Who said cybersecurity had to be serious? The future of cyber is creative, human, and even a little sexy.

In this special 400th episode, Ron Eddings celebrates six incredible years of Hacker Valley Studio with one of cyber’s most creative voices, Maria Velasquez, Co-Founder of the Cybersecurity Marketing Society and Co-Host of Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing. Together, they discuss how bold storytelling, authentic community, and a touch of fun are reshaping the way we connect in cybersecurity. Maria opens up about turning burnout into purpose, building a 4,000-strong global movement, and why the next frontier in cyber might just be entertainment.
 
Impactful Moments:
00:00 - Introduction
02:00 - CISA layoffs and collaboration fragility
04:00 - Welcoming Maria Velasquez
06:00 - How loneliness sparked a global community
08:00 - Why collaboration fuels cybersecurity growth
10:00 - When cybersecurity marketing was “boring”
12:00 - The rise of creativity and brand power
14:00 - Story behind Torque’s “Kill the S.O.A.R” campaign
15:00 - Making cybersecurity emotional and human
17:00 - Maria’s advice for bold marketing leaders
18:00 - The next big thing: experiential marketing
20:00 - Inside Cyber Marketing Con 2025
24:00 - Final reflections on community and creativity
27:00 - Ron’s takeaways: connection drives innovation





Links:
Connect with Maria on LinkedIn: <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-vepa/'>https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-vepa/</a>

Check out our upcoming events:<a href='https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams'> https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams</a>
Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional:
<a href='https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio'>https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio</a>
Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag:<a href='https://store.hackervalley.com'> https://store.hackervalley.com</a>
Continue the conversation by joining our Discord:<a href='https://hackervalley.com/discord'> https://hackervalley.com/discord</a>
Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand:<a href='https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/'> https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/</a>

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Making Cybersecurity Marketing Creative (and a Little Sexy) with Maria Velasquez

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