The Geopolitical Shift Nobody Sees Coming | Dmitri Alperovitch

Today we sit down with Dmitri Alperovitch — co-founder of CrowdStrike, leading cybersecurity expert, geopolitical strategist, and author of World on the Brink.Dmitri has advised governments, predicted Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and is one of the world’s leading thinkers on cyber warfare, China’s rise, and the global fight for technological dominance.This conversation breaks down:-How China steals IP and accelerates its rise-The real reason Taiwan is the most important place on earth-How TSMC and semiconductor manufacturing shape global power-The new Cold War unfolding through cyber, AI, and economics-How CrowdStrike was built, scaled, and survived existential threats-The truth about nation-state hacking — China, Russia, Iran, North Korea-What the next decade of global conflict and innovation looks likeIf you care about entrepreneurship, global politics, cybersecurity, or the future of AI, this is a must-watch episode.Follow Jared and stay connected:https://www.instagram.com/jaredgoetzThe Jared Goetz Show is where we go deeper. We don’t just talk about achievements—we explore the heart, the mindset, and the sparks that drive extraordinary journeys. If you want the unfiltered truth behind success, you’re in the right place.Learn more About Dimitri and 'World on the Brink' https://worldonthebrink.com/00:00 — Introduction00:14 — Introduction: Who is Dmitri Alperovitch?01:21 — China’s stolen IP and the greatest transfer of wealth in history02:35 — Dmitri’s background & how CrowdStrike was born04:33 — Competing with McAfee and building better cybersecurity06:15 — The power of combining technical + sales skills07:19 — Why every employee should be in “sales mode”08:38 — Messaging: why simplicity wins in tech09:54 — Founding team, early years & surviving startup chaos11:17 — How to prioritize when everything feels urgent12:12 — Habits, routines, and dealing with stress13:25 — Leadership philosophy & hiring A-players14:26 — Building a distributed company (before it was normal)16:49 — Why remote culture helped CrowdStrike scale19:07 — Lessons from being acquired multiple times20:52 — Operational discipline in a distributed team22:38 — Why quarterly in-person offsites matter24:06 — Investors doubted their remote-first model24:30 — When Dmitri knew CrowdStrike was onto something big27:13 — Staying stealth too long & learning the hard messaging lesson28:01 — Nation-state hacking: real threats & real motivations30:34 — How CrowdStrike changed the game in cyber defense35:13 — The competitor that forced their biggest pivot36:10 — Understanding China’s cyber units & global espionage39:37 — Why stolen IP does accelerate innovation40:49 — Economic warfare & the new Cold War41:17 — How geopolitics intersected with cyber for Dmitri43:54 — Predicting the Ukraine invasion months before it happened44:04 — Why Dmitri wrote World on the Brink48:28 — Why Taiwan matters: the chip supply chain explained49:07 — How TSMC became the most important company in the world54:02 — The true global risk if Taiwan goes dark59:15 — China’s strategic map & the first island chain