From reluctant entrepreneur to cybersecurity influencer: Discover how Gerald Auger's dedication to continuous improvement transformed Simply Cyber into a thriving community.
Guest: Dr. Gerald Auger, PhD, Chief Content Creator at Simply Cyber [@cyber_simply]
On LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/geraldauger/
On Twitter | https://twitter.com/gerald_auger
Host: Josh Mason
On ITSPmagazine 👉 https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/joshua-mason
______________________
Episode Sponsors
Are you interested in sponsoring an ITSPmagazine Channel?
👉 https://www.itspmagazine.com/sponsor-the-itspmagazine-podcast-network
______________________
Episode Introduction
In this episode, Josh Mason sits down with Gerald Auger, founder of Simply Cyber, to unpack his journey from reluctant entrepreneur to influential cybersecurity content creator. Discover the role of continuous improvement in Gerald's success as he shares insights on scaling a side hustle into a thriving business, creating engaging content, and cultivating a community. Learn how embracing continuous improvement can transform your ventures and unlock your potential for success in both cybersecurity and content creation.
______________________
Resources
Simply Cyber: https://www.simplycyber.io/
Simply Cyber Discord Community: https://simplycyber.io/discord
______________________
For more podcast stories from Loops and Lifecycles Podcast with Josh Mason, visit: https://www.itspmagazine.com/loops-and-lifecycles-podcast
Watch the webcast version on-demand on YouTube: (coming soon)
Continuous Improvement in Cybersecurity and Content: Insights from Simply Cyber's Gerald Auger | Loops and Lifecycles Podcast with Josh Mason
[00:00:00] Welcome to Loops and Lifecycles. This is Josh Mason. Today I've got with me a good friend and mentor, uh, Gerald Ogier, PhD. Uh, Dr. Ogier has been a, uh, software developer, a, uh, auditor has worked, uh, running security at, uh, universities and healthcare organizations, and now is the, uh, chief content officer. Uh, simply cyber and also a professor at the Citadel military college.
Um, Jerry, welcome to the show.
Oh, thanks, Josh. It's great to be here.
So Jerry, you've been building out simply cyber. Uh, I've been following along, helping out where I can. Uh, you've been on this journey for a few years now, and it's now your, your full time job. What, what was it that drove [00:01:00] you to improve and improve and, uh, you know, improve the audio, improve the video, improve your, your presence in the community.
What was behind that?
Yeah, it's been a real journey. Uh, and it continues on, frankly, uh, you know, there's always something that you can improve or make a little better or find ideas and concepts from other content creators out there. Uh, when I first started, you know, zero budget, zero investment, it wasn't even. Supposed to turn into what it's turned into, uh, but it was just, you know, some, some air pod headphones and a webcam, uh, doing some, some interviews and doing some recording and stuff.
And, uh, because people started liking the content, um, it became kind of a hobby and for me personally. You know, uh, you know, I, I'm not going to let perfection get in the way of progress, but at the same time, I do take pride in my work and I do like quality, um, in the execution of things [00:02:00] associated with me.
So, if someone. Looks at something. I don't want someone to be like, uh, like and have them have that kind of impression associated With me so little by little, you know Improving it and that was kind of the driver and when you get into content creation and you start actually like doing research around making better content not just You know, uh, like there's a whole art to it and a whole science behind it, uh, that a lot of people who consume content really just you don't even notice it, but you can easily point your finger to say that's good content.
That's not good content, even if the messaging is the same, and it has a lot to do with the quality of the components. So, uh, you know, most people say, start with the audio. So, I mean, I was using. Um, uh, air Pal, air Air, uh, iPhone headset, you know what I mean? Like the wireless earbud thing. So, you know, that like, that wasn't great.
So, uh, I upgraded. And then, you know, basically as you start [00:03:00] improving your overall setup, uh, when you're. Looking at or talking to other people, whether you're interviewing them for content or you're producing content to push out, um, you know, people see that improvement, see that quality and their impression of what it is that they're about to receive, uh, for better or worse, first impressions, um, change.
And then, you know, they're like, oh, this is, this is going to be good because I can tell this person's using pro equipment or something like that. So little by little. And then once the. Frankly, once the YouTube partner program and, um, the channel started generating revenue, it basically became self sufficient and it was, you know, for me, it was more important to take the money I got every month and invest back into the channel or back into the content instead of trying to like, you know, go have a steak dinner somewhere.
