Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing

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!