just start)

Commit to taking 1 tiny step (any step).

Raise your hand at work. Post 3x a week. Have one hard conversation.

When I look back at my life.. here’s what makes me smile:

My collection of failures added up to a far more meaningful life.

I did something 🥹

LinkedIn invited me to interview their Chief Economic Opportunity Officer, Aneesh Raman, for his NEW book ✨Open to Work✨ co-authored with LinkedIn CEO, Ryan Roslansky.

Here's why this was deeply personal for me:

1/ It's been 5 years since I worked out of LinkedIn's SF HQ.

The same building I used to badge into as an employee is now where I interview LinkedIn's C-suite as a Creator.

I mean.. what a truly FULL circle moment.

2/ AI x the future of work is more timely than ever.

When I asked Aneesh why he and Ryan chose to write this book now, here's what he said:

"This isn't about AI. It's what we can do WITH AI."

The goal of this book is to build awareness, drive action, and shape a conversation that helps people navigate one of the biggest moments. of. our. time.

It's not emotionally charged. 
It's optimistic yet honest.
It's practical yet grounded.

Here's why I love it (and why you need to read it):

It's NOT a book about AI.
It's NOT humans vs. AI.
It's humans WITH AI.

And contains countless stories of regular people using AI to do new, ✨extraordinary✨ things at work to:

- Do their jobs better
- Find new jobs more easily
- Build new businesses
- And ultimately, be more HUMAN at work

Thank you, Mary Kate Fields, Gianluca Russo, and Aneesh Raman, for trusting me to lead this dialogue and bringing me back to my old stomping grounds 🙏🏼

I truly believe this (and you've heard me say it before):

AI isn't replacing you. But the person who uses it likely will.

It's okay to feel uneasy about the future as it unfolds.
You don't need to beat fear. You just need to act despite it. 💙

10/10 recommend for anyone who's pro-human in this AI era.

🔗 Get it here: https://lnkd.in/gVb9sXRJ

Hopping on the bandwagon 🚙

Claude is definitely WORTH the hype 🥹 Save this video to follow the EXACT steps to transfer all of your ChatGPT data over to Claude.

I have not fan-girled SO hard over an AI tool and can’t wait to explore more use cases to make Claude my superpower ✨

Follow along as I document my experience trying all the AI tools to help you make AI your unfair advantage.

The #1 thing that actually changed my life. 

It wasn’t getting a college degree or something I learned at a job.

It was choosing *who* I want as my life partner.

Despite posting on LinkedIn every day, I’m super private about my personal life.

But looking back at my biggest wins, I truly believe this is the 1 thing that unlocked my hidden potential. 

I was in relationships with people who didn’t understand or support my ambition, values, and they always found a way to dim my light.

My now husband is the sole reason why I’m able to create and live the life I always wanted.

He’s the reason I was able to quit tech, turn my side hustle of posting content into my main hustle, ground me when I feel inadequate, and remind me that I can do anything.

He doesn’t care that I make more, that have to drop everything and travel for work, or that I have big goals for myself.

He’s the best life partner I could ever ask for 🥹

We talk about our future together, how we’ll raise kids, and grow old together.

That’s why choosing your partner is the single most important decision you can ever make.

Because it will bleed into how you show up, who you become, and the impact you’ll have.

So instead of chasing the next shiny thin like a promotion, an MBA, a new job, new location, just start where you are.

Find someone who will make you better and help you achieve your wildest dreams.

Because that person is out there, and you deserve to *never* settle for anything less.

What I used to care about (before accepting a job)

↳ Perks (Free food, swag, etc)
↳ Company name
↳ Location
↳ Title

What I care about now (after I got all the above)

★ Flexible time off (without the guilt)
★ A manager who has my back
★ Growth opportunities
★ Psychological safety
★ Exciting challenges
★ Supportive team
★ Remote-friendly

The superficial things are temporary bliss.

Prioritize your non-negotiables.

And assess your list regularly.

If you’re looking for a job, I hope you find the right role, culture, and boss for you 💙.

What’s your non-negotiable? 👇🏼

Things employees don't care about vs What employees actually care about

NVIDIA GTC 2026… ya girl is coming 💚

I couldn't be more excited to be one of the influencers to report LIVE at one of the most ICONIC AI conferences in the world 🥹

I went last year, and seeing Jensen announce the latest and greatest of AI infra was ALL.THE. HYPE.

