The threat that puts you out of business probably won’t look like a movie hack, it’ll look like a normal email from your CEO.

In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Scott Alldridge, CEO of IP Services and bestselling author of the Visible Ops series, who explains how modern cybercrime actually works and why most small and mid-sized companies are far more vulnerable than they think. Scott shares real breach stories, including how something as simple as leaving a printer password as “1234” led to a $187,000 theft and forced a firm into a merger. He breaks down why cybersecurity is now a board-level issue, how AI is being weaponized by attackers, and what leaders need to be doing right now to protect their data, their money, and their survival.

Key Takeaways:

→ Most companies think “we’re too small to be a target,” but attackers actively go after businesses with as few as 100 employees — and even under $1M in revenue.

→ Only about 1 in 7 cybersecurity breaches ever gets reported, so what you read in the news is a tiny fraction of what’s actually happening.

→ A single weak password (like “1234” on a networked printer) can give a threat actor a doorway into your entire system.

→ Attackers don’t smash and grab; they sit quietly for weeks or months, watch how you communicate, then imitate leadership to trigger wire transfers that look totally normal.

→ The “human layer” is still the biggest risk: phishing, social engineering, and reused or weak credentials are where most compromises begin.

Scott Alldridge has spent three decades on the frontlines of cyber warfare—turning escalating threats intocompetitive advantage for business leaders. As co-founder of the IT Process Institute and creator of the globally adopted VisibleOps framework (400,000+ copies sold), he shaped how enterprises worldwide secure and scale technology.

His Amazon bestseller, VisibleOps Cybersecurity, is the definitive roadmap for integrating Zero Trust principles into real business results. Today, as CEO of IP Services, one of America’s most trusted MSSPs, Scott helps executives verify—not just trust—their cybersecurity posture.

Driven by both expertise and altruism, Scott’s mission is to ensure businesses of all sizes are resilient and protected—not only to safeguard revenue, but to prevent the devastating personal and professional fallout of cyberattacks. A globally recognized thought leader with 618K+ social media followers, he leverages his platform to raise awareness, share real-world breach stories, and arm leaders with actionable strategies that save companies before it’s too late.

Connect With Scott Aldridge:

Website: https://ipservices.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottalldridge1/?hl=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-alldridge-1a976/

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