Michael Takla

About Michael Takla

I started my career by re-building the customer base for a family-owned pharmacy in my neighborhood. The owners had planned to retire, but lost over 30% of their business in the beginning of the drug crisis. After months of hustling, making introductions, and hand-delivering prescriptions, they told me they didn’t recognize a single face in the store – all the business was brand new and hard won.In 2015 I joined a cybersecurity start-up in New York City and never looked back. Since then, I’ve been -#1 Business Development Representative - Quota-crushing Account Manager (142% to New Business Quota 20••••16)- Director, Inside Sales (Onboarded 6+ new teammates, doubled inside sales revenue)- Head of Sales (Launched a German cybersecurity brand in the US)In 2018, I lead Northeast Sales for CyberGRX, reporting directly to the VP, East. I worked with information security and risk leaders from New York City to Boston (and everywhere in between) by connecting them with the world\'s first global risk exchange model (since acquired by ProcessUnity.)From 20••••23, I was the Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer at HackNotice. Our team analyzed hundreds of dark web sources and indexes billions of leaked credentials on the daily, to battle account take-over by bringing signs of compromise directly to end users.Currently, I\'m the Vice President of Strategic Accounts at iCOUNTER.My interests include: designing and implementing GTM campaigns, crafting cyber risk solutions that fit existing SOC programs, and 18th Century poetry.A note on the last one: my honors thesis at Rutgers focused on the work of William Cowper (the guy who wrote “Variety is the very spice of life / That gives it all its flavor.” You’ve likely heard that one before.)If you’re interested in discussing GTM strategy, hunting new business, or Cowper, you can reach me at m••••••••@gmail.com

Experience

1. VP, Strategic Accounts

   iCOUNTER

   Jul 2025 — Present · Austin, TX, US

   iCOUNTER, an Apollo company, delivers precision risk intelligence focused exclusively on targeted operations against its customers and their ecosystem.

Education

• Rutgers University

  Bachelor's degree, English Language and Literature/Letters

  2007 — 2011

Skills

• Editing
• Start-Ups
• Leadership
• Microsoft Excel
• Powerpoint
• Networking
• Public Speaking
• Microsoft Office
• Sales
• Strategy
• Security
• Marketing
• English
• Account Management
• Social Media
• Management
• Microsoft Word
• Team Leadership
• Research