Episode 46
[Short Circuit] Relationship Building and Making a Contribution | Byron Rodgers
Why should protectors care about building relationships within the EP community with people who could be considered competitors? And what’s wrong with plain old networking?
This week, Elijah is back with another Short Circuit and is joined by good friend and industry personality, Byron Rodgers.
In this episode the two discuss a wide range of industry topics, with a focus on how relationships are the key to longevity in executive protection and as Byron puts it…
“You're going to make mistakes but what’s going to keep you alive? Relationship equity.”
So, regardless of what stage of your career you’re at, listen in to this week’s show to hear what you could be missing out on by not building more meaningful relationships.
Topics discussed include:
What is the difference between networking and relationship building? Why does it matter?
How protectors can gain abundance within the industry by adopting a less defensive attitude.
What Protectors can do, and what initiatives exist, to improve your industry network.
Tune in for this entertaining and mindset changing discussion.
More about Byron:
Byron Rodgers is a notable private security professional who has grown up in the executive protection industry. He’s the CEO of Bravo Research Group a boutique private security company out of Southern California. The founder of the first international executive protection online career success ecosystem “The League of Executive Protection Specialists.” The host of the Executive Protection Lifestyle podcast which has emerged to be the largest body of free digital content in the executive protection industry. The president of Protector Nation where he works with some of the worlds most elite protectors to educate people of all walks of life on all things protection at the highest levels. He holds a masters of psychology and lives to empower others too unlock their potential and reach professional or life goals through mentorship and real world educational products.
Executive Protection Lifestyle
More about the Circuit:
The Circuit Magazine is written and produced by volunteers, most of who are operationally active, working full time in the security industry. The magazine is a product of their combined passion and desire to give something back to the industry. By subscribing to the magazine you are helping to keep it going into the future. Find out more >
If you liked this podcast, we have an accompanying weekly newsletter called 'On the Circuit' where we take a deeper dive into the wider industry. Opt in here >
The Circuit team is:
- Elijah Shaw
- Jon Moss
- Shaun West
- Phelim Rowe
Connect with Us:
Transcript
I know that I'm disruptive and I really, I look at it as an honor
Byron Rodgers:because my end game is to contribute.
Byron Rodgers:What I want to do is get skills to the practitioner on the ground and restore
Byron Rodgers:honor back to our honorable service.
Elijah Shaw:Alright.
Elijah Shaw:So short-circuit a little spin off of the circuit podcasts at which me, Elijah
Elijah Shaw:Shaw, cause I'm never around, I'm going to do my own little mini podcasts.
Elijah Shaw:And I decided that I could something to podcasts.
Elijah Shaw:I could bring my friends up and so.
Elijah Shaw:Today I got a really special guest is a good friend of mine.
Elijah Shaw:he's also a podcast, so this is great because I get to turn the tables on them.
Elijah Shaw:Uh, he's had me on his show quite a few times or whatever.
Elijah Shaw:So now I get to, I get to ask all of the probing questions, but really
Elijah Shaw:what that means is we just going to laugh this whole episode, but I've got
Elijah Shaw:Byron Rodgers who is the CEO of Bravo research group, and also the founder.
Elijah Shaw:And of the executive protection lifestyle and under the executive
Elijah Shaw:protection lifestyle, we've got a lot of different branches, which
Elijah Shaw:is the things that we talked into.
Elijah Shaw:I mean, you've got to a school, you know, you, you, you've got, you've
Elijah Shaw:got a league, which I don't even know if we see it, get to that point yet.
Elijah Shaw:So we've got, we got a few different things, right?
Byron Rodgers:Yeah, man.
Byron Rodgers:I've been busy, busy, busy, but it's an honor to be here, man.
Byron Rodgers:It's always so cool to spend time with you man, digitally or in person.
Elijah Shaw:That's fire.
Byron Rodgers:Thanks for having me.
Byron Rodgers:Boom.
Elijah Shaw:So thank you, bro.
Elijah Shaw:Again, glad to have you on the short circuit.
Elijah Shaw:And I want to just jump right into
Elijah Shaw:it.
Elijah Shaw:But what I want to do is is, is how we've done in the past is I've got three
Elijah Shaw:rapid fire questions they don't require.
Elijah Shaw:Yeah, exactly
Elijah Shaw:bro.
Elijah Shaw:They don't acquire,
Byron Rodgers:ain't even seen these questions.
Elijah Shaw:which was intentional, bro.
Elijah Shaw:Uh, uh, they don't require a whole bunch of thought, but you know,
Elijah Shaw:just tell me like the first thing that comes to mind or whatever.
Elijah Shaw:Um, so the first one is.
Elijah Shaw:What's one thing that you love about the industry.
Byron Rodgers:Oh,
Elijah Shaw:So he wasn't
Elijah Shaw:hard.
Byron Rodgers:You know what I love about EP, man?
Byron Rodgers:Well, geez, man, I'll try and make this quick.
Byron Rodgers:Like I love that I'm a warrior at heart.
Byron Rodgers:You know, I always believe that in every warrior civilization, there's
Byron Rodgers:a special class of individuals that were set aside, given more
Byron Rodgers:training, like the Patreon guard.
Byron Rodgers:Speak to protect the nobility of the time.
Byron Rodgers:So I also think that no greater love than this and a man that would
Byron Rodgers:lay down his life for another.
Byron Rodgers:So ethos for protection is so much deeper than the client I'm with.
Byron Rodgers:It's like, this is who I am.
Byron Rodgers:This is what I do.
Byron Rodgers:And it's given me an excuse to really let that warrior ethos I have from the Marine
Byron Rodgers:Corps, uh, live on in my everyday life.
Byron Rodgers:And it's kept
Elijah Shaw:Okay.
Byron Rodgers:desk job.
Byron Rodgers:And right now you've got a desk that's a few.
Elijah Shaw:I got you.
Elijah Shaw:Okay.
Elijah Shaw:So, so basically saying this is Sparta,
Byron Rodgers:Yeah, exactly.
Byron Rodgers:Exactly, man.
