# Phill Keaney-Bolland

Phill Keaney-Bolland works on branding and marketing for cybersecurity companies, helping them explain what sets them apart and stand out in a crowded market. Keaney-Bolland's posts describe using Blue Ocean Strategy to shape that brand story and highlight clear storytelling and design in startup presentations.

- Profile: https://b2binfluencer.marketing/creators/phill-keaney-bolland/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillbolland
- LinkedIn followers: 2,768
- Topics: cybersecurity, brand-strategy
- Based on 11 dated posts, latest 2026-09-27

## Summary

Phill Keaney-Bolland helps cybersecurity companies sharpen positioning and tell clearer brand stories.

- Best for: Cybersecurity startups needing sharper positioning before a launch or investor pitch.
- Not for: Consumer apps seeking sponsored posts with guaranteed reach, impressions, or lead volume.
- Check first: Confirm rates, service packages, availability, and current audience metrics before contacting.

### Takeaways

- Their posts use Blue Ocean Strategy to map where a company overlaps competitors and can lead.
- They say brands sounding like everyone else in cybersecurity end up competing on price.
- RSAC reflections note sharper differentiation from large AI firms and clearer presentations.

## Main ideas

- **Build the brand around differences, not category-standard claims**: Keaney-Bolland argues that cybersecurity companies that sound alike risk competing on price. They say fear of straying from expected language leads companies to copy one another and overemphasize table-stakes claims. They describe using Blue Ocean Strategy to map where a company overlaps with the market and where it can lead, then building the brand story around those differences.
- **Prepare to answer how you differ from large AI firms**: At the RSAC Innovation Sandbox, Keaney-Bolland says the question of how a startup differs from major AI companies came up repeatedly. They argue that a clear value proposition must address that comparison, not just distinguish the company from direct cybersecurity competitors. They also note that some startup branding at the event looked more like AI branding than traditional cybersecurity branding.
- **Treat storytelling and slide design as part of the pitch**: Keaney-Bolland connects a startup’s story to how it presents that story. They contrast dense slides and unstructured demos with clear narratives, thoughtful animation, and refined design, suggesting that presentation craft helps a company communicate its distinction.

## Work to read

- ["If your brand sounds like everyone else in cybersecurity, you're going to end up competing on price"](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/phillbolland_branding-cybersecurity-startups-activity-7388862152658350080-wsfx)
- [RSAC Innovation Sandbox reflections: differentiation, bolder branding, better storytelling](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/phillbolland_rsac-activity-7442261467275411456-5XBm)
- [Podcast episode with the founders of Unboring on cybersecurity marketing](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/phillbolland_cybersecurity-marketing-startups-activity-7424408135114678272-e_-d)
- [Podcast episode with Justin Woody, co-founder of Twine, on growing and standing out](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/phillbolland_cybersecurity-startups-activity-7419717934123491329-RSFm)

## Brand relationships

- **Yaya** (disclosed_partnership)
- **Geordie AI** (client)
- **Twine** (client)
- **Unboring** (mention)
- **RSA Conference** (mention)

## Partnerships

The posts describe Phill Keaney-Bolland working on the agency side of cybersecurity marketing—branding, positioning and storytelling for client companies—and hosting a podcast featuring founders and marketers. They do not set out a sponsorship offer, rate card, media kit, partnership terms or official inquiry route. Before committing, ask for a current sponsorship or collaboration policy, disclosed examples of paid or sponsored work, and a named contact route.

## Alternatives

- Dario Salice: Choose Dario Salice when the campaign calls for technical conversations about cybersecurity, identity, or emerging AI risks. In a post promoting an Inverted Podcast episode, Salice frames agentic AI through practical security questions: how to manage identity and permissions when software acts autonomously, and which security principles still apply. A separate episode features a discussion of outdated cybersecurity advice and why it can be dangerous.

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AI-assisted summary of public posts. Audience demographics are not available. Engagement appears only where we checked recent posts. Method: https://b2binfluencer.marketing/methodology/