Video: A Gamified Approach To Upskilling Cybersecurity Teams With Hack The Box

hey Channel insiders I'm your host Katie boso and welcome to this episode of partner POV brought to you by hack the box if you're looking to expand your cyber security offerings or break into this Market all together hack the Box wants to be your it Channel partner I'd now like to welcome my guests today Seth Tosi vice president of global Channel sales and David Grant head of Enterprise sales both from hack the Box welcome to you to and thank you so much for joining me today thank you so much for the time yeah thanks for having us you got it yeah really happy to have you here and get to know hack the box so that brings me to my first question let's get to know hack the Box you were founded in 2017 talk to me about the solutions that you offer so hack the box is in the training space but we're we're known for our upskilling platform that we provide uh and everything is gamified so it's it's a lot of fun but you're also learning at the same time so the solutions that we provide there's probably about five or six of them but they all fall under the umbrella of of say training we range from an academy product that is you know kind of academic and allows you to get all the way through a certification so you're basically proving that you have the skills needed in order to do a job and then we have continuous learning by doing um Labs that are very open-ended and Labs that are a lot of fun and they are constantly updated with new material uh every week actually so it's a it's pretty much an endless Learning Journey that we put people on AR we all on an endless Learning Journey though that's the point of life well let's talk about those vertical that your customers typically operate in obviously we're talking to those cyber security experts but when it comes to their businesses the kinds of verticals they're in who are they well it's pretty much everybody um but we we definitely have a of focus and areas where we where we do more um I'd say than than others but yeah cyber security is very ubiquitous as as I'm sure everybody knows it's listening but we we do very well in things like Financial Services we're definitely very big in the federal like DOD type space we're pretty much in every vertical that that you can think of so there's really nobody excluded i' would also add we're we're pretty big in the um in the Consulting space so you know that that type of uh anybody that offers a security Consulting type of product if they're doing things like penetration testing those types of firms that are doing Professional Services in security industry also tend to be a big Focus for us as well yeah very important places especially to continue learning and be on that upscaling Journey so as we've already mentioned hack the Box specializes in a gamified approach to cyber security training but how does gamification give cyber security teams better outcomes gamification is is fun inherently right so it makes the training uh more likely for people to return to it over and over again we also have Global leaderboards for our community that are actually indicative of how well you're doing against the entire world of other hackers that are on the platform we actually have three million people on our on our main platform that participate in this you end up with better outcomes because people are more motivated to actually do the training so giving somebody something that's relevant to their job but that's also a lot of fun that also provides them with incentives is a good recipe for for a good outcome so let's get into the meat of why we're here today because hack the Box launched its Global partner program this summer 2024 congratulations on that first of all what is your reasoning for opening hack the Box up to channel partners and how critical are they to your business well very critical and I'm pleased to and proud that the program was rolled out we took our time rolling this program out to make sure that one um is competitive is is comparable to a lot of the other software vendors in place today so we took our time to make sure that it provided benefits to our partners what I foresee is that one it's going to help us drive some uplift to the business from an indirect standpoint and also to help Drive incremental business to our bottom line as well so when I was discussing opportunity in hack box one of the things that hack box was conent of is they need a channel to be competitive against our competition right how do we get to a point where we become more of a a a main state within a market from a branding standpoint and channel will help do that from a scaling perspective um recognize vars Distributors as well as as out there as well um but it also helps us really hit a number drive an additional number that we really need to grow our business and then two it helps us drive new logos new logos is the piece that a lot of ANS look into to kind of help Define where we are within the market right um so new logos incremental business scale is what really will help benefit the the hecko business with the channel programing place a viable Channel program obviously it's a very exciting time for hack the Box let's talk to those new partners out there who are listening to this and saying this might be something that I want to get involved in what benefits and incentives can new partners expect to see when they become a part of the hack the Box partner program and of course what kinds of partners are you specifically looking for absolutely well first and foremost with without a compelling solution the program is irrelevant right so we actually have a compelling solution as Dave mentioned earlier in the podcast but with the program in place we we built some very competitive discounts margins where Partners can make some money to kind of help sell our Solutions two we actually have a part portal to where they can access our content to where they can actually be more self efficient do deal registrations uh we actually provide Market discretionary funds for investments in our partners to kind of help Drive demand for pipeline Bill to build their business as well we also have now partner marketing resource that they can work with to collaborate to kind of help build pipeline to help build their business to understand who we are to be more self-sufficient as well uh we built the partner enablement program to where from the onboarding standpoint they can cleanly successfully go through an onboarding process to really get inra with reference to the hack's culture understand the