SMD - Subs Must Deliver!
Monday Security Memo
Intellectual firepower for security professionals
SMD - Subs Must Deliver!
Years ago, before I opened up my own consulting firm, I worked as a subcontractor to train a group of Fortune 500 executives who were about to travel to a war zone. The client had paid nearly US $40,000 to receive one day of instruction from me and a highly-decorated former intelligence official.
Because of the audience - and the money involved - I prepared and rehearsed my training modules weeks in advance. I opened the morning session by laying out the threats that the executives would likely be facing. I acted, essentially, as the warm-up act for the Big Gun instructor, so I tried to be entertaining and informative.
I spoke for three hours, including breaks, and I used a lot of recent statistics, visual aids, relevant stories, and even some humor. The students seemed engaged, and the first part of the day got off to a fine start. Now it was...
Seizing Undefined Opportunities
Monday Security Memo
Intellectual firepower for security professionals
Seizing Undefined Opportunities
When I was just starting out my career within the Intelligence Community, I was fortunate to have several experienced CIA mentors provide me with direction. The tragic events of September 11th had just occurred and the world was in a state of disarray and paranoia. It was not dissimilar from the uncertainty we see today - but, at least back then, the United States was completely "united" (at least for a little while).
During these early days, I had an old CIA bomb tech for an office mate. "Mikey" was a great guy, with a wicked sense of humor, who had been around the world and back. Whether it was an African coup, a terrorist attack in the Middle East, or a revolution in Latin America, he had been there, done that, and had gotten the t-shirt.
One day while recanting a funny war story in the office, Mikey gave me a piece of...
Security Consultants vs. Security Contractors
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In over 20 years of working within the Intelligence Community, as well as the private security industry, I have come across many misconceptions about my profession. On the intelligence side of the house, there is an obvious misconception that spies drink martinis, travel to exotic locations, and engage in adventures similar to that of James Bond. When in reality, the majority of intelligence officers (myself included) prefer a smooth scotch, travel to some real "armpits" of the world, and honestly spend more time typing reports than Miss Moneypenny.
When I transitioned into the private security world, I also found a major discrepancy... knowing the difference between being a security consultant and a security contractor. Unfortunately, the terms seem to be used interchangeably, yet...
Reflections on a Decade in the Security Consulting Business
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Exactly ten years ago today, July 20th 2010, my company, Security Management International, LLC was officially formed in the Commonwealth of Virginia. At the time, I was a naïve 37-year old guy, who thought that I could take on the world. I vividly remember standing on the balcony of my one-bedroom apartment in the city of Rosslyn that day, overlooking the Potomac River and the shiny white monuments of the Washington DC National Mall, and imagining what I could accomplish by the year 2020. It’s amazing what a decade can do.
Today, as I write this issue of the “Monday Security Memo,” I am sitting on the back porch of my waterfront home on the island of Siesta Key, Florida. I’ve graduated from the rat race of city living to a...
Security Industry Stereotypes: Kooks, Cowboys & Conmen
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How to Be a Business Judo-Master
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Two Words That Keep Me Going
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The Playbook: The Value of Process
Global security consultant, Luke Bencie, discusses the value of having a process to run your global consulting firm.
SOTERIA: A Better Way to Conduct Vulnerability Assessments
A Better Way to Conduct Security Vulnerability Assessments
Why is it that progress comes quickly in some areas of our lives and slowly in others? Consider for a moment that we lived for decades with household items that did not evolve much and were simply viewed as utilitarian goods. Think vacuum cleaners, thermostats, hairdryers, and coffee makers. These were all mundane appliances, which could be found in any middle-class home across America since the 1950s. Yet, these very same items have recently been reinvented and rebranded as luxury accessories (dare we say status symbols) that are priced several times more than their predecessor models. Have we reached a tipping point where any product, especially those considered no-frills (even drab) can be “sexed up” and re-packaged as the exclusive must-have gift of the year? The days of the $900 vacuum cleaner are upon us. And, while product evolution is pricey, it is also widely...
Transit Systems - Logical Soft Targets
Transit systems are among the most vulnerable and visible targets in modern cities. Metros represent a lifeline in urban economy and are often symbols of a city’s vitality and identity. The London Underground is recognized all over the world, its images, logos and maps can be found throughout pop culture, on T-shirts seen in Los Angeles or Nigeria. The New York City subway is likewise an emblem of the city’s place in the media. Yet, such systems also epitomize the concept of a soft target. A soft target can be defined as a critical asset that is highly vulnerable to (mostly terrorist) attack, often leading to the loss of life in order to emphasize/justify a political or ideological point of view. Terrorists, gangs, vandals and other criminals have all been drawn to metro systems the world over. In the last decades, some of the highest-profile incidents of terror have taken place on transit lines, a trend that does not show indications of slowing.
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Author
Luke Bencie
For the past 20 years, Luke Bencie has traveled to over 140 countries as a global security consultant. The author of five books, Luke is also a popular international speaker - giving lectures on counter-espionage for the Pentagon, several prestigious universities, over a dozen Fortune 500 countries, and a major Hollywood movie studio. He built his firm, Security Management International, from his one-bedroom apartment a decade ago, into a multi-million dollar company that regularly operates on six-continents annually. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Luke served in the U.S. Intelligence Community.
