Nannyguard

Executive Protection – Realities of the Industry and the Ugly Truth

LeMareschal

Let’s talk about the real world of Executive Protection with all its fantasy myths and all its brutal truths.

Executive Protection – Realities of the Industry and the Ugly Truth

     Many newcomers in our Craft have a completely different idea of what the profession truly is or what it appears to be, because their view is primarily based on what they have heard, seen in staged pictures, or what Hollywood tells them it is. This lack of honesty will always leave them either very disappointed about the actual day-to-day operations and/or leaves them vulnerable to making some serious mistakes while on duty.

It is common in our industry to see many of our colleagues posting pictures on the internet social media sites of “selfies” taken in first-class airline seats or in the client’s private jet. Some “selfies” show them with their feet up on a suitcase claiming “another classy trip”, or posting from 4 and 5-star hotel rooms, from poolside at an exclusive resort, from the finest restaurants, or next to a limousine parked next to a jet.

     However, what is known to all of us who have been in the industry for some time, this type of showboating does a serious injustice to the actuality of the nature of the business. Those “selfies”, pictures, and embellished stories of grandeur don’t do the profession any favors as many practitioners new to the industry, or those contemplating a career change, see a life of luxury and make a judgement call based on smoke and mirrors. And an even more important point to remember is that the client has the extravagant life…You do not! You happen to be present for the sole reason that you must be present to provide protection for the client, not because this life of leisure is yours. Distinguishing the difference is critical.

     The reality is- The majority of these pictures are either staged or were taken while not actually working a security detail. We have seen colleagues ask, or even offer to pay, to stand next to a private jet. They put on their best 100-dollar suit, shiny 30-dollar Timex watch, and 12-dollar dark sunglasses and “pose” next to someone else’s 10-million-dollar jet. And we have seen aircraft tail numbers show up in these photos and, for fun, ran the numbers, located the owners, and even tracked the flights. (Now, because you wanted to look “cool”, you have violated another aspect of security, exposed your client, his possessions, and possibly his/her travel schedule, and leaked information that was to be kept confidential…Remember, OPSEC is always first priority, not your ego or accolades from your buddies!)

     The reality is- Anyone can pose anywhere, at any time, and make it look like they are working. Anyone can ask a limo driver to take a picture of them next to that limo. If you feel such a dire need to brag about your job to others that you put your client’s health and safety at risk, who in our industry would ever work with you or recommend you to others? If this is how you see it, this is NOT the career for you. If we could only call out all the people we know who were on vacations with their families, and they post pictures pretending to be on a detail. We even know people who traveled to third-world countries to meet their online “girlfriend” or “boyfriend”, and then they posted pictures as if they were working a detail in those countries!

     The reality is- When you work for someone, it is rare to have a first-class airline seat next to them on a 6-hour flight. Most clients, no matter how wealthy they are, will book you an economy seat back in the aircraft somewhere. Yes, there are a scarce few clients who will book first-class for their CPOs, but to qualify to work for these clients, you must already be well-established in the industry and have a plethora of industry history and references. And quite often, the CPO has worked for the client for quite some time and there is a close familiarity between the client and the CPO, not unlike the trust a patient might give to their personal physician.

     The reality is- When you work with a busy, well-trained team, you will work on rotations and have a schedule that allows for only two things: keeping the client safe and getting to bed to get enough sleep to be able to do it again tomorrow. Anyone who has the time to “enjoy” taking pictures probably has too much time on their hands, isn’t watching their client closely enough, or maybe isn’t working at all. And if you happen to be working alone, you cannot spare any lapse in focus or attention away from your client for your own personal enjoyment. We have been in rotations where after work, we were so tired that we didn’t have the energy or interest to exercise, call our family members or friends, or even eat! Sleep becomes paramount under circumstances like this. This type of scenario is usually due to working long shifts alone or with very little relief staffing, but that is a situation worth discussing in another article.