The energy was WILD in a room of 17,000 people 🔥

I mean Jensen IS the Taylor Swift of tech 🥹

But here’s what most people don’t know about…

While in-person passes cost over $2,500, you can attend virtually for FREE.

Yes, $0! 

Here are some sessions I’ll definitely be going to:

✔️ How open models actually evolved this past year, and where they're headed next

https://lnkd.in/gMqWJkZ6

✔️ Agentic AI 101: what agents really are, and how they work in production (not just demos)

https://lnkd.in/gYmEQVz3

✔️ AI literacy from K-12 to career entry, and the real student outcomes that prove access always matters

https://lnkd.in/gm4RFCat

Bare minimum, you NEED to livestream Jensen Huang’s keynote.

Register with the link below and save your spot before GTC kicks off on March 16.

🔗 https://nvda.ws/4kfvvnv

Who else is going there? Please say hello 👋🏼

#GTC2026 #NVIDIAPartner

Literally one of my favorite AI tool of 2026.

I love this PLAUD Note Pro from Plaud

A must-have for professionals who have tons of meetings, go to networking events, and love synthesizing convos with actionable takeaways.

I used to whip out my phone to take notes. 

It always drained my battery and made the person I'm talking to a bit self-conscious 🫣

Now I can be super present.

PLAUD is an AI-powered tool that transcribes any conversations or meetings you have. 

It then summarizes, extracts key insights, creates mind maps, and even answers your questions.

Not only does it work effortlessly, but it's super sleek and stylish. 

You barely notice it's there.

Who else is into AI wearables, and what do you recommend?

Try Plaud out for yourself (and check out their entire suite of AI wearables): https://bit.ly/40xA2sl

I’m an introvert but . . .

speaking in front of founders & creators totally filled my cup 🥺

I was joined by Grace Gong and Lillian Zhang, two boss women who have built seriously impressive media businesses while showing up for their audiences every single day.

We talked about getting started with content from zero to 1, how we've monetized our businesses, and what we'd tell our younger selves.

A few key takeaways:

1/ Starting is the STRATEGY

So many of us overthink content. 

We convince ourselves we need to be a thought leader first.

But the only permission you need is your own.

Don’t wait to be an “expert”.

Start by sharing your story, document your founder journey, and highlight the lowlight and lessons.

People crave real, unfiltered content.

2/ Consistency > perfection

A perfect strategy means nothing without execution.

When I got started on LinkedIn, I made a promise to post daily for 365 days.

I committed regardless of my follower or engagement count.

I trusted the process. And I accidentally built a community of 400K, became a TEDx speaker (my dream), and crossed over $500K/year in < 2 years. 

3/ You ARE the ✨NICHE✨

You do NOT need to stick to rigid pillars.

Create content around the topics that actually bring you joy.

That's the only way you will post consistently, find your tribe, and do so without burning out. 

I talk about personal growth, entrepreneurship, & tech. And I have a POV on all of it.

So do you.

Thank you to Cornelia Gu for sliding into my DMs and asking me to join. 11/10 experience 🖤

P.S. Always shoot your shot. You genuinely never know where it leads.

Who's heading to SXSW next week? 🥳

Google invited me to the most ✨EPIC✨ Supper Club 🥺

I've honestly never fangirled SO hard

I was in room with my favorite AI educators like Andrej Karpathy, Peter Yang, Lenny Rachitsky, & Cat Goetze.

Context: Lenny is the reason I started creating content 3 years ago.

I told myself, "I want to be the Lenny of Program Management."

So I started a coaching company, helped people land millions of dollars in offers, and built my first 6-figure business from scratch.

Putting myself out there landed me on stages with HubSpot, LinkedIn & TEDx, dream brand collabs, and even the LV Grand Prix 🏎️ 🙀

It was all because I SAW others pave the path first.

When you see others living their dreams, something goes off in your brain.

And you start to believe that you can make it possible too.

That's exactly what I want to be for you.

Because being in this room proved to me just HOW far I've come 🙏🏼

P.S. Thank you Michele Slack for inviting me to the most intimate experience that truly filled my cup.

