EXECUTIVE PROTECTION LIFESTYLE

When it comes to executive protection professionals Ivor Terret is not just one of the best but one of the most intelligent individuals I've come across. It’s not just my opinion but if you follow him you’ll see that he has spoken on a number of extremely reputable stages within our industry and that most if not all of the high-end events that are some time or another. He is a bona fide industry leader who is a genuine man of peace and I always admire his aim to simply be a good person, which always shines through when I interact with him. He doesn’t overcomplicate things to sound more intelligent but rather he talks about simple principles and tactics that make all the difference, period. As a person, I truly respect this man and as a professional, I can see why he is revered by so many. I’m honored to have him as a subject matter expert within our executive protection masters class curriculums and every time we interact I feel like I’ve truly gained something through our conversations. There’s so much in this episode and truly once again something for everyone. Enjoy! Protector by nature and by trade Byron

Erich Schmidt is a good friend who I’ve known for many years. We’ve seen each other evolve in different directions of the protection game for well over a decade now and it’s always an honor when we get to work together. This is the second episode I’m doing with him and you can find the first one in season one (https://byronrodgersmotivation.com/episode-35-cyber-security-how-much-can-cyber-threats-truly-impact-your-life/). These days Erich is a specialist who understands how to leverage technology for protection. He’s worked for local agencies all up and down the spectrum from the top of the game to those in between in order to rescue and protect good people. As the digital age continues to gain momentum, there are certain disciplines that we all must begin to consider if we are to keep ourselves safe. The reason for this episode is to help us understand how we can better protect ourselves, our loved ones and our clients from predators that lurk all around us in the cyber realm of this reality. These topics are not to be taken lightly as they have to do with ways that innocent people are victimized many times every single day. Erich is a man with an exemplary character who’s been behind the scenes fighting a silent battle that many people don’t even know exists, it is a thankless job and for that, it is even more commendable. There is so much in this episode for everyone... ENJOY! For More Info, visit https://www.erichschmidt.com/ Instagram and Twitter: @dfir_erich LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/erich-schmidt Protector by nature and by trade Byron

From time to time I like to interview professionals at all levels of the game, Kevin has been in for just a few years but he is advancing quickly. This interview is a fresh perspective of what it’s like to penetrate the industry and to climb the ranks at this present time in the game. Kevin was definitely the rookie of the year when I found him. He jumped right in, took initiative for many things other professionals didn’t, and instantly made an impression. The magic of this is simply that guys who take pride in their work, or dependable, and do a good job are also guys that you can recommend for new opportunities with a clear conscience. You can do this knowing that they will perform and won’t let you or the person you recommending them to down. This turns out to be one of the tricks to advancing in this industry very quickly and Kevin is definitely leveraging that. One of the marks of a true professional has to do with the amount of time they invest in themselves and their craft when they are not on the clock and I’ve always been impressed that Kevin continues to train with the best of them. I’m truly looking forward to continuing to watch Kevin ground and the contributions he will make to our industry. There’s definitely something for everyone in this episode! Protector by nature and by trade Byron

In this episode, I dig into some things I’ve seen in the industry over the years, some things that have been holding us back as an industry in my opinion. I address these issues both on a macro and micro scale. We dive into them as they affect us all with regards to our public perception as well as the way that they will eventually impact you on security detail. At the end of the day what I’ve learned is that if you choose to do something different, choose to better yourself, or choose to make any type of contribution, you must be willing to face those people who are unsettled by it. They will take aim at you for various reasons but if you can just focus on improving the value of your contribution rather than taking them personally, your true value through that contribution will vindicate you in the end. I’ve seen this dynamic play out time and time again. Your haters can make you stronger if you learn from them and those you are here to serve will only benefit from your growth. Let the value of your work product speak for you, let their lack of contribution speak for them. Stay humble, stay hungry and always seek to serve those you’ve been called to you were hired to take care of. Because in the end Alexander the great was right, “All that matters is what you can achieve.” Protector by nature and by trade Byron

