BlackCloak picked up two Inc. recognitions in 2026, a Best Workplaces listing in June and a second consecutive Inc. 5000 ranking in August. Chris Pierson explains what each one confirms about the product, the market, and the people building the company.
BlackCloak collected two Inc. recognitions in 2026. The company was named to Inc.'s Best Workplaces list in June, and in August it landed on the Inc. 5000 for a second consecutive year, at a higher position than the first. Founder and CEO Chris Pierson points both at the same two groups, the people who build BlackCloak and the clients and members who rely on it.
What does a second Inc. 5000 ranking confirm? Three things, according to Chris Pierson. The company is doing right by its clients and members. The product has found its market. And BlackCloak continues to fill the gap it identified in digital executive protection. He describes an environment doubling consistently year over year, and calls a repeat harder to achieve than a first appearance.
The pride he describes belongs to every cloaker, the people building, running, and operating the company day to day. A great idea helps, and so does the right product and the right market, though sustained growth depends on having really amazing people. Chris Pierson ties the Best Workplaces listing to paying attention to team members, doing right by them, and keeping a solid culture and foundation in place so the company can grow. Protect your digital life is the motto, and he says it is what brings both recognitions home for employees, clients, and members alike.
This is a Brand Highlight. A Brand Highlight is a ~5 minute introductory conversation designed to put a spotlight on the guest and their company. Learn more: https://www.studioc60.com/creation#highlight
GUEST
Chris Pierson, Founder and CEO at BlackCloak
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drchristopherpierson/
RESOURCES
Learn more about BlackCloak: https://blackcloak.io
Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest growing private companies: https://www.inc.com/inc5000/2026
Inc. Best Workplaces list: https://www.inc.com/best-workplaces/2026
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KEYWORDS
chris pierson, blackcloak, sean martin, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, brand highlight, black hat usa 2026, inc 5000, inc best workplaces, digital executive protection, executive protection, company culture, category creation, cybersecurity growth, protecting executives and their families
A Second Inc. 5000 Ranking Affirms the People Behind BlackCloak's Growth | A Brand Highlight Recorded On Location at Black Hat USA 2026 with Chris Pierson, Founder and CEO at BlackCloak | Hosted by Sean Martin
[00:00:18] Sean Martin: All right. Marco says
[00:00:31] Chris Pierson: something like that.
[00:00:31] Sean Martin: When Marco says we gotta do something, then we
[00:00:34] Chris Pierson: gotta go is do something. I
[00:00:35] Sean Martin: know.
[00:00:35] Chris Pierson: I don't know what,
[00:00:35] Sean Martin: so what are we gonna do?
[00:00:37] Chris Pierson: What do you wanna do?
[00:00:37] Sean Martin: I don't know. I think they, uh, I think I know something that I'm not supposed to know yet.
[00:00:43] Chris Pierson: What do you know?
[00:00:44] Sean Martin: I think you guys are being recognized.
[00:00:47] Chris Pierson: We are
[00:00:48] Sean Martin: twice in a row.
[00:00:50] Chris Pierson: Twice a second year in a row we're, um, I mean, Inc.'s fastest 5,000 growing companies that is out there. I mean, it's huge. It's hard to do year after year after year to have, uh, an environment in which we're doubling consistently year over year. It's just, you know, making list once is great. Making it again, a higher position even, even better, um, for, I mean. For us, for our team, it's just, it solidifies everything, right? It means that we're doing the right thing by our clients and members, that we have the right product out in the market, that we continue to fill this whole, this gap of digital executive protection. Um, I'm just really proud because it's one of those things that makes every single cloaker, every single person employee here at BlackCloak that is building and running and. Operating the goodness that we have here. Um, it just is really, really amazing for them to feel that. And I mean, uh, Inc., what, what are you gonna do? Inc. Magazine? What are you gonna do? Uh,
[00:01:51] Sean Martin: it's a little feather in the cap.
[00:01:53] Chris Pierson: It is absolutely a feather in the cap. Um, I'm massively humbled by it. Very, very thankful for it. And, uh, at the end of the day, it's, um. Yeah, it's definitely, it's definitely one of those things where it's a hot market,
[00:02:05] Sean Martin: right?
[00:02:05] Chris Pierson: We're the pioneers of it. The category creators,
[00:02:07] Sean Martin: you, you created this category.
[00:02:08] Chris Pierson: We did,
[00:02:09] Sean Martin: created this category, and I think there's a team around us here.
[00:02:13] Chris Pierson: Oh yeah.
[00:02:14] Sean Martin: Engaging with loads of people at the events, and I think I can say personally, having spoken to many of them. Amazing team. It's an amazing team we pulled together and obviously your vision, your leadership with them marching along with you, helped you achieve this.
[00:02:35] Chris Pierson: Uh, I mean, as you know, it's about the people. You can have a great idea. All the rest, gotta have the right product, right market, right this, all those factors. But you have to have really, really amazing people, which I mean, a few months ago we got the Inc. Best Workplaces award as well. Which once again, we are paying attention to all of our team members, all of our cloakers, making sure we do right by them, making sure we have a solid culture and a foundation at BlackCloak so we can grow. Once you have these solid inside and amazing, amazing technology, amazing people have amazing product, then you're able to achieve things like. The fastest 5,000 companies that are out there that are growing. So, um, what's not to love?
[00:03:17] Sean Martin: Super cool. I'm always, always impressed by what you're able to pull off. Not because I'm not surprised, but I am impressed 'cause it's hard. It's hard to do this. And, uh, it is an important thing. Obviously, we've had a number of conversations about what BlackCloak does, helping digital executive protection, helping people in their circle of trust, make sure that they're not being taken advantage of.
[00:03:43] Chris Pierson: You have to, you gotta, I mean, our whole entire motto is Protect your digital life. That is what we're all about. That's the mission, you know, and it just brings it home for all of our employees. And for all of our clients and members, uh, we just are so thankful to be here.
[00:03:59] Sean Martin: Chris, I always love chatting with you, man. Always a pleasure. You Absolutely, bro. And I'm a, I'm a proud, uh,
[00:04:05] Chris Pierson: I love
[00:04:06] Sean Martin: it. Win.
[00:04:07] Chris Pierson: I love it.
[00:04:07] Sean Martin: And congratulations to Chris and the team. Fastest growing company, two years in a row on the Inc. list. And good recognition for the team as well. So keep up the good work, my friend.
[00:04:21] Chris Pierson: Thank you, my friend. Appreciate it.