Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing

Episode Summary: Step inside the Torq Universe, a marketing world where the Big Hat isn’t just swag, it’s a storyline; the Sock Goblin explains why your SOC is drowning in false positives; and a falcon named Robert Girdle might swoop into the next conference booth. In this episode, Gianna teams up with Tessa The (Senior Field Marketing Manager at Torq) and Brittney Wittfeldt-Zec (Senior Social Media Manager at Torq) to unpack how Torq turned characters and inside jokes into a real growth engine: from 4K to 29K+ LinkedIn followers, cybersecurity pros cosplaying their merch, and a community that actually asks for more lore. Why does it matter? This isn’t marketing theater; it’s proof that buyers connect faster and deeper when your brand lives in a world they want to join. 👉 Tune in to hear how Torq bridges field and social, measures what sticks, and keeps expanding a universe that cybersecurity folks can’t stop talking about. About guests:  Tessa The is Senior Field Marketing Manager at Torq, where she brings campaigns and characters into the real world through conferences, field programs, and the now-legendary Big Hat. She focuses on creating in-person experiences that tie seamlessly back to Torq’s brand universe. Follow Tessa on LinkedIn Brittney Wittfeldt-Zec is Senior Social Media Manager at Torq, leading the charge on building community and engagement across digital channels. From launching the Sock Goblin to scaling Torq’s LinkedIn following past 29K, she shows how storytelling and social media can fuel measurable growth. Follow Brittney on LinkedIn About Torq: Torq is a security automation platform that helps teams cut noise, streamline response, and focus on what matters most by turning workflows into a connected, automated system. 🔗 Links & Resources: Learn more about Torq The Big Hat Conspiracy video on LinkedIn Subscribe & Review: 👉 Enjoyed this one? Drop us a quick ⭐ rating or review, it helps more cyber marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Meet us at CyberMarketingCon 2025! Want to level up your cybersecurity marketing? Join us Dec 7–10 in Austin, TX, for four days of zero-fluff workshops, real-deal networking, and maybe the best BBQ meetup you’ll ever have. 👉 Snag your ticket now! See you in Austin, where the insights and vibes are hotter. Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria Velasquez on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode Summary: Ask Sarah Acker about her team at HUMAN Security, and you won’t just hear “brand” or “demand gen.” You’ll hear humans, cyborgs, and bots. That playful framing comes straight from how she describes the groups on her team, showing her mix of structure and creativity in cybersecurity marketing. In this conversation, Sarah walks us through HUMAN Security’s transformation from White Ops into a cybersecurity company, the realities of merging with PerimeterX, and why she believes the best marketing is equal parts “pretty” and “gritty.” Along the way, we cover FBI investigations, a Halloween parade float, and the persistence of old logos that still turn up on invoices years after a rebrand. If you’ve faced the challenges of rebrands, mergers, or balancing creativity with effectiveness in cybersecurity marketing, Sarah’s stories offer a clear look at what it takes to make it work.  About Sarah: Sarah Acker is the SVP, Global Head of Marketing at HUMAN Security. She joined the company when it was still known as White Ops and has been part of its evolution into cybersecurity, including the acquisition and integration of PerimeterX. Before HUMAN Security, Sarah was Head of Brand Experience and Partnerships at iCrossing, a Hearst-owned digital agency, and Director of Marketing at ALTZ Investment Strategies LLC. Earlier in her career, she worked across industries, including health and wellness, beauty, fashion, fintech, real estate, and media, before moving into cybersecurity. Follow Sarah on LinkedIn 🔗 Links & Resources: Check out HUMAN Security’s website HUMAN Security: 3ve: The Long Game The Hunt for 3ve (White Paper)  Dark Reading Coverage: Google, White Ops, and Industry Players Dismantle 3ve HUMAN Security Press Release: BADBOX 2.0 Scheme Exposed  HUMAN Security Blog: BADBOX 2.0 Disruption Report  SecurityWeek: BadBox Botnet Powered by 1 Million Android Devices Disrupted Subscribe & Review: 👉 Enjoyed this one? Drop us a quick ⭐ rating or review, it helps more cyber marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Meet us at CyberMarketingCon 2025! Want to level up your cybersecurity marketing? Join us Dec 7–10 in Austin, TX, for four days of zero-fluff workshops, real-deal networking, and maybe the best BBQ meetup you’ll ever have. 👉 Snag your ticket now! See you in Austin, where the insights and vibes are hotter. Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria Velasquez on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode Summary: Antu Buck didn’t plan to end up in customer marketing. She started in sales, carrying a bag as a BDR and enterprise rep, before realizing the part she loved most was building customer relationships. That path led her to McAfee, Intel Security, and now Gigamon, where she’s the Senior Director of Customer Marketing & Community. In this episode, Antu explains customer marketing, how it grew from “reference calls” into a core pillar of modern marketing, and why advocacy, community, and lifecycle programs all matter. We also discuss the common mistakes companies make when they treat community as a checkbox, how to prove ROI in a low-disclosure industry, and what it takes to turn a happy customer into a true superfan. Listen in as Antu previews her 30/60/90-day playbook for building a customer marketing program and catch the full plan live at CyberMarketingCon. About Antu:  Antu Buck is the Senior Director of Customer Marketing & Community at Gigamon, where she leads customer advocacy, engagement programs, and lifecycle marketing initiatives. Before Gigamon, she built and ran customer marketing programs at McAfee and Intel Security, including customer reference programs, executive briefings, and advocacy initiatives. Her career began in sales as a BDR and enterprise rep, which gave her a customer-first perspective that still shapes her approach today. Connect with Antu on LinkedIn 🔗 Links & Resources: Learn more about Gigamon Subscribe & Review: 👉 Enjoyed this one? Drop us a quick ⭐ rating or review, it helps more cyber marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Meet us at CyberMarketingCon 2025! Want to level up your cybersecurity marketing? Join us Dec 7–10 in Austin, TX, for four days of zero-fluff workshops, real-deal networking, and maybe the best BBQ meetup you’ll ever have. 