To the best dinner buddies: Robby Stein Ashley Thompson Matthew Berman, our convos will stick with me!

Rossa Hsieh Marvin Chow Lily Lin Kevin Stratvert Jung Won (JD) Choi so grateful to chat with each of you! Ya'll are amazing 🥰

So please don't quit on your daydream 💭.
If I can do it, so can you.

5 phrases to stop saying (it's killing your confidence).

And what to replace it with:

1. Sorry for being late 

→ 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦!

2. Sorry for missing that 

→ 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵. 𝘍𝘪𝘹𝘦𝘥 ✅

3. Sorry for not understanding 

→ 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯?

4. Sorry for asking 

→ 𝘐'𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘟 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵.

5. Sorry to schedule a meeting 

→ 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘟. 𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘢𝘵 𝘠 𝘰𝘳 𝘡 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 30 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯?

Do you see the difference?

Reframing can help you build your confidence and influence. 

Repost to empower your network to speak with confidence 🙌🏼.

What phrase are you unlearning?

5 phrases to stop saying (and what to replace it with) 

This was one of my biggest dreams. 

Becoming a TEDx speaker!

And ya girl manifested it in less than 3 months (omg)

But here’s what most people don’t see: 

The journey started 2 years ago when I decided to hit post on LinkedIn and double down on my personal brand.

And I committed to put myself out there Every. Single. Day (despite the cringe)

In this newsletter, I break down the exact process and strategy to make this dream a reality.

Give it a read if becoming a TEDx speaker is also on your bucket list 😉

Check it out here 👇🏼

This has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl I shared how I officially became a TEDx speaker (i still can’t believe it). It’s still surreal

Open article: How I manifested my biggest dream and became a TEDx speaker in less than 3 months by Jean Kang • 2 min read

How I manifested my biggest dream and became a TEDx speaker in less than 3 months

Lester Chng

Cyber CEOs Brand Strategist. I build your brand as you build your business. | Senior Cybersecurity Advisor | Author | Naval Officer | CISSP | 🇨🇦🇸🇬 |

You head a leading cybersecurity firm.
But your online presence doesn't reflect it.

In fact, being invisible is damaging. 

You understand the power of thought leadership.
You know LinkedIn shapes deal flow and adds credibility in the industry.
You just don’t have the cycles (or the copy) to share your expertise and experience.

You have stories worth telling.

The insights from being in the trenches.
The deep conversations with your ace teams.
The hard discussions with your clients. 

Don’t let this wisdom go to waste.

That’s where I come in.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How we work together.

Profile & Positioning
=> Rebuild your LinkedIn profile so visitors see industry authority, not “another vendor.”

Content engine
=> Ghostwritten posts that leverage your insights and expertise into engaging LinkedIn posts. 

Outreach campaign
=> Targeted DM campaigns and audience-building strategies that build your authority and land you on podcasts and conference stages.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You focus on growing your firm and protecting your clients.
And we will ensure the industry, clients, prospects, and investors can’t ignore it.

Let’s build the personal brand that commands the cybersecurity conversation and drives business.


Worked with global client portfolio 
- MSPs
- MSSPs
- Agentic AI SOC
- AI-powered GRC 
- Operational Resilience 

Senior Advisor, Financial Crimes Unit Exercises. BMO Fusion Centre

Execution of Financial Crimes Unit Exercise and Drill Program
• Design and execution of exercises and drills to operationalize the Financial Crimes Unit Fusion Centre
• Scenario creation and exercise execution for Information Security, Enterprise Fraud Management, Physical Security, and Global Crisis and Continuity Management teams 
• Providing effective challenge of incident response readiness through exercise observation
• Execution of enterprise-wide Purple Team Exercise


Cybersecurity Exercises: Purple Team, Ransomware, DDoS, Malware, Data Corruption, Data Breach, 3rd Party Incidents
Fraud Exercises: ATOs, Attack on Payment systems, Business Email Compromise, PII Breach
Physical Security Exercise: Active Assailant, Civil Unrest, Bomb Threats
Crisis Exercises: Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity, Operational Resilience, Fire Incidents, Natural Disasters, Utilities Disruption

15 Feb 1942 - The day Singapore surrendered to Japan.
This day was chosen as a solemn commemoration.
"Never Again".

It wasn't until 1984, that the Total Defence concept was launched. The government saw the necessity for a whole-of-society approach that went beyond just the military.

