Cut the $hIT

We’re wrapping up the year with a special re-release featuring Mike Paez, Fortinet technical trainer and the “Bill Nye of Cybersecurity.” In this listener favorite, Mike shares his path from sales to sales engineering to becoming a standout educator whose creative videos are transforming how people learn about cybersecurity. As we close out the season, we’re taking a break to gear up for Season 2,...

In this re-release, we sit down in Nashville with MacKenzie Brown, VP of Security at Blackpoint Cyber, to talk about how Identity-Based Security is changing the game for organizations of all sizes. MacKenzie shares her journey from working in IT at Microsoft to leading cybersecurity initiatives at Blackpoint, offering an inside look at what it’s like to grow and lead in this fast-moving industry....

This week we are resharing one of our favorite cybersecurity episodes featuring Scott Augenbaum, a renowned cybersecurity expert with over 30 years of experience, including 15 years as a Supervisory Special Agent with the FBI focused on cybercrime and counterintelligence. Now an author, speaker, and advocate for cyber awareness, Scott shares eye-opening insights on: Why cybersecurity threats keep...

This week, we are resharing a fan favorite episode featuring Roni Jamesmeyer, Senior Marketing Manager at Five9. They explore how AI is reshaping healthcare through cutting-edge contact center solutions. With Five9's 20+ year evolution, from dialer software to a cloud contact center leader, Roni brings a unique perspective shaped by her own journey from traditional cabling to hosted voice. This ep...

In this re-released episode of Cut the $hIT, we’re bringing back one of our most insightful conversations: a deep dive into the world of network architecture with Stephen Ziehr. Stephen, Plow’s Senior Network Engineer, has nearly 25 years in IT and over a decade of hands-on network engineering experience. From building out infrastructure in his high school days to tackling large-scale network chal...

This week, we are traveling back to 2023 to revisit our second Cut the $hIT live show, where we had six IT expert panelists breaking down zero trust architecture, what it is, and how you can implement the security strategy within your business. This episode is packed full of expert advice, good security knowledge, and is still incredibly relevant to the current cybersecurity landscape. It's one of...

This week Bryan sits down with Plow Networks' Co-Founders, Brian and Cameron, for a special After Hours episode focused on a topic every business eventually faces—succession planning. Whether you’ve navigated it successfully or learned some hard lessons along the way, the departure of a key team member can shake up even the strongest organizations. In this candid conversation, Brian and Cameron sh...

This week Bryan sits down with Lee Foster, the General Manager for Australia and New Zealand at Insentra, a global IT services and consulting powerhouse. Lee’s path to leadership is anything but traditional—and that’s exactly what makes his perspective so valuable. With offices in Sydney, the UK, and the US, Insentra partners with companies like Plow to deliver IT solutions through the channel mod...

October 14th marks the official end of the road for Windows 10 updates — no more patches, no more bug fixes, and no more support. In this episode, Bryan sits down with Plow Networks' Systems Support Engineer, Emmanuel Tsavaris, to break down what this means for businesses still running Windows 10 and why sticking with the familiar could come with serious security risks. Emmanuel explains why so ma...

This week, Bryan sits down with Kyle Duke, CIO of EvidenceCare, to dig into the critical intersection of technology and healthcare. With nearly 20 years of experience in health tech—from nimble startups to major enterprises—Kyle brings a unique lens to the conversation. They explore the growing demand for "technology translators" inside organizations, the evolving role of clinical decision support...

In this After Hours episode, Bryan Link is again joined by Plow Networks Co-Founders Brian Law and Cameron Plato for an in-depth conversation on key issues impacting businesses today. The trio dives into the importance of conducting business reviews with your IT providers, sharing essential questions to ensure you're aligned with your service providers and getting the best IT solutions for your bu...

This week Bryan sits down with Mike Paez, a Technical Trainer at Fortinet and a rising star in cybersecurity education. With his engaging and creative approach to teaching, Mike has earned the nickname “The Bill Nye of Cybersecurity.” He shares his unique career journey—from sales to engineering to his current role—highlighting how empathy, ingenuity, and design creativity drive his mission to mak...

