Roman Pikalenko 🇺🇦🦩

Turning Impact Leaders into Authority Figures Through Powerful Stories | Ghostwriting LinkedIn & Educational Email Courses ✍️📚

Climate tech founders are building world-changing solutions.

But most of them are invisible online.

Meanwhile, fossil fuel lobbyists have near-infinite marketing budgets. Greenwashers dominate the conversation. Climate deniers spread misinformation to millions.

The people actually solving the problem? They're too busy building to talk about it.

That's where I come in.

I ghostwrite LinkedIn thought leadership for Series A+ climate tech CEOs and founders — helping them take control of the narrative and build visibility that compounds.

Here's how it works:

→ 6-12 month projects built on weekly or bi-weekly interviews
→ I extract your expertise and turn it into content that sounds like you
→ Full strategy, content planning, and profile optimization included
→ Continuous improvement baked in (that's what Kaizen means)

I'm not an agency with 47 writers and a sales team. I'm a solo operator with a limited client roster, which means you work directly with me — every interview, every post, every edit.
Results my clients have seen:

→ Inbound leads and investor connection requests
→ Podcast invitations and speaking opportunities
→ Top talent reaching out directly
→ Measurable traffic to demos, books, and qualification surveys

I've worked with 20+ climate leaders across 4 continents, including 3 LinkedIn Top Voices and a Forbes 30 Under 30 founder. Collectively, my clients have raised $200M+.

I've ghostwritten 1,000+ posts and have been running Kaizen for almost 3 years.

If you're looking to take control of your narrative and start building your visibility, DM me "climate" and I'm happy to talk more.

Growth Marketer

~ Running company social media marketing operations
~ Running paid ad campaigns on social and Google Ads
~ Inbound and content marketing

Weird confession: 3 weeks ago, my gf left to travel in SEA and I miss her a LOT.

Here's what I've been doing to not go insane:

This is the first time we've been apart this long.

Two months total. Just me, the apartment, and two cats who have no idea why Linda isn't here.

I'm not gonna pretend it's easy.


But I've found a few things that help.

1 - Focusing on the cats.

We have two. Hugo (4yo) and Calypso.

Calypso is the kitten. She's my resident spawn of evil..

I've been playing with them more. Teaching them to brush their teeth, which is horrendous but necessary.

Keeping Calypso from knocking things down, eating the wrong things, and chewing on wires.

It's like raising a toddler that will never grow up.

2 - Setting appointments with my friends.

My social life used to just happen. Now I have to be strategic about it.

I schedule time with friends the way I schedule client calls.

It avoids loneliness. And honestly, it's a great excuse to catch up properly.

3 - Being stricter with my routine.

Last year, I doubled down on discipline. Even hired a fitness coach over a month ago.

Now, I’m reading more. Preparing my morning routine the night before. Documenting everything. Reflecting in a journal every day.

Structure helps me stay present and focus on the ‘next thing’.

4 - Focusing on my business more.

I technically have more control over my day now.

So I've been squeezing work into different parts of the week. Working almost every day.

I love what I do, so it’s not a big change.

And staying busy beats sitting around feeling miserable.

—

I know I'm not the only one who misses their partner when they travel.

Especially if you run your own biz and your schedules don't always line up.

So I'm curious.

What do you do when your partner is away for a long time?

What's your coping mechanism?

Do you bury yourself in work, or do you take the opposite approach?

Roman Pikalenko 🇺🇦🍉

I turn $10M+ Series A climate tech founders & execs into LinkedIn thought leaders to attract capital & talent | Helped 3x LinkedIn Top Voices & 10+ climate tech founders | Obsessed with solar right now ☀️

99% of climate tech founders won't be at Davos next week because the tickets cost $27,000.

Here's how to take advantage of it:

The World Economic Forum runs January 19-23 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.

Up to 3,000 leaders will be there talking about climate, innovation, and the green economy.

You won't be in the room.

But you can still extract value if you're strategic about it.

Here are 3 ways:

1 - Engage in the hashtag feed.

#Davos2026 and #WEF2026 will be flooded with posts from attendees, commentators, and climate leaders.

Most founders will just watch. If I were you, I’d:

→ Add thoughtful comments on posts from investors/ founders 
→ Ask questions that show you understand their work 
→ Share a specific take from your own experience

You'll get in front of the right people organically while everyone else is lurking.

2 - Watch livestreamed sessions, then create content from what you learned.

Over 200 sessions will be livestreamed on the WEF website.

Skip the endless scroll of hot takes. Watch actual sessions on cooperation, innovation, and planetary boundaries.

Take notes on what matters for your sector.

Then turn those ideas into your own posts. Not summaries. Your angle on what was said.

3 - Use Davos themes as content frameworks for your business.

Davos 2026 has 5 key themes:

→ Cooperation in a contested world 
→ Unlocking new sources of growth 
→ Investing in people 
→ Deploying innovation responsibly 
→ Building prosperity within planetary boundaries

Pick the ones that align with your startup and create content around them.