• Civil Defence
• Social Defence
• Military Defence
• Economic Defence
• Psychological Defence

Digital Defence was added as the 6th Pillar, 35 years later in 2019. 

• fake news
• cyberattacks
• disinformation campaigns

There was a need to tackle these new challenges.

Additionally, a fourth Service of the SAF, the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS), was stood up to underline the importance of this domain.

Would I have crossed over if I were still in active service...

I lost my voice on many occasions.  
 
But LinkedIn helped me find it again. 
 
I lost my voice when I left the Navy. 
12 years in service.  
It remains a part of me. 
Naval terms. Military speak.  
Barking orders and receiving them. 
 
And then I left the Navy.  
 
I lost my voice when I left the country. 
34 years in the land. 
I will always belong there. 
Singlish, slang, and all I knew. 
Culture, habits, being a local. 
 
And then I left the country. 
 
I lost my voice when I began abroad. 
8 years since I landed. 
I wonder if I'll ever belong. 
New nuances, new circumstances. 
 
And then I began again. 
 
I lost my voice when I lost my job. 
I will never forget the letter. 
"Changing business requirements" 
I told myself this will never be a chore. 
 
And then I found my voice. 
 
You may find this platform a bore. 
"I need a job" 
"I am excited to...." 
"🚀🚀🚀🚀🤖🤖🤖🤖" 
"Are you interested in buying.." 
 
But it has allowed me to find my voice. 
 
Cause one day, I may lose it again. 
 
Have you lost your voice before?
What steps are u taking to mitigate?

No alternative text description for this image

Running naval wargames and designing cyber exercises at a bank are more similar than people expect.

It did help that the big boss at the bank was a former naval aviator. 

He knew with a fusion centre structure of managing security incidents across cyber, fraud, physical security, and crisis management, the teams needed a robust training program to drive operational excellence and achieve full operating capabilities. 

That was the first task. 

Get back to basics. 
Sort out the procedures. 
Drill the response teams. 

Do you run drills for your teams?

Or assume they will respond to your expectations?

You know Canada is on the up when Dad sends you a TikTok (no i dont have an account) about the upcoming increase in defence spending.

What about Canada do you appreciate?

I like the cold...... what about you?

bootcamp

Sign up here:
https://catalystcorporatetraining.classe365.com/form/view/AutoBootCamp?_gl=1*9rfqtg*_ga*MTQ4NTczNDM0MC4xNjk4MjQxODM1*_ga_YYXBQS6S5Q*MTcwNzgzMzEyNi4xODEuMS4xNzA3ODMzMTYwLjI2LjAuMA

LinkedIn Ghostwriter for Cyber CEOs | Senior Cybersecurity Advisor | Author | Naval Officer | CISSP | 🇨🇦🇸🇬 |

It is RSAC in a couple of weeks. 
Yet your meeting calendar is scarily empty.

Your VP Marketing has been urging you to post more on LinkedIn during the lead-up to RSAC.

But is has been crazy busy with client demos, contract negotiations, partner agreements, manpower turnover, investor updates, fund-raising, and just LIFE.

The start of the year flew by and you didn't realize RSAC is just around the corner. The conference that costs a pretty penny but you don't feel like you have good momentum going into the event.

Your last LinkedIn post was a report of a company announcement 3 weeks ago. Your DMs are all full of spam. And you ignored your VP Marketing's email to post more.

But where do you start? What do you post about?

I have 2 resources for you.
1. The Cybersecurity CEO’s Personal Brand Blueprint
2. 5 LinkedIn Posts Templates for Cyber CEOs

You have 1 week to catch up.

Don't waste another year at RSAC.

DM or comment "RSAC" and I'll send you both.

Building a cyber company is not for everyone.

Do you even have the commitment to do so?

I interviewed Eldon Sprickerhoff to get his insights for the next generation of founders. He is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence and a mentor at Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University. 


𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿. 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 “𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱”

𝘘: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴?


I kept seeing the same patterns: some passionate and brilliant technical founders hitting predictable walls - raising capital without understanding dilution consequences, scaling teams without proper foundations, pursuing growth without sustainable unit economics, or worse: flailing in the market with a product/offering that didn’t have an obvious value or importance.

