In a break to figure out the next move. Open for discussion 🤝

Hi, I’m Hari Kumaran — creator, builder of Bogar AI, and host of THUS.

From starting as a courier boy to helping teams build products and systems, my journey has always been about turning ideas into something real.

I build tools and platforms that make technology feel more human — and help people share what they know through meaningful stories.

☕ Always open for good conversations about building and creating.

Hari Kumaran Raamalingam

You can polish your copy all day.
But people don’t buy words.

They buy proof.
They buy stories.
They buy outcomes.

You don’t need better copywriting.
You need real customer stories.

Everything else is noise.

Builder | Creating human-centered AI tools & systems | Founder, Bogar AI

I’ve learned this the hard way:

You don’t grow by talking more about yourself.
You grow when others do it for you.

Everything I’m building right now sits on that belief.
Soon you’ll see why.

Most people ask, “Which college did you study at?”

Very few ask, “How did you actually learn?”

This visual is from my recent podcast with Hameed Rahamathullah, a fully self-taught CTO with no school, no college, just pure curiosity and grit.

What stood out for me most wasn’t just the tech skill.

It was the loop:
Curiosity → Build → Break → Self-correct → Repeat.

And how his career dots connected in a way that looks messy on paper:
Sales → Call Center → MIS/Excel → Product → Founder/CTO
But in reality, every role compounded into leverage.

Two leadership takeaways I personally resonated with:

▶️ Leadership is not authority, it’s ownership of responsibility
▶️ High agency beats perfect planning

This is exactly why I love doing this podcast.
Not to glorify success — but to decode real, non-linear journeys.

If you’re building without a conventional background:
You’re not behind. You’re just on a different curve.

Full episode link in the first comment.
If this resonated — just drop a ❤️

You don’t fail at content because of ideas.
You fail because posting depends on your mood, energy, and calendar.

Miss one day.
Then another.
Then momentum is gone.

That exact pain is why I built a system to post even when I disappear.
Auto > effort. Always.

If you’ve cracked consistency, I’d love to learn how you do it.

Some journeys need planning.
Some just need you to show up consistently.

Most of us don’t struggle with writing 
We struggle with posting on LinkedIn or X at the right time, every time.
You forget.
You miss the slot.
You lose the momentum.

So I built something that removes that timing friction completely.
A simple Chrome extension.
Add your slots once → click the button → it auto-schedules your post to the next open slot.
Zero dashboards. Zero clutter.

Not launching it publicly yet, keeping it early access for now.

If you want to try it before everyone else,
comment “I’m in” and I’ll DM you the link.

No alternative text description for this image

Most people ask the wrong question about AI.

“Is AI a companion?”
“Will it replace us?”
“Is it intelligent enough?”

In the podcast, Leonard said something that stuck with me:

AI isn’t autonomous.
It doesn’t think for you.
It executes clarity.

If you can’t explain what you want,
how you want it,
and why it matters,
AI won’t magically save you.

AI rewards people who:
• Think clearly
• Give precise instructions
• Know the outcome they want

For everyone else, it feels overrated.

The gap isn’t AI capability.
It’s human clarity.

Curious to know:
Do you see AI more as a thinking partner or a powerful executor?

Full episode link in comments

Early Leadership & Career Pivot Strategist | Helping Non-Tech Professionals Lead in Tech | CEO @ Lateral Connect | Digital Transformation Advisor | Non-Executive Director

Most career advice still assumes the straight corporate ladder. But the truth? Careers today grow sideways before they grow upwards.

You don’t need another certificate or years of waiting for a title. 

You need:

- A lateral career strategy that turns your past into a competitive advantage
- Mentorship that accelerates growth instead of delaying it
- Leadership habits that scale with every move you make

I help ambitious professionals pivot with confidence, moving from non-tech into cybersecurity, digital, and emerging tech leadership.

Through Lateral Connect, our mentorship-driven programmes combine:

1️⃣ Career transition roadmaps tailored for non-tech professionals
2️⃣ Early leadership coaching for first-time and aspiring managers
3️⃣ Practical upskilling that leads directly to outcomes in cyber and digital roles

I’ve guided:

🔹 HR leaders into risk management
🔹 Project managers into cyber leadership
🔹 Marketers into digital transformation consulting

This isn’t about chasing titles.
It’s about building a career platform that opens doors to leadership.