Byron Rodgers:This is the new spotter right up in here.
Elijah Shaw:What's the professor, right?
Elijah Shaw:I get it.
Elijah Shaw:I get it.
Elijah Shaw:Okay.
Elijah Shaw:So the second question is, is almost the inverse of that, but you know, it
Elijah Shaw:is, you know, if, you know, if I gave you a magic wand and you could wave it
Elijah Shaw:and change one thing about the industry that, you know, I don't even wanna say,
Elijah Shaw:Hey, that you dislike or gear that you, that you wish change could come to.
Elijah Shaw:What do you think that would be
Byron Rodgers:Man.
Byron Rodgers:There's a few that I got like three in my head already.
Elijah Shaw:now?
Elijah Shaw:You get one, bro.
Elijah Shaw:You get one.
Byron Rodgers:Out, uh, you know, I would have to there's two major ones, but I'll
Byron Rodgers:go with the one that really causes me the most pain, which is, you know, it
Byron Rodgers:can be in, in Christian West, said it best as can be the most unfair industry.
Byron Rodgers:Um, at least that I've ever known in terms of I've seen good dudes in this game, get
Byron Rodgers:sent home over things that clients just, yo, does this do it smell like mechanic?
Byron Rodgers:Uh, no, sir.
Byron Rodgers:He smells like a mechanic.
Byron Rodgers:Get 'em out of here.
Byron Rodgers:Make sure he doesn't bleed on the carpet on the way out.
Byron Rodgers:Like it can just be cutthroat, like, uh, no, sir.
Byron Rodgers:Well, I think someone did that guy forced seat over, get them out of here.
Byron Rodgers:You know what I'm saying?
Byron Rodgers:He'll never be on the jet again and you're like, whoa.
Byron Rodgers:You know, like it can be.
Byron Rodgers:Boom done, you know, curtains and I seen good dudes that I would go to war with
Byron Rodgers:shoulder to shoulder with, you know, not make it because the things that I,
Byron Rodgers:I personally know we could have worked through, you know, that's huge for me,
Byron Rodgers:cause I'm all about my guys, you know?
Elijah Shaw:And I guess the other parts of that too, is also a challenge
Elijah Shaw:explaining to them, you know, you know, Hey man, it's, it's not really you,
Elijah Shaw:but still you're getting on his plate.
Elijah Shaw:I got to buy you this ticket.
Elijah Shaw:Oh, you
Elijah Shaw:know?
Byron Rodgers:We got to leave you on the tarmac.
Elijah Shaw:Yeah.
Elijah Shaw:No, that's a real one, bro.
Elijah Shaw:I could see
Elijah Shaw:that.
Elijah Shaw:Okay.
Elijah Shaw:So now I'm getting really switch gears on you.
Elijah Shaw:Okay.
Elijah Shaw:All right.
Elijah Shaw:So I need you to name one person past.
Byron Rodgers:Okay.
Elijah Shaw:Living or dead that you would have liked to, or want
Elijah Shaw:to provide protective services.
Elijah Shaw:So
Byron Rodgers:Wow.
Elijah Shaw:somebody you wish you would have, like, you know, if I
Elijah Shaw:was born in this era or something.
Elijah Shaw:Yeah.
Byron Rodgers:man.
Byron Rodgers:I got three in my head right now.
Elijah Shaw:you get one bro.
Byron Rodgers:I oh man.
Byron Rodgers:I can't just, okay.
Byron Rodgers:So it would be, I mean, it would be between if I was going to make a decision
Byron Rodgers:because I have three archetypes that I really, really love and I think it
Byron Rodgers:would probably be boom, I'd be going between, uh, my modem Musashi and Julius.
Byron Rodgers:Ooh, or maybe even Jesus, that'd be gangster
Elijah Shaw:Wow.
Elijah Shaw:Okay.
Elijah Shaw:Okay.
Byron Rodgers:in my head know, but yeah, with the warrior ethos, man, I
Byron Rodgers:mean the things you can learn shadow in my modem Musashi and the letting him
Byron Rodgers:get in his, you know, like, like, and I mean, yeah, that'd be just one of those.
Byron Rodgers:Yeah.
Elijah Shaw:Okay.
Elijah Shaw:All right.
Elijah Shaw:I might edit out two of them like put the little, the little bleep or
Byron Rodgers:I over-deliver man, it's a side effect, you know?
Elijah Shaw:I got about you.
Elijah Shaw:Just, you just got to just keep pushing the
Byron Rodgers:Yeah.
Elijah Shaw:Right.
Elijah Shaw:All right.
Elijah Shaw:So, so, know, here, I really want to kind of get into the meat and potatoes.
Elijah Shaw:And one of the we do in a short circuit is we try and drill down on the topic.
Byron Rodgers:Um,
Elijah Shaw:And, and what I want to talk to you about relationships in EP, and
Elijah Shaw:reason I want to talk to you about it, because I think you do kind of a masterful
Elijah Shaw:job in, in kind of managing relationships and, you know, you know, dealing with this
Elijah Shaw:group here and dealing with this group here and bringing these groups together.
Elijah Shaw:So, I guess I'll first, I'll start off by saying like, you know, you know, why
Elijah Shaw:is forging a stripping relationships between protectors important?
Byron Rodgers:Yeah, man.
Byron Rodgers:It's the cheat code, man.
Byron Rodgers:It is because
Elijah Shaw:Um,
Byron Rodgers:be got.
Byron Rodgers:So what I talk about when I talk about the hidden artist,
Byron Rodgers:success in executive protection dynamics of executive protection.
Byron Rodgers:I believe that's the.
Byron Rodgers:My first detail.
Byron Rodgers:Uh, we started with 13 guys.
Byron Rodgers:We drilled it down to two dudes were traveling the country.
Byron Rodgers:60 some countries, countries in one year was insane.
Byron Rodgers:Did that for seven years, know, started with 13 dudes.
Byron Rodgers:I saw 30, some dudes come through and audition for this position.
Byron Rodgers:Uh, as one other guy to work next to me in Cali.
