Global Security Consulting: How to Build a Thriving International Practice

Luke Bencie

Description

Every year, thousands of highly qualified individuals from the intelligence community, the military and law enforcement – as well as related areas of government and private industry – look to strike out on their own. The excitement and the prospect of making it big leads many to choose the fastpaced and potentially lucrative field of global security consulting. Some go on to live the dream. Most do not.

The vast majority of new businesses, consultants included, fail to make it even through their first year. The reasons are myriad, but the trends are visible – the most frequent cause of failure is being unprepared to meet the difficult and sometimes dangerous challenges of this highly specialized market.

Luke Bencie is one of the many global security consultants who struck out on his own and one of the few who has succeeded – at lightning speed. Bencie has traveled to 120 countries and has been an adviser and confidant to multinational corporations, governments, militaries – even royalty. His success did not come without obstacles.

Yet, as a friend to many in the security industry, an adherent to the philosophy of paying it forward, and a firm believer in the promise of global security consulting, Bencie has decided to share his experiences and expertise to help newcomers navigate this increasingly crowded field. Global Security Consulting, his second book, has been lauded as a font of information and insight, an invaluable guide for avoiding the pitfalls that can wreck any business, particularly ones that deal with potentially lethal adversaries.

Frequently dead serious, occasionally lighthearted and always clear-headed, Global Security Consulting promises to become a standard reference for consultants worldwide – a blueprint for those with the skills, determination and raw courage to succeed in one of the 21st century's true growth industries. Read it, and be prepared.

Sujets

• Employabilité, métiers et formations
• Consulting
• Economics
• Business

Informations

• Publié par: eBookIt.com
• Date de parution: 15 septembre 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780990808954
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Also by Luke Bencie
AMONG ENEMIES: Counter-Espionage for the Business Traveler
 
Global Security Consulting:
How to Build a Thriving International Practice
Copyright © 2014 Luke Bencie
All Rights Reserved
 
ISBNs:
978-1-4956006-3-0 (EPUB)
978-1-4956006-4-7 (Mobi)
978-1-4956006-5-4 (PDF)
 
Published in the United States of America
By D Street Books
A division of Mountain Lake Press
 
Ebook formatting by
eBookIt
 
Cover design by Jacqueline Asker and Michael Hentges
 
 
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a data base or other retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, by any means, including mechanical, electronic, photo- copying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.
 
All statements of fact, opinion or analysis expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official positions or views of the Central Intelligence Agency or any other U.S. Government agency. Nothing in the contents should be construed as asserting or implying U.S. Government authentication of the information or agency endorsement of the author’s views. This material has been reviewed by the CIA to prevent the disclosure of classified information.

‘A must-read!’
 
“[ Global Security Consulting ] is not only a must-read for operating your own business but a testimonial to managing any business with integrity and fairness.”
—William J. Esposito, former Deputy Director of the FBI
 
“ A must-read that can save you tons of anxiety, time and money.”
—Michael Heimbach, VP of Global Security, ESPN
 
“ A must-read for anyone who calls him/herself a global consultant.”
—Peter Davis, original associate, Bain & Company
 
“ A must-read for anyone interested in this lucrative field.”
—Gary M. Citrenbaum, President/Chief Scientist/System of Systems Analytics, Inc.
 
“ A must-read for all aspirants to this field and enjoyable reading for anyone interested in how international affairs, foreign policy and good business management are conducted.”
—Richard L. Holm, former senior intelligence officer and author of The Craft We Chose: My Life in the CIA
 
“ A must-read for anyone contemplating a profitable career as a Security Consultant and even for those of us who have been doing it for a while.”
—David Nicastro, President, Secure Source International LLC
 
“ A must-read if you are serious about building a world-class security consultancy in the 21st century. It is a tell-all from the front lines and is both entertaining and informative.”
—Vincent Volpi, CEO, PICA Corporation
 
“Experience is key in this line of business, but you must survive long enough to use what you have learned, and this book is a must-read to study and profit.”
—Erik Lawrence, founder of Blackheart International/current owner Vigilant Security Services
 
