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

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: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-vepa/

Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams

Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional:

https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio

Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com

Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord

Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/