Next Level BizTech

Can your organization really “buy” its way into CMMC compliance? In this episode Josh Lupresto sits down with CJ Messana (Director, Channels That Thrive) to explain why CMMC is an operational journey — not a checkbox — and what companies must do now to compete for DoD business.What you’ll learn- Why the November CMMC deadline matters and why third‑party C3PAO certification is no longer optional- How operational maturity looks in practice: quarterly vulnerability assessments plus documented remediation and continuous monitoring (MDR) are critical - Common failure points auditors find: missing evidence, poor documentation, and “false start” self‑assessments that cost time and money- Why CMMC reaches far beyond prime contractors — even small manufacturers (yes, sticker makers) can be in scope and benefit competitively from certification- Practical steps partners and TAs can use to qualify prospects and avoid wasted auditsHosts and episode details- Host: Josh Lupresto, SVP Sales Engineering, Telarus - Guest: CJ Messana, Director of Channels That Thrive — former assessor experience and CMMC advisory insights that prepare teams for successful certification - New episodes drop every Wednesday — subscribe so you don’t miss actionable guidance for selling security, compliance, and cloud solutionsReady to get CMMC‑ready? Listen for concrete questions to ask prospects, what to prioritize first, and how to avoid costly missteps on the road to certification.Subscribe now and find episode resources on the show page.

Chad Muckenfuss and Jason Kaufman from Telarus discuss a successful VMware migration case study involving a customer with 130 VMs who needed to transition away from legacy Broadcom infrastructure. The customer, operating in the financial sector with highly compliant data, was facing an October deadline and needed a minimally invasive solution. Expedient provided the perfect fit through bridge licenses that allowed the customer to maintain their existing hardware while upgrading to VCF nine software, ensuring continued support and compliance. The solution included backup and disaster recovery capabilities, integration with existing SD-WAN infrastructure, and future AI gateway opportunities. The total contract value reached $750,000, demonstrating how even mid-sized customers abandoned by Broadcom can find effective migration paths through strategic partnerships.

Security architect and "BS sniffer" David Girvin joins Josh to cut through the noise in AI security. From ship captain to penetration tester to AI governance pioneer, David brings a unique perspective on what's actually broken in cybersecurity today.

In this episode, we dive into:
• Why most AI governance is just policy theater (and what real controls look like)
• The deadly gap between agent identity and execution layer security
• How autonomous AI agents are already destroying companies—with real examples
• Why traditional AppSec approaches fail when dealing with AI tools
• The questions TAs should ask to separate signal from noise in security conversations

David doesn't pull punches when calling out vendor marketing versus technical reality. Whether you're selling into security teams or trying to understand the real risks of AI implementation, this conversation delivers practical insights from someone who's been breaking and building security systems for years.

Perfect for technology advisors, security professionals, and anyone trying to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape where AI meets cybersecurity.

Guest: David Girvin - Security Architect, Evangelist, and AI Governance Expert
Host: Josh Lupresto - SVP Sales Engineering, Telarus

New episodes drop every Wednesday. Subscribe for more deep dives into enterprise technology trends.

Sam Nelson hosts a CX edition of Inside the Win featuring Heather from Atlas, discussing how AI voice technology can be accessible to SMB customers. The conversation centers around a recent success story where Atlas helped a small East Coast law firm with fewer than 20 people implement AI voice technology in just two weeks. The law firm had two distinct business lines - corporate practice serving Fortune 500 companies and personal injury practice - requiring different voice tones and workflows. The main challenge was that the attorney owner didn't want to hire a receptionist but needed to capture every incoming call, especially for personal injury cases where speed of response directly impacts revenue. Atlas provided a flexible AI voice solution that could be tailored to both business lines with different conversation styles and CRM integrations. The implementation was so successful that the channel partner who facilitated the deal not only secured their own Atlas agent but is now presenting about the technology at a major industry conference, using their AI agent to book follow-up meetings with interested law firms.

