Burnout and Breaking the Internet with Serena DiPenti

Corey Quinn talks with Serena DiPenti, aka “SheNetworks,” about her career from Cisco to Black Hills Information Security and her challenges in content creation. Serena reflects on starting at Cisco, where her role as a tech engineer required deep expertise and navigating rigid, high-pressure situations that led to burnout and limited growth opportunities. Now at Black Hills, she enjoys the hands-on work in security analysis and network-based penetration testing. Serena finds content creation more demanding than her cybersecurity work, often facing audience skepticism and burnout. However, her podcast Breaking the Internet provides a rewarding, conversational outlet for sharing insights. Show Highlights (00:00) Introduction (00:37) Dragonfly sponsor read (1:20) Catching up with Serena since she was last on the show (2:34) Serena’s experience at CISCO (8:00) How Serena got stuck in her TAC role (11:06) Serena’s pivot to her new role at Black Hills Information Security (14:10) When Serena finds time to sleep during her busy schedule (16:43) Corey’s short-lived attempt at YouTube (20:28) The importance of conversational content (21:43) Serena’s plans for naming and branding (25:49) Where Serena sees herself aiming next (31:18) How to follow Serena’s work About Serena Serena DiPenti is an offensive security professional who shares her experiences and expertise through her Shenetworks educational content on platforms like TikTok, Twitter (X), YouTube, and Twitch. Her focus includes topics related to penetration testing, ethical hacking, and other areas of cybersecurity. She's passionate about helping others break into the cybersecurity field, offering tips, guidance, and career advice. Serena’s work includes creating accessible and engaging content that demystifies complex cybersecurity concepts, making the industry more inclusive and approachable for beginners and professionals alike. LinksYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@shenetworks TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shenetworks?lang=en Twitter: https://x.com/shenetworks Buy our charity shirt to help support 826 National!https://store.lastweekinaws.com/ Sponsor Dragonfly: dragonflydb.io