Cyber Inspiration

Hosted by Evgeniy Kharam and Security Architecture

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May 2026

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About the show

Cyber Inspiration podcast explores the minds of CTOs and CEOs, at the time they started their cyber security companies. We find out what happened in their technical or personal lives that motivated them to start the company. Cyber Inspiration will also cover social, technological and business aspects. This show is affiliated with https://www.security-architecture.org/ podcast! Patreon page https://www.patreon.com/cyber_Inspiration_2022

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60 recent

June 16, 202621 min

The Reality of Startup Life with Graham Neray, CEO of Oso

Graham Neray, Co-Founder and CEO of Oso, joins Cyber Inspiration to discuss the realities of startup life and what it takes to build a company through uncertainty.Unlike many founders who begin with a specific problem they are passionate about solving, Graham shares that his journey started with a desire to build something meaningful and create his own path. From early conversations with the founder of MongoDB to raising venture capital and navigating pivots, Graham provides an honest look at the founder experience.Topics include:Entrepreneurship and startup decision-makingProduct-market fit myths and realitiesRaising venture capitalLessons from failed product ideasStartup hiring challengesLeadership under uncertaintyCustomer-driven product developmentAI in recruiting and hiringManaging founder stress and setbacksAdvice Graham would give his younger selfA thoughtful conversation for anyone interested in startups, technology, leadership, and growth.

May 26, 202622 min

From Nuclear Weapons Systems to Cybersecurity Leadership with Kevin Spease

In this episode of Cyber Inspiration, Evgeniy Kharam speaks with Kevin Spease, founder of ISSE Services, about cybersecurity in highly sensitive military environments and what it truly means to build security into systems from day one.Kevin shares how working on the Minuteman III missile program shifted his view of cybersecurity from compliance-driven documentation to engineering-driven protection. He explains why “security baked in” matters far more than simply checking boxes.The discussion also dives into:FedRAMP and government cybersecurity requirementsSupply chain security risksGrowing a cybersecurity company organically over 20 yearsThe importance of honesty, ethics, and curiosity in hiringWhy soft skills matter in technical environmentsAdvice for veterans transitioning into cybersecurity careersLeadership lessons from difficult moments and uncertaintyThis episode is packed with practical insights for cybersecurity professionals, founders, engineers, veterans, and anyone interested in critical infrastructure security.

March 22, 202624 min

Zero Trust Done Right: Why Most Initiatives Fail and How to Fix Them

In this episode of Cyber Inspiration, Evgeniy Kharam is joined by John Spiegel, Jaye Tillson, and Graham Ludlow, authors of Zero Trust Done Right: A practitioner’s guide to zero trust security in the age of AI.Based on decades of real world experience, they break down why most Zero Trust initiatives fail and what organizations need to do differently.This is not a technical deep dive. It is a practical conversation about leadership, communication, and execution.We cover:• Why Zero Trust is a business initiative, not an IT project• The human side of Zero Trust and why culture matters• How to communicate with executives and gain buy in• Why most initiatives never get finished• How to position Zero Trust without even using the term• Lessons learned from real world failuresIf you are attending RSA, you can meet the authors and get your copy signed:• Monday at the Cloud Security Alliance event• Wednesday at the RSA BookstoreGrab the book here

March 18, 202631 min

Trust on the Edge: Why IoT Security Starts at Day One

In this episode of Cyber Inspiration, Evgeniy Kharam sits down with David Sequino and Bill Lattin of OmniTrust (formally INTEGRITY Security Services - ISS), and authors of Trust on the Edge: The New Front Line in IoT Cybersecurity.With decades of experience in cryptography and embedded systems, David and Bill share how a real world manufacturing challenge led them to build solutions focused on securing connected devices.As everything from vehicles to medical devices becomes connected, cybersecurity is no longer optional. It must be built into products from the very beginning.This conversation explores why embedded security is different from enterprise security, how the attack surface is rapidly expanding, and why leadership must take responsibility for security across the entire product lifecycle.

March 2, 202634 min

Building Through Crashes, Crises, and Comebacks with Stanley Li

In this episode of Cyber Inspiration, Evgeniy Kharam sits down with Stanley Li, Founder of Netswitch Technology Management, to unpack a 30 year journey through technology, entrepreneurship, and cyber governance.Born in Hong Kong, educated in England, and building his career in San Francisco, Stanley’s path was anything but linear. From bartending at a yacht club to becoming a cable puller, to network architect, to founder during the dot com era, his story reflects persistence, risk, and reinvention.We discuss:• Starting at the bottom and learning the industry from the ground up• Launching a company in 2000 just as the dot com crash hit• Building early voice recognition technology before the iPhone existed• The emotional toll of failed partnerships• Trust but verify in business relationships• Why entrepreneurship is different when it is your own money• How cyber governance became the next chapter• The vision behind their open source Risk Indicator data visualization toolStanley also shares powerful advice about staying focused, elevating awareness, and protecting your character in business.If you are navigating leadership, startups, or cybersecurity strategy, this episode is a masterclass in resilience.----Read more on Netswitch: https://www.netswitch.netConnect with Stanley Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/netswitchstanleyli/Connect with Evgeniy Kharam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekharam/

January 22, 202627 min

From Military to Founder: How Sharon Isaaci Built Tonic Security with Context, Culture, and AI

Sharon Isaaci, Co-Founder and CEO of Tonic Security, joins Evgeniy Kharam to explore what it really takes to build a cybersecurity company that helps defenders focus on what matters.After years in military intelligence and incident response, Sharon kept seeing the same pattern. Organizations had visibility, alerts, and tools. But they still got breached. Why? Because they missed the context.This episode dives into how that insight led to Tonic Security, how GenAI is being used to cut through noise, and why Sharon now hires for values and learning ability instead of just technical skill.What You’ll LearnWhy visibility is not the issue, but context isHow Tonic reduces irrelevant security findings by over 99 percentThe origin story behind Tonic SecurityLessons from Israeli cyber teams and elite talentHow Sharon approaches hiring and leadershipThe personal tools he uses to stay grounded, from martial arts to music

December 3, 202519 min

Episode 89 - Omar Romero - Founder and CEO of ROSE IT Services Limited

In this episode, host Evgeniy Kharam speaks with Omar Romero, CEO of Rose IT Services, a Trinidad-based MSP serving the Caribbean and North America. Omar shares his story of launching the company post-2008 crash, scaling without VC or franchising, building a team from scratch, and adapting to evolving tech, from cybersecurity to automation. He also explores cultural differences in client communication and how COVID shaped his documentation-first mindset.Key Topics:MSP growth lessons from New York to TrinidadHow culture impacts IT service deliveryScaling a business without losing the personal touchWhy cybersecurity became central to Rose ITReal work-life balance while running a global MSPAutomating, documenting, and preparing for the unexpected🔗 Learn more: https://www.rose-it.com/🔗 Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omar-romero-roseitservices🎧 Host: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evgeniykharamMentioned in this episode:Cyber Innovation ShowcaseRogers Cybersecure Catalyst is excited to invite you to the Cyber Innovation Showcase – a Brampton-based event uniting business leaders, cyber experts, and innovators to spotlight the cutting-edge technologies that can help protect and future-proof your business. Join us for an evening highlighting made-in-Canada solutions from this year’s Cyber Challenge companies, each driving the future of cybersecurity across Ontario’s most critical sectors. 📅 Thursday, December 11, 2025 ⏰ 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM 📍 The Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Lane, Brampton, ON L6V 0A3 At the Showcase, you’ll be able to: ● Get early access to innovative Canadian cyber technologies ● Watch live demos featuring real-world industry applications ● Gain insights to strengthen your organization’s digital resilience ● Network with experts, tech providers, and business professionals Register today: https://luma.com/xxl336v2

November 20, 202532 min

Episode 88 - Ross Young - Author of Cybersecurity's Dirty Secret

Ross Young joins Evgeniy Kharam to talk about his new book Cybersecurity Secret: Why Most Budgets Go to Waste — and how the industry can do better. From optimizing spend and retiring underperforming tools, to writing a book using AI and creating onboarding frameworks for developers, Ross shares insights every cybersecurity leader can use.Topics Covered:Why cybersecurity spending often failsWho the book is for (CISOs, CFOs, vendors, and tech writers)The “Murder Board” framework to evaluate tool usageTotal Cost of Ownership in cyber planningAI and ChatGPT for authorship + productivityDeveloper onboarding as a security riskWhy Ross self-published and what’s nextBuy your copyGuest: Ross YoungHost: Evgeniy KharamResources:https://www.cisotradecraft.com/freetemplateshttps://www.cisotradecraft.com/course-master-the-budget-game-in-cybersecurity

October 9, 202519 min

Episode 87 - Saryu Nayyar - Founder & CEO of Gurucul

In this episode, Evgeniy Kharam interviews Saryu Nayyar, CEO of Gurucul, to unpack how she turned a practitioner’s insight into a powerful cybersecurity platform. With no outside funding and a relentless focus on relationships, Saryu’s leadership helped Gurucul land in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant while continuing to innovate through AI, data optimization, and trust-first culture.What We Cover:From Oracle to entrepreneurshipBootstrapping instead of raising VCWhy product-market fit takes timePrioritizing when everything feels urgentHow soft skills and team trust built Gurucul’s foundationResources:Website: https://www.gurucul.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saryunayyarHost: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evgeniykharam🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts & more!

July 24, 202521 min

Episode 86 - Charles Henderson - EVP of Cyber Security Solutions at Coalfire

In this episode of Cyber Inspiration, host Evgeniy Kharam sits down with Charles Henderson, Executive Vice President of Cybersecurity Solutions at Coalfire, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the cyber threat landscape.From AI-driven impersonation attacks to the ethics and implications of deepfake technology, Charles shares firsthand insights from the frontlines of offensive and defensive security. Whether you’re a CISO, red teamer, or simply want to understand how threat actors are exploiting AI, this episode will challenge your assumptions and sharpen your awareness.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why AI is becoming the go-to tool for threat actorsWhat “AI cloning” really means in a cyber contextHow to design systems that can’t fail, even if users doThe difference between breaking things and building secure solutionsHow to prepare your team with modern, real-world security awareness trainingWhy executives are prime targets — and how to protect themThe limitations of detection tools in a fast-evolving AI arms raceTimestamps:00:00 – Meet Charles Henderson: From hacker to EVP at Coalfire02:00 – Can you just “become” a pen tester? It’s more than breaking things06:30 – The abuse-case mindset: Thinking like an attacker07:45 – AI, social engineering, and the blurry new threat landscape11:00 – Why Coalfire’s team built AI cloning attacks to stay ahead of cybercriminals13:00 – Simple, powerful explanation of AI cloning and pretexting14:00 – Real-world example of AI-based awareness training that worked15:30 – How to redesign systems to limit the impact of human error17:00 – Executive verification: A must-have in today’s landscape18:30 – Deepfake detection tools: Can tech keep up?20:00 – Final thoughts + where to connect with CharlesResources & Links:🌐 Visit Coalfire.com🎧 Subscribe to Cyber Inspiration on YouTube

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