AccrualBowtie - Dad. Hubs. Believer. Bow Tie Wearer. Gamer. Cyber Risk Analyst. 💚

June 2, 2017

Leave It Better Than You Found It

As often as we can, my wife and I like to steal away to the great outdoors for some camping and hiking. The fresh air, beautiful creation, and peace and quiet are a welcome change from what can sometimes be a very busy pace.

We’ve been to a lot of national and state parks in the country. Each time I go I’m reminded of the phrase from the US Parks Project, “Leave It Better Than You Found It.” The idea behind the mantra is simple: whether you’re hiking, camping, or just walking around, leave the area behind you looking more beautiful than before you came through.

May 24, 2017

SSAE 18 and Your Company’s SOC 1 Audits

For the purposes of this article, we’ll be entirely focused on SOC 1. Look for future blogs related to the impact of SSAE 18 on your SOC 2 and 3 reports.

The Standards, They are a-Changin’

In 2016, the Accounting Standards Board (ASB) of the AICPA looked at its attestation standards and said, “We need to do some clarifying.” Out of this Clarity Project came the “Concepts Common to all Attestation Engagements,” and with it SSAE 18, which covers all attestation engagements with a major focus on third party vendor management, data validation, and risk assessments. Your SOC 1 audits fall under these new standards, so buckle up and hold tight to that Client Assistance list, because this request list’s about to get bumpy.

May 19, 2017

The Cause of Conflict

Conflict is everywhere in this world. It’s inescapable and not easily solved, but not for the reasons you may think or have been told.

February 28, 2017

How to Wait on God

It’s hard to wait.

We’ve all been to this certain restaurant or this certain coffee joint that was promised to be spectacular. So we endure the long lines, maybe glance over the menu until we’ve decided the pros and cons of choosing one dish over another a million times in our head, even weigh the scales on whether it would be best to leave now or stay committed to our spot in line.

February 25, 2017

Getting Started with Craft Coffee-Making

One of my favorite things in life is “craft” coffee. In fact, I love it so much I don’t even own a coffee pot. If you’ve ever considered making the switch to craft coffee-making, let me give you a few ideas to pour-over.

January 3, 2017

Forget What Lies Behind

I think the hardest part of starting a new year is leaving the past behind. A tendency to roll-over my past sins. My guilt. My failures as a believer. As a husband. New dad. I beat myself up about any and all of those in the name of becoming a better person. What’s more is that I hold the same things against those who committed them towards me. Can you relate to any of that? It’s hard to forget.

October 16, 2016

My Solution to Busyness: Disable Notifications

One of hardest parts of life is busyness. We are always busy with something. Much like the notifications on our phone, it seems that some part of life is always demanding our attention. This can lead to inefficiency and make us completely exhausted in the process.

October 15, 2016

Under The Surface: How Conducting a Cybersecurity Audit Could Keep Your Company Afloat

Part of my role as a Cyber Risk Analyst is to help companies think through their cybersecurity threats. Like most threats, they lie under the surface and most of the time remain unseen until it’s too late.

October 12, 2016

Your Role is Not Your Title

When someone asks you what you do for a living, how do you lead? I’d venture to guess that most of us just give our job titles. Where we work. Who we work for.

I suggest a new approach. Let’s talk about roles.

September 8, 2016

Fear and Trembling by Kierkegaard

When Abraham and Isaac reached the place that God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound Isaac, lit the fire, drew his knife, and thrust it into Isaac!