What does it actually take to change how an entire market understands a problem it doesn’t yet know it has? In this episode of Shift & Thrive, host Natalie Nathanson talks with Yossi Appleboum, co-founder and CEO of Sepio, about building a cybersecurity company around a category that barely existed when he started it. Yossi shares why he refuses to sell fear, how he can tell when a prospect’s thinking has actually shifted, what it costs in time and money to educate a market from the ground up, and how the investor conversation changes entirely once a company moves from early traction into scale. He also opens up about leadership lessons from three decades of company-building, giving his co-founders and team room to grow, and how his family history shapes the way he thinks about bringing value to the world.
Takeaways:
Educate before you pitch. In less mature markets, walk buyers through the risk itself rather than assuming they already see the problem.
Skip the fear-based pitch. Build trust through dialogue and honest questions instead of worst-case scenarios and pressure.
Watch for buyers echoing your language back to you. It’s an early signal the idea has landed, well before any deal closes.
Match your investor search to your sales cycle. Companies selling to large enterprises need investors willing to accept a longer path to revenue.
Give co-founders and senior hires room to lead. Avoid showing up as a unified front to every meeting so others can grow into the space.
Simplify your message as you move down-market. What works with sophisticated early buyers won’t land with less experienced ones.
Keep helping the next generation of founders. Small, consistent mentorship compounds across an industry over time.
Quote of the Show:
“You don’t sell fear, and you should not sell fear, because then you’re losing credibility.”
Links:
Website: https://sepiocyber.com
Ways to Tune In:
Spotify:
Apple Podcasts:
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fa60b654-1955-4055-93df-fdd40c2a5c8f/shift-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change
iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-shift-thrive-ceo-insights-166792501
Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/shift-and-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change/PC:1001086797
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClf9QxGUxZw_Sv8_4bZP34Q
This show is sponsored by Magnetude Consulting, bringing you the thinking-Power of a Growth Consultancy and the Getting-It-Done Power of a full-service B2B Marketing Agency.
Learn more at: Magnetude Consulting
