Depends on what you mean by objective…
This blog site is a place for uncensored dialogue on the security industry – its vendors, technologies, and best practices. I believe that buyers, sellers and users of security technology can use more straightforward information about companies, products and trends. That's why we "tell it like it is" here on
SecurityDreamer.
But we are all mere mortals, and my own personal preferences will be very clear in the posts. Actually, my personal preferences and biases pay the bills. I am frequently hired by vendors as a consultant to critique marketing strategies and products and sometimes to craft strategies for improving sales and marketing. I’ve been doing that for 10 of my 25 years in the security industry and have probably worked with more than 100 security technology companies. I also work with dozens of end user organization each year hearing their stories of what works and what doesn’t and helping them to select technologies.
Does that make me less than objective? I don't think so, but use your own judgment. People hire me because I have strong opinions. With vendors I usually stand at the white board or sit in the conference room spending half the time ripping apart and then rebuilding the sales pitch, positioning, or the product itself. I’m motivated to consult like that because I truly want to solve problems.
Hundreds of end users of security technologies tell me each year about problems they wish someone would help them solve. I simply help the vendors get their act together enough to solve those problems. Then I’ll sometimes make introductions. If I know a customer needs a certain solution, and when I’m confident – enough to put my reputation on the line – then I’ll connect the buyer and seller.
I get paid for all of that. And my motivation remains the same, namely, to solve the problem.
I commonly won’t expose which vendors I’ve helped because – frankly – it’s none of your business. It doesn’t change my ability to speak frankly and truthfully, and you might look at the list of companies and assume some bias that really doesn’t exist.