Technology and service sales are evolving—so what’s working, what’s not, and where are we headed? This week Bryan sits down with Christopher Shubert, VP of Channel Sales at AppDirect, to break it all down. With nearly six years under his belt at AppDirect and extensive experience in sales, Christopher shares his take on the current state of the industry, the biggest challenges facing sellers today...

For the first episode of 2025, Bryan is solo, bringing you his annual technology trends and predictions for the new year. As they say, the more things change the more they stay the same, that seems to be the case with technology trends for this year as well. From the widespread adoption of AI to companies looking to maintain safe levels of cybersecurity, Bryan guesses not much will change regardin...

In the last episode of 2024, Bryan sits down with Nathan Whittacre, Founder and CEO of Stimulus Technologies, a leading managed IT services provider (MSP) based in Henderson, Nevada. Despite both being veterans of the IT services industry, this conversation goes beyond "inside baseball" and dives into the real challenges and opportunities facing MSPs today. Nathan shares his unique perspectives on...

This week Bryan is joined again by Co-Founders of Plow Networks, Cameron Plato and Brian Law for an After Hours episode. If you're new, here or maybe forgot since we haven't had an After Hours in a while, these episodes are the epitome of Cut the $hIT. Unfiltered, raw conversations between Bryan, Cameron, and Brian about industry trends and topics they think the listeners need to know. In this epi...

In this week's episode Bryan is joined by Roni Jamesmeyer, Senior Marketing Manager at Five9, to explore how AI is reshaping healthcare through cutting-edge contact center solutions. With over two decades in the industry, Five9 began as a dialer software provider for call centers and has since evolved into a major player in cloud contact center technology. Roni shares her journey from traditional...

This week, Bryan is joined in Nashville by MacKenzie Brown, VP of Security at Blackpoint Cyber. Blackpoint focuses on delivering Identity-Based Security to its customers, and MacKenzie explains how this benefits customers of all sizes. Join us as MacKenzie shares her journey from working in IT at Microsoft to her current cybersecurity position at Blackpoint. As a woman in the IT industry, MacKenzi...

This week Bryan is joined by Tony Nicolaidis, Chief Commercial Officer at Origin AI. Origin AI is a cutting-edge Wi-Fi technology startup based in Northern Virginia, and Tony brings us an inside look into their journey and the exciting innovations they are driving. Join us as Tony shares the inspiring origin story behind Origin AI, explains the market sectors they aim to serve, and highlights why...

This week Bryan is joined by Scott Augenbaum, a renowned expert in cybersecurity with over three decades of experience, including 15 years as a supervisory special agent with the FBI's cyber prevention and counterintelligence teams. Now a highly sought-after author and speaker, Scott brings his wealth of knowledge to the private sector, advocating for increased cybersecurity awareness. Join us as...

This week Bryan is joined by Charlie Field, the Founder and CEO of Win Win Advisors. With nearly 30 years of experience in the telecom industry and a proven track record as a sales and development manager turned entrepreneur, Charlie brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. They dive into Win Win Advisors' innovative fractional Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) program, discussing the ty...

We are doing something different this week and sharing a recent webinar hosted by Plow Networks' Director of Service Delivery, Ryan Harris, about Change Control. This topic is often misunderstood or actively resisted in the technology area of a company, which is bad... really bad. Ryan does a great job of explaining how to cut the $hIT out of what is often seen as a bureaucratic, red tape, mess. W...

This week, Bryan is solo and diving deep into the complexities of Microsoft 365 subscriptions and how to ensure your team has exactly what they need without overspending on what they don't. Do you really know what features your employees require, or are you just making assumptions based on job titles? Many organizations are overspending on subscriptions, particularly with the rise of security feat...

This week, Bryan is joined again by Plow Networks President, Co-Founder, and long-time friend, Brian Law, to discuss the evolution of technology sales. Brian Law, starting his career in tech in telecom sales in the 90s, has had a front-seat view of the industry's changes in selling and buying technology products and services. Practices as simple as walking into a business and requesting to talk to...

This week Bryan is joined by Senior Compliance Executive for 360 Advanced, Carlos Guerrero. In this episode, they dive into the evolving landscape of compliance and how companies are navigating its complexities. Carlos discusses the dynamic nature of compliance requirements and the strategies businesses are employing to stay ahead. They explore the essentials of a successful outsourced compliance...