Dale Jordan, Perspectives Cyber and Technology Advisors, on Ransomware, Vendor Security, and Cyber Risk for Small Businesses and Nonprofits (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 953)
In this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes Dale Jordan, Founder and Principal of Perspectives Cyber and Technology Advisors, a North Georgia-based firm that helps small and mid-sized organizations make clear, defensible decisions about cybersecurity and technology risk.
Dale explains why small businesses are not too small to be on attackers’ radar. Cyber threats are largely automated and indiscriminate, with organized groups operating like businesses, running phishing campaigns at scale and offering ransomware as a service to other bad actors. He walks through what a cyber incident actually looks like for a 25- to 50-person company on payday when systems go dark and explains why the outcome often depends on whether the organization tested its backups and made good on the security practices it claimed on its insurance questionnaire. He also describes the cloud and vendor risk that most small organizations overlook, including the danger of shadow IT and what happens when an AI agent is connected to an improperly secured Office 365 tenant.
Dale also covers how he helps clients evaluate managed service providers, the difference between compliance minimums and actual risk reduction, and why the best success stories in cybersecurity are the ones that never make the news.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, and is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
Key Takeaways from This Episode
- Small and mid-sized businesses are not too small to be targets. Cyber attacks are automated and scripted, so attackers have no idea how large an organization is until they start negotiating the ransom.
- Organized cybercriminal groups operate like businesses, with specializations and a brokered marketplace where one group sells stolen credentials to another group that runs ransomware as a service.
- Many organizations carry more risk than they realize because they have never tested their backups, have cloud vendors with improperly managed access, or have signed cybersecurity insurance questionnaires that are unbacked by their actual practices.
- Dale describes his advisory role as distinct from an MSP: he helps organizations understand risk, write defensible policies, evaluate their IT providers, and prepare for compliance and insurance requirements as an independent party.
Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:20 John Ray introduces the show and guest Dale Jordan
01:55 Dale Jordan’s background in cybersecurity and IT, from the Army to EarthLink
03:42 How cybersecurity has evolved and the risk each technology wave introduced
04:42 Why small and mid-sized businesses face the same threats as large organizations
06:34 How organized cybercriminal groups operate and specialize
10:45 What a cyber incident looks like for a small business on payday
13:37 Explaining cybersecurity in business terms: IT, security, and compliance roles
17:12 Cybersecurity challenges specific to nonprofits
18:24 Vendor and cloud security risk that small organizations overlook
19:37 Shadow IT and the risk of AI agents connecting to unsecured Office 365 tenants
21:02 What working with Dale as a trusted advisor looks like in practice
23:42 Symptoms that tell a business owner it is time to call
25:01 Why success stories in cybersecurity are often invisible
26:30 A ransomware case where a client ignored the advice and paid the price twice
28:41 How to evaluate and select a managed service provider
31:05 Dale Jordan’s contact information
Dale Jordan, Founder and Principal
Dale Jordan is the Founder and Principal of Perspectives Cyber and Technology Advisors, a North Georgia-based advisory firm that helps small and mid-sized organizations make smarter decisions about cybersecurity and technology risk. With more than 20 years of experience in cybersecurity and IT leadership, Dale has built and led security operations programs, supported regulatory and audit initiatives, and advised executive teams and boards on managing cyber risk in practical, real-world environments. His approach focuses on cutting through technical complexity and helping leaders understand risk in plain business terms so they can make clear, defensible decisions.
In addition to his advisory work, Dale has served since 2019 on the Cyber Advisory Board for the University of North Georgia, where he contributes industry insight to cybersecurity curriculum development, workforce readiness, and emerging risk trends. Perspectives Cyber and Technology Advisors is a veteran-owned firm based in North Georgia, supporting businesses, nonprofits, and independent practices across Forsyth County, North Fulton, Gwinnett County, and the greater Metro Atlanta region.
Perspectives Cyber and Technology Advisors
Perspectives Cyber and Technology Advisors is a North Georgia-based cybersecurity advisory firm that helps business and nonprofit leaders make clear, defensible decisions about cyber risk and technology. The firm works with organizations that know cybersecurity matters but do not always have the time, staff, or clarity to determine where to focus.
Instead of selling products or services, Perspectives acts as an independent advisor, working with internal teams and current IT providers to help leaders understand risks, focus on what really matters, and keep records of decisions that meet cyber insurance, audit, and regulatory needs. Perspectives focuses on practical outcomes for small and mid-sized organizations, including cybersecurity risk assessments, vendor risk management, compliance readiness, incident response planning, and helping organizations build sustainable security programs that fit real-world budgets and operational constraints.
The firm is veteran-owned and based in North Georgia, supporting businesses, nonprofits, and professional practices across Forsyth County, North Fulton, Gwinnett County, and the greater Metro Atlanta region.
Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio
Renasant Bank has humble roots, having started in 1904 as a $100,000 bank located in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has grown into one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, boasting over $26 billion in assets and more than 280 offices offering banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services throughout the region. All of Renasant’s success stems from the commitment of each banker to invest in the communities they serve, which in turn helps them better understand the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, their banking professionals understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.
Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X (Twitter) | YouTube
Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio
Whether you’re a law firm, medical practice, or manufacturer, there’s one headline you don’t want to make: “Local Business Pays Thousands in Ransom After Cyberattack.” That’s where Beyond Computer Solutions comes in. They help organizations like yours stay out of the news and in business with managed IT and cybersecurity services designed for industries where compliance and reputation matter most.
Whether they serve as your complete IT department or simply support your internal team, they are well-versed in HIPAA, secure document access, written security policies, and other essential aspects that ensure your safety and well-being. Best of all, it starts with a complimentary security assessment.
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About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray
With over 900 episodes and having featured over 1,400 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in our community like no one else. We are the undisputed “Voice of Business” in North Fulton!
The show invites a diverse range of business, non-profit, and community leaders to share their significant contributions to their respective markets, communities, and professions. There is no discrimination based on company size, and there is never any “pay to play.” North Fulton Business Radio supports and celebrates businesses by sharing positive stories that traditional media ignore. Some media lean left. Some media lean right. We lean business.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. John and the team at North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, produce the show, which is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
The studio is located at 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.
You can find the entire archive of shows by following this link. The show is accessible on all major podcast apps, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.
John Ray also operates his own business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants, bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.
John is the author of the five-star-rated book The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices, praised by readers for its practical insights on raising confidence, value, and prices.