Byron Rodgers:every time one of these dudes would show up, they'd be like this dudes,
Byron Rodgers:you know, retired law enforcement, Navy seal, secret service.
Byron Rodgers:Like these dudes are bigger and badder than me.
Byron Rodgers:They're dudes.
Byron Rodgers:I wanted to be, but I started to realize.
Byron Rodgers:Well, I thought they were going to take my spot every time.
Byron Rodgers:Like every single time I was like, that's it I'm 21.
Byron Rodgers:I just got a wrinkle on the Google.
Byron Rodgers:Am I right?
Byron Rodgers:So, but I started to realize that there's so much to be said, there's an
Byron Rodgers:allergy to why I ended up staying there.
Byron Rodgers:There's an art form.
Byron Rodgers:Do I end up seeing their crystallized?
Byron Rodgers:When rebuilt my books in Florida started from being a bounce, started from being a
Byron Rodgers:bouncer and Kelly built my career, right.
Byron Rodgers:Went to Florida, took what I learned in Cali reapplied.
Byron Rodgers:It built my career up in Florida.
Byron Rodgers:Again, came back to Kelly, did it all over again.
Byron Rodgers:And what I learned was.
Byron Rodgers:Social dynamics and building relationships.
Byron Rodgers:Business is the commerce of relationships.
Byron Rodgers:Everything that comes in and out of your life and your, and your
Byron Rodgers:business, especially is relationships.
Byron Rodgers:The money you can make in this industry is the fruit that comes from your
Byron Rodgers:relationships, but never choose the money over the relationship because all of
Byron Rodgers:that comes from that relationship equity.
Byron Rodgers:You're able to have your ability to influence this is a
Byron Rodgers:relationship, a relational game.
Byron Rodgers:The ability to influence.
Byron Rodgers:And one of the huge things I try to teach my teams and I teach at my school
Byron Rodgers:is how to influence an environment of cooperation over competition on
Byron Rodgers:the detail and with all of the other auxiliary staff members in the game,
Byron Rodgers:got to be thinking we just, the dudes, and it's just us against the world and
Byron Rodgers:it's not, it needs to be all of the.
Byron Rodgers:Working together to get a superior product to our principals and clients.
Byron Rodgers:Right.
Byron Rodgers:know, that's why I call my company.
Byron Rodgers:The element of security is a periodic table.
Byron Rodgers:These clients are sitting here and experienced, right.
Byron Rodgers:We're just one element on the chart.
Byron Rodgers:You know what I'm saying?
Elijah Shaw:I'm tracking.
Byron Rodgers:you know, so, so the, the relational aspect of this game, I seem to.
Byron Rodgers:Uh, I'm not the biggest, I'm not the strongest.
Byron Rodgers:I'm not the best.
Byron Rodgers:I ain't the sexiest, you know, I mean, I didn't even really get my six packs.
Byron Rodgers:Like I, you know, but I've been able to really win I have focused on the
Byron Rodgers:relationship aspect and the influence and the cultural equity you can have
Byron Rodgers:with your principals and clients and artillery, staff members in environment.
Byron Rodgers:And those fears of relationships.
Byron Rodgers:I talk about when I talk about social dynamics and you'll,
Byron Rodgers:you're gonna make mistakes.
Byron Rodgers:going to keep you alive.
Byron Rodgers:Relationship equity.
Elijah Shaw:Sure right.
Byron Rodgers:their principals and clients comfortable with you, equity.
Byron Rodgers:You know what I'm saying?
Byron Rodgers:what's going to make it so that nanny doesn't, uh, give you the dagger when
Byron Rodgers:the client or principal walked, when the Pete walks in the house and was like,
Byron Rodgers:yo, about this Byron cat, you know what?
Byron Rodgers:I made a wrong turn today.
Byron Rodgers:She's going to be like either he's a jerk.
Byron Rodgers:And he thinks he's top flight security of the world, or she's going to be like,
Byron Rodgers:you know, He may have made a mistake, but Byron, I think he's a really good guy.
Byron Rodgers:He's, he's the right guy for the job.
Byron Rodgers:He's probably kicking himself right now, you know, but, but I think you should
Byron Rodgers:definitely, you know, give him a chance to let him grow into the position.
Byron Rodgers:Um, I find that relationship equity and being able to forge relationships even.
Byron Rodgers:And my P even amongst other EAP, uh, companies in my area, I find a lot of
Byron Rodgers:value in having those relationships because we share dudes, we share info.
Byron Rodgers:I just got bit, cause I didn't know who somebody was.
Byron Rodgers:And I talked to my guy afterwards and he's like, yo, that guy and
Byron Rodgers:you know, go ahead and meditate.
Byron Rodgers:You got some,
Elijah Shaw:No, no, but no, because that's actually where you ended
Elijah Shaw:at was, was where I wanted to go
Byron Rodgers:yeah.
Elijah Shaw:was, you know, I think because I think the majority of, of, of
Elijah Shaw:listens to the show are in the profession or would like to get into the profession.
Elijah Shaw:And I think everybody gets the, or, or can see the logic of in, Hey, we do.
Elijah Shaw:Establish a relationship with the protectee staff, you know, uh, you
Elijah Shaw:know, w with the C suite with the other, with the assistant, the other
Elijah Shaw:people that are making the decisions.
Elijah Shaw:But I think historically amongst protectors were kind of a, you know,
Elijah Shaw:kind of a doggy dog kind of world.
Byron Rodgers:like Highlander
Elijah Shaw:know what I mean, Highlander?
Elijah Shaw:Yeah.
Elijah Shaw:We talked about this.
Elijah Shaw:They out there could only be one.
Byron Rodgers:that job's going to live forever.
Elijah Shaw:This is what I mean, like, you know, it's w whereas where competitive
Elijah Shaw:in theory, because we think that's the only way we're going to get this client,
Elijah Shaw:only way we're going to keep this client.
Elijah Shaw:so I, you know, I need to have this tactical advantage, and that means that
Elijah Shaw:I have to keep everything close to my
Byron Rodgers:right.
