Let’s get one thing straight: security is not your value proposition. 

I know, that sounds insane coming from the security guy. But hear me out. 

Security is table stakes. It’s the cover charge to play in this game. You can—and probably should—hire a 24/7 SOC that detects threats, shuts down hackers, and keeps the alarms from becoming disasters. Those folks are good. Some of them are really good. They’re ninjas in hoodies that never sleep. 

So where does that leave you? Not in a hoodie, I’ll tell you that. And definitely not playing whack-a-hacker. 

The Hard Truth: You’re Not in Security. You’re in Service. 

Your real job—the one that actually matters—is relationship. 

You are the translator. The guide. The only one standing between your client and a world they don’t understand. Your value is in educating them on risk and helping them make smart business decisions. That’s it. That’s the whole game. 

Because if you’re not telling the story of what could go wrong and how you’re helping them avoid it, they’ll write their own version. And it goes something like this: 

“Nothing bad has happened. Why are we spending so much money on IT?” 

That’s when the real risk starts. They start questioning the SOC, the layers of security, the MFA tools, the cyber awareness training, the backups, the firewall upgrades—everything. It all becomes a line item instead of a lifeline. 

And let’s be honest: they’ve got a point if you’re not communicating. 

If you’re not helping them understand the “why,” they’ll start asking “why bother?” 

Don’t Just Sell Security—Make Advocates 

Here’s the thing: every dollar your client spends with you is a trade-off. It’s money they could be putting toward a new hire, a marketing campaign, a bigger office. If you don’t show them what they’re protecting, they’ll stop protecting it. 

But if you do? 

If they understand what’s at stake and how your tools work together to keep them safe? 

They’ll fight for you, not against you. They’ll justify your budget at the next board meeting. They’ll tell peers that you’re worth every penny. Because you are. If—and only if—you deliver. 

Let’s Talk About the Other Elephant in the Server Room: Service 

You can be the best risk communicator on the planet. You can sit across from the CEO, diagram the threat landscape, and drop wisdom like some cyber Gandalf. But if your team can’t set up an email account correctly? 

You’re toast. 

Because here’s what you’re telling your client (without saying a word): 

“Yeah, this security stuff matters—but we’re not the ones to do it.” 

Service is the currency of trust. And trust is the only reason your client picks up the phone, listens to your advice, and signs the check. 

So How Do You Nail the Basics? 

It’s not magic. It’s discipline. Practice. Training. Documentation. Sound familiar? That’s security. You already know how to build layers of defense—now build them inside your service desk. 

If you haven’t read Chapter 3 of Level Up, go read it now. I walk through how to implement just-in-time documentation—the system I used to get 52 techs aligned, trained, and delivering consistent results day after day. It’s how you make your service hum like a finely tuned engine. 

Because here’s the deal: if your service is broken, it doesn’t matter how secure you are. You’ve already lost the game.