📩 Ready to pivot with confidence? DM me or visit Lateral Connect to start your transformation.

Victoria Coker

The teacher you need may surprise you.

Wisdom grows from attention, not authority.

One thing I’ve learned in my career, from cyber to leadership to mentoring, is that insight rarely arrives from the person with the loudest job title.
It often comes from the people we overlook.
Not because they lack experience, but because we assume experience only lives “upward.”

Here’s what actually shaped my growth:

✅ A junior analyst who asked why we still did something “the old way”
 → reminded me to stay curious instead of comfortable
✅ A mentee who admitted they were terrified to apply
 → taught me the power of honesty in learning
✅ A colleague outside my industry
 → shifted the way I thought about communication and clarity

And yes, even a leader who never created psychological safety
→ pushed me to become the kind of mentor I once needed

Every person carries a perspective you don’t have yet.
If you dismiss them, you miss the lesson.

This week, pay attention to the voice you usually tune out.
It might hold the insight you’ve been waiting for.

♻️ Repost to encourage open-minded growth
➕ Follow Victoria Coker for Cyber Career Change & Early Leadership
#AskVictoria Coker

Non-Tech to Cyber in 5 Mos | Be Career-Ready with Confidence | Founder @Lateral Connect (NCSC-Assured) | Supporting Talent Across Skanska, Honeywell, Bupa & Virgin Money

𝗗𝗼 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆-𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗘𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁?

Everyone says “just get an entry-level cybersecurity job!”
But when you look at job portals, you see this:
𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆-𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 → 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝟯–𝟱 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 + 𝗗𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲 + 𝗖𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗣

𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵?
Do real beginner-friendly cyber roles exist?
Yes, but not how most people imagine.
Let’s break it down.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁
Cybersecurity is exploding.
3.5+ million unfilled jobs by 2025
Massive demand across every sector
New attacks, new tech, new threats → nonstop growth

🔥 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆-𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲
These roles do exist, but companies don’t always label them well.
Real beginner-friendly paths:
→ SOC Analyst
→ GRC Analyst
→ Security Analyst
→ Cybersecurity Specialist (generalist)
→ Security Awareness Coordinator
→ Vulnerability Management Assistant
→ Cybersecurity Sales Support / Sales Engineer

Yes, even sales is a legit cyber entry-point and pays insanely well.

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻:
Monitoring alerts
Running scanners
Writing reports
Following playbooks
Supporting compliance
Helping security teams
Learning on the job
You’re not expected to reverse malware or hack satellites.
You’re expected to learn fast, think logically, and follow processes.

🔥 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗼 (𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗦𝗻𝗮𝗽𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘁)
Depending on the role, you might:
→ Review alerts in a SOC
→ Run vulnerability scans
→ Analyze suspicious activity
→ Support incident responders
→ Write or update policies (GRC)
→ Train employees on security basics
→ Configure basic tools (firewall, EDR, SIEM)
→ Research new threats
→ Report findings to the business

This is the REAL work, not Hollywood hacking.

🔥 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘆: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁
Contrary to what people think…
entry-level cybersecurity pays well.
✔ $60,000 – $110,000/year (U.S.)
Your location + industry affects this.
Finance pays more than education.
Cities pay more than small towns.

🔥 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱
Forget the noise.
You truly need only 3 things:
1️⃣ Basic IT + Networking Fundamentals
(What is an IP, DNS, OSI layers, basic troubleshooting)

2️⃣ One Beginner Certification
Start with:
✔ Security+
✔ Network+
✔ CC (ISC2)
These alone can open doors.

3️⃣ Demonstrated Hands-On Effort (Even Without a Job)
Build experience from home:
TryHackMe
Blue Team Labs
HackTheBox
Splunk free labs
AWS free tier
Wireshark exercises

🔥 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆
Entry-level cyber roles DO exist.
But you must know where to look, how to position yourself, and how to build proof of skills before you land the job.

♻️ Repost to help new leaders reframe failure
➕ Follow Victoria Coker for authentic leadership & career growth
#AskVictoriaCoker #LeadershipDevelopment #TechLeadership #CareerGrowth

5 Truths About Entry-Level Cyber Jobs

Growing hurts when others don’t grow too.

