5 tips to get the most out of GSX 2024

The Global Security Exchange (GSX) is the security industry’s biggest and longest-running trade show, bringing together tens of thousands of professionals from across the security industry — including Circadian Risk.

Hosted by ASIS International, this year’s GSX will be held from Sept. 23-25 in Orlando, Fla. It’s an appropriate venue, because GSX is a little like Disney World for security geeks: it’s a huge show and an exciting experience but it can be overwhelming, especially for first-time conference goers. You definitely can’t see it all in one day.

Lucky for you, we’re old pros when it comes to GSX, and we are here to help.

Getting the most out of GSX: a beginner’s guide

If you’re planning to head to Orlando this September, these are our five top tips for getting the most out of the GSX exhibition floor.

1. Know who is going to be there

With so many exhibitors, it can be hard to know which booth to visit first. There are huge companies with prominent booths, but make time to research the smaller startups. That’s often where you’ll find the most interesting innovations. Fortunately, the conference makes it easy for you to prepare for the event well in advance, offering an interactive map of the exhibit hall, and a list of exhibitors. Both are valuable resources. Check the exhibitors list now so you know who is going to be there, and use the map so you know exactly where they are when you walk in the door.

2. Don’t wait until the show to start networking. Start now.

GSX is a flurry of activity. Everyone is busy during the show, so it’s probably not the best time to make first contact with a person or a company you want to meet. The time to start networking is now, before the conference. This is particularly important because the most cutting-edge companies are very busy at GSX (and just before). If you wait, you may not get an appointment. Reach out now and schedule a meeting.

3. Dress for comfort

GSX is a huge event and you’re likely to be on your feet for the better part of three days. You’ll want to look professional but you also want to be comfortable. Wear clothes you’ll be comfortable in and shoes you don’t mind standing in for long periods of time.

4. Remember your chargers

You will be on your phone a LOT. Networking, Using the GSX mobile app to manage your schedule. Taking photos and videos. All of this will eat up your battery. Vendors know this and many booths are equipped with charging stations. But you can’t take advantage of a charging station if you don’t have your charger, so definitely remember to bring it with you to the exhibit hall floor.

5. Plan to stay all three days

As with Disney World, some people try to do GSX in one day, but it’s not really possible. Even if you’re only interested in one or two vendors, it’s a mistake to cut your visit short. There’s much more to GSX than the exhibition. There are also events, parties and opportunities for networking. Stick around and join in the activities after hours.

Take the opportunity to build relationships and network with the other attendees — tens of thousands of members of the security industry come to this event every year. If you’re not networking and improving your knowledge base, you’re missing out on the best resources we have in the industry: each other.

Meet up with Circadian Risk at GSX

Circadian Risk will be exhibiting at GSX this year. Come visit us in booth 2774! We’re also pleased to announce that we will presenting two panels this year:

• On Monday, September 23 at 10 am ET, Circadian Risk founder Daniel Young, Circadian RIsk CEO Michael Martin, and Setracon founder Jeff Slotnick will present a panel on “ESRM Best Practices for Reducing Physical Security and Safety Liabilities through Organizational Risk Analysis.”

• On Monday, September 23 at 3:15 pm ET, Daniel, Michael, and Jeff will present a panel on “The Importance of ESRM within the GSOC: How Risk Analysis Data will Improve Preparedness and Response.”

We look forward to seeing you in Orlando.

Register now, or contact us to set up a meeting at GSX.

About the Author

Daniel Young

Founder & Chief Innovation Officer

Daniel has been a security and risk advisor for more than 10 years, and is passionate about helping companies to better understand their risks to undesirable events on a daily basis. Dan previously served as the Regional Bioterrorism Coordinator for District 1 in Michigan, where he was instrumental in preparing communities for catastrophic incidents. He has also acted as the Private Security Liaison for the City of Lansing’s Critical Infrastructure Team, which identified and documented deficiencies in the city’s critical infrastructure.

He is a Co-Founder of the CSO Risk Council, a think tank of seasoned security professionals and thought leaders with extensive experience in managing the physical security and risks of large enterprises consisting of multiple sites and whose mission is to create a better process to develop and share innovative solutions and pertinent information with organizations to improve safety and security risk by providing a forum to discuss best practices and recommendations for specific risk scenarios and to network with other enterprise security professionals.

Michael J. Martin

Chief Executive Officer

Michael Martin is a proven leader in the Security Services & Risk Assessment industry. In December 2018, he became CEO of Circadian Risk. In addition, Michael provides direction and guidance for Aerospace & Defense security programs.

Prior to joining Circadian, Michael served as President of Allied Universal’s Canadian Operations from 2016 to December 2018. During that time, he oversaw the tripling of revenues and numerous M&A integrations in both Canada and the Midwest.