Get to the Point — The High Point Networks Podcast

Why Comfort Kills: Growth, Complacency, and the IT Hype Cycle (with Brandon Conkins)

If you're not evolving, you're falling behind. Brandon Conkins, Director of SMART Services at High Point Networks, makes the case for why comfort and complacency are among the biggest risks facing IT leaders and organizations today. Drawing from a viral street interview with Snowflake's CRO and the content of one of the world's fastest-growing business media channels, Brandon unpacks the vendor hype cycle, the psychology behind why people resist change, and what it actually means to get comfortable getting uncomfortable — in IT and in life. ✨ In this episode: → Why Snowflake's CRO said he can only forecast 12–18 months ahead in today's IT landscape → The five phases of the vendor hype cycle and how to spot vendors on the wrong side of it → What "burning the furniture to keep the house warm" looks like when private equity gets involved → Uncertainty intolerance — the science behind why people choose predictable bad outcomes over uncertain ones → How to break out of the comfort cycle — personally and organizationally → A closing quote that will stick with you: "When you're born, you look like your parents. When you die, you look like your choices." 🗨️ Mentioned in this episode:  -School of Hard Knocks (James Dumoulin) — www.youtube.com/@theschoolofhardknocks  -Mike Gannon, CRO at Snowflake — linkedin.com/in/michael-gannon-6371b11 Connect with Brandon: linkedin.com/in/bconkins | brandon.conkins@highpointnetworks.com _____ 🕑 Timestamps: 0:00 - Cold open: "What if it's getting too comfortable?"  0:28 - Welcome & Brandon Conkins introduction  1:51 - Today's topic: comfort, complacency, and IT  2:31 - The School of Hard Knocks interview & Snowflake's CRO  4:22 - The vendor hype cycle — five phases explained  7:33 - Why people choose comfort: uncertainty intolerance  9:26 - How to get comfortable getting uncomfortable  10:27 - Brandon's personal story: preparation meets opportunity  12:02 - Final nugget: "When you die, you look like your choices" _____ New episodes every other Wednesday. Connect with us: 🌐 highpointnetworks.com 📱 LinkedIn, Instagram & Facebook: @highpointnetworks Subscribe — Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | And wherever you listen. Get to the Point is produced by High Point Networks for informational purposes only. Guests include High Point Networks professionals as well as subject matter experts from across the industry, each speaking from their own experience and expertise. Content shared is intended as general information and should be evaluated within the context of your specific organization and circumstances. Views expressed by outside guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of High Point Networks or its affiliates. High Point Networks assumes no liability for decisions or actions taken based on content discussed in this podcast.

Cyber Hygiene Without Fear: Building a Security Culture People Actually Like (with Lynn Soeth)

Fear-based cybersecurity training uses the same tactics as cybercriminals. And it's not working. Lynn Soeth, Service Manager of Security Services and Sales Engineering at High Point Networks, has been leading security teams since 2017 with a distinctly human-first approach. In this episode, she breaks down what it actually looks like to build a security culture people want to participate in — not one they dread. From the Little Mermaid as a metaphor for layered security, to a real-world email spoof that nearly cost HPN 60 laptops, to practical tips for making cybersecurity month something your team looks forward to — this episode is packed with stories and strategies any organization can act on. ✨ In this episode: → The five pillars of a positive security culture — more carrot, less stick → Why security starts at the top and what happens when leadership opts out → The Little Mermaid and layers of security — a perfect analogy for how protection actually works → Tabletop exercises — what they are, how to run them, and why your team needs one → The Nick story — a real email spoof that almost shipped 60 laptops to a sketchy house in New York → What cybersecurity month looks like at HPN and how to replicate it → One piece of advice for IT leaders and one for everyone else _____ Connect with Lynn: ✉️ lynn.soeth@highpointnetworks.com [lynn.soeth@highpointnetworks.com] Resources mentioned: 🌐 CISA cybersecurity resources — cisa.gov _____ 🕑 Timestamps: 0:00 - Cold open: "Why does cybersecurity feel like a scare tactic?"  0:51 - Welcome & Lynn Soeth introduction  2:21 - Today's topic: building a security culture without fear  3:46 - Lynn's five pillars of a positive security culture  6:01 - Why fear-based training backfires — and what to do instead  8:50 - The Little Mermaid and layers of security  13:23 - Brandi's question: how do you actually make cyber hygiene fun?  17:24 - Security starts at the top — and it's contagious  18:59 - Tabletop exercises — what they are and why they matter  21:40 - The Nick story — a real email spoof at HPN  25:55 - What cybersecurity month looks like in practice  31:09 - Final advice for IT leaders and everyone else  32:20 - Where to find Lynn & closing thoughts _____ New episodes every other Wednesday. Connect with us: 🌐 highpointnetworks.com 📱 LinkedIn, Instagram & Facebook: @highpointnetworks Subscribe — Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | And wherever you listen. Get to the Point is produced by High Point Networks for informational purposes only. Guests include High Point Networks professionals as well as subject matter experts from across the industry, each speaking from their own experience and expertise. Content shared is intended as general information and should be evaluated within the context of your specific organization and circumstances. Views expressed by outside guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of High Point Networks or its affiliates. High Point Networks assumes no liability for decisions or actions taken based on content discussed in this podcast.

When the Breach Happens: Response, Recovery, & the Role of AI (Part 2 of 2 with Shawn Mendel)

Understanding the threat is only half the equation. In Part 2, we shift from awareness to action. Shawn Mendel — Director of Professional Services and Incident Response Manager at High Point Networks — walks through what response and recovery actually look like once a breach is underway, how AI is being weaponized by threat actors, and the five areas every organization should focus on to reduce their risk before an incident ever happens. This episode closes with practical personal cyber hygiene advice anyone can act on today — no technical background required. In this episode: → Leadership communication during an active breach — and why your email may not be safe to use → How AI is making attacks faster, more targeted, and harder to detect → Shawn's five areas of focus: vulnerability patching, configuration reviews, account management, network segmentation, and zero trust strategy → Network segmentation explained in plain English → Personal protection: freezing your credit, monitoring services, password managers, and why passphrases beat passwords → Why it all comes back to people — and education  _____ 0:00 - Cold open & Part 1 recap  1:03 - Welcome back & topic setup  1:55 - Response & recovery: what happens after the first 24 hours  3:05 - Communication during a breach — including why email may not be safe  6:16 - AI's role in the modern threat landscape  8:14 - Shawn's five areas of focus  15:52 - It all comes back to people  17:35 - Personal cyber hygiene: credit, monitoring, passwords  22:39 - Guest thank you, where to find Shawn & CTA  _____ New episodes every other Wednesday. Connect with us: 🌐 highpointnetworks.com 📱 LinkedIn, Instagram & Facebook: @highpointnetworks Subscribe — Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | And wherever you listen. Get to the Point is produced by High Point Networks for informational purposes only. Guests include High Point Networks professionals as well as subject matter experts from across the industry, each speaking from their own experience and expertise. Content shared is intended as general information and should be evaluated within the context of your specific organization and circumstances. Views expressed by outside guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of High Point Networks or its affiliates. High Point Networks assumes no liability for decisions or actions taken based on content discussed in this podcast.

When the Breach Happens: Ransomware, BEC, and the Modern Threat Landscape (Part 1 of 2 with Shawn Mendel)

Cyber incidents don't start with panic. They start with patterns. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Shawn Mendel — Director of Professional Services and Incident Response Manager at High Point Networks — breaks down the modern threat landscape driving today's incidents. With nearly 30 years of experience, 15 as an engineer, and a reputation for calm, clear-headed leadership under pressure, Shawn brings the data and the real-world perspective leaders need before the crisis call ever comes. In this episode: → The three most common attack vectors cybercriminals use today → Why 43% of incidents are ransomware — and what that actually costs a business beyond the ransom itself → Business email compromise: how threat actors become someone you trust → What to ask your cyber insurance company before you ever need to call them → Why a tabletop exercise may be the most important thing your leadership team hasn't done yet _____ 00:00 — Cold open: "Would you know what to do?"  00:56 — Welcome & Shawn Mendel introduction  03:21 — Episode topic overview: today's threat landscape  03:57 — Attack vectors: what we're up against  05:45 — The data: ransomware, BEC, and breach statistics  07:45 — Ransomware deep dive: history and evolution  11:08 — What to expect if you're hit: insurance, downtime, recovery  15:35 — Table top exercises: how it works and how to protect yourself  20:06 — Cliffhanger outro & Part 2 tease _____ New episodes every other Wednesday. Connect with us: 🌐 highpointnetworks.com 📱 LinkedIn, Instagram & Facebook: @highpointnetworks Subscribe — Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | And wherever you listen. Get to the Point is produced by High Point Networks for informational purposes only. Guests include High Point Networks professionals as well as subject matter experts from across the industry, each speaking from their own experience and expertise. Content shared is intended as general information and should be evaluated within the context of your specific organization and circumstances. Views expressed by outside guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of High Point Networks or its affiliates. High Point Networks assumes no liability for decisions or actions taken based on content discussed in this podcast.

Why This All Matters: Getting to the Point

Every piece of technology has a story behind it. Not the specs. Not the features. The why. In our first episode, hosts Andy Middlemiss and Brandi Mentele share the story behind Get to the Point — how an idea born inside High Point Networks turned into a podcast built around one simple mission: technology is more interesting when you understand what it actually does for people. From a wireless network that helped a university attract and retain students, to a Real Time Crime Center in Pueblo, Colorado that helped save lives and find missing kids faster — this episode is a reminder that the tech on the surface can seem unremarkable. What it enables people to do is anything but. Andy and Brandi also share what listeners can expect going forward — real conversations, practical takeaways, and a commitment to cutting through the jargon so that technology feels approachable no matter your background. ✨ In this episode: → The origin story behind Get to the Point → Why the "why" behind technology matters more than the tech itself → What's coming in future episodes _____ 🕑 Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction & welcome 0:56 - The origin story behind Get to the Point 3:45 - Why the "why" behind technology matters 6:30 - The City of Pueblo Real Time Crime Center story 7:45 - What listeners can expect going forward 9:00 - Outro & CTA _____ New episodes every other Wednesday. Connect with us: 🌐 highpointnetworks.com 📱 LinkedIn, Instagram & Facebook: @highpointnetworks Subscribe — Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | And wherever you listen. Get to the Point is produced by High Point Networks for informational purposes only. Guests include High Point Networks professionals as well as subject matter experts from across the industry, each speaking from their own experience and expertise. Content shared is intended as general information and should be evaluated within the context of your specific organization and circumstances. Views expressed by outside guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of High Point Networks or its affiliates. High Point Networks assumes no liability for decisions or actions taken based on content discussed in this podcast.