—

Davos happens whether you're there or not.

Leverage it.

My client Maria works in construction scheduling.

Her prospects say: "We'll bring you in once we sort out our delays."

But that's backwards.

If she joins at the start? 10 hours to set up a system that prevents $1m/day delays.

If she joins later for damage control? 100 hours to untangle the mess.

—

Climate founders do the same thing:

"We'll invest in LinkedIn after we raise our Series A."

But by then, you've already:

- Pitched investors who googled you and found... nothing
- Missed warm intros because no one knew what you're building
- Spent 12+ months in fundraising mode with zero visibility

Your LinkedIn IS part of the raise.

Investors check you before the call. They want to see thought leadership. Industry credibility. That you can tell a story.

If you wait until after, you're starting from scratch.

—

If you're raising in the next 6-12 months:

→ Share your vision, not just product updates 
→ Post 3-5x/week minimum (investors need to see you're active) 
→ Build relationships with people in your target investor's network

Start before you need it, not after. 

PS — I wrote two newsletter deep-dives on this exact topic:

→ The 3 questions investors actually care about (and what content answers them)
→ Why Series B conversations don't start on LinkedIn (but are influenced by it)

Comment "RAISE" and I'll send you the links.

I've analyzed 100+ climate tech founder profiles in 2025. They're all making the same expensive mistake:

They treat LinkedIn like a PR platform.

Stay in ‘stealth’ for months.

Then appear out of the blue when they need funding.

And then they wonder why:

→ Investors don't respond to their fundraising outreach 
→ Top talent goes to SaaS companies instead 
→ Customers ghost them after initial interest

Wanna know the truth?

I’d never date someone if every time they come to me they always need something. That’s not a very trustworthy person. Why should your investors or customers be any different?

SaaS and B2B founders figured this out years ago.

They don't wait until they're fundraising to start posting. They don't lead with product specs. They don't position themselves as industry experts first.
Instead, they:

→ Share behind-the-scenes of building 
→ Document their failures and pivots 
→ Show their personality and values 
→ Start conversations, not monologues

By the time they need something, people already know them.

Already trust them. Already want to help them succeed.

Climate tech is too competitive to wait until you need something to start building your network.

My suggestion to you this year:

Stop worrying about others trying to ‘steal’ your ideas. If they wanted to, they’d find a way anyway.

Start showing people who you are BEFORE you ask for anything.

→ Share the challenges you're facing 
→ Celebrate your team's wins publicly 
→ Ask for advice, not just attention 
→ Comment on others' posts like you're building friendships, not a follower count

The founders who do this?

They close funding rounds faster. They attract talent that believes in the mission. They build customer relationships that feel like partnerships.

Because trust compounds.

And LinkedIn is where you build it before anyone's ready to buy, invest, or join.

—

The more you treat this platform as a networking space while sharing genuinely helpful advice, the more you increase the chances of being seen.

PS — And if you agree with what I said, but still feel you're not ready to start sharing content, at least optimise your LinkedIn profile. Investors and customers are already looking you up. You could at least make sure it's clear who you are and what you do. 

I created a free resource with 5 headline & 2 About section templates, 2 AI prompts to help create both, and an extra optimization checklist. 

Comment "profile" and I'll send it over. 

Just make sure we're connected so I can DM you.

I've ghostwritten for 20+ climate tech founders over the past 2 years.

And there's one post that outperforms everything else in the first 2-3 months:

The introduction post.

Not a hot take. 
Not a carousel. 
Not a "10 lessons I learned" listicle.

A simple post that says "here's who I am, what I do, and why you should care."

But the problem?

Most founders skip it.

Or they write something like:

"Hi, I'm [Name], CEO of [Company]. We're building [vague description]. Excited to connect!"

Nobody cares.

It shows no story, builds trust, and gives reason to follow you.

So I took the exact framework I use with my clients and turned it into a free resource.

It includes:

→ 2 fill-in-the-blank templates (Origin Story style + Expertise Reveal style)
→ Examples from founders who nailed it
→ An AI mega prompt to write your draft in minutes
→ Bonus checklist for when to post, how to pin, and what to do next

Want a copy?

Comment "intro" and I'll send it over.

PS - If we're not connected yet, send me a request so I can DM you.

Last year, Vinay Hiremath, Founder of Loom sold the company for $975M and is now 'bored' and doesn't know 'what to do' with his life.

I have a few suggestions:

1/ Become a climate tech investor.

I know quite a few breakthrough tech companies that need scaling, whose mission is deeply personal to me, and who can create a large-scale impact.

If Robert Downey Jr, Leonardo Di Caprio, Rihana can do it — so can you, Vinay.

2/ Train the next generation of tech founders.

You made it! Woo. But most people haven't.

Start a coaching program, mentor folks, or build your reputation online through helpful content.

3/ Start a new company.

And make its purpose solving one of the many urgent climate issues.

Anything around safe water access, alternative proteins, sustainable materials, reforestation - options are plenty.

4/ Donate. A lot.

A ton of great NGOs out there struggling even harder than climate tech startups.

Don't know who to support? Go after proven organisations like The Ocean Cleanup.

5/ Revitalize a local community.

Tons of people around the world live in conditions not suitable for 2025. Help fix that, maybe?

—

And if none of it sounds interesting, I also accept donations. I'm confident sending about $20m my way will take some stress off of you.

Up to you 🤷‍♂️

—

What would you do with $975 million spare?

If you write 5 posts per week.

That's 260 posts a year.

Assume you "give" 80%, and "ask" 20%.

→ That's 52 "asks" a year.
→ If 10% convert to a call.
→ That's 5 clients.

Let's say your deal size is $20,000.

And yet, you might’ve thought 1x/month would be enough.

I get it. You're busy running a climate tech company.

"Once per month" feels manageable. Realistic.

But at the same time I hear you say:

"I want to generate revenue through LinkedIn."
"I want inbound speaking opportunities."
"I want to attract top talent."

If you want LinkedIn to work, you have to give it something to work with.

5x per week. Minimum.

—

Because the alternatives are:

If posting 1x/month = 12 posts/year

- 2 asks per year
- 0 clients
- $0/year

If posting 1x/week = 52 posts/year

- 10 asks per year
- 1 client
- $20,000/year

—

If you're ready to take LinkedIn seriously, click "visit my website" at the top to join 430+ climate leaders, and I'll send you my Founder Visibility Playbook:

→ 6-day email course on LinkedIn visibility
→ The Founder Visibility Funnel framework
→ How to post 5x/week without burning out

Post largely inspired by my buddy, Jacob Pegs

One thing I love about my business?

I was sick for almost a week.

Instead of panicking to get a sick leave, asking my clients if they’re okay with me taking a few days break, or scrambling with what I do with work…

…I just took a damn week off.

(well, most of it)

Turned on my Playstation.
Binged LOTR and Transformers.
Ordered in soup and ramen daily.
Drank abhorrent amounts of tea.
And slept for 9-10h a day.

If I wasn’t sick, you’d say I was on a vacation.

And I can only do it because of how I’ve built my business around my life, not my life around my business.

Content has been produced in advance (always is).
Clients have been notified of me being sick.
And I can afford ordering in when I need it.

Now, I’m back.
Clients are still happy.
And I’m feel fresh like a cucumber.

Good times.

While everyone's posting 'insights' from Davos next week, do this instead:
Share one of these 10 styles of content:

• Tips 
• Stats 
• Steps 
• Lessons 
• Benefits 
• Reasons 
• Mistakes 
• Examples 
• Questions 
• Personal Stories

Tips:

→ "5 tips for securing climate finance based on [session name]" 
→ "3 tactics for partnerships I learned from [speaker] at Davos" 
→ "Practical tips from the 'deploying innovation responsibly' panel"

Stats:

→ "The one number from Davos everyone's ignoring" 
→ "3 stats about green economy growth that change everything for [sector]" 
→ "[X]% of climate tech fails because of [stat from Davos]. Here's why."

Steps:

→ "Step-by-step: How we're applying 'planetary boundaries' to our product roadmap" 
→ "How to implement the cooperation framework [speaker] mentioned" 
→ "3 steps to turn Davos talk into actual strategy"

Lessons:

→ "3 lessons from [session] that contradict what VCs tell founders" 
→ "What [speaker] got wrong about carbon markets" 
→ "Davos says [X]. We learned [Y] the hard way."

Benefits:

→ "Why [announcement] benefits sustainable materials (and why investors miss it)" 
→ "3 benefits of [Davos theme] no one's talking about" 
→ "How [policy discussion] helps climate startups more than it hurts them"

Reasons:

→ "5 reasons the Davos conversation about [topic] is incomplete" 
→ "Why [consensus view] doesn't work for early-stage climate founders" 
→ "3 reasons we're ignoring Davos advice on [topic]"

Mistakes:

→ "3 mistakes Davos speakers make about scaling climate tech" 
→ "The biggest error in [session]: assuming [X]" 
→ "What the 'investing in people' panel got wrong"

Examples:

→ "Davos talks about cooperation. Here's what it looks like at [company]." 
→ "Everyone's discussing 'responsible innovation.' Here's our version." 
→ "Real example of [Davos theme] from our last quarter"

Questions:

→ "Everyone at Davos is talking about [X]. Here's what no one's asking:" 
→ "The question [session] avoided: [specific question]" 
→ "If [Davos consensus] is right, why are we seeing [contradiction]?"

Personal Stories:

→ "Davos says cooperation is key. We partnered with a competitor. Here's what happened." 
→ "They're talking about [theme] at Davos. We tried it 6 months ago. Here's the reality." 
→ "The gap between Davos stage and startup reality: [your experience]"

Pick one format. Create one post.

That’s the type of content that people would actually read.

