Straight talk on cybersecurity brand and growth

How bold is too bold? The CFO-forward test

Cybersecurity founders want to stand out and fear standing out. Both instincts are right. There is a working test for where the line sits, and it involves your champion's CFO.

Phill Keaney-Bolland

4 Aug 2026

When to launch: the cybersecurity market calendar

Founders debate launch timing endlessly: before or after the raise, before or after the product feels ready. There is no perfect moment. There is a market calendar, and it should set your date.

Phill Keaney-Bolland

28 Jul 2026

AI is your salesperson now

Buyers describe a use case to an LLM and get a shortlist of three to five names. How security startups earn a place on it, and why the answer runs through a website you own.

Phill Keaney-Bolland

21 Jul 2026

Be marmite, not butter: Why divisive brands attract the biggest fans.

Yaya put its own proposition up for public critique. Roland Gurney took it apart, and the phrase that came out of it has stuck: be marmite, not butter.

We branded and launched ZEST Security out of stealth in 2024. TechCrunch has since named ZEST one of the top cybersecurity startups of Disrupt 2025.

The Cybersecurity Cult Products Awards report

We scored all 77 startups exhibiting at RSA's Early Stage Expo and Next Stage on proposition, brand, and marketing. Here is what the category gets wrong, and who gets it right.