Elijah Shaw:or, or I, I can assist, or I can't help you out.
Elijah Shaw:Or I, you know, I can't problem solve with you because.
Elijah Shaw:It might take something away
Byron Rodgers:I'm off my plate.
Elijah Shaw:And so again, the thing that I want to give you kudos for
Elijah Shaw:is that I think you've done a really great job at navigating that space.
Elijah Shaw:you know, what's the secret, you know, how have you found
Byron Rodgers:You really want the secret y'all I'm finna give you
Byron Rodgers:the secret sauce, you know, the
Byron Rodgers:beautiful baby, not these types of tricks about this stuff.
Byron Rodgers:And it's, you know, it's like when Jesus would be like, let him move
Byron Rodgers:as ears to hear, let him hear.
Byron Rodgers:He's like, basically I'm a Dumble put you on game, but
Byron Rodgers:some of y'all ain't going to be to, yeah, exactly.
Byron Rodgers:Some of y'all just, ain't going to be able to accept it.
Byron Rodgers:I mean, or understand it, you know, like people.
Byron Rodgers:Here based on where they're at in their development and all these
Byron Rodgers:internal gears, inner psychic world, like mental metabolism stuff.
Byron Rodgers:Right.
Byron Rodgers:So really it's an abundance mindset, man.
Byron Rodgers:That's really what it is.
Byron Rodgers:So when I am linking up with other companies, it's always like,
Byron Rodgers:yo, how can we help each other?
Byron Rodgers:Like.
Byron Rodgers:Let's make sure that we supporting each other.
Byron Rodgers:When I get that gig, I got a call for a gig with like 50,
Byron Rodgers:50 dudes earlier this year.
Byron Rodgers:And you know, you don't mean, man, I'm a hammer.
Byron Rodgers:I'm going to figure it out.
Byron Rodgers:I'll build a parachute on the way down.
Byron Rodgers:Right.
Byron Rodgers:But there's this moment where I'm like, yo, I'm going to need all my
Byron Rodgers:dogs and all my other PPO is that I know, you know, during the, during,
Byron Rodgers:um, COVID during the riots, man, we're, we're getting slammed workout.
Byron Rodgers:I couldn't even, I could, I had to give work away, you know, but I was so
Byron Rodgers:blessed that I had other PPO in the area.
Byron Rodgers:I can like, yo, you got a few guys, you got anybody.
Byron Rodgers:And I was able to band together when we're vetting guys, I hit up a few
Byron Rodgers:of the other peoples in the area.
Byron Rodgers:So there's a lot and we respect each other instead of fight each other.
Byron Rodgers:So inviting.
Byron Rodgers:Of competition over cooperation.
Byron Rodgers:Our environments have higher attrition environments of cooperation
Byron Rodgers:over competition or environments where we can thrive more easily.
Byron Rodgers:You go watch the discovery channel.
Byron Rodgers:Everyone talks about survivor fitness, you know, that's cool.
Byron Rodgers:And we all hard, right.
Byron Rodgers:But if you watch the discovery channel tonight and, uh, my man, my man, uh,
Byron Rodgers:Darwin, this was another theory you spoke about, which was, you know,
Byron Rodgers:You watch the pack of Gazelles.
Byron Rodgers:The lion is looking for its elimination of the weakest survival of the pack, right?
Byron Rodgers:So me and the other PPO is out here in Southern California.
Byron Rodgers:We stay in our lanes.
Byron Rodgers:I hear that this dudes work for that company.
Byron Rodgers:I respect that.
Byron Rodgers:I always respect that.
Byron Rodgers:You know, they hear the same thing.
Byron Rodgers:So I have more protection for my guys out there in the field.
Byron Rodgers:There's less companies trying to steal them.
Byron Rodgers:And then at the same time, we're, cross-reference in all kinds of stuff.
Byron Rodgers:We respect each other's content.
Byron Rodgers:Yeah, I'm saying it too.
Byron Rodgers:It actually creates a lot more stability.
Byron Rodgers:It is just seriously the results you get from an abundance mindset
Byron Rodgers:rather than a mindset of scarcity.
Elijah Shaw:So, so, well, I mean, that was, that was a lot to unpack
Elijah Shaw:and I think that was great, bro.
Elijah Shaw:No.
Elijah Shaw:I just thought we were going to be cracking jokes this whole time.
Elijah Shaw:But, uh, but, but you know, you're just saying there's a simple fix of
Elijah Shaw:this, which is just changed your way of
Byron Rodgers:Yes, that's it?
Byron Rodgers:Yeah.
Byron Rodgers:And it's, counter-intuitive, it's a little counterintuitive because
Byron Rodgers:at face value, you're like, all right, we're in competition.
Byron Rodgers:It's like, nah, man, let's get to know each other.
Byron Rodgers:Let's find out what are your property lines?
Byron Rodgers:You know what I mean?
Byron Rodgers:Like, what are the, where, where do you exist?
Byron Rodgers:You know?
Byron Rodgers:And, and if I get a client or something big happens in their space or something
Byron Rodgers:like that, I can hit my doodle being like, You know, I've been respecting you.
Byron Rodgers:You're respecting me.
Byron Rodgers:This opens the door for us to have a much higher quality dialogue.
Byron Rodgers:How you dealing with this man?
Byron Rodgers:I got a client that wants me to do the same type of stuff
Byron Rodgers:you've been doing, you know, and
Elijah Shaw:Right, right,
Byron Rodgers:to take food off their plate and, and vice versa.
Byron Rodgers:So they're like, yo, this is this, these are my cheat codes.
Elijah Shaw:right.
Byron Rodgers:it's been really valuable.
Elijah Shaw:Nah, I get that, bro.
Elijah Shaw:And you know, you and I we've had conversations, many conversations
Elijah Shaw:offline, you know, about similar.
Elijah Shaw:Uh, and, and I know it's been successful for you.
Elijah Shaw:You know, th th there's there's there's, there's tangible proof is quantifiable
Elijah Shaw:proof that it's been successful for you.
