Why Community in Cybersecurity is Your Weapon to Long-Term Business Growth

Who is Cecil Pineda?

Cecil Pineda is a seasoned cybersecurity executive currently serving as the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at R1 RCM.

With over two decades of experience in the field, Cecil has established himself as a prominent figure in the cybersecurity community.

As the CISO at R1 RCM, a company that manages back-office operations for hospitals and clinics, Cecil oversees a team of more than 100 professionals across various security disciplines.

Under his leadership, the company has grown significantly, expanding from 24,000 to nearly 40,000 employees in less than three years.

Cecil is known for his holistic approach to cybersecurity, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, communication, and partnerships.

He views the CISO role as 80% focused on stakeholder engagement and only 20% on technology, highlighting the evolving nature of cybersecurity leadership.

A thought leader in the industry, Cecil co-founded CISO XC, an organization that builds and supports CISO communities across different cities.

He is passionate about mentoring and connecting cybersecurity professionals, earning him the nickname "The nicest guy in information security."

Cecil is a frequent speaker and contributor to industry discussions, particularly on topics such as threat intelligence, data security, and the challenges facing modern CISOs.

His expertise spans areas including visibility into systems and data, risk assessment, and the implementation of real-time data discovery tools.

Known for his forward-thinking approach, Cecil advocates for solutions that can help CISOs "get their time back" by streamlining threat intelligence and focusing on the most relevant risks to an organization.

His leadership style combines technical acumen with a strong emphasis on business alignment and stakeholder management.

Pro Tip for Connecting with Cecil

To effectively connect and engage with Cecil , focus on meaningful and value-driven interactions.

Start by following him on LinkedIn, where he regularly shares insights about cybersecurity and community building.

Engage thoughtfully with his posts—leave insightful comments, ask questions that reflect your understanding of the topic, and share your perspective on the issues he discusses.

Cecil appreciates authenticity and a genuine desire to learn, so don’t be afraid to engage in deeper discussions or challenge ideas respectfully.

If you’re looking to connect further, consider attending cybersecurity events or virtual discussions where he’s speaking or participating.

Introduce yourself with a reference to a specific topic he has covered that resonated with you—this shows you’re not just another connection request but someone who values his expertise.

Insights and Key Takeaways

Building a Trust-Driven Community

Insight: Community-building in cybersecurity isn’t just about creating engagement—it’s about establishing trust, credibility, and long-term relationships.

In the security space, trust is your currency.

CISOs and security professionals don’t want to hear the hard sell from vendors.

Instead, they crave genuine, honest conversations where vendors act as trusted partners, not just solution providers.

This is why community matters.

By fostering a community, vendors can build rapport, provide ongoing value, and offer a safe space for knowledge sharing.

The community enables collaboration among peers and opens doors for vendors to understand evolving pain points and respond to them more effectively.

The long-term impact?

A vendor’s credibility grows, leading to deeper relationships, reduced sales cycles, and increased customer retention.

This model shifts the sales approach from transactional to relational, positioning vendors as integral partners in a CISO’s success.

Community as a Catalyst for Innovation

Insight: Engaging with a cybersecurity community accelerates product innovation and keeps solutions aligned with real-world problems.

A community-driven approach enables vendors to gain direct feedback from security professionals, ensuring that products evolve in response to real customer needs.

This approach not only helps refine existing solutions but also uncovers opportunities for new products and services.

The community serves as a feedback loop where members share pain points, test product updates, and suggest improvements.

When vendors listen, they can create solutions that resonate more effectively with users, making their products indispensable rather than expendable.

This ongoing dialogue fosters loyalty, as customers feel heard, understood, and valued.

Nurturing the Community with Authenticity

Insight: Authenticity is the foundation of a thriving cybersecurity community. It’s not about flashy marketing—it’s about creating genuine relationships and meaningful interactions.

Security professionals are often bombarded with sales pitches and overhyped promises, making them skeptical of vendors’ intentions.

To cut through this noise, vendors need to show up consistently and authentically in the community.

This means providing educational content, participating in discussions without pushing a sale, and demonstrating a commitment to solving real challenges.

Authentic engagement also involves transparency—acknowledging both strengths and limitations of your solutions.

By nurturing an authentic relationship, vendors earn the trust and respect of community members, making it more likely that these members will advocate for their solutions within their networks, further enhancing credibility and reach.

Community as a Strategic Asset for Go-to-Market Teams

Insight: For marketing and sales teams, a well-established community is more than just a lead generation tool—it’s a strategic asset that supports the entire go-to-market strategy.

The community acts as an ongoing source of insights that can shape marketing campaigns, sales strategies, and even customer service initiatives.

It allows marketing teams to better tailor messaging based on real-time feedback and emerging challenges discussed within the community.

Meanwhile, sales teams benefit from warmer leads—individuals who are already familiar with the vendor and have built trust through community interactions.

This helps accelerate the sales cycle and reduces friction in the buying process, as prospects are more likely to engage positively with a vendor they’ve already experienced within a trusted community setting.

TL;DR

Building a community in cybersecurity is not just a nice-to-have; it’s a need-to-have.

The rules of engagement in this space have changed.

CISOs and security practitioners are tired of aggressive sales tactics and irrelevant marketing messages.

They want real conversations, practical solutions, and trusted partners.

If you’re a vendor looking to drive long-term growth, the community must be at the core of your strategy.

It’s not an overnight fix; it’s a long-term commitment.

But when done right, it pays off—better relationships, faster sales cycles, and increased customer loyalty.

The time to embrace community as your secret weapon for growth is now.

Until next time,
Dani