Aaron Korsh struggled as a writer's assistant for 8 years.

Then he created the most-streamed show in Netflix history:

Suits was watched for 57.7 billion minutes in 2023. Beat The Office's record.

I'm on season 7, binging like my life depends on it.

As a writer, I had to figure out why I couldn't stop.

—

Before Suits, Korsh was grinding in Hollywood for 8 years.

No formal training in hour-long dramas. But he had a Wall Street background—even worked for a guy named Harvey.

He wrote Suits as a spec script. Mike Ross was based on himself: good memory, smoked weed, felt like a fraud.

Korsh built a system that makes it impossible to stop watching.

—

Here are the 5 techniques:

—

1/ Cliffhangers and Open Loops

Every episode ends on unresolved jeopardy. A new secret. A win that becomes a bigger threat.

The cliffhanger flips something from earlier in the episode. It's earned, not random.

→ Don't tie up every loose end. Leave one question unanswered.

—

2/ Layered A/B Plots

Two plotlines per episode: case of the week + firm politics or personal drama.

They converge emotionally in the final act. Legal stakes mirror personal stakes.

→ Layer your content. Weave in a personal angle that mirrors your main point.

—

3/ Fast Dialogue Rhythm

Korsh came from comedy. That's why Suits feels different.

Fast, sharp dialogue. Banter. Status games.

Even office scenes have forward motion.

→ Cut the fluff. Make every line move the story forward.

—

4/ The "No Reset Button" Rule

Korsh's philosophy: "If something scares the sh*t out of me and I think it's right, we do it."

Season 1 finale: Trevor tells Jessica about Mike's secret. Terrifying. But no take-backs.

→ Make bold choices. Take a stance that scares you. Don't walk it back.

—

5/ Dramatic Irony

The audience knows secrets the characters don't.

Mike's fraud. A betrayal in motion. A threat coming.

We're watching the clock tick, waiting for the bomb.

→ Let your audience in on the "secret" early. Make them insiders.

—

Korsh built Suits on one principle:

Take bold risks. Layer your stories. Never let them look away.

57.7 billion minutes watched. Most-streamed show ever.

Great storytelling isn't about complexity.

It's about structure that hooks, depth that resonates, and consequences that stick.

—

As a writer, I'm obsessed with studying craft like this.

Whether it's Kendrick Lamar's precision or Aaron Korsh's addictive storytelling.

It's how I help climate tech founders build visibility on LinkedIn.

—

Want my complete playbook for founder visibility?

DM me "SUITS" and I'll send you:

→ 6-day email course on LinkedIn visibility
→ The Founder Visibility Funnel framework
→ How to be seen as a category leader

Make sure we’re connected so I can message you.

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

Welcome to yr cyber flight simulator. 

I promise I won’t make u cry. 

The Cyber Range has been a faithful workhorse of Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University. 

Incident response professionals, IT teams, municipal leaders, law enforcement officers, veterans, and foreign partners have gone through their paces at the range. 

Has yr team seen what a cyber incident looks like?

Have they been in the hot seat, trying to make sense of what’s happening and needing to coordinate and prioritise actions?

Have they been given the rigor of training to sharpen their instinct, rehearsal their articulation, and coordinate competitions priorities?

This is your cyber flight simulator. 

Step in and see what happens when the rubber hits the road. 

Or are you going to take the risk and wait for a real incident to find out?

Good luck. 
Godspeed. 


P.S 
Please follow Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University. 

We have been delivering exciting programs to individuals and organizations for years and have shaped Canadian’s Cyber Ecosystem. 

It’s going to be an eventful year. 

Follow + try to keep up w the Catalyst.

No alternative text description for this image

I once received AAR feedback from an executive that changed how I view these "mundane" reports.

After-action reports are very important to the success of an exercise program. Without it, there is no chance of leadership buy-in, and soon the program will fizzle out.

These are typical uses/benefits of an AAR.

• capture lessons learned
• provide recap of proceedings
• serve as evidence for risk/auditors
• feeds into enterprise-wide action item register

On this occasion, I drafted the AAR for a fraud-related exercise. It involved many operational teams including executive involvement. The AAR was signed and sent.

One feedback from an executive stood out.

"It had alot of detail, but I don't know if it was a success".

That struck me. We just missed an opportunity.

An opportunity to highlight:
• the alignment with the overall security program
• the collaboration involved to run the exercise
• the advancement in teamwork 
• the reduction of risk

Include a clear story and highlight the win in your AAR.

Don't take these exercises and artefacts for granted.
Each event builds confidence, familiarity, and resilience.
Don't let it go unnoticed; give it its due credit.

P.S Have you seen AARs put to good use?

Most cyber CEOs think LinkedIn is about “posting more.”

It’s about posting with a positioning equation:
Authority + Trust + Leads

Don't start without a clear content strategy.

Here’s the simple way to build your content calendar.

𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆
1. Build authority so you become the obvious expert.
Authority is when your audience says,
“This person knows the space.”

