AR is Not Pay-for-Play: 25 Years in Comms w/ Alyssa Stone, Leading Analyst Relations at Wiz
Jun 4, 2025
51:44
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Wiz's Lean, Empowered Brand Team
Alyssa Stone shares that Wiz's brand team is very small but empowered, with only one main PR person initially handling all PR. - This lean, empowered team structure supports agility and creativity, engaging senior execs directly for quick execution.
insights INSIGHT
True Role of Analyst Relations
Analyst Relations involves a trusted, two-way exchange of product insights between tech companies and technology analysts. - Leading analyst firms advise buyers and influence tech purchasing beyond just writing research reports.
insights INSIGHT
Pay-to-Engage, Not Pay-for-Play AR
Analyst firms are not pay-for-play; paying is for engagement and access, not guaranteed favorability. - Analysts have adapted to faster news cycles using social media and blogs to deliver timely insights.
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In this episode of Under Embargo, Becca and Parry sit down with one of the best-kept secrets in enterprise comms—Alyssa Stone, head of Analyst Relations at Wiz (the cybersecurity darling recently acquired by Google).
With 25 years across SAP, Okta, and Ariba, Alyssa's seen it all—massive analyst tours, impossible PR expectations, and the slow but steady evolution of how we engage the people who influence tech buying.
She breaks down: — Why AR is not pay-for-play (and what it actually is) — How a single slide can prep execs better than any 30-page doc — Why empowered teams are Wiz's real secret sauce — And what Devil Wears Prada taught her about comms strategy (yes, really)
Then, she opens up about parenting a neurodivergent child, building support systems inside companies, and why embracing brain differences isn't just the right thing to do—it's a competitive advantage.
This one has it all: golf analogies, Swiftie walkout songs, hiccup debates, and real-life tactical wisdom from someone who's lived (and modernized) every version of comms.
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