     The reality is- When your client travels, they may be working or on vacation, but you are ALWAYS working. You will ALWAYS get less sleep than your client. When they finally retire for the evening, you are up another few hours planning and preparing for the next day. When they wake, it might be because you are responsible for waking them, or you have to plan for any/all requests they may have upon waking, which means you are up a couple of hours before them. While working, you have to focus on your client’s needs. Finding time to eat and go to the bathroom is not your client’s responsibility or even on their mind. If you want to eat, you have to find your own way to do it quickly and efficiently. If you need to empty your bladder, you have to leave sight of your client and return quickly. If it is not safe to leave your client, then you choose to either hold it or make other arrangements. This is hard enough as a male, but as a female, it is nearly impossible to improvise. Again, a subject for future articles!

     The reality is- You will need to find time to eat, sleep, shower, go to the bathroom, write reports, call your family, pay your bills, clean your clothes, charge your equipment batteries, train, stretch, exercise, and accomplish other normal life tasks and all outside of the client’s view. And you will inevitably find yourself doing things you wouldn’t do in your personal life because you must adapt to your client’s activities. And you will need to be an expert in your client’s extracurricular activities to enable you to not only accompany them, but to identify threats to their safety all while riding elephants or horses, scuba diving, skydiving, hunting, mountain biking, and so many more excursions. And an important point to keep in mind…If you know you are not qualified or skilled in any particular activity, learn when to partner up with someone who is or hire your own replacement for the activity in question.

     The reality is- You WILL, at some point in your career, find yourself in the presence of an awkward, heated family conversations and you might be asked to take a side. Now, you know its unprofessional to choose a side and you will have to find a diplomatic answer within seconds. You will see behaviors and listen to conversations  that will challenge your own personal and professional ethics. And again, learn when to be present, and when to make yourself scarce…You don’t have the luxury of an opinion…If you think you do, you most certainly find yourself on a plane headed home…Unemployed.

     The reality is- You will find yourself in challenging environments too. (I developed asthma working in Mumbai and Chris contracted cholera while working in the Middle East) You may get food or water poisoning, malaria, and even get worms from food. Making sure all your vaccinations are up to date and you have OTC meds with you will be commonplace. You will have to work with people who have little to no training or they have been trained differently than you. Some “professionals” in our industry are great with weapons and driving, but have no concept of controlling body odor! They speak 4 languages, but can’t drive a car. They can cook a 4-course  meal out of any cookbook from any resemblance of food they can find, but they can’t provide first-aid on an insect bite or gunshot wound.

     The reality is- People who come from different cultures and have different perspectives regarding punctuality, performance of their duties, and the common traits of professionalism, have no clue that every decision they make, from their clothing, to their language skills, to hygiene habits, to interpersonal skills, are all weighed and measured by the clients who would hire them.

     The reality is- Unless they have extensively worked in foreign countries or locations, many practitioners claim this type of experience having never operated under these circumstances. There are people who have done nothing more than stayed in a hotel in a country or had a layover in an airport, and then claim to have experience there. Travel with your client will come with time and you will, likely as not, find yourself slowly filling your passport with stamps from many foreign locales. But in the beginning, it will likely be close to home, short trips, and nothing terribly exciting. Patience is the key component in longevity with close protection.

     The reality is- True professionals will not let themselves be photographed by others and certainly would never photograph themselves while working. And they will not want to work with those who do. True professionals know the difference between ethics and etiquette and follow the rules of each. Doing anything to compromise your client’s business or personal privacy is not just a mistake, it is a catastrophic attack on our industry and our collective ability to earn a living in it. True professionals will know how to dress for any occasion their clients may invite them into and know how to negotiate with the client to avoid unsafe activities and conditions. True professionals will know how to do one hundred things, while in the active company of their client, that will never be acknowledged or appreciated by the client, and a thousand things near their client that will never even be seen or known…Because it’s NOT about you. Never was, isn’t now, never will be.

