Marine Takes Combat Experiences to the Professional Executive Protection Realm with Byron Rodgers

In the military, you're given a uniform and instructed on how to do things and when to do them. But what happens when the cadence fades and you're no longer wearing that uniform? I'm Kp and I started this podcast to fill that silence with direction and to provide overall support for my beloved military family. Welcome to the Morning formation. This episode is powered by act now education, go to www.actnoweducation.com For free, comprehensive educational resources and opportunities for active duty, veterans, military spouses and children.

While I do executive protection, it's not that I just protect executives, I protect celebrities, I protect High Net Worth families, I project sometimes, valuables you know, and sometimes you know, I've flown around the country in a private jet protecting Botox and the scientists you know.

Warriors fall in, it's time for formation. Today I'm joined with a Marine Corps combat veteran who transitioned into being a private security professional after his service in the military. His professional accolades don't stop there. He's also the host of the best private security podcast available on the downloadable market. And it's called executive protection lifestyle. He is certainly a must follow on all of his social media accounts, because his content is not only entertaining, but the captions themselves explain the safety and security lessons to be learned from that content. Since his transition out of the Marines, he's worked in over 60 countries all across the world, and has worked with countless different various types of demographics out there. The person that I have today, the professional that I have today is also the owner of his own security business called Bravo research group. So today, I am absolutely honored to be joined with Mr. Byron Rogers. Welcome to the Morning formation, sir, bro, what's

up, brother? Hey, man, it's an honor. And that intro was super dope to be scientific about it. As real clean, man. Thank you. Thanks for having me, man.

You know, it's easy to have that type of intro when you're interviewing a professional has been has done so much over the over the entirety of his career. I mean, honestly, you've been into the military, you own your own business, you're an author, you're on podcast, you're on every social media platform out there putting out some great content. So a guy's like you make it easy for me to give that type of intro. So thank you for giving me your time today. And just to start things off, Biron looking back at your time, specifically in combat. Looking back now, what are your thoughts on the leadership lessons that you gained during your deployments? And how does it all complement and fit in with what you're doing today?

Man, that's awesome. I was actually speaking with another Marine who's in a leadership position today in a major company, private security firm out there in the game. And, you know, one of the things I know I took with me from the Marine Corps is true welfare man. True welfare. You're only as good as the guys you serve with and that you have, that you're on the ground with, as a manager, and as a leader, were tasked with driving results through other human beings. And my, the metric that really denotes how effective I am, has everything to do with the quality of the work product, I can drive through other human beings who are not with me most of the time. And so understanding how to get these guys to not just perform but want to perform at a high level is really where everything is where we win and where we lose in this battle. And that comes primarily from two things one, troop welfare, you guys knowing that you really legitimately care about it. When I get a guy in my company, Bravo research group, I'm like, Look, dude, I'm here. For better or for worse to help you with your future. I'm gonna serve you as best I can. As a leader, I'm going to try and create. I'm gonna try and create as much opportunity as I can here. But ultimately, my goal is to develop you to become a decision maker, a juggernaut, a leader here and you will organically if I can't provide opportunities for elevation, you organically move on to something that's even better than what I can offer. And that's gonna be a good day for me. And that's what I'm all about. And while I have those guys, because I don't want to have a bunch of followers, I want to have a wolf pack full of alphas. I want to have a pride full of alphas. So these guys have have to be just as good as me when I'm not there. I gotta sit, sit in front of my client, look him in the eyes and say, Hey, I'm gonna leave you with this guy tonight. I'm gonna leave this guy outside your house tonight instead of me. And it's got to be okay. Right. So that's the first thing. And then the second thing is servant leadership man, like, I make sure everyone on my team knows that everyone is a leader, everyone is a follower. And you need to take pride in being able to wear either hat at any given time, I serve my tribe by getting up being up overhead, like the Air Force, making decisions, meeting with clients, fighting for increases raises, improving the quality of the program, improving the quality of the training budget that we have. And they cover me by rendering a high quality work product every single day. So my clients, principals, stakeholders, and customers have nothing but confidence in what it is we're doing, how we're performing and executing. So they know their investment, they're making a wise investment, especially because security doesn't make them money. Right? It's an insurance policy, you know, so I have to show them and I have to have agents that are demonstrating value and selling security 24/7. And I do that through focusing on true welfare, which is always kind of weird. A lot of guys that weren't in the military, I was kind of shocked by that. And then secondly, I do it by servant leadership, I serve you by making this a better environment for you coming up with SOPs, fighting battles, in the in the offices and with corporate that you guys don't have to fight like, you know, having to carry bags and deal with, you know, deal with the client's dogs and stuff. You know, like, the stuff that they try to get us to do that we're not supposed to do the takeaway from the mission. I'm fighting those battles, optimizing you guys serving you this way. And I need you to serve me from the front by executing on objectives, letting me know what's going on out there on the frontlines when we can make decisions as a team and meet the need and hopefully, avoid or meet the enemy. If and when the time comes.

It's great answer man, you know, troop welfare and being a servant leader actually had some content that I put out this week on Instagram talking about being a servant leader. And that's a great exchange, though, you know, honestly, just simply caring about the individual and understanding that they're not robots and they really, you know, as long as they have as long as they know that someone's in their corner like vouching for them and pushing for them to have the best environment possible, man, it's like you can ask for a great leader. So yeah, really appreciate really appreciate what you underline with air and

Thanks, bro.

You know, you know, Byron, man, I know for myself, you know, I think back to my entire life, professional life experiences and even as a child growing up and, and, you know, those teenage years, man, I, I think of a lot of those mile markers, those lessons that I've learned that contributed to who I am today. So can you tell me a time that that you think about often, or even today that resonates with you, as far as a lesson learned that might have contributed to your survivability, your professionalism, or even though your resiliency that you have today?

It's interesting, man, I wish I had a cooler one come to mind. But um, realistically, man, what comes to mind honestly, is the fact that you know, I love my parents, they did a great job. They did best they could I'm not mad at him or anything, but the fact is, you don't have to spend a lot of time alone as a kid. So my dad I was born in the Bahamas, my dad was a prominent businessman in the Bahamas, he's in you know, some magazine is one of more successful businessman or whatever. And, you know, my mom's single mother, you know, middle class, lower middle class. And so as the man of the house back here in the US, and in the US, you know, like, I was often the only so you know, Washington state, federal way, Des Moines, and then eventually Gig Harbor as a lot of Samoans a lot of Tongans and I was often like kind of the only little black chubby little black kid and then when I go to the Bahamas, I was you know, the only American and it was like a fat boy, you know, the American Yeah, look at the American, he's soft, you know, so I had to fight like, all the little Bahamian kids in the summer when I go live with my dad, I go fight all that Tongans and stuff when I go back to Washington state, then I moved to kind of a more preppier your environment and I was like the only white black dude and has all white kids and they're all extra nice. Honestly, it was great. But you know, and then when I go to the Bahamas, I'd be alone all the time. And because my dad was always at work, and you know, I go out and spear fish by myself and I go out and like, you know, my dad was a really strict disciplinarian martial arts guy started one of the first TAC teams, tactical teams in the Bahamas. Big private secure one of the biggest private security companies in the island. But you know, I spent a lot of time alone and it was just me and my god and like, I don't know what they were thinking like he gave me a little boat and I'd be like, I'm I'm like, eight, nine out in the ocean. By myself spear fishing, though. I'm fishing in my little dinghy out dude out there, bro. You know My little electric engine, do it die on me. And I'd have to swim it back, you know, like, getting thrown around by waves and like, I spent so much time alone, but I realized really quick, because all the like things that kids usually have to prop themselves up on are gone. And so I just realized real early in life, like, it's just me and my God and my capabilities and His grace, and I need to be formidable, and I need to be resilient. And eighth note, no one cares about your feelings, all that matters, in the end is what you can achieve. And so i The young age started to really be kinda like, You got to perform, you've got to be able to do, you've got to, you got to, if you want something to get done, you got to get in there, and you got to you got to give God something to work with, which is your action, you know. And so I, as a young man, I just started to build in that whole, like, hey, no one's coming. When God wants to get some done on this planet, he sends a man he sends a woman, and guess what, you're here, and he's watching you, you know, to see what you're going to do with these 50 trillion cells that work or the work, that we're wearing this technology on this crazy ride called life that no one has any idea what's even going on. All I know, is what I can get done by the grace of God with this hard work in this body. And so I started to, you know, kind of live my life in that way. And then it carried over into, you know, when we're in the military, you know, and everyone's looking for a hero looking for a champion, you know, like, rounds are cracking off and was like, looking like, what are we going to do, who's going to do something, and I was, like, you know, what I never wanted to be the one to, I never wanted to be the one that I found myself in a lot of situations happening to be because if we stay, if we stop moving, then stillness is death. And so, you know, I had to, I had to get out in front of my squad and make and get them in motion by, you know, being the guy who was going to kick in the door. First, I had to, you know, I had to really lean into that throughout my life. And then when I got out of the military, I was like, Hey, so, you know, either you figure out this equation, you find your new fight, you find your new mission, or you just die tired, bro, and you were just a kind of cool, kind of kinda cool, kind of funny dude, who just got out and didn't freaking matter. And you just do you start drinking and whatever, and you fade into darkness and nobody cares, man. So you want them to care? You better win. Okay, and how are you going to win hard mother stinking work and so that that was really kind of that's always been my ethos, man, other people pray about it. Other people, you know, ever you either have results, or you have good reasons. And I just turned into the type of person who was like, I never been the biggest and never been the baddest never been the smartest. No, I never am. I'm 510 about 240. You know, I'm not like that impressive. But you know what, I'm gonna work hard. And when I got blown up in Iraq, and I had out of body experience, and I remember praying and asking God for a second chance at life when I was like, like, in another dimension. And I just remember saying, like, you know, what, I may never be everything you wanted me to be. But if you sent me back, I'm gonna go. And I said this, I was like, I will go so hard in the paint. Like, I will, I will go at this life with ever, I will never waste this opportunity again. And so that was kind of my phoenix moment. That really amplified it. And I when I wake up in the morning at 4am, after going to bed at 11 It hurts every single time, but it hurts good because I am a warrior and I'm going to war against weaker versions of myself. I'm going toward I'm going to war with this life, you know, to super impose my will in alignment with the mission. I believe I was sent here to achieve

motivating, very motivating and I thank you, I love how everything everything started for you. You know as a child growing up and it's very similar to me as well, like my old man was drafted in 71 for Vietnam was a 20 year Army veteran Ranger. Hardcore guy heavy handed very strict, very disciplined, and and I learned like at the end of the day, nothing beats hard work. And I was zoned I wasn't the biggest either man I football wrestled ran track. I actually moved from Hawaii to the state of Ohio when I was 13. Yeah, and if you know anything about the Midwest man, they love their sports wrestling football you know, then it was highly highly highly competitive out there but a lot of great people out there as well. So I know what it feels like to be sort of the minority growing up out there the cornfields out there and being originally from from the islands you know, you and I kind of share that same thing but you mentioned your ID experience man like so. This right here is history here's a reminder that's part of the det cord that was used when my my tire ran over ran it over out in your telephone or in Iraq and it it detonated the the mortar rounds that were buried on the side of the road. I was fortunate that they were positioned in the wrong sort of in the wrong form agree or the wrong? Yeah. So the The the Humvee in the in the road took the majority but that this right here is a reminder for me that when things happen, they happen when you least expect them. It's not like you're, you know, it's not like training where, you know, okay guys go on our gear everyday here we go, right? No, it's when you're looking at the little bird or the little butterfly you're staring at the stars. That's when you get sucker punched and that's what that this right here is remind wrap for me.

That's beautiful. i That's funny Spoken like a real man that's been blown up before and spoken as anyone who's been blown up for a while. And it's refreshing because you have no idea one of them. So I got five IEDs, right? One of them. I, I had a hint. And I remember we were going around the corner. And it was like a perfect corner where we had to make like a three point turn to get around it. And I remember, you know, we lean into the turn, we hit it, we hit the first angle, and then we're reversing. And I'm like, Man, this is a perfect place to put an IED we don't be here for a minute. And then I was like looking over the edge and I see a motorcycle and I'm like, looking at his motorcycle and I'm like, who just leaves a motorcycle? Yeah. In the side of the street. I'm having this little dialogue with myself. Like don't people steal things around here? I mean, that's a perfectly good motorcycle then I'm like, Why is there a pile of dirt underneath? That just get rocked man and blown across the seventh time? I was dang near fortunately, not leaning out over the body armor, the armor the truck, but I was like, staring at it. Like that's stupid. Yeah. And sure enough, man, it was. It was an IED buried under there. But now the one that rocked me, I had no choice. No, I was singing a song. And I was making up as we were rolling down the street, you know, and my doc just told me to sit back because we probably get blown up. And I was just like, if anything happens, I'm gonna you know, handle it. And yeah, man. I know that they changed my entire life.

Yeah, yeah. You don't. And it doesn't happen like in textbooks, it doesn't happen like the battle drills it it, things go chaotic. And you go back to your training. And it's sort of like an orchestra that where the the automatically like this starts happening and that sort of and people need to start moving in a position. Going back to the training because that stress and anxiety that happens, man, so I feel you on that man. Like that's, like I said, there's lessons learned man, and you've certainly been blown up five times you you've probably dealt with every type of idea out there. And there's some there was some scary shit out there, man when I rack and

yeah, I was there for 13 of them that I saw. But yeah, by five, I didn't get to go on my last mission because they were like, there are three of us that have been blown up more than we should have. And they're like, we're gonna fly you out. And I was like, that was like one big huge lament that I had, was just not being able to ride with my guys on that final movement out of reo. But they're like, do we might get hit and if we get hit you we can't afford to let you get hit again. So they flew me out. But

what year were you there and where were you at?

I was there.

Oh, are you probably did multiple deployments, right?

Yeah, I went so I went on to combat I got in an 04 combat deployment. I think it was like, 04-05and then I got out in 2008. So I came back 07 for my second deployment, which was a new and yeah, the DISA you know, bawana us and Jack all that the ball sack as they call it? Yeah, man.

Yeah. I was there in. 04-05 and mozal. We

were there the same time and we're running around in the sand probably around the same time then.

Yeah, yeah. A man you think it's crazy. Listen, I did a because I was a transportation officer at the time. I was a second. When I deployed. I was a second lieutenant. I was really I did four years. Yeah, I did. I did four years enlisted in National Guard. And then I went, got my commissioning.

And then I went active duty and station with 25th in Hawaii. And so when they sent me downrange, I was a second lieutenant fresh out of my officers course didn't know my ass from a hole in the ground, really, I mean, I had that little bit of enlisted time underneath me, but as far as being a platoon leader, I didn't know what it took, man. And so I had to learn on the ground had learned from my NCOs learn from my squad leaders.

You know, it was a very, very, I guess, Paramount important part of my professional growth. You think it's crazy man, like I was out near the Syrian border, dropping some stuff off at a special forces compound out there. And I ran into one of my old drill sergeants. Ah, and he Yeah, he didn't remember me. But I just told him I was like, Hey, I was with alpha alpha 210 gators in Fort Leonard Wood and he's like, Oh, really? And he started naming off names was wild man, but, dude, it'll be

had an experience like that too man. And the one, the one one thing I want to mention. So I told my story on another podcast, it's pretty amazing. And I just it just kills me because I got this like military guy in the comments. And he's like, it's so obvious when you guys are telling lies about what happens in our talking about how you got blowed up. And I'm like, route. What I went through was nothing. I got a guy, my platoon got blown up 10 times his name was Foster, you got blown up with me a couple of them. And I was like, this isn't crazy. This is like what happened to Marines there all the time, like my story and even crazy crazy like to me, you know, I'm just blessed to have on my part, but my digits, but, ya know, that was I was just like, you just don't, I mean, you're acting like you've been around the block, but you would know, this is like, this was the marine experience. My story is not anything wild, you know, I and then the other thing is, yeah, there. So I get recruited. You know, of course, when you're not in the military, you think you recruiters like, like God of War, you know, like, I thought my recruiter is the hardest marine ever, right? So I'm sitting here, and his name was Hopkins and I'm sitting here I got out of MIT deployments, you know, got my T shirt, and I'm bouncing at the local pub that I got pulled out of to become an executive protection agent. And he comes in with all these Marines, and he's like, getting drunk and just crazy. And I'm looking at him and I'm, you know, I'm just watching him because I'm Boutsen. And you walk up and he remembers Me, and he's like, Rogers. He's like, you know, and he's like, Roger, Sega. I finally got put back into into infantry unit. Rogers. I'm going to war. I'm like, sitting here, like, you said many to war, and you ain't. It just I just remember like, laughing and being annoyed, but laughing and then he goes, and of course, you know what he did next? He pulls me closer. He's like, Rogers. What's combat? Like, I'm like you, but he was drunk at him. Probably know, you remember? He was drunk. And he was like, you know the question all humans that go to war wondering all boots, though. Especially Rogers. What's combat like, and I was like, This is too crazy for me. I told him the same thing. My squad leader told me man, it's a mind job. It's a mind job, man. You know, I can tell you what it be like, but it's like giving birth homie, you know, until it happens to you? Yeah, it ain't gonna help you. You just need to go ahead and get some man. Hopefully you live brah

it changes it changes you like I tell you by the time my deployment was over with and we were doing left seat right seat. A lot of the NCOs and the platoon leader and everyone's like when we I could see myself like I remember like I remember when I was like that I remember frequency scared of right like they were just very like when you're outside the wire you get used to it. Yes, it smells the sights the sounds like you know when it's coming you know when it's not come in like you didn't get it just becomes part of you, man. And I remember we took the new unit out, and they were like fucking on like level 10 Right. And they're all worried Oh my god. And I'm like, relax, relax, like keep your posture stay behind your cruiser weapons. Like we're gonna roll we're good. Yeah, and yeah, man. It's it's I love talking to people like you, man. I could go down this rabbit hole.

Man, this is good. Yeah, I know the beds are soaking it up though. Man. It's good for the soul.

It is it is and you know what I think is strange. Now when I talk to Mike modern day service members or folks that are just now getting out and and they don't have any combat combat experience. That's weird for me, because I'm used to walking. Like, I'm used to walking around Schofield Barracks, and everyone has a combat patch. You know, it's like,

it's rare, bro. I had a number of guys like starting a year a few years ago, getting into private security. And I remember interviewing him and I and they're like infantry. And I'm like looking at him. Because there's a difference between infantry guys that have gone to combat that haven't it's just a different is a different frequency. Right. There's different kind of look in their eyes that combat marine right. I remember our first one of our gummies came in from the drillfield He was like, and all this combat marine stuff. There is no difference between them. Marine and a combat Marine. And then we went to combat and we came back and he was like, I stand corrected. He's like, there is a difference. Because there really is something happens to you as a human being. And, man, I just remember a thing. What was I gonna say, man? I think I think I lost it but it'll come back to me what's my brain relaxes but ya know, I was there it is. So I'm recruiting for EPV tails and infantry guys are coming to me. And they're like, they're an infantry and they have no combat deployments. And I'm like, I remember calling them up. Boise we're still in, I'm like, Yo, I got this marine here says he's 11. And he ain't got no deployments. And my boys like, calm down, calm down. He's like, that happens now. It's like a really kind of comment. And I'm like, I'm like, if you say so. Because I was literally like Stolen Valor, I'm going to find your stuff. We're going to talk for real, you know, but, uh, yeah, man, that's a thing. It's, it's, you know, we

we just come from a different time, man. Like, when when we were going through it, you had Iraq, you had Afghanistan and everybody was deploying every year, every year, you know, everybody's getting signed. So yeah, man, I definitely came back a total, totally different person. But I don't want to continue down that rabbit hole. Now, I want to get on talking about what you're doing right now with executive security protection, you know, and for folks out there that might be interested in executive security, executive protection. Can you explain the differences between the levels of security? Like, I know, there's armed and unarmed but can you talk about the levels of basic security versus executive security, the expectations and the responsibilities?

Yeah, man. 100%. So like, so there's, there's, there's the thing that kills me about the industry is if you say private security, like a lot of people are thinking like Paul Blart Mall Cop, you know, like they're not really realizing that there's a whole like underworld like of really high end security services out there that are running around in plain clothes you know, doing all kinds of really cool things garden NASA us spaceships right now. So, like, private security reaches into almost every, you know, protection centric kind of job field. Now, you know, yeah, you have your square badge guys at the mall and, and housing communities and your patrol lawn, guys, you see, but, you know, that's kind of everybody, right? executive protection is like 1% of the private security industry. It's like the NFL, it's like the big leagues, you know, it's like, So, and we need all the, we need everyone in the industry, I'm not talking down to anybody, but so you have your guards, then you have kind of like your bouncers, obviously, that you guys see, I love taking bouncers into executive protection, because they have so much experience with social dynamics and being hands on and being able to use restraint and being able to actually get physical if necessary. So sometimes I get guys that are that have lived, you know, like, they just, it's almost like college boys or guys that aren't putting in the work to be actual protectors that are kind of, you know, an executive protection is very clean, so you won't get challenged very often. And if you do probably did something wrong, really. But I love taking bouncers because they already have all the like hard skills to deal with someone if they need you. They're not afraid to write. But anyways, and that's I love bringing events. So anyway, so you have your guards, you have those services, then you have your bouncers, it's a little bit more, one level up from guards. And then you have like bodyguards, which is really it's the most commonly known term for an executive protection agent. But really a bodyguard is just your clothes protection guy. So within like a group, you know, you have your detail leader who's running the detail, your clothes protection guy would really be most appropriately called The Bodyguard, even though it's a slang term for a lot of what we do for the termite eaters, civilians, they know what I'm talking about. But executive protection, this is where and it's kind of a misnomer, because, you know, while I do executive protection, it's not that I just protect executives, I protect celebrities, I protect High Net Worth families, I protect sometimes, valuables, you know, and sometimes you know, I've flown around the country in a private jet protecting Botox and the scientists, you know, so we do a lot of really high end, security operations, kind of under the banner of executive protection, but executive protection is where you're coordinating everything from the concierge aspect of it, the movement, you're interfacing with local law enforcement. And you're, you know, planning the trip, you're interfacing with the travel agencies, making sure everything and all the residents are logged on, you're doing a lot of actual administrative support, and advanced work and risk assessments. You're going into countries, days prior to your client to assess risk, and to make sure all your poi is important. All your points of contact are solid, and then everything would that trip is gonna go good, then the climate is right for your client to actually come through. So it's a lot more schoolboy stuff. A lot more complicated than just hey, I'm landing with my client and riding with them where they go and making sure they don't get mauled by paparazzi will avoid paparazzi altogether, you know, so, yeah, man, there's definitely levels And, you know, one of my passions is taking people regardless of background and making them into good executive protection agents and get them into the industry.

Yeah, do you find that soft skills are kind of hard to teach?

Yeah man i a soft skills we have a saying at my school, the league soft skills are what keep you in this game and get you paid. Hard skills, save lives, but soft skills get you in this game and keep you paid and keep you getting paid. And there's kind of pitfalls that military and law enforcement folks deal with. And civilians, like all of us have our strengths and weaknesses in terms of generalizations. You know, like, the military guy like even me, fortunately, I've always had great social dynamics, but, you know, coming from, you know, Iraq and IEDs, and snipers and all that trash into, you know, private jets. And like, you know, remember, you know, the aristocratic being in palaces and around, you know, the who's who's ease and all this stuff, right? In the royal court at the Kings table. It was tough man, you know, military guys shaving off the rough edges and learning how to value your clients. Culture is tough, because we come from such honorable, hardcore cultures that we had to train and earn our place in, and we want people to honor those cultures. But hey, guess what, in this new game, you're in their ecosystem, and you can be and you might get hired, because you're a Navy SEAL? Yeah, they might think that's cool. And they think that might be the shiny thing that gets you hired. But our clients and customers get tired of Lamborghinis, homey. So guess what, you're the flavor of the month. And if you don't get the right social dynamics, and learn how to present yourself and speak, interface with all the different spheres of influence from the public, from the Royal core, the entourage, the friends, the families, all the relationships around your customer, your customer, the team you just got integrated with. If you can't get your social dynamics, right, you will not last in this game. I don't care how cool you are, how Minji your background is you will not get you won't make money very long. And that's the number one thing cops they have. They have to learn how to get everything done without a badge that you have to learn how to get things done, you ain't got no superpowers nor I'm saying. So you got to now you got to learn how to use your social dynamics to get people to want to do things for you, and want to be on your team to make sure your client has the best experience civilians.

