Our Best Advice Q&A series continues with Micah Deriso, head of global channel at Verkada. He offers up the best advice he’s ever heard, shares tips for security industry newcomers and pinpoints the person to whom all others in the sector should always listen.
Security Sales & Integration: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Micah Deriso: The best advice I’ve ever received was simple: “If you’re comfortable, you’re not growing.”
Early in my career, I had a leader who told me this and it really resonated with me, as it reinforced that being uncomfortable means you’re moving ahead and growing. Over time, I realized real growth comes from putting yourself in situations where you don’t have all the answers – like new roles, new challenges, and sometimes uncomfortable conversations.
In the security industry especially, where technology and customer expectations are evolving faster than ever, staying comfortable is the fastest way to fall behind. The leaders and organizations that win are the ones willing to lean into change, challenge their own assumptions and continuously push beyond what feels easy.
We see this with new partners that are scaling businesses faster than ever by challenging a decades-old technology and operating model for our industry.
SSI: What advice would you give to those looking to achieve success in the security industry?
Deriso: The security industry is at an inflection point right now and my advice is to embrace that change rather than resist it. We are moving from a hardware-centric world to one driven by software, data, and integrated platforms.
The people who succeed will be the ones who adapt quickly and think beyond individual products to the broader outcomes they enable. Security is moving beyond its traditional role and increasingly driving operational and revenue-generating outcomes, helping executives see now what’s possible.
It’s also critical to develop both technical and commercial fluency. The most effective professionals in this space can understand how systems work while also articulating the business value they deliver, whether that’s improving safety, reducing risk or driving operational efficiency.
SSI: If you could point to one person in the security industry and tell up-and-comers, “Make sure to listen to what they have to say,” whom would you pick and why?
Deriso: There are a number of strong leaders in this industry, like Lee Odess, who I particularly enjoy talking to about the industry and the future vision he sees for where we are headed. But if I had to give one piece of guidance, it would actually be this: don’t just listen to one person, listen to the people closest to the work.
When I first started at Verkada, I spoke to as many partners, customers and industry leaders that I could find. Some of the most valuable insights in the security industry come from top-performing integrators, operators, and end users who are navigating real-world challenges every day. They’re the ones adapting to new technologies, solving complex deployment issues and finding ways to deliver better outcomes for customers in real time.
Industry leaders can provide vision, but the practitioners in the field provide clarity. If you can learn from both and especially stay closely connected to those on the front lines, you’ll develop a much more complete understanding of where the industry is going and how to succeed in it.
Click here to check out all entries in SSI’s Best Advice series!
