After joining Coalition a little over a year ago, Security Analyst Brandon Glandt has more than settled into his role and the culture of Coalition. He splits his time between Denver and Washington, D.C., is an avid traveler, a dog dad, and someone who prioritizes forming meaningful connections with coworkers. 

Each month, the Coalition Spotlight shines a light on one of our employees to share their experiences at Coalition and give you an opportunity to get to know us better. We spoke to Brandon about what makes him passionate about cybersecurity, why he wanted to join #OurCoalition, and the main reasons he continues to enjoy working here.

Why did you decide to join Coalition?

When I started learning more about Coalition and its mission, it was very interesting to me given my security background. The unfortunate reality is many companies don't have the resources to invest in robust cybersecurity tools. The fact that Coalition is a cyber insurance provider supporting fairly sizable companies to small mom-and-pop shops with one location really impressed me. 

Cybersecurity is a global issue that affects everyone, the fact that Coalition doesn't just cater to the businesses that can afford it but instead provides cybersecurity tools (like Control) for free to everyone that's what drew me to Coalition. 

What makes you passionate about cybersecurity? 

Cybersecurity is not an industry that only affects the people that work in it tracking threat actors or producing cybersecurity tools. It affects everyone day in and day out, old, young, whether you work in marketing, at a grocery store, or as a bartender.

We all have phones, computers, and credit cards that leave us exposed. The information and data these devices store makes all of us very close to this issue. No one wants their credit card information stolen or their bank account broken into.

I believe it's important to educate everyone on security practices because it truly does impact everyone.

The scalable nature of cybersecurity, impacting not just companies but also individuals, is really what drives me on this mission. 

What is your favorite Coalition memory? 

The 2021 company offsite in Santa Cruz, California, stands out to me. I didn't know many other team members at the time. I saw one person I had met in D.C. the first night and looked at her like a deer in headlights. But the experience of sitting next to different teams during meals and the boat building activity (where we had to construct boats out of cardboard and duct tape that could actually float) really helped me get to know my fellow employees. At the end of those three days, I had made friends that felt like family. 

It can be hard to facilitate culture at a remote company. How do you keep in touch with your Coalition family?

I travel a lot, and when I'm in a city where I know I have coworkers, I meet up with them. I've got coworkers in California, New York, Chicago, Canada, Florida, Denver, Utah — everywhere. I think it’s cool that I can visit them and work from any city. I don't miss going into an office every day of the week, but I miss getting to know people. The flexibility in our remote-first culture allows me to spend time getting to know and collaborate with coworkers when we're in the same city. 

What makes Coalition stand out as an employer?

The people I work with, plus the opportunities and benefits that Coalition offers. Everyone here is fantastic. You're treated with respect, and there's no micromanaging as long as you are getting your work done. We're not forced to go into an office, but we have the opportunity if we want to. The Denver WeWork is a great example. I go in when I want, and because of that, I go in probably four or five days a week when I'm in Denver. We also have free healthcare and unlimited PTO. Given that I love traveling, with our remote-first culture, I don't always need to take time off as I'm traveling. 

I also appreciate the continuing education opportunities we have here. I'm currently studying for the CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+). I'm also going to a cybersecurity conference this fall. It’s important that we have these opportunities for growth because we get pretty busy, and it’s easy to forget about learning new things. It's essential to have the opportunity to improve our skills, and the fact that Coalition helps by allocating resources for education and allows you to choose what to do with them is great.

What do you want people to know about working at Coalition?

It's such a great company because you're respected. They hired you for a reason because they saw potential in you. So you're given your responsibilities, and it's up to you to get your job done. If you ever need help, you can ask anyone. There’s a horizontal hierarchy. I don't feel afraid to ask questions or share constructive criticism with people above me. It just feels like we're all collaborating towards the same goal and — I've said it over and over, even though it sounds cliche — we're truly like a family. It's similar to sitting at a dinner table, asking each other to pass something over the table. Everyone has their own input, and there's a sense that we all come to a conclusion together. 

On the security team, I have no issue bringing up concerns to our executives. As a result, our work environment allows for a lot more productivity, because there's a lot of trust in employees on the team. 

I also feel like everyone's available. When I think back to previous jobs, I always had imposter syndrome. I’d think, "Oh, I can't talk to them. They're above me." But at Coalition, I’ve had dinner with Joshua, our CEO. He’s the coolest, nicest guy and not intimidating at all. He's just like another employee and doesn't treat anyone differently. You can walk up to him at any time and have a conversation with him, and I think that's so important in a leader.

Something you hear often at Coalition is "We’re 1% of the way there." I admire that what we're working towards is never the final step. We're constantly assessing where we are as a growing organization, and determining how we can scale and improve. 

Join Brandon and #OurCoalition

We strive to make positive employee experiences while fostering an environment of collaboration, feedback, and accountability. If you're interested in joining the Coalition team, check out our open positions listed on our careers page.