And pushback comes from unexpected people.

It’s rarely malice.
It’s human nature.

Growth disrupts familiarity.
Your evolution reminds people of their hesitation.
Your courage mirrors their fear.

And without meaning to, they try to keep you where they feel comfortable, not where you are meant to go.

Here are 5 grounding principles that protect your growth, especially during a career change or leadership leap:

1. Protect Your Energy
↳ Notice who expands your thinking vs. who drains it.
↳ Boundaries create space for growth, not distance.

2. Move Quietly, Not Secretly
↳You don’t need to justify ambition.
↳Your results will speak with more clarity than explanations ever will.

3. Document Your Wins
↳ Write down every small breakthrough.
↳ Growth becomes real when you can see the evidence.

4. Surround Yourself With Elevators
↳ Find mentors, peers, and communities who pull you upward, not sideways.

5. Back Yourself Relentlessly
↳ Your intuition is data.
↳ Trust it before waiting for validation.

The people who are meant for you won’t be threatened by your rise, they’ll rise with you.
Don’t shrink your potential to fit someone else’s comfort.

♻️ Repost to empower someone who’s outgrowing their environment
➕ Follow Victoria Coker for Cyber Career Change & Early Leadership
#AskVictoria Coker

𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆.
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁.

We’re told certifications are the golden ticket.
We’re told bootcamps are “fast-track doors.”
We’re told more money = more chances.

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩: 𝘢 2023 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴-𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴.

Still, people rush to:
→ Expensive bootcamps
→ Cram-to-pass cert programs
→ Outdated textbooks
→ Shiny “guaranteed placement” promises
→ Overpriced exam bundles

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗿:
Most beginners don’t understand what cybersecurity actually requires.
Because the industry moves fast.
Roles differ wildly.
Certs don’t equal skills.
Skills don’t grow in a hurry.
And bootcamps rarely slow down long enough for learning to land.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲:
→ Confusion after “finishing” a course
→ Passing an exam but failing practical tasks
→ Imposter syndrome on Day 1
→ Feeling “lost” in long YouTube playlists
→ Spending money but not building confidence

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲:
Endless marketing.
Pressure to “catch up.”
FOMO around certs.
Gatekeeping jargon.
Promises packaged as shortcuts.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗿:
→ Start with free or low-cost hands-on labs (skills > theory)
→ Understand job families before choosing certs (direction > speed)
→ Build one project per skill learned (proof > promises)
→ Join one active community (accountability > overwhelm)

Career growth in cybersecurity isn’t a race.
It’s a steady layering of skills, clarity, and exposure.

What step can you take today that actually moves you forward, not just makes you feel busy?

♻️ Repost to help new leaders reframe failure
➕ Follow Victoria Coker for authentic leadership & career growth
#AskVictoriaCoker #LeadershipDevelopment #TechLeadership #CareerGrowth

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐬𝐧’𝐭 “𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥”

Most people don’t “fail” to get into cybersecurity.
They just chase the wrong door.

If job boards made money from telling you the truth, you’d hear this everywhere. But they don’t, so you don’t.

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲:
Cybersecurity has 3.5M unfilled roles globally, and most AREN’T technical. (ISC²)

𝐘𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝:
	•	A computer science degree
	•	10 tools on their CV
	•	“Hacker vibes”
	•	Or years of experience they don’t have

𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧?
People don’t have a skills problem.
They have a direction problem.

❌  They’re applying blindly.
❌  They’re picking roles they don’t understand.
❌ They’re learning random courses instead of market-ready skills.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞:
	•	Too many “ultimate cyber roadmaps”
	•	Influencers selling stress as strategy
	•	Companies listing “nice-to-have” skills as mandatory

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐥𝐲: 
Cybersecurity is a PEOPLE industry first, a TECH industry second.
-Risk.
-Policy.
-Governance.
-Awareness.
-Operations.

Those are leadership skills in disguise.

𝐒𝐨 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐢𝐧, 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞:

✅ Pick a lane: Governance, GRC, Awareness, Risk, SOC, Cloud etc 1 not 5.
✅ Learn the minimum viable skill set for that lane
✅ Build one small project or example that proves you understand the work

That’s it. Not a bootcamp buffet. Not a PhD in hacking.

𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 → 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 → 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.

What’s the biggest myth about cybersecurity careers you used to believe?


♻️ Repost to help new leaders reframe failure
➕ Follow Victoria Coker for authentic leadership & career growth

#AskVictoriaCoker #cybersecurity #careerpivot

li_at

JSESSIONID

Cyber Security

Top Cyber Career Transition Coach | Upskilling Non-Tech Professionals for Cyber Roles | Founder @Lateral Connect (NCSC-Assured) | Supported Talent Across Skanska, Motorola, Bupa & Virgin Money

I don’t attend many events,

but this one mattered.

GRC has been one of my core disciplines for over a decade, and when AJ Yawn the VP of GRC Engineering at Compyl personally reached out, I knew I needed to be there. Not just because of the content (which was excellent), but because of the intention behind it.

Cybersecurity is vast.
It’s complex.
And for many people, it’s overwhelming.

So when someone takes the time to break things down, educate with clarity, and create a space where the community can actually learn, not just listen… you show up. You support them, you show up!

AJ has always led with generosity and practical insight, and this event was no exception. The discussions around modern GRC, automation, and operational resilience were not just informative, they were genuinely actionable.

But more than anything, I attended because community matters.
Leaders who simplify the hard things make the industry better for everyone.
Thank you, AJ, for teaching, sharing, and creating rooms where people feel included, not intimidated.

Also, I had the opportunity to finally meet, the one and only Princess David Okoro 🫠 🥰 

Looking forward to the next one AJ Yawn

Growth feels lonely…

Until you realise it’s not loneliness, it’s alignment.

Not everyone is meant to grow with you, especially in cybersecurity, where your path often requires sharper boundaries, deeper focus, and a different level of responsibility.

As I’ve evolved in this field, I’ve noticed something unexpected:

Some people cheer.
Some people question.
Some people quietly pull back.

Not because you’re doing something wrong, but because you’re doing something different.

Here’s what to leave behind, and what to lean into:

Cybersecurity has a way of changing how you think, how you prioritise, and who you allow into your inner circle. And that shift can make others uncomfortable.

1. ❌ STOP letting others define your pace
↳ They don't have your vision, you do.

2. ✅ START honouring what your future requires
↳ Even if it means outgrowing old dynamics.

3. ❌ STOP explaining every decision
↳ Growth doesn’t need permission slips.

4. ✅ START trusting your internal “yes”
↳ Your intuition often knows before your confidence catches up.

5. ❌ STOP shrinking to maintain comfort
↳ Stability is not the same as progress.

6. ✅ START surrounding yourself with expanders
↳ People who stretch your thinking, not your limits.

Growth will cost you certain relationships.
But staying small will cost you yourself.
Choose you.

♻️ Repost to empower someone stepping into their next chapter
➕ Follow Victoria Coker for Cyber Career Change & Early Leadership
#AskVictoria Coker

Protecting your peace isn’t weakness.

It’s how you make space for your best work.

Whether it’s an opportunity, a job, or even a relationship - nothing is worth trading your inner calm.

Challenges are part of life. But constantly sacrificing your wellbeing for short-term wins? That’s a debt you’ll always regret.

Here are 5 red flags it may be time to step away:

1️⃣ You start doubting your value
   
↳ When you question your worth, it’s already taking too much from you. Your value isn’t negotiable.

2️⃣ You shrink yourself to fit in
   
↳ If you have to hide parts of who you are or play small just to be accepted, the environment isn’t right.

3️⃣ Hope feels out of reach
    
↳ If the thought of another day fills you with more dread than excitement, it’s time to reflect on what you’re holding onto.

4️⃣ You no longer recognise yourself
    
↳ When the situation changes you in ways that make you feel lost, it’s time to realign with who you really are.

5️⃣ Your rest is stolen
    
↳ If sleepless nights and racing thoughts have become the norm, don’t ignore the signal. Peace is not optional.

Leaving doesn’t equal losing.
Sometimes, it’s the most courageous decision you’ll ever make.

You deserve spaces that honour your worth.
And a life that allows you to breathe fully.

