S4:E34 – 🎙️LIVE with Debbie “The Data Diva” Reynolds

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Hello everyone, this is Coach Bizzy. Thank you so much for being with us today. Today is July 17th, it's about 10:30 in California, and again, thank you for being here. The reason why I create all of this content, daily podcast, leadership devotion, and all of that is for you. So I'm very, very grateful that you are here. I have a wonderful, wonderful guest today, but before I introduce her, I want to make sure, please let us know where you are watching us from. As of right now, we are live, of course, on LinkedIn, but also YouTube and TikTok. So if you are watching those channels, please say hi, let us know where you are joining from, what city, state, and country, if outside of the US. But also, if this podcast is adding value to you, please tag somebody you know, someone within your circle of influence, so they may benefit from the content of this podcast as well. So I really thank you for that. And also, if you have a question for my guest today, please make sure to type your question on YouTube or LinkedIn, and we're going to be checking from time to time to make sure we can answer your question live with my guest. So my guest today is very special. She is the founder and CEO of Debbie Reynolds Consulting. So that's Debbie Reynolds, and she's also the podcast host and founder of Data Diva Talks Privacy, number one rated privacy podcast in America right now. So we are really, really happy to have her here. I'm gonna play a quick teaser, and after the teaser, the next voice you're gonna hear is going to be Debbie.

Here we go.

Here now to tell us more and share her insights about the new law is Debbie Reynolds. She is a global data protection and privacy specialist at the law firm Imer Stahl, where she advises Fortune 500 companies on data privacy issues. Debbie Reynolds, welcome to Chicago Tonight. Have you been getting those messages about new privacy policies and so forth that you have to accept before you can continue on their website?

I have, and everyone will probably continue to get them for some time.

So let's start at the beginning. What exactly is the GDPR, the General Data Protection Regulation?

What is it?

Organizations must think beyond regulations to make privacy a business advantage.

If Debbie weren't already known as the Data Diva, I'd vote to elect her as the "Data Privacy Maven." She's connected to everyone, always on top of the issues, and constantly creating value for business owners and the greater privacy community. Data privacy, ethical innovation, artificial intelligence governance—these aren't just buzzwords; they're battlegrounds for the future of business and leadership. And no one navigates them with more clarity and conviction than Debbie Reynolds. Founder and CEO of Debbie Reynolds Consulting and host of the number one global privacy podcast, The Data Diva Talks Privacy. Light bulb.

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Thursday, July 17th, 2025 at 10:30 AM Pacific Time, 12:30 PM Central Time. Live right here on LinkedIn.

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Debi, can you, can you hear me?

Hello?

Good morning, Debbie. Dora Diva, hi. Can you hear me? You cannot hear me? Debbie, I thought we tested it earlier. Okay, I can hear you now. Can you hear me, Debbie? I could hear you.

Can you hear me?

We are live. Yes, I can hear you, Debbie. Can you hear me now? If you set it back to whatever configuration you had in the green room— I think I can hear your mouse clicking. Okay, uh, that's one thing when we do things live. We tested it earlier today, it was working fine, so she logged out. She's gonna come back in. Let's give her just a second. So this is going to be fun. All right, so again, if you have any questions for Debbie, please type them in the comments section, and I'm making sure I'm going to be monitoring the comments and Debbie will be right back. And I really appreciate all of you guys who like the podcast, subscribe, and especially those who tag to their friend. Okay, Debbie is back now. All right, Debbie, can you hear me now? I can, yes. Okay, fantastic. I don't know what happened. We tested it before we started, but anyway, I can hear you. We are live on the air. So, uh, with no further ado, uh, let's start with this. You are known by the Data Diva. How did that nickname originate and what does it mean to you?

Yeah, so So can you hear me okay?

I cannot hear you.

