Core Sample

Епизоде

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  Caroline Chapdelaine on Building Defense Hardware at Scale 18.09.2026 17мин

  Caroline Chapdelaine on Building Defense Hardware at ScaleWhat does it really take to manufacture advanced defense hardware in the United States?In this episode of Core Sample, I sat down with Caroline Chapdelaine, CEO of Northstar Photonics, to talk about what sits behind a finished piece of precision defense technology.We discuss photonics, navigation systems, specialized manufacturing, supplier qualification and the complexity hidden inside advanced hardware.Caroline explains why building the technology is only part of the challenge. The harder question is whether a company can source the right materials, qualify suppliers, maintain demanding manufacturing processes and then produce the same high-performance product reliably at scale.In This Episode* What Northstar Photonics builds and where its technology sits within larger defense and aerospace systems* Why advanced photonic products and manufacturing processes are difficult to replicate* What happens when you trace a finished device backward through materials, components, processes and suppliers* How domestic “domestic manufacturing” really is* Why replacing or qualifying suppliers in aerospace and defense can take significant time* Whether there is a second “Valley of Death” between successful technology development and sustainable production* What changes inside a company when long-developed programs begin moving into larger production runs* Why scaling hardware is fundamentally different from scaling software* What it would actually take for an advanced manufacturer to double production* What the United States needs to build more durable advanced-manufacturing companiesWe also finish with the Core Sample rapid-fire round: books, films, California versus Utah, prototype versus production, factory floor versus boardroom and the materials you never expected to care quite so much about.The finished product is only the visible layer. The real industrial base sits underneath it: materials, suppliers, manufacturing knowledge, equipment, people and capital.Connect with Caroline ChapdelaineYou can learn more about Caroline and Northstar Photonics here:Caroline Chapdelaine on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinechapdelaine/Northstar Photonicshttps://www.northstarphotonics.com/Contact Northstar Photonicshttps://www.northstarphotonics.com/contactAbout Core SampleCore Sample examines the intersection of cybersecurity, capital, critical minerals, industrial capacity, operational resilience and national security.Pull up a chair. Grab a cup of tea or a hot chocolate and keep watching the signals.DisclaimerEverything on Core Sample is provided for informational and educational purposes only.Nothing in this episode constitutes investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, cybersecurity advice for a particular system, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.Sturnella LLC is a strategic-risk, capital-markets cybersecurity and governance advisory firm. It is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, financial institution, engineering firm or safety assessor.Always conduct your own research and work with qualified professionals who understand your particular circumstances, operating environment and security requirements. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  The Choke Point Is Moving 02.09.2026 12мин

  The Choke Point Is MovingAmerica is rebuilding its industrial base but rebuilding capacity is only part of the problem.The next challenge is protecting the people, knowledge, capital, technology, suppliers and infrastructure that make that industrial base work.In Episode 16 of Core Sample, I’m looking at a pattern emerging across critical minerals, manufacturing, research, defense and secure technology.Over the past month, the United States has announced new investments in mining and metallurgy education, critical-minerals workforce development, research-security reviews, government-backed financing, gallium production, copper foil, microelectronics testing, industrial efficiency and secure artificial intelligence.These programs are not all part of one initiative, but together, they point toward the same shift: Industrial policy is increasingly becoming industrial-security policy.In This Episode* Why Washington is investing across capability, people, capital and security* Why protecting research and intellectual property is becoming part of supply-chain resilience* How gallium, copper foil and microelectronics testing illustrate different kinds of strategic dependencies* Why secure AI belongs in the industrial-security conversation* How a physical supply-chain choke point can become a cybersecurity attack surface* Why cybersecurity is increasingly becoming part of industrial strategyDon’t just follow the mine. Follow the material, the money, the technology and the choke point.About Core SampleCore Sample examines the intersection of cybersecurity, capital, critical minerals, industrial capacity, operational resilience, and national security.Pull up a chair. Grab a cup of tea or a hot chocolate and keep watching the signals.DisclaimerEverything on Core Sample is provided for informational and educational purposes only.Nothing in this episode constitutes investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, cybersecurity advice for a particular system, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.Sturnella LLC is a strategic-risk, capital-markets cybersecurity, and governance advisory firm. It is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, financial institution, engineering firm, or safety assessor.Government loans, grants, equity investments, procurement programs, industrial-policy initiatives, and other government-supported programs involve substantial financial, political, technical, operational, and execution risks.Always conduct your own research and work with qualified professionals who understand your particular circumstances, operating environment, and security requirements. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  Follow the Choke Point 19.08.2026 15мин

  Can’t Find a Cybersecurity Job? The Work May Be Moving Somewhere Else.For recent college graduates, the cybersecurity labor market can feel contradictory: employers continue to talk about a skills shortage, yet breaking into the profession has become extraordinarily difficult.In Episode 15 of Core Sample, Sydnie looks at the problem from a different direction.What if cybersecurity jobs aren’t disappearing so much as the map of cybersecurity work is changing?Recent-college-graduate unemployment remains elevated, while it is estimated that more than four in ten recent graduates are underemployed. At the same time, traditional technology companies are restructuring even as the United States pours capital into critical minerals, energy infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and defense supply chains.Those physical industries are also rapidly becoming digital.Mines, factories, water systems, utilities and defense suppliers increasingly depend on connected equipment, industrial-control systems, remote maintenance, cloud platforms, third parties and software.That creates a different kind of cybersecurity opportunity.In This Episode* Why the entry-level cybersecurity market feels so difficult* What recent-college-graduate unemployment and underemployment tell us* Why OT and critical-infrastructure security are becoming increasingly important* How physical infrastructure changes the meaning of the cybersecurity attack surface* Why graduates should search beyond the title “Cybersecurity Analyst”* Why understanding an industry may become as valuable as understanding another cybersecurity toolDon’t just search for cybersecurity jobs. Find the systems America cannot afford to stop and learn how to protect them.About Core SampleCore Sample examines the intersection of cybersecurity, capital, critical minerals, industrial capacity, operational resilience, and national security.Pull up a chair. Grab a cup of tea. Keep watching the signals.DisclaimerEverything on Core Sample is provided for informational and educational purposes only.Nothing in this episode constitutes investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, cybersecurity advice for a particular system, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.Sturnella LLC is a strategic-risk, capital-markets cybersecurity, and governance advisory firm. It is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, financial institution, engineering firm, or safety assessor.Government loans, conditional commitments, tariffs, procurement programs, and industrial-policy initiatives involve substantial financial, political, technical, operational, and execution risks.Always conduct your own research and work with qualified professionals who understand your particular circumstances, operating environment, and security requirements. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  The New Risk Perimeter 16.08.2026 6мин