You know, God bless the civilians, sometimes they have an edge because they're, they can be like, like me, like, I went to work just like this, my clients want me to look more like a dude, they're just like, if you ever wear a suit, we're gonna fire you. We just basically want you to be another dude walking around. If something gets weird, you can move into the space and the personal know to go away.

And that's it, you know, and so, you know, it's not like people think it is very often civilians, they can have a tendency to just be too relaxed because they haven't learned that military discipline and how to sit on post and watch and, and take everything seriously.

And but they have an advantage a lot of civilian clientele feel more comfortable with a civilian hanging out with them than they do with someone who's got like a high end tight horse, you may have a dip in and it's ready to like smoke anybody who's keeping 360 degrees security around them at all times. They might want to smoke anybody walks up clothesline and little old ladies as they walk up to clients. True story. True story. Radio, dude, no, no, no, no, come back. Let her go. When you work with your marine buddies, good times.

I know, right? I know. Hey, listen, man. I've worked a lot of Marines. Lot of my friends were Marines and a lot of Marines have a heart of gold man. fight to the death attitude. Yeah, man, it's just got it. At the end of the day. I think some people fit the characteristics of their branches. And some people don't ever just a lot of smart Marines to like, guys that I thought were the Air Force or something. But no, they were really Marines. And I, I'm very fortunate to be connected with those types of folks. And I love what you said about posture. Like you have to know how, like some civilians may not know how to posture when necessary, or how to send a message like, hey, like, back off, you know, basically, you got to be able to pull in like that right to be able to, to let folks know that you mean business, and that you're being serious about him

and do so that the person walks away and doesn't cause an issue. You know, like, I can do it with a smile. And that's been one of the most effective things I've I've that was with another Marine who was from the hood, who rolled up on a little Jewish digger in Israel rolled up on a Jewish dude was like, hey, you know, like, you ain't gonna go pass here. You know starting to flex up on this little Jewish dude you a little Jewish dude ain't taking no crap from nobody. He's like, Oh, thank you. And then getting into it. I had a roll up be like Sir, you have a live record going on over here. Can you write Can you please just give us a few moments, you know, and the dudes like because you were respectful. Yeah, no, I will give you a few moments, but you need to talk to your boys. Do just just let it slide. We're working right now, you know, we're working. But yeah, man

yourself and do a lot of paperwork to right.

100%. And then we're just getting fired on the spot, because your client doesn't feel like you're representing their brand correctly. Because you Yeah, you represent every move you make you represent them, but I love working with Marines, man, they follow orders, they don't complain. I can depend on that discipline. And I love being able to depend on that discipline. It's a huge value add? Yeah, yeah, no doubt, man, that's fascinating to hear you talk about the hard skills and the soft skills when it comes to the actual to the business itself. Now, when it comes to the different levels of training, security and executive protection? Is it guided by a preferred Industry Training front runner? Like, is there a specific like, this is the top tier type of training that you can go through? And how can a professional maybe getting out the military or veteran, put him or herself ahead of the pack when joining the security protection industry? Wow, you know, this is I hate this question. Because, you know, I, I'm partial, you know, I'm partial, no, there are no, there are, there are, you know, there are three kinds of ivy league schools that are well known. I essentially joined forces with one of them. Based on my industry experience, and having trained with many of them, we created, you know, at the league, we created what I believe is the best package to get someone into the industry. You know, I looked around at the space, and I was kind of like, well, this is good, but a lot of it was very soft, skill centric, and a lot of it was, you know, I went through one of the courses, we didn't fire a single round, and we did zero combatives. And it was just like, really PC and I was like, okay, so we know, these dudes know how to do admin, and like, they know which fork to use at a dinner party, but like, can they protect anyone? You know, so I entered the industry focusing on the hard skills and making sure guys have solid driving, we offer the highest level of driving, contact driving pit maneuver, counterpick, you know, rams, barricades, all that stuff. You know, actually car fighting, you know, pistol work, full pistol, full firearms, baggage, you know, low light, no light attack, on principle, everything, you know, medical, like the three primary hard skills, but I coupled it with the thing that I have not seen anywhere else in the industry, which is online training. So you have access to the training your entire life. And also on going mentorship.

So you have someone me or one of my instructors meeting with you every two weeks over zoom to make sure you actually get in the industry. And you actually are able to have a successful career, whether it's how can I find my next job, or I have a I have to go to a country and do an advance for a client. Well, hey, go back to that module online. And let's link up on the next call. And I'll walk you through what I what I would you here are my connections.

And then I joined that with a network. So all of our students, we have a private group, we have a network, we share field craft, we share opportunities, jobs, everything. So the thing I thought what I saw was missing was most schools, you'd go there, you get trained. And then you go out into the industry and good luck, like Okay, I hope that brand really helps you get a job. Your clients probably not even going to look at your training jacket, maybe a training director is and they're not going to care what stupid EP school you went do, because they don't even know what know what they're looking at. You know, I'm saying all it's gonna matter if we can do and so I joined that solid. So the best training that you can find with ongoing mentorship, and assets to make sure your career is actually going to be be be successful. I'm there with you when you fail. I'm there with you. And what I taught you didn't work. I'm there with you, and it does work. So there are like top three, you know, epi ESI Bob omen. Pacific West is another big one. But I will tell you that. You know, the legal executive protection specialists is the only one offering you that much support with your tuition.

