In this episode of the Disciplined Troublemakers Podcast, I sat down with Chris Kirsch, founder of Cyber Marketing Clinic and former CEO of RunZero, a cybersecurity company that scaled from under $1M to over $13M in ARR.
We covered a lot: pricing, product-led growth (PLG), sales team design, go-to-market clarity, and the often-overlooked risks of misaligned incentives between founders and investors.
Here are five key takeaways for tech CEOs scaling in uncertain environments:
Product-Market Fit Isn’t Enough Without Process
Chris inherited a solid technical product with strong organic traction from his co-founder, HD Moore. But growth stalled until they built systems, telemetry, segmentation logic, and lead qualification in HubSpot, to scale founder-driven momentum into a repeatable engine.
PLG wasn’t just a buzzword. It was a strategy with real mechanics: self-service trials, behavioral drip campaigns, and clear conversion signals. Growth wasn’t magic. It was engineered.
Messaging Isn’t Just for the Website, It’s for Your Salespeople
Founders often think of messaging as “words on the homepage.” But Chris emphasized messaging as a tool for sales enablement, especially when new hires lack the founder’s product intuition. Scaling means distilling your pitch, not diluting it. Without a clear narrative, even great salespeople struggle.
Pricing Should Be Designed, Not Inherited
Most startups price based on gut, or worse, by copying competitors. Chris took a more structured path: define ICPs, segment features by willingness to pay, and avoid traps like over-discounting or complex tiering.
His rule of thumb?
“If no one’s complaining, you’re undercharging.”
The First Sales Hire Is About Fit
The best rep at CrowdStrike may be the worst hire for your 7-person startup. Chris stressed hiring salespeople who’ve sold in early-stage environments. The goal isn’t just revenue, it’s signal. The right hire will co-develop the motion with you. The wrong one will burn cycles chasing the wrong buyers.
VC Money Can Be a Blessing and a Trap
RunZero ran cash-neutral for 18 months. Then, based on investor pressure to “step on the gas,” they over hired. Market shifts, SVB’s collapse, and leadership transitions left them exposed.
Chris had to do something no founder enjoys: layoffs.
His advice?
Remember the game you’re playing.
A VC makes 30 bets. You only get one. Be honest about how much risk you can absorb.
What Chris Is Doing Now
Chris now works with early-stage cybersecurity founders to refine ICPs, sharpen positioning, and build early go-to-market engines. If you’re a Series A founder stuck in the “founder sales trap,” or unsure how to scale your pricing or messaging, Chris is someone worth calling.
You can reach him at cybermarketingclinic.com or on LinkedIn.
These are the kinds of conversations that remind me why I host this podcast show:
To surface the deeper wisdom behind success and to help founders avoid unnecessary pain on their own journeys to scale.