Teach one niche concept per post (one takeaway).

Share your lived experienced not conceptual ones.

Break down “why this fails” in real environments.

Add proof when possible:
Lessons, patterns, results, before/after.
Authority posts go deep in your niche.
More “results, insights, wisdom.” Less "frameworks"

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁
2. Build trust so people believe in what you stand for.
Trust is when your audience says,
“I’d take a meeting with them.”
It comes from clarity and consistency, not hype.

Show how you think, how you communicate risk, and how you make tradeoffs under constraints. Use stories, principles, and honest calls on what you will and won’t do. When people understand how you deal with situations, they start to trust your delivery.

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀
3. Generate leads without sounding salesy.

Direct: a clear CTA after you have earned it.

Indirect: a walkthrough of what it is like working w you.

Remove friction:
scope, timeline, roles involved, what success looks like.

Make it obvious you solve this specific problem for this specific buyer. Lead posts can be direct or indirect, and “walk-through” posts remove buying friction fast.

If you want a repeatable content calendar, stop brainstorming topics.

P.S Do you start writing without a plan?

Thanks Timothy Martens for prompt inspiration.

And Gerald Auger, Ph.D. + Mike Miller
for the reminder to include an image =)

How was your first full week at work?

This will happen if you don't intervene.

The Rule of the First 5 Days is a stock market indicator that states that if the market performs positively in the first 5 trading days of the year, there is a high probability that the markets will end the year positively.

Historical probabilities are between 69 - 84%.

Some of the reasons are:
Early Positioning
Investor Sentiment
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy


Bringing it back to how was your first week back at work?

Busy?
Stressed?
Juggling priorities?

Chances are if you don't make any changes, this will be how your year pans out.


If you had a great week, keep at it!

If not, time to review:
- the triggers
- the pain points
- the larger picture
- the longer term goals

Good luck for week 2!

P.S Dow has best 5-day start to year since 2006!

undefined undefined

bootcamp

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

Time is flying by. Jan is almost over. 

This is 1 thing I miss from 10 years ago. 


My lucious hair that would give me a chance at K-pop auditions. 

Just kidding. I stand no chance. 



What do u miss from 10 years ago?




Thanks sir Chris Chia for taking this pic and sending it again to me recently!

Leader, Coach, Facilitator

If your cyber exercise doesn't make you sweat,

why do you call it an exercise?

Too many teams are taking a stroll during tabletop exercises. They don't prepare in advance, they talk in circles, and frankly take it too lightly.

I have seen teams prepare extensively for exercises.

They relook their process and hold internal preparation meetings to validate if it still makes sense. They ask tough questions internally and the leaders confirm if their assumptions about alternatives, recovery times, capabilities, and priorities are still accurate.

The best teams go in well-prepared and respond confidently. This is not just for show. This is an opportunity where leadership teams have recognized the importance of readiness and set aside protected time to be intentional about preparation. 

This only happens if the exercise program is well-socialized.
When the experience and outputs are understood.
And the leadership is serious about training.

Otherwise, what's the point?
Check a box? It's 2026, do better.

Your next Cyber TTX will be miles better with this small tweak. 

Don’t rush the start of the exercise. 

I know you have been planning it for months. Your adrenaline is pumping and you assume the participants are chomping at the bit to begin. 

But don’t neglect the pre ex brief. 

Here’s why it matters. 

1. Not everyone is familiar w exercises

Some have never participated in one. 
Others can’t remember what it’s like. 
1 or 2 even have weird assumptions. 

2. Remind everyone of the Why

The stakeholders are not equally invested in the exercise or outcome. Half are wondering why they are there. 

3. A good start is important

Some exercises that start poorly can result in minutes of waffling, rabbit holes or just straight up disengagement. 

4. Questions forces a buy-in

Facilitate a short quiz or discussion. 
This makes participants feel involved and helps them warm up as well. 

5. Simple introductions helps

You will be surprised how often teams don’t know each other or what role they play in an incident. 
Take time to do a roundtable intro. 

6. Sponsor emphasis 

Allow the exercise sponsor to speak. 
This reiterates the investment, focus, and important of the exercise. 

7. Calms your nerves

Address concerns before an exercise can help mitigate against difficult scenarios such as wrong expectations and challenging stakeholders. 
There will also be disruption but touching on some issues early helps. 

The next time you plan yr exercise. 
Spend abit more time on the start. 
It will be worth it. 

P.S any other exercise faux pax?

What most Cyber CEOs post on LinkedIn 
 
- repost their company's post 
- post about the latest hack 
- random AI blog 
 
What should Cyber CEOs post on LinkedIn 
 
- customer success stories 
- lessons learned about your business 
- strong opinion about industry issues 
 
You are the leader. 
 
Lead by example. 
 
Here are more post ideas. 