Can you hear me now? Yes. Okay. So great question. Um, I started my data journey, uh, well over 20 years ago. I worked in digital transformation with companies that were moving from analog to digital systems. And through that work, I worked with a number of people working on lawsuits, companies doing digital transformation, and they wanted to not only paper to digital, but also moving to more advanced technologies over the years. And actually, I got the name, the Data Diva, from a reporter for the Wall Street Journal. When we met, I introduced myself to her And she, when I told her about my work in data, she just laughed and said, "Oh, you're like the data diva," right? And so we kind of laughed about it, but she said, "Oh, you should totally use that." So at first I was bashful about using it, right? But then I thought, well, you know, she's a reporter, she knows how to sum things up really well. And so I started, I kind of snuck it on my LinkedIn headline and people started calling me like right away, like, "Oh my God, I love that." So that was a long time ago. That was maybe 10 years ago, even before I started my own business. But my work, my interest in emerging technology and then privacy, I decided to focus there because there are so many companies that started calling me about privacy. So when I was working with companies on helping them move data systems and move data around the world, I started getting calls from companies that knew me. So like one of the first big companies to call me was McDonald's Corporation, and they're like, hey, come talk to us about these European laws and stuff that was happening, right? So this is before a lot of those laws even went into effect. They're like, well, how does this impact us? I talked to them about that, and eventually PBS called me around the time that the General Data Protection Regulation came out and they asked me to talk on TV about, uh, you know, what is this regulation, what does it mean for us. And so it's funny that— and that was in 2018— so it's funny that people still call me about that interview because a lot of the things that I said actually came true.

Wow, that is quite fascinating. So what pivotal moment led you to specialize in data privacy?

Yeah, I think after I had people like McDonald's call me about privacy and PBS call me about privacy, I thought, well, maybe I should focus there, right? So a lot of people were calling me about that. I thought, well, this is going to be like a big interest. And it has turned out to be a really big interest. It was funny at the time because when I would be telling people about it, they were like, well, is there like a summary of this? And I was looking, I'm like, no, there's no summary of anything because no one's really looked at it, right? Over those years, I had tried to create a lot of, you know, articles, a lot of speaking things, so there at least be some guidance for people who are looking for stuff as opposed to reading 300 pages of a regulation. So I did a lot of that early on, and I still do that.

Wow, that is quite, uh, amazing. Now you've built a global brand right from the ground up. So what were some of the early challenges you faced, especially as a woman of color in tech? And how did you overcome them?

That's a good question. You know what? I've had some phenomenal mentors. Just being a woman in tech and a Black woman in tech, a lot of times, you know, I go to conferences or I go to shows or go to meetings, and a lot of times I was the only woman and I was the only person of color anywhere, right? And so eventually I started to see little sprinklings of other people like, hey, who are you? You know, trying to introduce ourselves to one another. And so I think the thing that really helped me is that I've had mentors from just all over, right? So regardless of color, race, creed, gender, and so being able to tap into that network of people, they really, really helped me. So a lot of the mentors that I had, even from my early executive career, I still keep in touch with those people. We still know each other really well. And so You know, I think just having people in your life that you can look back to and have like mentor, just like you have with John Maxwell over the years, is a major, major benefit.

Wow, that is wonderful. So what do you think are some of the biggest misconceptions executives have, uh, and tech leaders have about data privacy?

I think that's a good question. Uh, there are a couple of misconceptions that executives have about data privacy. One, probably the biggest misconception is that data privacy is only a legal concern. I tell companies that privacy is a data problem with legal implications. It's not a legal problem with data implications, right? So if you're leading with legal, so legal is very reactive as opposed to proactive. And a lot of the problems that companies get into legally if you trace them back, they start with some type of data issue or data problem. So that's probably one of the biggest things. Also, data has a life. It should have a life, a lifecycle from cradle to grave. And so a lot of companies are very interested in data at the birth of data, whether they're collecting it or creating it. They're not as concerned on kind of the end of life, what they need to do with data. And that's where a lot of companies get into trouble. So A lot of, for example, a lot of the data breaches that you read about, you know, I do, I am a researcher, so I do a lot of research on those types of things. And a lot of the times when you read really deeply into like, how did this data breach happen? Right. And a lot of it is, you know, oh, it's the old data on the old server and no one cared about, you know, but a lot of those things that maybe didn't have a high business value no longer. They have a high privacy or cyber risk. So almost all of them are a result of that.

Well, thank you so much for bringing in cybersecurity because it seems like there's a lot of overlap between privacy and cyber. How should chief information security officers like myself, or security leaders and executives, really frame privacy as a board-level concern like you mentioned earlier, not just a legal compliance?

Yeah, I think, you know, I tell people that cybersecurity and privacy have a symbiotic relationship, right? So there is some overlap, but they are not the same. And so companies, when they're thinking about privacy— privacy and cyber to me are like horizontal to the organization, right? So it could possibly touch almost any type of data that you're using with the organization. And just to simplify it for boards, I've spoken with companies all over the world about this. You know, what you need to know is that data that has some type of regulatory or even consumer concern around it, around privacy, needs some type of special handling or special consideration. So if you think about it that way, I think it will help you understand, you know, it's not like, let's say you have your house Let's say you have your house and you have a key to your house, right? Like maybe your, your deed to your house is locked in a box or in a special place, right? It's probably not on the coffee table. It's not like plastered on the window. So thinking about your data in that way and how you want to protect certain things in a, maybe a special way or a different way, that's really what privacy is. Wow. That's pretty cool.

It reminds me of what we've learned in the Navy, defense in depth, right? So you have different control. I guess in my opinion, if a bad guy has the resources and they have a desire, right, they can almost get to any data they want really, if they have the time and the money and the resources to do so. But for most of the people, I think when you put enough controls in place, it makes it so that it's so difficult that they just give up, right? Definitely, and keep your the Enterprise Jewel safe. So, uh, having said that, on your website and everywhere, you are known— you saying things like, uh, privacy should be a business advantage. So can you unpack that for us?

Sure. So when you think about data, especially whether it be regulators or consumers and things like that. And privacy, what consumers really want is to make sure that you're handling data that they give you in the best ways possible, right? And regulations are more like table stakes, right? So regulations are like a floor, not a ceiling, right? So if you feel like you're just covered with regulation, you aren't doing anything special. And maybe even consumers may expect even more of you. So we've seen that, for example, in— there was a New York Times story about a year or so ago with Kashmir Hill, and she was talking about GM, and GM was selling data or sharing data with companies that were using that data to possibly raise people's rates to insurance or deny their insurance. And people were really pissed off about that. Part of what they learned or part of what happened as a result of that is that some of what GM was doing wasn't quote unquote illegal, right? But people didn't like it. So it created a huge backlash. They actually had to change some of their business practices as a result of that. That's one side. Then the other side is regulators are creating these laws, especially state by state. And some of those states now are like, hey, we created this law. We think that you run afoul of this particular law, so we're going to go after you for that. So there's kind of that dual thing that companies need to think about. One is you don't want your customer to be upset with you, right, where they don't want to do business with you. Because I was doing at that time a lot of research on cars and privacy, and I read through all the comments they had on the New York Times, and there was a woman who said, our family for 3 generations have bought GM cars, and now I'll like never buy another car from you. Wow. So you don't want that. You don't want that. It's pretty serious. Yeah. I tell companies, I'm like, don't lose a dollar trying to chase a dime, right? So at some point you have to figure out if it's worth it or not for you to collect that data.

I love that. Don't lose a dollar trying to chase a dime. I, I love that. Talk— talking about regulation? How should leaders prepare for the wave of global data law— GDPR, CPRA in California, EU AI Act, and all of, all of those regulations coming down the pipe?

Yeah, I do a lot of keynote speaking with companies around the world, you know, maybe companies you've never heard of like PayPal and TikTok and Uber. Uh, and so I, I— the things I tell them is that is let's get beyond regulation, right? So if you're just— if a new regulation comes up, you feel like you have to scramble to comply with that. That tells me you may not have the foundation that you need to be able to meet the future. And so part of meeting the future is understanding that very simple people have rights. Those rights are growing in certain jurisdictions. They want transparency, right? And then there's a level of accountability the companies need to have. And then one of the things that sometimes companies forget is that when you're using someone's data, it needs to— that data use should align with the benefit of the person, right? So if you're using data in some way that doesn't benefit the person, you're already probably in a situation where a regulator may come knocking at your door, or consumer will be upset with how their data is being used. So if you think about those things at a foundational level, that will get you most of the way there in terms of complying with, you know, whatever emerging regulation may come out.

True. And one thing we do like about you is you always keep up to date even with emerging technologies, including AI, which has disrupted so many industries already. So talking about AI and privacy, what trends or threats should we be watching for in 2025? And beyond? Yeah, great question.