     The reality is- If you seek personal public recognition in this industry for the delicate function you are being paid to perform, if you are seeking a smooth, cushy job, if you crave personal validation, desperately need the praises of your colleagues, if Hollywood has indelibly imprinted its version of EP on you…Make no mistake…you have picked the wrong career field.

     However, if you have a high sense of honor, professionalism, discretion, integrity, and patience, Welcome! If you take a deep personal pride in a job well done, come join us! Centuries of protectors came before us and lived by a strict code. The Samurai, The Roman Praetorian, The Varangian Guard, to name just a few, are examples of those who truly understood and abided by a Code and provided unquestionably stalwart and unwavering protection and safety for those entrusted to them. There is no greater honor than to provide protection, safety, security, and peace of mind to those who depend on us most!

Women in the Executive Protection Industry/Female Bodyguards

LeMareschal

business-woman

Anyone who has read my articles knows that I base most of them on questions or inquiries from those professionals who either offer good and accurate advice or from those who ask for it.

First, I prefer placing female bodyguards with female clients or their children for the client’s comfort or peace of mind. Some males are easily suited to this task but the client may simply think that a male does not belong in constant close proximity and occasionally in isolated private settings with the kids or a client’s wife. This can be equally true with female bodyguards and male clients but the concern of inappropriate behavior with the children dissolves when a female is placed with them. Remember, it’s always up to the client.

The most active topics to come through my office are all related to females in the Executive Protection industry. As a female bodyguard, as a business owner and as the founder of a successful training academy exclusive to females in the Personal Protection Industry, I will address a few of the more popular statements I am routinely tasked with arguing against.

“A female bodyguard/CPO is better than a male bodyguard/CPO”

Your gender doesn’t make you better in this profession. What allows you to outperform a colleague or be more suited to a specific task is how well you meet or can adapt to a client’s specific security needs. In our case, the security needs that a client may have might be provided by a female, male, canine or even a machine.

“It is very hard for a woman to break into this industry”

Well, it is also difficult for a male to break into this industry. Training, experience, personality, knowledge of how to dress, how to drive and a really well-polished CV mean nothing if you believe that you have some preordained right to be here. Both women and men alike will be passed over equally if they lack humility, charm, manners, couth, education, social polish or real-world experience. Which of these is most important?

“It is hard to find a job”

Keep in mind that the market for female bodyguards has historically been smaller which means you have to compete harder to get the job.

It is worth mentioning that in cases where security is needed for females and kids, many clients are looking for not just female bodyguards but feminine looking females to place next to their wife, sister or daughter so if you are a female with a very harsh or more masculine appearance, you reduce your chances of being hired. And if a male appears too feminine or too “cute” or even too “handsome” he may not be hired either. You see, it is not your gender, it is the appearance you choose to reflect to your client, and it is your client’s perception you must cater to in order to get hired.

Additionally, my records show that a majority of females who want to break into the industry seem to be older than 40 years of age. It seems that many women who are retired Law Enforcement or military are looking to get into the private security industry. The fact is that unless you are applying for a Nanny position, most clients are looking for 25 to 35-year-old female bodyguard with at least 5 years of experience. So at 38 to 40 with no experience, men and women alike stand less of a chance against a younger experienced female bodyguard.

Finally, among those women who complain that they can’t find a job, a vast majority of them do not have what it takes to be hired. Having a large database of female candidates and qualified bodyguards allows me to compare them to each other. Here is what I found out of 400 applications:

Some don’t have a passport. Some don’t have a local State license and can’t drive. Some have no firearms license or experience with anything mechanical.

Some are waiting to apply for licenses as they are interviewed and being hired by a client or a company.

Understand that if you don’t have the licenses or other qualifications, you will never be considered for a position, so act in advance. And if you make a misstatement of facts to get hired, you will get fired and never hired again.

Many female candidates are not willing to relocate due to being married with kids. Although a male bodyguard can leave his wife and kids behind, it is traditionally harder and less socially acceptable for a female bodyguard to do so. Many women in the U.S. left to fight in the Gulf War in 2002. The practice of the Father staying behind became acceptable there and the trend quickly spread to other countries.

Some women practice the outward arrogance associated with a man’s success when they have a couple of good assignments and don’t recognize when this attitude is rejected by the client or colleagues. This is a problem with the men too so again, no difference.

The result is, if you rub the placement company or client the wrong way, your CV goes in the trash. Turn down too many offers due to money or other issues and we will stop calling. If you don’t have a verifiable track record and reputation, you cannot make demands. Fail to answer when we call with an offer, we will not call back……ever.

“Female bodyguards are paid less”

From my experience both personally being an operative and placing female bodyguards with other companies or clients I highly disagree with this. I have always been paid the same as the rest of the team and even more than the rest of the team when my performance or qualifications were measured against theirs.

In closing, we need to clarify and understand four things:

1)        If you are making less than your colleagues, male or female, remember that you agreed to the terms of your employment. It was your choice.

2)        If you don’t know how to ‘’sell’’ your skillset then you have missed something in your professional training. Go back to the basics and learn how to respond to a contract offer.

3)        If you are a beginner, you may have to agree to a lower rate in order to build up your experience and work portfolio. If you do your job, you will progress.

4)        Because of the nature of the services needed, some team members may work fewer hours than the rest of the team, therefore they may be paid less. If you are a female bodyguard working with the kids for 6 hours a day, you cannot compare your position with another bodyguard that works for 10 hours driving the car or standing next to the client. If you are doing equal work on equal ground, you should argue for equal pay and equal treatment. If you don’t like the terms, don’t take the job. If you find out after you accept a position that you are paid less, chalk it up to a lesson learned and don’t make the mistake next time.

The demand for female bodyguards has increased steadily over the last decade. If you are not working or not earning what you think you are worth, ask yourself the following:

-What kind of experience do I have?

-What education do I have?

-Does my personality, loyalty, integrity, knowledge, skill, and ability add to the client’s needs or solutions?

-How does my CV measure up against the other candidates interviewing for a position?

If you need a professional assessment of your CV or even your image or need to add to your skillset, go to our website. There is guidance there to help you.

Remember, ladies:

You are equal in your ability to protect a person from the threat of another but the opportunity to perform will be based on a human being assessing your value to the effort. What are you doing to increase your value to the person that needs what you offer?

 

Denida Zinxhiria

Founder & CEO

Athena Worldwide LLC

Athena Academy 

Nannyguards

http://www.athenaworldwide.com

http://www.nannyguards.com

 

What kind of a security business leader are you?

LeMareschal

Over the last 10 years, I have written a few hundred articles and granted interviews related to protective work within our industry. I have almost always addressed topics of interest from the perspective of a Close Protection Operative or directed advice or opinions toward the CPO.

As threats change with the times, the topics of discussion must change and occasionally we have to address an old topic from a fresh perspective. This article is directed to the security company Owner or Manager and addresses a more mundane yet equally important topic: INTEGRITY.

What many company owners and managers will tell you they are looking for when hiring someone to work for them (and represent their companies), is loyalty, dedication, hard-working, punctual, positive attitude, team player, ethical, honest, law-abiding, and professional. It shouldn’t be surprising but many employees are looking for the same qualities in a company’s top leaders.

Most of us as Managers, CEO’s, CFO’s, COO’s, or other Owners fail to remember that when our company is awarded a contract and we hire people to work for us, our organization’s integrity is judged by, and dependent upon our employees.  So as important as they are to us, why did they suddenly resign?

Most successful protection organizations are managed by company Owners, Managers, or CEOs who have been operatives at some point in their careers, so it should be hard to understand how they would neglect their employees, but it does happen all the time, and I do understand.

Below I will try to point out some issues that allow for a toxic work environment for both employers and employees which leads to turnover and poor loyalty.

