Audience 1st

Dani Woolf
  • 5.0 (6)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to Audience 1st. A podcast for tech marketers looking to break out of the echo chamber to better understand their audience and turn them into loyal customers. Every week, Dani Woolf is having brutally honest conversations with busy tech buyers about what really motivates them, the things they hate that vendors do, and what you can do about it. You’ll get access to practical information on how to build authentic relationships with your audience, listen to and talk with your buyers, and apply real customer insights to your strategies and tactics. You owe it to the world to unmute your mic. Are you ready? audience1st.substack.com

  1. How to Stop Falling for Fake Cyber Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) Claims

    12/19/2025

    How to Stop Falling for Fake Cyber Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) Claims

    Every vendor in exposure management now says they do CTEM. Nick Lantuh's response: "You don't even know what you're talking about." This episode with Nick Lantuh (CyberProof) and Amy Chaney (Citibank) breaks down how a methodology became a meaningless marketing term and how buyers can fight back. The reality check: CTEM requires connecting vuln scanning, endpoint, SIEM, cloud, email, network—not just one of them Adding CAASM or external attack surface management doesn't make you a CTEM vendor Most organizations doing "CTEM" are actually using spreadsheets and manual threat intel fusion Why services-led beats platform-first (60x revenue growth proved it) The disingenuity problem: vendors spray the term, buyers have to unpack it Amy's evaluated these claims at the world's largest banks. Nick built the solution that actually connects the pieces. Together, they arm you with the filter. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

    44 min
  2. Why Are You Outsourcing Buyer Intimacy to Gartner?!?

    12/05/2025

    Why Are You Outsourcing Buyer Intimacy to Gartner?!?

    The Gartner debate keeps resurfacing on LinkedIn. Skeptics vs. pragmatists vs. the "it depends" crowd. Same arguments. Same camps. Same circular conversation. Everyone's missing the point. After having hundreds of direct conversations between vendors and CISOs, I've come to a controversial conclusion: The analyst relations industry exists because marketers don't want to do the hard work of actually understanding their buyers. In this episode, I'm going deep on what no one's willing to say: How buyer insight gets distorted through seven (at least) layers of interpretation before it reaches your strategy. By the time Gartner's "insight" hits your roadmap, it's a game of telephone. Vendors expect Gartner to generate pipeline. It generates awareness. That awareness doesn't convert. And the "justification" use case? I don't buy it anymore. I'll tell you what CISOs actually say. Gartner has become a shortcut to avoid the uncomfortable work of direct buyer relationships. More surprisingly, the analysts aren't doing the deep work either. You are the product, not the customer. AI is commoditizing surface-level insight. But the deep nuance, the psychology, the politics, the unspoken objections, that still requires human connection. The differentiator is becoming more human, not less. What to do instead. How to build buyer intimacy as a core competency. Why the vendors who win will be the ones who stop outsourcing the most important work in marketing. This episode isn't about whether Gartner is good or bad. It's about a harder question: How well do you actually know your buyer? If the honest answer is "not deeply enough", Gartner isn't your problem. If you're a cybersecurity founder, marketer, or GTM leader wondering who has even the smallest inkling or intuitive feeling deep down inside that your Gartner investment isn’t worthwhile, this one's for you. Connect with me on LinkedIn Learn more about CyberSynapse This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

    44 min
  3. From Cost Center to Growth Driver: The CFO’s Playbook for Cloud Security ROI

    06/06/2025

    From Cost Center to Growth Driver: The CFO’s Playbook for Cloud Security ROI

    For years, security has been treated as a necessary evil - a budget line item that CFOs approve without truly understanding its business impact. But what if cloud security could be a revenue driver, an efficiency enabler, and a cost-saving powerhouse? In this episode, Dani Woolf sat down with Chris Thomas, Chief Revenue Officer at AlgoSec, to break down how CFOs should really evaluate cloud security investments, not just as a defensive measure, but as a business accelerator. They dove into the cost of inaction, the inefficiencies draining budgets, and the financial case for security automation - all from a CFO’s perspective. If you’re still treating security as an overhead cost, this conversation will change the way you think about it. To get a demo of AlgoSec, visit: https://www.algosec.com/lp/request-a-demo This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

    48 min
  4. Why the vCISO Model Is More Than a Stopgap for Organizations Looking for Security Leadership

    05/30/2025

    Why the vCISO Model Is More Than a Stopgap for Organizations Looking for Security Leadership

    In this milestone 100th (and birthday!) episode of Audience 1st Podcast, Dani Woolf is joined by veteran cybersecurity leader David Doyle from DirectDefense for a brutally honest conversation about what’s broken in today’s security leadership models and how the rise of the vCISO is more than just a stopgap. Together, they unpack the myths, power dynamics, and misaligned expectations that drive burnout, stall progress, and keep companies from building real security maturity. This episode is a blueprint for cybersecurity executives, CISOs, and vCISOs who are serious about designing resilient organizations that can lead through complexity. You’ll Learn: 1. The real reason CISOs are burning out and why it’s not just about stress 2. How most orgs misunderstand the vCISO role (and end up wasting budget) 3. When to bring in a vCISO and how to avoid hiring the wrong one 4. Why CISOs and vCISOs should be tag-teaming, not competing 5. How to measure progress beyond compliance and build a culture of strategic leadership 6. What makes a good vCISO indispensable, not replaceable Subscribe & Follow: Follow Audience 1st wherever you get your podcasts Connect with Dani Woolf on LinkedIn Learn more about CyberSynapse and qualitative buyer research This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