Great question. Uh, so in 2025, the things that companies need to think about with AI is that if you're implementing AI, that means you're probably using data in ways that you were not using it before. And a lot of times with these AI systems, depending on what you're using, it creates a lack of transparency, right? And so that goes back to what I was saying where What a lot of these regulations are looking for, what a lot of consumers are looking for is transparency. And so you can't just say, well, we just threw it in a black box, we don't know what's happening, right? That's not a good answer, right? Because it's very important if you're using someone's data, especially in a different way, and it may potentially cause harm to them, you need to be able to explain what you're doing with the data and what you've collected, what you're doing with it and making sure that you're responsible or accountable for it. So I tell people, you know, it's so funny because I hear people on LinkedIn all the time like, we want to know what's happening inside the AI system. It's like, well, what you really need to be concerned about is what you put into it and what comes out. So don't get wrapped up in what's in the— you know, you probably will never know the mechanics of the inside of a system, but you're gonna be responsible and accountable for what comes out the other side of that system and how you're gonna use it. So whether it be, is it accurate? You know, are you sharing it to the right or wrong people? You know, what is your strategy for that throughout the lifecycle of that data? That's what you need to be concerned about.

Yes, and like you mentioned, you are a thought leader sought after by small companies like Google, Salesforce, and PayPal. But, uh, what would you recommend to aspiring professionals who are listening to you right now, watching you on this podcast, to establish themselves as a thought leader in privacy or tech?

I would say, you know, doing like what you're doing. Now, you're, you're phenomenal, right? So maybe people can't do it, uh, to start at your level, but really get out there, reach out, let people know what you're thinking about. Let them know, like, if you're researching or you read an article that you think is really compelling or interesting in a field that you're interested in, share that, you know, ask for comments, ask for, you know, things like that. So that's kind of how I started on LinkedIn many years ago. You know, I was just posting articles and asking questions. And what happened is that people who were really interested in that topic started really communicating with me and engaging with me on those things. I built a lot of deep friendships on that and even, you know, a lot of business relationships on that as well. So I think you have to be interested in the future. And so for me, thinking about what the new thing that came out, what are the implications for businesses? Those are the things that I really focus on. And a lot of times when people call me a futurist, because a lot of times I predict a lot of things, right? But that's typically because I'm reading the news, I'm looking at the new products that come out, and I'm thinking in advance, like, what are the implications of that? Right. I try to articulate that to people so they have something really meaningful and actionable they can take away. Not that, not that you solve every problem, but at least you get, you know, some tidbit of information that can help you take one step forward.

That's always better than nothing. Wow. Now your podcast is magnificent, right? Number one privacy podcast in the US, and you've produced more than 240 episodes, if you can believe that. So you've done a Diva Talks Privacy. What are maybe the top 2 or 3 most surprising or impactful interviews you've had on your podcast?

Yeah, well, it's the top in the world, not just the US. So we have listeners in over 131 countries.

Wow, that is amazing. Well, thank you, thank you.

Let's see, I think some of the things— well, first of all, the podcast is a global experience, right? So we all experience data in different ways. So I work with people all over the world on this stuff. And so people enjoy that about the podcast. It's also very conversational. So I'm not going to hit someone over the head with a book, or we don't quote laws like Bible verses on the show. So it's something that anybody can listen to and sort of gain some insight. But I think the thing that I found most surprising, you know, I talk to people, you know, I talk to regulators, I talk to legislators, I talk to lawyers, I talk to technology people, I talk to people who aren't in privacy, right? Just their views. And so what I found is that data really is the lifeblood of almost any organization, right? It is some of their biggest asset. And if they don't handle it properly, it can be some of their biggest risks. Right. So figuring out what's the best way for people to use data the right ways and appropriate ways and to try to avoid problems. Right. So for me, I'm more on the avoidance side. So like, don't touch that stove, it's hot. That's what I try to do for people, as opposed to, wow, you're going to pay all this money because you did this bad thing. I would prefer that a company really look within and try to prevent problems rather than firefight at the end because it's way more expensive to do it that way. So I'm more on prevention as opposed to cure.

Wow. Now, adding more than 230 episodes, and you are— it's number one internationally, more than 130 countries listen to you. Now, what is the type of process you use to come up with so much content? Let's say an aspiring tech or military leaders right there, they're thinking, okay, maybe I need to start a podcast too. Everybody right now doing podcasts. And it looks like in the US, the last president was elected primarily because of the work he did talking to the bros on podcasts around the country. Kind of, what is, what is your process for creating so much valuable content?

Well, you know, I, at the time I decided to create a podcast, first of all, I wasn't thinking of create a podcast. But what happened was I started seeing, you know, I read stuff in the news and I read stuff on LinkedIn. I was very frustrated that there just wasn't anyone really talking about the really hard issues of privacy, like the really deep, hard issues that people have to deal with operationally. So that was really the genesis behind my podcast. You know, I read an article I'm like, that's not how that works. That's not how data works, or that's not how this goes and stuff. So I'd be like, I got to do something. So that's really how I started. And so what I did at first, I came up with a list of people that I wanted to talk to, and I came up with a list of 20 people. And so when I looked at the list, I was like, what is it about these people that interests me so much? So what I found is that these people, they're very skill in their field. They have very— they're very detail-oriented, but they also kind of talk about things in ways that weren't— that couldn't be really explained in like a soundbite, right? So something that really needed some type of exposition or explanation for the deep insights that they wanted to share. At first I was gonna do like one episode, like every, I don't know, one a month or one twice a month or something. And when I was at the time, they were saying, oh, you know, if you, you know, if you invite people, only 30% of people agree to come on, right? So I thought, well, I'll invite 20 and hopefully I get, you know, 6 people. And so I invited 20 and like 19 said yes. So I was like, oh my God. So that's why— so then I just, oh my God, I have all this content and I have to do this podcast every week. So I've been doing it every week for over 250 weeks.

Wow, that is, uh, quite a story. Now we are gonna get into the second segment of the podcast, uh, which I really love. I'm gonna be asking you the 7 questions I ask every guest on this show. Before we do, is there anything you wanted to say, or, to the audience before we get to second segment?

No, I'm excited to see the second.

Fantastic. All right, so, uh, the first section for the second segment. I'm going to be asking you a question about things like, what is the greatest lesson you have ever learned?

Great question. So the greatest lesson I've ever learned, probably the greatest lesson I've ever learned, maybe two. So the two greatest lessons I've ever learned from my parents, right? One from my mother is to always listen. Right. A lot of times we feel like we know everything. You want to talk, you can't really learn if you're not listening. Right. So being able to really listen is very important. And then for my father, he taught me to be curious about things. So I am very curious. So when someone tells me, oh, they're doing this about technology, and I'm like, well, how does that work? Or how does data flow? Or how, you know, how does this work? That curiosity and listening, I think those things are very key to my success in a professional life. I carry that with me personally and professionally.

I know leaders are learners, so what are you learning right now?

That's a great question. I'm really having fun playing around with some of these AI models. Just to see the things they could do. And so this is, you know, I guess I'm the type of person when I see a tool or whatever, I want to see how far it can go, like how, like what are, what are the range, you know, what are the limitations. So, and I do that even in law. So I want to see, you know, where, where, what, what can you do, what can't you do, and you know, what are kind of those limits in those things. So I'm just having a lot of fun playing around with memory management and things like ChatGPT or other LLM math models. And thinking about, I predicted many years ago, especially people, oh, large language model this, large language model that. And the future really is not in large models, it's going to be in small models. So I call them little language models or small language models because Right now, for example, OpenAI is in a lawsuit with the New York Times because the New York Times say, hey, you're taking our content or whatever. But I don't care about that. I don't need 100 cat videos in a model that I'm working on because that doesn't interest me. Right. So I think eventually companies will have their own GPTs and then maybe individuals will have their own, maybe multiple ones that are curated for certain topics. So I'm very interested in that. That kind of emerging space and what people are going to be doing with these models going forward.

Yeah, that's, that is quite insightful. So, uh, the third section of this segment, I have this coin which I love. On one side it says failure, on the other side it says success, right? I really believe that success and failures are two sides of the same coin. So how has failure shaped your life? We know you as the Data Diva, and you also popular, your brand is huge around the world, you have this podcast going around the world teaching and training people. But if someone was to look behind the curtain, what are some of the experiences you have had that you really had to overcome in order to achieve all of the success you have today?

