Blog - Marcy Phelps and Associates

Online searching: When to stop

April 12, 2021 / by Marcy Phelps / Information skills / 0 comments

When you’re using online sources for in-depth research or investigations, it’s easy to get lost in a hyperlinked rabbit hole or two. Even if you have a strategy and a focus, one thing leads to another, and, before you know it, you’ve spent too much time online, with too few results. So, how do you […]

5 things you can’t find online & what to do about it

March 15, 2021 / by Marcy Phelps / Information about information, Information skills, Information sources / 0 comments

As someone who specializes in gathering and analyzing online information, I’ll be the first to admit that you can’t find everything on the web. When you’re digging deep for hard-to-find answers to client questions, relying on just online research may leave gaps, which–in our business–can be costly. That’s why it’s important for researchers and investigators […]

Librarian superpowers

February 22, 2021 / by Marcy Phelps / Investigative business / 0 comments

I recently participated in a panel discussion for an AIIP webinar, Running a Successful Private Investigations Business, along with Michael Donaldson, Tim Hardiman, and moderator Eddie Ajaeb. One of the questions for me was about how my background as a librarian prepared me for PI work. I love this question, because it gives me the […]

Online news searching: Why?

February 1, 2021 / by Marcy Phelps / Information sources / 0 comments

Whether you’re conducting due diligence, finding hidden assets, or just digging deep into a company’s or person’s background, news searching is an important step in your intelligence-gathering process. I talk about it here a lot but realized that I’ve never really focused on the why. Why is news searching so important? Not a day goes […]

Why I’m a mentor

January 11, 2021 / by Marcy Phelps / Odds & Ends / 2 comments

January is National Mentoring Month here in the U.S., and January 17th is International Mentoring Day. As someone who has experienced both sides of mentoring, I know that it’s worth the celebration, and we should encourage it throughout the year. During my professional life, I’ve been lucky enough to be both informally and formally mentored by […]

What I’ll do differently in 2021

December 21, 2020 / by Marcy Phelps / Investigative business, Odds & Ends / 2 comments

Say what you will about 2020, it was definitely a learning experience. The end of the year is always a good time to reflect and plan for what’s next, and this crazy year is no exception. So, I was in a reflective mood anyway, and then John Hoda asked to interview me for his podcast. […]

Resource Roundup: Adding intellectual property to your asset research

December 9, 2020 / by Marcy Phelps / Search tools / 0 comments

When researching assets, don’t forget to check intellectual property. Unlike, for example, a car, home, or commercial property, intellectual property–including patents, copyrights, and trademarks–is considered an intangible asset, something that’s “created with the mind.” Most people don’t have a list of inventions or trademarks that add up to much value, but, occasionally, you can uncover […]

What I’ve learned about entrepreneurship & fighting fraud

November 19, 2020 / by Marcy Phelps / Investigative business / 0 comments

It’s Global Entrepreneurship Week and International Fraud Awareness Week, and today’s Wall Street Journal tells us about the emerging entrepreneurs during the “Covid Economy.” In addition, I’ll soon begin my 22nd year in business. All of this has led to lots of thoughts about the crazy career path I’ve taken and my journey from librarian to […]

Search vs. Discovery

September 21, 2020 / by Marcy Phelps / Information skills, Tips/Techniques / 0 comments

When we’re at the library, there are generally two methods for finding books or other items in the collection. We can search the catalog for specific titles, authors, or subjects that interest us. Or, we can browse the shelves or scan suggested reading lists to see what looks interesting. It’s the same with online research. Most […]