Subject Matter Expertise
- insights
- pain-points
- transformation
- trends + opinion
- counter-trends
- mistakes you have seen others made

Trust
- client success stories
- decision-making dilemmas
- framework for decision-making 
- social proof
- results

Character
- guiding principles
- values
- client examples
- stories of resilience
- leadership

Authenticity
- challenges that excite you
- lessons learned
- challenges that you overcame
- best advice that you received

Majority of my bosses in Cybersecurity have been female.

Yet female only make up 21% of the cyber workforce.

I interviewed Sarah to get her insights on Women in Cyber.

Sarah is a certified coach, facilitator, and founder of the Human Skills Leadership Lab, a unique and customizable program that helps professionals develop the human skills (or ‘soft skills’) required for effective leadership in the modern workplace. 


𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺

1. When you think about women leading in cybersecurity, what have you noticed most often in how they lead, communicate, or navigate their roles?

They’re brilliant and discerning. They carry a full plate - navigating complex decisions and significant risk - and still, they lead with calm authority, thoughtfulness and integrity. They think deeply about their teams, their organizations, their families, and the broader systems. They’re the kind of leaders the world needs more of.


2. As you look ahead to the Women in Cyber Leadership Program in Malaysia with the Catalyst, what aspects of the program are you most curious or energized about?
   
After 4 years collaborating with the Catalyst to support cyber leaders from across Canada, I’m incredibly excited to connect with cyber leaders from 7 countries across ASEAN. It will be thrilling to be part of the conversation as these women come together to learn from and with each other.

 

If you enjoyed this interview series, please follow Sarah Lang (MA, PCC, CPCC). She is a human skills expert, a Leadership in Communication Skills Coach, and has trained leaders from leading corporations and brands.

P.S. How are companies promoting diversity?

Soft Skills Expert • Certified Leadership & Public Speaking Coach & Facilitator • Program Design and Instruction @ U Toronto, KPMG, ESRI, Rogers • I help leaders transform confidence into connection and influence.

I trained Principle Warfare Officers. 

We assessed them on 3 attributes. 

The Principle Warfare Officer (PWO) was responsible for fighting the ship. 

This included the deployment of weapons, manoeuvres, and in many cases the control of multiple ships and aircraft to fulfil a mission. 

These are the 3 attributes. 

Knowledge 
- know the procedures 
- know the asset capabilities
- know the adversary’s capabilities 
- know the ever changing situation 

Command and control
- clarity of situation  
- clarity of instruction 
- clarity of orchestration

Creativity 
- demonstrates intuition 
- demonstrates flexibility 
- demonstrates adaptability 


In cybersecurity operations,

We assess
.
.
.
.
.

Hope you get my point. 

Happy training.

Most cyber CEOs aren’t afraid to post.
They’re afraid to be misunderstood.

And 19 other myths of writing on LinkedIn. 

 1. “I’ll get DMs from random people and waste time.”
 2. “If I post about a niche topic, it’ll limit my market.”
 3. “I should wait until my messaging is perfect.”
 4. “I’ll get fact-checked and embarrassed.”
 5. “I’ll be judged by peers in the industry.”
 6. “Clients will think I’m wasting time.”
 7. “I’m not a ‘social media' person.’”
 8. “I need a hot take every time.”
 9. “I’ll look like I’m bragging.”
10. “My team will cringe.”
11. “I need perfect writing.”
12. “People will think I’m selling.”
13. “I’ll attract trolls or get dragged.”
14. “I’ll upset a partner/vendor/client.”
15. “My competitors will copy my ideas.
16. “I’m not ‘big enough’ to have opinions.”
17. “If I post, I’m giving away the secret sauce.”
18. “Need to sound super technical to be credible.”
19. “If engagement is low, it means I’m bad at this.” 

P.S which is your fav? Mine is #8  🔥

AI tools are being used in yr org. 
Have your IR plans kept up?
Here are 4 changes to make. 

Implementing AI tools have left security team scrambling over the last couple of years to ensure it is securely deployed and monitored. 

Your incident response plans may have be neglected in the process. 

Consider these updates. 

1. Include AI related incidents 

- sensitive data exposure
- supply chain vulnerabilities 
- unauthorised model changes 

Don’t assume your plan is a catchall. 
AI asset owners don’t fully understand the security risks. 

2. Validate asset + contact list

- AI asset owners 
- data architects r crucial
- most of these folks r probably new

These AI gurus have been heads down focused on speed on implementation. They probably can’t spell cyber if u meet them for the first time on an incident call. 

3. AI specific containment

- understand the impacts 
- ask if traditional options will work

It’s going to get more complex as AI tools integrate across enterprise. It may soon become so entrenched that disabling it is a non option. 

4. Logs and investigation 

- review if current threshold is valid
- check on logs before/after go-live

You will learn to love “black boxes” and need to navigate round them. 


P.S what other areas to add?

2.

Incident response plans only play a small part in cyber resilience. 

“Do you have an IR plan?”

Is probably one of the most common question that consultants and experts use to gauge a company’s resilience. 

Many teams are happy to tick yes. 

