It is a very natural phenomenon to go abroad making the same assumptions about how people act, and things work that you would find in your domestic environment. But these assumptions can get both you and your client into trouble. Each part of the world presents its own unique set of challenges, and a protector who travels internationally will do well to always keep this fact in the forefront of their mind.
Keeping Your Edge: Raising Your Profile
This is not so much by the overt actions we take in close proximity to the Protectee, but by the intentional maneuvering of chess pieces behind the scenes, in the form of risk analysis, advance-work and logistics. With the exception of very high profile, or high threat assignments, our default state could be described in many cases as, invisible. This mindset has successfully shepherded many throughout the profession, being passed on from generation to generation to the benifit of the craft.
Keeping Your Edge: Listen in Totality
Someone said this quote to me a long time ago and it really resonated. It was one of those things where the more I thought about what it actually meant, the more insight I gained from just those few short words. The quote itself originated from the American poet, Maya Angeolu. And while it’s very unlikely social media was on her mind, or even a thing, when she drafted it, I think it’s very fitting on how it plays into society today.
The Great Divide – Keeping Your Edge
In many cases this occurs with such frequency that it not only paints a part of the picture of the individual, it becomes the entire painting. In fairness or not, the act of retransmitting news media can be interpreted as an endorsement of the totality of the views. Adding an additional layer, readers/viewers are allowed to engage and interact with the news in ways that far surpass the past. Gone are the days where you could agree or disagree with a newsperson and have to mail a letter into the editor in the hopes that it would be read, and in extremely small cases, reprinted.
Keeping Your Edge: Building a Solid Foundation
Longevity, consistency and remaining relevant are some primary goals of all protectors. These factors are important when establishing a new contract and providing services for a new client. But what is equally important is the mindset that goes into those first days and weeks on the assignment. As such, I wanted to get the personal perspective of Vantrell Wilson, a close protection agent who I have trained with and worked alongside of for years now.
Careering-Ending Accident Turns Tragedy into Triumph
Sometimes you have a plan, and then the universe has something different in mind. After almost seventeen years in the private security industry, a little over 3 years ago I decided to start my own security company UPPER ECHELON SERVICES. I was making great progress building the company. Then in June of 2017, I was involved in a motorcycle accident that would change my life forever. I ended up suffering from an irreparable compound break on my right foot and ultimately blowing my heel to dust.
No Cutting: Get To The Back Of The Line
Having traveled to over 30 countries, building executive protection and estate teams, embarking on 10 major worldwide tours and transitioning from field agent to Director of Security. Despite my successes, I’ve still felt like a student at best, but now finally considering myself a Specialist. Naively, many young protectors are eager to consider themselves “specialists” without undergoing the proper mentorship and gaining the practical experience needed to hold this title.
Keeping Your Edge: What’s the End Game?
I’m sipping a Pina Colada (virgin) and staring at the ocean with the waves cresting about 10 feet from my cabana. I don’t write that to brag, but instead give a peek into an environment that’s a little different for me as I jump into the backstory.
Keeping Your Edge: The Right Tool For the Job
Spend any length of time conducing protection work in the entertainment industry, and you’ll find that things work in cycles.
There are recording cycles, tour cycles, award show cycles and even sporting event cycles. A big portion of these trend annually, and are grouped with similar events, creating momentum, but being careful to avoid overshadowing or encroaching on another event’s moment.
Foot Steps: Mike Brown
Mike Brown is one of those individuals who has found success as an operator by envisioning where he wanted to end up and trusting the process to take him there. In his time in the industry, he has earned his stripes and now reaps the rewards running a successful business and managing the protective detail for a very well-known public figure. I speak to Mike to learn some of his keys to success.
Keeping Your Edge: Is Unity In Our Profession Dead?
As the President-Elect wrapped up his speech, now joined onstage by his extended family, my attention was on the members of the United States Secret Service who were close by. I thought of these men and the job that they were tasked to do. Not knowing them personally, I wasn’t aware of their political affiliations, were they a Democratic like Biden, or a Republican, rooting for the current President, Trump? They, like every other citizen of the country, were allowed to cast their votes, and could have picked either, or none. However, at that moment, on that stage, I don’t think it mattered. These agents, surely knowing the risk associated with the occasion, were focused on the task at hand: The safety of their protective charges, no matter their personal political affiliation.
