In this episode of Life of a CISO, Dr. Eric Cole sits down with Shannon Brewster, CISO at LevelBlue, to discuss what it takes to become a world-class CISO. From transitioning from technical roles into strategic leadership, to earning a seat at the executive table, managing technical teams, navigating risk tolerance, and building your personal brand, Shannon shares real-world insights from decades of experience in telecommunications and cybersecurity.
If you’ve ever wondered how to go from technical expert to trusted business leader—or how to balance cybersecurity priorities with business enablement—this conversation delivers the answers.
In this episode:
- 00:00 – Introduction & Shannon’s background
- 02:05 – Transitioning from technical to strategic leadership
- 04:12 – Earning executive respect & building boardroom rapport
- 05:21 – Speaking the language of business vs. being the “no” person
- 07:04 – Managing technical teams & balancing priorities
- 09:20 – Risk tolerance and defining risk appetite
- 11:05 – Avoiding the blame game after a breach
- 12:34 – Clarifying authority vs. responsibility in security roles
- 13:15 – Breaking into your first CISO role without prior experience
- 15:16 – Degrees vs. experience: Do you need advanced education?
- 17:49 – Building your personal brand as a leader
- 18:34 Balancing saying “yes” vs. saying “no”
- 20:01 – How CISOs should embrace AI
- 23:52 – Advice to yourself five years ago
- 25:10 – The evolving role of the CISO over the next 3–5 years