And just before, uh, I finished my thought, um, just to put it in perspective to like, Channel for an entire year. And I remember making a year in video wrap up and I had [00:04:00] made I want to say like, maybe like 200 or 400 total in like revenue from the business for a year's worth of content and you know, 50 or 60 videos.
You know, maybe 100 hours of time. I did the math and it worked out to like 8 cents an hour. I was working for. So, uh, like, like we said, at the beginning, it's been a very long journey.
yeah, definitely. Um, you, you, you've done software development, you take it, you've matured security organizations. Does that mindset of like continual development, continual integration and like cyber maturity, do you feel like that's kind of the, the same style that you have now? You've just been doing this continual development in different flavors through your career that like they can't help it, but like, how do I make this better?
What's the next improvement? What's the next feature I want?
Yeah, I've never thought about it that way, but there is a lot of, uh, truth that rings [00:05:00] there and a lot of a lot of, uh, parallels for sure. So. Just like a cyber program, you know, you can't, um, you know, eat the whole sandwich in one bite, or you can't boil the ocean, like whatever metaphor you want to use. But, uh, essentially, you know, you, you break things down, whether it's getting a PhD, or it's in building a cybersecurity program, or building a YouTube channel, you break things down into, uh, You know, you take a strategy.
I want to be here in 3 years. And then you break it down into like, okay, what what projects do I need to do? Or what initiatives do I need to do to get from here to there? Right? Just like a gap analysis, uh, might be for a cyber program. And then what order do I do them in? And then break each 1 of those further down into actionable tasks.
Well, what do I need to do? You know, today, or what, like what, you know, if I need a better microphone and the microphone costs, you know, 400 bucks, or I need a microphone. Okay. Well, then I got to research what microphones there are. I got to see what the budgets are. I got to see where they go. All right. So that's the microphone project.
Okay. And, and you break it down and you just kind of [00:06:00] implement. And for me, Josh, I'm very, um, structured and very organized and very conformist. So, you know, for me, I find it like there's two parts to my brain. There's, there's like the creative and. You know, planning one who's like, okay, this is where we need to go.
And these are the ways we can do it. Uh, and then there's the action one, like the worker be who's like, all right, I'm not going to think for myself because I'm going to take direction from leadership, my other, you know, identity or brain or whatever you want to call it and execute on this plan that I've been given.
And, you know, basically put your head down and just go Grind. And that's, that's the, that's the, the magic. A lot of people are like, Oh my God, how'd you do it? It's like, it's work. That's what I did. You put my head down and I worked.
Yeah. Um, there's a couple of pieces in there. Uh, I, I want to pull out. It sounds like it's, uh, the, the special sauce is you kind of just gotta do it. Is that, would you, would you say that that kind of fits all of these? Like, [00:07:00] if you wanna be a good software engineer, you wanna be a good, uh, cybersecurity leader?
If you want to be a content developer, just gonna go and do it. Mm-Hmm.
Yeah. I mean, I think, you know, just like working in cybersecurity, I mean, practical hands on experience, getting a feel for, you know, what, what, you can read a book all day long about how to, um, you know, build, build a wall or something like that, but getting your hands dirty, lifting the bricks, like understanding like what actually is going on here, um, is going to.
Do you far more, uh, benefit long term? Now there, there is, uh, an element of, you know, uh, some things I've done have not worked, some things I have done have worked well. Uh, so it's, it's being able to do the research and say, okay, like, what, what are other people doing? What are some good ideas out there? And then trying to out and seeing what works and what doesn't.
I, I'll give you an example. Like, um, like Instagram, I, I am awful. Awful at Instagram. I know for a fact it would be beneficial for, uh, growing a wider audience and finding new people [00:08:00] and delivering content in a new form that could help other people that I just can't reach right now, but I've tried so many times and I'm just not good at it.
Like I've I've studied how to do it. I've talked to people who are great at it. Um, and You know, I've tried and they've told me what to do, and I just cannot realize, um, inefficiency with it. So instead of banging my head and continuing to create not great content that takes a lot of my time, uh, I've just resigned to the fact that, you know, that, that, that, uh, avenue is not really going to work for me.
