Every Protector yearns for the point in their career when they can lock in their dream client:  One that will respect their work both professionally and financially.  That is the brass ring in our business, aka, the sacred cow, however, on the road to eating Filet Mignon, there are bound to be several Big Mac’s along the route.  So, as we proceed on this journey to success, we have to make sure we navigate the potholes, namely, doing the job as required without becoming too comfortable in our role, leading to potentially disastrous results. 

Throughout my career, I’ve seen an unfortunate occurrence happen time and time again.  An agent works hard to reach an established position with a client and after a length of time, sometimes months, sometimes years, they do something that gets them removed from the Detail.  Now there is absolutely no doubt about it, some VIP’s are just temperamental, and their need for security, or the...

First off, what do I know about Gangsters? Well, I’m originally born and bred in Chicago Illinois, the Mecca of some of America’s most notorious gangsters. Al Capone made his bones here and Sam Giancana was so infamous they used part of his life story in The Godfather.

I also grew up in the inner city housing projects of the South Side of Chicago, and would not be overstating it one iota by describing my neighborhood as a warzone between two of the largest street gangs in the nation.

I say all of this to say, that I’ve got a bit of a historical pedigree when it comes recognizing basassness. (For some it’s a word) In short, I know gangster. Gangsters do deeds that run the risk of punishment from the powers that be, and live by a code (however corrupt) that forms a philosophy that they latch onto. They do the crime, and even those that think they are invincible know somewhere in the back of their head, that if caught they must face the consequences — in...

F E A R

In January I released my first book, An Introduction to Celebrity Protection & Touring. If you spoke to one of the handful of people that knew ahead of time (my motto: show, don’t tell), they would agree that I was extremely hesitant. For one, I hadn’t ever written anything full length before. Additionally, I would be writing during the same time I was running the business and all that comes with it. (As life would have it, that period also saw one of my clients release two monumental albums and the international tours that accompany that.) But the real reason was, I was afraid. Afraid of how it would be received, afraid that it wouldn’t measure up to the books that don’t just come and go, but that last for decades, and are read and reread.

My road to overcoming that is what led me to shop the book around to a publisher instead of self-publishing (shoutout to all the self publishers, much respect/smart business model!) For me it was providing...

If you are interested in expanding your knowledge of celebrity protection as well as getting a deeper understanding of the science of behavioral intelligence, join Elijah Shaw, Bob Duggan & Mark James, May 27-29, 2009  in Grand Junction, Colorado for the ESI - ICON Celebrity Protection & Behavioral Intelligence Course.  

• Accredited
• Scholarships Available
• We Accept the GI Bill

For more info call: 651-695-8778 x 2 or click HERE. 

1. Learn the value of a durable suitcase and a portable steamer.  If you are on the road for any duration of time, your suitcase is going to take a beating.    Additionally, unless you are a seasoned packer, what’s inside the case may not be “ready to wear,” when it’s time to hit the ground running.  Of course if you’re lucky, the nicer hotels may do your ironing for you at no charge, but it pays to be prepared for the worst.
2. Make sure you take advantage of all the frequent flier programs.   An insider secret is that while outside parties usually make the arrangements and pay for the bodyguards travel, in most cases the actual traveler gets the mileage credit.  A worldwide tour (provided your not flying private) could easily mean a few free roundtrip tickets when you finally do get some downtime.
3. Be careful what you eat, especially in a foreign country.  The exotic dishes shown on the food channel might look...