♻️ Share this to remind someone to protect their peace
➕ Follow Victoria Coker for insights on career growth, leadership, and balance

𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲

Cybersecurity Doesn’t Just Protect Economies, It Fuels Them.
We often talk about cybersecurity as a cost.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀:
The US saw only a 0.3% GDP dip in 2025.
During the pandemic?
GDP fell 8.9% in one quarter.
A massive portion of that disruption came from weak cyber readiness.

𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝟰 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀:

1️⃣ 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴
Every sector, from healthcare to finance, relies on uninterrupted operations.

2️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀
R&D, AI models, intellectual property, one breach can set industries back years.

3️⃣ 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
Security analysts, engineers, incident responders, GRC professionals, demand is skyrocketing.

4️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
Strong cyber posture reduces systemic risk, stabilises supply chains, and increases investor confidence.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁?
Cybersecurity is no longer a defensive role.
It’s an economic enabler.
And the countries that invest in cyber readiness today will be the economic leaders of the next decade.

Is your organisation treating cybersecurity as a cost, or as a growth strategy?

♻️ Repost to help new leaders reframe failure
➕ Follow Victoria Coker for authentic leadership & career growth

#AskVictoriaCoker #LeadershipDevelopment #TechLeadership #CareerGrowth

𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲

No one prepares you for this part of career growth…

And yet, it’s the part that shapes you the most.”

No one prepares you for this part of career growth…
And yet, it’s the part that shapes you the most.

Most people talk about the skills you need to succeed.
But very few talk about the inner work,  the mindset, the resilience, the emotional stability,  that actually carries you through career transitions, leadership challenges, and pivot points.

When I stepped into both cybersecurity and leadership roles, I expected complexity, intelligence, frameworks, strategy.
What I didn’t expect was the cultural shock, the self-doubt, or the emotional resilience required to navigate spaces that weren’t built with people like me in mind.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. Your confidence grows before your career does.
2. Your clarity sharpens before your role changes.
3. And your emotional intelligence becomes your competitive advantage 
    long before your technical knowledge catches up.

Whether you're pivoting into cyber, stepping into leadership, or trying to regain confidence after a tough season, remember this:
Your growth is happening even when you don’t see the results yet.

Keep going.
Your future self is already proud of you.

♻️ Repost to help someone keep going when it feels heavy
➕ Follow Victoria Coker for insights on cyber transitions, leadership growth, and career confidence.

#AskVictoria Coker

 9 Underrated Cybersecurity Career Fact.pdf

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐲

In leadership, we often celebrate availability, the leader who’s always reachable, always responding, always ready to fix things.

But what we rarely talk about is the quiet discipline that sustains real leadership over time: boundaries.

When I first stepped into leadership, I believed saying “yes” was the key to being effective.

✅ Yes to new projects.
✅ Yes to longer hours.
✅ Yes to helping, even when my plate was already full.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞, 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝, 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭. 💔

Because without boundaries, even the most passionate leader burns out.

You lose focus, clarity, and eventually, the purpose that made you want to lead in the first place.

Boundaries don’t mean being unavailable. They mean 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍, 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕.

They protect your decision-making, your creativity, and your ability to lead with empathy instead of exhaustion.

Strong leaders aren’t defined by how much they take on
but by how clearly they define what truly matters.

💡 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧:
Boundaries aren’t limits, they’re leadership tools.

They protect your time so you can protect your team’s direction.
Because when everything demands your attention, the real skill is knowing what doesn’t deserve it.

♻️ 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞
➕ 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 & 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡

Courage isn’t the absence of fear.

It’s deciding fear won’t win today.

I wrote that on a Post-it and stuck it next to my desk.
Not because I needed new wisdom, but because sometimes we need reminders, not reinvention.

Fear still shows up.
Before a big decision.
Before a conversation that matters.
Before stepping into a new chapter.

But courage shows up too, quietly, consistently, and often without applause.

Here are 7 things I remind myself when fear tries to lead the way:

1. Fear is information
    Ask: What is this feeling trying to tell me?

2. Your body reacts before your confidence does
    Breathe first, act second.

3. Courage is built through repetition
    Do the small scary thing today.

4. You don’t need certainty to move
    Take one clear step, not ten perfect ones.

5. Fear grows in silence
    Say it out loud; name it, shrink it.

6. You’ve survived every difficult moment so far
    Evidence beats emotion.

7. Momentum builds self-belief
    Celebrate progress, not perfection.

Courage isn’t loud.
Sometimes it’s just choosing not to let fear make the final decision.

