Audience 1st

The way you build trust can take you in different directions:Down a destructive path of ruined reputation or up a rewarding road of unlimited relationships and referrals.What do you choose?In this episode, I had a brutally honest conversation with Joshua Marpet, CEO of MJM Growth, about his challenges, goals, what vendors do that piss him off, and the alternatives.Josh is an ex-cop, ex-fireman, ex-blacksmith, and ex-horse dentist (not a joke).He has also worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, has advised the largest companies in the world, and runs conferences through BSides Delaware along with his wife and business partners.He is also on the board of BSides DC and previously served on the board of BSides Las Vegas and Hackers for Charity.Join Audience 1st TodayJoin 450+ cybersecurity marketers and sellers mastering security buyer research to better understand their audience and turn them into loyal customers: https://www.audience1st.fm/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

Building the community, building the right mindset, the hacker mindset is super important. Here's why.Everybody's spread thin and it’s very difficult to train people to free time of security experts.In this episode, I had a brutally honest conversation with Ferd Hagethorn, Director of Security Services at Planit Testing, about his challenges, goals, what vendors do that piss him off, and the alternatives.Ferd heads the cybersecurity practice for Planit Global.Planit is a quality assurance company operating in Australia, New Zealand, India and the UK.This is where he defined and established the Security Testing practice and services clients both nationally and worldwide from windy and beautiful Wellington, New Zealand.Join Audience 1st TodayJoin 450+ cybersecurity marketers and sellers mastering security buyer research to better understand their audience and turn them into loyal customers: https://www.audience1st.fm/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

There are too many people who think that if you fall into jargon and start spouting geek speak that you're going to impress people.In fact, the opposite is true.In this episode, I had a brutally honest conversation with Jenny Botton, Head of Corporate Information Security at CCL, about her challenges, goals, what vendors do that piss her off, and the alternatives.Jenny is interested in the human brain, human psychology and human behavior is a fan of crime and home and garden makeover shows, and has a secret desire to be a superhero and save the world.That’s why she does what she does in her career as a cybersecurity practitioner.Join Audience 1st TodayJoin 450+ cybersecurity marketers and sellers mastering security buyer research to better understand their audience and turn them into loyal customers: https://www.audience1st.fm/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

“Name a problem in the security world.”That was one loaded question Mike Krass, owner of MKG Marketing and host of “What’s the Problem?” Podcast, asked me.That request got me thinking and sifting through the 101 problems I had listed when prepping for our call. (Remind me to share that with you another time.)Three main issues stand out to me as a marketer and professional in the cybersecurity industry.We’ll dig into that today (or you can just listen to the problems I unravel in Mike’s episode).Join Audience 1st TodayJoin 450+ cybersecurity marketers and sellers mastering security buyer research to better understand their audience and turn them into loyal customers: https://www.audience1st.fm/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

Dear cybersecurity vendors, please stop doing this. Do THIS instead.Today, I'm doing something special because, well, it's my birthday weekend.I wanted to celebrate and gift you with a nice, little package of the best of the worst.What does that mean?Well, in every episode I ask my guest one critical question:"What's the worst thing you've experienced from a vendor?"So, I've compiled a nice little sh*tlist.What's more, I always ask my guest:"What's the alternative?"Because what does it help us to hear complaints without learning how to do things better?So, do me a favor, have a listen.And if you want to spoil me for my birthday, apply those insights.Join Audience 1st TodayJoin 450+ cybersecurity marketers and sellers mastering security buyer research to better understand their audience and turn them into loyal customers: https://www.audience1st.fm/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

Even if you never made a sale with somebody, if they brought you 10 people that ended up needing a solution like yours and you were able to help them move their mission forward, it still works out.In this episode, I had a brutally honest conversation with John Gates, Lead IT Security Operations/Threat Response Analyst at a Fortune 500 company, about his challenges, goals, what vendors do that piss him off, and the alternatives.John is currently Lead IT Security Operations/Threat Response Analyst at a Fortune 500 company.Join Audience 1st TodayJoin 300+ cybersecurity marketers and sellers mastering security buyer research to better understand their audience and turn them into loyal customers: https://www.audience1st.fm/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

If you focus on the foundations first, your conversion and business goals will be met.I had the pleasure of speaking on the Market-to-Revenue Podcast with Chris Morgan.He asked me 6 questions:What are 3 ways that your team converts your market into revenue?What are 3 hard problems that you recently overcame?What are 2 roadblocks that you’re working on now?What are 3 mental models that you use to do your best work?What are 2 techniques that GTM teams need to try?Who are 3 operators that should be our next guests and why?In this episode, I’m going to dig into one specific mental model that has helped me reach my conversion and ARR goals quarter over quarter in the last 12 months.Join Audience 1st TodayJoin 300+ cybersecurity marketers and sellers mastering security buyer research to better understand their audience and turn them into loyal customers: https://www.audience1st.fm/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

It is inherent to have successful engagement pre and post-sale, but...Many ghost their customers or pop up every quarter for renewals or expansions.And the consequences of those actions are heavy.In this episode, I had a brutally honest conversation with Chris Elliot, Director of Corporate Security and Security Operations at SoFi, about his challenges, goals, what vendors do that piss him off, and the alternatives.Chris previously worked in cybersecurity at the Walt Disney Company and before that, spent 23 years in the U.S. Army as a communication specialist, working on a variety of assignments from special operations to NATO, to the NSA.He got into security while he was in the Army.Join Audience 1st TodayJoin 300+ cybersecurity marketers and sellers mastering security buyer research to better understand their audience and turn them into loyal customers: https://www.audience1st.fm/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

What are you doing to efficiently reduce manual processes and save tireless hours of those battling threats behind the keyboard?In this episode, I had a brutally honest conversation with Malia Mason, vCISO and Manager of Cybersecurity, about her challenges, goals, what vendors do that piss her off, and the alternatives.Malia served in the United States Navy as a Sonar Technician Second Class and was also in charge of all of the secret data on the ship and of making sure that everyone did their cybersecurity training.She continues to work with several veterans nonprofits as a mentor and career advisor for veterans leaving the military and military spouses as well.She is a strong proponent of getting more women into cybersecurity and tech, serving as a mentor for young girls in inner-city schools.Join Audience 1st TodayJoin 300+ cybersecurity marketers and sellers mastering security buyer research to better understand their audience and turn them into loyal customers: https://www.audience1st.fm/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

You may not have to articulate that, but ask yourself, "What is the business case? Why would a CISO spend any amount of money with me?"How do you speak in terms that resonate with CISOs?What are their goals and challenges?Have you considered the constraints new CISOs have to undergo in their new roles?When engaging a CISO, have you thought about the tech they have to adopt before pitching to them?In this episode, I had a brutally honest conversation with Brent Deterding, newly appointed CISO of Afni, Inc., about what motivates him, what his challenges are, what vendors do that piss him off, and the alternatives.Join Audience 1st TodayJoin 300+ cybersecurity marketers and sellers mastering security buyer research to better understand their audience and turn them into loyal customers: https://www.audience1st.fm/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com