Today on The GDPR Series podcast, our focus is bringing the GDPR back down to earth.  I chat with a rare woman in cyber (and data) who presents her GDPR message to businesses through the lens of real life cyber security issues.  With a very interesting background in the hotel, travel and leisure industry, we are treated to a discussion with somebody who knows all about taking care of masses of far and fast moving data!  Listen to find out more.

Our guest today is Andrea Manning.  Andrea set up Data Influence with the intent to influence how we think about data. She is on a mission to change some of the negative perceptions and scaremongering that sprung up around GDPR.  An eternal optimist she highlights the benefits of doing GDPR and likens it getting a full health check for your business.  She talks about how we all now have a duty around cyber security and that it should become more user-focused.  A passionate champion for small business which often gets left behind, her focus is on plain speaking and practical solutions.  In her own business, she advocates training for everyone in the organisation and creating a culture of curiosity.  In her words, make your staff part of the solution, not the problem.
It’s clear from listening to Andrea that she also has another agenda.  And this is to attract more women into cyber security and data protection.  A natural mentor and a diverse role model herself, Andrea is keen to highlight how women bring varied backgrounds, mindsets, challenges, world views and family dynamics to the table making them natural problem solvers and an ideal fit for the world of cyber security.
Drawing on an extensive career in Information Systems and Marketing, Andrea brings a fresh approach to Data Protection.
Andrea’s Links:
Read more and contact: https://www.datainfluence.ie
Free training resources: https://www.datainfluence.ie/resources
Interview transcription:
Philipa Farley 0:01
Hi, and welcome to our podcast called The GDPR Series, where we discuss data protection, privacy, and cyber security matters that ordinary people in everyday businesses face. We have a series of really interesting and lovely guests, and we hope you enjoy listening along with us.
Good morning, Andrea. It is fantastic to have you here. Thank you for joining us.
Andrea Manning 0:26
Hi, Philipa. Thank you for having me. Very excited.
Philipa Farley 0:30
Okay, so as you know, we’ve been doing a series called The GDPR Series. In my head, I keep thinking the GDPR issue, which it really is, but anyway, it’s The GDPR Series. And we’re talking to people across business, SME owners, as well as people who work in the industry, and you are actually both. Your focus is not entirely on the GDPR and Data Protection. You have an extended focus. I will leave you to introduce yourself. Okay, while I go over and find your website on a screen, so go for it. Give us your pitch Andrea.
Andrea Manning 1:16
Okay, so I have a very varied background and the best way to describe me is: I am a square peg that does not want to fit into a round hole. I set up life in the hospitality industry, but I’ve always been in marketing and in sales, but I was that child who could programme the video recorder, and I’ve always loved tech. And, with everything I do in life, I always start at the position of “yes!” and then I go and figure out how. And that’s tech, that’s business, that’s everything. So I went back to college and did a degree in Business Information Systems. Same thing, I just said yes, and then kind of figured it out. I had no idea what I was taking on, and the next thing,