Yeah. So you basically basically took a comment. Sounds like he took a combination of all your training and you combine it into sort of a hybrid of systems that would be necessary and it's sort of the right balance of what you would actually experience to include the follow up mentorship to make sure that you're gliding and that you're making it and I I think that's great, man. That's it. That sounds like a great system to have. And you know, thankful that we have folks like you're not just not just running the system, but improving the system, right? Yeah. So

what was your network is your net worth man without having high quality relationships, opportunities are not going to find you. And so, like solving that problem was absolutely huge. And then the fact that you can do the first level of training training day online, again, you don't have to stop working and lose money, you can actually start your training, you can start getting it out of your resume and LinkedIn and everything, and everything I know about EP, and you can start getting into the game, like, through the computer. And I was the first to do it in our industry. And everyone told me it couldn't be done and not to do it. And now everyone's starting to try to do their online thing. And I'm like, sitting here like, you guys all told me not to do it. And it was impossible. But here we are changed the game. So I'm the from among the people. I'm an agent, you know, so I know what I know it with the guys out there need to details today. And I'm like, Yeah,

I'm actually on the website. Right. Now let's take a look at the training itself. And this looks, this looks awesome. And I love how you have the different modules. And then you have the different levels on here. And you actually have folks on here as well, that look like sort of masterclass guest speakers, I'll make sure I include us all this in the show notes for anyone out there that might be interested. So while we're here, man, let's, let's bust down some of the myths about executive protection, that that you've heard over the years, and that maybe we can either debunk, or maybe we can certify, what are some of the ones that are out there that you hear most often?

Well, I think a lot of and I actually have a module on this in the online course, because the things to watch out for man is the cognitive dissonance that can resolve the spin. And it happened to me, coming from like a high speed background into executive protection and thinking that you're going to be like this person that your clients gonna listen to, or like that your client cares about your tactical background, or that you're gonna be running and gunning, and doing anything tactical and cool at work. And the reality is, it's just not like that man, you're serving high net worth individuals and corporations and corporate environments. Or you're serving, you know, acting and seeing talent that may very well be an ultra woke environment. So you're kind of like a black sheep, like, they wish they didn't have you, but you're there. And so they have to do something with you, you know, you're, you're so you're like combative background, and all these different things matter way less than you think like that they you have to be like John Wick, but like, you know, in many cases to yourself, you know, I got lucky and I had some pretty cool clients that are, you know, pro gun pro America, pro God and country, which is pretty cool. And they get behind us, we get awesome training, you know, and things like that. And they do value our tactical capability. So that's nice, but nine times out of 10. Man, military dudes fall out because they get into the industry. And they're like, dude, like, I don't want to put the car seat in the car, like, I don't want to go get a coffee for this person. It's not what I'm here for. You know, like, I held life and death in my hands. Like, just a month ago, I was in charge of millions of dollars, literally the RAMBo speech, I was in charge of millions of dollars worth of equipment. I was somebody who literally bro. and then you know, so So you have to be able to make that leap and realize you're you're in a service oriented industry. And you're here to render high quality service. And the way I did it was I told myself, Hey, this is an honorable service that warriors have been selected and set apart to do since the beginning of pimpin has been pimping, the Praetorian Guard, the samurais, like, protecting the nobility, and the time is something that that you need to be it's the next thing for a warrior to do. You know, so I really was able to find a lot of honor in it, you know, and I still tell my clients, it's an honor, you know, and having that servant's heart with regards to what we do, and looking at it as you know, an honorable service and realizing it's what you do when you're not at work that makes you capable of performing at work. Because you know me, I always say, it's more than just a job, you're a protector, it's more than just a job as a lifestyle. Like being all in like that is really what makes it an honorable service, knowing that you got to outperform another human being in a dynamic and violent situation, you know, preparing for that moment. That is what keeps me alive is what keeps the warrior alive. That means, you know, stops him from killing me, like what happens to many warriors when they get out and they never find a mission. So the first one I would probably lean into is just like, you know, there's a high speed and tactical like you might want to think it is you know, it's very service oriented, and your high speed and your tactics. It's like a story that you keep shift. And your honor has so much more to do with How long you can keep it sheathed and never having to draw than actually having to do violence? You know?

I didn't want to say anything while you're saying that, because that's a very well, that's a very well said remark about, you know, keeping your sword sheath as long as possible because it's more about it's more about your actions prior to any type of actionable event like it's how you deal with people how you talk to people in the presence that you have about you can really deter you from escalating things as well. Wow. It's fascinating to talk to someone like you because I completely know where you're coming from with that. And I want to give you a chance man to talk about the Bravo research group mind telling us about about its mission and values that the business seeks when looking for possibly new security detail members to join the ranks.

Yeah, man now so my security company man has become one of my you know, I love executive protection. But leading teams has become one of the like, honors of my life man like I had today, you know, I had a guy on a detail, we went through a training we did CQ B at an airsoft driven like CQ B house out here in Anaheim. And we're working on client recovery and moving with our customers moving with our clients and force on force and all that stuff. And we get back and dudes put together a whole bunch of information. He's created like modules on what we've learned. This is like stuff for all the guys that weren't able to make it because they were working like dudes put together videos and stuff to make sure that we're all on the same page with SOPs that we tightened up over there. And so when I'm looking for our mission, man is really just simply seamless security. We want to integrate with our clients lives in a way that keeps them really safe, productive and happy, like a company called AI solutions talks about we don't want to be the reason my emblem is an integer or the Periodic Chart is because we are one element, we are the element of security. Now that client's life has a financial element, a professional element, you know, all these different missions and we're just the one element of security on that board that helps optimize and help them do what they are there to do this support their mission. And so really when I look for new agents, man, I love a military background. I love a law enforcement background. I love a civilian background. Civilians often come to me you know military guys, law enforcement guys sometimes come to me thinking they know what to do and I run an end doc for a lot of our details. You know, and they gotta pass Basic Law Enforcement qualified calls FBI qual military, just pistol Qualls, Qualls nonperformance drills, right not performance assessments, qualls, right baseline stuff. And a lot of my law enforcement guys and military guys struggle, you know, and I constantly hear like, oh, well, we never use pistols in the military. I'm like, Yeah, but you gotta use a pistol for work now. Like, yeah, well, what have you been doing this entire time? You've been working carrying a pistol on you're gonna tell me this. Tell me this way your interview? Like you should work this out. Yeah, I can get jiggy with these men. So, you know, I, the civilians. On the other hand, they're the guys that are kind of shy and kind of humble. And they're kind of like, well, you know, like, I don't have the cool background. But I, you know, I just I hit jujitsu a couple times a week, like three times a week. And I've been trained, and I go to the ranch, you know, a couple of times a week. And they're currently working on themselves, too. They don't have the cool guy background. And they tend to be the most dangerous people out there with me, actually, my mentors is a brilliant black belt, the DOJ jujitsu Master, master class competitive shooting dangerous, you may just killed a huge book, like 10 minutes ago, just texted me about it. But anyways, the values I'm looking for in individuals is servant, a servant Vardhman, they have to be able to find the honor, in being able to serve, I want guys that are contribution centric, you don't have to be the biggest you don't have to be the baddest to be the best but your gift, your service will make real for you before kings. And that's how I built my entire my every brand that I've built, and I built you know a couple of them, right? So you give quality you give constantly to your detail to your organization to your clients and to your team's excellence guys that have that I don't want a guy that wants to do a good job because he's working with Byron Rogers or because he's working with BRG, or because he's working with cool celebrity or CEO client I wanted the guy that's gonna do a good job because his last names attached to it. And he's like, I'm gonna do a good job because you know what, Byron Rogers did it and this work is going to represent the pride ahead of myself, you know, and humility, man, you know, I want guys that are professional students. I want guys that fear, arrogance and So those are kind of the values that I'm always looking for when I interact with dudes who are looking to come on our teams man doesn't have an empty cup and a good engine, you know, because we all gotta be juggernauts. That's the other thing. I want guys, all decision makers, all generals, every single one of them.

