Confirming what you know and finding what you don't
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
As I write this, my husband and I are selling our house – our home for the past 27 years. When I think back on the months of preparing our home for sale, I see a lot of parallels with owning a business and some lessons learned. So, what can a business owner learn from […]
How do I become a private investigator? People often ask me this question, and I generally offer some standard advice, but I decided to tap into my network of fellow PIs to see what else I should be telling others about breaking into this exciting and rewarding profession. Many thanks to all who responded to […]
I’m busy with holidays, client work, and completing a big new project (watch for announcements), so I’ll be running some oldies-but-goodies for the next month or so. Enjoy this one, originally published in March 2019. No matter the type of research or investigations that you do, it’s important to prepare. Before you start your interviews, […]
It’s hard to believe, but it’s been 20 years since that fateful email message – the one that changed my career. At the time, I was in grad school, about to earn a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science. I was working two part-time library jobs, and one thing I learned from both jobs […]
I’ve just returned from Orlando after attending the incredible OSMOSIS conference, where I heard well-known speakers and networked with hundreds of other investigators. At the Bits & Bytes networking event, I also had the opportunity to present a short table talk on Subcontracting Success: Top Tips for Making it Work. I love this topic because, […]
Checklists are a handy tool, especially in investigations. I use them a lot. They help me remember all the steps that need to be covered, and they’re great for getting back on track after going off script to follow an unexpected lead. But checklists need to be used with caution. As this news story highlights, […]
I recently attended the annual conference of the Association of Independent Information Professionals in Philadelphia. This is my 19th consecutive AIIP conference, and I make it my primary conference for the year. While I attend several others, this one is in my calendar, and everything fits in around that. It’s in my budget, too, so […]