What frustrated me was that these weren't unsolvable problems. They were challenges we had faced and eventually figured out, often painfully. I realized this knowledge could help others avoid the same expensive mistakes.

The recurring theme was the gap between technical excellence and business fundamentals. Founders could build incredible technology but struggled with identifying their true “ideal client profile”, minimally viable offering, go-to-market strategy, fundraising dynamics, or organizational design. "Committed" became my way of sharing survival strategies that weren't readily available elsewhere.


𝘘: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴?

Right now, I'm focused on helping the next generation of cybersecurity founders build enduring companies. Through my consulting and advisory roles, I'm seeing exceptional technical talent that needs guidance on the business side.

The masterclass is a way to scale that impact. I can only mentor a handful of founders directly, but the principles I learned building eSentire are broadly applicable. I want to help founders avoid the mistakes that nearly killed our company early on and accelerate their path to product-market fit and sustainable growth.

What excites me most is seeing founders take these lessons and apply them in ways I never imagined - solving problems that didn't exist when we started eSentire. The cybersecurity landscape keeps evolving, and I want to help the best founders navigate it successfully.


If you enjoyed this interview series, please follow Eldon and get his book at https://lnkd.in/gS2HNAnY


P.S. Have you read Committed? 
Get it already.

Having a brilliant idea is exciting.

But how you overcome uncertainty with conviction is key.

I interviewed Eldon Sprickerhoff to get his insights for the next generation of founders. Eldon is an active entrepreneur, investor, mentor, author, advisory and board member at the intersections of information security, computer science, machine learning, SaaS, and finance. He is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence and a mentor at Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University. 

He is best known for founding eSentire, a leading global cybersecurity Managed Detection and Response company.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱

𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 ‘𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢’ 𝘵𝘰 ‘𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺’?

I suppose that the most uncertain part was whether organizations would actually pay for continuous security monitoring as a service. In 2001, companies were used to buying products or hiring consultants for projects - not ongoing security operations.

What gave me conviction was simple: I knew from my time in New York that security threats didn't take breaks, but most companies couldn't afford 24/7 security teams, even if they knew that the threats existed. The gap between the threat reality and what organizations could resource internally was massive and growing. That disconnect was the opportunity.


If you enjoyed this interview series, please follow Eldon and get his book at https://lnkd.in/gS2HNAnY

He aims to be the Rick Rubin of Canadian cybersecurity startups: helping the right teams sharpen their edge, amplify their strengths, and scale faster.

P.S. What is the current opportunity in Cyber?

Scaling Cybersecurity Companies: Strategic Advisor & Growth Architect

Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University

eSentire

Dear LinkedIn,
Here is what it is like using the app. 

Suggested

Suggested

Suggested

Sponsored

Suggested

Sponsored 

Suggested

Sponsored


What’s up with this feed?

Did you even consider the experience?

Pls bring my connections’ posts. 

Sincerely,
Everyone.

LinkedIn

When I first moved to Canada, I remember reading about their Navy and Air Force capabilities (don’t ask me why I didn’t bother abt the Army). 

12 Halifax frigates. Ageing, 1990s
4 Victoria subs. Second hand. 
6 OPVs. Still coming online. 
12 Patrol crafts. 

F18s - started from 1982….


And to defend coast to coast….
to the True North

Was an impossible task. 

This Defence budget and Strategy is long overdue and may be the silver lining in this rocky new world. 

We are all pulling in the same direction. 

Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University will offer every company in every Catalyst program strategic insights to help them explore and pursue opportunities in Canada’s growing defence sector.

Stay connected and pull together.

The reason your posts fall flat? 
They read like press releases.

Most posts I see on LinkedIn read like they were written by a corporate communications team.

They’re clean. Safe. 
Approved by six people.
And boring as hell. 

Here are a few lessons that I gained after writing >1000+ posts. 
⸻

Lesson 1: Write as you would speak. 
You don’t need big words or long sentences.
Short. Direct. Clear.
If you wouldn’t say it in a conversation, don’t write it in a post.

⸻

Lesson 2: Share what it means, not just what happened.
Describe what you learned from it.
What changed for you? 
For your clients?
That’s the part people care about.

