CyberWire Daily Podcast Summary

Episode: Julian Waits: Find a way to help society. [Serial Entrepreneur] [Career Notes]
Host: N2K Networks
Date: August 24, 2025
Guest: Julian Waits, SVP & Executive in Residence, Rapid7; Chairman, Cybersity

Episode Overview

This episode features Julian Waits, a seasoned cybersecurity executive, serial entrepreneur, and community advocate. In a candid conversation, Waits shares his unconventional journey into cybersecurity, his passion for helping others, and reflections on diversity, mentorship, and finding purpose in technology careers. The discussion is rich with insights for aspiring professionals and industry veterans alike, highlighting how personal values and curiosity can drive a rewarding and impactful career in cybersecurity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Inspirations & Search for Purpose

(01:34 – 02:30)

• Julian grew up inspired by superheroes, always desiring to "help society, to basically help others, protect others." (Waits, 01:37)
• Initially envisioned a military career, then became a Baptist minister and church musician before pivoting to technology.
• Realized professional music wasn't viable but discovered a knack for math and science in college courses at Loyola and Xavier University.

2. Entry into Technology & Accidental Start in Cyber

(02:31 – 04:35)

• Started at Texaco in New Orleans' computer operations, drawn partly by the chance to practice saxophone on the night shift.
• Developed a passion for programming, progressing from Digital Command Language to Pascal and C.
• Became Texaco’s first network engineer as PCs arrived in the workplace: "Nobody could figure out how you were supposed to connect them up together. They gave me some training... and I became a Banyan Network certified engineer." (Waits, ~03:35)

3. Growth at Compaq & Discovery of Cybersecurity

(04:36 – 06:05)

• Moved to Compaq (now HP): "I was like a kid in a candy store."
• Exposure to hardware, OS, and networks spurred his interest and led to company-sponsored training.
• Realized he "hated coding" due to ADHD, leading him to pivot to more people-oriented, customer-facing roles.
• First exposure to security through customer protection and compliance, before "cybersecurity" was a coined term.

4. Entrepreneurship & Diversity in Tech

(06:06 – 08:10)

• Chose Washington D.C. for its diverse and vibrant tech scene over less diverse cities like Boston.
• Became a CEO at e-Security, then co-founded his first startup (Brabian), successfully raising $10 million in Series A.
• Now enjoys blending mature company environments (like Rapid7) with entrepreneurial innovation.

5. Guiding Principles & Problem-Solving in Cybersecurity

(08:11 – 08:59)

• Julian’s approach: "The why is always, what's the problem that cybersecurity customers are trying to solve?... How do I mitigate my risk?" (Waits, 08:15)
• Stresses the inevitability of compromise and the importance of response: "It's no longer a question of whether you're going to be compromised or not. The question is what's the materiality of it and how fast can you catch it after the fact." (Waits, 08:30)
• Emphasizes listening to users to create solutions that help rather than complicate.

6. Advocacy for Mentorship & Demystifying Barriers

(09:00 – 09:45)

• Shares his father's advice: "You can't be it unless you can see it." (Waits, 09:04)
• Stresses the value of mentorship—seek out people in the field you’re interested in and build relationships.
• Debunks the myth that you must excel at math to have a tech career: "That's just a fallacy." (Waits, ~09:31)

7. Diversity Gaps & Opportunity in Cybersecurity

(09:46 – 10:18)

• Highlights underrepresentation of minorities and women and the perception of cybersecurity as "math-oriented, white male dominated."
• Notes over a million unfilled cybersecurity roles in North America, spanning far beyond technical analyst and forensics jobs.
• Encourages self-education: "You can get all the training you need for free on YouTube." (Waits, 10:33)

8. Legacy & Impact

(10:19 – 10:51)

• Hopes to be remembered as someone who genuinely helped and protected people:
  "I hope people look back at my work... and what they see first is exactly how I started the conversation—that I wanted to help and protect people." (Waits, 10:36)
• Wants his influence to empower others to live better lives, whether in cyber or any path.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On finding purpose:
  "I always wanted to do something where I could find a way to help society... Did not know what that was going to be, but that was my assumption as a child."
  — Julian Waits (01:38)

• On breaking into tech:
  "I figured out very quickly I was never going to be a professional musician and I needed to figure something else out. I always had a knack for math and science..."
  — Julian Waits (02:12)

• On opportunity in cyber:
  "Right now in North America alone there are well over a million job openings in and around the ideal of performing cybersecurity.... You can get all the training you need for free on YouTube."
  — Julian Waits (10:33)

• Advice for aspiring professionals:
  "You can't be it unless you can see it. Find a mentor in the industry that you're interested in, even if you don't know exactly what it is."
  — Julian Waits (09:04)

• On cyber’s diversity problem:
  "Cyber [is] still a very low representation of minorities and women in the field... still considered to be math-oriented, white male dominated."
  — Julian Waits (09:43)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 01:34 | Julian's childhood motivations and early pursuits | | 02:31 | Shift to technology; discovering passion for programming | | 03:35 | First experiences connecting computer networks | | 04:36 | Growth and training at Compaq | | 06:06 | Tech career in D.C., entrepreneurship | | 08:15 | Discussing "the why" in cybersecurity | | 09:04 | Mentorship and representation | | 10:33 | Breaking the barriers to entry in cybersecurity | | 10:36 | Julian on his legacy and the impact he hopes for |

Closing Reflection

Julian Waits’ journey from jazz musician to cybersecurity leader is marked by lifelong curiosity, a desire to protect others, and a commitment to making the field more inclusive. His story is a roadmap for others seeking to do meaningful work in tech, reminding us that the best careers are built on passion, mentorship, and a drive to positively impact society.