Today, I officially received my CISSP. This is the roadmap to how I accomplished it. I have always been fascinated by technology yet it was only recently that I made the decision to pursue it. In 2023, I was general manager of a steel plant hyper-scaling production and EBITDA (300% YoY), but I desired a larger challenge. I decided to enroll at the University of North Dakota and take their Master’s in Cyber Security program. Two years later, while working full-time I graduated with a 4.0 GPA and my Master of Science in Cyber Security.
What would come next was an aggressive plan to codify my knowledge in certifications. I started with EC-Council’s Certified Ethical Hacker in May of 2025. I took a week preparation course and then the exam. I passed on the first attempt. During that course I met Eric Reid and planned to take the CEH Practical. After the hands-on exam I earned CEH Master. I had a few months before my PhD program in Computer Science began, and I wanted to knock out more.
The plan we formulated would require eight exams in four months: A+, Network+, Security+, CASP+, CySA+, Cloud+, PenTest+, and Linux+. From the first exam (CEH) to the final exam (CASP+) it took seven months. In that time I took eight exams and passed all of them on the first attempt to earn twenty-two certifications. Adding the Certified Network Defense Architect, the total was twenty-three.
The last obstacle was CISSP. I began studying two weeks before Christmas. During that intense stretch I worked full-time, studied six days a week, aced my PhD courses, and finalized and published my first fantasy novel, Malmorthael. Not to mention deadlifting heavy. After all the long hours — and raising our children with my wife — I sat for the test at the beginning of May.
I slept great the night before. I walked in, they put me through meticulous security, and I sat. Two hours later the test ended: “See the front desk for your results.” I had no idea if I passed. I told myself I would look once I was in my car. As I exited the testing center the wind ruffled the paper and I glanced down. The only thing I noticed was, “Congratulations!”
I walked calmly to my vehicle. I shut the door and yelled “Let’s go!”
What’s the plan going forward? Continue the dissertation (yes, I am planning on finishing my PhD early), finish Malmorthael II, spend time with family and friends, and definitely not study for the CISSP.
As I work now to transition into the field, I would love to connect with anyone with a passion for cyber. I have 15+ years of senior leadership experience across multiple domains. Pair that with the AI PhD in progress, hands-on cyber and manufacturing expertise, and the work ethic shown above. If you are looking for a hyper-scaler with proven results I am your man.
Pierce Novak