⸻

Lesson 3: Write to one person.
Think of someone specific — a client, a peer, a younger version of yourself.
Write as if you’re speaking to them.
That’s what makes people stop scrolling.

⸻

LinkedIn isn’t a press room.
It’s a coffee chat. 

Incorporate these lessons and the posts will start landing.

Whose posts do you enjoy reading?

Every company begins by solving a problem.

Do you have clarity of exactly what that is?

I interviewed Eldon Sprickerhoff to get his insights for the next generation of founders. Eldon is an active entrepreneur, investor, mentor, author, advisory and board member at the intersections of information security, computer science, machine learning, SaaS, and finance. He is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence and a mentor at Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University. 

He is best known for founding eSentire, a leading global cybersecurity Managed Detection and Response company.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥?

Before starting eSentire, I was providing information security consulting at a prime broker in New York, supporting both the brokerage itself and the hedge funds they hosted. I was building out defensive processes and systems to protect their Internet-connected infrastructure from increasingly sophisticated threats.

What I kept noticing was the gap between what organizations needed and what they could actually sustain. Security didn't operate on business hours - threats were 24/7 - but very few organizations could afford dedicated security operations teams. Even well-funded financial institutions struggled to staff and maintain continuous monitoring. Smaller firms had no chance.

I also saw that traditional consulting wasn't solving the core problem. Companies would hire us for projects, we'd implement solutions, then leave. But security isn't a project - it's an ongoing operational challenge. The defensive systems I built needed constant attention, tuning, and response capabilities.

This experience became the foundation for eSentire. I realized that if sophisticated financial firms couldn't solve this problem internally, there had to be a better model - one where security expertise and continuous operations could be delivered as a service rather than a one-time project or expensive internal build-out. That insight, combined with the operational knowledge I gained in New York, gave me the platform to build something fundamentally different.


If you enjoyed this interview series, please follow Eldon and get his book at https://lnkd.in/gS2HNAnY

He aims to be the Rick Rubin of Canadian cybersecurity startups: helping the right teams sharpen their edge, amplify their strengths, and scale faster.

P.S. What other qns would you ask him?

4 types of people in tabletop exercises.

And how to deal with them.

It is every facilitator's nightmare. You spend hours designing and scheduling a tabletop exercise and you practice and envision every conversation, pushback, scenario.

Yet you still feel unprepared because you don't fully know who the audience is, what they are like, and whether they will chew you up and spit you out.

Here are the 4 archetypes and how to manage these characters.

1. The Know-it-all

If we all conduct a blind survey in the room and ask everyone to close their eyes and point to the person who "Knows-it-all", they will all point to the same person.

How to tell who this person is?

Don't worry. When the exercise reaches the first discussion point, this person will start talking about Step A to Z on what he or his team will do. He knows his plans, critical processes, who to call, what to ask, what to investigate, how long it takes, priorities etc

How do you handle the "Know-it-all"?

This is a good thing.
Don't discourage the sharing. Instead leverage what the person is sharing and post some of the things he raised to other teams.

Example:
Know-it-all: For this particular incident, we will triage and send out the initial report within 30 mins

You: That is excellent. Operations team (or any other team that should receive the report), is the information within the initial report sufficient or what other types of info will help your team's processes?

Know-it-alls are good for keeping the flow of the exercise. Leverage them well.

2. The Forever-Skeptic (FS for short)

Signs of the FS.
- This will never happen
- We have implemented tools for this
- This inject is not applicable for our env

I know. 
You may find yourself sweating at this point. But don't worry, leverage your exercise design partner to help expand on the inject to make it relevant.

OR if all else fails. 
This is one trick that works.

Ask the FS straight up. 
"Is there a similar inject or scenario where in your experience and expertise, you know will triggers an event/incident that needs your team's response?"

1. This strokes FS's ego.
2. You have trapped FS. He can't say there is no such scenario.
3. Smile and pivot from FS's suggestion.
4. Rem to tie it back to the overall scenario.

3. The Conversation Hogger

Signs of the Hogger
- This is a no brainer. If you record the whole, the hogger probably took up 70% of the air time.

It is likely that the hogger has gone too far down a rabbit hole. 

Acknowledge the hogger's contribution and bring others in the convo.

