Audience 1st podcast

59:49

Most vendors won’t admit this, but we will: Your brand doesn’t have a messaging problem. It has a presence problem. And it’s why buyers leave RSA feeling numb, unseen, and unready to trust you. In this episode, Dani Woolf sits down with Zachary Hyde, someone she doesn’t always agree with, which makes this conversation one of the most honest and urgent before a major conference. Together, they break down why most GTM teams think they’re being empathetic but are actually performing a buyer-first fantasy while still clinging to control. If you're showing up to RSA Conference this year with a booth, a badge, and a team under pressure to "drive pipeline" - this is your mirror. Listen before you land in SFO. What We Cover: Why vendors fail to empathize with buyers at conferences How canned “empathetic marketing” actually erodes trust Why emotional presence is a muscle to be consistently massaged The difference between tone-matching and real psychological safety Red flags buyers spot immediately and won’t tell you about What to do this week to actually build trust at RSA (no fluff, no fake discovery)…

Audience 1st

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What Cybersecurity Leaders Must Learn from OT Practitioners in Underserved Critical Infrastructure 35:37

11 days ago35:37

35:37

In this episode of Audience 1st Podcast, Dani sits down with Kristin Demoranville, CEO of Anzen Sage and host of the Bites & Bytes podcast, to uncover the hidden vulnerabilities in one of the world’s most overlooked critical infrastructure sectors: food and agriculture. From insider threats in peanut processing to cyber attacks that disrupt egg supply chains, Kristin breaks down why OT security in food systems isn’t just about uptime, it’s about human lives, brand trust, and national resilience. She pulls no punches, sharing raw stories from the frontlines: Why cybersecurity leaders in food facilities are flying blind What happened when nobody spoke up at Boar’s Head How misinformation campaigns are now a cyber risk vector Why “brown cows make chocolate milk” isn’t just a joke—it’s a symptom of a dangerous knowledge gap We also unpack: The behavioral blind spots holding back executive buy-in Why empathy, not just engineering, is the key to securing food systems What must change in the next 5 years to avoid preventable tragedies…

Audience 1st

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Why Most Tech “Communities” Fail Before They Begin 30:59

18 days ago30:59

30:59

Everyone in tech is suddenly “building community.” But most aren’t building anything close to the real thing - community that's built on mission, trust, and transparency. In this raw, no-buzzword conversation recorded live at CyberMarketingCon, Dani Woolf sits with Ben Siegel, George Kamide, Bronwen Hudson, and Elliot Volkman, real community builders, to unpack what community actually means, why most efforts fall flat, and what it takes to build something alive, resilient, and trustworthy - especially in an industry like cybersecurity where trust is scarce and attention is fractured. We go deep on: Why most corporate “communities” are poorly disguised funnels The difference between an audience, a user group, and a true community What trust looks like when your members are CISOs, not consumers Why growth is nonlinear, unpredictable, and absolutely not guaranteed The emotional labor and invisible moderation that holds real communities together You’ll also hear tactical advice on how to build thriving spaces across Reddit, Slack, LinkedIn, and beyond - without flashy tools or six-figure budgets.…

Audience 1st

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5 Mindset Shifts Security Teams Must Adopt to Master Multi-Cloud Security 30:38

25 days ago30:38

30:38

Multi-cloud security isn’t just a technology challenge—it’s an organizational mindset problem. Security teams are juggling AWS, Azure, and GCP, each with different security models, policies, and rules. The result? Silos, misconfigurations, and security gaps big enough to drive an exploit through. In this episode, I sat down with Gal Yosef from AlgoSec to break down: Why multi-cloud security is so complex (and what security teams are getting wrong) How to bridge the gap between network security and cloud security teams How large enterprises manage cloud security policy enforcement across business units The shift from one-size-fits-all security policies to flexible, risk-based guardrails Why automation and visibility are critical for securing multi-cloud environments If you want to secure application connectivity across your hybrid environment, visit algosec.com .…

Audience 1st

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How to Diagnose Your Organization’s Real Growth Problem 41:20

29 days ago41:20

41:20

In this episode of Audience 1st, Dani Woolf cuts straight through the noise to confront the silent killer of growth in B2B organizations: misdiagnosing the real growth problem. Most GTM teams think they’re aligned. They’re not. Most believe they’re solving the right thing. They aren’t. In this raw, unfiltered solo episode, Dani unpacks why internal alignment is often a lie, how companies waste entire quarters solving surface-level symptoms, and what it takes to actually identify the bleeding neck - the one problem that’s quietly draining your growth, budget, and team morale. If you’ve ever felt like your team is moving fast but going nowhere, this is the episode you didn’t know you needed. What You’ll Learn: Why most organizations aren’t solving their biggest growth problem and how to tell if you’re one of them The high cost of chasing lagging indicators instead of root causes The real reason marketing, sales, and product don’t align and why buyer truth is the only fix How to recognize “growth triggers” that signal it’s time to do qualitative buyer research Dani’s four-step clarity framework: Diagnose → Validate → Align → Act How to stop guessing, and finally build from buyer reality—not internal theory Don’t just walk away from this episode inspired. Take action. Ask yourself: What’s the one growth problem we think we’re solving right now? Who told us that? When was the last time we heard it from a buyer’s mouth verbatim? What would it feel like to know we’re solving the right thing? If you’re ready to stop guessing and start listening, reach out to Dani and her team . Let’s uncover the bleeding neck together.…

Audience 1st

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The CISO POV Checklist That Drives Buying Decisions 41:06

29 days ago41:06

41:06

In this episode of Audience 1st Podcast, Dani Woolf sits down with Jason Loomis, Chief Information Security Officer at Freshworks, to uncover the raw truth behind how CISOs evaluate security vendors, what actually moves a deal forward, and why most POVs fall flat before they even start. Jason gets brutally honest about the emotional dynamics of enterprise buying, the real reason vendors lose trust, and what it actually takes to turn a POV into a purchase. If you’re in product marketing, sales, or demand generation at a cybersecurity company, this episode will change how you think about the buyer journey and give you a blueprint to win trust, increase conversions, and build long-term influence with technical buyers. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why emotional certainty - not ROI - is the key to winning a CISO’s trust The most common POV mistakes vendors make (and how to avoid them) How Jason evaluates vendors - and what gets them instantly disqualified The danger of relying on generic “What problems are you solving?” questions Why transparency beats feature-stuffing in every sales motion How to make your booth presence less awkward and more effective The impact of new SEC regulations on security budgeting and priorities Why buyers referring your product - even after saying no - is the ultimate win If you’re serious about understanding what really drives buyer decisions in cybersecurity subscribe to Audience 1st Podcast. New episodes every week. Raw, unfiltered, and straight from the source - your buyers. 🎧 Listen now, take notes, and share with your GTM team.…

Audience 1st

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Why the Legacy Analyst Model is Misaligned with Cybersecurity Buyer and Vendor Needs 31:38

7 weeks ago31:38

31:38

In this episode of Risk & Real, host Jeffrey Wheatman sits down with Dani Woolf, co-founder of CyberSynapse and CEO of Audience 1st, to discuss a major shift happening in the cybersecurity industry: the decline of the traditional analyst model and the rise of direct buyer engagement. Cybersecurity vendors that engage directly with their buyers gain faster, more actionable insights than those relying solely on traditional analyst firms. Tune in as we discuss: The flaws in the traditional analyst model and why it’s no longer aligned with today’s fast-moving cybersecurity landscape. Why analyst reports take too long to produce and how they filter buyer insights. The power of direct buyer engagement and how vendors can gather real-time, unfiltered insights. Why cybersecurity vendors are cutting back on analyst firm budgets and shifting to a hybrid research model. How CyberSynapse enables vendors to talk directly to security practitioners, CISOs, and IT leaders. Resources & Links: Learn more about CyberSynapse: https://www.cybersynapse.io Follow Dani Woolf on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniwoolf Check out Audience 1st Podcast: https://audience1st.fm Subscribe & Stay Connected! Follow Risk & Real on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. Connect with host Jeffrey Wheatman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreywheatman Don’t forget to leave a review if you enjoyed the episode!…

