EP 085 Matthew Porcelli: 'Don't Let Todays Excuses Be Tomorrows Regrets'

Matthew Porcelli, MSc, CPP, CPOI, F.ISRM, FSyl , is a Safety/Security Management Specialist with over two decades of experience in the criminal justice and private security sector working with clients from international airlines to corporate global headquarters, and alongside municipal, state, and federal law enforcement partners.  Porcelli is a globally recognized volunteer thought leader, author, presenter, and featured in many global security periodicals.  Porcelli, has been a member of ASIS International for 13 years and serves as a Community Vice President where he supports and works with Steering community leadership and ASIS liaison staff for EPIC, Executive Protection, and Operational Intelligence Communities, as well as designated a member and Certified Protection Officer Instructor with the International Foundation for Protection Officers.  Porcelli also volunteers as Chair of the Institute of Strategic Risk Management’s (ISRM) North America Hub and Co-Chair of the Security Institute’s Frontline Security Operators (FLOSIG) Special Interest Group.  Porcelli was admitted as a Fellow to the ISRM and Security Institute in 2021 and 2024 respectively.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-porcelli-msc-cpp-cpoi-f-isrm-fsyl-2011a937/

Security Circle ⭕️ is an IFPOD production for IFPO the International Foundation of Protection Officers

Transcript

0:06

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Yoyo: 0:49

Hi, this is Yolanda. Welcome. Welcome to the Security Circle podcast. IFPO is the International Foundation for Protection Officers. We are dedicated to providing meaningful education and certification for all levels of security personnel and make a positive difference to our members mental health and well being. Our listeners are global. They are the decision makers of tomorrow. And we want to thank you wherever you are for being a part of the security circle. If you love the podcast, we're on all podcast platforms. Spotify currently trending as number one. Don't forget to subscribe. Give us five stars or just like comment and share this fantabulous LinkedIn post. I have a very special guest with me today, In fact, I've been trying to sort of pin him down for a little while now. We met about a year ago in passing. He was winning an award at the time. Welcome Matthew Porcelli to the Security Circle Podcast. How are you doing?

Matthew: 1:43

Grazie. Yo, yo. Thank you very much. How are you? Pleasure to be here. Thank you.

Yoyo: 1:48

Miliardo grazie. In fact, Whenever I'm in Italy, and I say that, they all laugh, because obviously, you can say a thousand thanks, but they never say a million thanks. Miliardo is obviously a million thanks. Well, you

Matthew: 2:01

know what I do actually here? I say the name of different churches in Rome, and they think I'm really speaking Italian.

Yoyo: 2:07

It's okay. What's it like being an Italian American in New York in a security manager role, Matthew? Yeah.

Matthew: 2:16

It's wonderful. Actually right before we jumped on it, actually, one of the one thing you one of the conversation points, as we're both very verbose individuals. And I think that's what made makes us so unique is that the Vatican lapel pin is, we have. discussed that people have asked me, why do you wear that? Not the American flag. I said, because that is the passion that drives me because the Swiss guard as a man of faith of, of a Roman Catholic background, obviously I respect all faiths, all genders, colors, creeds, you know, no matter what in the security field. But for me, it's a passion and um, the pontifical swiss guard to protect the pope are the ones that inspired me to go into security. And I tell people, no, they didn't call me and say, you know, Matthew, you know, you don't have blonde hair and blue eyes, but sure, join. No, that wasn't the reason. St. Matthew, other than being the patron saint of tax collectors is also the patron saint of security. I took that very much to heart. No

Yoyo: 3:11

way.

Matthew: 3:12

And then when my wife and I went to when we were pregnant with our first child, we went to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, when he blessed my wife's womb, because we had two miscarriages prior to that, I said, your eminence, I know, you know, again, I'm not blonde, I don't have blue eyes, I'm not Swiss, I have a deep admiration for the protection of others, can you please and the swiss cargo to please bless my lapel pin which my wife had bought me, the Vatican lapel pin, and I've worn it ever since with the CPP, the certified protection professional, you know, designation from ASIS, and it's never left my lapel since. it's unique, it's a very, it's very great to, to have, it just, it's a constant reminder.

Yoyo: 3:54

I'm really glad I asked you that question because you know, first of all, I don't think many people really know why the Swiss Guard protect the Vatican. Perhaps you could help edumacate me and answer that question.

Matthew: 4:08

so Michelangelo had designed their uniforms. A lot of people wonder why they wear the colorful uniforms. I actually have done presentations you know, for the longest time, you know, Marty, who's a, a, you know, you know her as well, Marty. She's she's in New Jersey now. She she's on the North American board. We, we've been working together to try to get a Vatican chapter with a SIS for the longest time, or at least I've been trying to work with them for the longest time in a voluntarily wor role. But they are they are imperative in the protection of not only the Pope, but you know, as far as the Apostolic palace. And the Cardinals. But I do a presentation virtually. I've done it a few times on the concentric circles of protection. So for instance it's not just the Swiss guard. So if you're going to do the concentric circles of protections or protection in depth, you have, starting from the innermost who is your principal and executive protection, you call them the principal, the principals, you have the pontifical Swiss guard who protects the Pope. Now let's move outward. You have the The Vatican police, they protect everything within the Vatican City State. Outside of that, you have the Robin Cavagnieri. Now, as a security professional, and especially me as a contract security professional who works more or less on that outer ring of security, we are the Let's say the front line. So equate us more to the the Roman Cavalieri. So you go from one country, which is Rome, excuse me, Italy into the Vatican city, the smallest country in the world and so forth. So it's actually communication to everybody thinks that, you know, it's all to, yeah, stop the threat, but in the same token, it's deterrence. That's what it is to set that alarm off before it reaches that, that target. Okay. Which in this case is the Holy Father. You have three jurisdictions that really, that have to work in tandem with each other.

Yoyo: 6:01

I think it's phenomenal. I, I would never have known that if I hadn't asked. So you're a great ambassador for helping people to understand what they don't know, right? That's awesome. Well,

Matthew: 6:10

yeah, I mean, well, what I, what I do is, I mean, me personally, like, well, I, I, and it goes into enterprise security risk management too. I think it's really enveloping how, regardless where you sit on the security step ladder. I mean, look at where we are. Like, I'm a contract security manager. A lot of in house or proprietary security managers are being outsourced because, I mean, pragmatically, you know, they're cheaper. They're, you know, and again, you know, the C suite has to worry about, I mean, and the clients, like, everybody's being contracted, third party contracted out. So it's imperative that, yes, we have to finance, you know, they have to, they meaning, you know, we have to try to get closer to the C suite as far as a voice in contract security. But also we have to communicate because there's still barriers in the silos and, you know, in between so it's almost like, we're getting there. We're not quite there yet. But whenever I've done these presentations, I kind of bring a theological, you know, I guess it worked itself out that. I could use the Vatican and the Swiss Guard as an example, because I think that me personally, they personify that concentric circles of protection method, but also with ESRM as an advisory standpoint, because with ESRM, you could tailor that to any security model. It could be anything from an ad hoc assignment to a fixed. Class A office structure or to a satellite location construction, higher education, anything. That's what the beauty of it is. It's diverse. as the Swiss Guards uniform, it's as diverse as that.

Yoyo: 7:50

if you recall, we met for the first time in Dallas last year for GSX and your name preceded you. So when you won the award for outstanding young professional and your name come up, I was like, There's that guy again, that name I keep seeing everywhere,

Matthew: 8:09

right? That's a frightening, that's a frightening thing.

Yoyo: 8:12

And then afterwards you were quoted to say, winning outstanding young security professional was undescribable. It's been almost a year. Have you found the words for it yet?

Matthew: 8:25

No, I know I haven't because it's so I, I was a finalist for three years, I believe prior to that, which to me was just as humbling because I know it's a very, very competitive process just to reach that finalist, you know, process. I mean, it's, and even though I'm a 39 year old going on 98, because I'm such an old soul at heart, I mean, at least my wife and I are it's, it's absolutely amazing how. It's just it's still undescribable. I mean, it really is just to be up there in front of your peers. And I could just just I guess you could say because when I was I used to tell people I'm three, I was three fourths a cop. So I went into law enforcement with aspirations to be a police officer. I was, I volunteered as an auxiliary police lieutenant. I was a 911 police dispatcher. I got my degree in criminal justice. I wanted to be in law enforcement. I decided that wasn't for me. I wanted to go into security. And so I started the best way to do start in security to me was to start at entry level. I don't like to say the bottom because that does that that's disrespectful. To frontline security officers, because it's not the bottom. It's a very important, you know, that yo, yo, you and I, and if both could talk about the importance of our frontline officers, we could write books and books and books on that, which I believe we are doing that. So, cause you know, obviously as a big supporter of IFPO myself, but I was told numerous times by people in my upper management. Not, not currently, obviously this is like, I'm going back like 10, 20 years ago, who were like, And I was going for my master's at the time. And, you know, from family members to for close friends, like Matt, what are you doing? you have a bachelor's degree. Why aren't you in the FBI? They look at my hairdo. People think I'm a detective. They think I'm, you know, like, they have these groups. Why are you doing this? Why are you just being a guard? And I'm like, you know, it's just, it, it, it fathomed me why people were so miserable in this field. But then again, that, you know, misery loves company as the adage goes, but that only pushed me to go further. So when I set my sights on, you know, that OSPA was, you know, again, it was just. You can't, you know, but Dr. Martin Gill, you know, rated the auspice. I mean, it was just, and look, look what it's accomplished, you know, and the careers that it's really propelled for so many people. I mean, you look, I can't even. Lists out the amount of people because I'm afraid I'd miss somebody on all the different categories but when I won that, award and it's like when I went up on stage and I and I you know Accepted it and I finally received it, you know, regardless of the category That was just my way of saying all those people you were wrong. You were wrong it doesn't matter where you are at what point in your life and as a man of faith, you know, you could be You know you work hard and you do it You can't take a resume with you, no matter where you, I mean, theologically speaking, when our time on this earth is done, you can't take that resume with you. I mean, you could try. I mean, if you, if you think about, you know, I don't think you can. I mean, if there's a way you could, you know, I'm sure if somebody could figure it out, they could probably patent it. But besides that, yeah, I don't think you can take it with you. But my point is that I don't think I'll ever find the words to describe that. That, that is probably, and it will continue to be one of the proudest moments of my life. Is what I won an OSPA

Yoyo: 11:49

well, congratulations, and also congratulations, because we shared, like, we're rubbing a lot of shoulders lately on social media. Matthew, you were also named in Security Journal International,

Matthew: 12:02

along with me,

Yoyo: 12:03

as one of their Top 30 Global Influencers. And Know, for, for a person so young with 20 years experience, this is something to be very proud of.

Matthew: 12:15

Thank you. I mean, and, and again, I, I tell people, and, and I know I'm speaking in a mirror, not, you know, and it's, it is interesting for those listening, yo-yo and I were talking about this prior to recording. It's important. So we're, so we do the, you know, and again, it's, it's a huge honor. That we received this and I know that, our our honorees that receive these awards you know, it's, it's done with hard work. I mean, I know a lot of people that that really earned this like if you judge it based on linkedin acronyms I see linkedin acronyms that have more letters in the alphabet next to their name and I have a few I don't nearly have as not and listen There are a few that have a lot of letters that earn every one of them and I could definitely tell you a few that have been instrumental to me as mentors but as you said at my age, I mean it's Age is irrelevant. It's, it's to me, it's, it's your drive. It's your passion. You know, it's, it's passion You know, they've, they've said that, you know, training is useful, but there's no there's no substitute for experience. But passion to me trumps experience every single time. if I go up to say just a lay person on the street and they say i'm a con say i'm a contract security manager And then somebody else, I go up to some, and then somebody else comes up to another individual and they say that they were in contract security management for 30 years, but they stay stagnant. They don't do anything. Say I was a con hypothetically, a contract security manager for 10 years. And I've obtained all this stuff, all these accreditations, honors, or not just me, anybody. And somebody thinks to themselves, well, how come the guy or the gal or whoever with 10 years experience reach all these milestones rather than the person with three decades of experience? It's passion. That that's the difference because, you know, don't let today's excuses be tomorrow's regrets. If you're going to take anything, you can't, you can't, you can't wind back the clocks. One of

Yoyo: 14:12

my biggest I don't know, I suppose it's a vision statement is, and it's on my LinkedIn profile. I it's passion to purpose, because I think when you have passion, You're enjoying what you're doing. It's never a job. It's never onerous and purpose is just, I think, critical in anybody's life. And I feel

Matthew: 14:31

right.

Yoyo: 14:32

And of course we're working. And sometimes Monday mornings

Matthew: 14:36

harder than some. Sometimes Friday afternoon is better than most, but I don't even know what a day of a week looks like. Yo, yo, there's no such thing in security. No, there isn't.

Yoyo: 14:46

Yeah, that's true. Every day is Monday, right? But in your article in security journal, you said that you refer to the pandemic and you said, that it allowed for more interaction in a society. That was inevitably headed towards a hybrid lifestyle. Let's talk about where we were before COVID, what we had to deal with during COVID because everybody's journey is subjective. And now can't you help but feel we've gone back to the way it was in 2019? Or is it different for you?

Matthew: 15:19

So, I mean, I feel before, so before COVID,, at least on this side of the pond, as I guess you could say, I mean, because I mean, me personally, I don't know, you know, again, I know many security management, I mean, contract wise, I mean, I'm only in this on this side of like I, because I have a couple of accounts that I oversee, but I've noticed probably from, from my perspective that the lines on the map for COVID is a little bit more complicated. One thing that pre COVID has created, or excuse me, post COVID has created, there's no more lines on the map. As far as Zoom has exploded with, you know, hybrid has exploded since COVID, that was the only, the only good thing to come out of COVID was that it created this hybrid lifestyle. We were going, like you said, we're heading there. 2019, we were just starting to scratch the surface with that, but this, But this pandemic, it forced us into it and we're still doing it. But ironically, people are, are sick of zoom and teams. People want in person events. Are they wanting probably listen, I love the fact that I could talk to you. Yo, yo like, you know now I mean But the thing is you got people like me who can't just jettison onto a plane like the next day and go Over to the uk or to dubai or somewhere to speak, you know and go talk to my friends and colleagues and you know It's just it's not the same but as far as from my work perspective I've noticed that there's a hunger for in person and it's weird because I think when we went on a hybrid light, it was more as a survival work and survival. And for the record, whenever I did zoom, I was fully in, you know, I was fully in a suit. I don't know whoever had the gall to just wear a shirt and tie and wear pajama bottoms. I don't know. I don't know who was able to do that, but you know, I just noticed people listening to this. They'll be like, yeah, like who's going to see me from the waist down. Listen, you know, more power to you. But if there was ever, you know, I would say if there was ever, let's say you're had eggs burning on the stove, or if it was like me, like, see, I'm a frontline manager, my team and I, my security team, as long as the millions of other private security officers, we were here during the pandemic. Right. We still have to come in. We're essential officers, essential employees. So, as were the millions of others that had to be here. Again, that's not to say that our C suite and everybody from upper management, you know, those that could work from home didn't have stressful, you know, tasks they had to commit, but I'm just saying that it's just, you never know, just always be fully prepared. But yeah, but Yo Yo, just to answer your, to finish out, answer your question, I think that, you know, hybrid, it's just, I think we found a balance. I think we found a balance. However, I know me personally, I'm glad that that balances. It's a force multiplier going going into CPP test terms. It's a force multiplier that we now have the hybrid lifestyle now because it allows us to communicate more efficiently with other countries. And to information share too, I mean, to learn.

Yoyo: 18:43

Force multiplier. That's a good phrase, isn't it? I think also actually doing voluntary work is a force multiplier. And you have a career of volunteering to the point where you're now the community vice president for ASIS. And wow, you know, I am still at the International Steering Committee stage, albeit four years. I didn't really discover ASIS until I was about 10 years into my security career. And boy, do I have regrets. You know, and I've said this before, that the minute I joined ASIS and went to the first event, that's some red wine I realized, that I was around lots of other people who were just as batshit crazy about security as me. And I just regretted, I regretted, you know, my, my whole life changed. I met Mike Hearst for goodness sake. And then my whole life changed, but I, and of course I went along like super keen, enthusiastic, Oh, what can I do? Can I do this? Can I help? And then I was snapped up straight away. Like, Oh, we've got somebody who really wants to do stuff. And, And my sort of voluntary journey began. You've got an amazing journey. Take me through why volunteering was going to be a critical purposeful part of your security career.

Matthew: 20:00

Well, I actually want to quote a good friend of mine Chuck Andrews, obviously, you know him as President Chuck. He did a he had mentioned in one of his ASIS videos volunteering is contagious. It just leads from one opportunity to the next. It did. My journey. I mean, so I was a member of the Western New Jersey child joined A. S. I. S. 13 years ago, and it just it didn't stop. I mean, from young professional liaison From the Western New Jersey chapter to the chapter secretary to leading next gen which was young professionals along with Lisa Oliveri as my co chair to my going on a fifth term as community vice president yeah, you know, it's just, it's like a travel bug. You just can't stop. And I think that with, with, you know, it's, You have a natural acumen to just want to learn and do more. I think a lot of people, I mean, you could call it cynically or not. I don't, you know, know why, but think that people volunteer selfishly and that's not the point. Volunteering is, I mean, the, the true servant leader volunteer is somebody that grooms their second in command, somebody to take their, their spot. And I think that that's what the whole basis of. organizations like ASIS and IFPO are based on. We're paving the way for our up and coming you know, leaders to, to pave the way for the industry. I know for me, me personally, like I'm, I started my own projects with ASIS. I know for from the start I wasn't gonna stop domestically. And to go back to what you said, yoyo, with regards to, you know, leveraging the international the inter internationalism of the hybrid lifestyle of COVID. I mean, I just a quick experience. So when I was content creation chair with crime prevention community under, you know, another amazing individual, Maria Dominguez, who was the chair I set up along with, you know, other chapter chairs from around the globe a two part series of how private security and law enforcement globally work together to deter criminal activity. Obviously I wasn't going to stop unless ASIS told me, you know, but they trust, you know, and I thank them wholly for this, you know, they gave me the keys to the car to drive because they, you know, they, they trusted me and I would obviously I would never do anything to put the organization at, at risk. But most volunteers, you know, they do everything based on their hierarchy, which they have to their chain of command, but countless times, I've had volunteers come up to me. You know, Matt, I'm stagnant. my chapter doesn't let me do anything. And I tell him, well, then do this, your chair, your, your chapter board, trust you to do stuff. Yes. Okay, well do something do and ask for forgiveness later. I mean, obviously do something that's relevant to the security career. Do make sure you do it ethically. But, and so forth, it's never going to stop. I mean, I'm going to, I'm going to volunteer probably until either they tell me to tell me not to do it anymore, or until I physically can't do it anymore.

Yoyo: 23:10

I'm just looking here at the LinkedIn profile that you have, which is amazing by the way. So if anybody who isn't a member of ASIS, obviously connect with Matthew Porcelli because you can see a huge, you've actually gone through Cultural Properties, Community, Global Terrorism, Community Crime Prevention, Executive Prevention, Community, Young Professionals, Community, Vice Chair for GSX Selection Committee. Then you've been the Chair of the GSX Selection Committee.

Matthew: 23:38

Actually, Yo Yo, if I may, I want to give a piece of advice. With LinkedIn, when you reach my age, to the tender age of 39, you're going to start to forget the things that you've done in the past. Use LinkedIn to chronicle your journey.

Yoyo: 23:53

There are

Matthew: 23:53

people that said, Hey, Matt, remember when we did this together? And I forgot, I'm a father of three and I have a team of security staff that I love dearly. I'm getting to that age. So yes, I'm trying to drop you a yo yo. I'm just saying, yeah, LinkedIn is a great way to keep all your chronicle of your life story. So yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt you, but yeah.

Yoyo: 24:14

here you've got like Western Jersey Western New Jersey, Chapter 88, Past Young Professionals, Liaison, Chapter Secretary, then you've gone up to Crikey, Co Chair again, and now you're the Community Vice President. So for anybody who is, I speak to a lot of people about volunteering, and I, I preach to all the time that, you know, I think volunteering is giving. And it gives back in return in quadruple amounts. And I think it takes a certain person, I think, to be a volunteer and to do pro bono work. I don't think it's for everybody. And you know, you spot very quickly, you know, people who just, first of all, just want to get that notoriety, put it on their LinkedIn profile, but don't really contribute. Really? And so you can identify those people very well, but if you've got a sincere intention and you want to have a purposeful volunteering career, yours is a great track to follow how you can move up the hierarchy very quickly.

Matthew: 25:14

That means, that means a lot. Actually, I was also going to say Anna Corsaro, who was based Pellitaliano she's actually based in Northern Africa, another great mentor of mine. She was she had told me, and I, this. really resonated with me as well. She was with A. S. I. S. I believe she still is. It's very, you know, it's very special to offer your services. you know, when you reach your, when you found something special, when people ask you to volunteer, like it's, you know, it's always great when you volunteer your services, but when you're being sought out to volunteer, it's always very special, you know, and I I'm not saying that, you know, don't, don't wait for people to come to you because usually if you, if you just wait and sit back and say, oh yeah, I'll wait for them to come to me. Nothing's going to happen. I mean, you got to go out there and make it happen, especially if you're just starting out. But as Yoyo said, you know, you can't do it for the wrong reasons. You can't do it. Just try to set up, you know, there, there are, there is a, especially with ASIS there, there's, you have a huge support system, two of them are on this call right now or on this, excuse me, on this, this podcast right now, Yoyo and myself, you know, are always there to help. You know, obviously, you know, as Yoyo said, you can reach me on a direct message and I'll, I'll get back to you if anybody needs to talk, you know, I'll I promise not to bore you.

Yoyo: 26:26

I mean, I hope you're more responsive than I am. My LinkedIn messaging sometimes blows up so much. I'm like,

Matthew: 26:34

Oh, I can see why. I mean, this podcast is wonderful. I mean, I'm just, I'm just so excited to finally make the circle.

Yoyo: 26:41

Gosh. And we, we joined with another notification, the life safety alliance. Wow. I mean, that's top 40. Well done. Congratulations.

Matthew: 26:53

Likewise, my friend. And you know what I love too is like, I love how the Life Safety Alliance, which I just began, you know, again, it's just like blessings galore. It's just like I just became a member of them. I was just approved to become a member of them as well. If you look at the ribbon on the website, you know how you probably seen a yo yo too, you press it, you see the faces go by. Out of all those 40, well now 41, because Andre, you know, he was added, in the Ukraine, I have to say about 75 to 80 percent of those people I could say touched my life personally. I

Yoyo: 27:24

can

Matthew: 27:25

say everybody from Michael Gibbs, Gab Schneider, you, yo, yo film, you know, everybody, you know, it just either somebody I've worked with, I could call my friend, you know, it's just like, it's just, it's very powerful to me. It doesn't happen overnight. And I think that that that's what it's, it's special, you know, it's one of those things where You know, it really it's very heartwarming.

Yoyo: 27:47

I think it's a great alumni to be a part of. I'll be very honest with you. And when you start to see the same names like Casio, we had the very same conversation. We were also with Casio with International Security Journal. Top 30 global influencers and there are the same names cropping up the same people who are just incredibly motivated and passionate about giving into the security industry. And that's what I mean. I never did this, set this podcast up because I wanted to get awards. I kind of thought, I kind of thought if it was successful enough, I would have a great platform. To talk about the things that maybe I haven't been able to talk about. And I thought that, I mean, that was my motivation. When you get a great platform, you can influence conversation. And then I realized everybody else's conversations are far better than mine. So I might as well just keep having amazing guests talking about their life stories, because I think about those 10 years that I wasn't with ASIS, and I wasn't with any security membership, and I felt like I was kind of kept in an understair cupboard, really. and I realized how much a podcast like this would have connected me to the big world of these great influencers, you know, people like me, Mike is. People like Kassia and Chuck and Gavriel Schneider. I mean there's so many. Martin Gill. There's just so, so many people who are

Matthew: 29:11

doing it. Yeah, it's amazing. Yeah, but you, you are a member now and that, that's the important thing. I think a lot of people And it's human nature. I mean, psychologically speaking, we go back to like, what would have happened if I went this route differently? you know, unless you could time travel, don't, don't, you know, and. You know, don't go, don't try, don't, don't, don't cause psychological stress on yourself that you're, you know, it's easier said than done, but I'm just saying like, you know, that's, that's usually what's helped me. Like,

Yoyo: 29:40

I don't know. I'm going to say the opposite, Matthew. I'm going to say that if I'd like to say it, call it bad shit now, but I don't think it was bad shit, but bad shit happened. Things that happened that weren't supposed to happen. Trajectories in my life had major, it was like, have you seen that video of the earthquake recently where you've got these, it's taken from a car dash cam and you see this car head reversing this great big, huge boulder the size of a house. lands in front of the car that's just moved, right?

Matthew: 30:09

Yeah.

Yoyo: 30:10

I felt like I was on a road and there were these great big boulders put in the middle and I was like, okay, right. I've got to work around this one. And then another boulder. Oh, right. All right. That's not supposed to happen, but I'll have to go around that one. And if it wasn't for those massive boulders causing these massive trajectory changes in my life. I wouldn't be doing this now, so I'm grateful to Boulders. That's

Matthew: 30:34

that's a great way to look at it. And that, because if we had a straight path in life, our lives would be boring.

Yoyo: 30:40

Right? I know, but hey, listen. What's it like right now, bringing up kids in America? In, you know, with security and what sort of big things are on your mind, both as a security manager and a father? What's it? What's the current state of play?