Most organizations miss the huge revenue potential hidden within cybersecurity—until now. When compliance is viewed not just as a checkbox but as a strategic asset, it opens doors to new markets, wins government contracts, and builds unbeatable trust with clients. With cybersecurity expert Dan Desko sharing insider frameworks and real-world insights, this episode reveals how to turn your security posture into a competitive edge that drives revenue—not just a cost center.You’ll discover how compliance frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, and CMMC are evolving beyond mere checkboxes into tools that differentiate your business in crowded markets and help you unlock new revenue streams. Dan breaks down the critical difference between cybersecurity and compliance, explaining why understanding this gap can empower you to position your organization as a resilient, trusted partner—attracting lucrative clients and contracts.We explore practical tactics for utilizing threat actor tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) from active adversaries to conduct more realistic security tests. Whether it’s adversarial emulation or red teaming, Dan reveals how these methods expose vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them—saving you millions and boosting your credibility in the marketplace.The stakes couldn’t be higher: falling behind on compliance can mean lost opportunities, missed bids, and a weakened competitive position. Conversely, proactive compliance—driven by strategic insight—can be your secret weapon for growth, innovation, and market leadership. We highlight how aligning cybersecurity with revenue goals creates a mindset shift that benefits your entire business, especially in growing industries like AI and third-party risk management.Perfect for MSPs, security leaders, and business owners—if you're ready to transform cybersecurity from a necessary expense into a revenue-generating strategy, this episode is your playbook. Dan Desko’s background as a practitioner, auditor, and strategic partner offers invaluable lessons and game-changing ideas you can apply today to unlock profit from your security investments.

In case you missed it, industry-expert and Telarus technology advisor JP Panzica of Accelerate Partners join us as we wrap up this top track on negotiation and discovery calls! JP brings many years of experience to the discussion as we talk about Discovery calls from old to now and all the things that have changed. JP shares a ton of lessons, some seemingly basic, but frequently forgotten. We discuss the importance of things such as patience and empathy, and how you incorporate those into your customer engagements, but do it in a very meaningful way!

In this episode of Inside the Win, Graeme Scott from Telarus interviews Eric Solomon from Comcast about a successful teaming strategy that transformed competition into collaboration. The story follows a tech adviser who had been working with an airline carrier for eight years, building a $60,000 revenue base with Comcast services. When Comcast's direct team identified the same account as strategic, instead of competing, they chose to team up with the Telarus partner. Despite initial friction and trust issues, the collaboration proved highly successful, more than doubling the account size to $120,000-$130,000 within a year. The success was facilitated by the existing MSA (Master Service Agreement) that the tech adviser had already established, which streamlined the sales process. Eric emphasizes how Comcast has evolved from a competitive approach to embracing partnership, with dedicated partner sales managers overseeing these relationships. The discussion highlights the power of combining the tech adviser's customer relationships and industry expertise with Comcast's product knowledge and solution capabilities.

Is compliance a cost center, or a growth strategy? In this episode of Next Level BizTech, Josh Lupresto sits down with Telarus Security Solution Architect Trevor Burnside to explore why compliance should be viewed as a revenue driver, not just a regulatory burden. They break down how frameworks like SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI, ISO 27001, and CMMC can help businesses win opportunities, build trust, and reduce third-party risk. The conversation also covers GRC, audit readiness, AI risk, and how advisors can position cybersecurity as a true business enabler.

Brett Smith of Intellus shares his journey, insights on relentless execution, building trust, relationship selling, and long-term success in the tech sales industry.

Key topics

• Relentless execution habits
• Building trust quickly with clients
• Storytelling in sales to build rapport
• Leveraging resources and partnerships
• Long-term relationship mindset in sales

In this episode of 'Inside the Win,' Telarus solution architects Trevor Burnside and Jason Kaufman discuss a recent client engagement that demonstrates the power of strategic questioning and comprehensive solutions. The case study involves a manufacturing company with 50 employees who initially requested FedRAMP-compliant VDI infrastructure in Azure GovCloud but actually needed CMMC level 2 certification to retain a $23 million government contract renewal. Through strategic questioning, the team discovered that only 10 employees actually needed access to sensitive government data, allowing them to recommend a more targeted enclave solution rather than enterprise-wide compliance. The discussion highlights how asking 'why' can uncover broader business objectives and lead to better outcomes, transforming a point solution request into a comprehensive service that provides a faster path to certification within 90 days instead of the typical 12-18 month timeline.