Now, maybe one day I, you know, I get big enough and I hire someone. Who is good at Instagram. And I offset that and allow them to take my content and repurpose it. Maybe, maybe that's how it it's achieved, but like, that's an example of something where, yeah, like doing the work is, uh, the, the secret sauce, but in some instances, it's not going to bear fruit ever like this Instagram instance.
And sometimes, sometimes you, uh, you can do it. And then for me personally, I [00:09:00] like doing the work, whatever the work is, and then say, okay, like that worked. Well, now, how can I do it faster, cheaper with a higher effectiveness? Um, and if you want to give you an example of that as well, like. Go ahead. Yeah. So, so on LinkedIn right now, I've, I, you know, as bad as I am as at Instagram, I feel like I'm pretty good at LinkedIn and at LinkedIn.
Yeah, I post a lot of content and it helps a lot of people and some of my posts, you know, Get picked up and a lot of people like it. Some of them, no one sees the light of day. And you know, like, that's something that like, okay, what, what is it that's not working? What is it that is working? And then I went one step further, maybe, I don't know, three months ago, and I started looking around at other content, not even in cyber security, just content in general, that is.
Like performing unbelievably, like borderline viral performance on LinkedIn. And I looked at it from a structure perspective and I said, okay, what is it about [00:10:00] this that is working? Why is this? Why has this gone viral? Is it because it's so innovative, groundbreaking thing, or is it just a rehash of something that everybody says all the time?
And for, for the things that are rehash, why is it more successful than other posts of similar content? And I try to tease out and understand at the meta. Level what it was and now, you know, I still put out normal content of like my upcoming shows and some of my initial thoughts on like maybe an executive order or something like that.
But also, if you look, there's I probably have like 5 or 6 posts in the last month that are like deliberately built. With this viral, um, concept behind it and again, they're delivering massive value. But and, um, and I've seen, you know, great success with those specific posts. So that's that's kind of like, you know, like a project I'm working on right now is to see if I can quote unquote crack linkedin's algorithm and see if I can't identify how to make something go viral on linkedin.
The [00:11:00] hacker mindset.
Mm hmm.
We'll figure out how this works.
Yeah, exactly. And, and again, like if, if you think about, I mean, we didn't talk about this, but like my drivers, my drivers are not to make the most money or to be like the, like the, the known celebrity or whatever, right? Like, it's not that it's like, literally, if I can blow up on LinkedIn with viral posting, that means that I can reach more people, which means more people who are struggling or don't understand like what cert to get or.
Is I, do I need to do it before? Like all the people who are like struggling and feel isolated about trying to pivot into cybersecurity, there's a greater chance that my content can reach them and help them ultimately.
Do you think that has carry over in, uh, just decisions that we make in life? Sometimes you're going to do a thing and it, others might use it for, uh, they might just be going, trying to get viral. [00:12:00] Um, utilizing some of that. For your greater purpose. Um, do you feel like we have to do that? Um, in order to be overall effective.
Um, yeah,
I don't think you have to be that. I mean, you could be just all about straight cash, homie. Like you could be like, I'm going to blow up. Because I'm going to turn around and monetize my LinkedIn account and, and basically be an affiliate for everyone. And, and that's my business model, you know, like I think.
You know, it to me, like, I feel good when I go to bed at night because I, I, I do get DMS from people who have been, you know, positively impacted by simply cyber and the work I've done. And, um, there's no reason there's no, here's the thing. There's no reason why I can't make a living and, you know, pay for my, my financial responsibilities and have a righteous mission.
Like the, the, they don't need to be mutually exclusive. It's just, [00:13:00] sometimes I feel like. People, people who are just in it for business, it's like straight business. Um, they're, they're looking at it from a capitalistic lens only. And they're like, all right, what, what can I do that takes the least amount of time that I can make the most amount of money and, you know, and that's it.
And it doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. I don't have to have a nonprofit in order to help people.
that makes sense. Um, you've, you've taken this and it is your full time job to be a content creator, you running simply cyber, but you're not running it, um, As a social media influencer, you treat this like a company, you do quarterly, um, plans and overall goals and you treat the community like you're bored.
What's your driver behind that? Like, is there a book you read? Is there stuff you've seen? How did you get into that mind space?
