Dave Bittner: From Puppet Shows to Cybersecurity Host

Early Aspirations and First Computer

• 🎭 Dave Bittner's childhood dream was to work with the Muppets, leading him to perform puppet shows from a young age.
• 📺 A friend of his parents recognized his talent and encouraged him to audition for a local PBS station, where he got a job due to his ability to read scripts naturally.
• 💾 This early experience, combined with earnings from a paper route, allowed him to purchase his first computer, a TRS-80.

Role as a Podcast Host

• 🎤 As the host of the CyberWire podcast, Dave sees his role as an 'everyman in the middle,' asking questions that the audience might be afraid to ask.
• 🧠 His goal is to make cybersecurity experts comfortable sharing their knowledge, facilitating a better understanding for listeners.
• 💡 He emphasizes that it's not his job to be the expert, but to interview those who are and to help them articulate their insights.

Transition to Cybersecurity

• 💻 Dave's background is in radio, television, and film, focusing on the tech and production side.
• 🏢 He started his own company after college, leveraging early desktop digital video technology, and was responsible for setting up computer systems.
• 💾 In those early days of computing, security concerns were minimal, often limited to issues like a virus on a floppy disk.
• 🌐 It wasn't until he returned to work with the CyberWire that cybersecurity became a primary focus.

Leadership and Client Management Lessons

• 💡 A former boss named Jeff at a garden center taught Dave valuable lessons in leadership, kindness, and inspiring a team.
• 🛠️ Dave used his computer skills to program a labeling system for plants, which included botanical names and care instructions, demonstrating early problem-solving with technology.
• 🤝 Another experience involved a difficult client on a video production shoot, which taught Dave the importance of protecting his crew and sometimes firing clients who create a toxic work environment.
• 👥 He learned that treating everyone with respect, regardless of their role, is crucial, and that the customer is not always right.