In this episode of Life of a CISO, Dr. Eric Cole welcomes guest Grant Collins, a talented security engineer who brings a fresh and valuable perspective from the technical trenches of cybersecurity. Together, they explore the critical relationship between CISOs and security engineers—how communication, leadership, and mutual respect can make or break an organization’s security posture. Grant shares his personal journey into cybersecurity, beginning with his early fascination sparked by the Sony breach, and moving through his academic path and hands-on roles in vulnerability management, SIEM engineering, and detection development.
Dr. Cole and Grant discuss the importance of clear communication, self-awareness, the value of feedback, and building a professional brand through content creation. They dive into topics often overlooked in traditional cyber education—such as the impact of office politics, imposter syndrome, and how to structure effective meetings. Whether you’re an aspiring CISO, a current leader, or someone early in your security career, this conversation offers a deeply human and practical look at growing into leadership while staying rooted in technical excellence.
In this episode:
- 01:00 – Introduction to Grant Collins & Purpose of the Episode
- 03:00 – Early Career Roles and What a Security Engineer Really Does
- 05:00 – Why Cybersecurity? A Personal Spark from the Sony Hack
- 06:00 – Reality Check: Cybersecurity Is More Than Just Hacking
- 09:00 – Practicing Communication: YouTube, Emails, and Leadership
- 11:00 – The Role of Self-Awareness & Embracing Constructive Feedback
- 13:00 – Continuous Learning & Prioritizing Self-Improvement
- 15:00 – Making Meetings Work: Purpose, Documentation, and Structure
- 17:00 – Building a Brand: Why Content Creation Matters
- 18:00 – The Benefits of Imperfection: Learning in Public
- 20:00 – Imposter Syndrome: Navigating Doubt & Insecurity in Cybersecurity
- 25:00 – Final Reflections: Progress Over Perfection in Leadership & Cybersecurity