Audience 1st

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Why Cloud Security Starts with Applications & How to Protect Them at Scale 27:10

8 weeks ago27:10

27:10

Cloud security didn’t make life easier—it made it exponentially harder. Security teams are stuck in legacy network security models while trying to secure cloud-native applications, security groups, IAM policies, and ephemeral workloads. The result? Confusion, misalignment, and a security posture that can’t keep up with cloud speed. In this episode of Audience 1st Podcast, I chatted with Kyle Wickert from AlgoSec about: Why network security teams struggle with cloud security models The hidden complexity of securing applications across multi-cloud environments Why firewalls and network segmentation don’t translate well to the cloud How security teams can gain visibility and control over cloud security policies The role of automation in bridging the gap between network security and cloud security If you want to secure application connectivity across your hybrid environment, visit algosec.com .…

Audience 1st

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Why Mobile Security is Dangerously Overlooked (And What To Do About It) 34:33

9 weeks ago34:33

34:33

What happens when you meet a cybersecurity founder over dinner and 12 hours later, they’re on your podcast? You get one of the most brutally honest conversations about mobile security. In this episode, Rocky Cole, co-founder of iVerify, lays out why mobile security is dangerously behind—and why businesses are in denial about the scale of the threat. We dive into: The biggest myth in mobile security—why MDM (Mobile Device Management) is not a security tool and never was. Why enterprise security leaders are still ignoring mobile security (even when businesses are now prime targets). How attackers have outpaced traditional mobile security measures—and what needs to change. The operational bottlenecks holding CISOs back from fixing the problem—and how to work around them. Rocky shares raw insights from the frontlines of mobile security, including how his team uncovered new Pegasus infections, why BYOD security is broken, and what companies should be doing NOW. If you're still treating mobile devices differently than desktops, this episode will change your perspective—fast.…

Audience 1st

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How to Accelerate Speed to Buyer Insights to Gain a Competitive Edge | The Confident Cyber Marketer Series 45:12

9 weeks ago45:12

45:12

Welcome to the first episode of The Confident Cyber Marketer, a monthly series hosted by CyberSynapse.io! In this special in-person episode from New York City, I'm joined by Ben Siegel to break down how cybersecurity marketers and sales teams can accelerate speed to buyer insights to gain a competitive edge. In this tactical, no-BS conversation, we reveal why traditional analyst models fail, why most cybersecurity vendors get it wrong, and how real-time insights from buyers—not just customers—can drive better messaging, faster sales cycles, and higher conversion rates. Key Takeaways and Topics Covered: Why cybersecurity marketing is broken—and how to fix it The myth of proprietary data in cybersecurity marketing Why most data doesn’t tell you the full buyer story The Rapid Buyer Insight Loop (RBIL) framework for gathering and applying insights in less than two weeks The difference between customer research vs. buyer research—and why both matter How traditional analyst models hold cybersecurity vendors back Real-world stories from Dani & Ben on how shifting to direct buyer insights changed everything How to operationalize fast, actionable insights across marketing, sales, and product Metrics that matter: Time to Insight, Time to Decision, Time to Value The high cost of getting your target audience wrong—and how to avoid it. Resources & Links: 🔗 CyberSynapse – Ready to ditch the traditional analyst model and get real insights from real key decision-makers? Visit CyberSynapse.io to schedule a quick call. 🔗 Connect with Dani & Ben – Let’s keep the conversation going! Find us on LinkedIn: Dani Woolf Ben Siegel Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review if you found this episode valuable. More deep dives into cybersecurity marketing that actually works coming soon!…

Audience 1st

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Why Human-Centric Security is the Next Frontier in Data Privacy (and Why It Matters Now More Than Ever) 45:18