Elijah Shaw:So when, so when someone goes, it can't be done or how's he doing it, you just
Elijah Shaw:told them how you're doing it, you know, but here's the other piece too, as well.
Elijah Shaw:And, and we haven't talked about this before, so, you know, you
Elijah Shaw:don't have to agree with this.
Elijah Shaw:I, I think that, you know, everyone uses this term.
Byron Rodgers:Oh yeah.
Elijah Shaw:And, and, but I think that networking and building relationships
Elijah Shaw:aren't necessarily the same thing.
Elijah Shaw:You agree with this?
Elijah Shaw:Okay.
Elijah Shaw:All right.
Elijah Shaw:All right.
Elijah Shaw:We'll get, we haven't talked about this before, but what's your
Elijah Shaw:thoughts?
Byron Rodgers:man.
Byron Rodgers:So really to go more transparent under that last principle, the gentlemen, all
Byron Rodgers:the other PPO is in the environment.
Byron Rodgers:They're guys that I have a deeper relationship with.
Byron Rodgers:They
Elijah Shaw:Hmm.
Byron Rodgers:they understand my ethos.
Byron Rodgers:You understand what honor.
Byron Rodgers:You know,
Elijah Shaw:Mm.
Byron Rodgers:we're not just business relationships.
Byron Rodgers:Now I can meet another PPO and we can build a relationship like this, these
Byron Rodgers:are guys that I shoot with and train with that are on the same trajectory as me.
Byron Rodgers:He just happens to be in the same space very often.
Byron Rodgers:Right.
Byron Rodgers:Um, you know, networking is like, Hey, we met at an event and we
Byron Rodgers:have each other's phone numbers.
Byron Rodgers:We said we could be assets to each other.
Elijah Shaw:Sure.
Byron Rodgers:a professional reciprocal relationship probably at some time.
Byron Rodgers:You know what I'm saying?
Byron Rodgers:Now, actually building related.
Byron Rodgers:Mind you I'm always going for the relationship though.
Elijah Shaw:Right.
Byron Rodgers:know, obviously I keep my inner circle really small, but,
Byron Rodgers:um, real value comes from relationship equity, which is really trust, you
Byron Rodgers:know, so the networking is superficial until I can really establish trust.
Byron Rodgers:And once the trust starts to happen, this is when doors start opening for you and
Byron Rodgers:more doors in your mental very often.
Elijah Shaw:that's sort of, networking is kind of the introduction
Elijah Shaw:and then a vetting process has to
Byron Rodgers:Yes.
Elijah Shaw:And then you build that
Byron Rodgers:Right.
Byron Rodgers:Which comes from experience just like confidence.
Byron Rodgers:You know what I'm saying?
Byron Rodgers:It's like, oh, you're arrogant.
Byron Rodgers:No, no, no.
Byron Rodgers:I have experiences with myself that validate my capabilities and that's
Elijah Shaw:right.
Byron Rodgers:If I was guessing it'd be and that's trust in
Byron Rodgers:a relationship, you know?
Byron Rodgers:So that's kinda how I approach it, but I'm always going for, for relationship.
Elijah Shaw:And because of that.
Elijah Shaw:I think some people get a little bit lost on why they can't skip a step.
Byron Rodgers:Hmm.
Elijah Shaw:You know, Hey, I met Byron at an event.
Byron Rodgers:Yeah,
Elijah Shaw:I gave him my card.
Elijah Shaw:How, how, yeah, how come he hasn't called me for this
Byron Rodgers:yeah.
Elijah Shaw:Like, you know, I networked with them, you know what I mean?
Elijah Shaw:I passed out too many cards, you
Byron Rodgers:Yes.
Elijah Shaw:So, so, they, they missed that part,
Byron Rodgers:Oh yeah.
Elijah Shaw:know, You could have a whole bunch of numbers in your iPhone
Byron Rodgers:Yeah, followers on Instagram, Instagram, but LinkedIn,
Byron Rodgers:you can follow everybody on LinkedIn.
Byron Rodgers:They could have followed you back, you know?
Elijah Shaw:Yeah.
Elijah Shaw:But, but if you need to call up that firepower, star power, you know, Hey,
Elijah Shaw:I need a hard vehicle and, you know, uh, uh, Guatemala, you know, whatever
Elijah Shaw:that piece is, those are relationships.
Byron Rodgers:Yes.
Byron Rodgers:Yeah.
Elijah Shaw:Uh, and, and relationships are going to have
Elijah Shaw:you go the extra mile for someone,
Byron Rodgers:Yup.
Elijah Shaw:uh, or vice versa.
Byron Rodgers:Yes.
Elijah Shaw:someone being a network is wonderful, but, but again, there's
Elijah Shaw:stages and there's a process here.
Elijah Shaw:I give you an example.
Byron Rodgers:Yeah,
Elijah Shaw:Um, you know, one of the things that you've done again, kudos to
Elijah Shaw:you for this is that you created this
Byron Rodgers:yeah.
Elijah Shaw:protectors symposium
Byron Rodgers:sir.
Elijah Shaw:at, you know, so you did a symposium.
Elijah Shaw:What do you want?
Elijah Shaw:3.0 right
Byron Rodgers:We just dropped 4.0, we're building five point.
Byron Rodgers:Oh right now.
Elijah Shaw:Positive.
Elijah Shaw:Right.
Elijah Shaw:So
Byron Rodgers:Yeah,
Elijah Shaw:but but
Byron Rodgers:no worries.
Elijah Shaw:but part of, of, of, of, of, this, this entity here are
Elijah Shaw:the speakers that you bring to it
Byron Rodgers:Yeah.
Byron Rodgers:You're talking about relationships now.
Byron Rodgers:That's exactly what you're talking about, right?
Elijah Shaw:That's where I'm getting, that's what I'm getting at here.
Elijah Shaw:You know
Byron Rodgers:Yes.
Elijah Shaw:And you know, you know, not to say these guys are
Elijah Shaw:speaking for free or anything, like.
Byron Rodgers:Those are not.
Elijah Shaw:they're, they're answering your call.
Byron Rodgers:Yes.