    51 min

  5. 05/23/2025

    The GTM Gauntlet in Cybersecurity: What We're Still Getting Wrong | Authenticated by Confide

    In this special episode of Authenticated, Confide brings together a powerhouse panel of security operators, marketers, and founders to dissect the brutal realities of go-to-market in cybersecurity. From failed conference booth investments to relationship-first community building, this conversation goes deep on why most vendors still miss the mark, and what it actually takes to build trust with today’s security buyers. Whether you’re a CISO, product marketer, founder, or GTM leader in security, this episode cuts through the noise with raw, unfiltered truths about what works, what backfires, and where the future of security GTM is headed. Key Themes We Cover Why cybersecurity is one of the hardest GTM motions in tech—period The myth of the CISO as the sole buyer (and who actually influences decisions) How real community works—and why fake ones backfire Why founder curiosity and customer obsession are the biggest predictors of success The buyer psychology behind trust, timing, and transference What not to do at RSAC (and how to rethink your event strategy) The role of failure, redemption, and authentic messaging in building credibility Tactical ways to break through cynicism and engage skeptical security practitioners Subscribe & Follow: Follow Audience 1st wherever you get your podcasts Connect with Dani Woolf on LinkedIn Learn more about CyberSynapse and qualitative buyer research  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

    58 min
  6. Cognitive Risk, Neurodivergence, and the Unspoken Realities of Security Leadership

    05/16/2025

    Cognitive Risk, Neurodivergence, and the Unspoken Realities of Security Leadership

    In this episode of Audience 1st Podcast, Dani Woolf sits down with Val Popke to explore the unspoken human dimensions of cybersecurity leadership. Val, a veteran, assurance leader, and self-described “Wandering Cyber Vulva,” challenges the industry’s prevailing narratives around hiring, communication, inclusion, and resilience. The discussion goes beyond traditional security frameworks to uncover the cognitive and cultural risks impacting practitioners at all levels. Listeners will walk away with a deeper understanding of why burnout, disconnect, and distrust are systemic, not personal, and how security leaders must evolve to lead in environments of increasing complexity, diversity, and psychological strain. Key Themes: Why psychological safety and cognitive clarity are prerequisites for functional security operations. How the industry’s hidden majority is misaligned with traditional corporate norms and what needs to change. The mismatch between capability and visibility in how cyber professionals are evaluated and excluded. A linguistic and philosophical reframe that emphasizes collaborative understanding over performative inclusion. Why many security professionals are forced to protect their organizations from internal dysfunction while defending against external threats. Trust, mission, and why so many veterans find a natural home in cyber until corporate incentives erode that foundation. Subscribe & Follow: Follow Audience 1st wherever you get your podcasts Connect with Dani Woolf on LinkedIn Learn more about CyberSynapse and qualitative buyer research    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

    36 min
  7. A Deep Dive Into The Multi-Cloud Mess & How AlgoSec Connects the Dots

    05/09/2025

    A Deep Dive Into The Multi-Cloud Mess & How AlgoSec Connects the Dots

    What does it really take to secure applications across a hybrid, multi-cloud environment? In this episode of Audience 1st, I sit down with Adolfo Lopez, Sales Engineer at AlgoSec, who brings a practitioner’s lens to the cloud security conversation. From his experience as a network engineer to helping organizations operationalize cloud security today, Adolfo walks us through what most teams overlook—and how to get it right. We cover: Why visibility into application flows is foundational for multi-cloud security What enterprises miss when they treat the cloud like a lift-and-shift extension of on-prem Why security must be application-centric—not infrastructure-led The critical role of policy discovery, orchestration, and automation How AlgoSec ACE helps teams answer the question: “What will break if I make this change?” If your team is working across AWS, Azure, GCP, and on-prem—and struggling to manage risk, connectivity, and policy alignment, this episode breaks it down practically and tactically. To get a demo of AlgoSec, visit: https://www.algosec.com/lp/request-a-demo This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

    42 min
  8. Successful Cybersecurity Marketing with Qualitative Buyer Data and Brain Power

    05/02/2025

    Successful Cybersecurity Marketing with Qualitative Buyer Data and Brain Power

    In this provocative and no-fluff episode of Keyboard Samurai, host, Wil Kluv, sits down with Dani Woolf and Ben Siegel to unpack what’s broken in how cybersecurity vendors go to market and how to fix it using real buyer data and a deeper understanding of human psychology. Dani and Ben, co-founders of CyberSynapse and veterans of cybersecurity GTM, break down why so many tech marketers are stuck in echo chambers, how pressure from investors leads to safe (but disconnected) strategies, and why most teams are making decisions without actual buyer validation. They explore the psychological barriers to change, why the “herd mentality” is sabotaging innovation, and how to replace opinion with evidence through first-party qualitative research. They also take on the traditional analyst model, offering sharp critique and a more human, scalable alternative rooted in community-sourced insight. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit audience1st.substack.com

    45 min
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About

Welcome to Audience 1st. A podcast for tech marketers looking to break out of the echo chamber to better understand their audience and turn them into loyal customers. Every week, Dani Woolf is having brutally honest conversations with busy tech buyers about what really motivates them, the things they hate that vendors do, and what you can do about it. You’ll get access to practical information on how to build authentic relationships with your audience, listen to and talk with your buyers, and apply real customer insights to your strategies and tactics. You owe it to the world to unmute your mic. Are you ready? audience1st.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Dani Woolf
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    101
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dani Woolf
  • Show Website
    Audience 1st