10 weeks ago45:18

45:18

In this episode of Audience 1st, I'm joined by Rob Shavell, co-founder of DeleteMe, to explore the data privacy space and the growing importance of human-centric security. Rob will share his journey from Silicon Valley venture capitalist to privacy entrepreneur and how being a contrarian led him to build one of the leading services in the data removal space. We'll dive into: Why privacy is no longer just a noun but an active set of actions. How AI and automation have transformed cybercrime into a “creative industry” and what it means for security teams. Why it’s difficult to quantify the impact of continuous data removal and how security leaders can build a better ROI story. How to overcome employee skepticism and drive adoption of security tools through simplicity and clear communication. We will also discusses the future of privacy, emerging threats like AI-generated deepfakes, and what security practitioners need to do to protect their people in an increasingly hostile digital world.…

Audience 1st

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What a Modern, Buyer-Centric Approach to Software Market Intelligence Looks Like 36:47

12 weeks ago36:47

36:47

Early in my career as a tech marketer, I was told that securing a top-right position in an analyst report was the way to gain credibility. It didn’t take long before I started questioning the whole system. In this episode of Audience 1st, I sat down with Chase Cunningham, VP of Security Market Research at G2 and Co-Founder of Demo-Force, to dig into a hot topic: The flaws in the legacy analyst model and what a modern, buyer-centric approach to market intelligence looks like. We explored how the legacy analyst firms operate, the influence of vendor dollars on rankings, and why many CMOs are quietly walking away from the old system. Chase shared eye-opening insights into how buyers actually evaluate security solutions—hint: they’re relying more on peer reviews and real-world data than on Magic Quadrants. Key takeaways from this episode: Why vendors are overpaying for analyst influence instead of listening to buyers. How data-driven insights from G2 are reshaping go-to-market strategies. The most overlooked buyer signals that vendors should start paying attention to. The shift from C-suite-targeted sales to winning over the “lieutenants” who make buying decisions. The real truth about security software pricing, discounts, and contract lengths. If you're in cybersecurity marketing, product, or sales and looking for smarter ways to understand and reach your buyers, this episode is a must-listen. Get free access to more than 100 million people researching, comparing, and buying software on G2 every year: https://sell.g2.com/…

Audience 1st

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The Hidden Cost of Demo Friction: Why the Software Sales Model Is Failing & How to Fix It 36:47

13 weeks ago36:47

36:47

The way cybersecurity and IT software is sold today is fundamentally broken. In this episode of Audience 1st, Chase Cunningham pulls no punches as we dive into why the traditional software demo and sales model is riddled with friction, killing deals, and frustrating buyers. We unpack the biggest flaws in go-to-market strategies, including: Why buyers expect seamless, self-service access to software—and how vendors are failing them. How manual, high-friction demos slow down sales cycles and lose deals. Why vendor fear of transparency is outdated—and actually hurting revenue. How behavioral data and automation can transform demo-to-close rates. Chase shares eye-opening stats on demo conversion rates, real-world examples of deals lost due to friction, and practical strategies for automating and optimizing the buyer experience. If you're in marketing, sales, or product and tired of watching your pipeline stall due to outdated sales motions, this episode is a must-listen. Learn how to ditch the friction, close more deals, and give buyers what they actually want here: https://www.demo-force.com/…

Audience 1st

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Why Business Information Security Officers Are Strategic Cybersecurity Translators 41:31

20 weeks ago41:31

41:31

The challenge is clear: BISOs must bridge the widening gap between security priorities and business demands, often dealing with a space that is fraught with competing interests and high stakes. But how do BISOs balance the demands of risk mitigation with the realities of operational goals? How can they make meaningful connections with vendors who often fail to understand the nuances of their role? These are the questions that Rob Dalzell, a Business Information Security Officer (BISO) at a major financial institution, grapples with regularly. In this episode of Audience 1st, I had a candid conversation with Rob, where we unearthed invaluable insights into what drives buying decisions and operational realities for BISOs.…

Audience 1st

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How One Customer Interview Completely Transformed This Startup's Trajectory 57:25

21 weeks ago57:25