Bodyguard Careers

Bodyguard Careers is an informational site with the purpose of providing bodyguards with all the information and tools necessary to succeed in the executive protection industry.

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Executive Protection Recession Survival Guide

Doc Rogers, Executive Protection Articles

In today’s executive protection market, companies and individuals with a small number of EP agents can thrive in this competitive market, operating from anywhere. This means assisting multinational corporations with low-profile EP for its senior execs visiting various cities in the U.S. or doing business in unstable countries worldwide.

However, by keeping your EP operation small, it’s going to be tough doing the majority of things on your own (advertising, contracting, invoicing and training).  Everybody in the EP industry is hurting, so the more you can save and help your clients save on EP services the better.

You don’t want to position yourself as a “high-end boutique” EP service provider, during recessionary times clients are looking for extremely high quality EP services at reasonable rates. Think high volume and moderate profit margins by designing your services to have a very low overhead, many EP companies and individual freelance teams go out of business because they create a large overhead structure.

Times are tough for everyone so it’s all about strategy; continue to manage your EP operations carefully with an eye towards meeting the future demands of your clients and prospects so you will be able to fund the initial assignment costs.  This means managing your cash flow so your profits are sufficient to fund your small EP team as well as having funds set aside for larger EP assignments for the future.

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Professional Development

Announcements, Matthew Stiehm

The author of today’s Featured Story (Professional Development) is someone who will be joining the Bodyguard Careers.com staff as an ongoing contributor. Please allow me to introduce you to Matthew Stiehm.

Matthew has an Ed. D in Higher Education Leadership from Argosy University Twin Cities, and a M.S in Criminal Justice Administration from Central Missouri State University, and B.S in Social Science from Wayne State College.

Matthew brings his unique experiences and perspective to Bodyguard Careers and we are pleased he wants to share his extensive knowledge and background with our readers.

Hucky

Professional Development:

By Matthew Stiehm

As a professional regardless of your career choice individuals need to be concerned with ongoing career development.  With executive protection specialists working a variety of hours, shifts and times when is there time to find professional development.  There are a variety of ways to keep skills current, keep your mind sharp, in a relatively short time frame.

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Automating Perimeter Protection for Executive Protection

Bruce Alexander, Featured Articles

By Bruce Alexander

There’s a a product on the market that merits serious consideration for planning and integrating physical security features into an Executive Protection Plan (EPP).

Lighthouse is an Israeli computer aided design (CAD) program that assists in planning and designing physical security perimeters. Lighthouse integrates digital terrain models, with aerial and satellite imagery, GIS technology, sensor specifications, engineering and environmental data, and thereby creates a 3D interactive representation of the perimeter. The program “helps users analyze the terrain, identify weak spots, define physical obstacles, propose location of obstacles, and analyze technological obstacles” before the actual sensors are implaced.

Used correctly, Lighthouse designs plans for a variety of sensors configured to the actual terrain as opposed to “force fitting” technology to the environment. What I like about the concept of Lighthouse is that it you can model how sensors will act or react in a given environment before you can actually position those sensors. This seems like a very cost effective and efficient way to design a physical security perimeter as opposed to placing sensors and then trying to determine whether those sensors are appropriate for the terrain and vulnerabilities later on.

I can see multiple applications where Lighthouse can assist in designing a security perimeter with EP applications. The most obvious application would be designing and integrating physical security measures for estates and executive residences with a significant surrounding land. Another application might be private aviation facilities or marinas. Of course, Lighthouse can also be used for corporate facility security planning where EP is a consideration or concern.

As I’ve said in previous posts, I’m a big proponent of using physical security measures to enhance Executive Protection.  Lighthouse might be one of those products worth considering for an EP application.

As usual with all of my product reviews, I have nothing to do with whatsoever with Lighthouse.

Making the Most at a Bodyguard Training Seminar

Doc Rogers, Executive Protection Articles

In the bodyguard industry to move ahead we must keep educating our selves’ year-after-year to meet the ever-growing demands and to remain competitive, bodyguard training seminars is a great place to start. There are certain rules which should be attended to; here are some strategies for attending a bodyguard training seminar to get the most from the training experience, adding more skills as well as making professional contacts in the industry.

Arrive at the bodyguard seminar early and be prepared this includes bringing your business cards, researching the bodyguard trainers and speakers at the seminar (backgrounds and specialties). This way you’ll be better informed about the training and be able to carry on a knowledgeable conversation with them and the other attendees. Don’t forget to bring a notebook for writing down notes and information on the contacts you make.

Networking is the bread and butter of the bodyguard industry get to know the attendees at the training event as well as the hosts. Try to look and carry yourself as a professional (haircut, sport jacket and immaculate grooming). By being a clean-cut professional type, you’ll make the best possible impression and be more approachable. Make sure you bring back a stack of business cards from the contacts you make and follow-up with them in the possibility of building a strategic professional relationship in the bodyguard business.

Socialize responsibly after the bodyguard training seminar; mentally gear yourself up to talk with the attendees, the bodyguard trainers and speakers. This means having a stricter game plan; don’t drink or talk to much, extend your hand first, make good eye contact, be a good listener and learn the ropes. Be attentive and respectful to all. Don’t lose focus, keep your objectives clearly in mind – to get plugged into the bodyguard network and learn all you can about the industry. Show your genuine passion and enthusiasm, but never boastful or arrogant.

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The Future of Bodyguarding

Doc Rogers, Executive Protection Articles

The current economic situation has many bodyguards stressed; it’s a tough world out there. The most important thing to do is not to panic, even if you been off the circuit or out of work for awhile. No matter what situation you’re in remember economic downturns don’t last forever and now is a good time to take control of your training, focus on relevant bodyguard marketing and to make wise career choices.  You have to start taking some drastic measures in a calm and professional manner.

Training and marketing needs to become the topic of the day and it’s advisable to start to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your bodyguard services. Devote time to learn as much as there is to know about the industry. Don’t become complacent and master only a few basic BG tasks.

Now is the time to brush-up on your advance work, proper techniques of security, violence risk and threat assessment, stalking and workplace violence prevention, firearms training, intelligence, logistics, medical and other BG technical skills to make you more marketable in the industry.

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One Handed Shooting: An Executive Protection Tactical Must

Bruce Alexander, Featured Articles

By Bruce Alexander

Officer.com has an article by Steve Denney entitled “One-Handed Shooting; Another critical and neglected skill” with a very valid application to Executive Protection. One of the points Denney makes in his article is that sometimes you have to play the cards you’re dealt and if that means shooting with only one hand, so be it.

There’s plenty of situations in Executive Protection that shooting with one hand is a very real possibility, notably when you are trying to move your principal during an attack. In fact, you are far more likely to have to shoot with one hand in Executive Protection than most other situations.

If you are responsible for providing “body cover,” then instinctively you reach for your principal and start to move, if that’s an option. However, if you are on a small detail where there isn’t the option of leaving your principal to engage the threat, shooting while engaging and moving off the “X” with your principal in tow, might be your only choice. Like Steve Denney says the time to learn to shoot with one hand is not when the shooting starts.

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