Cyber Go-To-Market Talk: The Cybersecurity Podcast About Cyber Sales, Marketing & Revenue Growth
The cybersecurity podcast that tackles the question: How can cybersecurity companies grow sales faster?Growing a cybersecurity company is rarely limited by a lack of people. More often, growth stalls because cyber sales execution, onboarding, forecasting, and leadership aren't keeping pace with the opportunity.Hiring more sellers doesn't solve that.Neither does chasing the latest go-to-market trend without a repeatable system for revenue growth.The companies that consistently outperform their competitors build stronger cyber sales leadership, faster seller ramp times, more predictable revenue forecasting, healthier pipeline generation, and disciplined go-to-market execution. That's what this show explores.The Cyber Go-To-Market Talk...
You Can Teach Selling, Not Attitude: James Irving, Founder, Emotive JLI
On this episode of Cyber GTM Talk, the cybersecurity podcast for go-to-market leaders, first-time cyber sales leader James Irving explains why he built his team at ThreatSpike from graduates instead of experienced sellers. With a target to double ARR from £5 million to £10 million, he hired for motivation, honesty and a genuine interest in business, then taught the market and the sale himself. He also tells the story of the month he thought he was done, and what turned it around.
In this episode
Why a BMW mechanic convinced James that credibility matters more than sa...How to Beat “Do Nothing” in Cyber Sales: Ken Powell
On this episode of Cyber GTM Talk, the podcast for cybersecurity go-to-market leaders, Ken Powell explains how cyber sales teams beat their most common competitor: the buyer who decides to do nothing. His rule is that every deal has to answer why the buyer would do anything, why now, and what happens if they do nothing, before a rep is allowed to pitch. He also shares the account research, the personal stakes buyers carry, and the deeper conversations that make understanding those answers possible.
In this episode
Why Ken treats Do Nothing as the...Why the Rep, Not the Product, Wins Cyber Sales; Fred Descloux @ Nu Skin
On this episode of Cyber GTM Talk, the cybersecurity podcast for go-to-market leaders, Fred Descloux explains what actually wins cyber sales once your product makes the shortlist. Fred runs privacy, data security and GRC at Nu Skin and has sat on every side of the table: seller, implementer, operator, Big 4 advisor and now buyer. His view is blunt: when three or four products all fit, the product stops being the differentiator and the rep starts being it.
In this episode
Why a 60% product fit is now enough for Fred, and how vibe coding lets...Stop Treating Agentic Cybersecurity GTM Like a Sales Project: Kristen Twining SVP Sales @ Reco
Kristen Twining is the SVP of Sales at Reco, a company that secures AI and agents, and she's rebuilding its go-to-market to be AI forward. Her argument is that agentic GTM can't be a sales project. She explains why marketing and RevOps have to be in it from the start, what she told her reps when she pulled their tech stack, and the go-to-market engineer hire nobody knew existed a year ago.
In this episode
Why Kristen calls it "a company agentic motion" and who has to be in the roomThe unglamorous foundation work...Doubling a Sales Team in 2 Months Without Dropping Standards | Lauren Lynch, Cyber Sales Leader
When Wiz brought in new go-to-market leadership and decided to go big, Lauren Lynch's commercial org went from about 40 people to more than 80 in a couple of months. She explains why hiring at that speed made her process tighter, not looser, and walks through the steps she used at Wiz and took with her to Drata to keep the bar where it was. If you are about to scale a cyber sales team, this is the episode to hear first.
In this episode
The numbers behind the Wiz commercial build: 35 to 65 AEs, 4 to 12 RDs...Why a CISO Bets on a Startup Over Crowdstrike: Robbie Tyrie, Fractional CISO
You've nailed the demo and the POV, and then procurement asks why they'd bet on you instead of CrowdStrike, Palo Alto or Zscaler. Robbie Tyrie has been the buyer on the other side of that question at some very large organisations, and he said yes to the startup more than once. He walks through the math he ran, what he wanted back from the vendor in return, and the trial structure he says a buyer can't argue with. Now a fractional CISO for 50 to 200 person companies, he also explains why buyers stopped turning up at trade shows and what...
How to Sell to the CISO: David Gee, who is a ... CISO
David Gee is the former CIO and CISO at storied companies such as HSBC and Eli Lilly. Rather than quietly disappear in his retirement, he's been writing books. And not just any books, two of his published books are "A Day in the Life of a CISO" and "How to Sell to the CIO and CISO". And not just tiny little ebooks! Each of them is 500 days of details. Specifics. Stories. Advice. Explanations. Basically everything you need to raise your game selling to senior security and IT leaders.
In this episode
Why the CISO's d...Why This CISO Buys From Cyber Startups First - Zach Lewis, CISO @ University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy
Zach Lewis runs IT and security at a university on a tight budget, and when he needs a problem fixed, he goes looking in the startup community. He's been a sub-10 customer at Concentric AI, a very early customer at Island, a design partner for Jazz DLP, and he ran an email security product from a barely-out-of-stealth startup for four years. He explains what he gets for buying early, what he needs to see before he'll take the bet, and why your LinkedIn message almost certainly isn't how you'll reach him.
In this episode
...Your First VP of Sales Didn't Fail. You Skipped a Stage. Matt Calligan @ ArmorText
Cyber startups churn through heads of sales, and the usual explanation is a bad hire. Matt Calligan, Director of Growth Markets at ArmorText, argues something different. Founder-led product-market fit only proves the founder can sell, and there's a stage between that and scale that most companies skip. He calls it the Vanguard stage and lays out what has to be true before anyone hands a VP of Sales a number.
In this episode
Why early cyber buyers are "buying access to the founder," not the productThe four lights that have to turn green before...The Cybersecurity Sales Channel That Appeared Out of Nowhere: Scott Johnson, CEO @ Amplifyd
Sales channels in cybersecurity have been the same list for years: ads, LinkedIn, cold calling, cold email, ABM, inbound. Then AI search turned up and started sending qualified, bottom-of-funnel leads straight to BDRs. Scott Johnson runs an SEO and GEO agency that works only with cybersecurity companies, and in this episode he lays out what is actually happening in that channel, why most cyber vendors are invisible or badly described inside it, and what to do about both.
In this episode
Why some cyber companies are already seeing 5% of new business come...Why Your Best Cyber Sales Rep, Not Your CRO, Drives AI Adoption: Tal Peretz CEO & Co-Founder at OnFire
Most cyber companies bought the Claude or ChatGPT seats, handed them to every rep, and are now asking "now what?" Tal Peretz, co-founder and CEO of Onfire AI, has watched that play out across hundreds of mid-market and enterprise security vendors, and his answer is to stop pushing from the top. Start with your best rep and let the rest of the team chase him. Then take the same idea outside: skip the CISO, find the director who owns the budget, and make him the one who carries you up.
In this episode
The homework that turns technical pain into business value for cybersecurity sellers - Mark van Oppen, CRO @ SecureAuth
Mark van Oppen is 90 days into the CRO seat at SecureAuth, after four years selling a developer-led product at FusionAuth. He walks through the pre-call research he wants reps doing to connect technical pain to a business number, and why he tells them to be careful about showing it too early. He also covers his three hiring filters, what a muted seller says to a buyer, and what he's doing with the rep at 200 percent of goal who automated his own follow-up.
In this episode
Why Mark calls identity a non-optional problem, and what "...Powerful Storytelling When AI Flattens Cybersecurity Marketing - Brian Reed, CMO @ Corsha
AI made it cheap to produce content, and now every cybersecurity vendor sounds the same. Brian Reed, CMO at Corsha, argues the answer to that sameness isn't more AI, it's the human layer: real stories, congruent brand moves, and community. He gets specific on how to use AI as a story partner rather than a content mill, why your customer is the hero of every story, and how to stand out in a market of 4,000 vendors.
In this episode:
Why AI content creates "mass sameness," and where humans still create meaningThe golden triangle: AI...AI-First Selling Is the Future of Cybersecurity Sales - Patrick Dillon CRO @ Nudge Security
Patrick Dillon, three months into the CRO seat at Nudge Security, joins Andrew to talk about what "AI-first" actually means when everyone at RSA has slapped AI on the booth. The conversation runs from product (AI-native vs. bolted-on, and the shadow AI hiding inside companies) to the go-to-market side: how he's rebuilding the team around technology, process, and people, in that order, and who he'll hire to run it.
In this episode:
How Cybersecurity Buyers Are Influenced by Marketing: The Surprising Truth About CISO Buying Decisions and Where Your Cybersecurity GTM Spend is Wasted - Emily Matthews Principal NOLA Marketing
Emily Matthews, founder and principal of NOLA Marketing, partnered with the Ponemon Institute to ask CISOs directly how vendor marketing influences their buying decisions. The resulting State of Cybersecurity Marketing Influence Report 2026 holds some surprises: webinars beat CISO dinners, hands-on workshops build the peer references buyers trust most, and the first visitor to your website is increasingly a machine.
In this episode:
The top two CISO complaints about cyber marketing: it differs from product reality, and it's too high-level. Emily's fix starts with coffee-walk conversations with your engineers.Why 44% of security leaders ranked webinars the most...Winning Cybersecurity Sales Strategies: Insights from a Former Buyer Turned Seller on CISO Engagement - Chris Camacho, Co-founder & COO at Abstract
Are you struggling to capture the attention of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) in a saturated cybersecurity market? Join us in this enlightening episode of The Cyber Go-To-Market Talk podcast for cybersecurity sales and marketing teams, where we unpack the secrets to effective cyber security sales strategies that can elevate your approach and drive revenue growth.
Host Andrew Monaghan sits down with Chris Camacho, co-founder and COO of Abstract Security, who brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles as a buyer at financial services companies. Chris shares invaluable insights into the shifting dynamics o...
Revenue leadership in stealth mode: building sales before the market (or product) is ready - Rob Witmer, VP Sales at Onyx Security
Most people think revenue leadership begins after product-market fit. Rob Witmer joined Onyx Security before there was a finished product, before the company emerged from stealth, and before the market fully understood the problem they were solving.
In this episode, Rob shares what revenue leadership looks like when you're employee number 11 and the first go-to-market hire. We unpack how he approached the first 30, 60, and 90 days, why experienced sales leaders can create leverage long before a company reaches its first million dollars in revenue, and how close alignment between product and go-to-market execution accelerated Onyx's growth.
...
The Power of Network Effect in Cyber Sales - Jarrett Benavidez SVP NA Sales Lumu Technologies
Are you facing the challenge of breaking into a new vertical with no prior experience? Wondering how to accelerate credibility and revenue in unfamiliar markets? Curious about how effective networking can create exponential sales opportunities in cybersecurity? This episode tackles these questions by unpacking hands-on strategies for rapid market entry and leveraging the power of the network effect.
In this conversation we discuss
👉 Navigating and mapping new industry ecosystems for accelerated sales growth
👉 Transforming small initial deals into major multi-account wins through strategic networking
👉 Building authentic, mutually beneficial reference and networking strategies that drive bra...
Slashing sales cycles: How shorter discovery calls boosted Xona’s revenue and sped up the sales cycle- John Chiappetta, CRO, Xona
Are your discovery calls turning into data dumps that stall deals instead of moving them forward? Frustrated by sales cycles that take forever to close, or feel like discounting is your only lever at the finish line? Looking for actionable strategies to help your team become both faster and more effective in closing cybersecurity deals? This episode brings you proven frameworks from a leader who faced (and fixed) these very challenges.
In this conversation we discuss
👉 Compressing lengthy sales cycles by restructuring discovery approaches
👉 Motivating and aligning sales teams for aggressive growth
👉 Leveraging AI and to...
Why “Cyber Is Broken”, And Building Trust in an AI World - Karl Van den Bergh CMO Illumio
Ever feel like your cybersecurity marketing just isn’t landing with CISOs? Wondering why, despite tons of spending, cybercrime is still on the rise? Or maybe you’re looking for real ways to build trust and stand out in a crowded, AI-fueled marketplace? This episode dives straight into those questions, with honest takes and actionable ideas you can start using today.
In this conversation we discuss:
👉 How fast-changing tech, and especially AI, is making go-to-market harder and more complex
👉 Why the cybersecurity industry keeps repeating old mistakes and what actually needs to change
👉 Tips...
