In this episode, host Mark Ledlow is joined by James Hamilton, a former sheriff’s deputy and FBI special agent who spent 18 years with the Bureau, served on SWAT and the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and was selected in 2004 for the FBI Director’s protective detail under Director Mueller. Hamilton later became a Quantico tactical instructor and created a 10-day protection school used by agencies including NSA and CIA. Influenced by Gavin de Becker’s books The Gift of Fear and Just Two Seconds, he joined de Becker’s firm and now serves as Senior Vice President overseeing quality, licensing, training, and equipment for roughly 650 protectors. He emphasizes fundamentals over firearms-heavy training, focusing on time/distance, evacuation, interpersonal skills, professional presentation, and robust medical training (CPR/AED, first aid, TCCC, quarterly refreshers). The discussion also covers liability insurance, 1099 work concerns, California self-defense standards, confidentiality and social media risks, and how 2020 unrest and police defunding may increase demand for private security.

Learn about all this and more in this episode of The Fearless Mindset Podcast.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Medical skills over firearms: EP professionals use medical kits 60 times per quarter vs. rarely drawing weapons - invest in comprehensive medical training (CPR, AED, TCCC, trauma care)
• Two seconds principle: Research shows ~2 seconds between moment of commitment and moment of recognition in attacks - understanding time and distance is critical
• Cover and evacuate: Default response should be protecting the principal and evacuation, not engaging threats or "getting drawn out" into crowds
• Professional presentation matters: CEOs notice quality - invest in interpersonal skills, nice clothes, polished shoes, and personal fitness
• No preemptive shootings in US EP history: Study of 1400+ attacks shows no documented case where US close protection stopped an attack preemptively with firearms
• Insurance is non-negotiable: Operating without professional liability insurance in 2020's legal climate is reckless - you're judged by civilian defensive standards, not law enforcement
• Confidentiality kills careers: Social media selfies and public disclosures destroy the trust-based protector-client relationship
• Position over firepower: Most attacks fail because protectors are out of position, not under-armed - distance and proximity matter more than weaponry

QUOTES

• "There's about two seconds between the moment of commitment when the assailant commits to the act...and the moment of recognition, that's when the protected person or the protectors get their head around what's happening."
• "We have 650 some odd bodyguards and we routinely go into our medical bags 60 times a quarter...and we're rarely drawing weapons."
• "If you can only do one, go to the principal. If you go out into the crowd...it's one to three, one to four, one to five, you could get drawn out into something and you lose sight of the principle."
• "I do not believe that bodyguards or protectors wake up in the morning and say, 'Hey, I wanna fail today.' Maybe they haven't been properly trained. Maybe they're mentally not prepared."
• "They always say that. They're like, man, I couldn't get there fast enough. I saw it happening."
• "The protectee protector relationship is based on trust. You can't really buy it. You gotta earn it, and you definitely don't earn it by blabbing your mouth."
• "These folks that hire us are discerning people. They know quality, they understand professionalism. And they don't suffer fools."
• "This isn't the government. They will fire you tomorrow. There's no union protection in the EP industry."

Get to know more about James Hamilton through the link/s below.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-hamilton-752894104/

To hear more episodes of The Fearless Mindset podcast, you can go to https://the-fearless-mindset.simplecast.com/ or listen on major podcasting platforms such as Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify, etc. You can also subscribe to the Fearless Mindset YouTube Channel to watch episodes on video.

In this episode, host Mark Ledlow is joined by Scott Ware, a senior recruiter at Amazon and former Microsoft recruiter who supported 11 Xbox organizations, about transitioning to Amazon just before COVID-19 sent employees remote and extended work-from-home into January. Ware explains Amazon’s leadership culture, his role hiring product leaders across about 15 consumer organizations, and notes large-scale hiring during COVID-19 (including tens of thousands of warehouse, delivery, and corporate roles) alongside smaller contractor adjustments such as DDSP layoffs. They discuss remote onboarding, productivity gains, and work-life balance. Ware shares hiring advice and red flags (resume/LinkedIn mismatches, frequent job hopping, overly long resumes), explains degree requirements versus equivalent experience and certifications, outlines the interview process (phone screens plus a five-interviewer loop), and emphasizes preparing with Amazon’s 14 leadership principles, especially customer obsession.