4. The silent ones

No sound. No inputs. No involvement.
Ask them directly what they think or they would do. 
Do it with every inject.

What other characters are there and how do you deal w them?

Running the Naval Wargaming & Simulation Centre provided a strong foundation for running cyber exercises.

Here was what a typical week looked like.

• detailing injects
• designing exercise scenarios
• preparing exercise with instructors
• running exercises for warfare teams
• keeping up to date with naval tactics
• tracking and assessing performances
• planning out future exercise schedules
• conducting pre and post-exercise briefs
• discussing the ship's exercise objectives
• ensuring teams are up to date on Red Team tactics

Now you can understand the transferable skills in Cybersecurity exercises.

The best way to avoid mistakes is to learn from others who have trodden a similar path. 

I interviewed Eldon Sprickerhoff to get his insights for the next generation of founders. He is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence and a mentor at Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University. 

He is best known for founding eSentire, a leading global cybersecurity Managed Detection and Response company.

𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲

𝘘: 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮?

Three lessons stand out:

First, product-market fit isn't a one-time achievement - it's continuous. What worked for early customers often needed to evolve as we scaled. This came from painful experience watching our initial approach struggle as we tried to expand.

Second, in security, trust is everything but takes years to build. This lesson came from losing deals early on simply because we were unknown, regardless of our technical capabilities. We had to earn credibility one customer at a time.

Third, technical founders need to learn business fundamentals or find partners who have them. We learned this through trial and error - understanding unit economics, founder-led sales processes, and operational scaling didn't come naturally but became critical to our survival.


𝘘: 𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘱𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺’𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴?

A few moments were definitive:

The decision to focus on MDR as its own category rather than trying to be a general security consultancy. This came from recognizing we needed to own a specific problem rather than compete in a commoditized services market.

Choosing to build certain technology components rather than resell others' tools - and this changed throughout the life of the company. This was risky and capital-intensive, but it became our moat. We decided based on the belief that you can't deliver differentiated outcomes with commoditized tools; we made the choice to build on well-established frameworks (enterprise-level plumbing) and then build our own solutions on top.


The choice to pursue enterprise clients over SMB at a certain stage. This shift required completely rethinking our go-to-market, but the economics and retention made it necessary. We made this call when customer acquisition costs versus lifetime value forced us to evolve.


P.S. Are you capturing these moments in your journey?

LinkedIn  isn’t rocket science. 
10 things you can do today that will take less than 1 min. 

Forget the polished profile. 
Funnel content tactics. 
Funky AI graphics. 

Keep it simple. 

Do one of these (or all) and make LinkedIn work for you. 

1. Send a DM to refer someone
2. Send a DM to encourage someone
3. Comment on a stranger’s post
4. Reconnect w an ex colleague
5. Congratulate an achievement
6. Say hi to a stranger in your field
7. Say hi to a stranger not in your field
8. Ask for insights from an expert
9. Ask someone for that referral
10. Ask someone if they need help

Try it out. 
Let me know how many you hit today.

P.S when was the last time you did any of the above?

Sick of tabletop exercises?

Here are other training tools to use. 

Picture this. 
You designed and planned for your tabletop exercise for months. 

The date is decided and you sent out the calendar hold. 

“Urghh”. The synchronized groans echo across the office space. 


Johnny Smarty Pants: “I bet it’s an AI or ransomware scenario again”. 

Jimmy Old Timer: “Time to dust off the old playbook”. 


How do you think the exercise will go?
Probably the same as the last 5..

Even MSPs know that this is a problem. 
“Our clients are bored of TTXs”.


Here’s how to shake things up. 

1. Use short drills instead
2. Execute unalerted exercises
3. Ask delegates to be the primary 
4. Allocate budget for a simulation ex

You can and should incorporate some variety and creativity in your training. 

Otherwise it’s a bloody snooze fest. 

Everyone know it and just goes through the motion at your tabletop. 

Depressing stuff. 

P.S any other bright training ideas?

It’s 2026 and it’s still a VUCA world. 

Volatilite
Uncertain
Complex
Ambiguous 

No wonder there is a continued demand for crisis mgmt professionals. 

VUCA was introduced in 90s to describe the post Cold War period. 
Still as relevant today. 


In fact, things may escalate. 