solutions and get align with our sell as I mentioned in the previous question the collaboration aspect of it so with intent we built all of this to make it more of a uh to give the the US ability and the experience to our partners um a very clean experience but also give the ability to be successful and build their business around our our practice um the types of partners that we're going to be working with we we work with different routes to Market and the channel as various routes to Market such as reseller MSP distribution um OEM alliances and the list goes on we will support all those initially right now um our strength is more so on the reseller side distrib side we're looking at right now GSI MSP so as We R out this new program we're also expanding our base from Ral Market standpoint to give us more reach as I mentioned before scale is key for us to kind of get out there and scale the market become more competitive um but also look at ways that we can also touch in different areas of the business that we really can't touch into right now for the growth of our business um the success is really coming down to the incremental growth of our business and other routes to Market such as the MSP and also so the GSI as I mentioned will get us there right so it's a crawl before you walk kind of scenario that we're building out on with the program but I do feel that we have a plan in place to really successfully extend this program as we actually have it as today and as part of the benefits part with a new program we also have created a new partner spiff as part of the new program rollout what do new partners spiff provides is the ability for partners to be able to make rebates make money on selling hacker box Solutions um any deal that a part of brings the hacker box that they actually close will give a percent based upon the size of the deal so what this is what this entails is that we're doing tier levels size of the deal is tier one other side is tier two so what we're going to do is pay a backend rebate on any deal our partner sells that they bring to hack the Box uh and then we'll pay them a back in repa on on the closure of that deal so what we wanted to do was one outside to draw a new program and highlighting the benefits but we also wanted to tie in the spiff to this as well to drive some motion to drive Some Inc some incentives but also some excitement with our partners as well as part of this new roll out it's looking good right now um we've actually been promoting it um we've been socializing it so these are things that we really want to drive with our partners as well and Seth kind of building on what we were just talking about where do you see the greatest opportunities in cyber security this year for channel Partners obviously we know the need is great so how can hack the Box Help Partners capitalize on these opportunities within cyber security yeah so one as as David really really truly articulated our our strength is really the upscaling right but there's much more than just the upscaling aspect of it um our solution would provide our our partners to become more advisers within any engagement that they sell unto what does that mean it provides the partners that actually really become more sticky into the accounts they actually build additional business in that account um they can become advisors um they can be experts within what ref to what they're selling from from a Hecker box standpoint so what I like about this though is one um I call it the L and expand right you know one they they they sell a solution within an account a compelling solution that is um we also have multiple solutions that they can actually extend that business as well so one partner can make more money on the land expand opportunities two our solution is compelling enough to where they become advisers and really stick in that account to be the the skill set expert within that account to where they can also build a different practice within that account as well so we're not looking at Partners to kind of Drive transactions we're looking at Partners become more strategic in those accounts that they sell heck box into for them to be able to kind of expand and grow their business as well which I do feel that our program along with our solution will allow them to be able to get that particular Point as well for growth you mentioned about the increase in reach Seth so how can Partners feel that love themselves how can they increase their own reach and customer base by adding hack the box to their own offerings yeah that's a good question so one we have our own customer base right so if I go back to what we mentioned before it's all about the sales withth motion there's the advantages of a partner coming into our ecosystem to where they actually have their own customer base we also have our own customers and typically what we'll do is we'll we'll do some account mapping to see exactly where a partner can help us or help like person like a David extend his business to where we will go in and figure out how we can extend their business as well so between those two elements there's a huge customer base an opportunity that can really tie into if we do it the right way collaborative together right um as I mentioned not just the solution but it's the approach um it's the approach of Rems to how we adopt our partners enable our partners uh work with our partners on a day-to- day to make sure that they're successful and build that trust the trust is the biggest piece for partners to really adopt us but also for us to adopt our partners as well so people like a Dave is a piz that will help us build that trust to where now we can go to market together to to Really extend our business beyond what we currently have today for both sides the partner side also the hacker box side as well and I'll also add as far as brand Equity um when we look at Enterprise accounts right there's a lot that's tied in Enterprise accounts different groups different departments uh and what the hack the Box Partners can do is get into an account and sell a solution within one department but from a branding perspective it'll it'll transcend to other departments right from an Enterprise account perspective right one department will be able to share with another one and that's how you actually do the land expands I mentioned before um there's various Enterprise accounts that we actually leverage to with our partners to kind of help grow that business but the Brin eity is key for us to be able to scale and expand within those Enterprise accounts and leveraging those Enterprise