Author: Zachary
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Building a Wiki Up with the Girls
This weekend, we took a break from the usual routine and built something together in the woods, a small wiki up made from downed limbs and brush around the homestead. If you’re not familiar with the term, a wiki up is a type of brush shelter traditionally used by some Indigenous peoples of the American…
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Building Cluckr: A Simple App for the Homestead
Most of the time, I try to keep things simple out here. But a few weeks ago I ran into something that felt unnecessarily complicated: tracking our chickens. Egg counts, chick care schedules, coop cleaning, feed costs all scribbled across too many notebooks and spreadsheets. It worked, but barely. So I decided to do something…
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From Fan to Guest: My Experience on Life of a CISO with Dr. Eric Cole
For the past four years, I’ve been a dedicated listener of Life of a CISO, hosted by none other than Dr. Eric Cole—a legend in the cybersecurity world and author of one of my all-time favorite cybersecurity books, Cyber Crisis. His practical insights, blunt wisdom, and real-world experiences have helped shape how I approach leadership…
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Announcing My New Book: Locked Up
I’m excited to announce that my book, Locked Up, is officially complete and will be published by Wiley on January 22, 2026. This project has been a long time in the making. Locked Up is not a theoretical exercise in cybersecurity. It’s a firsthand, behind-the-scenes account of what happened when our university experienced a ransomware…
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Engaging with the Cybersecurity Community: Conference and Podcast Highlights
Over the past two weeks, I had the opportunity to contribute to the cybersecurity community through both a live conference appearance and a podcast discussion. At FutureCon St. Louis, I moderated the CISO leadership panel titled “Securing the Future: CISO Insights and Industry Leaders Discussing Current Cyber Threats and Strategic Defense Practices.” The session featured…
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Spring Prep: Rain Barrel System Reconnected and Ready
After a cold Missouri winter, it was time to get the rain catchment system back online for spring. I kept everything disconnected and drained during the colder months to prevent cracked pipes and busted fittings from freezing water. That approach has saved me some costly repairs. This year the setup has changed a bit. I…
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The Start of 2025
As we dive into 2025, I’m reflecting on what has already been an incredible start to the year. It’s shaping up to be one for the books, and I’m excited about the opportunities ahead. First, I’m honored to share that I’ve been named one of the St. Louis Titan 100. This recognition highlights top leaders…
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2024 Book Recommendations
It’s that time to review the best of my reads this year and bring the top five list of non-fiction and fiction, in no particular order. According to Goodreads, I had 68 books to choose from, so let’s dig in. Fiction Non-Fiction Honorable Mention The Daily Dad: 366 Meditations on Parenting, Love, and Raising Great…
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Is the “Chief” Title Still Relevant for vCISOs?
The rise of virtual CISOs (vCISOs) has introduced a flexible, cost-effective solution for organizations needing cybersecurity leadership without the expense of a full-time CISO. However, it raises an important question: does the “Chief” title still hold weight when applied to a part-time or external role? What Does the “Chief” Title Really Mean? Traditionally, a “Chief”…
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Homestead Updates and Summer Snakes
It’s been a minute since I’ve posted about the homestead and it’s time to rectify that. We’ve been busy prepping for winter. Most of the barreled rain water has been released to keep from freezing. That’s something I need to work on in the following years. The outside piping is rudimentary and not ready for…