In this episode, I chat with Shane Bell, Co-Founder and CEO of NSB Cyber — a leading Australian cybersecurity advisory firm. NSB stands for “No Steps Backward,” and once you hear Shane’s story, it’s clear that mantra has guided not just his business, but his entire career.

Shane began his journey in the Australian Navy straight out of school — an experience he loved. From there, he made a bold move into the commercial world, starting out in HR admin at an IT company. That role opened the door to a position in their digital forensics and IT team, where he began building his technical skills.

In 2007, Shane joined McGrathNicol as a Manager in their Digital Forensics team, helping to grow their Melbourne practice. After six and a half years, he moved to PwC to be part of their new and growing cyber practice — attracted by the opportunity to do what he described as “cool stuff” in the cyber space.

Two years later, the chance to return to McGrathNicol and help build a dedicated cyber division was too good to pass up. Shane spent another eight years there, making Partner in 2017. Then in 2023, he took another leap — co-founding NSB Cyber, a business he’s truly passionate about.

I’ve always admired people who take big career pivots, and Shane’s made several — from the military to tech, from tech to consulting, and from Director to Partner to CEO.

This was such an enjoyable conversation — not just because of Shane’s story, but because he’s genuinely a great guy to talk to.