How to Talk Cyber Risk So People Actually Listen | Jeffrey Wheatman, Cybersecurity Strategist at Black Kite

Pipe Dream · 2026-01-21 · 21 min

Episode notes

What happens when cyber risk leaders stop speaking in acronyms and start telling stories? In this episode, host Jason Bradwell sits down with Jeffrey Wheatman, SVP of Cyber Risk Strategy at Black Kite and longtime cybersecurity evangelist, to talk about how to lead with problems, not products. From decades advising CISOs at Gartner to launching the panel show Third Party, Jeff shares what he's learned about building trust, breaking down "terminal uniqueness," and why vendors need to collaborate on educating the market instead of competing. If you care about cutting through noise in a saturated market, this conversation is packed with insights you can actually use. Jason and Jeff dive into why so many cybersecurity vendors fall into the trap of "terminal uniqueness" believing they're so different that they can't learn from anyone else. Jeff explains why this mindset kills effective marketing and how leading with the problem, not your product features, is the only way to break through. They explore why CISOs won't talk to sales teams (hint: it's not personal, it's about trust) and why the cybersecurity industry desperately needs more collaboration.

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