Tim Clemente is a living legend in many circles. While many of us have never known who he is or what he’s done he has impacted the world in his own way in a number of different elite fighting forces. He’s been an FBI special agent, swat team member, and an undercover drug smuggler assisting in the takedown of a major Mexican cartel. He’s been called one of the best terrorist hunters in the world and has been a subject matter expert on a number of major news outlets. Beyond all of this he’s also impacted Hollywood by acting as a creative consultant on films and TV series such as NCIS: Los Angeles, The Unit, Lie To Me, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, and feature films, including Now You See Me, Smokin’ Aces 2 and Killer Elite. Tim has 2 film scripts currently in production/casting: .38 and Secret Soldiers. The information and experience Tim brought to this interview were astounding… It’s always an honor to talk to a man who’s been there, done it all, and is humble enough to continue contributing and trying to share. There’s something in this interview for every protector… ENJOY! Protector by nature and by trade Byron

Michael Janich is a living legend when it comes to martial arts. He’s been in the game for about as long as I’ve been alive and has been featured in many publications over the span of a few decades. It’s a rare occasion to have an opportunity to learn from men like this and so I consider it to be such an honor that he took time to speak with me on our podcast. Integrated Combatives is something that many instructors take a swing at but as you’ll see during this interview Michael definitely has something very special with regards to his system “Marshall blade concepts“. His approach is very effective on many levels beyond the realms of things I see being taught to the masses and the greater public online right now and I believe that has everything to do with his experience, pedigree, and mindset. He is an instructor amongst instructors who has an extremely robust brand with training opportunities both online and in person. If you are taking protection seriously you realized that there is so much more to this game than firearms but his brand includes training for those tools as well. There is something for everyone in this interview… ENJOY! Get a $100 discount on the annual subscription of MBC Distance Learning Program. Use code “BYRONRODGERSDLP21”. Hurry up! The code is valid up to the 10th April only. Visit https://martialbladeconcepts.tv/shop/27943 Protector by nature and by trade Byron

This episode is a special one for sure! ER Ramblers has done it again with an amazing article all about executive protection pretenders. The article has had monumental success and I know that’s because it definitely hit a pain point within our industry. As I read the article I cringed, laughed, smiled, and felt compassion for the things many different people try to do to make it in this industry. I’ve always said that executive protection can be something like modeling or being a professional artist. I remember dating and it seemed like every pretty girl I met said she was a model but only if you really actually we’re doing it full-time or making a living at it. I interview private security professionals who say they’ve done executive protection when in reality they were watching a table when a celebrity came to their club or maybe a celebrity lives within the gated community they protect… Every business owner in this industry has seen things like this and for those reasons we all found this article extremely truthful and entertaining. The flipside is simply that there are so many people in this industry trying to make it that really don’t know how and are doing a number of things that are hurting the reputation more than it’s helping them get in the game or even improving the image of what we do. So make no mistake this isn’t an episode bashing on those who have made these professional pho pause but it truly turned out to be extremely educational to my delight! Lastly this article gave me an opportunity to dig into some of the reasons why I do business the way I deal with a number of my brands and it’s nice to be able to speak about those things as they come up. Christian and Jared has truly been generating some outstanding content on their blog EP ramblers and if you haven’t found it yet or you don’t know who they are you need to go check the show notes and get caught up (https://www.ep-ramblers.com/). Both of them have done an amazing thing in this industry with this blog not only to educate but also entertain based on the truths that we live within the private security game every day. There’s something for everyone in this episode has always! Protector by nature and by trade Byron

Tomislav is an amazing executive protection professional who works out of Croatia and all over Europe. He’s been a friend of mine and a very valuable contact for a few years now and so it is an honor to bring him on the show as one of my go-to guys for that part of the world. Tomislav is a visionary and a top-shelf professional with an old-school ethos and as a result, his work ethic and integrity have always been extremely impressive to me. He is a patron of my school and a member of the League of Executive Protection Specialist so when you join us you get to do your career not only with myself but also Tomislav and other high-level professionals like him. We are all assets to one another within that group and we hope that you’ll join us (executiveprotectiontrainingday.com). Beyond these things, he understands the intangible components of not only being a highly effective executive protection agent/company owner but also being a high-quality human being. I look at him as a brother because our values align so closely and I know I can depend on him which is why it is such an honor to use this platform to give his values and work ethic exposure within our beloved game of executive protection. During this interview, we cover a number of topics relative to security professionals in the United States as well as overseas. We dig into the impact of COVID-19, survival techniques in the US and internationally, and also many characteristics of what it takes to be successful within our industry. There is something for everyone in this episode as always ladies and gentlemen… ENJOY!