accounts having somebody with a strong name will then help us transcend to other accounts with Enterprise perspective as well which is why we have David on the call here so that's the strength that we provide is not only just the solution but the brand but also the partners brand as well as their their relationships with those accounts right that's the key thing that that we can leverage our partners with to kind of help us get into a a relationship get into a department that we don't have any kind of reference into from a relationship standpoint so that's where the collaboration will help us expand within that particular base as well so if I could add to that um one one thing for sure that I I see with Partners is getting hack the Box uh on their line card so to speak has opened up a lot of doors for them to be able to work with even customers that they might already have a little bit of a relationship with but this is a new channel or or new Avenue into that same customer that they might already think they have a relationship with to get even deeper and wider into the account um our our offering is is pretty ubiquitous in general so generally you'll find people or they will find people that know who we are and that are using Us in some capacity so it's a pretty easy natural conversation for a partner to start poking around at their at their existing clients even and saying hey do you guys know about hack to box do you use it and you're generally going to find somebody that says oh yeah I use that or or or me and my friends use it or something like that um and that can lead to to conversations that can grow grow your footprint in the account as well um so it's it's really pretty much like we're a um a nice entry point for for partners to either get into a new account or grow into the accounts that they currently already in well I think that if you wanted to take a break for the rest of the year you could considering everything that hack the box has accomplished but I have a feeling that's not the case what's next for hack the Box a lot one we really focus on the critical Ral Market that we find is going to help us drive our business from an incremental standpoint on the channel side as I mentioned um what's pertinent right now in the market um from a hyperscaler perspective oan perspective Alliance you know MSP whatever it may be we need to identify the priorities and that would be done as we go to FY 25 and build a program around that um two we're looking at also recruiting some stronger Partners right I'm always under the the the scope of R Su is quality not quantity right and I do feel that there's also we actually have Quality Partners but there we also getting more partners coming to us that wants to become Partners so with intent there are some areas within our business that we want to really recruit some stronger Partners in those ecosystems to kind of help us grow the business as well and give them the same experience as far as the onboarding aspect collaboration with our Sal so that will remain the same um but it's going to really come down to our routs to Market how do we look at ways where we can be more Innovative right from a route to Market standpoint such as uh the marketplace with AWS such as focusing on the MSP side of business and GSI and those are the three that I know will be part of our fi25 plan right and we're starting to looking at that right now as the point where we come in fi25 we can execute on that in fy2 as well the other element is looking at ways that we can grow our business right as far as the Rue streams with stronger Partners different routes to Market but also to bring in more internal strong Channel sales managers as well to drive more Focus for growth but also to give the dep pars the ability to be able to manage the way they need to be managed Right From a scale standpoint right so there's a lot that we actually have planned for fi25 an exciting time um we will grow as the as the solution grows as well um we actually have a strong road map uh from a product standpoint and with that road map with the product standpoint comes to channel that Ro with that product road map as well um but as I mentioned it'll be the more the rout to Market and growth with an internal standpoint for the business so just a few plans yeah yeah just a few just a few the element that I I'm happy about one one we we made huge strides and just getting the program out that's just scratching the service as you alluded to earlier in your question but two there's so much opportunity out there with this program to the point where it's an exciting time to even kind of continue building upon that and see the fruit of the labor start manifest as we grow the business with the fi25 plans and David how would you build on that CH definitely mentioned the road map and and the road map from my perspective is is pretty killer we're going to be doubling down in areas that have worked well um like blue team content has been a big area of growth for us throughout the um 2024 we started off as a kind of red team offensive security focused company and we pivoted into blue team over the past say like 18 months and it's gone really well and then from there we're going to be going into uh a word that is quite a Bzz word right now but artificial intelligence and doing things in in the AI space um so that's going to be fun and also you'll you'll see more uh Cloud related uh content from us as well so kind of those key areas loot team Cloud AI are going to be big drivers for growth for us and we're going to be at the Forefront leading the training space for sure well if I'm a potential partner and I want to learn more and I want to get on board where can I go yeah two different ways um one um our partner portal go to our website um you can definitely learn a little bit more about who we are first and foremost to drive their interest um if you want to become a partner there's a an Alum with on our website to where you can actually submit the request for partners as well to become a partner other than two they can always come to me for questions and then also with the team in place um we'll we'll make sure that they get what they need in regards to knowing who we are but what the program provides as well gentlemen thank you both so much for your time today I'm so excited to see we're the Box goes through the rest of the year and into 2025 and thank you at home for joining us for more episodes of partner POV you can check out channel insider.com I'm Katie boso and I'll see you next time

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