👉 Snag your ticket now! See you in Austin, where the insights and vibes are hotter. Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria Velasquez on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode Summary: CISOs get all the cold emails, but they’re not always the ones who decide if your product lives or dies. In this episode, Rob Solomon (CrowdStrike) and Jennifer Reed (Amazon Web Services, AWS) join hosts Gianna and Maria to explain why the real buying power often sits with solution architects and security engineers. They take us inside the AWS-CrowdStrike-NVIDIA Cyber Accelerator Program (Gianna is a mentor for the program), share how joint launches like Falcon for AWS Security Incident Response come together, and spell out what startups get wrong when pitching technical buyers. You will hear how to move past fear-based messaging, make adoption seamless, and why internal marketing matters as much as the external splash. About the Guests Rob Solomon is a Senior Cloud Solutions Architect – Alliances at CrowdStrike, where he designs and advises on secure, scalable cloud architectures and helps partners integrate CrowdStrike technologies into joint solutions. Follow on LinkedIn Jenn Reed is a Principal Security Partner Solutions Architect at Amazon Web Services (AWS) and a former Chief Information Security Officer. She works with AWS partners and customers on cloud-native security, compliance, and technical strategy, bringing firsthand experience of what resonates (and fails) when pitching security leaders. Follow on LinkedIn 🔗 Links & Resources: CrowdStrike Press Release | Falcon for AWS Security Incident Response  Forbes | CrowdStrike and AWS Simplify Security Incident Response  AWS re Inforce 2025 | Best practices to securing AI with AWS and CrowdStrike (DAP203) AWS Workshop | Hybrid Environments with IAM Roles Anywhere CrowdStrike AWS  Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating or review, it helps more marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Meet us at CyberMarketingCon 2025! Want the insider secrets cybersecurity marketers use? Join us December 7–10 in Austin, TX, for four days of zero-fluff workshops, real-deal networking, and maybe the best BBQ meetup you’ll ever have. 👉 Snag your ticket now! See you in Austin, where the insights and vibes are hotter. Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria Velasquez on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode Summary: The Cyber Guild is built on community, helping people use technology to their advantage and ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital age. In this episode, Executive Director Debbie Sallis joins Gianna to share how that mission comes to life: through three targeted events helping people professionally develop in the cyber world. They host Uniting Women in Cyber, a flagship event that feels more like an experience than a conference; Cyber Connect, which pivoted in response to federal layoffs to support professionals in transition; and RISE, a mentorship program connecting seasoned leaders with those just starting their cybersecurity careers. With only four staff and a dedicated group of volunteers, Debbie shows how impact isn’t about scale or budget, it’s about showing up, creating space, and meeting the moment together. This episode is about how community, not scale, drives change in cybersecurity and how you can be part of it. About Debbie Debbie Sallis is the executive director of The Cyber Guild, a nonprofit community advancing sustainable cybersecurity and inclusive leadership. Since 2021, she has led the Guild’s flagship programs — Uniting Women in Cyber, Cyber Connect, and RISE — building initiatives that give professionals at every stage of their careers a place to connect, grow, and lead. In addition to her role at The Cyber Guild, Debbie contributes her expertise as an Advisory Board Member with the Technology Advancement Center (TAC), which supports open-source innovation for U.S. national security and the intelligence community, and with Evans & Chambers Technology, a D.C.-based firm that delivers secure, agile software solutions for defense and intelligence missions. Follow Debbie on LinkedIn.  🔗 Links & Resources: The Cyber Guild – Learn more about the nonprofit, its mission, and programs. Uniting Women in Cyber – October 9, 2024 (Amazon HQ, Crystal City, Arlington) – Event details and registration. Sponsorship Opportunities – Ways to support and get involved. Subscribe & Review:Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating or review, it helps more marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Meet us at CyberMarketingCon 2025! Want the insider secrets cybersecurity marketers use? Join us December 7–10 in Austin, TX, for four days of zero-fluff workshops, real-deal networking, and maybe the best BBQ meetup you’ll ever have. 👉 Snag your ticket now! See you in Austin, where the insights and vibes are hotter. Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria Velasquez on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you next Wednesday with a new episode!

Episode Summary: For Brandon Min, building Herd Security has meant tackling two challenges at once: helping companies create a culture of security while also figuring out how to market a startup on a scrappy budget. In this episode, he shares how Herd rethinks security awareness with micro-training that employees finish, why 90% of cyberattacks start with users, and what it takes to build “herd immunity” inside organizations. On the marketing side, Brandon walks us through testing ideas before building, finding overlooked SEO wins, and how, in his experience, a $50 guerrilla stunt brought in more leads than a trade show booth that cost 500x more. It’s a rare look at the crossroads of security culture and startup marketing, and it offers plenty of lessons for anyone trying to build attention and trust in cybersecurity. About Brandon:  Brandon Min is the Founder & CEO of Herd Security, a Los Angeles-based startup helping organizations build “herd immunity” against social‑engineering and AI‑driven threats through micro-training, workflow automation, and targeted simulations that engage employees. Herd Security’s platform also addresses emerging deepfake risk with tools, including voice deepfake detection. This is part of its broader training and awareness suite and aims at a modern, user‑centric security culture. Before launching, Brandon worked at Duo Security, supporting secure‑access deployments and bringing a hands‑on technical perspective that informs his product and go‑to‑market decisions.  Connect with Brandon on LinkedIn.  🔗 Links & Resources: Learn more about Herd Security WePay’s Ice Block Stunt at PayPal’s Conference -  guerrilla marketing done right! Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating or review, it helps more marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Meet us at CyberMarketingCon 2025! Want the insider secrets cybersecurity marketers use? Join us December 7–10 in Austin, TX, for four days of zero-fluff workshops, real-deal networking, and maybe the best BBQ meetup you’ll ever have. 👉 Snag your ticket now! See you in Austin, where the insights and vibes are hotter. Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria Velasquez on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode Summary: Sri Sundaralingam has led teams at global enterprises and multiple startups in cybersecurity and enterprise software. He is now the CMO at Xage Security and has held leadership positions at Cisco, Symantec, ExtraHop, Shape Security, Mojo Networks, and Endace. He breaks down what carries over between big-company and early-stage environments and what you must relearn. In the episode, we explore hiring for creativity vs. experience, how to test a move from individual contributor (IC) to manager before you commit, and practical ways to handle politics while keeping work moving. Sri also shares how he frames Zero Trust and other technical concepts so buyers understand the value. Listen if you’re deciding between startup and enterprise, weighing IC vs. management, or want concrete hiring and communication tactics you can use this quarter. About Sri:  Sri Sundaralingam is Chief Marketing Officer at Xage Security, a global leader in zero trust access, especially for critical infrastructure. His experience spans leadership roles in high-growth startups and international firms, including ExtraHop, Symantec, Shape Security, Endace, Cisco, Mojo Networks, and Juniper Networks. With a technical engineering foundation, Sri has guided teams across product management, product marketing, and corporate marketing. He’s also credited as an inventor on wireless security technology pioneered at Mojo Networks. 🔗 Links & Resources: Follow Sri Sundaralingam on LinkedIn  Xage Security – Official Website Meet us at CyberMarketingCon 2025! Want the insider secrets cybersecurity marketers use? Join us December 7–10 in Austin, TX, for four days of zero-fluff workshops, real-deal networking, and maybe the best BBQ meetup you’ll ever have. 👉 Snag your ticket now! See you in Austin, where the insights and vibes are hotter. Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating or review, it helps more marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria Velasquez on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode Summary: Ransomware has evolved from one-off attacks to a fully operational criminal economy. Today, cybercrime groups operate with defined roles, shared infrastructure, and a growing reliance on AI to speed up intrusion, encryption, and extortion. Our guest this episode unveils insights from tracking the fraudulent side of the internet. Dr. Diane Janosek, CEO of Janos LLC and former senior executive at the National Security Agency (NSA), joins Gianna to unpack the structure and strategy behind ransomware-as-a-service. Drawing on her background in law, compliance, and national security, including her leadership at the National Cryptologic School, she breaks down how these syndicates function, what most companies get wrong in their response, and why even well-maintained backups aren’t the safety net they once were. We also explore how AI is accelerating the criminal kill chain, the real stats behind ransom payments (and regrets), and why ransomware is increasingly a tool of geopolitical disruption, not just financial gain.  🎬 The trailer for the film is included in this episode with permission. Courtesy of the Bold Stroke. All rights reserved. Dawn of Cyberwarfare – Produced by the Bold Stroke – Directed by Alisha Merkle & Fabrizio Dublino 🔗 Links & Resources: The Cyber Effect by Dr. Mary Aiken Chip War by Chris Miller Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson Darknet Diaries podcast: darknetdiaries.com Recommended episode: Episode 24 – Operation BayonetArticle on King Charles’ Canada visit More about the film here! Meet us at CyberMarketingCon 2025! Want the insider secrets cybersecurity marketers use? Join us December 7–10 in Austin, TX, for four days of zero-fluff workshops, real-deal networking, and maybe the best BBQ meetup you’ll ever have. 👉 Snag your ticket now! See you in Austin, where the insights and vibes are hotter. About Dr. Diane:  Dr. Diane Janosek is a national security leader, cybersecurity compliance expert, and CEO of Janos LLC. With over a decade at the National Security Agency, she served as Deputy Director of Compliance, Commandant of the National Cryptologic School, and senior legal and policy advisor across the intelligence community. She holds a Ph.D. in cybersecurity law, a J.D., and a master’s in strategic intelligence, and has worked at the intersection of law, cyber, privacy, and geopolitics throughout her career. Diane has trained thousands of cyber professionals globally, written extensively on cyber ethics and space security, and remains a leading voice on the risks posed by AI-accelerated threats and criminal enterprise models like ransomware-as-a-service. Learn more at dianejanosek.com Follow her on LinkedIn Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating or review, it helps more marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria Velasquez on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode Summary: You can’t copy Maya Doron. Not just because she’ll notice (and yes, she has receipts), but because everything she does on social at Wiz is built on something AI can’t touch: chaos, specificity, and a running list of what we’re calling Maya-isms. As Growth Marketing Manager at Wiz, Maya helps shape one of the most original brands in cybersecurity — from viral puppies and cloud cornflakes to musicals, memes, and “what’s in your tabs?” CISO interviews. In this episode, she joins Gianna to talk through what makes content real, what makes it work, and why going viral is never the goal. They get into the problems with AI-generated blandness, the return of photos on LinkedIn, how sensory marketing taps into memory even more deeply than visuals, and what it takes to build a brand people don’t just notice — they respect.  🎧 Hit play to hear how Maya builds scroll-stopping social in the most copy-paste-prone industry online. 🔗 Links & Resources: Watch the Wiz Puppies Campaign – yes, there are actual puppies! Watch the Wiz April Fool’s Musical – yes, it’s a full musical! Learn more about Wiz Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome and intro to Maya Deone from Wiz 01:08 – What Maya does as Growth Marketing Manager 02:36 – Social platforms, TikTok strategy, and reaching the next wave 04:06 – Filming CISOs, creating content at events, and AI tools for editing 05:49 – Maya’s favorite brand accounts: Surreal Cornflakes & Duolingo 07:59 – Wiz Easter eggs and sensory marketing tricks 09:32 – How Wiz uses AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude 10:42 – The sameness problem on LinkedIn and keeping your voice 13:27 – Making content digestible for CISOs and why shorter wins 14:33 – What performs best on social: booths, themes, and research 17:17 – The viral puppy campaign and ungated content strategy 19:24 – Creating trailer-style content and staying positive in cyber 22:21 – Social media trends to skip — and what’s working now 24:43 – The rise of raw, behind-the-scenes, and handwritten posts 25:26 – “Don’t optimize for viral, optimize for real” 27:00 – Building brand trust through consistency and giveaways 28:39 – Maya’s mantra: “Don’t post what a competitor could copy” 30:12 – What is sensory marketing? And why it sticks 33:08 – Sound, food, and April Fool’s musicals 34:13 – Where to find Maya and final thoughts 34:54 – Come to CyberMarketingCon 2025 in Austin! Meet us at CyberMarketingCon 2025! Want the insider secrets cybersecurity marketers use? Join us December 7–10 in Austin, TX, for four days of zero-fluff workshops, real-deal networking, and maybe the best BBQ meetup you’ll ever have. 👉 Snag your ticket now! See you in Austin, where the insights and vibes are hotter. About Maya: Maya Doron joined the Wiz team in September 2023 as the growth marketing manager. In her role, she leads the company’s social and video content strategy across platforms like YouTube, LinkedIn, and X, turning playful and bold ideas (think puppies, booth cornflakes, and musicals) into impactful campaigns that stand out in cybersecurity marketing.  Previously, Maya held digital and influencer marketing roles at companies like Vesttoo and Percepto International and brings a creative, fast-moving mindset to everything she works on. Follow Maya on LinkedIn.  Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating or review, it helps more marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode Summary: Matt Calligan, Director of Revenue Operations at ArmorText, joins us from Iceland to talk about what it takes to build a sales motion from scratch in cybersecurity when your product is built for moments nobody wants to think about. As the company’s first salesperson, Matt shares how he helped ArmorText find early traction through ISACs, why the government wasn’t the buyer they expected, and how private-sector incident response teams became their core market. We dig into go-to-market lessons around timing and trust, and why most traditional sales tactics don’t work when the use case is crisis-driven. We also discuss selling through distributors without a formal channel program, supporting marketing without a full-time team, and what happens when converting at 80% but only if the right people have heard of you. 🔗 Links & Resources: Matt Calligan on LinkedIn ArmorText Learn more about ISACs: National Council of ISACs Meet us at CyberMarketingCon 2025! Want the insider secrets cybersecurity marketers use? Join us December 7–10 in Austin, TX, for four days of zero-fluff workshops, real-deal networking, and maybe the best BBQ meetup you’ll ever have. 👉 Snag your ticket now! See you in Austin, where the insights and vibes are hotter. About Matt: Matt Calligan is the Director of Revenue Operations at ArmorText, where he works closely with critical infrastructure organizations to support secure, out-of-band communications for cybersecurity incidents and threat sharing. As the company’s first salesperson, Matt helped shape ArmorText’s early go-to-market motion—building traction through partnerships with ISACs and navigating complex sales cycles in highly regulated industries. He also leads strategy across sales, marketing, and channel efforts, helping the team scale without traditional org structures. Matt brings two decades of enterprise sales experience and advises other cybersecurity startups on finding product-market fit, building revenue engines, and selling in trust-first environments. Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating or review, it helps more marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria Velasquez on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode Summary: Carmen Harris is the person you call when no one wants to cover your product, and she’ll tell you exactly why. Founder and CEO of Signal and Noise, she joins Gianna to break down what’s changed in cybersecurity PR and how to get attention in 2025. We get into why the adage “product news is dead” isn’t totally true, how founders should build their brand before launch, and what makes an editor hit delete on your pitch in two seconds flat. Carmen also shares how to use the summer slowdown to reset your comms strategy, why you need to calendar-stalk your competitors, and how to get real face time with execs (even if you have to bully your way into the room). Listen in for real-world tips you can use on your next launch or media push. 🔗 Links & Resources: Connect with Carmen: Carmen Harris on LinkedIn Signal and Noise Companies we mentioned: Wiz – the standard for comms that lands incident.io – a great example of product-led thought leadership Torq – RSAC monster truck champions Newsletters Carmen swears by: Return on Security by Mike Privette Resilient Cyber Richard Stiennon on Substack Meet us at CyberMarketingCon 2025! Want the insider secrets cybersecurity marketers use? Join us December 7–10 in Austin, TX, for four days of zero-fluff workshops, real-deal networking, and maybe the best BBQ meetup you’ll ever have. 👉 Snag your ticket now! See you in Austin, where the insights and vibes are hotter. About Carmen: Carmen Harris is the founder and CEO of Signal & Noise, a boutique comms firm for cybersecurity and AI companies that want to be understood. She’s built a career helping technical founders translate their work into stories that land with reporters, analysts, and buyers. She’s the one who gets the “can-you-fix-this” call mid-crisis and the “we’re-about-to-launch” call mid-chaos, and she loves both. Carmen’s not about gimmicks. She helps companies understand their market, dig into what matters, and build comms strategies that work in the real world. Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating or review, it helps more marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode summary:  “We decided that Lasso is Matthew McConaughey.” That’s how Orly Bar Lev, Head of Marketing at Lasso Security, describes the brand she helped shape—laid back, sharp, and not trying to be like anyone else. In this episode, Orly joins Gianna Whitver to tell the full story: how a GenAI cybersecurity startup launched out of stealth with sheriff-themed swag, a cowboy hat logo, and a Kyrgyzstan-coded website. He tells how it started and how it almost all fell apart when a sheep-centric rebrand crashed just one week before go-live. She walked out of that moment, rewrote the pitch, and sold a new vision: the founders are the sheriffs, the product is the lasso, and the brand is the cowboy. And somehow, it worked. This isn’t a theory-of-branding episode. It’s what happens when you do it for real, with no team, no safety net, and just enough weirdness to make it stick. The sheep died. The hat stayed. Lasso rides. 🔗 Links & Resources: Connect with Orly Bar Lev on LinkedInExplore Lasso Security: Official Website | LinkedIn PageWatch "Sheep Happens": Campaign Video Dive into Lasso's Insights: Blog & Resources About Orly:  Orly Bar Lev is the Head of Marketing at Lasso Security, where she helped take the company from stealth mode to standing out, armed with a Kyrgyzstan-coded website, a cowboy hat, and a clear mission: secure GenAI. She’s a sharp strategist with a background in cybersecurity communications, known for turning complex GenAI risks (like prompt injection and hallucinations) into conversations that actually land with both technical teams and marketers. She’s spoken on The Inspired Marketer podcast about balancing innovation and security in enterprise environments, which is why Lasso’s brand is part sheriffs, part swagger, and somehow still totally credible. Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating or review, it helps more marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria Velasquez on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode summary:  Security architect, podcast host, and author Evgeniy Kharam has seen it again and again: a company buys a shiny new security product, and a year later, it’s still sitting on the shelf. Not because it didn’t work, but because no one knew how to explain it, use it, or get buy-in. That gap between buying and deploying, between knowing and communicating, is what pulled Evgeniy into his next chapter. After years in technical delivery and architecture, he realized that soft skills weren’t nice to have; they were survival tools. In this episode, we talk about what happens when security teams can’t translate what they do, how marketers can meet them in the middle, and why metaphors (tents, dogs, houses, you’ll see) work. We get into RSA booth fatigue, Zoom call awkwardness, and what it takes to connect with someone who’s nodding along but completely lost. Also: hummus etiquette, a three-year campaign to get Evgeniy to CyberMarketingCon, and his dream escape plan involving a shawarma truck. 🔗 Links & Resources: 🎙️ Security Architecture PodcastCo-hosted by Evgeniy Kharam and Dmitry Raidman, this podcast delves into cybersecurity architecture, offering insights into network, application, and cloud security.Listen to the podcast 📘 Architecting Success: The Art of Soft Skills in Technical SalesEvgeniy Kharam's book emphasizes the importance of soft skills in technical sales and provides strategies to enhance communication and build trust. Get the book on Amazon 🧠 Soft Skills TechEvgeniy's platform is dedicated to coaching and resources on soft skills in the tech industry. Explore Soft Skills Tech 🏢 EK Cyber and Media ConsultingA consulting firm founded by Evgeniy Kharam, offering services in cybersecurity and media for vendors and MSSPs. Visit EK Cyber and Media Consulting 📺 Interview with Evgeniy KharamAn in-depth interview exploring Evgeniy's journey and insights into cybersecurity. Watch on YouTube About Evgeniy: Evgeniy Kharam has worn nearly every hat in cybersecurity from firewall deployment engineer to VP of Architecture at the Herjavec Group, where he helped grow the team from 15 to over 300. Over two decades in the industry gave him a front-row seat to a recurring problem: great tech failing because no one knew how to explain it. That realization led him to focus on something most security pros avoid talking about: soft skills. He’s now the author of Architecting Success: The Art of Soft Skills in Technical Sales, host of From Tech to Trust, and co-founder of the Security Architecture Podcast. He also moderates panels, hosts interviews, and advises on the board of the Canadian Cybersecurity Network. Evgeniy blends technical depth with a human-first approach, whether running a ski-slope cybersecurity conference or helping vendors communicate like real people. He now leads his own consulting firm, where he guides cybersecurity companies through both architecture and storytelling. Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating or review, it helps more marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria Velasquez on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Most first marketers don’t stay long enough to see scale. Thomas LeDuc did. Six years in, he’s still at Semperis, leading a 35-person marketing team and showing it’s possible to evolve from scrappy to strategic. Gianna and Charles explore what makes that kind of longevity possible: the mindset shifts, the habits that stuck, and the moments that nearly broke him. This episode is full of clarity, honesty, and the kind of leadership most people don’t talk about. You’ll hear: Why growing with the company means unlearning just as much as learning. How Tom hires people who want the blank page, not the playbook What it takes to stop micromanaging and still care deeply The difference between culture as words and culture as actions How a team's passion project became a Braille space education initiative This one will land if you’ve ever had to scale yourself while scaling a team. 🔗 Links & Resources: Semperis — ⁠semperis.com⁠  How to build a centaur: Semperis hits $100M ARR milestone: https://www.insightpartners.com/ideas/how-to-build-a-centaur-semperis-hits-100m-arr-milestone/ When Space Camp calls, you go! #ForceForGood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEgz45b-RgA ⁠Webflow⁠ — No-code website builder ⁠Join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society⁠: Join our 3,700+ member Slack, find jobs, and get connected. About Tom: Tom LeDuc joined Semperis in 2019 as a scrappy marketer and helped scale the company from a few million ARR to now more than $100M ARR, reaching “centaur status” in 2024. Today, he leads a 35-person team as CMO, overseeing everything from brand and product marketing to demand gen, field programs, and built out the SDR program. Before Semperis, he held leadership roles at Verodin (acquired by FireEye). He got his start in cybersecurity as a BDR at Securonix and played a big role in building several categories you’ve probably seen on Gartner quadrants. Outside work, Tom is a dad of two young kiddos, makes indie films, travels a lot, and is very pro-dog. Thomas LeDuc on ⁠LinkedIn Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating or review, it helps more marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: ⁠podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com⁠  Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ Charles Gold on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on ⁠our website⁠, main ⁠LinkedIn page⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ page, or podcast ⁠LinkedIn⁠ page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode Summary: Let’s talk about telecom infrastructure: complex, overlooked, and still running on outdated tools most vendors were never built to secure. This episode, we’re joined by Taha Sajid, telecom security architect and founder of Xecurity Pulse, who’s on a mission to fix the gaps in enterprise tools. From growing up in Pakistan to leading security efforts at Huawei and Comcast, Taha’s story is all about solving real-world problems, sharing what he’s learned, and pushing back against the copy-paste approach to infrastructure security. He breaks down how an education-first go-to-market (GTM) strategy helped him land his first customers and why understanding the telecom stack is critical to protecting what matters most. We also get into: The human factors that still break security programs Bootcamps that turn into a pipeline Solving problems vs. pushing tools Plus, the school Taha dreams of building for kids who deserve better than the status quo education. 👉 If you’re selling technical solutions, building trust from scratch, or just tired of surface-level cyber talk, this one’s for you. About Taha: Taha Sajid is the founder of Xecurity Pulse, a cybersecurity company focused on solving the unique challenges in telecom security. With a rich background that includes roles at Huawei, Ufone, and Comcast, Taha has been at the forefront of implementing Zero Trust architectures across global networks. He pioneered the first 5G Security Bootcamp, authored "The Ultimate Blockchain Security Handbook," and leads a YouTube channel that delves into the convergence of AI, security, and telecom. His contributions to standards bodies like NIST, 3GPP, and the Linux Foundation underscore his commitment to advancing global cybersecurity practices. Beyond his technical endeavors, Taha is passionate about mentorship. He has guided numerous professionals through the EB1A visa process, drawing from his own successful experience. Through his X-LAB initiative, he continues to innovate, bridging the gap between critical infrastructure and modern security solutions. Follow Taha on LinkedIn. 🔗 Links & Resources: 🌐 Xecurity Pulse – Taha’s company focused on telecom security 📘 The Ultimate Blockchain Security Handbook – Book authored by Taha Buy on Amazon 🧪 5G Security Bootcamp – Technical bootcamp designed and run by Taha Explore the bootcamp 📺 Taha’s YouTube Channel – Deep dives on AI, security, and telecom @XecurityPulse by Taha Sajid 🧠 X-LAB by Xecurity Pulse – Community + mentorship + tooling Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating or review, it helps more marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode Summary: Most cybersecurity vendors lead with fear, gate their best features, and hide behind complexity. Bitwarden did the opposite and still won. In this episode, Gianna and Maria sit down with Gary Orenstein, the Chief Customer Officer at Bitwarden, to break down how an open-source password manager with a “free forever” product became a trusted global brand across consumers and enterprises. No gimmicks. No fear-mongering. Just a strategy built on transparency, trust, and a product that actually works. You’ll hear: Why giving your product away can actually drive enterprise growth How open source builds instant credibility and shortens sales cycles The surprising emotional side of password security What marketers should stop doing and what to try instead How Bitwarden quietly created one of the most effective PLG motions in the industry If you’re tired of the usual cybersecurity playbook, this episode is a refreshing—and useful—detour. And yes, Gary’s dream job involves tiny foxes and national parks. Stick around for that. 🔗 Links & Resources: Bitwarden Channel Islands National Park Central Park’s surprisingly excellent Instagram About Gary: Gary Orenstein is the Chief Customer Officer at Bitwarden, leading go-to-market across customer success, marketing, and sales. He’s been deep in the infrastructure and data space for years, with leadership roles at companies like Yellowbrick Data, SingleStore, and Fusion-io (which went public during his time there). Earlier, he ran marketing at Compellent, which IPO’d and was later acquired by Dell. Translation: Gary knows what it takes to build and scale trust, from scrappy startups to big exits. He’s also got the academic chops to match: a bachelor’s from Dartmouth and an MBA from Wharton. Follow Gary on LinkedIn Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating or review, it helps more marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode Summary: Tom Wentworth, CMO at Incident.io, got tired of doing the same stuff over and over, so he built AI agents to do it for him. Sales call summaries? Automated. Blog posts from discovery calls? Done in minutes. Battle cards? They update themselves. He’s wiring together Slack, Notion, Zapier, Gong, and ChatGPT in ways that help his team move faster without adding headcount or complexity. There are no big declarations, just real systems that save time and don’t annoy people. We talk about what’s working, what’s breaking, and how far you can push things without sounding like a robot. Also: cold plunges, prompt rage, and the Notion doc that’s 90 pages long. 🎧 Press play to hear how Tom stretches modern marketing ops with the right automation setup. Links & Resources Mentioned: Incident.io Gong Zapier ChatGPT Notion Slack Common Room Sanity CMS 11Labs (Voice AI) About Tom: Tom is a high-growth SaaS marketing leader with experience across enterprise GTM and product-led models. He writes occasionally about tech marketing at tomwentworth.com and previously hosted the Scaleup Marketing podcast. Follow Tom on LinkedIn Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating or review, it helps more marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Charles Gold on LinkedIn  Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode Summary: We’re back with a special episode recorded at RSAC 2025. The booths are packed up, and the leftover swag is gathering dust, but the real conversations are just getting started.  