The Security Equation With Dan Donovan
Claim This Podcastby Dan Donovan
Podcast Overview
<p>The Security Equation with Dan Donovan explores what it truly takes to protect people, places, and peace of mind. Hosted by Dan Donovan, Founder and Managing Partner of Stratoscope Holdings, the show pulls back the curtain on how safety is engineered in event security. Each episode blends expert insight and real-world experience to reveal how today’s leaders balance access, innovation, and protection in an unpredictable world.</p>
Language
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Publishing Since
10/30/2025
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Recent Episodes
June 29, 2026
Why He Walked Away From Fyre Festival: Stephen Staats on Event Security & Leadership Decision
Host Dan Donovan interviews event industry veteran Stephen Staats about navigating event security challenges and leadership decisions, including walking away from Fyre Festival.
June 9, 2026
From Super Bowl to Perimeter Security: Anna Reahl on Building Presidential-Level Event Protection
<p>In this episode of The Security Equation, Dan Donovan sits down with Anna Reahl, founder and CEO of Arcus Group, a company specializing in perimeter security and protective infrastructure for high-profile events, government functions, and major gatherings.</p><p>Anna's journey into security is unconventional. She started in live event production, working on the Super Bowl (Jacksonville 39), touring with bands worldwide, and managing large-scale events. But a transformative experience at an NSSE (National Special Security Event) in 2012 changed her perspective on risk entirely. She realized that the same organizational skills that made her successful in event logistics could be applied to security operations—and that security professionals needed to think like event planners: operational design from inception to execution.</p><p>Through Arcus Group, Anna pioneered solutions that major events now depend on: anti-scale fencing designed to stop vehicles and mitigate ballistic threats, perimeter infrastructure that protects attendees without compromising the guest experience, and coordination protocols that integrate with law enforcement and government agencies.</p><p>She's provided perimeter security for presidential-level events, worked alongside federal agencies including Secret Service and DHS, and developed the frameworks that keep thousands of people safe at major gatherings. Her background in event production gives her a unique advantage: she understands that security can't exist in a vacuum—it has to enhance, not detract from, the experience attendees came for.</p><p>In this conversation, Dan and Anna discuss:</p><ul><li>Her origin story from fashion dreams to federal event security</li><li>What changed after her first NSSE experience</li><li>The technology behind anti-scale fencing (and why it matters)</li><li>How to coordinate security across multiple agencies and vendors</li><li>Being a female founder in a male-dominated security industry</li><li>Her take on the recent White House Correspondents Dinner incident</li><li>Why operational design is the future of event security</li><li>What keeps her up at night about event safety today</li><li>The evolution of perimeter security and what's coming next</li></ul><p>Anna also shares a philosophy that resonates beyond security: we've lost the art of humanity in this country, and that loss is directly reflected in the threats we're seeing at large gatherings.</p><p>Essential listening for event organizers, security professionals, corporate security leaders, government agencies, and anyone responsible for protecting large groups of people.</p><p>Would you be interested in learning more about Stratoscope?</p><p>Check out our website: https://stratoscope.com/</p>
May 26, 2026
The Guard Company That Refuses to Compete on Price: Why Dan Wachtler Built Vigilis
<p>Dan Wachtler is an accomplished entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience building companies at the intersection of physical security, financial crime compliance, and now artificial intelligence. He's the founder and CEO of Vigilis—a groundbreaking AI operating system designed to elevate security professionals, not replace them.</p><p>His journey into security started accidentally in Spanish class at the University of Arizona when he met Tom Keating, owner of American Protective Services (30,000 employees). Keating recruited him as a sales officer in 1994, and Wachtler spent the next decade building security operations. He later became CEO of IPSA International—a global risk advisory firm specializing in financial crimes, anti-money laundering, and anti-corruption work with major banks, Caribbean governments, and Fortune 500 companies.</p><p>But Wachtler saw a critical gap in the physical security industry: guard companies competing on price rather than capability, leading to a race to the bottom where security quality suffered. After a high-profile incident where one of his protection professionals was seriously injured in live fire training, and witnessing the real consequences of poor security outcomes, he decided to pivot.</p><p>Now with Vigilis, Wachtler is building an AI-powered operating system that gives security guards and security companies the tools to deliver better outcomes at reduced operational cost—without the race to the bottom on pricing.</p><p><strong>Learn more:</strong><a href="http://www.vigilisai.com" rel="nofollow">www.vigilisai.com</a></p><p>Would you be interested in learning more about Stratoscope?</p><p>Check out our website: <a href="https://stratoscope.com/" rel="nofollow">https://stratoscope.com/</a></p>
18 total episodes available with 3 transcripts
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- What is The Security Equation With Dan Donovan?
<p>The Security Equation with Dan Donovan explores what it truly takes to protect people, places, and peace of mind. Hosted by Dan Donovan, Founder and Managing Partner of Stratoscope Holdings, the show pulls back the curtain on how safety is engineered in event security. Each episode blends expert insight and real-world experience to reveal how today’s leaders balance access, innovation, and protection in an unpredictable world.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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