Max Joseph’s is a very well-known name within the realm of executive protection training especially within the California circuit of professionals. My first exposure to him was when I was encouraged to train with him through talent executive services which is a very high-end boutique private security company out of Southern California. For me, this was more than enough validation and I dove right in. I really appreciated his training because it not only covered the hard skills of executive protection but it also covered the soft skills very accurately. Being that I went to his training after existing in the space for about seven years I was able to accurately appreciate the value he was giving to the students of his executive protection course. Training with Max is an experience that gives you a window into Marine Corps culture along with the standards and proficiency of a weathered elite instructor. Max maintains his standards and as a result, certificates that come from his program are well respected in the industry. As an individual, I’ve always appreciated Max's old-school methods along with his sense of humor and he’s a professional I always appreciate interacting with. Someone from the old guard that is still teaching a full spectrum of extremely salient, relevant, and cutting-edge tactics. Additionally, The cadre of instructors he leverages is under the umbrella of his training operation is top-notch. During this interview, we cover everything from executive protection operations, what it takes to be an amazing agent and what types of training professionals should be looking for to improve their performance within the private security game. There is something in this interview for everyone, ENJOY! Protector by nature and by trade Byron

If you’ve been with me this long I wanna say thank you. I truly want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for going on this journey with me and this brand. I want you to know that there is so much more coming out of this shop that hopefully will improve the lives of all of us. I am on this journey with you and it is truly an honor. I don’t make these episodes because I think I’m anything special. In fact, if there is anything special about me is that I know I’m nothing special but I still want to contribute and so I use my creativity to find ways to do that in ways that will still give value to others. It’s been an honor elevating others through this platform both by amplifying their message and visibility in the industry, as well as by sharing high-quality content that helps people improve the level of the game they’re playing at. I’m genuinely looking forward to everything that is to come and I pray that this work remains valuable to all of you. In this episode I share some of my thoughts about what it takes to be a professional Protector. In the private security industry, there are many different types of protective agents but there’s one huge distinction I’ve seen consistently over the years. It is the one thing that definitely divides us from them but never closes the door on anyone who has the desire to elevate their game. I’ve talked about this before and I will probably talk about it again because I believe it makes all the difference. The difference could have something to do with nature because of the time of this podcast and after doing this for a few years now I genuinely believe in “protector DNA“ so maybe it has something to do with our genes. The measure distinguishing factor I see in agents these days is that to some of us private security/executive protection is a cool job and for others it truly is simply part of our lifestyle. It’s an honor and a crowning jewel to have a career that aligns with The person we are on the inside. This doesn’t mean that we necessarily always love the job but it means that the pre-requisite skills necessary to fulfill the various requirements of the job are supported by habits built into our daily, weekly, and monthly lives. Interestingly enough I’ve found that this lifestyle does not have only to do with physical abilities and combative but it also has to do with the rate and regiment of learning we implement in our lives in order to continually improve our software, a point I will speak about on another episode. In this episode, I’ll talk about the hard skills and habits behind what we do and why we do them. At the end of the day, many people get paid to do this job but very few are truly professional protectors in my opinion and make no mistake, I am still a student of the game. Train with protection Instructors who train the best in the world at the Protector Symposium 3.0. Go to https://www.protectorsymposium.com/​ To join my coaching program, go to https://www.executiveprotectiontrainingday.com/ Protector by nature and by trade Byron

Jerry Jacobs is an individual in the executive protection game who has been operating at some of the highest levels for years. With experience in law enforcement, running the California governor‘s detail, and also organizing international security operations on the private side; he brings a wealth of knowledge that is deep and truly multidimensional. Beyond all of those things, he has an amazing heart for service in general. His deep internal drive to serve others and create healthy, positive leaders have carved out a place for him successfully within our industry many times over the years. This is a man I am honored to be connected with and genuinely excited to share my platform with. This interview covers so many topics having to do with resumes, powerful leadership principles, and quite a few tales from the crypt. There truly is so much to learn from this man and in this episode… ENJOY!

I believe that in these times when things are changing all around us with regards to threat levels, enemy tactics, and social unrest it is very prudent to look outside the box at new protective measures. Yehuda Shmuel is a man who has had a career spanning multiple decades overseas in many permissive and non-permissive environments. Much of his career honestly remain in the shadows but what I love about this man is simply his heart to be a protector and to bring protective technologies to the world so good people have opportunities to protect their clients in those they love. Naturally, this vision aligns perfectly with mine and that is the reason for this podcast. In this episode, Yehuda introduces a new Game-changing safe room technology from a truly salient company Global Secure Consulting that has been in the game of solving problems on the battlefield through superior technology and structures for years. Now, this technology can be implemented in your home, place of business, or battlefield to give us all a chance at creating a real safe space to protect when it counts. ENJOY! For more information visit https://globalsecureconsulting.com/

Sandile is a very close personal friend and an amazing executive protection agent. I’ve literally watched him work his way up the ranks using the secret weapon of service in order to gain enough ground to accomplish his goals. No matter what the obstacles have been in his way, he has overcome them through sheer determination, focus, and the maintenance of an unparalleled servant's heart. Being willing to do whatever needs to be done in order to contribute to the team allowed him to carve out a position for himself time and again right in front of me as we’ve conducted operations all over the world. Fortunately, now it is his time to lead, shine and show others what can be possible for absolutely anyone who is willing to truly apply themselves and do what’s necessary to become the type of person you can acquire success within our private security industry. It’s with great honor that I have him on the show and that we have this conversation in front of you. This conversation talks about one man and his struggle to join a high-powered executive protection team from across the globe and how that journey has blossomed into the things he’s doing now to improve the lives of others. Enjoy!

Chris Story is a very well-known name within many high circles of our industry. He wouldn’t think so but he has an impressive background with time in special military units, contracting, and other great accomplishments. He has climbed the ladder of success in private security in order to be seen as a very valuable instructor and industry leader. He has shared the stage with other professionals at the top of our industry at a number of well-known venues. But what I truly appreciate about Chris Story more than all of that is his ethos of humility and practicality. Beyond those values, I also feel that I detect in him a genuine desire to assist others and make contributions to their professional careers. With a good sense of humor that is sometimes a bit cynical but effective in helping us to not take ourselves too seriously, Chris leads by example and actively instructs private security professionals on how to achieve success in many areas. We are fortunate to have him and it was an honor to spend this time with him on the podcast. This episode is packed with a lot of knowledge from the game but also some considerations for the times we now face. ENJOY!

Anton Kalaydjian is one of those rare executive protection kingpins who has built his organization out of the values codes of honor and brotherhood. I see this more when it comes to professionals that have a gritty background with regards to the streets but I don’t know that much about Anton‘s past. What I do know is that he has been willing to go all the way to protect his teammates and his clients on multiple occasions and as he has proven during his time with 50 Cent where he was shot while dealing with a gunman in a consequential altercation. These types of employers and individuals in this business are the real deal and in many ways, I’ve found that people like Anton are becoming more and more rare. He’s a wealth of knowledge with regards to the celebrity protection game and has been a dominant player am Down south in Miami and Florida for quite some time. Antoni s the type of agent and business owner I can respect both on a professional level and on a personal level based on what I gathered from our conversation. In this video we talk about his real-life encounters with combative situations on the job, what it takes to make the transition from bouncer to BodyGuard, what it takes to be successful in the executive protection industry, and what it takes to gain respect on a high power team working with a list of acting and singing talent. If you’re in the game you’ll love this podcast. Much respect to Anton and his agents with the guardian, they are doing good work. Know More: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anton-kalaydjian-b6658713/ Protector by nature and by trade Byron