But having a plan is merely the start. 

Here’s why:
- high turnover of staff
- fast pace of tech change
- lots of assumptions remain  
- plans get outdated due to new tech 
- teams don’t use the playbooks/plans
- primary teams hardly get trained
- secondary teams ignored 
- random cyber exercises 
- no training plan

There is barely any focus on training. 

7 men squads in the military get more training time and resources than multi-million dollar cyber defence teams protecting our financial ecosystem. 

Will having a plan alone save you?

And how long are you going to assumed your team is ready?

P.S the world is still a vulnerable place

Human skills training will unlock your career potential.

These are your advantages against AI... for now.

I interviewed Sarah to get her insights on human skills.

Sarah is a certified coach, facilitator, and founder of the Human Skills Leadership Lab, a unique and customizable program that helps professionals develop the human skills (or ‘soft skills’) required for effective leadership in the modern workplace. 


𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

1. What are some of the key human skills that will unlock an individual’s potential in the workplace?
   
First: self-awareness, because awareness always precedes change. From there, the skills of emotional intelligence, listening and clear communication. These will help you improve your relationships and increase your influence and impact.


2. Were there pivotal moments from your own experience or from those that you coached that reaffirm that Human Skills Training is a vital part of career development?

I’m reminded of this everyday, given how easy it is to outsource one’s thinking, ideas, and voice to AI. We’re constantly pitched the benefits of efficiency, when really it’s our unique essence as a human that makes us compelling. Human skills will always be vital to professional and personal development.  


If you enjoyed this interview series, please follow Sarah Lang (MA, PCC, CPCC). She is a human skills expert, a Leadership in Communication Skills Coach, and has trained leaders from leading corporations and brands.

P.S. Are you worried about AI impacting yr career?

5 LinkedIn posts that should be part of your pre-RSAC marketing plan. 

If your Head of Marketing is not bugging you to start posting on LinkedIn before RSAC, ask them why?

Even better if they tell u what to post. 

Here’s 5 posts that I will write. 

“Heading to RSAC next week. Here’s the one question I’m asking every CISO I meet.”

“One year ago, [Client Type] was struggling with [Specific Problem]. Here’s what changed.”

“Everyone’s talking about [Trending Topic] at RSA. Here’s what they’re missing.”

“We’re bringing [Specific Thing] to RSA. Here’s why we built it.”

“I have 8 meeting slots open during RSA. Here’s who I wld love to talk to.”

_____________

Here’s 3 reasons why you shld post. 


REASON 1: 
Conferences are chaotic. 

This gives you a chance to cut through the noise.  

REASON 2: 
Post-Conference follow-up success is built upon pre-conference interaction.  

Unless you are a magician and can engage random folks on the floor. 

REASON 3: 
Yr competitors are already doing so. 

Silence = Falling Behind

You don’t want to waste all that $$$$

———————

No time to write?
Overwhelmed by the preparation?
Rather spend time on client demos?

Let’s work together and take that off your plate.

LinkedIn posts can be complicated.  

I simplify it by 3-2-1 method. 

3 types of posts 
- authority 
- leads 
- trust

Cycle this through the week. 

2 content pillars
- cybersecurity exercises
- LinkedIn copywriting 

Alternate pillars per day. 

1 target audience per post

Focus on 1 reader. 


What’s your 3-2-1?
⬇️

People judge within 7 seconds of opening yr mouth.

That's why I still get nervous before every presentation.

I interviewed Sarah Lang to get her insights on public speaking and establishing leadership presence.

Sarah is a certified coach, facilitator, and founder of the Human Skills Leadership Lab, a unique and customizable program that helps professionals develop the human skills (or ‘soft skills’) required for effective leadership in the modern workplace. 


𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

1. How would you explain what leadership presence is for those looking to grow in their career?
   
Leadership presence is your ability to stay grounded and intentional in all moments - including when you’re under pressure. In a society driven by distraction and dopamine hits, leaders who embody this type of presence, steadiness and self-trust stand out.  


2. What are some ways to practice being more grounded and present?

• Spend time on analogue hobbies that anchor you to the physical world - art, books, gardening, cooking, etc.
• Practice mono-tasking on purpose.
• Try slowing down your communication - listening, speaking, pausing, saying less.
• Regulate your nervous system with breathwork, yoga or grounding activities.
• Carve out daily moments to pause and transition between meetings and events


3. Presenting to an audience is a real fear for many professionals. Do you have a couple of tips that you usually teach?
   
First, get crystal-clear on what you’re trying to say and why it matters to your audience. Then, practice your vocal and non-verbal delivery to make sure you sound like you care about what you’re saying! I also teach simple ways to work with nerves rather than fight them so speakers can stay connected to themselves and their audience.
 

If you enjoyed this interview series, please follow Sarah Lang (MA, PCC, CPCC). She is a human skills expert, a Leadership in Communication Skills Coach, and has trained leaders from leading corporations and brands.

