Cody
Ingram
Moore
When opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.
MILTON BERLE
What Sets Me Apart?
About Me
How One Failure Sparked a Career of Curiosity.
From Guarding Doors to Guarding Data
When I was in my early 20s, I worked as a security guard. It was an honest job, if not exactly thrilling. Most days were spent pacing hallways or watching monitors, trying to look vigilant. But then that day happened—the day I goofed up so badly it flipped my whole world upside down.
It started with a well-dressed guy in his 30s. He came to the front desk, looking like he belonged—clipboard in hand, confident smile, and a story about being there to “fix the server rack upstairs.” He was polite, professional, and convincing. So, I let him through. Turns out, I’d just failed a social engineering penetration test. He wasn’t a tech guy—he was a pentester, there to assess the building’s security. And I’d handed him the keys to the kingdom.
When the dust settled, he gave me some feedback. I was embarrassed, sure, but mostly curious. “Wait, this is your job? Pretend to be someone else and test how secure everything is?” I peppered him with questions: How did he get started? What skills did it take? Could anyone learn this? He humored me with answers, telling me about the world of penetration testing and information security.
It was like a light-bulb flickered on in my brain. I had to know more.
At that time, I didn’t even know what a terminal was, let alone how to navigate it. But I started learning. Nights and weekends became dedicated to studying IT, computer science, and the foundations of hacking. I installed Linux, broke it, fixed it, and broke it again. I earned my A+ certification, which opened the door to my first IT job as an encryption technician. From there, I kept climbing—earning my Network+, Server+, Security+, and eventually the coveted PenTest+ certification. Along the way, I devoured CTF challenges like OverTheWire and TryHackMe, which sharpened my problem-solving skills and made the process fun.
Then I got my first security consulting client. That’s when I realized I wasn’t just learning a skill—I was carving out a whole new life for myself. I went from barely understanding the basics of a command prompt to consulting for people who depend on me to protect their digital assets. And it all started with that one moment, one mistake, and a guy with a clipboard who taught me that failure isn’t the end—it’s the spark.