A glimpse into HTB’s 2024 Sales Kick Off (SKO)

In the heart of Atlanta, an event unfolded that set the stage for a transformative year ahead in the cybersecurity landscape. Hack The Box (HTB), a leading gamified cybersecurity upskilling, certification, and talent assessment platform, hosted its 2024 Annual Sales Kickoff, aptly themed "Running As One.” 

This gathering wasn't just a meeting; it was a testament to the power of unity, innovation, and continuous learning in bridging the cybersecurity skills gap.

A gathering of minds

The event saw the convergence of around 100 attendees, a mix of Hack The Box team members across the organization (sales, marketing, product, people), partners, customers, and a noted Forrester analyst specializing in the cybersecurity upskilling domain. 

This diverse attendance underscored the collaborative spirit Hack The Box aims to foster within the cybersecurity community.

At our SKO, we emphasized embracing change, fostering teamwork, and staying ahead of the curve. Reflecting on the event, it's evident that our success hinges not on individual efforts but on our collective strength and shared passion

Trayana Mihaylova, Account Executive at Hack The Box

 

The breakout sessions were enlightening, providing invaluable insights that will power our journey ahead. What resonated with me the most were the practical exercises in teamwork, collaborative brainstorming, and cross-team cooperation. 

However, the highlights for me were the customer panel and having the opportunity to meet some of our valued customers in person, delving into their feedback, and hearing how they perceive the value of our offerings. Also, stepping into the shoes of a cybersecurity professional, detecting and responding to an incident—a thrilling and enjoyable experience shared with the team!

Anna Papadima, Senior Customer Success Specialist at Hack The Box

The agenda: A blueprint for success

The event's agenda was a roadmap of strategic insights, starting with opening remarks from our leadership team.

One of the highlights was the "Torch The Test" segment delivered by Jess Burn, Principal Analyst, Security & Risk, at Forrester,  who emphasized the necessity of continuous learning to close the cybersecurity skills gap. 

The celebration of 2023's biggest wins not only highlighted past successes but also fueled motivation for the challenges ahead.

The voice of the customer and channel

A significant portion of the agenda was dedicated to the "Voice of the customer," featuring a panel discussion with esteemed customers such as Accenture, Purdue University, and the University of South Florida. 

My favorite part of attending SKO was meeting the HTB team I have been working with over the past few years and hearing the other use cases of the panelists. One of the most interesting things to hear was the use case for universities for the platform. I always look back at our college curriculum and we had one actual Pentesting course that was just Metasploit I wished I had something in detail like HTB academy to start developing my skillset to be ready for the job market.

Jack McAloon, Cybersecurity Manager at Accenture

 

Having the time to sit/stand with members from various areas of HTB and talk things out without having too many constraints of other pending meetings. It seemed like everyone I talked to wanted not just to “talk shop”, but also took the time to just have some casual conversation to get to know each other better which in turn can really help work-based relationships.  

Jeremy Johns, Technical Instructor at Purdue University

 

It is hard to select just one favorite thing, but if I were to pick one, then it would be the openness of the HTB to bring customers to the event to express their views about their platform to make it better and more effective. That speaks volumes about HTB's value to the customers and their experience. It was eye-opening for me to also hear the perspectives of other academic and non-academic customers of HTB and the great impact that the platform is having on advancing cybersecurity skills in the US and abroad.  And speaking to this, it was particularly very rewarding to see HTB recognized by Forrester among the top leaders in the industry in cybersecurity skills and training platforms. 

Marbin Pazos Revilla, Assistant Professor of Instruction and Sys. Admin., Director of Infrastructure, USF CyberHerd Coach at University of South Florida

This segment provided invaluable insights into collaborative efforts and expectations for 2024, fostering a deeper understanding of customer needs and how Hack The Box can meet them. 

The event also shone a spotlight on the importance of channel and partner relationships, with discussions featuring Red Trace Technologies, Carahsoft, and Malvik Security. 

Hack The Box’s “Running As One” message was spot on, it symbolizes the challenge ahead as ALL organizations leverage Cyber Performance Centers to enable their Red/Blue/Purple team members to combat the ever-evolving threat landscape.

It’s no secret there is a significant bottleneck in the market regarding cybersecurity talent as those individuals are all in high demand… Hack The Box’s approach grants business leaders visibility into their Security Operations Center capability TODAY with continuous and detailed reporting showing where they will be TOMORROW.

Zach Schmidt, VP of Sales at RedTrace Technologies

Fostering development and innovation

SKO was not just about speeches and presentations; it was an interactive experience. 

 

Breakout sessions like "The Battle of the Objectioners vs. the Handlers" featuring role-play, and "Sales Engineering and Product Running As One" showcased the practical applications of teamwork and strategic thinking. 

Celebrating collaboration and forward-thinking

The "CTF competition - SKO Cyber Sprint 2024" was a thrilling highlight, engaging participants in a friendly “capture the flag” style competition while honing their cybersecurity skills. 

During this year's sales kickoff, I participated in my very first CTF competition. In this team exercise, I was able to learn and adapt with my colleagues across several different departments, and it provided an opportunity to collaborate in a way that I haven't done at HTB before. It's exciting to see how through a unified effort and applying diverse backgrounds, we can achieve great things and continue to fuel the innovation that HTB was founded on.

Emma Brothers, Senior Growth Marketing Programs Manager at Hack The Box

Moreover, this was followed by an excellent walkthrough of one of Hack The Box DFIR & Blue team labs, called Sherlocks. This way, our team members got to deep dive into our latest product innovations.

Participating in my first CTF was a confirmation that CTFs offer an opportunity to jump-start and quickly assess your team in a fun and engaging way. 

Walking through a Sherlock in a live environment was a fun and collaborative way to put myself in the shoes of a SOC Analyst or Incident Responder. I could see and feel how this wasn't your typical learning experience.

Bob Lagnan, Account Manager at Hack the Box

The power of unity

The culmination of the event, the "2024 Key Strategy Pillars and Wrap-Up," laid down the strategic imperatives for the year ahead, encapsulating the essence of the Kick Off theme, "Running As One". This was complemented by a leadership Q&A panel, offering a moment for reflection and forward thinking.

A year of opportunity ahead

Hack The Box 2024 Annual Sales Kickoff was more than just an event; it was a declaration of intent. 

"Running As One" was not merely a theme but a call to action for everyone involved in the cybersecurity domain. As Hack The Box continues to pave the way for cybersecurity upskilling, this kickoff has undoubtedly laid a strong foundation for a year marked by collaboration, innovation, and success.

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