Why Tech Founders Turn to Debra Price When Their Go-To-Market Strategy Fails

Debra Price, CISSP

There comes a moment in every founder’s journey when the strategies that once worked stop moving the business forward. That’s the moment Debra Price is built for. Drawing on decades of experience in tech and cybersecurity, she helps companies clarify their message, align their teams, and regain momentum with a stronger, more intentional strategy.

I first connected with Debra through the Women in Tech and Entrepreneurship (WTE) Slack community, a space that continues to spark thoughtful connections. We later met at the inaugural WTE Awards Party, an event honoring women who are shaping the tech and entrepreneurship landscape, which aligns closely with the purpose of this series.

That connection led me to learn more about her work as a market strategist and founder of her own consulting practice, and I’m glad to share her story here.

A Strategist at Heart

When Debra and I sat down for our conversation, one thing became clear quickly. She has a deep appreciation for clarity. Not the buzzword version, but the kind that helps founders understand who they serve, what they offer, and how to communicate it in a way that actually lands.

Debra works with tech and cybersecurity founders, along with growth stage companies that have hit a wall. Many of them have been in business for years but find themselves stuck. Their teams tell different stories. Their messaging is scattered. Their audience doesn’t understand how they benefit. Debra steps in to help them reset.

She explained, “Everyone should be singing from the same song sheet.”

When they are not, the business feels it. Sales teams pitch one thing. Websites say another. Founders describe their product differently depending on the day. Debra helps them identify their market, refine their audience, and build messaging frameworks that bring everything back into alignment.

Her work blends strategy, communication, and helping founders see their business with fresh eyes. She also guides founders through the go-to-market process, helping them understand who they serve, how to reach them, and how to build the kind of visibility that creates real traction.

A Career Built on Communication

Debra has spent more than 25 years in the tech world, primarily in product management and marketing roles that required her to work across teams, launch new services, and bring structure to complex environments. She spent many years at AT&T, where she helped introduce multiple services to market. That experience taught her how organizations function behind the scenes and how important it is for teams to communicate clearly.

She shared that earlier in her career, she used to stress over deadlines and timelines. Over time, she learned to approach her work with more perspective. She is organized and proactive, but she also understands that not everything can happen at once. That balance shows up in the way she supports founders today.

Her turning point came during her years at AT&T, when she was asked to help launch a

service that didn’t yet exist outside of internal teams. Coordinating across departments, aligning timelines, building processes, and bringing a product from concept to market showed her something important. She wasn’t just good at managing projects; she was exceptional at creating alignment where none existed. That experience shifted her perspective. She realized she could lead strategy, not just execution, and that her ability to bring clarity to complex environments was a rare strength.

Debra also enjoys exploring new tools and ideas. She uses AI regularly, not as a replacement for her work but as a partner in the process. She laughed as she told me about prompting an image generator and getting results that were nowhere close to what she envisioned. “You have to communicate clearly with it,” she said. For her, that lesson applies to both humans and technology.

After years of launching services, fixing broken messaging, and helping teams communicate more effectively, Debra began to see a pattern: founders and companies didn’t just need marketing support. They needed someone who could step in, assess the landscape, and guide them toward clarity. Consulting became the natural next step. It allowed her to use the full breadth of her experience, work more closely with the people she could help most, and support companies at the exact moment they needed a strategic reset. It wasn’t a leap; it was a return to the work she was always meant to do.

Mentorship That Spans Continents

One of the most meaningful parts of Debra’s work happens outside of her consulting practice. She volunteers as a mentor on ADP List, where she supports women from around the world who are building their own paths in tech and entrepreneurship.

She currently mentors women from Kenya, India, and Armenia. Their projects range from fractional CTO services to AI applications to marketing careers. Debra offers guidance and perspective, but she also learns from them. They share tools, ideas, and insights from their own markets. It keeps her connected and inspired.

Although she did not have a long-term mentor herself, she found support through communities. Mentorship is her way of giving others what she did not always have.

Movement as Meditation

When I asked Debra about the habits that have supported her success, she smiled. “I take time for me every day.” She likes to swim, run, walk, kayak, or yoga, basically movement is a way that clears her mind. Physical activity is her meditation. It is where ideas come to her and where decisions become clearer.

She also trusts her instincts. If something feels off, she pays attention. She enjoys challenges, but they still need to feel right. That instinct has guided her through career decisions, client relationships, and new opportunities.

Her organized nature comes from her upbringing. She joked about her German mother insisting they were always early, never just on time. That structure stayed with her, but she has learned to pair it with flexibility.

Entrepreneurship From the Start

Debra’s entrepreneurial spirit started early. As a child, she went door to door singing for neighbors in exchange for a dime. She hosted View-Master projector shows in her garage and asked for small donations. At fourteen, she became an Avon representative, walking block to block to build her customer base and saved her earnings.

Those early experiences taught her independence, creativity, and the value of building something of her own. Today, those same qualities show up in her consulting practice and the way she approaches her work.

Navigating the Realities of Being a Woman in Tech

Debra has spent her entire career in tech, and she is honest about the challenges. Women are not always heard. Their expertise is not always recognized. The glass ceiling still exists. But she has also seen progress. More women are stepping into leadership roles, becoming subject matter experts, and shaping the industry.

Her approach to navigating these challenges has been consistent. She focuses on doing the work, building trust, and showing what she is capable of. Over time, that has opened doors and created opportunities.

What She Is Working On Now

One of the projects Debra is most energized by is her work with Secure AI, a startup focused on testing the safety and security of mental health chatbots. As more people turn to AI for emotional support, the need for safe, reliable tools is growing. She is helping the founder strengthen the company’s market foundation by bringing clarity to the audience, the message, and the story behind the work. It reflects the go-to-market approach she is known for, one that brings together clarity, alignment, and the kind of visibility that helps founders move forward with confidence.

She continues to support founders, mentor women globally, and grow her consulting practice. Her goal is to help companies get to their next step, then the next one after that.

Her Advice for Women in Business

When I asked Debra what guidance she would offer other women building their careers or businesses, she spoke about the importance of creating room to think. Not just stepping away but giving yourself the space to make decisions from a grounded place rather than from urgency or pressure. She believes clarity comes when you allow yourself time to process, reflect, and reset.

She also emphasized the value of paying attention to what feels aligned. Throughout her career, Debra has taken on complex challenges, but she has always been intentional about choosing work that matches her strengths and values. She encourages women to trust the signals they notice early whether they point toward an opportunity or away from one.

And at the center of her advice is communication. Debra believes that clear communication is what keeps a business moving in the right direction. She reminds women that marketing is not something to layer on later. It is the way a business defines itself, connects with the right people, and builds long‑term trust.

Expanding Her Impact

In the weeks after our conversation, Debra stepped into a moment that reflects the direction of her work and the clarity she brings to founders. She is preparing to speak at NJ SECON on June 11, where she will share From Idea to Exit Strategy: The Marketing Blueprint for Cybersecurity Founders. The session centers on her 8 Ps Framework and the role that strong marketing foundations play in early‑stage growth. It is a timely opportunity for her to bring her experience, her strategic approach, and her practical guidance directly to the founders who need it most.

Connect with Debra

Debra is someone who brings both experience and steadiness to the founders she works with. She cares about helping companies grow in a way that feels aligned, thoughtful, and strategic. Whether she is mentoring women across the globe or guiding a founder through a strategy reset, she shows up with clarity and a genuine desire to help.

If you want to learn more about her work or explore how she supports founders and growth-stage companies, you can connect with her here:

LinkedIn: Debra Price, CISSP

Website: Debrapriceconsulting.com

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