Yeah, I think maybe again, it's a combination of listening and learning. And being curious, for example, let's say you're in an executive situation and you're having trouble having communication with someone. You may have to change the way that you communicate with that person. And so one of the things that I learned in college is probably the most valuable thing that I learned that I can think about is that a professor told me that if you're communicating with someone and they don't understand you, then you have to change the way that you communicate. So a lot of times people feel like, you know, you don't understand me, you know, that's something wrong with you or that's your problem. You know, that's not the way it goes. So if you speak Chinese and I speak English and I'm trying to speak to you in English, you only speak Chinese, I need to change what I'm trying to do to be able to communicate with you. So I think that's one thing I have to really learn, that everyone has like a different communication style, and depending on the audience and the person that you're talking to, you have to adjust that style to the person to be able to be successful in the way that you communicate. That's like, you know, if you can't, like, you can't communicate with everyone the same way. So really testing what that is and really trying to find a way to get your message across to someone where you have to maybe change your tact. Or change the way that you do a message. So to me, that's probably an example of kind of like failure, success, failure, success, right?

So, wow, thank you. So when it comes to success, we never arrive there alone. At least that's what I believe. We really truly stand on the shoulders of giants. Who are some of the mentors that have helped you get to where you are now? Who are you listening to? Who are some of the thought leaders you are following today?

Yeah, I guess that's a two-parter. So probably my— the most influential people that I've had are people that I've met through my career over the years, and I've kept them as mentors or friends. You know, these may be people that I've known for 20, 30 years. You know, we may go out to breakfast or have coffee, or, you know, I can always ring them up or ask them a question, and it's such a gift that I have those relationships and I can pick up the phone and call someone. It's so funny because I met with someone recently. She wanted to meet more people, lawyers at corporations. So I have tons of friends who are lawyers at corporations. So I was able to— the fact that I can make a call and get a phone call back from the head of apps at Apple or the head of X at so-and-so, and they'll call me back because they know me, right? So to me, that's been such a gift to me in my career, my future. And then I'm a tech geek, so I follow a lot of people who work on tech stuff and data stuff. One of the people that I really like, that I love people to get to know more is Kerry Parker. So Kerry Parker has a podcast called— what is it? Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons. Firewall. I know it's a drag, right? Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons. And so, yeah, I think he has a book out. It comes out in multiple editions. He has a very, very popular podcast. He's done way more podcast episodes than me. I think he's in the 500s now. Something like that. But the thing I really like about him is that he, you know, even though he's very technical, he does try to break things down where just ordinary people can use it. So it's something that could be a resource for your company, could be a resource for you personally, you know, something you can hand to your grandma, you know, certain things like, hey, Grandma, don't click on that link that says you owe a toll or something like that, right? Wow. So there's a lot of advice that he can give and a lot of guidance that he gives. So I really enjoyed his platform.

That's wonderful. So again, it's Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons, computer security and privacy for non-techies. I love that. So, uh, if you could choose 3 people, alive, dead, or mythical figures to have dinner with, who would you choose and why?

Oh wow.

That's an interesting question. Alyra did. So I would probably choose Thomas Edison. I'm very, very interested in him as an inventor, people who, you know, just, you know, a thinker. And I think, you know, I have a biography of him and they were saying that he actually— his parents had to take him out of regular school because they thought there was something wrong with him, right? He didn't learn in the same ways that other people learn. And so I think just taking that as a lesson that maybe your child may have different gifts that need to be dealt with in different ways. Let's see, I would have loved to have met Harriet Tubman. She had a lot of grit, a lot of grit, a lot of moxie, and she really helped people. So actually, they're near where I live. There is a church that was a station on the Underground Railroad. So when I look out the window, I think about her and think about the things that she's done. And it's just been tremendous. It's nice to see heroines like that who really did so much to help other people. And let's see someone else. One more. I would love to meet probably, uh, Bill Clinton. Hmm. Uh, I was curious. He's very interesting. Uh, he's very interesting. Um, someone who's incredibly intelligent, um, savvy, excellent communicator. Um, also You know, he has a gift. He knows how to send a message, right, to people without sounding so highfalutin. All right, you know, he could do that. He could do, you know, he went to Oxford, so he can, he can talk like that if he wants to. He chooses not to do that. I think that says a lot about him and his communication style.