Byron Rodgers:Yes.
Elijah Shaw:reason they're saying I can carve this time out of my schedule for a
Byron Rodgers:Right.
Elijah Shaw:And that reason I would attribute and you can tell me if I'm
Elijah Shaw:wrong is because of the strength of the relationships you've developed.
Byron Rodgers:Yes, it's I think it's too full.
Byron Rodgers:I think the other thing to this that I think is really important
Byron Rodgers:is networking is tactical.
Byron Rodgers:Um, and relationship building needs to be.
Byron Rodgers:It's tactically genuine.
Byron Rodgers:You really can, uh, be tactical when it comes, when you're, when you're.
Byron Rodgers:Cause I don't have time to necessarily be like, yo dog,
Byron Rodgers:we're going to get a bite to eat.
Byron Rodgers:You know what I'm saying?
Byron Rodgers:I, it breaks my heart.
Byron Rodgers:Like, people be hit me up, like, let's go get coffee.
Byron Rodgers:I'm like right now I got 70 text messages right now at this moment.
Byron Rodgers:People, you know what I mean?
Byron Rodgers:So, it it's exactly what you're talking about for a guy.
Byron Rodgers:Who's a brand guy who's built a brand, you know, some of these
Byron Rodgers:brands, like, you know, Tony, some real-world tactics, he's got the
Byron Rodgers:most sponsors in the tactical space.
Byron Rodgers:Dude's got millions of brands are monsters.
Byron Rodgers:And then for them to give me the time of day, Um, and answer my call and
Byron Rodgers:then co-mingled their brand with mine.
Byron Rodgers:This is really huge.
Byron Rodgers:And a lot of that I believe comes from like when we have our butts
Byron Rodgers:sniffing content, like when we get on the phone and we started talking
Byron Rodgers:with each other and getting a feel for each other, we'll usually have like
Byron Rodgers:an hour long conversation feeling each other out, but also, and, or we've
Byron Rodgers:met at an event we've met out in the field and that's where kind of the
Byron Rodgers:genuine and shake started happening.
Byron Rodgers:And we seen each other out there move and everything.
Byron Rodgers:So there's a fusion between.
Byron Rodgers:Your reputation and your street credit and your brand will proceed.
Byron Rodgers:You.
Byron Rodgers:This is very important.
Byron Rodgers:And then when you meet that with in-person being as advertised and in conversation,
Byron Rodgers:that feeling we're dudes values align, and they're like, yo, we can, we can do work.
Byron Rodgers:This is where it's like the magical combination.
Byron Rodgers:You know what I'm saying?
Byron Rodgers:And then they see something that you're building or doing in the
Byron Rodgers:space that they're like, I want to be a part of, or I respect.
Byron Rodgers:Then it's very easy to get that type of access and to work with, with
Byron Rodgers:powerful people in my experience
Elijah Shaw:No, I liked that.
Elijah Shaw:I got it.
Elijah Shaw:I got it.
Elijah Shaw:I got it.
Elijah Shaw:Okay.
Elijah Shaw:So, so we're at.
Elijah Shaw:The symposium of the protective symposium, 4.0, done.
Elijah Shaw:5.0, you got cooking.
Elijah Shaw:You ain't told me about that yet.
Elijah Shaw:You got, you got that cooking in a pot or whatever.
Elijah Shaw:Uh, but also, you know, in December
Byron Rodgers:Oh, yeah,
Elijah Shaw:you've got the executive protection.
Byron Rodgers:right
Elijah Shaw:And that's happening in Vegas.
Elijah Shaw:And so, so again, that there's something else that's, that's bubbling that I
Elijah Shaw:think I would attribute to, I know the roster, I don't know the roster
Elijah Shaw:closely, but I would attribute that to again, relationships.
Byron Rodgers:hundred percent, 100%.
Elijah Shaw:okay.
Elijah Shaw:So again, for those who, who aren't as familiar, what's the executive team.
Byron Rodgers:So the AP forum is going to be a one day event.
Byron Rodgers:It's going to be fast.
Byron Rodgers:Uh, and we are going to jam a whole bunch of value into one day for you.
Byron Rodgers:We've got, I think it's seven amazing speakers coming to you that day.
Byron Rodgers:your very own, you Elijah Shaw is going to be one of them.
Byron Rodgers:And I, you know, I'm excited.
Byron Rodgers:I can't wait to hear this.
Elijah Shaw:So you got six amazing speakers and then
Byron Rodgers:Yeah.
Byron Rodgers:So, so, um, and what I'm really excited about is the fact that many of these
Byron Rodgers:speakers, um, they haven't been, they're not on the speaking circuit.
Byron Rodgers:Like you may never get to hear, you know, Caleb Gilbert speak.
Byron Rodgers:You may never get to hear, uh, Jackie Davis speak, you know, the top female,
Byron Rodgers:uh, EPA agent over there in the UK.
Byron Rodgers:Yeah.
Byron Rodgers:Like you may never get to hear any of these people ever again speak and, and
Byron Rodgers:bring their knowledge to the game nor have you probably ever heard them speak.
Byron Rodgers:Right.
Byron Rodgers:So I'm ultra excited about it and we're using, you know, cause I know some of
Byron Rodgers:the shots, you know, I hear some of the shots out there that are like, yo.
Byron Rodgers:What makes it different than, you know, the close protection conference.
Byron Rodgers:And I got to make it clear that we are just trying to add to the value that an
Byron Rodgers:EPA agent can get while they're in town for the close protection conference.
Byron Rodgers:So we're in our own way, trying to contribute to what everyone can get.
Byron Rodgers:We're not trying to compete or anything like that.
Byron Rodgers:This is just a one day pop-up event where you can get an extremely
Byron Rodgers:high amount of value, um, to add to what you're either do.
Byron Rodgers:There or if you just have one day, cause I know I didn't come for a while.
Byron Rodgers:Cause I only had one day to the other conference.
Byron Rodgers:I was like, well, I'll go shoot and then I'll roll out.
Byron Rodgers:Or if you don't want to shoot, we've got an awesome option for you.