To all those entrepreneurs who recognize that without risk there is no reward
Foreword
Providing security to the commercial sector has skyrocketed as a business in the 21st century because of the global spread of terrorism and organized crime, the increasing use of espionage against American companies, and the newly evolving threats of cyber theft and cyber warfare. The security components of multinational corporations no longer deal just with gate guards, locks and ID badges. Today they fulfill a vast array of tasks, from risk mitigation, crisis management and intelligence analysis to due diligence and protecting information systems. No question, top-flight security now is essential to commercial success.
The situation has opened a new world of consulting opportunities, both here in the United States and overseas, for experienced and capable individuals in law enforcement, intelligence and the military. But the commercial environment differs drastically from the military or public service, in which so many seasoned professionals have spent all or most of their working lives. As independent security professionals, they must handle even the most mundane tasks themselves, lacking the usual support from government agencies or specialized personnel.
Likewise, the security professional’s income depends entirely on his or her effectiveness in serving clients – no more doing the job routinely and receiving a government paycheck every two weeks. Earning income results from meticulous planning, successful marketing and delivering on promises negotiated in contracts. The rewards of global security consulting can be great, but the challenges can seem daunting, particularly to those lacking a background in the private sector.
Fortunately, Luke Bencie’s Global Security Consulting: How to Build a Thriving International Practice provides a comprehensive guide for anyone considering making the leap from the government or corporate sectors to independent business. The book is easy to read and written for the layman, and it encompasses the gamut of requirements for building a successful security consulting business – everything from conducting sensitive negotiations overseas to procuring business cards and office supplies.
When I retired from the CIA, I decided to form my own consulting practice specializing in security and intelligence-related issues. During my career, I had spent years working and living overseas. I also was stationed in the United States, where I logged more years dealing with other government agencies and Congress. But like many of my colleagues, I felt lost wandering through the strange and dark forest of the commercial world. I pored over countless how-to books and articles about establishing a small business. Some were more helpful than others, but none dealt with the unique field of security. As Luke stresses in his book, security professionals operate in a rarefied atmosphere, where the risks are high and lives could be on the line. As one who learned, on his own, both the advantages and pitfalls of security consulting, I wish I had Luke’s guide at the time. It certainly would have made it easier to establish my business.
Global Security Consulting is an especially useful resource, not only because it is comprehensive, but also because Luke has based it on his own experiences starting and building an extremely successful consultancy from the ground up. When he left the intelligence community and made the leap into private business, he quickly expanded beyond working out of his home to an international practice with offices on three continents.
I collaborated with Luke on a project and was impressed with his – and his company’s – meticulous attention to the smallest detail of every aspect of the endeavor. Luke brings that same attention to detail to each topic in this book, whether the complicated world of financial management or preparing for a simple meeting with a prospective client. The topics represent not a mere checklist of requirements for the fledgling global security consultant. They include practical do’s and don’ts often drawn from Luke’s own business encounters, both good and bad, and they provide insights into all of the areas a budding security consultant will encounter.
Two aspects of the book impress me in particular. One involves conducting security consulting overseas; the other covers dealing with foreigners in a business setting. As I mentioned, there are now great opportunities overseas to work as a security specialist – but those opportunities are fraught with many potential pitfalls from legal and cultural standpoints. Luke explains those pitfalls convincingly and provides specific preparations and solutions to avoid them, often illustrating them with personal anecdotes from his own commercial dealings abroad.
Luke’s advice not only educates aspiring security consultants but also helps them gain the confidence needed to build a global business. Although the commercial sector might seem a bewildering maze for newcomers accustomed to life in the government, Luke illustrates by example how security professionals have already acquired many of the skills required to succeed in the business environment. The secret is learning how to apply those skills and experience in the most effective ways, and Luke describes the best ways to do so.
Perhaps Luke’s most valuable advice is how to sharpen your “BS detector” to spot potential problems and prevent missteps in business. That advice – and the tips he provides – applies to consultants in any business, not only security. I’ve honed my own detector over the years, and I can promise that Global Security Consulting will be a valuable reference for anyone interested in building a new career in this field. Read it, study it and absorb its lessons.
 
Michael J. Sulick
Former Director
National Clandestine Service, Central Intelligence Agency
Introduction
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure … than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.
—Theodore Roosevelt
 
It’s a funny thing about starting a business. Sometimes it can result from an Aha! moment, one that inspires you to strike out on your own. Or, it can happen much more innocuously. For me, it was the latter – and I’ll never forget how it all began.
One fateful morning, I was driving my treasured silver Jaguar XK coupe along the picturesque George Washington Memorial Parkway from Rosslyn, Virginia, just across Francis Scott Key Bridge from the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C., to Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, Virginia. The 15-minute drive along the bluffs above the Potomac River was usually the most enjoyable part of my day.
I had been working for the CIA for over a decade, primarily as a contractor, and I had enjoyed the exciting lifestyle provided by the cool training, the exotic travel and, most of all, the excitement of conducting operations overseas. I had been to more than 100 countries, incl