Most cyber attacks don’t begin with code; they begin with people. We sit down with longtime consultant and educator Raj Sawhney to unpack how a business-first approach to cybersecurity outperforms tool-chasing and why leadership, process, and culture determine whether controls actually work when it counts. Raj draws on decades with Big Four firms and clients like Disney, Hyundai, and Apria to show how enterprises and local businesses face the same core challenge: reducing real risk to revenue, customers, and operations.

We dig into the human element behind breaches—compromised passwords, weak account security, and simple physical lapses—and translate those risks into practical moves any team can make. Think MFA across the board, clean identity and access, tested backups, and quick tabletop exercises for the top incident scenarios. Raj also explains why compliance frameworks such as HIPAA, FFIEC, and sector-specific standards should be living systems, not one-time projects, and how effective third‑party risk management can actually speed sales cycles rather than slow them down.

For leaders who can’t hire a full-time CISO, Raj breaks down the value of a fractional CISO: a focused roadmap, clear priorities, and execution that respects budgets and timelines. Along the way, we talk about tailoring security messaging to each function—finance, operations, sales—so adoption sticks, and about crafting content that meets specialized audiences where they are. If you’re trying to protect customer trust, pass audits, and keep your business resilient without overbuying tools, this conversation offers a grounded playbook you can start using today.

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