 What’s one quote that’s been staying with you lately?

𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝟓 𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐉𝐨𝐛𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫

Most people assume cybersecurity only has two paths:
Pen Tester or SOC Analyst.

But that belief hides dozens of beginner-friendly roles people never discover.

And the real problem?
They don’t know what these roles actually do, what’s great about them, or what the downsides are, so they never choose the job that truly fits them.

𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝟱 𝗰𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿-𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿.

1️⃣ 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 (𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺)

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼:
Monitor alerts, investigate suspicious activity, stop active attacks, escalate threats, document incidents.

𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁:
You’re the frontline defender, real-time investigations, high adrenaline, and meaningful impact.

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁:
Cyber attackers don’t work 9–5.
Holidays, weekends, evenings, incidents come when they come.

2️⃣ 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝘁

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼:
Find out how an attack happened, what the attacker touched, and whether they’re still inside the network.

𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁:
Deep-dive analysis, investigating clues, solving technical puzzles.

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁:
Forensics can take hours or days, and sometimes you still don’t find the exact cause.

3️⃣ 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼:
Build and maintain security systems, firewalls, endpoint tools, cloud security, identity management, etc.

𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁:
You get to architect, design, and build solutions that protect entire environments.

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁:
You often rely on other teams (IT, infrastructure).
And sometimes business priorities delay essential fixes.

4️⃣ 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 (𝗣𝗲𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 / 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗿)

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼:
Simulate attacks, exploit vulnerabilities, test defences, and help organisations understand their weak points.

𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁:
It’s exciting, hands-on, creative, and you get paid to “hack” legally.

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁:
Every successful exploit must be documented clearly.
And many beginners don’t enjoy the writing/reporting part.

5️⃣ 𝗩𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝘁

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼:
Scan systems, identify weaknesses, assess risk levels, and work with teams to ensure patches are applied.

𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁:
You get a complete, top-down view of an organisation’s entire environment.

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁:
Not every team patches quickly, which means constant follow-ups and occasional frustration.

Cybersecurity is a hallway full of unlocked rooms.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁?
Don’t choose the role that sounds popular.
Choose the one that matches how you think.
Which one of these 5 cyber roles fits you best?

♻️ Repost to help new leaders reframe failure
➕ Follow Victoria Coker for career growth

#AskVictoriaCoker

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸

We spend millions on tools…but only minutes on the people who actually use them.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗽.

Because despite what the industry sells, the biggest weakness in security isn’t outdated tech, it’s untrained instincts, unclear habits, and uncertain decisions made in real time by real humans.

Most breaches don’t begin with a sophisticated attacker.
They begin with hesitation, embarrassment, overconfidence, or fear.

𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻. 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.

The truth most leaders avoid is this:
You don’t fix security culture by teaching people more.
You fix it by helping them behave differently.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁:
	1.	People understand the risk
	2.	They feel responsible for the outcome
	3.	They’re confident enough to take action

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮 “𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲”. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

A set of cues, expectations, and tiny daily behaviours that compound quietly over time.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗶𝘁:
✅ People report early.
✅ They ask before they act.
✅ They flag concerns without fear.
✅ And they do the right thing even when no one is watching.

You can’t force that through compliance.
You build it through clarity, consistency, and human psychology.

🧭 𝟲 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻-𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗪𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲

𝟭. 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆

When someone clicks a phishing link, ask:
“What made this convincing?”
Not: “Why didn’t you spot it?”

𝟮. 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 “𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿” 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲

Most people want to do the right thing, they just don’t know the exact steps.

𝟯. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿

Fear paralyses.
Confidence creates faster reporting, quicker escalation, and fewer cover-ups.

𝟰. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼-𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀

When managers lock screens, question links, and report incidents openly, teams follow without being told.

𝟱. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲

If people can ask “Is this normal?” without judgement, you’ve already reduced 70% of silent risks.

