Customer Success as the Key to Cybersecurity Growth | Rahul Kashyap | Be Fearless Podcast EP 26

“Remember, your best champion is your customer, and nothing else. It’s as simple as that.”

In this two-part series, Rahul Kashyap (President & CEO at Awake Security, VP/GM & CISO at Arista Networks), shares his thoughts with Vivek and Aleksandra from SquareX. Rahul shares his approach to building companies, the importance of a customer-focused mindset, and provides actionable insights into what it takes to grow  a successful cybersecurity startup. Rahul also discusses the latest trends in cybersecurity, from browser security to the rise of AI, and emphasises the importance of staying positive in a rocky job market. 

0:00 Part One with Vivek: Rahul’s cybersecurity and entrepreneurship journey
10:48 Advice is overrated; be decisive
13:12 Macro trends in cybersecurity startups
16:13 Standing out with clarity of value prop, customer success, and execution
18:36 On building company culture and the importance of transparency
21:50 “Your best champion is your customer”
24:03 Challenges in browser security today
26:34 AI and cybersecurity: thinking deeper than GenAI and copilots
31:58 How the odds are always against defenders and implications for cybersecurity education
35:16 Unearthing CISOs’ top-level concerns and opportunities in vulnerability management/DLP
40:43 Part Two with Aleksandra: Consistently keep your customer happy
44:33 Staying positive in a rocky job market
 
🔔 Follow Rahul, Vivek and Aleksandra on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rckashyap/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivekramachandran/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandra-melnikova-1012/

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Chapters

• 0:00 Part One with Vivek: Rahul’s cybersecurity and entrepreneurship journey
• 10:48 Advice is overrated; be decisive
• 13:12 Macro trends in cybersecurity startups
• 16:13 Standing out with clarity of value prop, customer success, and execution
• 18:36 On building company culture and the importance of transparency
• 21:50 “Your best champion is your customer”
• 24:03 Challenges in browser security today
• 26:34 AI and cybersecurity: thinking deeper than GenAI and copilots
• 31:58 How the odds are always against defenders and implications for cybersecurity education
• 35:16 Unearthing CISOs’ top-level concerns and opportunities in vulnerability management/DLP
• 40:43 Part Two with Aleksandra: Consistently keep your customer happy
• 44:33 Staying positive in a rocky job market