Today we’d like to introduce you to Marc Hurwitz.
Marc, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was in government for 11 years, including three years in the White House and then mostly in the intelligence community. In 2008, I started my company with the goal of working on sub-contract work for government contractors – business due diligence, military special operations training, etc. Over time, I learned the commercial tools available to the business community to find information, and finally, I admitted I was a private investigator. So I got my licenses and continued to learn the trade, but more importantly, looked for ways on how to be an entrepreneur.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Definitely not a smooth road! With a background in government, learning how to operate in the business world took some adjusting. Everything from learning how to read the financial books, how to effectively market my business, to establishing core values, and key performance indicators did not come naturally. I learned from observing how other business owners operate in networking groups I joined, and later via the Goldman Sachs/Babson College 10,000 Small Business Program, and now via the Entrepreneur’s Organization’s Accelerator program.
An early mistake I made was not focusing my business development efforts. There are so many ways to spend money to market a business, but putting into a place a system where I could better evaluate return on investment has been invaluable.
Another lesson I’ve learned is the importance of outsourcing non-core functions, should as book-keeping, accounting, legal, website management, and IT support.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Crossroads Investigations – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
When people hear “private investigator”, they often think of a gumshoe – a guy in a baseball cap with a camera sneaking around the corner. But Crossroads Investigations is so much more than that! We divide our work into the following categories:
Asset Searches: Whether for a divorce or pending or post-litigation, we have a legal and ethical method to search for a subject’s assets, whether they may be hard assets like properties or vehicles, or bank or brokerage accounts (including balances!).
Field Work: We offer the full array of field investigations: infidelity surveillance, insurance defense surveillance, workman’s compensation surveillance, witness statements, and employee non-compete violations surveillance. We carefully vet our team to ensure our clients are getting the very best quality work.
Research and Due Diligence: We have a former CIA-trained analyst who helps with our research. We may be tasked with looking into connections between people or businesses, searching the internet for derogatory information, or social media research.
Background Reports: We offer everything from the basic Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) employee or tenant screening report up to a full comprehensive research report on a subject. This may include hard assets, liens, bankruptcies, judgments, foreclosures, evictions, and more.
I am most proud of the Crossroads brand. We work very hard to ensure our clients are satisfied, and I believe our brand is reflected by our core values, which include:
– premium white glove service
– unbelievably rapid responsiveness
– ethical, reliable and professional
What sets us apart? Many things!
-The Crossroads team! I am
– I’m a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer
– I’m a Florida Board Certified Investigator, a National Board Accredited Investigator, and a Certified International Investigator
– The Daily Business Review (South Florida’s daily legal newspaper) has ranked Crossroads Investigations as the best private investigation agency in our region for the past four years.
What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
I never expected to be an entrepreneur. It’s so challenging – just consider how many small businesses fail. I’m proud that I’ve built something that not only supports myself and my family but my employees and contractors. A lot of people depend on Crossroads as a source of income, and I’m very proud of that.
Another thing that I’m proud of is that we can help so many people by catching the bad guys. Whether it’s someone being unfaithful in their marriage, cheating an insurance company, hiding assets to avoid litigation or paying a judgment, it’s very satisfying to help the good guys win.
Contact Info:
- Website: Xinvestigations.com
- Phone: (866) XROADS-1 (866-976-2371)
- Email: Marc@Xinvestigations.com
- Facebook: Facebook.com/Xinvestigations
Image Credit:
Liza Gershman
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