Marketing and selling cybersecurity to local government isn't like pitching to a Fortune 500 company—it’s an entirely different game. In this episode, Kush Sharma, Director of Municipal Modernization and Partnerships at MISA Ontario, joins Gianna and Maria to pull back the curtain on how cybersecurity budgets are actually won (and lost) in the public sector.

[03:45] What is MISA Ontario? – Kush explains how his organization supports municipalities in IT & cybersecurity.

[07:30] Advocating for Cybersecurity in Government – Who controls the budget, and how do you convince them?

[12:15] Selling Cyber to Mayors & Councils – Why traditional cyber risk talk doesn’t work, and how to translate it into real-world concerns.

[17:40] Marketing & Politics in Cybersecurity – Understanding political motivations and tailoring the message to different decision-makers.

[23:10] The Budget Battle – How cybersecurity leaders can secure funding (even when compliance isn’t enough).

[28:45] Cyber Threats in 2025 – Why Ransomware is still the #1 concern for municipalities.

[34:20] Startups & Government Cybersecurity – Why smaller vendors need to rethink how they sell to local government. 

[40:00] Building Cybersecurity Programs at Scale – From the City of Toronto to all of Ontario, how to scale security efforts. 

👉Gianna Whitver

👉Maria Velasquez

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