That's a good question. Um, [00:14:00] so yeah, so I'm full time on this and I've been sent, you know, I was doing it side, like basically I started a business as a consulting firm in 2016 and I was doing that. And then when this simply cyber started generating revenue and stuff, it became part of that business. And, um.
You know, now I'm a solopreneur, right? So, I mean, my, my family is, you know, work is on payroll and works with the company and stuff, but, um, they're like kind of operational, like, you know, back office, operational type work, marketing, stuff like that. Uh, so for me, day in and day out, I'm, uh, I'm, I'm alone at work and I'm a very social person.
I'm a very, um, You know, uh, I guess social creature in that. I like, I like engagement. I like getting other people's thoughts and ideas. Like I've learned long ago that, you know, I don't have the best ideas. I don't come up with the most innovative, creative suggestions and concepts. So I love engaging with other people because I like to, [00:15:00] uh, hear different perspectives and get different opinions and stuff.
And if I was to just say like, Oh, I'm a one person business, I create content and send it out asynchronously. And you consume it and that's that I think I would be, um, at my core unhappy, um, you know, day in and day out. Like, I wouldn't like going to work, even though I was helping people. Um, but because now, you know, I, I do see the community as a, um, as the board or, you know, I, I often refer to him as my boss.
But here's the thing. Like, if, if the community. Stop showing up and I was just by myself a I'm not helping anyone anymore, which stinks and be I'd be alone, which stinks. Um, so for me, it's not, it's not what I it's not what I would want on top of it. As I mentioned before, like. Um, I, I, I'm big on community, like, you know, frankly, like I, I, I like community.
I like being part of something. I do feel, um, a kinship, even [00:16:00] though I run simply cyber, I feel like I'm a member of simply cyber as well. Um, and I like empowering people. So, you know, at the quarterly all hands meetings, I do include, um, a slide. There's like a standard slide deck I run with, uh, uh, Um, that includes like, uh, what I completed the last 90 days, what you can expect from me the next 90 days, but also I, I make a point to do brand values because I want everyone to know what the values are simply cyber because if you can't, if you can't align with my core values for what the community is, then it's not a good fit for you.
And that's okay. I, I like to be very transparent, very transparent, because if there's going to be a problem, I would like to suss it out earlier than later. Right? Nothing's worse than a problem that's festered and gotten really bad. And, and then it turns into a, a real issue. So for me, you know, um, support, inclusion, empowerment and community are all core values that I, I stand by.
And, you know, so that's the reason why I, I, I definitely don't want to, nor would I feel [00:17:00] comfortable, uh, being one of these. One of these online personalities where it's like almost like a God complex where it's like, oh, like I'm, I'm the person on camera. Like you all are like, you know, my, my, uh, fan base or whatever.
Like, I'm not like a pop star or something like that. Right. It's I'm a community member of the same community. It's just that I I've, I've, I've built like a mechanism or a platform that allows for interaction and engagement in a safe and inclusive way. I think that's part of the reason why. Simply cyber has grown into what it has grown into.
It's very organic. It's grown way beyond me I always tell people that like when people say what simply cyber and I I'm like, it's it's a YouTube channel But it's really not like it's so much more than that. Like the YouTube is just like one facet of it It's a really interesting living breathing organism that you know just Final thought on this, it's like it has spurned other things like Jesse Johnson in the slave security plus is [00:18:00] like simply cyber adjacent.
We have like GRC study halls that are within the simply cyber community that happen themselves. We have local meetups for people in different parts of the country, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Augusta, just to name a few, and they're operating completely outside of anything that I'm involved with. But they are operating, uh, almost like independently, but with under the simply cyber community umbrella.
So to me, that that's, that's amazing. Like, I could never have predicted that.
Yeah, that's pretty incredible. Um, that has been a really interesting thing to see. Uh, it, it, it kind of relates something, something Jack's actually asked me, uh, that you'll see my reply to in a few weeks, uh, months when that one goes live. But, uh, The entrepreneur mindset, like you are an entrepreneur. Um, you've, you've started your own consulting company.