Yeah, they have to be a, they have to be a person that you can actually mold and someone that has a good baseline, and it all starts with the, with the employment side of things, you know, and bringing in the right people. And that's where it all starts as far as getting people that can represent you as well. And that's kind

of what I tell them. That's, that is exactly what I tell guys, I'm like, Hey, you gotta read, you gotta realize that you represent a few brands. Man, when you're on this detail, you represent your, our customers brand, every single thing you do represents them. So you got to know that you got to look like that. You got to carry yourself like that you got to keep yourself physically fit like that. When people look at you, you represent this individual was paying you. Also you gotta know that you represent BRG, you represent my brand. And, you know, we got high standards. So you've got to look like that, carry yourself like that. And then finally, and most importantly, in many cases, you got to realize you represent your brand. So I come in here and I see that you didn't do change over properly, or that you didn't make your rounds, or that you're not being proactive with your advanced work. This is the quality of work that I can expect from you. And then I have to, and then I have to make an assessment, whether that quality work is something that I'm going to accept my clients and customers either putting up with or benefiting from, right. And so that's kind of the conversation. And then if you've been to my school, I tell all the patrons of the course and now you represent the gold standard in the private security industry, you represent the league, so you know where that batter with pride and pride in the right things. And that's the trick.

I love the name of it, man. I love the name of it. And the modules and everything you have set up I was just cruising through over here on my other screen, like all the different things that's offered through your training for the league and, and it's you cover everything, you literally cover everything from medical to live fire, to just drive professionalism, threat assessment, the whole nine yards, it's all covered in here, we have one more fascinating man,

we have one more new course are rolling out, which is the immersion course, which is essentially the antithesis of most of what you see in the industry. And you go we spent a few hours getting back on the beat, you get your modules online, we you show up on the first day, we go over a few things you're supposed to know from online. And then we just start doing EP details. We hire actors. And it is just nothing but on the job training for six days straight real world. I'm out when I'm out in the field with you. We're out in the field guiding you, doing an assessment is like the most real world training that our industry has been nonstop real world training man. So that's coming in in January, the immersion course. Wow.

And is that going to be done here in California?

Yeah, man. You'll be all over LA doing security details. totally realistic with us, man. So it's an honor. It's a good time.

Yeah, sounds exciting, man. So before we wrap up the podcast today, Byron, I just wanted to ask you, do you have any final pieces of advice for anyone out there that might be looking at getting into the industry, or just any pieces of advice in general for listeners, based off of anything that you've learned over the entirety of your life or your career that I didn't cover today?

Wow, well, how much time you got buddy now? If I was gonna say, I was gonna say something about advice. If I was going to give someone advice, you know, I would really want to say something like, you never, ever really, really know what you can do until you try and, and try a lot. And try hard. You know, I never I always wanted to be something. I always wanted to make contributions. I was so blessed. I didn't like do anything really cool. I mean, I was an infantry but I wasn't like a Navy Seal or like Delta Force, you know, like, I think maybe it would have made me rest on my laurels a little bit. But I've been able by the grace of God to do a lot you know, like when you're introducing me and every time I hear it, it's like man, golly man, you put some miles behind me you put some trash down and you put some miles and man you know like between publishing a book and getting my master's degree I was afraid to school that's why I went to the half the reason I was in the Marine Corps, I was like, I ain't going to college. I'm going to war right then. Yeah, that was half of it, you know and then coming back and facing those fears and being able to you know, really bless people's lives and having dudes that I respect look me in my eyes and say, Dude, I got a job because you feed my family. I'm making six figures because of, you know, the free content you put out and, and or because of what we did at the school. I'm like, you know And turning out to be kind of a pretty capable kind of cool dude, you know, like, and being able to be proud of yourself and being able to have self respect and being able to look at the work of your hands and be like, Man, you know what, like, respecting yourself and knowing that you've been a good steward with you with what you got, the thing is on that journey, you don't start out special, you know, I mean, like, you're not special because you are special, because you're here like, Yeah, over a million different outcomes gonna happen while you're a sperm dude like, you, you you have over like, it's like, it's like some stupid number of hundreds of grandparents that had to get it right with the combination and all the stuff that got you here supporting this little thing we're doing. And like you're special on like, baseline special, but like, don't start it start out as anybody worth knowing, you know, valuable to people. And I just want people to know that no matter where you're starting from, if you put in the stinking work, man, I've been mediocre at so many things my entire life, I still don't even read fast enough to catch the captions the bottom of movies half the time. If you follow me on Instagram, you're gonna see that I misspell stuff sometimes. But I don't wait for it to be perfect in order to pull the trigger. You know, I'm saying I am willing to go and I'm willing to fight. And I'm willing to sacrifice weaker versions of myself on the altar of progress every single stinking day. Have you ever look at anything I've done and think it's cool. I just want everyone to know what one imperfect person can do if they are dedicated to becoming better. And they're dedicated to sacrificing weaker versions of themselves on the altar of progress by the grace of God over the course of a lifetime. So that it's one of the most powerful things i You don't know how much weight you can lose. And you can really become dedicated to doing it and say, You know what, I've had enough stinking hamburgers, ice cream, you know what I'm going to do this next year, forget about 90 days, 21 days, I'm going hard in the paint at getting my six pack, I'm gonna die over it. And dude, there is nothing that can stop you. But you and that's kind of what I really want to, want people to know, man, that's almost always my messages like, You are the only thing every problem you're facing. There's been here humans who've done 100 times more with way less than anybody watching this podcast has got.. And so you've got to get real with yourself, you got to love yourself enough to be hard on yourself, by the grace of God, to bring the best out of yourself. And that's what I think this game is about your contribution you make from that and the power you gained from that lifestyle. That's the fight you got to if you were a warrior, especially that's a fight worth living and dying for. And that's a live every single day.

