Curiosity, Creation, and Career with Ed Hagopian

Celeste Cuffie sits down with Ed Hagopian, a true renaissance thinker, to explore why curiosity—not credentials—may be your strongest asset for career and life success.

In a world obsessed with degrees and fast answers, Ed’s story is proof that being interested in everything is a superpower. Whether he’s running a tech startup, building with his hands, or mentoring future leaders, Ed never stops learning.

Ed’s approach touches on more than just skills or titles. He breaks down the value of life experience, the wisdom of failure, and why building relationships is just as critical as racking up expertise. What if letting go of “one right path” could move you forward faster?

Ever wondered how someone balances being a tech expert, a family man, and still makes time to pursue new passions? Hear how Ed shapes his own version of success—and how you might, too.

Episode Highlights:

07:53 - I think there's something innately powerful about having a natural curiosity and really wanting to know how does something work? How does this, this work? Why does it work the way it does? What can I learn from that? Oh, that's interesting. Oh, that takes me down a different road. 

13:06 - I'm one of those people where the degree wasn't the thing that I needed to get gateway into my professional life. I was already doing it professionally beforehand, but it was something that my father really wanted for the family. I was the first one to actually get the degree in my family.

20:48 - I think education is more than just kind of learning things. It's understanding how to interact with people, it's understanding how to problem solve, it's understanding how to do time management. It's understanding there's a huge facet of life skills that comes from absolutely from that, that can be really important beyond just getting a particular degree in something. 

Guest Bio
Ed Hagopian is the Vice President of Product Security at Cream City Cyber, where he leads the charge in developing innovative security strategies to protect organizations from increasingly sophisticated threats. With a deep understanding of the cybersecurity landscape, Ed is committed to fortifying defenses and ensuring that businesses can operate securely and efficiently. Prior to his role at Cream City Cyber, Ed served as Director of Enterprise Security Architecture at Dell Technologies. There, he was instrumental in pioneering AI-enabled defenses within the Secure Development Life Cycle and creating frameworks like “Subzero Trust.” By integrating industry standards such as NIST, MITRE ATT&CK, and OWASP ASVS, he significantly enhanced Dell’s risk mitigation efforts and strengthened its global security posture. Before his impactful tenure at Dell, Ed held key positions at Northwestern Mutual and Microsoft, where he focused on cloud platforms (like Azure and AWS) and infrastructure strategies that balanced innovation with operational resilience. He is known for his ability to rapidly build world-class architecture teams and seamlessly implement DevSecOps and Zero Trust methodologies across both traditional infrastructure and cutting-edge AI solutions. This approach has led to improved collaboration and faster threat response times. As a dynamic speaker and mentor, Ed frequently shares his insights on AI governance, Zero Trust, and transformative cybersecurity practices at industry conferences and seminars. His unique ability to blend technical expertise with executive insights makes him a sought-after adviser for organizations striving for robust and forward-thinking security solutions. At Cream City Cyber, Ed continues to push the boundaries of product security, guiding organizations toward safer and more profitable growth in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

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