  I skipped a week and I feel a bit rusty after Black Hat USA but I hope you enjoy.America is investing heavily in mines, processing facilities, advanced materials, magnets, batteries, semiconductors, drones, and defense manufacturing.But as the industrial base expands, so does the definition of the cybersecurity perimeter.In this episode of Core Sample, Sydnie looks beyond the traditional network perimeter to the wider ecosystem that increasingly determines whether strategic production can continue: factories, suppliers, engineering firms, cloud providers, remote maintenance connections, logistics networks, power infrastructure, and the small companies buried several tiers deep in the supply chain.The central question is no longer simply:What information needs to be protected?For industrial resilience, the more important question may be:What cannot be allowed to stop?In This Episode* Why the traditional network perimeter is no longer enough for the industrial economy* What Black Hat USA 2026 revealed about the convergence of cybersecurity, OT, critical infrastructure, and national security* Why physical consequence increasingly matters alongside data loss* How federal investment in critical minerals and advanced manufacturing creates new cyber and operational dependencies* The August 2026 defense-linked critical minerals investments, including Sila, Sunrise Energy Metals, and Niron Magnetics* Why suppliers several tiers removed from a prime contractor may still represent critical points of failure* How federal financing, M&A, joint ventures, acquisitions, new facilities, and government contracts expand the risk perimeter* Why organizational security capacity can lag behind rapid growth* The board-level question that may matter most: What would have to fail for us to stop delivering?America isn’t simply rebuilding supply chains; it is building a new risk perimeter around the physical economy.About Core SampleCore Sample examines the intersection of cybersecurity, capital, critical minerals, industrial capacity, operational resilience, and national security.Pull up a chair. Grab a cup of tea. Keep watching the signals.DisclaimerEverything on Core Sample is provided for informational and educational purposes only.Nothing in this episode constitutes investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, cybersecurity advice for a particular system, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.Sturnella LLC is a strategic-risk, capital-markets cybersecurity, and governance advisory firm. It is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, financial institution, engineering firm, or safety assessor.Government loans, conditional commitments, tariffs, procurement programs, and industrial-policy initiatives involve substantial financial, political, technical, operational, and execution risks.Always conduct your own research and work with qualified professionals who understand your particular circumstances, operating environment, and security requirements. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  Security Is Physical: From Mine Sites to Farm Fields 04.08.2026 13мин

  Cybersecurity does not stop at the server room.When technology controls a conveyor, ventilation system, irrigation pump, grain elevator, drone production line, or manufacturing cell, a cyber incident can stop physical work, damage equipment, interrupt food production, and potentially affect human safety.In this episode of Core Sample, Sydnie explores why understanding operational environments is essential to protecting them and why cybersecurity professionals must understand not only the technology, but also the machines, operators, safety requirements, production pressures, suppliers, and physical consequences of system failure.Ahead of Black Hat USA, Sydnie completed MSHA new miner training to deepen her understanding of the environments behind the cybersecurity headlines. She explains why operational-technology security begins with understanding what equipment actually does, where it sits in the production process, who maintains it, how it communicates, and what happens when it stops working.The episode then connects three major developments:The Expanding Drone Industrial BaseThe Department of War’s Office of Strategic Capital announced a conditional loan commitment of up to $820 million to Performance Drone Works.The proposed financing is intended to expand domestic manufacturing capacity for critical components used across Group 1 and Group 2 unmanned aircraft platforms.But capital and manufacturing capacity alone do not create a secure drone supply chain.As domestic drone production expands, so does the digital and operational attack surface.Agricultural Security Is CybersecurityUSDA has also launched an expanded SkillBridge partnership and a “100 Hires in 100 Days” initiative focused on mission-critical areas such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, application development, contracting, geospatial analysis, and wildfire management.The underlying message is clear:Agricultural security is national security.Modern farms and food systems depend on GPS, sensors, robotics, automated feeding and irrigation systems, digital mapping, temperature controls, commodity platforms, transportation systems, and connected equipment.A ransomware incident during harvest is therefore not simply an IT problem. It can prevent a grain cooperative from accepting crops, delay seed or fertilizer deliveries, interrupt food processing, and create broader supply disruptions.Farmers Are Caught Between Global SystemsAmerican farmers are already exposed to forces they cannot control.During 2025, China reduced or paused purchases of several U.S. agricultural products, including soybeans, while increasing purchases from Brazil.At the same time, tariffs on Brazilian beef offered potential protection for domestic cattle producers but placed additional pressure on U.S. beef prices during a period of historically tight cattle supply.The result illustrates the complexity of agricultural and industrial policy:A decision that benefits one group of producers can create costs elsewhere in the system.Fertilizer and the Strait of HormuzFertilizer markets provide another example of how distant geopolitical events can quickly reach an American farm.Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz affected the movement of urea and sulfur, both of which are important to the global fertilizer system.During the disruption:* Urea prices briefly more than doubled* Diammonium phosphate prices increased from approximately $580 to around $770 per metric tonShipments eventually resumed, but the episode demonstrated how maritime chokepoints, international trade, and geopolitical instability can directly influence farm expenses and food prices.The System Is the StoryA drone factory, mine site, fertilizer plant, grain cooperative, manufacturing line, and farm may appear to be separate environments.They are not.Each is a physical system supported by technology, operators, suppliers, transportation networks, communications systems, and geopolitical dependencies.Their resilience depends on answering practical operating questions:* Which devices are connected?* Who has remote access?* Which supplier could stop production?* Can operators continue safely if a digital system becomes unavailable?* Is there a manual fallback?* Does the incident-response plan include the people who operate the equipment?These are not merely cybersecurity questions.They are operating questions, capital questions, and national-security questions.Because cybersecurity is no longer confined to the server room.It is in the mine, on the manufacturing floor, inside the drone supply chain, at the grain elevator, and increasingly on the American farm.Security is physical.In This Episode* Why cybersecurity professionals need to understand physical operating environments* What MSHA new miner training can teach cybersecurity practitioners* The operational risks behind domestic drone manufacturing* Why secure manufacturing is essential to drone dominance* USDA’s agricultural-security hiring initiative* How connected agricultural equipment creates cyber exposure* China’s changing purchases of U.S. agricultural products* The trade-offs created by beef tariffs* How the Strait of Hormuz affected fertilizer prices* Why operational resilience depends on people, processes, suppliers, and manual fallbacks* What Sydnie will be looking for at Black Hat USAKey TakeawayYou cannot properly protect an operating environment you do not understand.Effective cybersecurity requires understanding the equipment, the operators, the production process, the safety consequences, and the dependencies beneath the technology.About Core SampleCore Sample examines the intersection of cybersecurity, capital, critical minerals, industrial capacity, operational resilience, and national security.Pull up a chair. Grab a cup of tea. Keep watching the signals.DisclaimerEverything on Core Sample is provided for informational and educational purposes only.Nothing in this episode constitutes investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, cybersecurity advice for a particular system, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.Sturnella LLC is a strategic-risk, capital-markets cybersecurity, and governance advisory firm. It is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, financial institution, engineering firm, or safety assessor.Government loans, conditional commitments, tariffs, procurement programs, and industrial-policy initiatives involve substantial financial, political, technical, operational, and execution risks.Always conduct your own research and work with qualified professionals who understand your particular circumstances, operating environment, and security requirements. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  Acceleration: Money Is Moving Faster Than Organizations 25.07.2026 17мин

  In this episode of Core Sample, Sydnie examines the gap between winning a strategic opportunity and being ready to absorb it. The race is no longer only about securing critical minerals, contracts, or federal capital. It is about execution.In This Episode* The proposed $1.5 trillion FY2027 defense framework* APFIT= the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies program and its role in moving mature technologies into operational use* The potential ten-year, nearly $7 billion Oracle enterprise software agreement* A targeted $7.1 million Defense Production Act investment in domestic space solar-cell coverglass manufacturing* Cyber Shield 2026 and the growing importance of operational-technology resilience* International efforts to connect mineral resources, processing, public finance, and advanced manufacturing* Why organizational maturity may become the next major industrial-base bottleneckMoney Does Not Build OrganizationsCapital can fund a facility, create demand, or help a prototype move into procurement. It cannot immediately create experienced operators, trusted suppliers, disciplined program management, or a board prepared to govern rapid growth.A company may win a major defense contract or receive federal financing before it has the internal capacity to deliver. Rapid growth can place pressure on working capital, quality, supplier oversight, technical-data protection, insurance, legal obligations, and board governance.What Has to Be True for the Strategy to Succeed?A capable organization needs more than impressive résumés.It needs:* Technical leadership that understands what can be built* Program leadership that can deliver on schedule* Finance leadership that protects liquidity* Supply-chain leadership that identifies production chokepoints* Legal support that understands contractual obligations* Security and operational-resilience leadership* A board capable of challenging management before problems become crisesThe strongest teams combine trust with independent judgment. They know how one another works under pressure, but they also have clear authority, defined accountability, and the confidence to surface problems early.Three Board ModelsThe Early-Stage Strategic SupplierDesigned for a small company entering the defense supply chain or receiving its first significant government-backed opportunity.The board combines founder vision with operating, finance, procurement, and independent risk expertise.The Scaling Defense ContractorDesigned for a company managing growing backlog, multiple programs, and increasing customer scrutiny.The board prioritizes program delivery, capital discipline, manufacturing, supply-chain resilience, cyber risk, and independent oversight.The Capital-Intensive Critical-Minerals CompanyDesigned for a mining, processing, or advanced-materials company moving into construction, qualification, or production.The board connects operations, project finance, permitting, customer qualification, construction, and operational risk across the path from resource to finished product.The Core Sample TakeawayEveryone is talking about where the money is going.The more important question is whether organizations are prepared to use it.Money can fund the opportunity.A trusted, capable, and accountable team turns it into performance.The race is not simply for critical minerals.It is a race for capability.DisclaimerEverything on Core Sample is provided for informational and educational purposes only.Nothing in this episode constitutes investment advice, financial advice, legal advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.Sturnella LLC is a capital-markets cybersecurity and governance advisory firm. It is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer or financial institution.Always conduct your own research and work with licensed professionals who understand your particular circumstances before making an investment or financial decision.Pull up a chair and do your homework. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  From the Ground to the Arsenal: Follow the Money 19.07.2026 26мин