Each company has its own vision and goal. The question is: are you as the creator or guardian of that vision as loyal to it today as you were on day one? Are you loyal to the people who work for you, to what your company represents, to the profession? Or are you ‘’bending’’ your own work ethic or clouding your company’s vision for that monthly check? Great operatives sometimes work for organizations that have cut corners, lagged behind in paying their employees, failed to support their employees, siding instead with the client, and forcing employees to quit before it was time to give them a raise. If you think that your employees won’t quit and inform everyone they know (including your competitors), about your conduct, you are wrong.

Are you on time with your responsibilities toward the people that work for you? Are they getting paid for their working hours/days expenses and benefits on time? “I HAVEN’T BEEN PAID BY THE CLIENT YET” is not an excuse for not paying your operatives on time. Operating a business and hiring people means you have a specific amount of capital you must set aside to insure payroll. Failing to achieve payroll independence probably means you are mismanaging your profits and maybe your company. Do you return phone calls promptly? Do you promise performance raises at 6 months of employment and then wait for the employee to beg you for it at 7 months?

Are you honest regarding employment contracts? There are companies that practice “Shadow Contracting”, which uses two sets of terms: one for the clients and one for the operatives. The difference between the two is the services promised to the client within the terms of service and what the operative believes they are signing up for in pay, working conditions, risk, and support. In most cases, the client is unaware of this.

Additionally, when you hire a CPO, you informed them about the initial threat assessment, so until they get their foot in the door and deal in real-time with the client and his environment and do their own assessment they have to rely on what you know. As we know, in our line of work, the threat level is, in part, what sets the cost for our services. Some organizations will not inform an operative of the real threat level in order to pay the operative less.

Are you a law-abiding professional? Unfortunately, we have seen people with criminal records running security businesses or Managers who don’t mind hiring employees who have prior problems with the law or regulatory authorities, who add them to their company administration or to their CP teams.

These decisions initially affect the CP effort but quickly destroy the trust and loyalty in the organization as a whole and eventually the Client relationship.

Are you a team player? I have heard the phrase “I want you to see our company as your family”, many times.  This is a hollow statement because:

  • They already have a family.
  • They are usually under a contract with a time limit
  • They will never feel like family when your family and friends are in all of the key positions or in charge of the operations.

As a business owner, manager, or CEO you have to think ahead and take care of your people. Some contracts require assignments in distant cities or other countries. Those people, who work for you, protect your client, and basically make money for you are away from their homes and families, possibly in a different culture, unfriendly country, or in a domestic environment that tests their patience, fidelity, fitness, and temperament.  Are you focusing on what the CP needs to succeed 20 or 30 or 60 or 90 days into their assignment? Are you watching for complacency and prepared to replace or rotate your CPOs if complacency or boredom becomes apparent? Did you remember to add this possibility in the client’s contract and explain that the CPO the client starts with may not be the one they end up with?

Do you regularly check to ensure that your CPOs do not exceed 12 hours a day in service and that they receive proper time for rest or rehabilitation or training or fitness? Did you put these terms into the contract? Did you secure a retainer?

Recently, I was made aware of a female CPO that took an assignment in a country she had not worked in before. She took the assignment with a signed contract which she was awarded because of her experience working with and protecting children. She was promised a weekly bi-weekly paycheck, time off, 10-hour days, food, lodging, travel, and other allowance “reimbursements” and provided needed equipment. Within 30 days, she was behind 2 paychecks, out of personal money due to not being reimbursed, was working 18 hours a day, was being berated daily by the client’s wife, not allowed to discipline or correct a spoiled child, and was not accustomed to the local exotic diet which was her only source of food, resulting in her being sick and undernourished much of the time she was in the country.  Additionally, she was not able to leave once she decided to do so and had to work an additional 4 months before finally being paid an adequate amount of money to allow her to “escape”. She has not yet been paid the balance of what is owed her and has no legal means of demanding or recovering her earnings. The company is still in business and continues its practices. It has no loyalty and the internet is now peppered with negative comments about it.

If you see fallacies in your corporate hiring and management practices or are experiencing a high turnover in CPOs or your management staff, spend some money on a private consultant. They can evaluate your practices for far less than what you are losing in lost contracts and overtime or training costs due to employee turnover. Having the right people working for your company and staying with you for a long time is the best investment you can do.

End of the day, while you are running your own security firm take some time to remember where you came from and guard your reputation within the industry.

Denida Zinxhiria

Founder & CEO

Athena Worldwide

Athena Academy 

Nannyguards

www.athenaacademy.com

www.nannyguards.com

The importance of being a responsible and safety-conscious citizen in your community

LeMareschal

I wrote this article due to a horrible crime that took place several days ago in Greece. A 34-year-old woman returning home late at night, while unlocking the door of her apartment building, was grabbed and pulled away by a violent criminal. She was raped, beaten, doused with gasoline, and then set on fire while still alive. Despite living in a crowded neighborhood where many people heard her screaming, not a single person went out to see what was happening until it was too late. The most horrible part is that both her father and brother could hear a woman screaming, but they never thought it was their beloved family member…

The criminal, a 27-year-old, who has been accused in the past of sexual attacks by other victims, had been released back into society due to a lack of evidence to convict him. He was described as a male with strange and abusive behavior toward women, and he was stalking the victim for a long time. The blame cannot be solely shouldered by the Greek Justice and Authorities for allowing this man to continue his abusive acts, which ultimately ended the horrible murder of this woman.

I would like to raise the attention to the fact that people in today’s society fail to care about others or act to assist someone in distress. If one of the neighbors, hearing her first screams, had gone outside and yelled at the criminal or made their presence known, might have assisted in stopping the crime, which would have saved the poor woman’s life. Witnesses said they heard a woman screaming, but they were scared to go outside and see what was wrong. Several just didn’t think it was something serious enough to investigate. It must be horrible for the family members and neighbors to know they could have saved this woman’s life if they had acted instead of hiding. This lack of action will most likely haunt the community for a long time.

We are obviously not responsible for the actions of criminals within our community. However, we are accountable for our actions or lack thereof. Being a responsible citizen that cares about their neighbors can save lives. You don’t have to be the hero that will stop the crime by physically engaging the criminal. You can be the hero by just paying attention and reporting suspicious or criminal acts. Let’s think about it, maybe the victim wasn’t our sister or daughter, but if it was, wouldn’t we pray that someone would act if they heard her screams for help and react fast enough to save her? I’m sure we all would pray for that.

Leaving the comfort of your couch and going out to see what’s taking place can save people’s lives. Criminals don’t want to be captured and usually flee if confronted by witnesses. Making criminals aware that someone is watching is a powerful deterrent to their criminal activity and makes for a much safer community

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Denida Zinxhiria

Founder & CEO

Athena Worldwide

Nannyguards

Section: Professional Advices from Experienced Close Protection Operatives around the world.

LeMareschal

What do you expect?

Some helpful hints to getting your foot in the door.

By Jason Collins

CPS, Security Consultant, CP Instructor

You have taken the time to go through one of the many Executive Protection schools around the world. You’ve sacrificed time and money for this training. You’ve learned the core fundamentals to becoming a bodyguard. Now you are ready to break out and start working in the industry.

How do I do this?  First off, begin marketing yourself…..from this point on, YOU make or break YOUR future.

