Happy Birthday Cybersecurity Defense Ecosystem

The mission was simple:

"How can we assist the channel in enhancing their efforts against cybercrime?"

With the guidance of 30 remarkable advisors, we successfully established the Cybersecurity Defense Ecosystem. I wish I could say the journey was seamless, but we did encounter several challenges along the way.

After a couple years in the making, our official launch took place in Ontario, California one year ago on November 16, 2023.?

We unveiled the first ten key benefits of the CDE, showcased vendor solutions to help MSPs rapidly implement better cyber protection using the right framework, technologies, people, and processes. We shared valuable insights from a leading MSSP (Dave Monk, CEO ArcSource), helped members understand their digital footprint, and discussed strategies for responding to cyber incidents.

This was just the beginning… After five events, we recently achieved a 62% attendance rate at our latest gathering in Edison, New Jersey, on November 18, 2024. Considering it was a free event on a Monday, this turnout exceeded expectations.

This positive response, along with fantastic feedback, marked our first anniversary celebration!

Since our launch, we have attracted 5,700 MSPs from our broader eChannelNEWS community of 106,000 channel partners to join the CDE as "freemium" members.

The first year of membership was free, which likely contributed to our rapid growth. Now, our focus is on enhancing the member experience and value while nurturing organic growth.

With the assistance of our CISOs, ethical hackers, MSSPs, SOCs, and MSPs in the community, we have shortlisted around 240 vendors and will recommend the top 50 to our CDE members. As artificial intelligence increasingly impacts the 6,000+ cybersecurity vendors in the market, we anticipate ongoing changes in the solution landscape.

Additionally, we have approved 16 service partners to assist our CDE members in improving their business operations and skills, with over 20 more service partners still under evaluation.

Currently, the CDE offers an abundance of benefits designed to empower its members to become more proficient and effective "cyber warriors" in the ongoing battle against cybercrime.

You can find all this information on our website . Version 2.0 of the site set to launch in early 2025 to better help members navigate available benefits and connect with each other.

At our recent event in Edison, New Jersey, on November 18, we provided what we believe to be one of the most impactful days for cybersecurity business development for our members.

Attendees received the latest research data to aid in their planning for 2025. We began with a concise overview of the cybersecurity market, channel, and trends presented by Jay McBain from Canalys.

I provided context on the most significant cyber threats currently facing the channel and emphasized the need for prioritization in addressing the most probable risks first. As malicious actors adapt and increasingly leverage AI, the cybersecurity landscape will continuously evolve.

We must always strive to keep our members ahead in the cyber arena. Being in the news media helps, as we maintain contact with numerous cyber experts to provide deep insights and the latest information to our community.

One major challenge many members face is persuading their clients to invest more in robust cyber protections. At this event, we featured three marketing experts, including Debbie Kestin Schildkraut , Jen Waltz and Doreen Marchetti who discussed effective strategies for CDE members to encourage their clients to understand the importance of investing in enhanced cyber protection and how to source the necessary funds and resources for implementation.

PR expert Michael Becce also emphasized how our members can utilize public relations to strengthen their marketing efforts. Furthermore, our members have access to a powerful marketing automation platform (join to get details).

We are launching our next generation digital marketing campaign, code-named "waterfall," to assist members in accelerating lead generation.

When combined, we believe we have crafted the right marketing playbook to help our members build their case and increase sales.

We also addressed the importance of outsourcing PEN Testing, Virtual CISOs, Incident Response, and Compliance with the right partners, all of which are critical for a successful cybersecurity business practice.

We introduced EMELY Artificial Intelligence to help members elevate their cyber business across various dimensions. I believe we may have discovered a way for our members to stay ahead of the AI curve and generate substantial revenue!

As always, Randal Wark presented the Mastermind Peer Group , as we firmly believe every member should engage in a peer group to support one another in ways that only trusted peers can. I encourage you to learn more about this, regardless of your decision to become a member.

Our town hall has become an essential part of our events, where experts from MSPs, MSSPs, and CISOs actively involved on the front lines answer audience questions.

Additionally, our Lions' Den has evolved into a core aspect of the event, allowing vendors and experts to pitch their solutions in under three minutes. This format gives members an efficient way to assess potential fits before delving deeper during afternoon networking in the “expo” golf bays!

Kaseya ’s Matt Scully shared insights on their mission and recent platform advancements. As they continue to enhance the integration of their 40+ tools, you can expect improved outcomes. A single consolidated platform with well-integrated solutions at an affordable price is certainly a step in the right direction.

