S6E3: Resilient Cyber w/ Ross Haleliuk

In this episode of Resilient Cyber, host Chris Hughes sits down with Ross Haleliuk, best-selling author of the newly released Cyber for Builders and author at Venture in Security on Substack. The discussion dives into Ross's new book, broader trends in cybersecurity, and the future of the cybersecurity ecosystem for both founders and practitioners.

Key Highlights:

• Ross’s background as Head of Product at LimaCharlie and his journey from e-commerce and fintech to cybersecurity.

• Overview of Ross’s book, Cyber for Builders, which focuses on the essential guide for building cybersecurity startups, and the process of writing and self-publishing the book.

• Cybersecurity as a horizontal industry, not a vertical one. Ross emphasizes how cybersecurity underpins every industry, from consumer goods to critical infrastructure.

• Discussion on the importance of trust in cybersecurity, both in vendor relationships and product claims, and how the industry needs to shift from promise-based security to outcomes-based security.

• The role of venture capital in the cybersecurity ecosystem, and why Ross argues we don't have enough startups or capital to address the industry's needs, particularly in emerging areas like AI security.

• How undifferentiated startups are a major challenge in cybersecurity, with too many companies offering similar solutions to the same problems.

• Ross’s perspective on the role of industry analysts and how security leaders are increasingly relying on peer feedback from communities like Slack or WhatsApp to make purchasing decisions.

• Insights into the founder ecosystem, especially the contrast between first-time and repeat founders, with the latter focusing more on distribution than product perfection.