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:

Resources & Links:

Learn more about CyberSynapse: https://www.cybersynapse.io

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! 

Cloud security didn’t make life easier—it made it exponentially harder.

If you want to secure application connectivity across your hybrid environment, visit algosec.com.

What happens when you meet a cybersecurity founder over dinner and 12 hours later, they’re on your podcast?

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:

🔗 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.

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!

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.

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.

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:

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/

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:

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/

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.

The art of successful startups isn't just in building the right product—it's in listening, pivoting, and solving real problems.

In this episode of Audience 1st Podcast, I sat down with James Farrow, co-founder of Cyft, to explore the intricate dance of startup growth, MSP market demands, and the mindset shifts required for success.

We covered everything from Cyft’s pivot from the MDR market to MSPs, to how a single user interview transformed the company’s trajectory.

James opened up about the emotional and operational challenges of building a startup, including how personal relationships fuel professional growth.

He also shared his mental models for approaching complex decisions, including first-principles thinking and inversion, and gave a glimpse into what’s next for Cyft as they scale their offerings.

This conversation is one of the more raw episodes I've had with a special guest, insightful, and packed with actionable advice for anyone building a business, especially in B2B tech.

Whether you’re pivoting, scaling, or just trying to stay true to your mission, James’ journey is a blueprint for thoughtful growth.

The biggest threats in cybersecurity don’t come from outside attackers—they come from within.

From toxic personal agendas to a lack of cross-functional collaboration, the real risk lies in how people operate, not just the systems they use.

It’s a hard truth for many leaders, but one that can transform organizations if embraced.

In this episode of Audience 1st Podcast, I had a real, raw conversation with Amy Chaney about what’s truly broken in cybersecurity leadership—and how to fix it.

We dove into the pervasive issue of personal agendas, the saturation of cybersecurity communities that often fail to deliver, and what separates good vendors from bad ones.

Amy also shared her insights on what it really takes to thrive as a Chief Risk Officer, her approach to balancing technical and human risks, and why collaboration—not ego—is the key to solving the industry’s toughest challenges.