When the lights stay on, most people assume everything is fine. But what if the real danger is unfolding quietly behind the scenes?

In this episode, host Tony Pietrocola, President and Co-founder of AgileBlue, sits down with AgileBlue CEO and Co-founder Joe Marquette and Major General (Ret.) Ryan Heritage, former Director of Operations at U.S. Cyber Command. They unpack the evolving risks facing critical infrastructure and why modern cyber threats are more subtle, persistent, and strategic than ever.

Key takeaways:

• Why critical infrastructure now extends far beyond traditional military targets
• How the cyber domain functions as both maneuver space and a weapons platform
• What “persistent engagement” means in today’s peer-to-peer cyber competition
• Why AI currently provides asymmetric advantages to attackers
• The importance of constantly challenging security assumptions at the executive level
• And more!

Connect with Tony Pietrocola:

• AgileBlue
• LinkedIn: AgileBlue
• YouTube: @agileblue
• LinkedIn: Tony Pietrocola

Connect with Joe Marquette:

• LinkedIn: Joe Marquette

Connect with Ryan Heritage:

• GRVTY
• LinkedIn: Ryan Heritage

A deal fell apart at the worst possible moment, and instead of ending the story, it sparked the idea that became AgileBlue. In Episode 1 of Zero-Trust Issues, the founders share how a setback at Black Hat helped shape their approach to cybersecurity, automation, and resilience.

In this first episode of Zero-Trust Issues, host Tony Pietrocola, President and Co-founder of AgileBlue, sits down with co-host Joe Marquette, AgileBlue CEO and Co-founder, and Chief Technology Officer Stephen Smith to tell the company’s origin story and what it revealed about the cybersecurity market. The conversation begins in August 2019 at Black Hat in Las Vegas, when the team learned they’d lost what they believed would be their first major deal—sparking an immediate “are we done?” moment. From there, they unpack what it takes to build a security business that can scale without simply adding more headcount. They also discuss why visibility matters when communicating cyber risk to executives and boards, and why “AI-native” security is quickly becoming table stakes as attackers adopt the same tools.

Key takeaways:

• How resilience after a setback can become a competitive advantage
• Why scaling security operations requires automation—not just more people
• What “AI vs. AI” means in practice, and why AI-native defense is no longer optional
• How to make cyber risk visible and understandable for CEOs and boards
• The real-world pain points in legacy security models that led AgileBlue to build differently
• And more!

Connect with Tony Pietrocola:

• AgileBlue
• LinkedIn: AgileBlue
• YouTube: @agileblue
• LinkedIn: Tony Pietrocola

Connect with Joe Marquette:

• LinkedIn: Joe Marquette

Connect with Stephen Smith:

• LinkedIn: Stephen Smith

In a world where AI is both the biggest risk and the strongest defense, Zero-Trust Issues helps cybersecurity and technology leaders stay ahead of threats. Hosted by Tony Pietrocola of AgileBlue, this podcast explores how AI and humans can work together to outsmart attackers, strengthen resilience, and turn cybersecurity from fear into confidence.

Each episode dives into real stories, emerging AI trends, and expert insights to help you take control of your digital future.