From Help Desk to SOC: How KevTech Broke Into Cybersecurity Without Certs

Episode notes

What happens when you go from fixing executives’ laptops at Goldman Sachs to defending against cyber threats in a SOC? In this episode of Simply Defensive, hosts Josh Mason and Wade Wells sit down with Kevin Apolinario - better known as KevTech - to unpack his journey from IT support to cybersecurity analyst, all without a single certification. Kev gets real about what it’s actually like to land your first SOC role: the flood of alerts, the burnout, learning Excel the hard way, and relying on ChatGPT to survive scripting. He also shares how TryHackMe, Hack The Box, and constant hands-on practice built the foundation for his success. If you’ve ever wondered what breaking into cybersecurity really looks like, this conversation pulls back the curtain - no fluff, no spin, just honest talk from the trenches. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:29 Guest Introduction: Kev Apolinario 00:51 Transition to SOC Analyst Role 01:53 Challenges and Learning in Cybersecurity 06:43 Handling Alerts and Fatigue 10:26 Importance of Teamwork and Asking for Help 19:56 Executive Support Experience 27:02 Advice for Aspiring Blue Teamers Follow Kevin on YouTube:

Related episodes across the Index

Other episodes covering the same guests and topics, from across The B2B Podcast Index.

• CMMC Level 2: Documentation, Costs, and Audit Readiness | Interview with Bruno LecoqSecure & Simple · on Cybersecurity89 / 100
• Mastercard CEO: AI Shopping Agents, Machine-to-Machine Payments, and the New Infrastructure of CommerceMotley Fool Hidden Gems Investing · on Cybersecurity88 / 100
• Navigating AI Risks with Trevor Horwitz from TrustNetB2B Automation Spotlight · on Cybersecurity79 / 100
• Moving from Product Partnerships to Revenue: Jira Cooley on Owning the NumberBetween Product and Partnerships · on Cybersecurity76 / 100
• Pipeline Gives Permission to Invest Big on Brand with Jennifer JohnsonThe B2B CMO Podcast with Jon Miller and Sydney Sloan · on Cybersecurity74 / 100
• S5E4: Authenticity Over 'Fake It': Lessons in Leadership and Life with Reese GiffordProductly Speaking: Real Stories for Product Managers · on Cybersecurity65 / 100

• S6:E3 - Tom Dejong - Inside the BHIS SOC: Triage, Curiosity, and Career Growth51 / 100
• S6E2: John Hammond on Security Research, Storytelling, Deception, and Getting Hired in Cybersecurity75 / 100
• From Blue Team Challenges to AI Innovations: A Conversation with Jason Haddix91 / 100
• From Pre-Law to FLARE: How Josh Stroschein Became Google's Malware Analyst86 / 100
• Building Zero Trust Tools: Inside ThreatLocker with Product Manager Yuriy Tsibere