BANI is added to the frame with pandemics, AI, and whatever’s next. 

Brittle
Anxious
Nonlinear 
Incomprehensible


Stay safe out there. 

P.S Just saw the missile attack on the base in Bahrain where I was stationed back in the day.

One simple reason to keep showing up on LinkedIn that we always forget. 

It takes repetition. Alot of it. 

It is simply not good enough to just post once every 2 months and expecting people to notice you, much less remember your name. 

To make matters worst, you write about random topics. 

One day it’s National Cyber Strategy. 
The next is how Moltbook is the next catalyst for the end of the world as we know it. 

But yr company’s solution is AI SOC. 

How do you expect to form an impression, an association, and god forbid ….. get inbound leads?

People have short term memory. 
People are extremely busy. 
People are distracted. 

Stick to 1-2 topics. 
Post 1-2 per week. 
Keep at it.


P.S have you given it a good go before concluding this channel doesn’t work?

A Mag 7 acquires your Cyber company for Billions.

No wonder everyone is now a cyber founder... BUT

I interviewed Eldon Sprickerhoff to get his insights for the next generation of founders. He is best known for founding eSentire, a leading global cybersecurity Managed Detection and Response company.

𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆’𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀

𝘘: 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘤𝘺𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘴?


The biggest difference is that the market now better understands the category. When we started, we had to explain why continuous monitoring mattered, let alone explaining what we meant by “Embedded Incident Response” or “Collaborative Threat Management” (two early terms we used to describe what benefit we were bringing to the market).

Today, MDR is established - founders don't need to educate the market on the concept, but they face different challenges.

The bar for differentiation is much higher. Buyers are more sophisticated and have many options. You can't win just by being "better" - you need to solve a problem fundamentally differently or serve an underserved segment.

Capital availability has changed dramatically. In the early 2000s, cybersecurity funding was extremely scarce. Today, capital is somewhat more abundant (especially when addressing the market from the perspective of AI), which means you can scale faster but also face better-funded competition earlier. The pressure to grow quickly can actually hurt companies that haven't found true product-market fit.


𝘘: 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘺𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘱𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦-𝘶𝘱𝘴, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩?

I look for a few signals:

Do they have deep conviction about a specific problem, or are they chasing a market opportunity? The best founders I meet can articulate exactly why their solution needs to exist based on real experience, not market sizing slides.

Are their customers renewing and expanding? Revenue growth matters, but retention and expansion tell you if you're actually solving the problem. Churn hides in early-stage metrics.

Can the founder articulate their unit economics clearly? If they can't explain their CAC, LTV, and path to profitability, they're likely building on quicksand regardless of how impressive the top-line growth looks.

Finally, are they learning and adapting? The founders who succeed aren't the ones who execute their original plan perfectly - they're the ones who recognize when something isn't working and adjust intelligently. This has been coined as a new flavour of MVP: Minimally eVolveable Product.



If you enjoyed this interview series, please follow Eldon and get his book at https://lnkd.in/gS2HNAnY

Imagine exercising the exact scenario a couple of weeks before an incident. 

This is how some teams would have managed the lead up to this weekend. 

The sharpest teams would have tracked the escalation and highlighted the threat scenarios weeks ago. This can only happen if your threat intel teams covers beyond just cyber. 

The risk teams would be pulled in and have a quick reassessment. This can only happen if your intel and risk teams know how to work together. 

The exercise and security teams collaborate to rapidly design and develop exercise scenarios. This can only happen if leaders carve out time. 

The leadership team prepare briefs to the executive leadership and board. This can only happen if there is trust. 

Can you predict when something kicks off? Nope but you can certainly prep for it in advance. 

And when you run the exact scenario weeks before it actually happens. 

Imagine the credibility your team gains. This doesn’t happen by chance but by an intricate and established machinery. 

P.S 
how are you actively managing risks?

If the message is still unclear, do this. 
- review last few major incidents 
- identify the most relevant scenarios
- refresh or recirculate response plans
- stand up a quick incident drill 
- plan for a near term exercise 
- run the exercise and note lessons
- update leadership on readiness


Write a quick doc on this process. 
That is your response playbook. 
Don’t fumble the next crisis.

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The Battle

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Jean Kang's LinkedIn Performance

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