AQ'S Corner

Photo Credit: AQ’s Corner LLC WordPress Generative AI

As I build my startup and search for my next opportunity in cybersecurity, I’ve been reflecting a lot. Not just about where I’m headed, but about who I’ve always been. It’s wild how moments of clarity show up when you least expect them.

It happened the other day while I was working through HackerOne Capture the Flag challenges. In my home office, I focused on the walkthroughs, soaking up guidance on how hackers think, what they go after, and how to apply critical thinking to uncover vulnerabilities.

And then it hit me.

Wait… this is familiar. Really familiar.

The thinking.
The testing.
The breaking.
The documenting.
The defending.

Over 10 of my 19+ years in tech were spent doing this exact thing. I just didn’t call it hacking, I called it Software Quality Assurance. But make no mistake: I was absolutely doing ethical hacking. I just didn’t have the title.

The QA Life Was My First Cyber Playground

For over a decade, I walked the path of software testing, rising from entry level to mid-level, and eventually wearing the crown as Director of QA. I’ve sat shoulder to shoulder with teams, and I’ve led them through storms. I tested products with precision and persistence, chasing bugs like breadcrumbs on a trail, each one a mystery waiting to be unraveled. My job wasn’t just to find issues, it was to think like someone trying to exploit them.

I used debugging tools. I performed stress tests. I knew exactly where to poke the system to see where it broke and what it revealed.

And the bug reports? Oh, honey, I was extra. My reports were crisp, clear, and complete. I made sure every title had the app name, the feature area, and the core issue. The steps to reproduce were precise, which included expected vs. actual results. I always attached screenshots and URL paths. I did that not just for the devs, but for me, because when it was time to review bugs, if I had 20-30 in my queue at one time, I could easily go through my notes and verify what was fixed or what introduced a new vulnerability.

Sound like cybersecurity yet? Because it absolutely is.

When You Realize You’ve Been in the Game All Along

It wasn’t until I sat with that HackerOne CTF that I connected the dots. This is the work I’ve been doing. Not just testing, but protecting. Not just writing bugs, but building barriers. And all these years, I was operating like a white hat hacker, without realizing I’d already earned the badge.

So, I’m rewriting the way I talk about my experience. I’m no longer trimming down the years to fit into a checkbox. When they ask me how long I’ve been in cybersecurity I’m adding on all those years I spent testing software too. Not just the role before my recent layoff. I’m giving the full, honest, powerful answer.

Because too often, especially in tech, we let our titles define us, and they don’t always tell the entire story.

The Startup Shift: Stepping Into My Power

This season of life, building AQ’s Corner, educating families and kids on digital safety, and finding new professional opportunities, has taught me that the real work is in reconnecting with who you are.

Sometimes we evolve so much, we forget the foundational pieces that made us great in the first place. But I’m reclaiming mine.

I’m not “just” a QA veteran or “just” a mom in tech.

I’m a cybersecurity strategist.
I’m a digital safety advocate.
I’m a founder building tools to protect the next generation.
And I am absolutely a white hat hacker.

Final Thoughts for Fellow Tech Pros and Dreamers

If you’re pivoting careers, launching something new, or just feeling lost between job titles and your true skills, pause and look back. You might find you’ve been doing the thing all along.

You don’t need permission to own your power.
You just need the clarity to recognize it and the boldness to claim it.

Here’s to claiming all the years.
Here’s to building something that reflects everything we are.
And here’s to teaching the next generation that security starts with curiosity, critical thinking, and the courage to break things to make them better.

🛡️ About AQ’s Corner:
We’re on a mission to make cybersecurity simple, family-friendly, and accessible for all. From interactive books to kids’ Capture-the-Flag games, we help parents, educators, and small businesses create safer digital spaces. Learn more at aqscorner.com and follow us for updates, insights, and tools to protect what matters.