Scaling Black Hat Conference to New Heights | Steve Wylie | Be Fearless Podcast EP 8

Be Fearless Podcast by SquareX

Get an insider’s view of how the famed Black Hat cybersecurity conference is run from Steve Wylie, General Manager of Black Hat himself! In this episode, Vivek and Aleksandra have a conversation with Steve on how Black Hat is organized, the associated challenges and highlights and the important role of entrepreneurship within the cybersecurity community.
0:00 Steve’s journey to becoming the manager of Black Hat
4:58 Black Hat’s community programs
10:47 How Black Hat’s ecosystem encourages entrepreneurship
18:50 Navigating through Covid-19
24:21 What goes into organizing the conference
29:11 Steve’s duties at Black Hat
32:09 What excites Steve about SquareX
40:55 On staying calm under pressure
48:21 Advice to those starting their cybersecurity career
52:16 Black Hat’s social work and future plans
🔔 Follow Steve, Vivek and Aleksandra on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/swylie650/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivekramachandran/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandra-melnikova-1012/
📖 Episode Summary:
In this episode, Steve Wylie, General Manager of Black Hat, provides an insider’s look at what it takes to organize and grow Black Hat, one of the leading cybersecurity conferences in the world. He discusses the core elements that make Black Hat successful, such as its focus on high-quality content and community-driven programs. Steve also shares insights into specific events like the Investor Summit, explaining how Black Hat supports and connects entrepreneurs with the broader cybersecurity community.
Steve touches on the evolution of Black Hat, including how it has expanded its focus to include initiatives that support new talent entering the industry. He talks about the challenges and opportunities involved in scaling the conference and how Black Hat continues to adapt to the changing landscape of cybersecurity. The episode ends with Steve’s advice for aspiring cybersecurity professionals and Steve’s vision for Black Hat’s future.

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1. Steve’s journey to becoming the manager of Black Hat (00:00:00)

2. Black Hat’s community programs (00:04:58)

3. How Black Hat’s ecosystem encourages entrepreneurship (00:10:47)

4. Navigating through Covid-19 (00:18:50)

5. What goes into organizing the conference (00:24:21)

6. Steve’s duties at Black Hat (00:29:11)

7. What excites Steve about SquareX (00:32:09)

8. On staying calm under pressure (00:40:55)

9. Advice to those starting their cybersecurity career (00:48:21)

10. Black Hat’s social work and future plans (00:52:16)