Michael Fidler
- Enterprise SDR
- Port53
School Information
School: University of California, Davis
College Major: Other
Years at College Works: 2010
Career Information
Working For: Port53
Title: Enterprise SDR
Industry: IT
Brief Description of Duties / Responsibilities:
There are two challenges we hear from Security teams today that we help solve: first is that they have many security solutions in place that aren’t integrated together. This means that it’s harder to manage and monitor, and make it harder to detect security incidents. The second is some security and information technology teams don’t have the bandwidth to constantly monitor their security stack. Port53 does 2 things to help solve these problems: we provide Cisco’s XDR platform that allows you to integrate your security solutions together, making it easier and faster to detect, analyze, and respond to security incidents. Second, we provide MDR services (Managed Detection and Response) in which we will monitor your XDR platform and security stack for you so you can focus on other business initiatives.
What Has Been Your Proudest Accomplishment Post-CWP?Graduating from UC Davis. The last year, as most 4th years can attest to, is a roller coaster of different mentalities towards graduating. Dealing with these mentalities and ending the 4 years with a high GPA meant a lot to myself and my family.
College Works Career Impact
In one sentence, what has CW meant to you?
Internalizing my own success and lifestyle regardless of my/the situation.
How did your CW experience impact your career? Immediately after graduation? Now?
In 2 ways. (1) Most importantly, it helped me understand that I can be a top performer. Because of my successes and failures in College Works Painting, I gained a confidence that most college alumni take there entire 20’s to realize. (2) Employers love the experience, competitiveness, initiative, and story of my experience with College Works Painting. I have never not been offered a position after an interview, I give much credit to the program and leadership
What do you want to tell your clients about what it meant to work with them and how it has helped you get to where you are today?
Greg Bodine and his fiancee Tonja Becker. They have done much for me and taught me many lessons. First challenging me and putting faith in me to paint their 4500 sq ft home, helping me land an internship at Oracle where Tonja works, and being a reference for Guidespark.
What was the greatest lesson you learned from your CW experience?
Excuses are the reason most people become almosts. They almost became famous, or almost successful, or almost got a promotion, etc. due to self-created excuses. My mentor in College Works Painting taught me the invaluable lesson that no challenge or obstacle is worthy of an excuse not to surpass it. You need to think, be creative, and commit.
How have the friendships and networks you built during CW affected you?
We have always joked and mentioned to each other the powerful network of College Works Painting alumni and good friends created through the program. I was roommates with a couple alumni after the program, been to Las Vegas with some, been to many of each others birthday parties, but mainly still see each other and keep in contact on a regular basis. It is a very unique network of talented and motivated friends I believe most people won’t find.
If you had to come up with a one line slogan for CW, what would it be?
Filling job gaps like we caulk cracks
Advice
What advice do you have for potential CW participants? Current CW participants?
2 Pieces of Advice. (1) Always be a student. Always learn from wherever and whoever you can. There is no self-made man regardless of what anyone says, not Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. Find mentors within the program and take notes and practice. (2) Get in the habit of organizing your life around goals with timelines, and figure out the necessary steps to achieve within that time frame.
What’s your best advice for someone interested in entering your career field?
Think about what your dream job would want to see, as well as what other college kids are doing. Most likely they are going to be doing the same industry specific internship, so how will that separate you? Most companies in today’s job market look towards the challenges you put yourself and achievements. Internship experience on your resume does not carry the same weight it used to.
What’s your favorite memory from CW?
My favorite memory from College Works Painting was my first paint job I sold. It was a rush of adrenaline afterward, and I sped down the road blasting Wolfpack Party in my car holding the client’s deposit check.
Last words of wisdom?
Be yourself, and you will always be in fashion – from my fortune cookie today