Month: September 2026

Why Good Security Strategies Fail: From Planning to Execution ft. Beth Leonard (Ep. 14)

Why Good Security Strategies Fail: From Planning to Execution ft. Beth Leonard (Ep. 14)

Cybersecurity requirements can feel expensive, complicated, and disconnected from daily operations. What changes when leaders treat compliance as ongoing risk management instead of paperwork?

In this episode, host Tony Pietrocola, President and Co-founder of AgileBlue, and co-host Joe Marquette, AgileBlue CEO and Co-founder, speak with Beth Leonard, Chief Operating Officer of R3 LLC, about turning cybersecurity strategy into consistent execution. 

Beth explains how CMMC, NIST 800-171, FedRAMP, ISO standards, formal risk management, and regular leadership reviews can become part of everyday operations. She also shares firsthand examples of what can happen when organizations delay controls, confuse documentation with implementation, or treat compliance as a checkbox.

Beth discusses:

  • How cybersecurity controls can reduce financial, reputational, and operational exposure across a business
  • Why formal business risk management can make compliance planning and implementation easier to manage
  • How documentation and assessments can fall short when controls aren’t embedded into daily operations
  • Why leadership participation and regular management reviews help cybersecurity plans move into execution
  • How organizations can prioritize limited time, budget, and people according to their highest business risks
  • And more!

Connect with Tony Pietrocola:

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How CMMC Drives Long-Term Security Maturity, Not One-Time Compliance ft. Rick Olivier (Ep. 13)

How CMMC Drives Long-Term Security Maturity, Not One-Time Compliance ft. Rick Olivier (Ep. 13)

How should defense contractors respond to the CMMC pause? Questions about assessment timing, preparation costs, and CMMC requirements are leaving many organizations unsure whether to continue.

In this episode, host Tony Pietrocola, President and Co-founder of AgileBlue, and co-host Joe Marquette, AgileBlue CEO and Co-founder, speak with Rick Olivier, Director of Cybersecurity Advisory at Eide Bailly, about how contractors can prepare without overhauling their entire technology environment. Rick explains how controlled unclassified information determines CMMC scope, when a focused enclave may reduce cost and disruption, and how MSP access can expand the assessment scope. They also cover C3PAO assessments, continuous monitoring, and readiness gaps that can waste time and money.

Key takeaways:

  • How the CMMC pause is affecting assessment timelines and contractor preparation
  • Why locating controlled unclassified information is the first step in defining CMMC scope
  • When a focused CMMC enclave may reduce licensing costs and operational disruption
  • How MSPs, MSSPs, and other third parties can expand the scope of a CMMC assessment
  • Why continuous logging, monitoring, documentation, and response support ongoing readiness
  • And more!

Connect with Tony Pietrocola:

Connect with Joe Marquette:

Connect with Rick Olivier: