Today we’d like to introduce you to Erik Hansen.
Hi Erik, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I got my start executive protection totally by accident. There was a boutique security company started by a former Secret Service Agent with a small office in Connecticut. In the late 1990s they needed someone to stand-by with a human resources representative while they had large scale company lay-offs. The representative of the security company asked around and a Connecticut State Trooper who I worked jointly with on a homicide case recommended me for the assignment.
The security company was impressed with my work and asked if I would like to become their security provider in Connecticut and perhaps for other areas of New England. A condition of becoming their security provider was that I would have to attend their executive protection training course in Virginia. This appealed to me however, the work was very sporadic and attending the executive protection training course would have cost me about $4,000 + expenses. By the time I worked enough for the security company to regain the $4,000 it could have been over a year. I made them an offer that if they sent me to the class tuition-free, that I would pay for my travel expenses and go to work for them.
That endeavor turned into my working not only executive protection assignments, but it morphed into a part-time position training security officers throughout New England. By the time it was said and done, I had trained over 1,500 security officers in four states. I did all this while still working full-time as a police officer.
In 2014 retired as a decorated police officer after twenty-five years of service and am the founder and president of The ETC Collective, a private investigation and security consulting firm.
During my tenure with a large Connecticut police department, I was assigned to the Chief’s Strategic Planning Committee, worked in uniform, plain clothes and prolonged undercover assignments. I planned and executed tactical operations including the service of high-risk search and arrest warrants as well as surveillance and countersurveillance operations. I was also extensively involved in use of force training and retired as the Commanding Officer of the Firearms Unit where part of his duties included training members of the Emergency Response Team (SWAT).
I received advanced training in dignitary and executive protection and many other protection related skills. I have also trained over fifteen hundred private security officers throughout New England and served as a team leader on personal protection details for foreign dignitaries and other at-risk individuals.
Upon retirement from law enforcement, I took a full-time position as an executive protection agent for an ultra-high-net-worth family (UHNWF) based in New York City. I was responsible for the safety and security of the principals, their various estates and yachts which included domestic and international travel. I lived and traveled with the UHNWF for several years before taking on a consulting role for the family. At that point I relocated to Miami, Florida.
In 2021, I commanded a team of twelve (12) executive protection agents during the Bitcoin Conference in Miami, Florida: I was tasked with protecting four (4) principals for one of one of the largest multi-national cryptocurrency exchanges. This included executive protective operations for several days before and after the conference. The following year I was again contracted to provide similar security services at the 2022 Bitcoin Conference as well as to provide personal security services for individuals attending the Formula 1 race in Florida.
Currently I manage security operations for a UHNWF in Miami and consult for several other families in the same area. I also continually manage security for corporate clients holding special events and coordinate protection details around south Florida and have remotely staffed protection details around the country.
In addition to my expert knowledge and experience, I maintain a worldwide network of personal contacts throughout the law enforcement and private security arenas who may be called upon to provide a wide range of equipment and operational support as needed.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Miami can be a challenging place to do business.
I have been fortunate to surround myself with excellent colleagues who support my operations. I follow the motto “If one succeeds, we all succeed; if one fails, we all fail.”
While personnel is the largest challenge of many businesses, finding good people to represent you is even more so in the security business.
Finding the right outlet for advertising is also challenging. Currently, clients find me by word-of-mouth. While I get fewer clients in this fashion, I know that if someone was referred to me, the person doing the referral has my best interest at heart and would not send me a “bad” client.
We’ve been impressed with The ETC Collective, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
People always ask me “What does ETC stand for?” It stands for “Erik The Cop” because I was in law enforcement when I started my first company called ETC Consulting, LLC” (I still have that company, but it is dedicated to selling gourmet pecan pie – but that is a story for a different time).
While I am the sole employee of the company, I named my company The ETC Collective because it truly is a collective of talented individuals selected and vetted by me who are drawn for various areas such as surveillance, security, technology, logistics, etc.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
“Duty, Pride and Accomplishment” are the hallmarks of The ETC Collective. Having a results driven approach to business is in part what has made me successful. I also tell clients that I am going to be diligent in how I spend their money. If I don’t think I can achieve the results they want, I will tell a potential client that we are not a good fit and they should try a different avenue.
For example, I had a client call me to conduct a background check on an individual. The client was looking for a specific piece of data on the person. The client asked what it would cost. I quoted the client a price, but told them “Before you engage me for this project, let me see if I can help you or not.” I then spent the time and resources conducting the background check and saw that I was indeed able to find the specific information the client was looking for. Only then did I tell the client that I would take their case. If for some reason the background check I conducted did not reveal the information needed, I would not charge the client for my time.
For me, being honest and fair in business is the best approach to take.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.TheEtcCollective.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-hansen-a83b1135a
- Other: https://www.etcconsultingllc.com