𝟲. 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆

Why it matters.
Who it protects.
How it impacts customers, data, and trust.
Culture is built on meaning, not manuals.

♻️ Repost to help new leaders reframe failure
➕ Follow Victoria Coker for authentic leadership & career growth
#AskVictoriaCoker #cybersecurity #careerpivot

𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐈𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤

Most people believe cybersecurity is about high-tech defences and complex tools.

Truth is, you’re more likely to be safe by doing simple, smart things every day than by buying the “latest solution”.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 (𝐂𝐈𝐒𝐀) 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐚 𝐡𝐮𝐠𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬.

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮:

🧠 𝟏. 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢-𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐌𝐅𝐀)
This single switch locks the door for most hackers.
No tech gimmicks, just a smart habit.

🔄 𝟐. 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝
Yes, those annoying update prompts matter.
Every patch closes a door that attackers could walk through.

👀 𝟑. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬
Emails, texts or unfamiliar links often hide threats.
Pause. Check the sender. Consider if you were expecting it.

🧾 𝟒. 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐮𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚
Ransomware hits people who have no recovery plan.
If you lose files, you still win, because you planned ahead.

🔄 𝟓. 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐇𝐲𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐞
Regularly remove unused apps and limit permissions. 
Cleaner devices reduce attack surfaces significantly.

𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗌𝖾 𝗁𝖺𝖻𝗂𝗍𝗌 𝖼𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗇𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗅𝗒 𝗇𝗈𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀.
𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝗋𝖾𝗊𝗎𝗂𝗋𝖾 𝗇𝗈 𝖽𝖾𝗀𝗋𝖾𝖾, 𝗇𝗈 𝖼𝖾𝗋𝗍𝗂𝖿𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇.
𝖡𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝖽𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀: 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝗋𝗈𝗅.

In an era where devices outnumber people and attackers multiply daily, your behaviour becomes your strongest defence.

If you’re curious about how to move beyond “safe habits” into a meaningful cyber career, especially if you don’t come from tech, I’d be happy to walk you through your next step.

♻️ Repost to help new leaders reframe failure
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Non-Tech to Cyber in 5 Months | Become Career-Ready with Confidence | Founder @ Lateral Connect (NCSC-Assured) | Supporting Talent Across Skanska, Motorola, Bupa & Virgin Money

Just one day left before the WomenTech Network Global Awards 2025 winners are announced, and I’m still humbled to be a finalist for the Community Award.
 
Thank you to everyone who has voted already, your support truly means everything. 

This nomination represents the thousands of people changing careers, rebuilding their confidence, and stepping into cybersecurity through our programmes, people who remind me daily why I started Lateral Connect.

Whether I win or not, the mission remains the same
 ✨ Make cybersecurity accessible
 ✨ Create real, meaningful opportunities
 ✨ Support those starting from scratch
 ✨ Build leaders, not just job titles

If you haven’t voted yet and would like to support, the link is in the comments.
Thank you again, truly. 💙

Women in Tech - Global Awards - Finalist

🌱 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐈𝐬 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐲.

But staying in the same place can be even scarier.
We don’t talk enough about the quiet fear of comfort.
The kind that keeps you in roles you’ve outgrown,
surrounded by familiarity,
but disconnected from growth.

I remember that feeling, the mix of comfort and discomfort.
Knowing something inside me had shifted,
but not knowing what to do with it.
Everyone tells you to “𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐩.”

But they rarely tell you that you’ll second-guess it a hundred times.
That even progress can feel like loss when you’re leaving a version of yourself behind.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡?
Every big change begins with fear.

But so does every meaningful chapter of your life.
When I finally moved forward, it wasn’t because the fear disappeared.
It was because I realised staying still would cost me more than trying.
I decided to trust myself more than my comfort zone.

If you’re standing at that crossroads, uncertain, overthinking, maybe waiting for the “right time” this is your reminder:

Growth doesn’t wait for confidence.
It builds it.

✨ 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩.
𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐰.

♻️ Repost to help new leaders reframe failure
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I used to think leadership meant having all the answers.

Then one book reminded me, it’s actually about better questions.

“The Fearless Organization” by Amy Edmondson changed how I understand leadership.
Not by pushing harder.
Not by striving for perfection.
Not by pretending to be fearless.

But by leading with curiosity, intention, and psychological safety.

