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Executive Protection industry

How to get Established in the Executive Protection Industry

Doc Rogers, Featured Articles

Executive ProtectionBy Doc Rogers

Establishing yourself in the executive protection industry is very important, because if no one has heard of you, you’ll never land a job or get picked up by an executive protection team. You begin the progression by first establishing the professional services you will offer prospective clients, visiting executive protection teams and while working for executive protection firms as a vendor.  These are some questions you need to ask yourself:

What precise services do you offer?

Some examples:

  • Executive Protection; low-profile but high protective coverage for powerful corporate CEOs and senior executives.
  • Celebrity Protection; higher-profile, high protective coverage and lawsuit cautious personnel.
  • Security Driver; well-trained security drivers, high-end vehicles and good client service.
  • Advance Work; provide clients with timely and relevant information within your operational area so senior executives can act with confidence while on business visits.

How are your services different from your competitors?

Some examples:

  • You and your executive protection team are highly professional, friendly, genuine people with integrity, character, and the ability to manage clients from the corporate and entertainment world as well as other VIPs.

What do you specialize in?

  • Prior to specializing, you must first identify your clients’ needs.
  • When specializing in a certain executive protection service looks at the long run rather than the short-term gains.

Some examples:

  • Delivering comprehensive executive protection services and solutions to help clients navigate safely in (the operational area you want to specialize in).
  • We conduct and develop in-depth advance work in order to increase situational awareness and deliver actionable intelligence for clients visiting (the operational area you want to specialize in).

Making Connections

Once you have these above questions answered it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work establishing yourself in the industry.  It’s always hard to get that first client, that’s why you must start promoting your name and EP services as much as possible. The more well-known you are now, the more opportunities will have in the future. To do this you need to have a complete understanding of the EP industry and have the ability to make personal and professional relationships so you will be referred to others based on the connections you build. Putting yourself in situations where an opportunity could easily happen.

 Marketing Yourself and Your Services

Your goal in marketing yourself is to explain to people who you are and what you do in a non-pushy fashion in order to reach potential clients (executives, celebrities, executive protection firms, and executive protection teams) who you feel want or need your professional services.  There are whole bookshelves on the subject of marketing yourself. However, the simplest way to go about it in the EP industry is through email, social media, and snail mail, press releases, handing out business cards at executive protection trade shows, face-to-face meetings, and professional networking. Use each option to your advantage and customize your approach based on the client selection you are promoting.  Build a list of planned marketing efforts you want to conduct and start going about in a systematic manner.

Develop a Strong Social Media Presence

You need to have a strong presence on Facebook and LinkedIn to establish yourself in the executive protection industry. This means professional looking photos of yourself and executive protection team members. Leave the photos of firearms and happy hour at the pub off the pages. This not only shows bad taste but could lead to a loss of credibility. You are looking to develop a professional presence only.  Become active in your Facebook and LinkedIn groups. Provide good solid information on discussion topics and keep professional at all times. You are looking to attract only professional attention. Never lose sight of your primary responsibility.  Follow the advice in this article and you’ll get established in the executive protection industry industry in no time. Good luck and God speed.

Doc Rogers is the author of Corporate Executive Protection – A Manual for Inspiring Corporate Bodyguards and president and CEO of International Corporate Executive Protection Ltd. Doc has earned a Ph.D. in Security Administration from Southwest University and he is SE Asia’s leading expert on executive protection and corporate security.

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Elijah Shaw

A Professional Speaks

Elijah  Shaw is the President and CEO of Icon Services Corporation. Entering into its 10th year, ICON is a full service, security and investigative agency, specializing in Executive and VIP Protection. With 15 years in the industry, Elijah’s company services corporate executives as well as celebrity clients which have included Usher, Naomi Campbell, Michael Bolton, and rap star 50 Cent. With tours of duty that frequently take him across the globe, Mr. Shaw acts as a personal bodyguard to these artists providing close protection and security consultation and staffing worldwide.

Elijah has received advanced bodyguard and executive protection training from prestigious associations such as Trojan Securities International (TSI), R.L Oatman and Associates (w/ASIS), and Elite Protective Services and currently acts as an guest instructor with TSI teaching a course on Celebrity Protection.

BGC: It is interesting to note that you don’t have a military or law enforcement background. What drew you to the Executive Protection industry?

ES: I “stumbled” into this work. It was something I was doing to pay for college. I took a job working as a nightclub security guard (bouncer) to pay for college. I wasn’t the biggest guy in the group, but I had an innate ability to talk to people and manage situations. Because the owner liked me and I had the right attitude I worked my way up from the back door guy to the Head of Security.

BGC: What was the very first “celebrity” detail you worked?

ES: It just so happened that a celebrated sports figure owned the club, Well, after working my way up through the club, the owner would put me on personal details. He had alot of interaction with the public, so he didn’t want that “tough-guy security” approach. He needed someone to finesse sticky situations and I had good problem-solving skills. Once that assignment came to an end I was basically back at square one. I knew it was important to be well-rounded, so I worked every aspect of protection you can think of; uniformed security guard to undercover department store theft prevention – Anything to gain further training and experience in the security industry.

BGC: What was the worst mistake you ever made on a security detail? (Behonest! Our readers learn from the missteps of the seasoned pros!)

ES: I remember working with this guy who I thought was really nice and had great credentials. His background was in law enforcement, and he was very personable. I had a celebrity detail come up that I couldn’t work, so I thought I’d give this guy the opportunity. When I called the client the next day to see how it was working out, she said that he was nice, but at the star-studded event they attended, he would make the client stop so he could have his picture taken with celebrities!! He was completely star-struck. I was on the plane that night to replace him. The thing that’s important to remember with these celebrity clients is that they don’t want to “notice” their bodyguards. They just want to go to an event and enjoy themselves and should almost forget you are there. There are a lot of guys out there who have an impressive resume, but their personality needs to fit with the client–and you have to earn their trust. I learned that the right person for a celebrity detail can’t be found just by looking at an impressive resume -They have to have the proper mindset to work with a figure in the public eye.

BGC: How has Bodyguard/Executive Protection work changed from “back in the day” when you first started?

ES: The industry has become far more professional, with a great deal of emphasis on training. It used to be rather “loose” in the way an employer would hire a bodyguard. There was a time when the only qualification for a bodyguard was being either a big bouncer from the club, off-duty cop or retired Navy SEAL. It is more “formal” now–including the terms. Executive Protection Specialists is slowly replacing the term “Bodyguard”. But the majority of the public still uses and knows the term “bodyguard” so it’s important for us to make sure we continue to disprove the misconceptions. Quality training is preparing people in an entirely different way, which I think it’s great for the newcomer. One important thing to remember is that a lot of times guys think previous military skills or law enforcement skills are ALL that’s needed to make it working with the private sector. Many times the great skills just don’t fully translate to actually working with executives or celebrities hence the need for specialized training.

BGC: Have you personally worked with or seen many women in the field?

[Read more…] about Elijah Shaw

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