Byron Rodgers:And then there's some technological things we're doing to, uh, kind
Byron Rodgers:of really make it a different experience than your just butts in
Byron Rodgers:seats for, for eight hours as well.
Byron Rodgers:But the way you're going to say something on the seat, on the seat,
Elijah Shaw:No, no, no.
Elijah Shaw:Only just because I thought that was important.
Elijah Shaw:I'm glad you actually spoke on that because that weekend is also, uh, uh,
Elijah Shaw:the ISP B cost protection conference.
Elijah Shaw:And so it's existing in that
Byron Rodgers:Yes.
Elijah Shaw:might have like, Hey, I have to choose between one or the
Byron Rodgers:Right.
Elijah Shaw:you know, you know what, he just talked about not
Byron Rodgers:Exactly.
Elijah Shaw:kind of, so I, I, so I'm glad
Byron Rodgers:Yes.
Elijah Shaw:on that because you know, you'll, you'll be
Elijah Shaw:at, you have a presence at.
Elijah Shaw:At the glucose protection
Elijah Shaw:conference.
Elijah Shaw:Right.
Byron Rodgers:I'll be right out
Elijah Shaw:Okay.
Byron Rodgers:I have a table out there in
Elijah Shaw:Mm
Byron Rodgers:in the, in the foyer, you guys all see me there hanging, man.
Byron Rodgers:I can't wait to meet all you guys and shake hands and you know, it's
Byron Rodgers:you see the field, they see the guys who've been out and doing the work, um,
Elijah Shaw:that's dope.
Byron Rodgers:the mission here is to make sure you guys can
Byron Rodgers:maximize the value you get.
Byron Rodgers:Uh, if you're coming into the close protection conference and.
Byron Rodgers:The conference begins at 6:00 PM.
Byron Rodgers:Our event ends at 5:00 PM on Wednesday.
Byron Rodgers:So you it's just an add on a value add, you know?
Byron Rodgers:Um,
Elijah Shaw:That's great.
Byron Rodgers:yeah, much respect to those who've come before us and I've done
Byron Rodgers:some pretty awesome things, you know,
Elijah Shaw:Nice.
Elijah Shaw:Nice.
Elijah Shaw:I think that's great.
Elijah Shaw:You said that and I'll make sure that I include a link
Byron Rodgers:Yeah, man.
Elijah Shaw:both conferences.
Elijah Shaw:I'll make sure I put them in the show notes.
Byron Rodgers:Outstanding.
Elijah Shaw:Um, and, and maybe that's a good way to, to kind of
Elijah Shaw:wrap up this conversation here.
Elijah Shaw:You know, when I was talking about like, oh, sometimes people have
Elijah Shaw:questions in their mind, et cetera,
Byron Rodgers:Yes.
Elijah Shaw:you know, everyone's got an opinion,
Elijah Shaw:right.
Elijah Shaw:And, and, and it, and it definitely going to have an opinion about
Elijah Shaw:a protector who's forwarding.
Byron Rodgers:Oh yeah.
Elijah Shaw:And, you know, and trust me, I, I, yeah, yeah, right.
Elijah Shaw:Yeah.
Elijah Shaw:I get that.
Elijah Shaw:You get that, you know what I mean?
Elijah Shaw:If you know, if you're front and center with your brand and you know, that's the
Elijah Shaw:marketing strategy that you have, you know, you open yourself up to opinions,
Elijah Shaw:you open yourself up to criticism.
Elijah Shaw:What my, what my question is, how much does that factor into your moves?
Elijah Shaw:The ones that you make, and it potentially particularly your longterm.
Byron Rodgers:Right.
Byron Rodgers:my moves are anchors.
Elijah Shaw:We only ask that we ask the tough questions on this show.
Byron Rodgers:Yeah, no, I love it, man.
Byron Rodgers:I love it.
Byron Rodgers:No, my moves are anchored to my values, you know, and, I've kind of always been
Byron Rodgers:a guy who, uh, kind of goes by my own.
Byron Rodgers:just always found so much more.
Byron Rodgers:In life every time I've been like, all right, you know, father, I think this is
Byron Rodgers:the way, you know, he's like, go this way.
Byron Rodgers:I'm like, but everybody's going that way.
Byron Rodgers:And then I go that other way, you know?
Byron Rodgers:Um, and my values, really, man, I want to make huge contributions to
Byron Rodgers:this game, you know, and I know I get a lot of, sometimes I get some flack
Byron Rodgers:for it, but then when I have a student or a listener or an EAP practitioner,
Byron Rodgers:that's like, yo, I wanted to get in a game and I found your YouTube channel.
Byron Rodgers:And literally like I'm here because of.
Byron Rodgers:Like I heard, like I hear this multiple times a week and I'm like,
Byron Rodgers:is really what it's all about.
Byron Rodgers:You know?
Byron Rodgers:And I've, I've been given the grace and kind of a perfect situation that
Byron Rodgers:really fosters that with my clients and those different things that I deal with
Byron Rodgers:and principles and things I deal with.
Byron Rodgers:other thing is too, you know, I always make sure to protect the
Byron Rodgers:values of security, security, like nobody knows who my clients are
Elijah Shaw:Hm.
Elijah Shaw:Hmm.
Byron Rodgers:in, in, in the civilian world, you'll never see me with a client.
Byron Rodgers:Anything personal or anything like that.
Byron Rodgers:What I want to do is get skills to the practitioner on the ground and restore
Byron Rodgers:honor back to our honorable service.
Byron Rodgers:And so if I'm getting scrutinized, I really appreciate it.
Byron Rodgers:I love it.
Byron Rodgers:You know, my mind is very fluid.
Byron Rodgers:Um, I have, I'm one of those guys with too many ideas.
Byron Rodgers:And so I have to like, I have to like, make sure I just focus on one thing.
Byron Rodgers:Like if you see me making a move, like someone's like, I can't
Byron Rodgers:believe Byron did this homie.
Byron Rodgers:This person hating on me is in the middle of like an eight move combo.
Byron Rodgers:Like I grew up in the agent, mortal Kombat.