Learn about all this and more in this episode of The Fearless Mindset Podcast.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Amazon hired 175,000+ new positions in 2020 (75,000 + 100,000), making them one of the largest employers during COVID-19
• Remote work has increased productivity - eliminating commute time allows better work-life balance and mental space
• Certifications matter as much as degrees - Microsoft certifications, Udemy courses, and equivalent experience can substitute for bachelor's degrees
• Interview prep is critical - Amazon's full loop includes 5 one-hour interviews testing 14 leadership principles
• Customer obsession drives success - prioritizing customer needs over profits creates long-term sustainability
• Career consistency beats job hopping - stay 2+ years to prove yourself before moving
• Keep resumes concise (2-4 pages max) with data points, not paragraphs
• 2020 is a year of forced change - use disruption to expand interests, develop talents, and eliminate distractions

QUOTES

• "If you can do right by who your customer is... you don't make a profit unless you do right by the customer."
• "Do more for others than they can do for themselves." - Zig Ziglar quote (adopted by Scott)
• "The best time to start a new business is right after a market crash." - Robert Kiyosaki
• "2020 is a year of forced change... when you take a step back... you're being forced to change and learn new things - that's good."
• "High tide raises all ships."
• "The biggest leaders are the biggest servers of all."
• "It was never necessarily about making money. It was about doing right by the customer." - Jeff Bezos philosophy

Get to know more about Scott Thomas Ware through the link/s below.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott%E2%98%81ware/

To hear more episodes of The Fearless Mindset podcast, you can go to https://the-fearless-mindset.simplecast.com/ or listen on major podcasting platforms such as Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify, etc. You can also subscribe to the Fearless Mindset YouTube Channel to watch episodes on video.

In this episode, host Mark Ledlow is joined by Robert Lamm, a Montana rancher, Marine veteran, and security professional they met on a confidential Northern California disaster project. Robert recounts joining the Marine Corps in 1999, deploying with 2/1 and a special-operations-capable unit, then serving in a security platoon supporting special operations across Southeast Asia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. After leaving the Marines, he guided hunts, then entered State Department contracting with Blackwater and Triple Canopy, later working nearly 10 years in Afghanistan, including base security, threat assessments, and training local nationals; he describes attacks, a VBIED blast injury, and concerns about TBI. He discusses executive protection work, industry backstabbing, and the importance of networking and teamwork. Now lead instructor at Tactic MT and director of training for Veterans Covert Protection Group, he focuses on mindset, firearms safety, soft skills, and raising security standards amid COVID, unrest, and ammo shortages.

Learn about all this and more in this episode of The Fearless Mindset Podcast.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Security industry success depends on networking and consistent performance - every detail is an interview
• Teamwork and supporting colleagues during difficult times is essential in high-stress environments
• Mindset determines survival - refusing to "go quietly" and maintaining mental resilience is critical
• The security industry needs to evolve beyond 1980s-90s standards with better training and professionalism
• Training should cover both hard skills (firearms) and soft skills (communication, medical, client service)
• Families and clients increasingly want consistency in security personnel rather than constant turnover
• Americans need to take personal responsibility for their safety and not rely solely on authorities
• Living each day as if it's your last is both a strength and challenge for veterans transitioning to civilian life
• Real security training must include mindset preparation, not just technical skills
• Unity and helping each other matters more than political divisions

QUOTES

• "You're only as good as your last detail" - on reputation in executive protection
• "Your network is your net worth in this industry"
• "Every firearm made is to kill another person easier than they can kill you" - on honest mindset training
• "One mind, any weapon" - Marine Corps philosophy on adaptability
• "If any politician's mouth is moving, he's lying"
• "It boils down to your team - that's what you're really there for"
• "We've gone from love to hate" - on social media and division
• "I'm not gonna go quietly" - on survival mindset
• "If you don't have the mindset, all you're doing is learning to sport shoot"
• "We're social creatures - they're playing us from both sides"

Get to know more about Robert Lamm through the links below.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddiegarciava/

To hear more episodes of The Fearless Mindset podcast, you can go to https://the-fearless-mindset.simplecast.com/ or listen on major podcasting platforms such as Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify, etc. You can also subscribe to the Fearless Mindset YouTube Channel to watch episodes on video.