Building Enterprise Mindshare: Lessons from Island's Meteoric Growth - Eric Appel CRO Island
Are you struggling to sell the “unsellable” in cybersecurity? Wondering how to create or lead a brand-new product category? Curious about how to maintain a winning sales culture and scale your team when you’re growing fast? This episode offers actionable insights for sales and marketing leaders looking to accelerate growth and navigate the changing cybersecurity landscape.
In this conversation we discuss:
👉 Building market category leadership: how Island tackled the challenge of selling a paid enterprise browser against established free products
👉 Evolving sales hiring strategies to fit different growth phases, including missionary selling and scaling...
From AWS to Terra: Building Winning Cybersecurity Partnerships – Anna Sarnek, VP of Business & Strategy, Terra Security
Are you struggling to navigate strategic partnerships with hyperscalers like AWS? Wondering when and how to build your company's platform story to stand out in a crowded cyber market? Curious about the real value of industry relationships and communities for sales growth? This episode tackles these challenges head-on, drawing insights from a leader who's been at the heart of cybersecurity’s evolving ecosystem.
In this conversation we discuss:
👉 Lessons on building and resourcing valuable hyperscaler relationships—forging two-way partnerships with AWS and more
👉 Balancing feature innovation versus platform strategy, and when to make each move...
Breaking Through With Analysts — How to Win Gartner’s Attention - Dan Lowden CMO BLACKBIRD AI
Are you struggling to make your cybersecurity startup's message stand out in a crowded market? Ever wondered how to get analysts like Gartner to notice your company before hitting $20M ARR? Do you face challenges aligning sales and marketing to target multiple buyer personas effectively? This episode dives deep into these critical issues, offering strategies and actionable insights tailored for cybersecurity sales and marketing leaders.
In this conversation we discuss:
👉 Creating a new cybersecurity category by building real relationships with analysts
👉 Aligning marketing and sales teams for consistent messaging and go-to-market success
👉 Navigatin...
Urgency That Closes Deals: Lessons From Startup Sales - Josh Kriss, COO @ Geordie
Are you finding it hard to build a united sales culture as your cybersecurity startup scales? Struggling to keep urgency and momentum going in long, complex enterprise deals? Wondering how top teams navigate hiring, collaboration, and multi-threaded sales cycles, especially as new technologies and markets emerge? This episode of the Cybersecurity Go-To-Market Podcast delivers actionable insights to help sales and marketing leaders create stronger, more effective teams while driving revenue growth.
In this conversation we discuss:
👉 Building and maintaining a “one team” culture from early-stage startup to rapid scale
👉 Effective hiring and team formation...
Vibe Coding For Cybersecurity Marketers (not dummies) - Joseph Barringhaus VP Marketing Maze
Are you struggling to stand out in the crowded cybersecurity marketplace? Wondering how to build unique marketing or sales assets without a dedicated engineering team? Curious how other leaders are leveraging AI-driven “vibe coding” to create real value, not gimmicks? This episode is packed with proven, creative ways cybersecurity sales and marketing pros are innovating faster than ever.
In this conversation we discuss:
👉 How “vibe coding” tears down traditional barriers to building tools and experiences for buyers. No developer background required
👉 Real-world examples of internal and external tools that drive sales and engagement, from pricing c...
How to Build a Cyber Channel from Zero: From Someone Who Has Done it Three Times - Konnor Andersen, VP of GTM , Acuvity
Are you struggling to build a channel sales program that actually produces meaningful revenue? Wondering why bigger isn't always better when choosing channel partners? Frustrated by the constant pressure to sign as many partners as possible, only to see limited results? This episode dives deep into the strategic and tactical mistakes cybersecurity startups make with channel go-to-market, and reveals how to build a scalable, effective partner ecosystem.
In this conversation we discuss:
👉 Why focusing on a few right-sized, ICP-aligned partners beats boiling the ocean with major national VARs👉 How to design a lean, high-impact starte...How to Win Lighthouse Deals in a New Market - Felix Knoll COO/CRO Cranium
Are you navigating the challenge of landing enterprise deals before you even have market traction? Wondering how to build pipeline without SDRs and endless cold emails? Curious if targeting Fortune 500 clients from day one is smart, or suicidal? This episode dives into a truly unconventional path to cybersecurity startup success that defies industry norms.