Wow, that's pretty cool. And I believe Morrison called, called him the first African-American president before Barack Obama. But yeah, definitely a very interesting person. So, uh, segment 5 of, uh, uh, this part of the podcast: what are you reading right now? Which book would you recommend to my audience?

Yeah, well, that's a pretty interesting question. So for me, I mostly read blogs, and I'm reading like journals, like stuff that no one else would be interested in. So that's mostly what I, what I end up reading. So I rarely ever read like popular books or stuff like that. But if anyone— people send me books a lot, so I get a lot of books from people all over the world. They're like, hey, I know that you're interested in privacy and I found this book and they'll send it to me or something like that. But it's mostly just boring things, journals, law, stuff like that. But I'm always happy to read that because I can simplify it You know, once I synthesize it, I can simplify it for people so that they understand why it's important.

Okay, now about podcasts, you already mentioned Firewall Don't Stop Dragons. Is there any other podcast you would recommend my audience to listen to?

That's probably the main one. There are a couple of others.

I can't remember the name of them. That is fine. Even after this podcast is over, we can add the link to those. What about movies?

Uh, you know what, I don't really watch TV or movies. Okay, that's fine. When I say that, that sounds very snobby. No, perfectly fine.

That's the way I used to be for a very long, long time. Now I watch movies to look for leadership principles in them. So, okay, what about YouTube channels? Any specific channel you are following now?

No, not really. Not really. I just, um, this is so funny. So most of the time after I finish working, I'm like too exhausted to do anything else. So that's pretty much how I end up not watching TV or seeing what's on YouTube.

Okay, finally, what about the music? Anything?

Songs, albums you would recommend? Okay, okay.

Okay, so let me ask you an awkward question then. Uh, is there maybe a song, a book, a movie, a podcast, or a YouTube channel or something that would be your life's theme or anthem, if you could think of one?

Ah, oh, that's a good question. Wow. Uh, I would say— this is so funny— so I would say Ray Charles, the song You Don't Know Me.

You Don't Know Me. Love that. Okay, we, we're gonna make sure to, to add a link to that. I say that's a very good song. Okay, so, uh, let's go to, uh, section 6. So, uh, what is one action you are thinking about taking that you believe will positively impact your life?

Yeah, I've been approached to do a few books, so I'm trying to figure out what, which ones I want to do. And I still, I already do some publishing in some books Um, but I need to figure out, you know, I'll probably do something like I'm collabing with someone, I'll do my own or whatever. So I need to just really, really sequence that and figure out what's the best way forward and what, what I have time to actually put into my schedule.

And I'm assuming it's going to be about privacy or something else.

The, uh, data, it may have something to do with privacy, uh, maybe one on AI. In privacy and some other things. So I'm a data person, that's why I call myself the data diva, not privacy diva. So I can go like any direction, you know. For me, a career data is like taking off a coat, right? But right, right now I'm really interested in privacy and data, but in the future I may do some something different.

Yeah. So when you wake up in the morning, what is one problem you would like to solve?

You know, I really want privacy to be a fundamental human right in the US. So privacy is a fundamental human right in the Constitution in Europe, in places like India, I think South America. And so it's not so in the US. So I would love that. And so a lot of my work in privacy and advocacy is to try to, you know, the US, we have such a patchwork of laws and regulation. And so I would love to see something at a constitutional level that says that, you know, you have a human right to privacy. We don't have that yet.

Yes, true. Okay. Uh, if you had one day and only one day to live, what would you have liked your final contribution to be?

That's a good question. I want to, I endeavor every day to make sure I try to do at least one thing that helps someone, right? Whether it's a call that I make for someone, whether it's a kind gesture that I can make someone, because all those things count. And I make sure when I meet someone, you know, if I go to a store or whatever, I always smile. One of my mentors told me that it works really well, right? Uh, because you don't know what type of day that person has had or whatever, so maybe that little kind word really helps someone.

Wow, powerful. Okay, so we are now on the final section of the podcast. How can we add value back to you?

Oh wow, aren't you nice? Thank you so much. I would love for people to follow my podcast, the Data Diva Talks Privacy podcast. And if companies have questions about data issues or data problems that they want to talk about, feel free to reach out to me. I'm very active on LinkedIn. Just type in Data Diva Debbie Reynolds. My name pops right up. Or they can go to my website, debbiereynoldsconsulting.com, to look at a lot of my videos and other work.

Very, very good. Okay, so we are toward the end now. Um, what is the most rewarding aspect of your life experience so far?

Wow, the most rewarding aspect. Well, I absolutely treasure in my personal and professional life having one-on-one conversations with people just like you. Uh, so And that's one of the reasons why my podcast, I never have more than one guest on because it's very important for me to be able to draw out what people are really interested in. And I think people may communicate differently in groups rather than one-on-one. So really being able to get to the essence of what someone really wants to say or what they want to communicate is what I cherish, um, and, you know, professionally and personally. Wow.

Now, like I mentioned before, really, uh, the impact I want this podcast to have is really thinking about the next generation, right? Both in the military and in high tech. So if you could go back to give a piece of advice to your 17-year-old self standing at the edge of this incredible career you have, what would your advice be to your 17-year-old?

Yourself? Yeah, I would say, you know, listen more, you know, stop to smell the roses, because I feel like all of us are rushing so much in life, right? So try to find little, little segments of time where you can be kind to yourself or have a bit of enjoyment for yourself, because life does, you know, it sounds like, you know, things You know, life is long, right? But having those little respites of time where you can, you know, literally smell the flowers or, you know, take a walk or do something for yourself, it gives you that energy to keep moving forward.

Very, very good. And, uh, what are 3 adjectives that describe you as a child? Really quick.

Wow, 3 adjectives.

Um, First thing that comes to mind. Curious.

I wasn't mischievous ever. I guess I was a reader, a thinker, someone who's very curious always.

Okay. Curious reader and thinker. What about as an adult? Has that changed?

No, I think I'm the same.

Very, very good. Okay. Very, very last word, actually, before I get there. Do you have anything you would like to say before we end the podcast today?

Well, first of all, thank you so much. It's been an honor to be on your show. I've watched you for many years, and so I'm glad we're able to collaborate together.

Good. I think I should be coming to your show whenever you have time, because I think what we are doing is very, very important. And I think it's also important, just like you said, right? Most of my career in the US, I've been the one and only Black person in the room. And it's getting better now. And many times there were not even a single woman of any race or color. But now I see more women, mostly white, but I'm seeing more and more diversity. So it's very encouraging, but we definitely need to do more because representation does matter a lot. Like one of my old— I don't know if you can see, I have all of the books that General Colin Powell has ever written. I was really so fortunate to meet him face to face finally. I think it was in 2017 in Atlanta. But anyway, uh, it was really great for me to know that there was a Black man who ended up being, you know, a 4-star general in the U.S. Army and even chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. And just saying it as a possibility, that meant me as a seaman recruit, E-1, the lowest rank in the Navy. I had hope that, yeah, it is possible. So today I am a commander, a senior officer, but it's someone like him that really made it possible for somebody like me. So I do, I do think that matters a lot. Okay, so to close the show, I'm going to ask you for one word that will present our shared experience on this podcast today.

What word comes to mind? I'll say enlightening. Very good.

And to me, I guess it would be data consciousness. So thank you so much for being on the show. I really do appreciate that. Again, for those of you watching, please make sure— actually, before I do, let me triple check. No, I don't see any question on LinkedIn. I wanted to make sure we didn't miss a question. But thanks again for being here. I'm going to be back here tomorrow. You don't know that, but the day after tomorrow I'm going to replay this podcast. It's going to be handled by my AI agent. Instead of 1 hour, it's going to be 10 minutes only. They're going to give a summary of everything we talked about now. So I'm going to send you a link so that you can be there. But it's just amazing what we can do with technology these days.

Yeah, that's tremendous.

Thank you. Thanks again for being here.

Bye-bye. Thank you.

Thank you for listening to the Leadership and Success Podcast with your your host, Coach Beezy. If you like what you heard, please subscribe to our channels and come back for more wisdom nuggets on how you may develop into a better leader and achieve greater levels of success. Leadership is the most critical skill. The world will always need leaders to lead others, deploy the next disruptive technology, or execute a business strategy. You may as well decide on counting yourself among the 21st century leaders. See you right here next time on the Leadership and Success Podcast with Coach BZ.