Get to the Point — The High Point Networks Podcast
Technology can feel overwhelming — the jargon, the pace, the pressure to keep up. Get to the Point exists to change that.
Hosted by Andy Middlemiss and Brandi Mentele of High Point Networks, Get to the Point is a podcast for business leaders, IT professionals, and anyone trying to make sense of how technology can actually work for them. Each episode cuts through the noise with honest conversations, real-world insights, and practical takeaways from people who live and breathe this stuff.
No fluff. No unnecessary jargon. Just the deeper "why" behind the technology decisions that matter — from a team you can trust.
New episodes every other Wednesday.
Hosts: Andy Middlemiss & Brandi Mentele
Audio & Video: Alex Conner
Production, Post-Production & Management: Jasmine Joy
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Get to the Point is produced by High Point Networks for informational purposes only. Guests include High Point Networks professionals as well as subject matter experts from across the industry, each speaking from their own experience and expertise. Content shared is intended as general information and should be evaluated within the context of your specific organization and circumstances. Views expressed by outside guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of High Point Networks or its affiliates. High Point Networks assumes no liability for decisions or actions taken based on content discussed in this podcast.
Episodes
11 episodes
Breaking Down the 2026 DBIR with Dean Sheley: What Business Leaders Need to Know
The 2026 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report just dropped — and in this bonus episode, Andy and Brandi sit down with Dean Sheley, Senior Security Architect and Consultant at High Point Networks, to unpack what's in it and what it means fo...
Building the Next Generation of Cyber Professionals (with Dr. Ashley Podhradsky)
What does it take to make cybersecurity feel like it's for everyone? Dr. Ashley Podhradsky has spent her career answering that question. In this episode, Andy and Brandi sit down with the Vice President for Research and Economic Dev...
Big Brother: Is He Watching? Security, Privacy, and Where the Line Actually Is (with Aaron Zylla)
After Episode 6 sparked a bigger conversation, Aaron Zylla came back to finish it. In this bonus, Andy, Brandi, and Aaron dig into one of the most charged topics in physical security — where does protection end and surveillance begi...
VMware, Broadcom, and What IT Leaders Need to Know Now: A Conversation with Brian Bensen
Surprise drop! We're giving you an extra episode this month because this conversation is too important to sit on. VMware didn't just change — it changed fast, and more than once. Since Broadcom's acquisition, organizations ha...
Beyond the Camera: What Physical Security Actually Does for Your Community (with Aaron Zylla)
Most organizations think physical security means hanging a camera and calling it a day. Aaron Zylla, Senior Physical Security Engineer at High Point Networks, says that's the most dangerous assumption you can make. In this episode, ...
Why Comfort Kills: Growth, Complacency, and the IT Hype Cycle (with Brandon Conkins)
If you're not evolving, you're falling behind. Brandon Conkins, Director of SMART Services at High Point Networks, makes the case for why comfort and complacency are among the biggest risks facing IT leaders and organizations today.Drawi...
Cyber Hygiene Without Fear: Building a Security Culture People Actually Like (with Lynn Soeth)
Fear-based cybersecurity training uses the same tactics as cybercriminals. And it's not working.Lynn Soeth, Service Manager of Security Services and Sales Engineering at High Point Networks, has been leading security teams since 2017 wit...
When the Breach Happens: Response, Recovery, & the Role of AI (Part 2 of 2 with Shawn Mendel)
Understanding the threat is only half the equation. In Part 2, we shift from awareness to action.Shawn Mendel — Director of Professional Services and Incident Response Manager at High Point Networks — walks through what response and reco...
When the Breach Happens: Ransomware, BEC, and the Modern Threat Landscape (Part 1 of 2 with Shawn Mendel)
Cyber incidents don't start with panic. They start with patterns.In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Shawn Mendel — Director of Professional Services and Incident Response Manager at High Point Networks — breaks down the modern thre...
Why This All Matters: Getting to the Point
Every piece of technology has a story behind it. Not the specs. Not the features. The why.In our first episode, hosts Andy Middlemiss and Brandi Mentele share the story behind Get to the Point — how an idea born inside High Poin...