The truth is, people don’t grow in environments where they’re afraid to be wrong.
They grow when they feel invited to contribute, challenge, and explore without judgment.

This book shaped the way I mentor, coach, and build teams today.
It reinforced something I now teach inside my Early Leadership Accelerator, that leadership isn’t about removing fear.
It’s about creating spaces where people feel safe enough to move through it.

Here are 5 takeaways that changed how I lead, and what to do with them:

1️⃣ Safety builds performance. → Begin meetings with: “What perspectives haven’t we heard yet?”

2️⃣ Curiosity unlocks solutions. → Before giving advice, ask one more question.

3️⃣ Silence signals something. → Proactively invite quieter voices to share.

4️⃣ Mistakes are data. → Replace blame with: “What can this teach us?”

5️⃣ Clarity builds trust. → Share the “why,” not just the “what.”

What book quietly changed how you lead?

𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠.

𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞.

Most people still imagine cybersecurity as screens of code, dark dashboards, and “tech people” doing technical things.

But when you look closely, cybersecurity is simply this:

👉 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬, 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
stolen data
financial loss
ransomware
disrupted businesses
or compromised personal information

And because our world is now more connected than ever, one truth has become unavoidable:

There are more devices than people, and more attackers than defenders.

𝐒𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬:

🔹 𝟏. 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞
Strong passwords.
Safer clicks.
Awareness.
Team habits.
Everything begins with human behaviour, not software.

🔹 𝟐. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬
Clear frameworks for identifying, protecting, responding, and recovering.
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework is a great example: it turns chaos into structured action.

🔹 𝟑. 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲
Firewalls, anti-malware, DNS filtering, email security, cloud protection.
Tools matter, but only when people and processes know how to use them.

When these three work together, security becomes proactive, not reactive. And here’s why this matters for your career:

Cybersecurity has become one of the most important, stable, and human-centric fields in the world, and it’s no longer reserved for technical backgrounds.
- The industry needs thinkers.
- Communicators.
- Problem-solvers.
- Policy-minded professionals.
- Leaders who can make sense of risk for real people.

With 𝟑.𝟓 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, the timing couldn’t be clearer:
There has never been a better moment to transition into cybersecurity, especially if you come from a non-technical background.

Curious where your skills fit in?
I’m happy to help you explore the pathways.

♻️ Repost to help new leaders reframe failure
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Cybersecurity: More Human Than You Think

𝗬𝗼𝐮 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝐚 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝐬𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝘁𝘀.

𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲.

Funny, right?
Different names.
Same role.
Same work.

𝘈 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵: 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 “𝘤𝘺𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘵” 𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘱 70–80% 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘚𝘖𝘊, 𝘕𝘖𝘊, 𝘐𝘚𝘖𝘊, 𝘊𝘚𝘖𝘊, 𝘐𝘙... 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘴, 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘣.

𝗬𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿:
→ “Perfect” titles
→ Long lists of requirements
→ Fancy tools they can’t access
→ Certifications they think they “must” get
→ Job descriptions packed with buzzwords

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵?

The work is almost always the same: monitor, detect, investigate, document.
Because cyber defense is predictable.
Alerts come in.
You analyze.
You find the root cause.
You escalate or resolve.
You write it down.
And then you do it again.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀:
→ Feeling lost reading job postings
→ Confusion around 10 different titles
→ Imposter syndrome from bloated requirement lists
→ Passing certs but failing hands-on tasks
→ Fear of tools you’ve never actually used

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲:
Copy-pasted JDs.
HR buzzwords.
Expectation overload.
Tool obsession.
“Entry-level unicorn” listings.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗿:
→ Learn basic networking (everything starts here)
→ Build one small SOC lab (EDR + SIEM + logs)
→ Practice detection + documentation (the real job)
→ Understand MDR/MSSP workflows (where most beginners start)
→ Learn one or two common tools, not ten

Real learning compounds slowly.
Skill takes time.
Clarity beats chaos.

What’s one SOC skill you can practice today, instead of searching for the “perfect” job title?

♻️ Repost to help new leaders reframe failure
➕ Follow Victoria Coker for authentic leadership & career growth

#AskVictoriaCoker #LeadershipDevelopment #TechLeadership #CareerGrowth

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