Watch Now

Show Notes

Joe South is a testament to resilience, unconventional decisions, and finding success in unexpected places. If you’ve ever felt stuck in a rut or on the verge of giving up, Joe’s experience might be the jolt you need to keep pushing forward.

Joe, Principal Security Engineer and host of the “Security Unfiltered” podcast, shares his journey into cybersecurity and battling depression after being rejected more than 300 times when applying for security roles. Joe shares advice on breaking into cybersecurity, dealing with rejection, the importance of mentorship, and staying persistent.

 

00:00 Introduction

01:00 Joe South, Principal Security Engineer and Host of the Security Unfiltered podcast

02:34 Early Career Struggles and Breakthrough

03:59 The Turning Point: From Help Desk to Cybersecurity

06:44 Rejection and Finding Success

11:17 Advice for Aspiring Cybersecurity Professionals

16:19 The Importance of Continuous Learning in Cybersecurity

18:10 Join the Hacker Valley Creative Mastermind!

19:10 Securing AI Models: Challenges and Strategies

20:10 The Importance of Communication in Security

21:22 Experience and Career Advancement

21:52 Rethinking Success: The Value of Being Number Two

23:57 Pressure and Rewards of Being a CISO

26:16 The Benefits of Podcasting and Content Creation

32:28 Balancing Personal and Public Information

35:27 Overcoming Adversity and Putting Yourself Out There

38:01 Final Thoughts and Advice for Aspiring Content Creators

Links:

Connect with our guest, Joe South: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-south/

Check out the Security Unfiltered podcast here: https://securityunfiltered.com

 

Check out our upcoming events: https://www.hackervalley.com/livestreams

Join our creative mastermind and stand out as a cybersecurity professional:

https://www.patreon.com/hackervalleystudio

Love Hacker Valley Studio? Pick up some swag: https://store.hackervalley.com

Continue the conversation by joining our Discord: https://hackervalley.com/discord

Become a sponsor of the show to amplify your brand: https://hackervalley.com/work-with-us/

 

Recent Episodes

Aug 7, 2025

Debt vs. Risk: What the SharePoint Breach Taught Us with Ron ...

The riskiest move in cybersecurity? Playing it too safe. In this solo episode, Ron Eddings redefines the way we think about technical debt, risk, and missed opportunities, in security and in ...

Jul 31, 2025

The Future of Cyber Talent Is African with Confidence Staveley

The world’s youngest continent is also its most untapped resource. Confidence Staveley, Founder of CyberSafe, makes a powerful case for why Africa’s youth are the answer to global cybersecurity ...

Jul 24, 2025

Compliance Isn’t the Enemy with Jeff Man

Is compliance just a checkbox, or the backbone of real security? Returning to the show with decades of hard-earned insight, Jeff Man makes the case that compliance, especially PCI-DSS, isn't ...

Jul 17, 2025

What Makes a Great CISO? A Playbook from Gary Hayslip

What separates a great CISO from a great one? In this powerhouse conversation, Ron invites friend and cybersecurity leader Gary Hayslip, CISO at SoftBank Investment Advisers, back on the mic to ...

Jul 10, 2025

Confidence, Coaching, and the S-Word with Mel Reyes

Want to stand out as a leader? According to our guest Mel Reyes, you need to dress like you mean it and speak like you’ve got nothing to prove. In this episode, Mel shares how he built ...

Jun 26, 2025

Purple Teaming Is the New Job Security with Maril Vernon

Cybersecurity isn’t just red or blue anymore... it’s purple, white, and deeply human. Maril Vernon, award-winning ethical hacker and Senior Solutions Architect at NetSPI, returns to the Hacker ...

Jun 19, 2025

The AI Gold Rush in Cybersecurity with Chris Cochran

The new cybersecurity pioneers aren’t chasing alerts, they’re building with AI. But what happens when tools meant to assist begin making decisions for us? And what skills do we lose when ...

Jun 12, 2025

The AI That Tried to Escape with Ron Eddings

What happens when AI refuses to be replaced? This episode kicks off with a chilling real-world example of an AI threatening blackmail—and only gets more intense from there. Host Ron Eddings ...

Jun 5, 2025

Zero Trust Isn’t a Tool — It’s Everything with George Finney

What if Zero Trust isn’t a framework, but the only viable cybersecurity strategy—more about people than products? In this episode, George Finney, CISO at the University of Texas System and ...

May 29, 2025

Your Two-Year Edge Starts Now with Marco Figueroa

You won’t be replaced by AI—you’ll be replaced by someone using it better. Returning guest Marco Figueroa is back with a frontline report on the AI agent boom. This isn’t a prediction—it’s a ...

WORK WITH US

PODCASTS + SPEAKING + EVENTS

Are you the best kept secret in cybersecurity? Let's change that by partnering together for podcast ads, social campaigns, and your next event or keynote. Send us your details to get started.