Member Spotlight: Melanie Ensign
We’re thrilled to kick off our newest blog feature: the Weak Ties/Strong Bonds Member Spotlight! In these posts, we shout from the rooftops about one of the incredible Woven or Knit Weak Ties/Strong Bonds Members, the business they're building, and the services they offer. Look out for more member spotlights every couple weeks.
First up is Melanie Ensign, Founder and CEO of Discernible. A Founding Knit member, Melanie helps security and privacy professionals transform how they communicate their mission-critical work. As the world's first communications center of excellence dedicated to security and privacy teams, Discernible solves one of their most persistent challenges: communicating their business value.
Describe what your business does in one sentence
We make the internet safer for everyone by helping cybersecurity and privacy professionals earn political capital and influence business decisions.
What’s your zone of genius? (i.e., what's that thing that you are amazing at that comes super easily to you but is hard for other people?)
Preventing emergencies and keeping people calm under pressure.
What made you start your business?
While a lot of communications work glorifies firefighting, I believe we also have an ethical obligations to use our skills in communication, persuasion, and influence building to prevent fires in the first place. That's Discernible's mission.
Worst piece of advice you’ve ever received?
"Care less." (Eds. note: 🙄)
What's your definition of success?
1) The financial security to say "no" to business that doesn't advance our mission or provide fulfilling work for our team. 2) Ownership of my time.
What are some business partnerships or collaborations you'd love to develop?
We loving working with product teams who are building something new from scratch or adding new features and capabilities to existing platforms. We can help them prioritize security and privacy investments based on what will provide the most meaningful protections, best user experience, and strengthen brand trust. We're great partners to bridge the gap between product, technical security, and compliance.
What's a common misconception about your job or industry?
Security communications is widely known as a function of crisis management, but its most important role is actually to prevent as many incidents as possible by elevating the issue in business decisions, establishing industry support, and engaging with customers on a regular basis about how your business operates as a trusted steward of their security and privacy. Not every incident is inevitable -- proactive security communications can help you avoid preventable issues and earn you benefit of the doubt in the moments that matter most.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Teleportation. I hate losing time on long flights.
What's something you would you tell your pre-entrepreneur self?
Document all the times you saved your employers' butts so you can more easily productize that experience and expertise later on. These are universal challenges for most companies and these stories will help illustrate the value of your expertise to other businesses.
Who would you trade lives with for a day?
One of my cats. They have the best life.
Favorite place in the world?
Hawaii -- some of the best, most remote diving spots in the world.
Best compliment you've ever received?
"I feel courageous with you in my corner."
Dream dinner guests?
Christina Aguilera, Michelle Obama, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Kara Swisher, and Ali Wong.
What's your biggest extravagance?
I depend on a fleet of robots to stay on top of household chores from vacuuming and mopping to removing leaves from the pool.
Best gift you've ever received?
My very first motorcycle was a gift -- a G310 BMW beginner's bike.
Connect with Melanie: