My time at the White House convinced me of the urgency of reforming surveillance

Around the time Edward Snowden began working for as a computer specialist for the intelligence community in 2006, I decided to leave my job as a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union to go inside America’s growing surveillance state. Congress had created a new office: an office of privacy and civil liberties to advise the head of the intelligence community on how to improve oversight of intelligence programs.

Much to my surprise, senior intelligence officials took a chance on hiring me — an ACLU lawyer — to become the office’s first deputy. While I am proud of the work we did, it is fair to say our success was limited. The main reason was that the law was woefully out of date. The law was focused mainly on preventing abusive domestic wiretaps, and did little to restrain the kind of global surveillance the NSA was conducting in the digital age.

When Barack Obama took office in 2009, I moved to the White House. Obama had promised a fresh approach to the “war on terror,” including a review of NSA surveillance programs, so I was hoping for deeper reforms. Yet when Obama learned of mistakes in the way the NSA was running programs, he left it to the lawyers to sort things out. Little changed… until Snowden came along.

The Snowden leaks

In the summer of 2013, a series of embarrassing stories about United States government surveillance began appearing in major news outlets, based on leaked documents stolen by Edward Snowden. While the Snowden stories were news to the American people and many members of Congress, they were not news to me. They showed how the Bush and Obama administrations had built mass surveillance programs that took advantage of America’s privileged position as the hub of the global internet.  

While my work inside the government had brought about modest improvements in oversights, Snowden’s unauthorized leaks prompted far more significant reforms. The Obama administration launched a transparency drive, declassifying thousands of documents about mass surveillance — more documents, in fact, than Snowden had leaked. Congress ended bulk collection of telephone records, after a federal court had declared it illegal. The federal court that reviews surveillance began to hear arguments from outside lawyers.

The Snowden leaks also enlarged the way the United States government thinks about privacy.  When I was in government, it went without saying that the only privacy that mattered was the privacy of American citizens and residents — “U.S. persons,” in the jargon of the intelligence community.

Obama, under pressure from allies and the US technology industry, required intelligence agencies to adopt new rules for handling the personal information of foreigners. These rules, while modest in practice, were a major shift for intelligence agencies that had never before been required to worry about the privacy rights of the rest of the world’s citizens.

Be on guard

This year, Congress will review the law that allows the NSA to obtain the digital communications of people it believes are outside the United States from a switch or server inside the United States, with a secret court order directed at American communications companies.

More than 100,000 targets were subject to such surveillance last year. While the NSA follows rules to ensure these targets are foreign, the database can also be searched for the names of Americans. Over 30,000 such searches took place in 2016 — all without a warrant.  

The post-Snowden reforms are a good first step, but there is much more to do. Congress should demand warrants for Americans, and strong privacy protections for everyone. It should give the federal court that reviews surveillance the technical experts and staff it needs to do its job. The reforms adopted after 2013 have shown that when NSA does its job with more openness, the results are good not only for civil liberties, but for national security as well.  

Presidents have abused surveillance powers in the past. Despite reform, it remains too easy for a reckless president to do so again. “I want surveillance,” Donald Trump said bluntly on the campaign trail. When Trump took office, he accused his predecessor of ordering his “‘wires tapped’ in Trump Tower,” showing his profound ignorance of the limits of presidential power.

Still, Trump and his supporters are right to worry about the “deep state.” Leaked intelligence reports based on the constitutionally-protected communications of Trump officials are a clear civil liberties abuse.

Americans shouldn’t wait for another damaging leak of classified surveillance programs to force the next round of surveillance reform. Reforming surveillance has never been more urgent.

5 thing to keep in mind when choosing a business partner

In an era where many CMOs are focused on digital transformation, we’re often focused on the tools, processes and technology that can help us succeed in creating the omnichannel strategies that drive revenue (and other jargon). But there’s another important area to focus on: Your partners – the people and companies that you choose to help you on the path to transformation.

The businesses we choose to team up with have a direct impact on the success of our journey, including the vendors we choose for internal tools and those we endorse publicly as valued partners.

As someone with decades of experience in developing productive business partnerships for digital and traditional media, I’ve learned that there are five keys to choosing the right partner:

1. Your cultures are complementary

I get it — opposites attract. But, if you’re teaming up with another company, working with like-minded people is a key to success. Find a partner that shares the same ideals as far as company culture, go-to-market strategy and values. For example, let’s say your new partner doesn’t value privacy compliance as much you do — if you’re not aligned, the fallout may rest on your shoulders.

Another example, what are your marketing priorities? If your team is highly focused on personalization, for instance, but your partner is functioning at half the level you are, the disconnect between the two organizations will cause issues. Closely aligned customer priorities, overall values, and company culture ensures your partnership will not only function smoothly internally, but present a strong, united front to the public and your customers.

2. Your solutions stack up

In addition to being a good culture fit, your new partner should complement your solution, providing each organization something that the other doesn’t. If your counterpart is spread thin in one area of your business, your side of the house should offer skills or technology that pick up the slack.

Diving deeper, what does the future look like for each organization? Will each product continue to evolve in a scalable manner, with the possibility of turning into an integration? Integrations are a huge bonus — especially to customers — which is why you should place heavy importance on the compatibility of solutions when looking for a partner.

3. Customer experience is improved

Customer experience should be at the forefront of your mind when exploring the possibility of joining forces with another company. Why partner with someone else if not to better serve your customers with enhanced features and functionality?

I recommend mapping out your customer journey, highlighting points where the partnership will impact customer experience and evaluating whether each area of impact is positive or not. Reviewing the potential partnership with that level of detail will ensure there are no surprises if you decide to move forward — and give you a true list of pros and cons that can help make the right call.

4. You’re exploring new horizons — and verticals

One big advantage of joining forces is the opportunity to explore new market verticals. Your company might be well-known in one industry, but have far less recognition in another.

Teaming up is a great way to introduce your company into an entirely new audience with the added weight of being a partner to an already trusted source within the industry, gaining traction and new customers.

5. The benefits are mutual

When searching for new, potential partners, evaluate and consider their reputation. You don’t want to judge a book by its cover, but reputations are important. Teaming up has to mean both companies are benefitted by the partnership. If one company is significantly upgraded by the union while the other company loses ground, the imbalance will have an effect in the long run and that kind of partnership might not last.

It’s vital to remember that the partners you choose have a hand in the ultimate success of your business. Ensuring you carefully consider the compatibility of your businesses will help you drill down to the core components of a solid union that helps each party equally. And that’s truly the gold standard of partnerships.

What paddleboarding has taught me about being a balanced entrepreneur

If I told you that I credit paddleboarding to my success in entrepreneurship, you’d probably laugh me out of the boat, or the board — and I wouldn’t blame you! Founding and running a successful business requires many skills, and propelling one’s self on a board in Miami waters is decidedly not the first one that comes to mind.

That said, as an entrepreneur, I get a lot out of my hobbies. They help me unwind, disconnect, and get my blood and brain pumping in new ways, making me a better leader when I am on the clock. I take photos, scuba dive, travel, and read, but there’s something special about paddleboarding that embodies everything good about what hobbies can do for entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs don’t need to paddleboard to benefit, but they can learn a thing or two about the importance of taking time to shift gears, deriving pleasure in the activities of their choosing.

Here’s how paddleboarding, specifically, helps me as an entrepreneur, and what others can do to achieve similar results.

1. It forces you to disconnect

These days, everyone has their phones on them, nearly 24-7 it seems. Since the rise of smartphones, I’ve been a big proponent of taking time to disconnect however you can, for your mental health and your business acumen.

I’m far from the only one who thinks so. Research shows that constant connection can negatively impact our sleep, or cause us undue stress due to technological overload of emails, notifications, and communication expectations. Personally, I find it incredibly hard to think straight or relax without unplugging every day, at least for a short amount of time.

You know when you absolutely have to unplug, though? When you’re in the water. Paddleboarding forces me to keep the phone inside for 30 minutes, an hour, or however long I’m out there. This time is precious because I know I don’t have to answer to anyone, and couldn’t if I tried. I may zone out entirely, but it’s equally likely that a new business solution will pop into my head as I go through the motions.

Not everyone has the option of taking up a water sport, but most of us could disconnect for an hour or two if we tried. It’s just a matter of enforcing this habit, which any hobby can assist, though wetness certainly helps.

2. It immerses you in nature

People often underestimate the transformative power of nature. Entrepreneurs often live in cities, but whether you’re in New York City or the Bay Area, nature is within reach if you seek it out. And you should! Running a business is a high-stress venture, and nature has been proven to de-stress as well as any medical treatment.

In fact, studies show that nature significantly reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, and can boost creativity up to 50 percent. You’d be hard pressed to find a drug that could do the same as safely.

The great thing about paddle boarding, as a hobby, is that you need a body of water to do it. Water has a healing quality to it, both theoretically and scientifically. As part of the scenery, water has an absorbing quality that helps us cope with our issues and put us in a positive mood.

The value of positivity and creativity for entrepreneurs can’t be understated, which is why it pays to spend time in nature from time to time. You don’t need a paddleboard: take a hike, go for a swim, or even work outside. Even some luscious office plants can make a difference.

3. It requires focus, balance, and agility

The benefits of exercise are manifold for your physical and mental health. Regular exercise keeps your skin young, your body lean, and your mind sharp. Physical activity improves cognitive function in ways that entrepreneurs will benefit from, as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are released, stimulating neurogenesis (the growth of new neurons) and making you smarter.

Paddleboarding is great exercise for the body and mind, plus, it requires some skills that parallel with entrepreneurship. For example, you have to achieve good balance to stand or kneel on the board without capsizing. This requires absolute focus and control over your body. Learning to do this is empowering, and in my opinion, translates in the business world, where focus is critical, as is balancing a number of tasks, employees, and projects.

Then there’s the matter of waves and position adjustments. When on the open water, you never know what you’ll be greeted with: perfect tranquility, mild turbulence, or full-on waves. As such, you need to know how to take each on, and adjust your position to best meet obstacles that arise. In entrepreneurship, there is also a great deal of unpredictability that requires mental agility.

The point is, besides being a great boost to physical and mental health, exercise helps us deal with challenges without missing a beat. Simply running and switching up your route now and then can do the same. Just make sure you’re working up a sweat, problem-solving, or both.

It’s all about balance

For me, paddleboarding is the perfect activity to disconnect from technology, become one with nature, and work out my physical and mental physique all at once. When challenge arise at work, I find myself soothed and ultimately assisted by this extracurricular pastime.

Everyone is different though. My paddleboarding is Richard Branson’s chess, Warren Buffett’s ukulele, and Steve Wozniak’s segway polo. We all need something to take our mind off the work and bring us joy in our free time.

So, entrepreneurs, go out there and find your hobby! If it incorporates exercise and nature while excluding tech, all the better for you. And next time in you’re in Miami, ask me to go on a paddleboarding outing. It may just kickstart your next big business venture.

3 TIPS FOR INVESTING IN A DESIGNER HANDBAG

So, how did you pick out that Dior?

In one of my most recent posts, one of my readers asked me why I chose to buy a certain Gucci handbag. Since then, I've noticed that a lot of you have been wanting to know why I choose certain bags and what are the key tips to know when investing in a designer handbag.  Well, you've asked and I've listened! I have a major weakness for bags and shoes. Of course, it helps that I am able to rummage through my mother's amazing collection, but over the years I've been able to make some incredibly thoughtful purchases myself. With Instagram constantly feeding you new pieces to want and magazines telling you what's "in" and what's "out" it can be so hard to sort through the noise and make a good choice.  I've come up with the three most important things to keep in mind when investing in a designer handbag. Follow these three tips, and it will never lead you wrong - a guaranteed happy investment! 

The key words in this first question are for you. Every designer creates a bag that is both classic and seasonal. It might even be a classic shape with seasonal adjustments (Think Chanel - their classic quilted bag goes through a makeover with almost every season!). I highly recommend investing in a bag that is a classic, or in a classic shape. At the same time, if you feel like the seasonal piece is incredibly you, fits in perfectly with your personal style and you would really wear it every day, then go for it. But just ask yourself, will you still love it a year from now? Could you pass this bag down? 

This is a really important point. Although you might adore that Dior tote that went down the S/S 2018 runway (trust me, I loved it!) could you really match it with everything in your wardrobe? I prefer to invest in bags that match with everything. I think that's actually why I chose my Gucci Dionysus! Although the wasp motif on it is quite bold, it's a classic shape with classic and subtle colors. I can match it with virtually anything! If it is your first designer handbag, I suggest going for something neutral like a tan, brown, or black! These are colors you really can't go wrong in. Depending on your wardrobe, you could also try a blush pink!