Welcome to another thrilling episode of Chance Conversations!
In this episode, Conor and I sit down with the dynamic Lisa Forte, a partner at Red Goat Cybersecurity and an awe-inspiring high-altitude climber and caver.
Lisa shares her mountain (get it?) of insights on cybersecurity, personal adventures, and life lessons that will leave you inspired, contemplative, and a little jealous (I know I was).
A little about Lisa: Lisa is not your average cybersecurity expert. Beyond her role at Red Goat Cybersecurity, where she runs cyber crisis simulations and awareness courses, Lisa is an accomplished mountain climber and caver. Her exploits have taken her to some of the world's highest peaks and most exotic locations, and she has starred in several documentaries while regularly contributing to BBC news and national papers.
Navigating High-Stakes Environments: In a light-hearted yet profound moment, Lisa captures the essence of balancing perfectionism and humility. She shared how her type-A personality has evolved to make her a better consultant and person, by leveraging the positives of getting things right, while simultaneously putting her ego to the side and really listening to client and business needs. Even if their right and her right don’t match.
As the sole professed Type B in the conversation, Conor really appreciated the humility angle.
Adventures in the Central Asian 'Stans: Lisa also drew perhaps, one of the best questions in the bunch for a jet-setter such as herself — What’s one part of the world she would love to visit but hasn’t yet. If you want to find out where she’s been (and where she hopes to go soon), you’ll have to tune in.
Hint: This country’s landmass is known for its mountainous terrain and breathtaking landscapes. Also, the Pallas’ cat, a famous wildcat in the area, has been celebrated on a postage stamp. </catfact>
But she also reminds us that her travels are not just leisure but also about practicing resilience in daily life, broadening her perspectives, and connecting to others who have diverse cultural and societal viewpoints.
Lisa’s Most Impactful Person: Lisa shared her thoughts on how an impactful science teacher early on shaped who she was and helped her find a place. We all then spent a good bit of time reminiscing over why we each found value through special science teachers in our lives.
A Brush with Mortality: One of the most impactful moments in the conversation was Lisa's recount of a life-altering accident she had a decade ago. The severe brain injury she sustained caused her to reassess her approach to life, imbuing her with a 'seize-the-day' mentality. This experience has propelled her to live fully and fearlessly, urging others to embrace life's opportunities without delay.
One of those take-aways? Focus more on the actual experience, and less on taking a selfie of you in the experience.
Final Thoughts: As the episode wrapped up, Lisa threw a thought-provoking question back to us:
"If you could see one thing happen in our industry in the next year, what would it be?"
Let’s just say, we had some thoughts. Though none of them were quite as profound as what Lisa had to share.
In short, whether you're interested in cybersecurity, personal development, or thrilling travel tales, this interview has something for everyone.
Timeline:
00:00 Welcome and Guest Introduction
01:36 Explaining the Rules of the Game
03:20 Career Insights: Lisa's Comparative Advantage
09:10 Personal Questions: Dream Destinations and Travel Stories
15:55 Industry Trends: Overhyped Technologies
24:00 Career Reflections: Influential Figures
24:59 A Teacher's Influence
28:36 A Life-Changing Accident
30:53 Living in the Moment
36:23 The Importance of Redundancy
40:35 Final Thoughts and Reflections
PS: our next episode, where we'll chat with the remarkable Shoshana Rosenberg, co-founder of Logical AI Governance. Catch you next time on Chance Conversations!
