Akil Smith Email & Phone Number

It was time for a change. I realized something as the world locked down due to Covid and sales subsequently decreased thereafter. I had invested my time and energy into something dependent on the state of affairs. When times are good, sales are good. And when times are bad, sales are equally as bad. The pendulum that my career became in recent years did not feel sustainable or secure. The passion that I had for helping others, being the reliable point of contact, and solving problems slowly turned into a hindrance. I set out to learn a new set of skills and turned to research, data, and my preferences to find a new niche. And boy, did I find one. As the son of an IT Project Manager, I have been around tech for as long as I can remember. Troubleshooting my own devices, following the newest trends with my father, and setting up the network and subsequent protocols. That was practically our father-son time. A stubborn boy, I just did not have the desire to follow in my father's techy footsteps. But as I further delved into the state of the world and the burgeoning crisis that is cyber-attacks, I felt a call to action. The loss of one's identity, privacy, and personal information can be crippling and feel hopeless. I found drive. I began to research, I began to study, and I began to cook. Within 3 months of my realization, I was Security+ certified. ITIL, FISMA, ISO, NIST Standards, Active Directory, Threat detection, encryptions, and much more. I was hooked and I was on fire. IT came naturally and I was excited for the challenge. Things my father had taught came roaring back to the front of my mind and I pursued this new knowledge with a child-like fervor. This is only the beginning as I currently take on Network+, CySA+, and look towards delving into ethical hacking and pen-testing. The sky is the limit and I am just getting started. All I need is the opportunity.