Unlocking Cybersecurity: Greg Fitzgerald on Visibility and Value

In this episode, we sit down with Greg Fitzgerald, CEO of Artificial by Design and Chairman of CyberForce Security, to unpack how he turns complex technology into clear market value and why finding the one thing your company does best is the only way to win.Across 27 years and 11 companies, Greg has helped build and scale Fortinet, Cylance, and CVO Security, the last of which was recently acquired by Arctic Wolf, while taking Cylance from idea to a 1.4 billion dollar exit to BlackBerry.What we cover:➜ Why being a translator is the most underrated founder skill➜ Curly's one thing rule and how it has driven 11 companies➜ How Cylance went from idea to 100 million in two years➜ Why incumbents like McAfee could not react to disruption➜ The David and Goliath playbook for zigging when others zag➜ How CVO Security pivoted its wedge when the macro shifted in 2023➜ Why trust equals performance over time, mathematically➜ How customer testimonials carried more weight than any sales pitch➜ Why Artificial by Design is freeing AI infrastructure from chip lock in(00:01) - - Welcome to Founder-Led Podcast (00:09) - - Episode Sponsored by Frontier Studio (01:00) - - Introducing Greg Fitzgerald (01:15) - - Greg's Journey as a Business Translator (03:19) - - Highlights of Greg's Founder Journey (04:02) - - Recent Acquisition Story (05:50) - - Importance of the 'One Thing' Concept (07:11) - - Evolution of Value Proposition (09:42) - - Silence's Unique Market Approach (11:24) - - Challenges Faced by Larger Competitors (12:49) - - The Role of Speed in Startups (14:01) - - The Impact of AI on Business (15:30) - - Building Trust in Technology Sales (19:09) - - The Human Element in Decision Making (21:30) - - Reputation and Trust Dynamics (23:08) - - Customer Testimonials as Social Proof (25:00) - - How to Connect with Greg Fitzgerald (27:34) - - Target Buyers for Artificial by Design (28:39) - - Closing Thoughts and Thank You If you're a founder, operator, or technology leader trying to cut through noise and find the one wedge that wins, this conversation will sharpen how you position your product, build trust with buyers, and outmaneuver bigger competitors.Recommended Resources:➜ Greg Fitzgerald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorysfitzgerald/Connect with Rohan:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohankarunakaran