At RSAC Conference 2025, the unimaginable happened: egos were checked at airports worldwide and left at baggage claim. Of the 44,000 attendees that I interacted with, and the number is large, everyone was very humble. Why? because innovation, collaboration, and collective support all make us safer.

My previous experiences at RSAC have been on active client engagements where I was solely focused on making their attendance a success. This year I went as an attendee and was truly moved by the experience, people were eager to genuinely connect. Tech trailblazers, VCs, start-ups, industry giants, and strategic partners alike were all about intros, making connections and solidifying relationships for the future. The energy was intense, the days and nights were long, and the vibe was great!

Some of my best interactions happened outside of pre-scheduled meetings, which led to more scheduled meetings at the conference. I would suggest not cramming each day with back-to-back meetings and leaving a few windows open for new connections, you won't have a minute of downtime either way.

As an ad agency owner focused on cybersecurity, I walked the floor to look at booths, interact with those working the booth, understand their product offerings better, and see whose messaging was resonating and aligning with their brand. There were a few booths that were a masterclass in storytelling and experience. They left the technical jargon to the sales team and focused on the story, the end benefit, and the emotional spark to draw you in. 

On day 3 of the conference at 4:45pm I was on the expo floor for a quick trip around. I was exhausted, overstimulated and trying to catch a second wind. I walked into a booth that had me enter a tunnel and simulated what it feels like to experience an attack, I almost threw up. Just in the knick of time, they whisked me into an enclosed cloud that was 30 degrees cooler, with 360-degree mirrors, puffy installations and the most soothing woman's voice telling me that everything was fixed. Their messaging, experience the fastest recovery anywhere. Congrats Commvault.

After cruising the floor it is evident that Agentic AI companies are at a unique point in time from a marketing perspective to hone their message, bring to life the nuances that make them different, and set the standard for others to admire and follow. Because at the end of the day it is about being memorable and changing people's perceptions of your brand once they interact with you.

I was able to see friends that I have known for years and sometimes only see a few times a year, make really strong strategic partnerships that I am so excited for, have dinners with current clients, make new friends, and have the most fantastic conversations and future connections.

Connect with me on LinkedIn to get more insights on cybersecurity marketing and beyond.