Matthew: 30:59

I mean, I've like so for any parent you know, I have, you know, two, I mean, three young kids, an eight year old, a six year old, you know, two boys and a three year old girl. So, just, you know, their protection, you know, obviously with the schools now, I mean, there's always like the school security, you know, with the mass shooting, I mean, you know, Nashville always sticks in my mind, you know, you know, horrible that was you know, just, I guess what kids, I mean, when I graduated high school in 2003. everything's more technologically savvy. Now. I remember when I had to learn how to write in cursive. I know with my Children, my wife, my wife, she was a teacher. So she was a special ed teacher for 18 to 21 year old autistic Children. She does early intervention now autistic younger autistic. But one thing we're big proponent on is we, you know, and again to each their own, but we like to limit the electronics. Thanks. Because we want our kids to have more of a holistic understanding of the world around them, there's nothing wrong with, you know, here and there, you know, we're not a tablet family. we don't like to dissent and again, there's no disrespect to anybody who's listening, you know, obviously everybody has the right to bring up their kids any way they would like. we feel, you know, this, this dives into safety and self awareness because you don't know who's monitoring those tablets and especially as kids get older. They become more vulnerable. And when they become more vulnerable, because I do a lot of with my security staff, I do social engineering training and, you know, clicking links, the wrong links phishing attacks things of that nature, which are extremely especially kids, you know, they're, they're very, as I said, they're very vulnerable to those kind of attacks I don't really have time to go play. I don't think I've played a video game if they're even calling that now and like, God knows 20 years, obviously like any parent, you just want to make sure that they're safe. You can't be with them 24 seven, but with the upcoming election, you know, making sure that, okay. regardless of, of who the president is in this next term I feel like there's going to be backlash regardless obviously not everybody's going to be happy. Civil unrest is big. I don't think especially not. I mean, quite frankly, more where I'm situated in Jersey City here in New Jersey, where. There's going to be a lot more civil unrest down here in preparations in the New York metro area. I'm more in the suburbs where I live, so you never know, but I mean, for anybody also, it's not just the United States. I mean, this is the year of the global elections. I mean, this goes to any of our global colleagues, partners, friends, wherever we are all over the globe. once you bring another life into this world, or if you're a guardian for, you know, You know another child or even a pet, you know, we can't forget our four legged friends, you know, you have to be it's just another ulcer Waiting to happen. I mean, but at the same token, that's why Organizations like asis if po, you know again, you know, I volunteer with isrm as well you know institute strategic risk management and stuff like that. That's why those organizations exist So we can be better equipped as security professionals to protect the ones that we love and hold dear. Yeah, and yes, as the father of a, you know, of also a little girl. I'm telling you, when she brings that, that individual home that wants to take her out to a date. Yep. Gotta get through me first.

Yoyo: 34:35

I've seen some great American movies where, you know, the dad's, and there's one really, it's called New In Town. It's not a very well known René Zellweger movie, but I love it so, so much. It's got Matthew Broderick in it. He plays the dad. It's great. And it's the overall story. Basically, she's a high executive board executive, and she's in Miami and she gets sent to Nova Scotia. No, it's not Nova Scotia. It's one of the, one of the states that's very cold. And they all say like, don't you

Matthew: 35:08

know,

Yoyo: 35:13

it's not Alaska. It's the other one. It's Connecticut. No, it's not Connecticut, but it's I can't remember it now. I'm going to have to edit it in but it's so funny. It's really cold. Do they have ice day stuff like that? They go ice fishing. And he basically helps the daughter, Matthew Broderick's character's daughter, prepare for prom. And this young lad arrives at the door to collect the daughter, and he's like, I've got a gun. And he said to him, he said to the boy, he said, just remember, I'm going to do to you what you do to my

Matthew: 35:45

daughter. Well look, I'll be, I'll be, listen, I'm a very caring and open individual, but let me put it this way. There's nothing wrong with that. Yeah, I'll just leave it, I'll just leave it at that. I just think it's such a funny line. This kid just gulps and goes, Yes sir, no problem. Yeah, but you know, at the end of the day, in all seriousness, though, I mean, it's what, you know, us as security professionals, it's, it's why we do what we do. I mean, that's, you know, it's why we, you know, we're, we're, we're either, we're paid to protect people, but then again, as human beings, it's our moral duty to protect the people that we love. But the thing about what do you do when you love what you do? The money doesn't matter, does it? I mean, keep doing it. Yeah, do it for free. I mean, there are bills to pay, I mean, but, you know, but I'm just saying, like, When you love what you do, you, right. You don't work a day in your life.

Yoyo: 36:40

I would suggest that you don't, Matthew, ever give yourself limitations. I think the world is your oyster. And I think you should always look to the future because I think you can achieve some great things. Oh, thank you. Yes. So, to wrap up then, what's coming up? We've got GSX this year. That is promising to be exciting. I keep promising hugs to everybody who I have known, missed the first time around, crashed and burned the first time, hitting it up for the second time. I keep promising hugs to everybody. What are you up to, JSX?

Matthew: 37:16

So I, so, so this is my strategy. I find people. They don't find me. So my strategy is I, I hang out by the, the the GS, the ASIS hub. That's how I run into people. Or I go by the coffee stations. No, but for me So, you know, unfortunately I wasn't chosen as a speaker, you know, we have put in.

Yoyo: 37:34

Look,

Matthew: 37:38

it's okay. No, I'm actually, it's all right. No, it comes with it. And that's like, I try to tell people, listen, don't be discouraged. I'm actually glad that there's some new speakers that I haven't seen yet. That have gotten their chance. Yes. I am. And this is basically what I'm going to say. I'm going to be sitting in the front row of people like Yo Yo, supporting those people. Yeah.

Yoyo: 38:09

And what

Matthew: 38:10

day is yours on,

Yoyo: 38:10

Yo Yo, again? It's on the Tuesday. I think it's on Universal Day, is what I'm calling it, the 24th.

Matthew: 38:17

And it's with you're doing it along with I'm sorry, forgive me, it's with Kekashan. It is with Kekashan, okay.

Yoyo: 38:23

Yeah, and we're gonna do how to develop your own careers from physical security to cyber security, because there's a way of doing it. A really smart, nifty, quick way that, you know, I think everyone, Physical security looks at cyber and just sees this block of, you know, I'm never gonna get through this. But no, it's not like that. You just don't forget the word cyber, just look at data protection.

Matthew: 38:47

So, so what I, so to answer your, and that sounds brilliant'cause what, what I plan on doing this, what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna get there for volunteers day, this sun, that's Sunday. Yep.

Yoyo: 38:55

mm-Hmm.

Matthew: 38:55

So I plan on being there, you know, for all of GSX, you know, obviously as I'm not speaking unless they ask me to. But I'm gonna be, I'll be there to support. Of you, like, so you know, those that obviously I'll put it in my calendar or di I, I've been starting to say diary now because of all, like, I've been making a lot of British contacts now. So, it's

Yoyo: 39:15

the same here. I have so many American conversations that instead of saying, which route are you going to take, I say, which route are you gonna take? If you say root to Americans, they don't

Matthew: 39:25

understand

Yoyo: 39:26

what

Matthew: 39:26

you mean. Well, I said, I said, I'm gonna meet you in the queue. Like, what the hell are you talking about? in the line? Yeah, the line with the. No, but no, but like, so we, have a lot of great, you know, friends and colleagues like yourself that I'm going to be there to support, you know, and learn from I also, yeah, another thing that I'm going to be doing at GSX, because I'm not ashamed to admit this. I'm not a guy for rides. I know that one of the things I like, I'm not a big, my wife and I are not, I know they do the old day. That was it for. at Universal. You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to watch everybody's bags. I'm going to sit. I'm going to sit because when I was a kid, when I went to, you know, to, you know, my, I was always like my wife and I have never been on a roller coaster. So what I'm going to do is I'll sit in universe. My kids are already mad at me because they're not coming with me or Disney or universe wherever we're going. I'm just going to sit and watch everybody's back. Oh,

Yoyo: 40:16

that's very honorable of you.

Matthew: 40:17

I'll cheer you all on from,, I'll be sitting down just making sure, cause yeah, I get a little nauseous on the rides too, so.

Yoyo: 40:23

Forever the protector, Matthew Porcelli. That's

Matthew: 40:26

what I, yeah, that's what I am. But I'm sure, but I'll definitely try to, who knows, like when I get there, we'll, we'll, we'll figure something out. Obviously you're doing your presentation as well. We'll see at the the then, you know, they'll be doing it ceremony. I don't think I'm fully caffeinated yet. I haven't had my third cup of coffee.

Yoyo: 40:44

Hey, it's early where you are. And where I am, it is almost the end of the week. Yo, yo, I get up at 4.

Matthew: 40:50

30 in the morning. Just

Yoyo: 40:52

insane. Matthew, I have a lot of respect for you. And everything that you're about, everything that you're about to do. Yours is one that I'm watching. Yeah, well, I speak the truth in it though. Matthew Bocelli, thank you so much for being a guest on the Security Circle podcast.

Matthew: 41:08

My pleasure, Yo Yo, and thank you very much for having me. It was a real honor. Thank you.