  • Network, network, network…..get to know potential clients, fellow operators, job opportunities.  The internet and today’s technologies, brings everything you need to begin, right to your fingertips. So utilize it…… your instructors, fellow students and former graduates are always a great place to start.
  • Due diligence and following instructions-  if you are on a job board site and see a job that interests you, DO NOT just apply for it….thoroughly read the post….if it says “in need of a Spanish speaking operator with 2 years experience in south America”, do not apply if this is your first attempt at finding work, you only speak your native language and you have never left your country.  Find out all the facts before jumping into something you have no idea about. Know beforehand, what it is you’re getting into.
  • Be professional…..again, you make or break your future.  You will most certainly be overlooked if you respond to a job bid or post with poor grammar and an obvious lack of professionalism. Sell yourself.
  • Know what you’re looking for … whether you want to go the celebrity, corporate, local or corporate warrior route, due your research. Utilize the resources out there for finding work in that specific niche.         Start small. Make yourself known to local LEO agencies, state and municipal government agencies. Your local mayor, political campaigns, domestic abuse centers and currier services and strike work details are all good starting points.
  • KEEP TRAINING.  I cannot emphasize this enough. Just because you’ve gone through a “bodyguard” school does not mean you’re ready to take on the world…..It is just the beginning….train often. Keep your skill set fresh and evolving. The more you train, the better you become.
  • And finally……apply with multiple agencies, multiple positions and multiple jobs. Always be on “a list” .  more often than not, things don’t “just happen”. Things (jobs/contracts) take time. Logistics and regulations have to be met and followed through. So be on the list so when and if it does happen, you’re there. If you bank everything on one job, you’re going to get discouraged regularly when that job fails to take place.

Hopefully, this can get you on the right track to finding work….always ask questions, be professional, have integrity and don’t burn bridges.

NANNYGUARDS training course by Athena Academy

LeMareschal1 Comment

Athena Academy announces NANNYGUARDS a premiere and elite company that not only aids families with placement, through our network of NANNYGUARDS authorized placement agencies but also provides the world’s first Certified Child Protection Specialist training.  No other agency in the world meets our stringent training and placement guidelines.

NANNYGUARDS offers a distinct service over traditionally trained nannies.  With training in ways to protect your family from stalkers, paparazzi, kidnap attempts, and more.  NANNYGUARDS are not acting in the capacity of a bodyguard, but rather a nanny whose training is equivalent to that of a bodyguard but their overall responsibility is the care and keeping of children as dictated historically and in modern times.  Not only do Nannyguards have the necessary training to mitigate exposure to negative events, but in the rare event, they are faced with decisions on how to ensure the safety of the children they look after NANNYGUARDS are prepared to do what it takes to ensure children’s safety.  With training that is far superior in the management of intentional or unintentional acts of harm, NANNYGUARDS are fulfilling their role as overall caregivers.

Services are provided to families of all types, including celebrity, executive, reality TV, and dignitary families.  Additionally, our services are even used for those families that may be traveling often times in hostile parts of the world.

All nannies have a responsibility to carefully look after the direct and indirect actions of the children they are responsible for.  This includes supporting the physical, social, emotional, creative, and intellectual development of the children of the family.

NANNYGUARDS  company started by a group of security consultants, nannies, bodyguards, and private investigators, is an answer for those that would like more peace of mind when hiring a nanny/manny. Our collective experience in protecting people, working in federal law enforcement, investigating identities and habits of individuals, traveling in foreign countries, training bodyguards, and working with children uniquely qualifies us to help shape the next generation of nannies.

Not only are we keen professionals in background investigating all potential Nannyguards, but we also are very experienced in teaching and training, providing protective services for individuals and families, working in high-risk situations, and more.  Although Nannyguards is not a security service provider, we are a security training group that provides nannies with the ability to look at their position from a different point of view.

Nannyguards is borne from the changes occurring in our world today.  With strange, unusual, violent, and unforeseen circumstances occurring on a daily basis, Nannyguards is the answer to ensuring quality childcare.  Not only do we surpass every nanny agency in “screening” (we investigate) we also bring the future of childcare through the introduction of increased situational awareness.

If all nannies/mannies are experienced and come with good qualifications this makes things equal.  However, if the nanny has this background and then goes through Nannyguard certification, all things are no longer equal and we have just raised the bar in childminding services.

Athena Academy offers you the only training in the world that qualifies a NANNYGUARD by completing the Child Protective Specialist course.  This unique and certified 4-day course will challenge nannies in ways they may have not thought possible.

Denida Zinxhiria