  In this episode of Core Sample, Sydnie connects the suspension of CMMC Phase II with the proposed $1.5 trillion national-defense budget, the Office of Strategic Capital’s new financing pathways.The central question is not simply how much the government is spending but how taxpayers are expected to receive a return. (As always, this is not investment advice. It is an exercise in reading public budgets, contracts, company filings and capital structures.)In this episode* How current deficits compare with the Biden era, Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan and Iraq, and World War II* Why CMMC Phase II’s suspension reduces compliance costs without eliminating cybersecurity obligations* How the Office of Strategic Capital is combining public leverage with private investment management* Why a falling mining-equity price does not necessarily mean the underlying resource has lost strategic importance* Why rare-earth processing and magnet production are not simply mining and why they potentially remain the central supply-chain chokepoints* How gold can decline while central banks continue to accumulate it* What Ukraine and the Strait of Hormuz reveal about the difference between political timelines and industrial timelines* Why patience is not passiveResources* Sturnella* Sturnella Signals* Core Sample on Instagram* Sturnella on YouTube* Myrtus* Myrtus free career resources* SEC EDGAR* SEDAR+* Department of War* Office of Strategic Capital* Department of War Investment Intelligence CenterMore Links - * Department of War, Forging the Arsenal of Freedom: Department of War Suspends CMMC Phase II Requirements. (https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4542329/forging-the-arsenal-of-freedom-department-of-war-suspends-cmmc-phase-ii-require/) * White House, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2027.(https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/budget_fy2027.pdf)* Congressional Budget Office, The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2026 to 2036.(https://www.cbo.gov/publication/62105)* White House, Analytical Perspectives, Fiscal Year 2027(https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/spec_fy2027.pdf)DisclaimerEverything on Core Sample is provided for informational and educational purposes only.Nothing in this episode constitutes investment advice, financial advice, legal advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.Sturnella LLC is a capital-markets cybersecurity and governance advisory firm. It is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer or financial institution.Government investments, loans, guarantees, warrants and procurement agreements involve substantial financial, political, operational and execution risks.Always conduct your own research and work with licensed professionals who understand your particular circumstances before making an investment or financial decision.Pull up a chair and do your homework. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  Critical Minerals and Mine Sites 10.07.2026 22мин

  In This EpisodeWhat critical minerals mean for defense, energy, AI, and advanced manufacturing.How abandoned mine lands and tailings may fit into the domestic mineral security conversation.Why mineral security is not only about new mines.The policy changes that could improve U.S. mineral security.What may drive future demand for critical minerals.How to balance environmental remediation, mineral recovery, and community trust.What investors and leaders may be missing about the physical economy.Resources:• Critical Mineral Resources Network -  www.cm-rn.com• Denee Hayes - https://www.linkedin.com/in/denee-emma-hayes/• Sturnella Signals Newsletter: news.sturnellahq.com• Find Sturnella: sturnellahq.com• Myrtus career strategy: myrtushq.comConnectTo connect with Sydnie or learn more about Sturnella’s work in capital markets cybersecurity and governance, reach out at [email protected] on Core Sample is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing here constitutes investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Sturnella LLC is a capital markets cybersecurity and governance advisory firm and not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or financial institution. Always work with a licensed professional who knows your specific situation before making any investment decision. Pull up a chair and do your homework. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  Volatility is Not the Story 04.07.2026 14мин

  We hit 1,000 downloads recently, so a big thank you. In this shorter Fourth of July episode of Core Sample, I’m reinforcing two signals that matter right now.First: gold tested the $4,000 level, commodities are still feeling heavy, and the tape is uncomfortable. But the strategic thesis hasn’t changed. Government-backed financing, uplistings, DOE awards, loan commitments, and public-market positioning are still showing us where the physical economy is being pulled closer to national security. Volatility is not the end of the story.Second: as government and defense-adjacent capital moves toward critical minerals, energy, and industrial companies, the governance expectations move with it. Boards need to understand CMMC, Federal Contract Information, Controlled Unclassified Information, and the cyber contracting perimeter before they are forced to under pressure.In This Episode• Core Sample hits 1,000 downloads, a big thank you!• Why commodity volatility is not the same thing as the thesis breaking• Gold at the $4,000 level, commodities under pressure, and the fear-and-greed cycle• Where strategic capital is still flowing: DOE pilot projects, Office of Strategic Capital loans, uplistings, and re-domiciles• The better questions to ask: real assets, strategic relevance, capital access, and the government’s priority map• Why boards need cyber fluency before defense-adjacent capital arrives• CMMC, NIST controls, SPRS scores, and why a senior person signing an affirmation is governance not IT• The board-level questions every critical minerals and industrial company should be asking right now• Trust as an asset in capital marketsSources Referenced in This Episode• Department of War Investment Intelligence Center (war.gov)• Sturnella Signals Newsletter: news.sturnellahq.com• DOE coal-to-critical-minerals pilot project selections — up to $75 million• Energy Fuels $725 million Office of Strategic Capital conditional loan commitment• Nova Minerals U.S. re-domicile and NYSE American listing• Idaho Copper U.S. capital-market positioningResources• EDGAR: sec.gov• SEDAR+: sedarplus.ca• Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal: dodsbirsttr.mil• Sturnella Signals Newsletter: news.sturnellahq.com• Find Sturnella: sturnellahq.com• Myrtus career strategy: myrtushq.comDisclaimerEverything on Core Sample is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing here constitutes investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Sturnella LLC is a capital markets cybersecurity and governance advisory firm not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or financial institution. Always work with a licensed professional who knows your specific situation before making any investment decision. Pull up a chair and do your homework. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  The Map is Public Now 27.06.2026 15мин

  On June 25th, the Department of War released a PR email about the Investment Intelligence Center, a public dashboard tracking more than $6.5 billion in national-security capital across hundreds of investments. In this episode of Core Sample, I walk through what the map shows, what it confirms about the industrial-base rebuild thesis, why the recent commodity selloff doesn’t break the signal, and what critical materials companies need to understand about the governance and cyber expectations that come with moving closer to defense contracts.In This Episode• What the Investment Intelligence Center is and why it matters for anyone tracking industrial-base capital• The focus areas the government has flagged as national-security pressure points• Why government capital is a signal, not just money• The fiscal constraint: rebuilding industrial capacity under rising debt and defense spending• Why the selloff in gold, silver, and oil doesn’t end the thesis and the better questions to ask• The missing capital-markets story: why resource and industrial-base companies aren’t getting the IPO attention they may deserve• CMMC phase mandated November 2025, now managed by ISACA what that means • Why cyber readiness is operational readiness, not a side projectSources Referenced in This Episode• Department of War Investment Intelligence Center press release, June 25, 2026 (war.gov) - The link in the press release - https://www.businessdefense.gov/investments.html• Sturnella Signals Newsletter — news.sturnellahq.com• ISACA — Information Systems Audit and Control Association (isaca.org) (https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/cmmc)Resources• EDGAR: sec.gov• SEDAR+: sedarplus.ca• Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal: dodsbirsttr.mil• Sturnella Signals Newsletter: news.sturnellahq.com• Find Sturnella: sturnellahq.com• Myrtus career strategy: myrtushq.comConnectTo connect with Sydnie or learn more about Sturnella’s work in capital markets cybersecurity and governance, reach out at [email protected] on Core Sample is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing here constitutes investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Sturnella LLC is a capital markets cybersecurity and governance advisory firm and not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or financial institution. Always work with a licensed professional who knows your specific situation before making any investment decision. Pull up a chair and do your homework. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  From the Ground to the Arsenal 17.06.2026 13мин

  At one point this year, the United States reportedly had roughly two months of rare earth supplies left for the materials that go into precision munitions, radar, night vision, and the F-35.In this episode of Core Sample, I show you how the public documents connect rare earth processing bottlenecks, the Strait of Hormuz crisis, the largest defense budget request in US history, federal small business grants, and the recent military cyber workforce announcements into a single coherent signal.This is not investment advice, it is about reading what’s publicly available.In this episode:• Why processing, not mining, is the real rare earth bottleneck.• What the Strait of Hormuz closure is teaching the world about chokepoints in real time• SBIR and STTR and the federal funding pathway for small companies in the critical minerals supply chain• The Cyber Mastery Incentive Pay and Cyber Registered Apprenticeship Program announcements and why the workforce signal is the materials signal• Governance questions every critical minerals operator should be asking right now• Why women in this industry are standing in the middle of this story, not adjacent to itSources referenced in this episode:• Department of War Cyber Mastery Incentive Pay release (war.gov)• DoW Cyber Registered Apprenticeship Program announcement, April 28, 2026 (dodcio.defense.gov)• DOE Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation: Regional Consortia announcement, June 3, 2026 (energy.gov/cmei)• DOE Rare Earth Demonstration Facility program, $134 million NOFO, December 2025• Covington Inside Government Contracts: Federal Push for Critical Minerals Stockpiling, 2025 in Review• Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (dodsbirsttr.mil)Resources:• EDGAR: sec.gov• SEDAR+: sedarplus.ca• Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal: dodsbirsttr.mil• Sturnella Signals Newsletter: news.sturnellahq.com• Find Sturnella: sturnellahq.com• Myrtus career strategy: myrtushq.comSpeaking at:I was recently at the Elko Mining Expo in Elko, Nevada, presenting on When a Cyber Incident Becomes a Disclosure Event: What Gold Producers Need to Know About SEC Item 1.05. If you missed it and want to connect, reach out at [email protected]:Everything on Core Sample is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing here constitutes investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Sturnella LLC is a capital markets cybersecurity and governance advisory firm not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or financial institution. Always work with a licensed professional who knows your specific situation before making any investment decision. Pull up a chair and do your homework. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  Episode 7 Run Your Own Race 12.06.2026 10мин

  SHOW NOTES:Title: Run Your Own RaceSubtitle: Joan Benoit Samuelson broke away from the pack at mile three and won the first women’s Olympic marathon mostly alone. I just spent three days at the Elko Mining Expo, and what I saw there told me something the tape didn’t. Going it alone isn’t always wrong.There is something deeply uncomfortable about being the only person walking in the opposite direction from the crowd.In 1984, a runner from Maine named Joan Benoit Samuelson broke away from the pack at mile three of the first Olympic women’s marathon. The rest of the field didn’t follow. They thought she’d burn out. She’d had serious knee surgery earlier that year. She ran most of the race alone and won the gold medal.The crowd was wrong. The lone runner was right.In this episode of Core Sample, I’m talking about what it actually looks like to read the data when the crowd is moving the other direction.Gold dropped nearly 4 percent this past week. GLD closed Friday at $396.24. Year to date, it’s essentially flat but anyone who chased the February peak at $494.56 is down close to around 20 percent. The headlines drove it in my opinion: a blowout jobs report, stalled Middle East peace talks, and a repricing of Fed rate expectations.But I just spent three days at the Elko Mining Expo, on Friday I gave a talk. Booths were packed, job postings were real and vendors appeared to be filling orders. The price signal and the operational signal are pointing in opposite directions.In my experience as a former equity trader, investment banker, and capital markets professional the people on the ground tend to know something the market doesn’t.This is not investment advice. You have to do your own research. But this is what reading the data actually looks like.In this episode:* Why going it alone feels awful and why it isn’t always wrong* The 1984 Joan Benoit Samuelson story and what it teaches about conviction under uncertainty* Gold’s 2026 round trip GLD’s February peak, this week’s drop, and what the chart actually says* The divergence between the commodities tape and the operational reality on the ground at Elko* Why the miners on the ground tend to know something the market doesn’t* Oscar Wilde, the lone sheep, and what trusting your own research actually looks like* Why this is not investment advice and why you still need to do the workResources:* Sturnella Signals Newsletter: news.sturnellahq.com* Find Sturnella: sturnellahq.com* Myrtus career strategy: myrtushq.comDisclaimer:Everything on Core Sample is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing here constitutes investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Sturnella LLC is a capital markets cybersecurity and governance advisory firm not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or financial institution. Always work with a licensed professional who knows your specific situation before making any investment decision. Pull up a chair and do your homework. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  Episode 6 Patience Is Golden 30.05.2026 14мин

  I started my career as an equity trader straight out of college at an asset management firm. Later I went into investment banking and then hedge funds. Long before cybersecurity, I was reading the data.And the data right now is telling a story most people aren’t hearing.In 2025, gold returned over 63 percent. Silver between 140 and 180. Energy is outperforming broad equities. The US debt is over 39 trillion dollars. China controls 86 percent of critical mineral refining. The DofW Press Releases are indicating contracting for capabilities that won’t come online until 2035.The market is pricing one story. The procurement contracts are telling another.In this episode of Core Sample, I’m walking you through how I read this picture as an equity trader, an investor, and a strategist and why patience is the most underrated discipline in any cycle.I’m also being honest about the SEC environment the way I see it, what’s shifted under Chairman Atkins, and what it means for the work I do at Sturnella. The rules are still in force. The timing has shifted and reading that distinction is exactly what this podcast is about.This is not investment advice. You need to do your own research and talk to a qualified professional who knows your situation. But it is an invitation to read what’s actually happening and to recognize that the women in this industry already have the foundation to do it.In this episode:* Why I read Department of War procurement contracts before I read the news* What the 2025 returns in gold, silver, and energy are actually telling us* The divergence between market sentiment and procurement signals and why it matters* Why the SEC enforcement environment has shifted and what it means for cyber governance* The difference between believing in your work and reading the timing* How the Myrtus framework, Pivot With Purpose applies to careers, investments, and businesses* Why women in mining, resources, oil and gas, and defense already have the foundation most analysts don’t* Patience as a discipline and what to do while you wait for the catalystResources mentioned:* Sturnella Signals Newsletter: news.sturnellahq.com* Find Sturnella: sturnellahq.com* Myrtus career strategy: myrtushq.com, Free Resources available here https://myrtushq.com/resources* EDGAR: sec.gov* SEDAR+: sedarplus.ca* US Debt Clock: usdebtclock.org* Department of War: https://www.war.gov/Speaking at:I’m at the Elko Mining Expo in Elko, Nevada. June 3rd through the 5th.My technical session is Friday at 10am: When a Cyber Incident Becomes a Disclosure Event: What Gold Producers Need to Know About SEC Item 1.05. If you’re there, come say hi. Agenda can be found here - https://web.cvent.com/event/d71285ce-0ea4-4b99-be64-f50e9c3005ac/websitePage:645d57e4-75eb-4769-b2c0-f201a0bfc6ce?rt=0XZjrdHKyU2kWDt5t7MnZA Disclaimer:Everything on Core Sample is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing here constitutes investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Sturnella LLC is a capital markets cybersecurity and governance advisory firm — not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or financial institution. Always work with a licensed professional who knows your specific situation before making any investment decision. Pull up a chair — and do your homework. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  Episode 5 When Everything Feels Uncertain, The Numbers Know 24.05.2026 17мин

  Jumping in to add a note - I know these recordings are not perfect, they are not supposed to be but the information needs to be shared and that is why I’m doing this. Show Notes:There is a specific feeling that shows up when you’re standing at a crossroads. A career that stopped fitting. A sector shifting underneath you. A hunch you can’t quite name yet.That feeling is loud. And it makes it very hard to think clearly.In this episode of Core Sample, I want to show you something that helped me more than any career coach or personality test ever did. Public filings. Free data. Numbers that don’t have opinions.When your emotions are loud, the numbers will tell you where to look.I’m walking through EDGAR and SEDAR+ — the free public databases where every listed company has to put the truth — not as investing tools only, but as career intelligence tools. The same research you’d do before putting money into a company, you can do before putting your career into one.This episode also introduces the Pivot With Purpose framework from my career strategy practice, Myrtus — because the women in this sector are already positioned at the intersection of everything the macro cycle is pointing toward. You just need the signal.In this episode:• Why the loudest moments of uncertainty are exactly when you need to go to the data• What EDGAR and SEDAR+ are and how to find any public company’s filings in under five minutes• How to use a company’s annual report as career research — not just investment research• The three financial signals that matter most without a finance degree — cash, debt, and dilution• How to read management’s tone in the MD&A and why your industry knowledge gives you an edge no analyst has• What material event disclosures tell you about governance culture• Why cybersecurity filings are one of the most underread signals for both investors and career professionals right now• The Pivot With Purpose framework — read the signal, find your position, move before the crowd• Your homework — one company, three sections, starting todayResources mentioned:• EDGAR: sec.gov• SEDAR+: sedarplus.ca• Myrtus — Pivot With Purpose career strategy: myrtushq.com• Myrtus — Free Presentation and Resources https://myrtushq.com/resources• Sturnella — Thought Leadership - https://sturnellahq.com/the-silence-in-the-filing-record• Sturnella Signals Newsletter: news.sturnellahq.com• Find Sturnella: sturnellahq.comBefore I let you go — a quick word on something important.Everything I share on Core Sample is for informational and educational purposes only. I’m here to talk about ideas, share what I’ve learned, and give you tools to ask better questions. But I don’t know your specific situation — your finances, your risk profile, your legal circumstances — and nothing on this show should be taken as investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security or financial instrument.Sturnella is a capital markets cybersecurity and governance advisory firm. We are not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or financial institution. Women seeking investment decisions should work with licensed professionals to understand their risk profile and receive qualified advice.The information I share is based on publicly available sources and my own experience and perspective. I believe it’s accurate — but I’m not guaranteeing it, and things change.Now — with that said — I’m really glad you’re here. Pull up a chair. See you next time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  Episode 4 Your First Due Diligence Tool Is Free 16.05.2026 11мин

  I started this episode differently as yesterday (5/14/2026) I gave a talk to ISACA Phoenix and I wanted to make the presentation available to this audience. The link to the PDF presentation with the worksheets is on page 5 and 17. The worksheets help guide a career pivot and this may be relevant if you listened to Episode 3 and are interested in how Cybersecurity connects with mining, resources and defense. The link can be found in the middle of the page - https://myrtushq.com/resources. I recently came across some numbers that showed women represent 8-17% of the global mining workforce don’t quote me but I think it came from a study by McKinsey in 2021. But some studies suggest that women lack specialized financial education to take on the investment risk but what I’ve seen recently is that women want to get involved.That tells you everything you need to know about where we are right now. Women in mining and critical minerals are ready. They have the industry knowledge, the operational instincts, the sector fluency. What they’re looking for is the language and the tools to connect all of that to their financial decisions.This episode is one piece of that puzzle. And I want to start somewhere that costs nothing, requires no license, and is available to anyone with an internet connection.EDGAR. And its Canadian counterpart, SEDAR+.These are the public filing databases where companies disclose what they are required to tell investors — and a lot of what they’d probably prefer you didn’t read too carefully. In this episode I’m walking you through what these databases are, how to find a company’s filings, and specifically what to look for in the cybersecurity disclosure sections that the SEC now requires every public company to file.Here’s why that matters as an investor: since December 2023, every U.S.-listed public company has been required to describe in their annual report exactly how they assess, identify, and manage cybersecurity risk — and how their board oversees it. That’s Regulation S-K Item 106. If a material cyber incident occurs, they have four business days to disclose it publicly under Form 8-K Item 1.05. I am starting with that as we have been discussing it on previous podcasts.What those filings say — and how they say it — tells you something real about a company. Is the disclosure specific and detailed, or is it boilerplate? Does the board have actual cyber expertise, or are they checking a box? Has the company disclosed a prior incident, and if so, how did they handle it? Is there a pattern?You don’t need to be a cybersecurity professional to start reading these. You need to know where to look and what questions to ask. That’s what this episode is about.We’re starting simple. We’re starting free. And we’re building from here.In this episode:* Women are increasingly showing up to learn more about investing and what it signals about this moment* What EDGAR is, what SEDAR+ is, and how to find any public company’s filings in under five minutes* The specific cybersecurity sections now required in every U.S. public company annual report* What strong cyber disclosure looks like versus boilerplate box-checking* The questions to ask when you’re reading a filing as a potential investor* Why reputational and operational cyber risk is a valuation question, not just a technical one* How to use this as one lens in your broader due diligence — not a replacement for professional adviceResources mentioned:* EDGAR: https://www.sec.gov/search-filings* SEDAR+: sedarplus.ca* SEC Cybersecurity Disclosure Rules overview: sec.gov* Sturnella Signals Newsletter: news.sturnellahq.comFind Sturnella: sturnellahq.comDisclaimer:Before I let you go — a quick word on something important.Everything I share on Core Sample is for informational and educational purposes only. I’m here to talk about ideas, share what I’ve learned, and give you tools to ask better questions. But I don’t know your specific situation — your finances, your risk profile, your legal circumstances — and nothing on this show should be taken as investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security or financial instrument.Sturnella is a capital markets cybersecurity and governance advisory firm. We are not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or financial institution. Women seeking investment decisions should work with licensed professionals to understand their risk profile and receive qualified advice.The information I share is based on publicly available sources and my own experience and perspective. I believe it’s accurate — but I’m not guaranteeing it, and things change.Now — with that said — I’m really glad you’re here. Pull up a chair. See you next time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  Episode 3 The Ore Body Nobody is Talking About 08.05.2026 7мин

  There is an ore body in the mining and critical minerals space that nobody is talking about. It’s not a deposit. It’s a workforce gap. And it sits right at the intersection of cybersecurity governance, capital markets, and resource sector expertise.In this episode of Core Sample, I’m naming it out loud — because I don’t think enough people are.The SEC’s 2023 cybersecurity disclosure rules changed the compliance landscape for every public and pre-IPO company in the United States. Under Regulation S-K Item 106, boards must now demonstrate annual oversight of cybersecurity risk. Under Form 8-K Item 1.05, material incidents require public disclosure within four business days. For mining and critical minerals companies — sectors increasingly tangled up with national security, foreign investment review, and strategic supply chains — this creates a layered governance challenge that goes well beyond hiring a CISO.The people who can navigate that challenge need to hold law, capital markets, operational risk, and board accountability all at once. And here’s what I want you to hear: women who build careers in this sector already develop exactly that kind of range. We learn to translate complex risk into language that decision-makers can act on. We move between technical and commercial, operational and regulatory, site-level and C-suite.That is precisely the skill that capital markets cybersecurity demands.If you work in finance, legal, investor relations, operations, environmental, or risk inside this sector — you already have the hard part. The mining fluency. The sector credibility. The capital markets instinct. The cyber governance layer is learnable. And I say that as someone who earned her CISSP, CISM, and CCSP while already working in the industry.I also walk through two real April 2026 SEC disclosures — Itron and Medtronic — that show exactly what the difference between preparation and improvisation looks like in practice.This episode is an invitation. If you’ve ever been curious about where cyber governance intersects with your current role — or whether this represents a career direction worth exploring — this one is for you.In this episode:* The workforce gap hiding in plain sight in mining and critical minerals* What the SEC’s 2023 rules actually require — and why it’s a governance problem, not a technical one* Why women in this sector already have the hardest skills to acquire* Real disclosure examples from April 2026 — Itron and Medtronic* How to start if you’re curious — and why you have more of the foundation than you think* How to reach Sturnella if you want to talkFind Sturnella: sturnellahq.com Sturnella Signals Newsletter: news.sturnellahq.comDisclaimer: Everything I share on Core Sample is for informational and educational purposes only. I’m here to talk about ideas, share what I’ve learned, and spotlight the women doing incredible work in this industry. But I don’t know your specific situation — your finances, your career, your legal circumstances — and nothing on this show should be taken as investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security or financial instrument.Sturnella is a capital markets cybersecurity and governance advisory firm. We are not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or financial institution. If you’re making investment or career decisions, please talk to a qualified professional who knows your situation.The information I share is based on publicly available sources and my own experience and perspective. I believe it’s accurate — but I’m not guaranteeing it, and things change.Now — with that said — I’m really glad you’re here. This show exists because these conversations matter. And so do you.Pull up a chair. See you next time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  Episode 2 The Timing Will Feel Wrong 08.05.2026 7мин

  I ran a race this weekend. I didn’t run a great one.The time was off. My splits weren’t where I wanted them. And standing at mile 26, I made a choice about the story I was going to tell myself — the timing was off. Not the runner. There’s a difference. And it matters.In this episode of Core Sample, I’m pulling that thread through everything I do — endurance sport, entrepreneurship, and capital markets cybersecurity — because the principle underneath all of it is the same. The people who follow their intuition and do the work before anyone is watching? They finish. Not on the schedule they planned. But they cross the line.I also want to talk about what that means in a very specific, very real regulatory context. In 2023, the SEC adopted rules requiring public companies to disclose material cybersecurity incidents within four business days of determining they’re material. For a junior mining company that’s mid-transaction or weeks from listing, that clock starts whether you’re ready or not. The breach doesn’t check your calendar. The storm comes on its own schedule.The companies that navigate that well aren’t the ones who figured it out under pressure. They’re the ones who built the framework before anything happened. The training happened before the race.This episode is about lifelong learning, intuition, preparation, and why doing the work before it’s required is the whole strategy — in running, in business, and in governance.In this episode:* What mile 26 taught me about timing and identity* Why I trust the hunch even when the outcome isn’t visible yet* The SEC’s four-business-day disclosure clock and what it means in practice* Why preparation in cyber governance is a professional discipline, not an afterthought* Lifelong learning as a competitive advantage — and how I’ve lived it* Coach Bennett’s mantra and why it applies well beyond runningFind Sturnella: sturnellahq.com Sturnella Signals Newsletter: news.sturnellahq.comDisclaimer: Everything on Core Sample is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing here constitutes investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Sturnella LLC is a capital markets cybersecurity and governance advisory firm — not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or financial institution. Always work with a licensed professional who knows your specific situation before making any investment decision. Pull up a chair — and do your homework. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  Episode 1 Original Story 06.05.2026 6мин

  Show Notes.EPISODE 1: SHOW NOTES PACKAGEShow Notes:This is the episode where it all begins.I’m Sydnie Beckman — founder of Sturnella, capital markets cybersecurity advisor, endurance athlete, and gold bug since 2001. In this first episode of Core Sample, I’m telling you exactly how I got here. Not the polished version. The real one.I walked away from a corporate career — cybersecurity, risk, big institutions, London, Singapore, global teams — with no safety net and no next job lined up. What I did have was a conviction I’d been carrying for over twenty years and a plan to finally go all in on it.I spent more than a year doing deep independent research into gold, silver, uranium, and critical minerals equities. Junior miners. SEC filings. Capital markets cycles. Sector rotation. Just me, in Wyoming, and the work. And somewhere in that research, I kept finding the same problem underneath every delayed listing and stalled transaction — CEOs, CFOs, and legal teams completely overwhelmed by SEC cybersecurity disclosure rules that were brand new, with no roadmap in sight.In July 2023, the SEC adopted sweeping rules requiring public companies to disclose material cyber incidents within four business days and describe board-level cyber oversight annually. For small mining and critical minerals companies, that’s an almost impossible standard without the right infrastructure in place. Nobody was helping them build it.So I did. In January 2026, I launched Sturnella.This episode is about the hunch, the leap, and why I built this show — for the women in mining, critical minerals, and natural resources who deserve a microphone.In this episode:* Why I left corporate without a plan B* My twenty-year conviction in gold and critical minerals* What I found as an investor that I couldn’t unsee* The SEC rules that changed the game for small mining companies* Why I launched Sturnella — and why now* What Core Sample is, who it’s for, and why pull up a chairFind Sturnella: sturnellahq.com Sturnella Signals Newsletter: news.sturnellahq.comDisclaimer:   Everything on Core Sample is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing here constitutes investment advice, financial advice, legal advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Sturnella LLC is a capital markets cybersecurity and governance advisory firm — not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or financial institution. Always work with a licensed professional who knows your specific situation before making any investment decision. Pull up a chair — and do your homework. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com
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  Welcome to Core Sample 31.03.2026 2мин

  This is Core Sample — a podcast about the women who work across the full length of the mining and critical minerals supply chain. From the pit to the boardroom, from the assay lab to the trading desk, their work powers the energy transition, national defense, and the global economy. Most people have no idea.In this first episode, I’m sharing why I started this show, who it’s for, and what I hope it becomes. If you’re a woman in mining, critical minerals, or natural resources — or you know one — you’re in the right place.Hit follow, share it with someone who needs to hear it, and let’s get into it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sturnellahq.substack.com