Gianna and Maria sat down with Alexandra Charikova, Growth Marketing Manager at Escape and host of The Elephant in AppSec, to talk more about what marketing feels like right now with shifting teams, budget curveballs, and more noise than ever. We got into the messy middle: navigating layoffs, budget cuts, and leadership turnover, all while still trying to show up, stand out, and connect with buyers. Alexandra shares why she’s officially anti-swag (and what’s in her expo survival kit instead), and we talk through what still works in 2025: human stories, smart content, and follow-up that doesn’t feel like a chore. Also on the table are burnout, booth chaos, and how to make it through a conference without losing your mind. If you’ve ever been asked to “do more with less” or pitch a rebrand while the leadership team is changing around you… This one’s for you Links & Resources Mentioned: Cybersecurity Marketing Society - Home of this podcast, and the community where cybersecurity marketers share ideas, swap stories, and figure things out together. Escape - Alexandra’s day job. They help folks secure modern apps, and they’re hiring smart marketers too (probably). The Elephant in AppSec - Alexandra’s podcast. Honest convos, strong opinions, and the kind of AppSec talk you want to hear. CyberMarketingCon - The Society’s yearly in-person event, where the vibes are strong, the talks are real, and the hallway convos might just change your career. About Alexandra: Alexandra isn’t just curious, she’s driven by it. That curiosity has taken her across disciplines, from marketing and sales ops to engineering, data, and project management. What ties it all together? A love of solving complex problems, especially alongside smart, collaborative people. Outside of her day-to-day work, Alexandra is all in on making application security more accessible and honest. She’s the host of The Elephant in AppSec, a podcast that asks tough questions and challenges how the industry talks about security. She thrives on connection and is always up for a thoughtful chat or fresh perspective, so don’t be shy about reaching out. Follow her on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating or review, it helps more marketers find the show. 📩 Questions, feedback, or want to be a guest? Email: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria Velasquez on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode Summary: At RSAC 2025, most brands went sleek and high-speed: F1 cars, luxury lounges, big screens. Torq showed up with a monster truck, a firey skeleton, and a single message: “SOAR is dead.” It wasn’t a stunt; it was a fully realized creative campaign that stood out for all the right reasons. Thoughtful, bold, and totally out of left field, Torq’s RSAC Conference presence and brand philosophy drew comparisons to Wiz, widely regarded as the benchmark in cyber marketing excellence, from Forbes. In this episode, Don Jeter, Torq's CMO, joins Gianna and Maria to unpack how a toy in a Costco aisle became the catalyst for a six-city Monster Jam tour, how off-the-cuff ideas turned into strategy, and why his team operates more like a jam band than a traditional marketing organization. He also shares what it takes to build brands people care about and how that same creative-first mindset helped scale Pax8 from $5M to $1B. Love this episode? Get more Don Jeter wisdom at CyberMarketingCon 2025, where he will give a keynote: Stop Marketing. Start World-Building. Links & Resources Mentioned: Torq.io Pax8 About Don: CMO at Torq, former growth architect at Pax8, and possibly the only marketing leader to launch a six-city Monster Jam tour to prove a point. Don builds brands people don’t just notice, they remember. He’s a startup native with a strong point of view, a jam-band approach to execution, and a reputation for turning “what if” into actual pipeline. Whether burying SOAR or rethinking the RSAC booth experience, Don leads with story, trusts creative instinct, and always bets on brand. When he’s not working, he’s probably sketching sneakers, dodging longboards, or figuring out how to sneak a skeleton mascot into the next campaign. Follow Don on LinkedIn.  Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. It helps us grow the show and reach more cyber marketers like you! 📩 Got feedback or want to be a guest? Email us: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria Velasquez on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. You can join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page.  See you in the next episode!

Episode Summary: This week, Gianna and Maria are joined by Brian Goldfarb, CMO at SolarWinds and a veteran of some of the biggest names in tech, including Google, Tenable, and Salesforce. But this isn’t your typical “lessons from the top” chat. Brian gets real about what it takes to lead modern marketing orgs: how to decide what’s worth fixing, why marketers need to think more like operators, and what it’s like steering GTM at a legacy brand undergoing massive transformation. We talk trust, storytelling, and the fine art of not panicking even when you lose your job and voice in the same week. About Guest: A full-stack marketing executive with deep experience across the GTM spectrum from product marketing and demand gen to PR/AR, digital, and strategy. Known for translating complex technical products into powerful, scalable marketing programs that drive real pipeline. Brian has led marketing for developer tools, cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud), and high-growth cybersecurity and infrastructure companies. His portfolio spans web technologies, mobility, media (codecs, DRM), and ad platforms, focusing on developer and technical audiences. He’s built and scaled global marketing engines, aligned field and digital efforts, and helped take emerging tech from concept to category leader. Whether launching a new cloud product or rebuilding a GTM motion from scratch, Brian brings sharp execution, clear narrative, and a deep understanding of what makes modern B2B marketing work. Follow him on LinkedIn.  Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a ⭐ rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. It helps us grow the show and reach more cyber marketers like you! Got feedback or want to join the pod? Email us: podcast@cybersecuritymarketingsociety.com  Follow the Hosts: Gianna Whitver on LinkedIn Maria Velasquez on LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. Join the Cybersecurity Marketing Society on our website, main LinkedIn page, Instagram page, or podcast LinkedIn page, and keep up with us on X. See you in the next episode!