Tech Scenes Santa Monica with Ken Bagnall, CEO and Founder of Silent Push
"You're better off picking a big problem—and solving it better than anyone else." - Ken Bagnall
In this episode of Tech Scenes Santa Monica, Jeff James Martin sits down with Ken Bagnall, CEO and Co-founder of Silent Push, to explore the changing landscape of cybersecurity and the power of preemptive threat intelligence.
Ken shares his journey from founding The Email Laundry to leading product at FireEye and ultimately building Silent Push, a company that leverages Indicators of Future Attack™ (IOFA™) to expose threat actor infrastructure before it can be weaponized. The conversation uncovers how startups can succeed by staying laser-focused on solving complex, high-impact problems, why cybersecurity is riddled with noise, and how boards can either amplify or distract a company’s mission.
Key Takeaways
Startups should aim to solve large, meaningful problems with precision and clarity.
Cybercrime is global, persistent, and has deep economic implications.
Silent Push’s IOFA™ model provides early visibility into threat actor behavior.
A focused go-to-market strategy is essential in a noisy cybersecurity industry.
Success requires proximity to the threat actor and constant innovation.
Noise in cybersecurity often comes from inexperienced or misaligned players.
Experienced board members can offer strategic clarity and reduce distractions.
Proactive defense is the future—waiting for attacks is no longer sustainable.
A strong, aligned team fuels execution and market differentiation.
Staying ahead of evolving threats requires both technology and discipline.
Chapters
00:00 – The Importance of Problem-Solving in Startups
01:57 – Understanding Threat Intelligence and Cybersecurity
07:34 – The Scale of Cybercrime and Its Global Impact
09:05 – Monitoring Threat Actors: Strategies and Technologies
11:16 – Go-to-Market Strategies in Cybersecurity
19:09 – Building a Focused and Innovative Team
24:06 – Navigating the Cybersecurity Landscape
27:33 – The Role of Board Members in Cybersecurity Startups
30:35 – The Future of Cybersecurity and Market Trends
Resources
Learn more about the book Peak Teams – Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies https://a.co/d/hp5Jtnu
Visit Collective Genius™ to Build Your Venture-backed Team with the Peak Operating System™ https://www.collective-genius.com/
Music by Andrew Applepie https://soundcloud.com/andrewapplepie
#TechScenes #KenBagnall #SilentPush #Cybersecurity #ThreatIntelligence #Startups #Innovation #AI #Entrepreneurship #EarlyStage #VentureCapital #Cybercrime #DigitalDefense #CollectiveGenius™ #PeakOperatingSystem™ #JeffJamesMartin #StartupLeadership
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