Nic Allen
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thenicallen.bsky.social
Nic Allen
@thenicallen.bsky.social
150 followers 680 following 50 posts
Dad, IT nerd, gamer. Neurodivergent.
Creator of Execution Debt™ (ExD) Framework
Former Google, HPE, SimpliVity
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thenicallen.bsky.social
Nic Allen @thenicallen.bsky.social · 5d
I'm releasing this under Creative Commons because watching well-intentioned teams talk past each other while customers slip away has worn me down. We've collectively solved these problems repeatedly. We keep forgetting. executiondebt.com Free. 18 pages. Make it yours. /8
Execution Debt
Execution Debt Framework
executiondebt.com
thenicallen.bsky.social
Perfect data without diagnostic frameworks just gives you more symptoms to misinterpret. "Usage dropped 40%" could be training, champion turnover, change resistance, or passive abandonment. Different root causes need different solutions. Data shows WHAT. Frameworks show WHY. executiondebt.com
Execution Debt
Execution Debt Framework
executiondebt.com
November 14, 2025 at 11:57 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
Post-sales teams diagnose the same customer issue three different ways.

Support: config. CS: adoption. PS: product gap.

Without shared language, you escalate to the wrong team.
I built this diagnostic card to solve it.

Full Tier 1 Taxonomy Framework available at: executiondebt.com
Execution Debt Framework Diagnostic Card: A decision tree for diagnosing customer issues. Top section asks "Does product have capability to achieve customer's objective?" If NO → Type 1: Product Gap (escalate to Product). If YES → Type 2: Execution Gap (apply A1-A6 taxonomy). Lists six execution failure patterns: A1 Training Gap, A2 Configuration Gap, A3 Champion Turnover, A4 Change Management, A5 Usage Gap, A6 ROI Storytelling. Each includes definition and diagnostic questions. Bottom shows routing logic for both types.
November 13, 2025 at 9:00 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
I've spent fifteen years observing a pattern that humbles me: when a customer churns, each team builds a different narrative from the same journey. Support sees technical failures. CS sees relationship erosion. PS identifies execution gaps. Each perspective feels absolutely true. /1
November 12, 2025 at 10:11 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
Phone and text scams cost Americans $25B in 2024 alone. @gtgonline.bsky.social built Beacon to fight back. Submit any unknown or sketchy number, and receive an immediate risk score.

beacon.gtg.online

#Cybersecurity #ScamPreventions #SecuritySky #CyberInnovation #StaySafeOnline
Infographic showing 2024 US phone scam losses ($25 B), senior impact, top scam types, and Beacon’s free risk-score solution.
June 21, 2025 at 1:58 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
Phone and text scammers cost Americans $25B last year.

@gtgonline.bsky.social built Beacon to fight back: submit any unknown or sketchy number, instantly receive a risk score; free, no tracking.

beacon.gtg.online

#Cybersecurity #GTGBeacon #ScamPrevention #Infosec
Infographic showing 2024 US phone scam losses ($25 B), senior impact, top scam types, and Beacon’s free risk-score solution.
June 21, 2025 at 1:55 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
My niece received a fake job offer claiming to be from Indeed. She immediately checked with me. Not everyone has a cybersecurity expert to consult, so we built Beacon. Quick, reliable scam checks for everyone. More on LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/posts/nicall...

#Cybersecurity #ScamPrevention
#cybersecurity #scamprevention #gtgbeacon #digitaltrust | Nic Allen | 31 comments
A few weeks ago, one of my nieces forwarded a screenshot of a text message she received. It claimed to be from a recruitment assistant at Indeed, promising an enticing part-time or full-time remote jo...
www.linkedin.com
June 10, 2025 at 6:42 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
Receive a scary call about unpaid bills or legal trouble? A common phone scam is probably targeting you. I wrote about how to spot it, and what we're doing to help stop it at @gtgonline.bsky.social with Beacon.

open.substack.com/pub/thenical...

#PhoneScam #FraudAlert #CyberSecurity
Caller Beware: How Phone Scammers Use Fear Against You
Understanding the "Process Server" Phone Scam and Staying Protected
open.substack.com
May 28, 2025 at 7:39 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
Smishing, scams delivered via SMS, are sneakier than ever. Fake toll bills, bogus delivery notifications, fake account alerts… scammers are stepping up their game.

open.substack.com/pub/thenical...

#CyberSecurity #Smishing #OnlineSafety #Phishing #Awareness
Smishing Scams: How Text Messages Became the New Cyber Threat
Protecting Yourself from Fraudulent Text Messages
open.substack.com
May 14, 2025 at 5:37 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
Complex cybersecurity doesn't always equal better security, especially for small businesses.

thenicallen.substack.com/p/small-busi...

#Cybersecurity #SmallBusiness #SimplifySecurity
Small Business Cybersecurity: Keeping it Simple for Safety
Why simpler cybersecurity tools offer stronger protection, and how your SMB can adopt them today.
thenicallen.substack.com
May 13, 2025 at 9:54 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
One sneaky letter swap in a domain nearly killed a business overnight. Cyber threats like typosquatting are getting smarter and scarier, especially for SMBs.

Proactive cybersecurity isn't just IT, it's survival.

thenicallen.substack.com/p/how-a-sing...

#CyberSecurity #EmailSecurity
How a Single Letter Could Cost Your Business Everything
The Critical Importance of Email Security and Proactive Cybersecurity Measures
thenicallen.substack.com
May 3, 2025 at 3:46 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
Cybersecurity often fails to protect personal accounts from email, SMS, and phone scams, exposing retirees, young adults, and even enterprises to risks.

It's time we work on closing this gap.

thenicallen.substack.com/p/the-forgot...

#Cybersecurity #FraudPrevention #ConsumerProtection
The Forgotten Frontier of Cybersecurity
Why Protecting Consumers from Email, SMS, and Phone Fraud is Critical
thenicallen.substack.com
April 30, 2025 at 10:06 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC aren't enough to stop advanced email threats. It's time for email security to evolve.

thenicallen.substack.com/p/beyond-dma...

#EmailSecurity #Cybersecurity #ThreatIntelligence
Beyond DMARC: Next-Generation Email Security
Why SPF, DKIM, and DMARC Alone Won’t Protect Your Organization from Advanced Email Threats
thenicallen.substack.com
April 25, 2025 at 10:59 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
Email security isn’t solved by SPF, DKIM, and DMARC alone. Attackers are evolving, and so should our defenses.

substack.com/home/post/p-...

#Cybersecurity #EmailSecurity #Phishing #SPF #DMARC #InfoSec
Email Security Needs More than SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
Why Traditional Email Security Protocols Fall Short Against Sophisticated Attacks
substack.com
April 23, 2025 at 11:38 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
There has been a great response in our first week of running this campaign.

Please continue submitting those #smishing and #scammer phone numbers so we can analyze them!

gtg.online/report
GTG.Online GTG Insights Phone Scammer Report This Week's Scammer Submissions Statistics Repoirted Line Types 4% - Fixed VOIP 4% - Untraceable 11% - Landlines 22% - Cell Phones 37% - Non-Fixed VOIP 22% - Toll Free Numbers 4% - Canadian 96% - American Only 25% showed a Valid Caller ID Curious about who's behind that mysterious call or text? Submit the number to be analyzed at https://gtg.online/report Leave us your contact information and we'll send you a report on what we found, whether it's safe, suspicious, or straight-up shady.
March 26, 2025 at 9:45 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
Is anyone else tired of getting smishing text messages and scam calls daily? If you are and can spare a few seconds when they're received, please add them to our Phone Scammer Registry. We're not just interested in stopping phishing; we want to stop #scammers everywhere.

gtg.online/report
Scammer Number Submission Form
GTG.Online is launching a new Phone Scammer Registry to help combat fraudulent calls and text messages. Your cooperation can help protect others from scams and unwanted communications. Please enter th...
gtg.online
March 23, 2025 at 1:28 AM
thenicallen.bsky.social
Change isn’t just constant in IT and cybersecurity; it’s accelerating. If we don’t pivot, we risk being left behind by emerging threats and evolving technology. 1/7
February 4, 2025 at 7:14 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
🧵
I was on LinkedIn today and came across a post that frustrated me. It started as an anecdote about checklists and how they're beneficial. I get it. Checklists are great; give me that dopamine hit! Then, it was tied to how they can make organizations more resilient in cybersecurity. 1/7
Clipart of a checklist with items marked off, indicating that they have been completed, and a pencil next to one.
December 17, 2024 at 10:00 PM
Reposted by Nic Allen
cyberciti.biz
No, that is not how you exit Vim.
December 6, 2024 at 7:25 AM
thenicallen.bsky.social
Email is the cornerstone of digital business identity. Taking steps to verify authenticity, prevent compromise, and build trust in every interaction is essential. Protect sensitive data and safeguard your reputation by securing your inbox.

#EmailSecurity #CyberSecurity #InboxProtection
December 6, 2024 at 2:37 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
Attackers are using corrupted Word docs to bypass filters, tricking users into scanning QR codes that steal credentials. Smarter email security is key to combat these creative tactics. Stay informed and protect your business. #CyberSecurity #Phishing

www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/securit...
Cloudflare’s developer domains increasingly abused by threat actors
Cloudflare's 'pages.dev' and 'workers.dev' domains, used for deploying web pages and facilitating serverless computing, are being increasingly abused by cybercriminals for phishing and other malicious...
www.bleepingcomputer.com
December 4, 2024 at 2:38 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
Phishing attacks are surging, with new gTLDs like .shop and .xyz fueling a 40% rise. These domains are cheap and easy targets for scammers. Staying ahead means proactive monitoring, validating communications, and uncovering attack patterns to secure your organization against evolving threats.
Image from Krebs Security article highlighting the top 5 gTLDs that are attracting scammers along with their ranks, the number of cybercrime domains reported and the year over year change from 2023 to 2024.
December 3, 2024 at 2:43 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
Non-repudiation is the foundation of email verification. It provides cryptographic proof of a sender's identity, ensuring messages can’t be denied or faked. This combats phishing, protects brands, and builds trust in digital communication. Trust is built on proof. 🌐✉️ #EmailSecurity #Cybersecurity
An email envelope icon with a green checkbox and a lock symbol. Additional illustrations of circuits and a circle surround it.
November 26, 2024 at 4:03 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
I had a completely brand-new experience today. About a month ago, I designed a new product concept during a six-hour creative spree. I sent a product brief (almost a PRD) internally, got buy-in, wrote a PRD, developed pricing concepts, and created a sample in the intervening weeks. 1/3
November 22, 2024 at 8:13 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
I'm working on a project that involves neurodivergent people, such as myself.

Do you find it difficult to maintain friendships? Do you want friends but neglect to reach out to them and keep the relationship active? Would being nudged be helpful or harmful? Do you have ways to do this already?
November 19, 2024 at 1:29 PM
thenicallen.bsky.social
Phishing and business email compromise threats aren't just external.

www.linkedin.com/posts/nicall...
Nic Allen on LinkedIn: #cyberthreats #threatdetection #gtgonline #phishing
It is in many horror movies... the realization that the threatening phone calls have been coming from INSIDE the house all along. In today's world, that's not…
www.linkedin.com
November 18, 2024 at 2:11 PM