To all my friends – Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and share your comments. No matter what you celebrate during this time of year, I hope it has been or will be full of joy. Wishing you a very happy and healthy 2019!
Mistakes happen. Sometimes we forget. Perhaps we’re stressed by tight deadlines. Or maybe we assume that something’s been done, and we skip steps. In investigations, risk is all about what we’re missing, and skipping steps can lead to trouble. Enter the checklist. While listening to a recent episode of one of my favorite podcasts, Hidden […]
I recently spoke with Chris Kenneally of the Copyright Clearance Center for his podcast, Beyond the Book. Chris noticed my LinkedIn post about pivoting from librarian to private investigator and wanted to talk more about it. Ever since grad school, I’ve focused on how to use my Master’s degree in Library and Information Science and […]
I recently responded to a reporter’s HARO (Help A Reporter Out) request for the best and worst business advice I’ve received and my advice for future business owners. My response was published along with others’ in a series by BestCompany.com. Here’s what I said. Credit goes to Mary Ellen Bates for the best business advice […]
This article originally appeared as a guest post on the Access/Information blog: Information is power. We’ve all heard this before, but are you basing your decisions on a limited or one-sided viewpoint? Whether we’re conducting market research, due diligence investigations, strategic planning – or just keeping up on the latest topics – we rely on […]
The political season is in full swing, and not a year goes by that you don’t read something that makes you wonder – Why didn’t they know about this before? A recent example is my latest entry in the Due Diligence Hall of Shame, because, in politics – as in life – it’s good to […]
Due diligence background investigations come in all flavors. They’re generally customized according to industry, level of risk, and time constraints. There’s one component, though, that should be included in all background checks on people and companies – the media report. What’s a media report? It’s the section of a background investigation that covers news and […]
As an investigator and an information nerd, I was intrigued by a podcast from the NPR Hidden Brain Series about the Ostrich Effect. We’ve all heard about it – burying your head in the sand to avoid learning what we don’t want to know. It seems that this ‘no spoilers’ mentality, as NPR describes it, […]
In a recent post, I questioned the methods used by a journalist in exposing a politician’s fraudulent college diploma. I’m all for catching this type of fraud, since one little lie can be a symptom of chronic deceit, but verifying a degree without consent is illegal (except in certain circumstances) and something this private investigator […]
If someone falsely claims a college degree, it tells you a lot about that person’s character. It’s also bad for business when the lie is exposed. That’s why, as part of our due diligence process, we regularly verify all credentials in supplied information and disclosure forms. It’s a simple way to catch a fraudster, and […]
Confirming what you know and finding what you don't
A year-end wish
December 22, 2018 / by Marcy Phelps / Odds & Ends / 2 comments
To all my friends – Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and share your comments. No matter what you celebrate during this time of year, I hope it has been or will be full of joy. Wishing you a very happy and healthy 2019!
Read more
The ins and outs of checklists
December 10, 2018 / by Marcy Phelps / Investigative business / 6 comments
Mistakes happen. Sometimes we forget. Perhaps we’re stressed by tight deadlines. Or maybe we assume that something’s been done, and we skip steps. In investigations, risk is all about what we’re missing, and skipping steps can lead to trouble. Enter the checklist. While listening to a recent episode of one of my favorite podcasts, Hidden […]
Read more
From librarian to private investigator
November 22, 2018 / by Marcy Phelps / Investigative business / 0 comments
I recently spoke with Chris Kenneally of the Copyright Clearance Center for his podcast, Beyond the Book. Chris noticed my LinkedIn post about pivoting from librarian to private investigator and wanted to talk more about it. Ever since grad school, I’ve focused on how to use my Master’s degree in Library and Information Science and […]
Read more
Best and worst business advice I’ve ever received
November 7, 2018 / by Marcy Phelps / Odds & Ends / 0 comments
I recently responded to a reporter’s HARO (Help A Reporter Out) request for the best and worst business advice I’ve received and my advice for future business owners. My response was published along with others’ in a series by BestCompany.com. Here’s what I said. Credit goes to Mary Ellen Bates for the best business advice […]
Read more
Making better decisions – Avoiding confirmation bias
October 24, 2018 / by Marcy Phelps / Investigations / 0 comments
This article originally appeared as a guest post on the Access/Information blog: Information is power. We’ve all heard this before, but are you basing your decisions on a limited or one-sided viewpoint? Whether we’re conducting market research, due diligence investigations, strategic planning – or just keeping up on the latest topics – we rely on […]
Read more
How well do you know your candidate?
October 9, 2018 / by Marcy Phelps / Due diligence hall of shame / 2 comments
The political season is in full swing, and not a year goes by that you don’t read something that makes you wonder – Why didn’t they know about this before? A recent example is my latest entry in the Due Diligence Hall of Shame, because, in politics – as in life – it’s good to […]
Read more
Background investigations – Don’t skip the media report
September 24, 2018 / by Marcy Phelps / Tips/Techniques / 0 comments
Due diligence background investigations come in all flavors. They’re generally customized according to industry, level of risk, and time constraints. There’s one component, though, that should be included in all background checks on people and companies – the media report. What’s a media report? It’s the section of a background investigation that covers news and […]
Read more
The Ostrich Effect and due diligence investigations
September 10, 2018 / by Marcy Phelps / Due diligence / 2 comments
As an investigator and an information nerd, I was intrigued by a podcast from the NPR Hidden Brain Series about the Ostrich Effect. We’ve all heard about it – burying your head in the sand to avoid learning what we don’t want to know. It seems that this ‘no spoilers’ mentality, as NPR describes it, […]
Read more
Tricks of the trade: Verifying degrees without consent
August 27, 2018 / by Marcy Phelps / Tips/Techniques / 0 comments
In a recent post, I questioned the methods used by a journalist in exposing a politician’s fraudulent college diploma. I’m all for catching this type of fraud, since one little lie can be a symptom of chronic deceit, but verifying a degree without consent is illegal (except in certain circumstances) and something this private investigator […]
Read more
Catching fraudsters – legally and ethically
August 13, 2018 / by Marcy Phelps / Due diligence / 2 comments
If someone falsely claims a college degree, it tells you a lot about that person’s character. It’s also bad for business when the lie is exposed. That’s why, as part of our due diligence process, we regularly verify all credentials in supplied information and disclosure forms. It’s a simple way to catch a fraudster, and […]
Read more