P.S. What's the best advice u received on public speaking?

Most Cyber CEOs post randomly and wonder why LinkedIn isn't working.
They write when inspiration strikes.
They share whatever feels right in the moment.
They post about the latest breach one day, their product the next, then go silent for weeks.

The result? Confusion. Zero traction. Wasted effort.

Here's what you should be doing instead:
Plan your content around 3 post types.

1. Authority posts
This is where you demonstrate expertise.
Share insights from client engagements. Dive deep into problems you're solving. Break down complex security concepts.

Examples:
"5 issues all enterprises face with AI governance"
"How we helped Company X reduce risk by 40%"
"The biggest misconception about Zero Trust"

These posts establish you as the expert in your niche.

2. Trust posts
This is where you build relationships.
Share your founder journey. Talk about team culture. Reveal the challenges you've overcome.

Examples:
"Why we started this company in 2019"
"The toughest decision I made as CEO"
"What our clients don't see behind the scenes"

These posts show the human behind the solution.

3. Lead posts
This is where you attract prospects.
Address pain points directly. Show transformation. Make your solution crystal clear.

Examples:
"Overwhelmed with compliance requirements?"
"How we saved a client 2000 hours per year"
"Is your board asking about AI risks?"

These posts turn readers into conversations.

Now here's the system:

Mon: Authority post
Wed: Trust post
Fri: Lead post

Repeat this for 6 months minimum.
Map out topics under each category. 
Populate your calendar. 

Never start from a blank page again.

Most cyber CEOs will read this and do nothing.

They'll keep posting randomly.
They'll keep getting zero results.
Don't be most CEOs.

Plan your content. Execute consistently. 
P.S. What type of post do you struggle with most?

Worried about the removal of your role?
Don't be a deer in headlights.
Do this immediately.

2025/2026 is the new 2020.

The trigger is different.
Lockdown vs AI.
The outcome is becoming the same.

And we shouldn't really be surprised...
If you are, stop living under a rock.

What did you think would happen?

Just look around the wider workforce, companies, tasks, processes, meetings, discussions, emails.....

Bots will be much better at most of that.

Thanks Sherlock, so is that the end for the human worker?

Maybe.... but not yet.

So, until we start serving robotic overloads, let's prepare and control what we can.

These are 5 things I'll immediately do to mitigate job risk.

1. Get better at your work

Thanks, Captain Obvious.
You are welcome, but I made Major.

The people who are most worried are probably the ones with the most areas to improve...so if there was a time to buck up, its now.

Say yes more than no.
Spend that extra hour.
Put in that additional effort.
Put yr hand up for that project.
Capture your achievements.
Socialize the wins w teams.
Help other teams win.


2. Restart your network

Your Rolodex is creaky, I know, but it is time to revisit.

It will be awkward at the start, but keep at it.
Better now than when you "need" a job.

Pro Tip: Be genuinely interested in them

Your older connections are easier to rekindle than establishing new ones. 


3. Build your profile

Refresh and improve your LinkedIn profile + professional portfolio.

It's 2026, we go to your profile and website if we want to get a good sense of who you are.

How are you showing up?
• old dated profile pic
• high school quality about section
• boring as f experience description

Or are you invisible?
Makes sense if you are James Bond.


4. Grow your network

Do some research. 

Who are your peers?
Who is in your dream role?
Which are the interesting companies?

Some of the folks who reported to you may now be execs.

Don't wait till your need a network to build one.

The earlier you start the better.

What are you waiting for? The HR Call?



5. Think like an owner

This is the future of the worker.
Gone are the days of 40 year old career.
My mom celebrates 45 years at 1 company soon!

If you think like an owner, you stop waiting for permission.

You start taking action, owning the risks, and keep going.

What is one thing you think will change when there is this mindset shift from employee to "owner worker"?

Canada's finance sector = ~8% of GDP.
No surprise that it is highly regulated.
And extremely difficult to get a foothold.

In fact, most companies will baulk at the requirements, due diligence, scrutiny, and death by a thousand cuts before they even see a dollar return.

It is a tricky environment. 
And that's the beauty of this program.

The RBC FinSec Incubator, bridges the gap between the needs of the financial sector and emerging fintech and cybersecurity startups. It helps early-stage companies transform the financial ecosystem by enhancing product security and resilience to achieve product-market fit.

Designed for early-stage Canadian fintech startups:
- specialized workshops
- no equity, no cost
- 1 to 1 mentorship

Apply here today: https://lnkd.in/gpmeAftH

Registrations close on 𝗝𝗮𝗻 𝟭𝟲

taplio

The Battle

Roman Pikalenko 🇺🇦🦩

Lester Chng

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreRoman Pikalenko 🇺🇦🦩's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreLester Chng's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Roman Pikalenko 🇺🇦🦩

Lester Chng

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

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);}Roman Pikalenko 🇺🇦🦩's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreLester Chng's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreRoman Pikalenko 🇺🇦🦩's LinkedIn Performance