Byron Rodgers:I'm like, this is you're in like a 16 mil Tomball right now.
Byron Rodgers:And you waiting on this one right here.
Byron Rodgers:I'm going to be over here in intense, over there.
Byron Rodgers:Right.
Byron Rodgers:So, uh, I know that I'm disruptive and I really, I look at it as an honor
Byron Rodgers:because my end game is to contribute.
Byron Rodgers:I'm not good enough to be cool enough to get all this attention.
Byron Rodgers:Your gift makes room for you.
Byron Rodgers:And so, and the King's court.
Byron Rodgers:So my goal has always been.
Byron Rodgers:Let my contributions ultimately speak for themselves, man.
Byron Rodgers:And it's such a beautiful way to live.
Byron Rodgers:When, when you start hearing people say, man, you changed my life and
Byron Rodgers:contribute to my career and, and feed my family and stuff like that.
Elijah Shaw:Yeah.
Elijah Shaw:I, I really liked that.
Elijah Shaw:I think that's, uh, like your answer was, was, was, was very well thought out.
Elijah Shaw:And can tell that this is something you've thought
Byron Rodgers:Yeah.
Byron Rodgers:This is a deliberate, deliberate play.
Elijah Shaw:But, uh, but, but here, you know, let me add to this too.
Elijah Shaw:You're really going to see the value of that five years
Elijah Shaw:from now 10 years from now.
Elijah Shaw:You know what I mean?
Elijah Shaw:Those same guys,
Byron Rodgers:Yeah.
Elijah Shaw:you know, those same guys,
Byron Rodgers:Yeah,
Elijah Shaw:like when you, when you hear or see the moves that they've made.
Elijah Shaw:And then like, you can look back at, back at it like, oh shit.
Elijah Shaw:I remember when you started
Byron Rodgers:yeah.
Byron Rodgers:Wow.
Elijah Shaw:some overnight success, but yeah, when you get these, you
Byron Rodgers:Wow.
Elijah Shaw:five, 10 years in the
Byron Rodgers:Yeah.
Elijah Shaw:and you see the corporations that they're at and again,
Elijah Shaw:you and I, we speak offline quite a
Byron Rodgers:Yeah.
Elijah Shaw:talk about things
Byron Rodgers:Wow.
Elijah Shaw:you know, um, I, uh, Your accomplishments speak for themselves.
Elijah Shaw:But one thing I can definitely add to that is got perspective I saw what
Byron Rodgers:I felt it again.
Byron Rodgers:When you said that, I was like, oh, I was like, you've been down this path.
Byron Rodgers:He's showing me something.
Elijah Shaw:you know, know, you know what we're talking about
Byron Rodgers:Yeah.
Elijah Shaw:talking to this about this when it was my
Elijah Shaw:space, you know what I mean?
Elijah Shaw:It did, it did, it was that it was Facebook.
Elijah Shaw:And then we got to the other thing.
Elijah Shaw:So
Byron Rodgers:Yeah,
Elijah Shaw:is, is that throughout that time, I've watched people
Elijah Shaw:change, grow, develop, you know, and I've watched guys who came into the
Elijah Shaw:business extremely green or extremely hesitant or unsure themselves.
Elijah Shaw:And I
Byron Rodgers:Yeah.
Elijah Shaw:grow and prosper and now they're made their mark and reaching
Elijah Shaw:back in and starting that cycle again.
Elijah Shaw:So again, it's really good to be.
Byron Rodgers:Like fruit.
Byron Rodgers:Yeah,
Elijah Shaw:You know what I mean?
Elijah Shaw:know, outside of, you know, monetary, cause I'm sure people just think, oh,
Elijah Shaw:he's in this for the money, whatever.
Elijah Shaw:There's a, there's all.
Elijah Shaw:All right.
Elijah Shaw:Trust me, bro.
Elijah Shaw:But, but you know, but, but the, the real return on that event,
Byron Rodgers:yeah,
Elijah Shaw:It's going to come down the road, bro.
Elijah Shaw:So I'm, uh, I'm, I'm happy to continue watching this journey, bro.
Elijah Shaw:I will see you in a couple of weeks cause I will connect with you.
Elijah Shaw:Um, yeah.
Elijah Shaw:At, at the AP form or whatever, we'll get a chance to kick it back.
Elijah Shaw:Maybe even afterwards or
Elijah Shaw:something, you know, I'm not spending any money on the slot machines, but I'll
Elijah Shaw:be there.
Byron Rodgers:do that.
Byron Rodgers:Either.
Elijah Shaw:Nah, bro.
Byron Rodgers:be playing them games,
Elijah Shaw:It tell you I don't like losing.
Elijah Shaw:So let me tell you so.
Byron Rodgers:machines flying across a lobbyist.
Elijah Shaw:Exactly.
Elijah Shaw:Right.
Elijah Shaw:All of a sudden I'm getting walked about it.
Elijah Shaw:They're like, wait a minute.
Elijah Shaw:I trained this guy.
Elijah Shaw:Why is he checking me out
Elijah Shaw:for
Byron Rodgers:than the licensed
Elijah Shaw:those
Byron Rodgers:content?
Byron Rodgers:Right?
Byron Rodgers:Anyway.
Elijah Shaw:Hey man.
Elijah Shaw:Thanks for making the time.
Elijah Shaw:I know you got a lot going on in your plate this week and stuff.
Elijah Shaw:So thanks for making the time.
Elijah Shaw:glad we got to chop it up.
Elijah Shaw:Uh, and again, see you.
Byron Rodgers:Yo always an honor brother and a good time,
Byron Rodgers:thoughtful, thoughtful questions.
Byron Rodgers:I was even blessed, especially by what you just said.
Byron Rodgers:I was like, man, that's something I'll be sitting in bed thinking about tonight.
Byron Rodgers:You know, it's being the fruit of that stuff.
Byron Rodgers:Great conversation.
Byron Rodgers:I'm so glad that we were able to have this brother.
Byron Rodgers:Heck yeah,
Elijah Shaw:We'll talk
