By Hucky Austin

One of the questions I’m asked most is, “How do I find work?” It can be very difficult to secure bodyguard or executive protection contracts and I’d like to address what I perceive as a shortcoming in terms of landing good jobs: Self-Promotion.

If going solo is your desire, go after the work diligently and persistently. Sales and marketing is very much a numbers game. You’ll be rejected or ignored a hundred times for every nibble or yes you’ll receive. It’s rough going at first but in time, if you conduct yourself well, apply yourself to personal and professional development, your reputation will bring work to your door or nowadays, your email inbox.

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Analyze which people are critical to your organization. Have any of these people been subject to threats? In what situations are they most vulnerable? Do they keep a low profile or court media attention? Is it easy for outsiders to gain information about them and their families? Answers to these questions help determine if you need a little caution or a full-time security detail.

By: Sean Spellecy

Smile Bodyguard Smile…

No Neck, No Smile, Intimidating Stare, Mean Looking, No Smile, etc… Sound familiar? It is the way bodyguards have been described for years. It is time we changed the way we look. I own a personal protection agency in Tulsa, Oklahoma and one of the first things I look for in a prospective agent is the ability to smile. Why you ask? Are not bodyguards supposed to scare people off without even so much as a movement? Do we not want people to intimidate just on a glance, a glance that tells any would be threat that coming near our asset would be a mistake? The answer is of course we do!

However, the problem rests in being mindful enough to turn it on and off. The “Bodyguard Industry” needs rejuvenation and reinvention and it starts with a smile. What we have done here in Tulsa, and what will be replicated throughout the country in the next two years is not just learning the importance of smiling. However, it does lend itself to the recipe for our success. “Smiling” lets your client know that you have a personality, that you know how to enjoy life, and most importantly, you are confident in who you are and what you are doing.  Does the ability to smile make up for the ability to recognize a dangerous situation beforehand? How about the ability to disarm a threat, or move your asset through a hostile crowd? Absolutely not. Yet, I have had men and women through my door (and then out again) that I am sure could handle themselves quite well.

They just never smiled!

I’m sure that my colleagues would agree that there is a certain “mystique” to the Bodyguard and Executive Protection industry. It is a world that can be somewhat shrouded in secrecy, and unfortunately, impressions of this business can be formed based on what the public sees on television and in the movies. In the interest of getting to some truth about this business, I thought it would be interesting to share some real world information that might help those who are interested in this career to understand that what is portrayed in the media is not always the whole (or realistic) picture.

Just to be clear, there are several terms that are used and are somewhat interchangeable for “Executive Protection Specialist.” They include: CPO (Close Protection Operative), and also “Bodyguard.”  Wikipedia describes a bodyguard or EPS as: a type of security guard or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, loss of confidential information, or other threats.

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Back “in the day” when I was a young bodyguard and finally was making the Big Bucks I made a Big Mistake. I thought I should look as much the super-star as my client, so I went and bought myself the most gorgeous $2000 designer suit you’d ever want to see. It was tailored to fit my frame perfectly. I knew I looked good in that suit. Imagine my pride as I stepped out of the limo next to the celebrity, sporting my new suit for the first time. Imagine how pleased I was as we strutted to the venue, paparazzi cameras flashing. Later that night, I had to vault over a barrier in the line of duty. Imagine my horror when I heard my new expensive suit rip! It was the sound of twenty $100-dollar bills tearing. Now, there’s not much that will bring a big man down–but I think I might’ve cried a little that night!
–Harlan “Hucky” Austin

It is important to have the right wardrobe for the job interview, and for the job itself. But you can learn from the above story. You don’t need to spend a fortune on suits to look sharp. Be sure to check with your employer as to his/her expectations for on-the-job attire. Some clients prefer that their Executive Protection Staff NOT wear suits, but rather “blend” more in dress slacks and shirts. For the most part, however–you will need to own a few suits for the job, and that can get expensive. (more…)