I took some liberties with the articles title – the phrase is a comment made at a conference – not an EP conference, a Photographers conference; I substitute the word “Photographer” with the words “Protective Services”. This article will take you to a Blog which will lead you to a video, which will explain the phrase. Watching the video will require some time and thought.

At the end of the article I give my opinion, and it may not be palatable for some. But please keep in mind that you can un friend me – delete me – do whatever you like to do. – Please read on

This all started when Larry Snow suggested I look at a video on his Blog, and in the process saying it was about 40 minutes long – my first thought was, I’m not sure if I can concentrate that long on anything that did not involve cars or football. But I gave it a watch – and then I watched again with a note book taking notes. The speaker is not an EP guy; he is a photographer talking about Social Media at a photographer’s convention (I think). His talk is about Social Media, and how to effectively use it. But as I listened to the speaker it was apparent to me that his presentation was more about an individual trying to succeed in a difficult business – sound familiar? When he is talking about all the camera equipment he bought – substitute cameras equipment for guns – when he talks about taking pictures of toilets and telling folks he was a real-estate photographer – think about doing halls and walls or guarding a fence – or a car – He found success when he decided not to embellish what he did but to simply tell his story. The title of his presentation is – Tell Me Your Story, Don’t Sell It To Me
http://larrysnow.me/tell-me-your-story-dont-sell-it-to-me/

As I listen to his story it brought me back 40 years (a little bit before social media came into existence) to some painful and expensive lessons, and it brought me back to the first part of this month when I had a conversation with a kid who had graduated from an EP school about a year ago, and has found little work, and the troubles he was going through – also sound familiar. And by the way I get way too many of those types of phone calls. If you watch the video, and my guess is very few will, there are lessons to be learned.

My Opinions –
The Protective Services Business Calls Many – But Chooses Few – Hence

If you feel the business is calling you – check the caller ID – if it is coming from someone or some group that profit by you getting the call – check and double check.

If you truly want to do this for a living it is an honorable profession – but very difficult to succeed – not impossible – difficult. It requires perseverance – and cash flow to survive the lean times and there will be lean times.

Be careful who you take advice from – in the age of the internet it does not take long to find out an individual’s background.

Please keep in mind that it is the market that determines the knowledge; skill and experience needed to work in the industry – NOT the training provider.

Full disclosure – I am at a disadvantage when discussing the concept of attending a training program with the goal of entering the work environment with the skills and knowledge acquired from the training. For decades those that came to me and now go to VDI are working in the industry -The industry called and they were chosen.