You've just started simply cyber. You've been part of some small startups, um, [00:19:00] you know, in past years, that mindset of trying things, knowing that a few of them are going to fail. Do you feel like you, do you feel like you have a certain risk tolerance to put it in risk terms or a certain acceptable level of like, if this fails, that's okay. But we're still going to try things. Oh,
it's, it's funny. So I think I'm a, Uh, very much a reluctant entrepreneur. I, I never really thought I was going to do this. Um, although I was talking to my wife the other night who knows me incredibly well, and she said, I knew you were always going to have your own business. Like I've known since like, you know, the early two thousands that you were going to have your own business.
And I was like, Oh, I didn't know that. But, uh, for me, uh, from a risk perspective, one thing that, you know, listeners may or may not know is that like, I'm actually incredibly risk averse, I'm incredibly. Conservative when it comes to making decisions. I have a lot of responsibility on my shoulders around [00:20:00] providing for my family and providing for some other loved ones and just needing to be responsible with my decisions.
So for me, honestly, there was no, there was no risk for me when I went full time on my own business, uh, from an entrepreneur perspective, simply because, um, um, from a. Well, two reasons, one from a financial perspective, like I, I, like I told you, I've been doing this side business consulting thing since 2016.
So, uh, over the years I've, I've put a lot of acorns away and you know, people talk about emergency funds, like I've got enough emergency funds. To run my family for, you know, close to two years. So even if I like broke my back today and like, I like lost my ability to speak and see and touch, like we'd be fine for, you know, close to two years.
So, so for, and, and on top of that, like, as you mentioned a bit about my, my [00:21:00] pedigree and my, my career, um, I feel confident that I could get a job as a see. So, or, you know, really any info sec job in, in, in very short order, like in a couple of weeks. So when I, when I looked at the decision to quit my job and go full time, I was like, okay, worst case scenario.
I make 0 revenue day, 1 0 revenue day 1, and then on day 90, I'm still making 0 revenue. Well, then I could get a job in a month. The worst case scenario. And even if it takes me 16 months to get a job, we're still fine. So really, you know, and even then Josh, it took me, it took me a good month and a half of like wrestling with my, myself to finally make the decision and move forward and, and like everybody told me that it's an entrepreneur.
You'll wish that you had done it sooner and it's true. I wish I had done it sooner.
that, that does lead me to the, do you look [00:22:00] towards hiring full time employees, any FTEs or even part time employees? I know our community is built around a lot of volunteers and all of the volunteers, I feel like I can speak for us, are happy to be volunteers. Um, do you see it growing as a company, simply cyber?
Yeah Um, that's the next big challenge really, you know, I do use some 1099s with like contractors basically and that's been okay Um, I I could envision I could envision having staff at some point I don't I don't think I wanted like i'm I don't have this vision of like You know like tcm academy he's doing wonderful work and he's got like 50 employees.
I can't I can't imagine me You With 50 employees, like it would make my brain hurt, but there are certain things that it would be nice, um, to have someone kind of wholly focused on certain things. And I'll give you like, so I'll give you an example. Like, it could be [00:23:00] interesting to have someone come on who's like, okay, you're responsible for marketing stuff.
And like, you know, simply cyber con, right? Like the conference, right? Like, just like kind of holy lift. And you're responsible for that. I'm available for discussion and for helping and everything. But, you know, I'm not responsible for it. Another thing I could see, uh, and this one's kind of a big one is, um, like management of the company.
Like, even though I'm in charge of it or whatever, I wouldn't be opposed to hiring a CEO for the company, which I know sounds kind of silly. Uh, but in reality, like having to deal with like, um, contracts and having to do with business development and having to do with negotiating rates with vendors and sponsors and going and getting sponsorships and like all that stuff still has to happen.
I'm doing content and I'm doing cyber security and I'm constantly on. But, but there's so much about running a business that a lot of [00:24:00] people who come from like the technical execution say like, Oh, why am I, why am I, why am I letting someone else get paid for my work? I could just do this myself and cut them out. The, the, the reality that comes out is that there's a lot of like business administration that actually needs to happen. Um, if you're going to do it right and you're going to grow it. So, um, I could, I could definitely see hiring like that, but I think. Uh, like, I've learned in my new show, Cyberstarters with Ryan Newvick, like, I, I really feel like it's a higher, slow, fire, fast kind of thing.
So I'm still. I'm still launching, like, it's funny, like I've been in business now full time for six months or whatever, but I'm still launching, you know, it's crazy.
