What does it really take to become a CISO?

In this episode of the Root to CISO Podcast (Season 3), we sit down with Jenai Marinkovic, a cybersecurity leader with over 25 years of experience, vCISO at our company, Tiro Security & CEO, GRCIE. Jenai, breaks down the reality behind building a career in cybersecurity leadership.

She shares how she entered cybersecurity in the early days of the internet and worked her way through nearly every role in the industry, from engineering and architecture to investigations, leadership, and eventually CISO-level responsibility.

We dive into:

•  How to transition from individual contributor → team lead → manager → director
•  The biggest mistakes leaders make (and what it actually takes to grow) 
•  Why understanding the business matters more than technical skills
•  The challenge of letting go and leading through others
•  Why linear career paths can limit your growth

If you're trying to break into cybersecurity, move into leadership, or become a CISO, this episode gives you a real, unfiltered look at the journey.

🎧 Part 1 of 2 — Part 2 coming next week

#RootToCISO #Cybersecurity #Leadership #CareerSuccess