I agree with you 100%. Man, I deal with it all the time. Like even believe it or not my eight year old she's trying to do YouTube and I set her up in a room and, and she's she's afraid to go in there and sucking in being horrible at YouTube. And I told her tonight I said, Look, go in there and be horrible, be horrible, 10,15, 20,50 times whatever. Every single time it gets better. It gets better each and every time. And it's the same thing with me man ever since my first interview, to where I am now. I mean, I'm sitting in front of I'm sitting in front of an industry Titan right now I started out interviewing my dad in three episodes. And here I am, Byron Rogers on my podcast, man. So it's an honor to have you here and and it's an honor to have to hear your you know, your values and your accountability and where you stand and everything that your business is about. So I really appreciate appreciate that. And for anyone out there that's looking to get into the industry, I would say that a great place to start would be to scroll down to the to the show notes or the description and to click on his EP specialist.com website where it's going to show you what the league is all about the training itself. Do you have any other recommendations for folks that are interested in joining the security protection industry?

Nah, man, that is that is honestly it. I created this. I created that school from a place of being out there in the industry by myself and having to figure it out by myself. And I wasn't Secret Service or any of these other things, you know that people have built schools on. I was a dude that got out of the Marine Corps they got thrust into a giant into one of the most active private security details at age 21 It's the only job I've ever had and I you know, hit 60 countries in the first year. I built my career from the door bouncing as a bouncer in California and then I did it again in Florida I went right back to the door in Florida bouncing and built it all over again. So I I know it works. I've helped hundreds of agents get into this industry. I've helped a bunch of do transition from the military. I've helped a bunch of dudes from being baristas at Starbucks and be like, You know what I think I want to try to I have a protector in me and I hate my day job. So I want to try and be a professional projector. You know, and I've helped hundreds of law enforcement guys get into the one of the fastest growing industries and one of the most well compensated industries next to like the medical industry right now. In the world. All men is so cool because you don't have to go into like college debt to do it, which is like a thing. You're a veteran, not so much. But you know what I mean. So that's the way man and I will be with you every step of the way in your career, and you'll have a whole tribe of people doing your career with you, you'll never be alone again.

And for anyone out there who is meeting Byron, for the first time, you're not following them on any of his social media accounts, follow this man. You'll find his content extremely interesting. The captions will explain the lessons learned. And that's what I find most fascinating about him and I had to get him on the morning formation podcast once I found out that he's a combat Marine. Again, sort of under the shownotes you'll find is tick tock, you'll find his LinkedIn. You'll find his Instagram down there as well. Are you on Facebook?

I'm on YouTube, YouTube's The other big one because then you can watch everything and then Facebook. Yes, I am on Facebook. Well, that's like second and third line effects. You know, I mean, I have my fanpage there. That's probably where you get the most out of it. Yeah,

I'm not a real fan of Facebook. I think it's kind of the only thing Yeah, man. I'm not a big fan talk.

It's all about the gram and YouTube for me and tick bag. I don't know if I'm gonna survive on tick tock. I do too much gun stuff, bro. They're angling on me. They're hunting. You YouTube and iG I got a stronghold.

It was odd man. Last weekend, right after Thanksgiving, I got banned on on Instagram for no reason, like, literally lost my account for three days. Had to appeal it. And I don't even put anything on there. That was the weird thing. But I had heard that there's, I had heard I had heard that there's a group out there that that's doing that. That's somehow reporting, I guess profiles and accounts and things like that. So I had it back in three days. So I was like, what and boys because that's I put a lot of effort and a lot of time and energy into my Instagram. So yeah, 100% That's

why I got like five platforms on there. I'm like a chimera. Dude, I'll pop up in the next profile in 10 minutes. Yeah.

I need the coffee. You're drinking man. I love your energy man. And I love like the places that you've been, you and I have a lot in common actually, just over the years professionally, and looking forward to doing more work with you and connecting with you even more. So just want to thank you, man for giving me this opportunity tonight to interview you get into a little bit of know a little bit about your business. I'll make sure I put the link for your book down there as well as all your different websites that you because you're so involved in so many damn things. It's

thanks, man. It's an honor. And then yes, real quick. Since this is a veteran podcast, the book is finding meaning after the military. And it's really the tools I used during my transition going from, you know, the Marine Corps into the, into the first civilian division. And so if you're struggling with finding meaning, this book is really the tool that helped save my life one because I started that's a whole nother podcast. Because I was I was you know, I there's a little story there that I'm glad I survived. And or if you know a veteran who's struggling man that needs to find meaning because we it's all about finding that new fight. And then leveraging everything that we took from the military, into, you know, what can be very glorious, as in the civilian sector, the civilian life.

Yeah, yeah, most definitely. Man, we've all had our dark days. And at the end of the day, we have to be self aware enough to pull ourselves out of those dark days and find that light again. So I mean, we've all been there, I've been there. And, you know, check, check out the book, because if you know someone that's there, maybe you can help them out and help them pull them through. So, Byron, thank you so much for your time this evening. I really appreciate it man. You're a busy man. Thank you for all the value they provide for the podcast. I'm looking forward to connect with you even further. But for everyone else out there, all the listeners, thank you for listening. And as always, I want you to stay tuned, stay focused, and stay motivated. Warriors fall out.