Jesse Flippen
Solutions Engineer → Cybersecurity Professional
Professional Summary
I'm an enterprise strategist and solutions engineer making a deliberate, skills-first transition into cybersecurity. After a decade managing multi-million dollar territories, leading cross-functional teams, and building production tools from scratch, I now apply that same analytical rigor to threat detection, secure infrastructure, and cloud security.
I study and build every single day — working toward four certifications by mid-July 2025: AWS Cloud Practitioner, CompTIA Security+, Google AI Essentials, and Splunk Core Certified Power User. I supplement that with hands-on labs through Hack The Box and LabEx, and stay sharp on Python, JavaScript, and the Linux command line daily.
I bring something most early-career cybersecurity candidates don't: I already know how enterprise organizations work, how stakeholders think, and what it costs when security is an afterthought.
What makes me different:
- A decade of enterprise experience — I understand the business risk behind every vulnerability.
- Comfortable in the Linux terminal: file navigation, permissions, process management, and scripting basics.
- Self-directed learner with active subscriptions to Hack The Box, LabEx, Real Python, Scrimba, Claude, and Gemini Pro — used daily to sharpen skills.
- Proven track record translating complex technical work into board-level business outcomes.
Certifications in Progress
Target completion: mid-July 2025
AWS Cloud Practitioner
Foundational cloud concepts, AWS core services, security model, and pricing. Building the cloud literacy required for modern security roles.
In ProgressCompTIA Security+
Industry-standard certification covering threat detection, network security, cryptography, identity management, and risk management fundamentals.
In ProgressGoogle AI Essentials
Responsible AI principles, prompt engineering, and practical AI tool integration — essential for leveraging AI in modern security workflows.
In ProgressSplunk Core Certified Power User
Advanced searching, reporting, and dashboarding in Splunk — the industry's leading SIEM platform for security operations and threat hunting.
In ProgressTechnical Skills
Cybersecurity
- Threat Detection & Analysis
- Security Information & Event Management (SIEM)
- Splunk Fundamentals
- Network Security Concepts
- CompTIA Security+ Curriculum
- Hack The Box Labs
Cloud & Infrastructure
- AWS (Cloud Practitioner track)
- AWS IAM, EC2, S3 — core services
- Netlify Deployment & CI
- Deployment Automation
Languages & Command Line
- Python (Data, Automation & AI focus)
- JavaScript (Vanilla)
- SQL
- Linux CLI — navigation, permissions, process management, scripting
- Bash scripting basics
AI & Automation
- Prompt Engineering (Claude, Gemini Pro)
- AI-assisted development workflows
- Google AI Essentials curriculum
- Practical LLM integration
Business Intelligence
- Salesforce
- SAP
- Power BI
- Tableau
- Advanced Excel
Domain Expertise
- Enterprise Account Management
- Stakeholder & C-Suite Presentation
- Cross-Functional Team Leadership
- Risk Assessment & Mitigation
Daily Learning Stack
Active subscriptions and platforms I use every single day to build real, applicable skills.
Hack The Box
Hands-on penetration testing labs and CTF challenges. I use HTB to build practical offensive and defensive security skills in real-world simulated environments.
LabEx
Browser-based Linux and cloud labs. My go-to for reinforcing Linux command-line fundamentals, Bash scripting, and cloud infrastructure hands-on practice.
Real Python
In-depth Python tutorials, projects, and learning paths focused on practical application — automation, data handling, and security scripting workflows.
Scrimba
Interactive front-end development courses. I use Scrimba to maintain and sharpen my JavaScript and UI skills as I build cybersecurity-adjacent tooling.
Claude (Anthropic)
My primary AI assistant for deep-dive research, code review, concept exploration, and building study plans. Used daily to accelerate learning across every domain.
Gemini Pro
Google's AI suite for cross-referencing technical concepts, exploring cloud/security documentation, and staying current with AI developments in the security space.
Professional Experience
Senior Business Development Manager – Moët Hennessy Portfolio
Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits | Texas | December 2022 – Present
- Lead a team of 5 Business Development Managers covering 355+ accounts for a $14.8M LVMH premium spirits portfolio across Texas.
- Achieved Q4 2025 revenue growth of +5.7% ($6.03M) through strategic channel focus and premium SKU execution.
- Drove Veuve Clicquot +10.4% ($3.24M) and Whispering Angel +11.6% in Q4 through targeted promotional programs.
- Developed strategic performance analyses for weekly Moët Hennessy supplier meetings; presented to brand teams at director and VP level.
- Led store-level activations with measurable results: H-E-B Cypress +82.5 9L (+155%), H-E-B Austin S Congress +96.7 9L (+180%).
Business Development Manager
Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits | Dallas-Fort Worth | March 2019 – December 2022
- Led full sales cycle for premium wine and spirits suppliers: account targeting, lead selling, staff education, and brand positioning.
- Built detailed performance tracking reports using Compass/Onesource analytics against supplier KPIs.
- Developed deep on/off-premise channel expertise through daily buyer-level engagement across DFW market.
Sales Representative – Coastal Division (Diageo Portfolio)
Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits | Dallas | February 2017 – March 2019
- Executed sales and distribution goals for Diageo premium spirits portfolio across on/off-premise channels in the Dallas metro.
Inside Sales Consultant
Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits | Dallas | July 2015 – February 2017
- Managed 250+ accounts weekly via SAP; built the CRM and order management foundation for a decade of enterprise relationship management.
Earlier Experience
Stocker – Glazer's Distributors (2014–2015) | Brand Builder – ABCo Brand Builders (2010–2014)
- Built industry foundation in merchandising, product promotion, and retail distribution execution across the Texas market.
Projects
Universal Unit Converter
Business Case: Built to bridge the gap between field sales requirements and instant technical calculations in the spirits industry.
Technical Highlight: Responsive state management in vanilla JavaScript for instant, bi-directional conversions across 8 distinct unit categories — no page reloads.
Impact: Live production app serving users worldwide, with dark mode support and SEO optimization.
Stack: HTML · CSS · JavaScript · Netlify
Portfolio Website
Designed and built this portfolio from scratch — no frameworks, no templates. A purposeful exercise in clean HTML, CSS architecture, and progressive JavaScript enhancement.
Focus: Performance, accessibility, SEO, and a clear narrative around a career transition into cybersecurity.
Stack: HTML · CSS · JavaScript · Netlify CI
Volunteer & Community
Chair — PyTexas Community Committee
PyTexas Foundation | Texas | Ongoing
- Lead the community committee for PyTexas, one of the longest-running regional Python conferences in the United States.
- Coordinate volunteer programs, community engagement initiatives, and outreach efforts to grow the Texas Python developer community.
- Bridge the technical and non-technical communities by bringing a business and strategy perspective to open-source conference organizing.
- Work alongside engineers, data scientists, and security professionals — a direct pipeline into the cybersecurity and infrastructure communities I'm now joining.
Education & Continuous Learning
Self-Directed Cybersecurity & Cloud Curriculum
2024 – Present
Active study across AWS CCP, CompTIA Security+, Google AI Essentials, and Splunk Core — supplemented by daily hands-on labs via Hack The Box and LabEx.