Random Thoughts, Observations, and Musings from Monday at RSA

I have lost my normal first-morning-of-a-west-coast-trip battle with my body clock so what better thing to do at 5:15 am than to provide you some random observations and musings from Monday at RSA.

• My initial read of the show is that there is a general sense of renewed optimism that is a marked reversal from the heavy gloom that seemed to permeate last year’s conference.  Let’s hope that this optimism continues, because I like this year’s vibe much better.
• I took a pre-opening walk around the exhibit floor and found myself experiencing some serious booth envy because the booths in this year’s show are some of the best designed I have seen in many years.  I am human with an ego, and sometimes I miss the days of having a big budget for the show, particularly when you see high levels of creativity.
• After dealing with my booth envy issues I came to an important realization:  I can honestly say that I would not trade products with anyone on the show floor.  The Triumfant product is truly different and continually proves that delivers as advertised.  Our engineers have made change detection a viable process for detecting malware and enforcing configurations and policies.  So much of what I see on the floor sounds and feels like slight variations of the same themes.  I can honestly say we represent something very different that fills real gaps in endpoint security.  No booth budget can buy me that.
• I have made two quick passes through the floor looking for “hamster wheels of pain” to photograph and share with you.  So far I have found none to report.  Well done, my fellow marketers.
• Across the aisle from our booth is a China-based security company.  As a marketing person my first thought was: could there be a harder job than to market a Chinese security company?  I have no knowledge of this company and my comment is in no way designed to cast any aspersions or doubts their way.  But the current association between China and cyber crime would seem to make it a difficult sell.
• I actually had someone come to the booth and say that they read this blog.  I was humbled and flattered.  I enjoy doing the blog and try to make it informative and at least a little entertaining, but you never really know if anyone really reads what you write until someone says something like that.
• For those of you who have never been to RSA there is are two main sets of doors into the exhibit hall and between them is a coffee counter.   I would really like to know what one’ day’s receipts are from that counter during RSA, because my guess is that it is remarkable.  Location, location, location.
• Our team walked about 15 blocks for dinner last night and passed countless homeless along the way.  The juxtaposition between the amounts of money spent on the exhibit floor and the view of someone sleeping in a doorway can’t help but stir the heart and mind.  When you see yards of white thick pile carpeting being laid out in booths and wonder what the cost of that carpeting could do for any one of these people on the street it keeps what we do in stark perspective.
• Today I start my analyst briefings, which is always a fun part of the trip.  Analysts are both leading (what is on the horizon) and trailing (are their customers asking about Triumfant and what problem do those customers think Triumfant will address) indicators of the market and are valuable to small companies looking to chart a clear path.  The analyst/vendor relationship is always an interesting dynamic, but if you are willing to be open minded and really listen to their feedback, there is always valuable data and insights available.
• According to the forecast and the drops on my hotel window, we start what looks to be two days of non-stop rain.  At least it is a change from snow.

Please come by the booth (756) and say hello if you are on the floor.  And don’t forget the malware detection challenge.