2 Million Dollar Lessons

When a company trusts you with steering their $2 million contract despite your age and experience level, you learn fast. I'm currently doing GRC work for a company going through a major audit, and the responsibility has taught me more about professional success than any textbook ever could.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm juggling a lot right now. Eight hours a day on cybersecurity documentation and risk advisory, then an hour and a half at the gym, followed by blue team CTF challenges to sharpen my skills. Add in constant networking, connecting people with opportunities, and building an app with a friend, and yeah, sometimes I feel like I'm losing my mind. But every piece of this chaos is an investment in my future.

Here are the five lessons that have emerged from being trusted with responsibility way beyond what my resume might suggest I deserve.

You’re the expert, you’re the adult, figure it out. 

Trust is only valuable when it is upheld

Older doesn’t mean wiser

Leverage means money

Don’t screw people 

You’re the expert, you’re the adult, figure it out. 

Nobody knows everything. Even people who are experts on subject matters don’t know everything. That’s why we have reference materials, professional circles to ask questions, specializations so that you can focus on singular topics, and the internet to look things up. 

A common thing that I’ve heard a lot of people in the IT/Cybersecurity industry stress to me is “Never say you don’t know” but I think that’s absurd. Not only is that a terrible pattern to get into, you just look like a liar if you’re wrong about something. There is an appropriate way to do it: say something like “I think I have an answer, but I want to make sure it’s right so I’ll get back to you later” or “I’m not sure off the top of my head, but I can find out and tell you what that would be”. 

People don't expect you to be a walking encyclopedia. They trust you to act in their best interests. Once you have more knowledge than someone else in a particular area, congratulations, you're now the expert. Don't wait for other people to hand you answers. Ask the right questions, do the research, and provide responses that actually help people.

Trust is only valuable when it is upheld

This kind of is intuitive, but once someone has let you down in a major way, you pretty much stop trusting them entirely. Trust is something that takes a long time to build, but can be lost in an instant. When you’re working in a position where people have a lot of faith in you and believe that you’re doing the right things… well you better be handling your job and doing the right things. 

Trust is how you get recommended for other jobs, how you meet higher level people, how you are put in a better position to learn new things, and overall how you advance in life. Especially nowadays, when companies can fire you at a moment's notice, you need to be as good as your word, because that’s the only way people will continue to trust in you and pass good things your way.

Even when nobody's watching, even when you're not being treated the way you think you should be, if you give your word, stick to it. Your reputation follows you everywhere.

Older doesn’t mean wiser

Most people figure this out as they grow up, but it's worth stating clearly. Some people stop learning as they age, which leads to incredibly frustrating conversations where you're trying to explain something and either the lights are on but nobody is home, or they’re too focused on something that doesn’t actually matter regarding the topic.

I've learned to just grin and bear it when this happens. You can't force someone to engage with new information if they've decided they're done learning. Make a mental note about their… limitations, and adjust your approach accordingly. You're not going to change them, so don't waste energy trying.

The flip side is that young doesn't automatically mean inexperienced or incapable. If you've put in the work to understand something deeply, age becomes irrelevant. Knowledge and competence speak for themselves.

Leverage means money

People always want to know how to earn serious money. It's actually pretty straightforward: solve a problem. The bigger the problem, the bigger the paycheck. This is especially true when you're working with clients who understand the value of time and money that a good solution saves them.

When you're the expert in a time sensitive situation that demands success, you can charge premium rates. I'm not talking about gouging people, which we'll cover next, but if you can deliver quality work quickly, you shouldn't be charging bargain basement prices.

Think about the classic project management triangle: good, cheap, fast. Pick two. If they want it done well and they want it done quickly, it's not going to be cheap. Your expertise and willingness to put in long days to meet tight deadlines has real value. Price it accordingly.

Don’t screw people

My gigi (gido for any Ukrainian people, this name just stuck since I was a kid) or grandfather, was an extraordinary man, someone I wish to be like in life. He had a strong belief to never screw people, because it messed up the money in the long run. You can only screw someone once, and word will get out. Once you’ve screwed enough people, you’ve screwed yourself for life, because nobody will buy from you or trust in you. Because of his invaluable teachings, I too take this to heart, and refuse to screw people over. 

I want to help whoever I’m helping get the best price, deal, product, or service for their money, and provide whatever solution I can to ensure that they are happy and doing better than before they got my assistance. 

If you help the people around you win, they'll push you toward bigger wins. Don't expect it from everyone because some people are just takers, but do your best to be proud of the person you see in the mirror each day. Your reputation as someone everyone wants to work with is worth more than any short term gain you might get from cutting corners or taking advantage of people.

This $2 million contract isn't just about the money I’m earning. It's about proving that when someone takes a chance on you, you deliver. This opportunity could springboard me into a life I can’t even imagine, full of the achievements and stability I’m chasing after. These lessons aren't just about professional success, they're about building the kind of life where opportunities keep coming your way because people know they can count on you.