Check Point Software, a leading global cybersecurity company, demonstrated how they are enhancing protections for MSPs and their clients.

With just a handful of other vendors present at the event, we have more than enough options to build a solid cybersecurity technology stack.

That said, we are still evolving… Kathryn Rose visited to discuss adding the Coaching Cafe to all CDE events in 2025, allowing members to book one-on-one sessions with any coach on topics of their choice, in addition to the Mastermind Peer Groups.

In summary, the CDE offers a half-day of intensive business development and a half-day of enjoyable social networking. Members can choose their preferred activities or participate in both! Think of these five events as regular cyber booster shots to safeguard your business from threats.

Here’s a brief recap of the past year's CDE summits:

Houston, Texas, April 8, 2024 Highlights: We received insider insights from top CISO Jon Murphy of Revantage (Blackstone), delved into compliance, privacy, and regulations with Nim Nadarajah , explored the potential of partial or full outsourcing of cybersecurity services with Mark Porter , and demystified complex data discovery and classification for privacy before opening the doors to public LLM AIs with Jaap Mantel from Data and More.

Jacksonville, Florida, April 11, 2024 Highlights: We focused on PEN testing-as-a-Service, simplification and consolidation of the cyber tech stack, transitioning from MSP to MSSP with Mel Reyes , outsourcing CISO services instead of hiring in-house, and navigating the growing regulations and costs of Cyber Insurance.

El Segundo, California, September 17, 2024 Highlights: We addressed the rising risks of insider threats with Joy Belinda Beland CMMC CCA, PI, QTE, CISM and presented the ultimate playbook on government compliance and regulations by a leading expert .Karina Klever. We also showcased the first private label marketplace for MSPs, and reiterated the importance of data classification, compliance monitoring, and forensics requirements post-breach.

Thanks again to our 2024 sponsors: Kaseya , Check Point Software , Crosshair Cyber , Data & More and High Wire Networks- Overwatch .

The feedback we’ve received over the past year indicates that we are providing immense value to our cyber community. However, we are just getting started and are already preparing for 2025! No matter which "tribe" you identify with, we believe adding the CDE as a resource in the fight against cybercrime is a worthwhile investment.

Take action now:

• Join us for FREE until the end of 2024. Starting January 1, 2025, the annual membership fee will be $595.
• Meet us in person. Upon joining, you'll receive notifications about upcoming events; otherwise, check our website at www.channelnext.ca .
• Join a CDE peer group with like-minded individuals in your area, nationally, or internationally. Connect with your peer group virtually and in-person at any of our live events. Visit www.channelpartneralliance.com .
• Discover all the CDE member benefits at https://cybersecuritydefenseecosystem.com and check out our monthly newsletter for the latest updates. This resource is designed exclusively for our members, and it’s up to each individual to leverage it as they see fit.
• Take the free best-managed IT companies assessment to benchmark your practices and identify areas for improvement. Visit https://www.bestmanageditcompanies.com . After completing the assessment, if you'd like to engage with a professional to strategize your next steps, feel free to contact us.

Here are some additional membership benefits you may want to explore. Some are free, some are nearly free, and others are available at special membership group rates, all aimed at enhancing your success!

• Launch your own marketing automation instance if you don’t already have one!
• Inquire about our content services designed to boost your marketing ROI.
• Investigate a private-label marketplace where you control everything regarding what you sell and where you buy from.
• Conduct a data discovery to identify unknowns, categorize your data, eliminate unnecessary items, and ensure compliance with privacy requirements.
• Participate in any of the free monthly mastermind sessions.
• Attend any of the CDES events to network and explore solutions.
• Find a skilled coach to help you enhance any business skill.
• Strengthen your PR efforts to grow your brand, business, and valuation year-round!
• Consider an app to serve as a call-to-action during presentations and events, allowing easy connections.
• Explore one of the first AI digital sales assistants to determine its suitability for you.
• Obtain a customer profile assessment to identify your ideal target client based on your current business strengths.
• Request a report on your digital footprint to see how you stack up against industry peers.
• Start creating affordable short video content to share your narrative with clients.
• Learn how to instantly improve your cybersecurity offerings for clients utilizing Microsoft, while also discovering and managing all your SaaS applications.
• Enhance your sales team's capabilities with AI through a retraining course designed to equip your staff with essential skills for today's digital-first, AI-driven economy.
• If you're considering selling or exiting your MSP business, reach out to us for a consultation to connect you with the right buyer or seller.
• And YES, there’s even MORE…

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