In this conversation we discuss:
👉 Incubating a cybersecurity startup inside KPMG and the unique advantages (and hurdles) it brought
👉 Strategies for securing lighthouse enterprise customers and building trust-driven communities
👉 Lessons on managing founder-led sales, lean teams, and prioritizing scalable...
Hacking Your First $2M ARR: Sales Tactics from Kevin Bayly, VP Sales at Material Security
Are you a sales or marketing leader at a cybersecurity company trying to accelerate your growth but hitting roadblocks with your ICP, pipeline generation, or scalability? Ever wondered how moving from a big company to a startup changes your playbook, and career mindset? Are you struggling to get your team focused on the right opportunities versus burning out on dead-end deals? This episode holds actionable insights for you.
In this conversation we discuss:
👉 Making the leap from a big company to a startup and building a sales function from scratch
👉 Practical, low-tech strategies for ea...
Why Early-Stage Sales Is All About Precision, Not Volume – Abigail Maines GTM Advisor YL Ventures
Are you struggling to transition from founder-led sales to a scalable sales-led model in your cybersecurity startup? Wondering if hiring a team of reps is really the fastest way to drive growth, or if there’s a better approach? Curious how senior sales leadership involvement early on might speed up your journey to true product-market fit? If so, this episode is packed with insights for you.
In this conversation, we discuss:
👉 Why early-stage sales are all about precision and defining your ideal customer profile (ICP)
👉 How bringing on an experienced founding CRO can optimize...
Ditch the Adversarial Negotiating: How Transparency Wins in Cyber Sales – Todd Caponi, Author of Four Levers Negotiating
Are you tired of sales negotiations feeling like a hostile game of poker against procurement pros who seem to hold all the cards? Wondering if there’s a way to maintain your deal’s value without relying on outdated, adversarial tactics? Struggling with year-end deals where buyers expect last-minute discounts and you’re anxious about giving away too much? This episode is for cybersecurity sales and marketing leaders seeking a transparent, effective, and less stressful way to close deals.
In this conversation, we discuss:
👉 Why traditional and commonly taught sales negotiation techniques no longer fit...
How to Build a $30M ARR Business with Just Three Founders and ZERO employees – Amos Bar-Joseph, Co-Founder, Swann
Are you struggling to scale your cybersecurity sales team without ramping up headcount or getting drowned in technical complexity? Wondering if AI can really move the needle for high-value, complex sales cycles? Curious how leading founders are reimagining go-to-market operations to win in today’s fast-paced, AI-driven environment? This episode of the Cybersecurity Go-To-Market Podcast dives right into these pressing questions.
In this conversation we discuss:
👉 The ground-breaking approach of building a $30m ARR SaaS company with only 3 founders and a suite of AI agents and no additional employees.
👉 How AI-driven agentic wo...
Why Your First VP of Sales Will Fail (And What To Do Instead) – Eyal Worthalter, Multi-Time VP of Sales, Cybersecurity Startups
Are you grappling with when, and who, to hire as your first sales leader in your cybersecurity startup? Wondering why sales leadership churn is so high, or if founders should keep selling longer? If you’ve debated hiring account executives versus a VP of Sales, and wrestled with investor pressure on scaling your sales team, this episode is for you.
In this conversation, we discuss:
👉 The crucial distinction between sellers and sales leaders at different company stages
👉 Why timing, founder credibility, and expectations can make or break your first sales hire
👉 The importan...
Breaking the Mold: Why Early-Stage Startups Must Invest in Brand – Jimmy Tsang, CMO, MIND
Are you struggling to differentiate your cybersecurity startup in a crowded market? Wondering how to build trust with buyers who have been burned by legacy DLP solutions? Debating whether to invest in brand early or focus on lead generation? In this episode, we dig into these challenges and explore how fresh thinking in DLP and brand strategy can accelerate growth for cybersecurity vendors.
In this conversation we discuss:
👉 How legacy DLP lost trust—and how modern approaches are rebuilding it
👉 Why brand investment from day one matters for early-stage cybersecurity companies
👉 The marketing j...