Foot Steps Episode 5: Sam Alicea
What were some takeaways you obtained from your past line of work? And how have they helped you in the private sector realm?
When I look at the totality of what we do in this industry there are quite a few takeaways. From having dealt with the irate couples during a domestic dispute to negotiating a business deal the importance of not only verbal judo but communicative and interpersonal skills tops the list, followed by the skills I learned from collecting evidence at a crime scene where attention to detail was key.
Foot Steps: Episode 3 – Devon Taitt
I believe everyone should spend at least a year working the clubs on the weekends. You will develop your self-awareness, situational awareness, verbal and nonverbal communication skills, and overall confidence. It’s controlled chaos. The perfect training ground.
No Cutting
Throughout my nine years of experience in the Executive Protection (EP) industry, I’d like to think that I’ve achieved many significant accomplishments.
Having traveled to over 30 countries, building executive protection and estate teams, embarking on 10 major worldwide tours and transitioning from field agent to Director of Security. Despite my successes, I’ve still felt like a student at best, but now finally considering myself a Specialist. Naively, many young protectors are eager to consider themselves “specialists” without undergoing the proper mentorship and gaining the practical experience needed to hold this title.
Keeping Your Edge – Protectors & The Recording Process
An excerpt from the best-selling book, An Introduction to Celebrity Protection & Touring by Elijah Shaw & Dale June. To get the full book, order at Amazon, Barnes & Nobles or Ebooks.com. Limited Signed Editions available at www.ArmsLengthAway.com
Almost without question, if you are a musician, the recording process is the part you love. This is where they get to be creative; it’s where they take an abstract concept and make it a sonic work of art, one that hopefully will generate revenue. While it can be hard work for the artists, for most it’s a labor of love. They have the ability to get paid and earn a living for doing what they enjoy most.
Keeping Your Edge – Measured Responses in Tour Security – Part 3
In the previous instalments of this ongoing series, we discussed the challenges faced by Protectors who work with entertainers that spend at least some portions of their career involved in stage performances.
Keeping Your Edge – Measured Responses in Tour Security (Part II)
These challenges can take the form of unintentional harm coming by way of a prop, stage equipment, or something as simple as a slip and fall caused by a long dress and high heels.
Whenever we can, we as Protectors must try and anticipate, correcting or counteracting the occurrences that can cause this harm. This is usually done during the Site Advance at which time we do a walk-thru of the areas that the VIP will be visiting, in this scenario, the stage. It is at that time we will perform a visual inspection of the stage and the props, go hands-on with items the Protectee might come into contact with, such as the guard railing, and enlist the help of experts to answer questions that are beyond our realm of expertise, such as how the overhead lights are connected to the scaffolding.
Keeping Your Edge – Measured Responses in Tour Security (Part I)
Spend any significant amount of time providing protection for entertainers involved with stage performances, and you will likely encounter one of this segment of the industry’s biggest headaches, the stage crasher.
The motivation for these individuals comes in various forms, some are “super fans” who see getting on the stage with the celebrity as the ultimate form of expression of their loyalty and support. They often refer to it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and despite common sense, the threat of ejection, arrest, or sometimes worse, they still needed to make the attempt.
Keeping Your Edge – Flowers For the Living
regret that comes from knowing that you could have done more to support a person in life, even if just by offering a kind word or two. Some might think a topic like this has no place in an Alpha industry like Close Protection but consider that a large part of our ranks are pulled from both law enforcement and the military. We can all see how helpful positive reinforcement has been for those stressful careers.
Keeping Your Edge – Develop A Niche
Celebrity protection is in some ways a unique market, however, in marketing, the more specific you can be, the more successful you will be in finding customers. This means that it’s helpful, sometimes necessary, to research, develop, and define a niche, carving out a select piece of a bigger industry to specialize in.