Definitely. Definitely. Uh, there it's the same mindset we have, um, in any company, especially cybersecurity, do we do this in house, build our own sock, or do we outsource to an MSSP or an MSP MDR vendor? Um, and, uh, [00:25:00] it's one of those things is I'm this small. Do I need someone else to manage my stuff or can I manage it?
And you got to figure out where your, uh, crossover point is like, at what point am I losing money by having to go to these meetings and make these decisions?
Exactly. Yeah. Those opportunity costs. And also like, do you not enjoy doing that? Whatever that is, you know what I mean? So, uh, it is, it is tough, but I mean, I guess for me personally, I feel like the way that I decide whether or not I'm going to outsource something or hire someone to do. Uh, come on and be full time.
It's really like, have I have I reached a threshold where it's like a bird, not a bird burden to me, right? Like, we're like, uh, I'm like, I'll give you a great example. So, um, my produce videos. They have, they have to be edited, right? You record it and then you add B roll. You got to clean it up. You know, you got to do all this editing stuff and editing takes a long [00:26:00] time, but I did it for the 1st 2 years of simply cyber where I published a video every single week.
I would do editing for hours every single week. It was a massive time sink, but and I and I started to not enjoy it because it was taking me away from my family and from other. Um, other projects and work that I wanted to focus on. So it slowly became like, Oh my God, like I, I have to publish a video, but I have to do the editing too.
So, um, finding an editor was actually one of the, one of the first things I ever outsourced. And now I've got a great relationship with a team of editors and, you know, I don't, I, I don't edit anything anymore. Like very, very occasionally I'll edit something just cause it's like a quick thing, but for the most part, the editors can do it faster.
They can do it way better. And it's a, it's a small, you pay for it, you pay for it. But, um, my time for money at this point, like I don't have a hard number of like what my hourly rate is or whatever, but, um, the editors are more than reasonably priced in order for [00:27:00] me to like have two hours to go, you know, kick a soccer ball around with my kids instead of like grinding editing.
Right. Cause at the end of the day, like, yes, my mission is to help as many people as possible. And I love that. But I do want to. Help myself. Like I, I do want to be a present father and a very, um, loving present husband. And if I'm, if I'm just burying myself in work, then I'm kind of missing the forest for the trees.
Exactly. It's, uh, people talk about a work life balance, but, uh, really, do you want to spend half your life doing work? It's, uh, what is, what do we really want out of life? And is the work getting us to that? Yeah, man, where Jerry, I, I know where people can reach you. Um, in your words, where can people best find you?
LinkedIn, YouTube, the Simply Starbridge uh, discord.
Yeah. So I think the easiest way for anyone to get me, if they [00:28:00] go to the website, simply cyber. io slash slash socials, excuse me, simply cyber. io slash socials. Um, I have a link to like everything because I have a discord and a LinkedIn and a YouTube and a school and courses and a newsletter, like I have so many different projects and.
Initiatives to help people. We have audio podcasts. We have video podcasts. I have like four new podcasts that are launching this year. Like I've got so much stuff that I just have a, I just have a website that just has all of them. So if you want to connect with me over email or you want to tag me on a Twitter thing, like whatever it is that works best for you, it's going to be on this, this page, simply cyber IO slash social.
So that's the best place to start to get ahold of me. Cause some, some people, Hey, maybe, maybe the, uh, The YouTube channel sounded interesting to you, but I don't sound interesting to you and you just want to bypass me. That's why I did that. So you can get to like, what, whatever it is you want, uh, to serve you.[00:29:00]
Excellent. I'll make sure to put a link to that in the show notes. Jerry, uh, it was great having you on. Um, I know you've got to go prep for a, uh, another show later today. Um, and, uh, everyone can catch you 8 a. m. Eastern time, uh, weekdays, except for holidays. Uh, doing the Daily Cyber News Brief.
Yep. 100%, 100%. It's a, it's a live stream on YouTube, about 450 professionals there, but you can catch it on replay as well. Uh, a couple thousand catch it every day on replay. So yeah, it's the top cyber news of the day with a whole bunch of personality sprinkled in.
And a great community. Thank you, Jerry.
great community. Yeah.
Uh, appreciate you having you on.
My pleasure. Thank you.