DataTribe Challenge Finalist: Evercoast
The DataTribe Challenge is the headline event in the afternoon at Cyber Innovation Day 2025, where five exceptional startups will take the stage after weeks of hands-on coaching.
This is a short showcase episode featuring Evercoast and their Co-Founder and CEO Ben Nunez.
Support the show
The Cyber Go-To-Market Talk is the show for cybersecurity sales leaders, founders, CROs, and go-to-market operators looking to improve cyber sales performance and build more predictable revenue growth. Hosted by Andrew Monaghan, founder of Unstoppable.do, covering cyber sales leadership, revenue leadership, s...
DataTribe Challenge Finalist: Cytadel
The DataTribe Challenge is the headline event in the afternoon at Cyber Innovation Day 2025, where five exceptional startups will take the stage after weeks of hands-on coaching.
This is a short showcase episode featuring Cytadel and their Founder and CEO Manit Sahib.
Support the show
The Cyber Go-To-Market Talk is the show for cybersecurity sales leaders, founders, CROs, and go-to-market operators looking to improve cyber sales performance and build more predictable revenue growth. Hosted by Andrew Monaghan, founder of Unstoppable.do, covering cyber sales leadership, revenue leadership, s...
DataTribe Challenge Finalist: Ackuity.ai
The DataTribe Challenge is the headline event in the afternoon at Cyber Innovation Day 2025, where five exceptional startups will take the stage after weeks of hands-on coaching.
This is a short showcase episode featuring Ackuity.ai and their Co-Founder and CEO Rajat Mohanty.
Support the show
The Cyber Go-To-Market Talk is the show for cybersecurity sales leaders, founders, CROs, and go-to-market operators looking to improve cyber sales performance and build more predictable revenue growth. Hosted by Andrew Monaghan, founder of Unstoppable.do, covering cyber sales leadership, revenue l...
DataTribe Challenge Finalist: Starseer
The DataTribe Challenge is the headline event in the afternoon at Cyber Innovation Day 2025, where five exceptional startups will take the stage after weeks of hands-on coaching.
This is a short showcase episode featuring Starseer and their Co-Founder and CEO Tim Schulz.
Support the show
The Cyber Go-To-Market Talk is the show for cybersecurity sales leaders, founders, CROs, and go-to-market operators looking to improve cyber sales performance and build more predictable revenue growth. Hosted by Andrew Monaghan, founder of Unstoppable.do, covering cyber sales leadership, revenue leadership, s...
DataTribe Challenge Finalist: Tensor Machines
The DataTribe Challenge is the headline event in the afternoon at Cyber Innovation Day 2025, where five exceptional startups will take the stage after weeks of hands-on coaching.
This is a short showcase episode featuring Tensor Machines and their Co-Founder and CEO Muneeb Rasool.
Support the show
The Cyber Go-To-Market Talk is the show for cybersecurity sales leaders, founders, CROs, and go-to-market operators looking to improve cyber sales performance and build more predictable revenue growth. Hosted by Andrew Monaghan, founder of Unstoppable.do, covering cyber sales leadership, revenue l...
Break Through the Noise: How Advocates Can Transform Your Pipeline – Braydan Young, CEO, SlashExperts
Are you struggling to generate enough top-of-funnel opportunities in today’s noisy cybersecurity sales landscape? Are your deals getting stuck or taking forever to close, despite your best efforts? Have you tapped into the real power of your customer advocates—not just for references late in the sales cycle, but to accelerate pipeline growth from the very top? If these challenges sound familiar, this episode will give you a fresh perspective.
In this conversation, we discuss:
👉 The overwhelming noise and fatigue facing buyers in cybersecurity sales, and how traditional outreach is losing effectiveness
👉 In...
The Art of Timing Your First Sales Hire in a Cybersecurity Startup – Tony Surak, Partner, DataTribe
Are you wrestling with the decision of when to bring on your first sales leader? Wondering if your startup has achieved enough product-market fit before scaling the sales team? Curious about common pitfalls and best practices in building a sales function that can take you from zero to millions in ARR? This episode tackles the pivotal transitions every cybersecurity startup faces when growing its go-to-market engine.
In this conversation, we discuss:
👉 How and when to hire your first sales leader, and whether founders should lead sales for as long as possible
👉 Building a sales...
