CISO Budget Hacks: $2B Negotiator Reveals How to Win Funding & Crush Vendor BS | #DTF024

Join hosts Fern and Troy as they sit down with legendary negotiator and cybersecurity expert Jean Shapiro (formerly of American Express) for an in-depth discussion on navigating cybersecurity budgets, building trust with vendors, leveraging crises for improvement, and fostering a culture of transparency. From managing $2B budgets to avoiding sales pitfalls and tying security to business impact, Jean shares real-world insights from her decades in the field. Whether you’re dealing with ransomware recovery, brand protection, or innovation funding, this episode is packed with gold nuggets for CISOs, security leaders, and vendors alike.If you enjoy raw, unfiltered conversations on cyber defense, hit that LIKE button, SUBSCRIBE for more episodes, and drop a comment below: What’s your biggest budgeting challenge in cybersecurity?🔗 Listen on Spotify/Apple Podcasts:spotify.cyberpodcast.netapple.cyberpodcast.net#Cybersecurity #CISOBudget #SecurityFunding #VendorManagement #Ransomware #CISOAdviceTimestamps:00:00 – Intro & Jean Shapiro’s Epic Entrance 03:27 – Why Non-Tech Leaders Struggle to Understand Security06:10 – Educating Buyers Through Breach News & Real-World Examples09:06 – Gold Nugget #1: Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste12:36 – Building a Culture of Transparency (No Finger-Pointing)16:21 – Partnering with CIOs: Fixing Legacy Issues Without Blame18:46 – Getting Budget: Tie Security to Revenue Loss & Business Impact23:29 – Risk & Brand Protection in Budget Conversations26:11 – Risks Breakdown: Litigation, Regulation, Operational Downtime28:00 – Ransomware Myths: Why Paying Isn’t a Quick Fix31:56 – Frameworks (NIST, MITRE ATT&CK) for Data-Driven Budgets37:32 – Carving Out Budget for Innovation & AI Tools40:46 – Tips: Align with Strategic Initiatives (Don’t Just Slap AI on It)43:02 – Sales Call Frustrations: “What Keeps You Up at Night?”47:19 – Protecting Proprietary Info in Vendor Calls (No Recordings!)51:23 – Post-Sale Support: Don’t Ghost After the Deal55:38 – Burning Vendor Bridges: When to Replace Tools58:03 – Sales Ghosting Between Roles: It Bites Back1:05:16 – Sales Incentives Exposed: Why Renewals Get Weird1:10:20 – Negotiating with VARs: Avoid Desperation Deals1:19:00 – Closing Thoughts: Know Your Numbers, Talk Business LanguageThanks for watching! Stay secure out there. Linkedin:Damian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damianchung/Troy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kosovotroy/Fern: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernrojasaz/