The International Security Driver Association (ISDA) is a small but influential group of protective services practitioners from all sectors of the Executive Protection/ Secure Transportation profession and from all parts of the Globe. Our goal is to supply our members with continuing education – business metrics – industry news – job opportunities and marketing assistance.
The following is a short outline of our accomplishments.
The ISDA Protective Services Roadmap to Success
The single most significant accomplishment is the “ISDA Roadmap Checklist” and the “Protective Services Roadmap to Success.” The roadmap was created to assist our members in defining, developing, and enhancing their version of success.
To succeed in Protective Services, you need to gain career capital by collecting marketable Experience, Skills, and Knowledge, what the ISDA calls the ESK Triangle.
The ESK Triangle is a living document that contains a wealth of information for the Executive Protection Professional. This information came from those with a long history of success in the profession and demonstrated a willingness to share their experiences for the benefit of the ISDA membership.
Using the ESK Triangle as a template, the ISDA, and its members created a Protective Services Roadmap to Success. A roadmap shows a destination, one’s goals, and the practical steps necessary to get to the desired destination. The ISDA Roadmap Checklist consists of 19 checkpoints separated into three stages: Planning for Your Success, Growing Your Success, and Managing and Enhancing Your Success.
The Roadmap is available to ISDA Members only.
From the Roadmap, the ISDA created the Protective Services Roadmap Checklist.
Our members supported the Roadmap Checklist with 28 online and downloadable documents. All the articles are written by EP/Secure Transportation practitioners with an average of 18 years of experience. The articles share their experiences – the good – the bad and the expensive – with the hope of preventing fellow ISDA members from making the same mistakes.
The roadmap checklist is available to all as a free download
https://securitydriver.com/isda-roadmap-checklist-free-download/
Job Opportunities
The ISDA listed over 250+ job opportunities. From the Job Opportunities, ISDA created metrics on the skills, knowledge, and level experience employers are demanding.
This is a link to older job data
https://isdacenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Job-Database-White-Paper.pdf
Sharing Knowledge
Although there are no Metrics that cover “Sharing Knowledge,” the amount of information and knowledge shared by our members is awe-inspiring. There are over 400 exchanges of knowledge encompassing – Armored Vehicles – the Business of Protection – Surveillance Detection – Executive Protection – Celebrity Protection. The knowledge is shared via Webinars – Articles – YouTube – Podcasts – Books.
We (ISDA) are proud and humbled by the volume of information and knowledge that is shared by our members.
A small sample:
Executive Protection and Secure Transportation Magazine
Starting in the mid-1980s, the Scotti School published a quarterly newsletter for the Protective Service community. The Newsletter and Executive Protection and Secure Transportation Magazine (EPST) is one of the oldest Protective Services publication in the profession. Our members are frequent contributors to (EPST).
Sign up to receive the EPST Magazine
The ISDA Member Newsletter
Along with the EPST magazine, ISDA Members receive private newsletters. The Newsletters covered a wide range of subjects: Business Metrics, Corporate Executive Protection Strategy, Armored Vehicles, to lessons learned from Vehicle Ambushes.
Assistance with Selecting a Training Provider
One of the questions most frequently asked on social media and the ISDA Network is, “What training program should I attend?” On any given day, there is an infinite number of training providers marketing their programs.
Over the years, ISDA members have attended many training courses. From their experiences, they supply fellow members insight on the various training programs.
Also, a portion of our membership has been purchasing and sending their personnel to training programs for decades; they have done the research and are willing to share that information with the association.
Some articles:
ISDA Training Directory
We created a directory of ISDA members who offer training. The directory is available on our website and in a PDF. We have marketed the directory through-out our Network.
Marketing Assistance
We offered our members programs that assisted their marketing efforts. We (ISDA) understand that for those who have acquired the skills and knowledge to compete in the marketplace, that their next challenge is getting the Experience, Skill, and Knowledge (ESK) to the marketplace.
ISDA has created a platform for our members to use the most powerful and proven marketing tool available – word-of-mouth. ISDA also supplies protective services providers’ business data that supports their marketing and operational efforts.
- ROI of a Security Driver
- Social Media and Business
- Misperceptions of Personal Protection
- The Misconception of Security Driving and Secure Transportation
- Training – Certification and Experience
Metrics – Data
The Protective Services business is continuously evolving. We (ISDA) realize that strategic decision making is a significant factor in mitigating risk. Sound decisions require timely and relevant information. To meet the needs of the membership, ISDA has supplied members with operational and business data that has assisted in the preparation of benchmarking, marketing, and operational planning.
An example of our research:
- Brand, Branding, and Marketing for the Protection Services Professional eBook
- Branding and marketing for the Protection Services Professional
- Secure Transportation Survey
- ROI of a Security Driver
Member Spotlights
We featured ISDA members on the ISDA and SecurityDriver websites, EP/Security Driver Magazine, and throughout the ISDA network. Their stories are read by not only the ISDA membership but also by our network of over 15,000 security practitioners, all with interest in secure transportation and protective services.
These are a few Spotlights:
- Christophe Gury
- George Sardelis
- James Gilmore
- Author Spotlight – member Sandi Davies, “Women in the Security Profession.”
ToolKit Resource Center
A phrase you often hear “Tools for the Toolbox.” A metaphor for a collection of helpful information that can be used by practitioners. ISDA supplies members with checklists and information that assist them in the day to day work environment.
ISDA White Papers
The ISDA team researches the protective services profession, supplying the members with White Papers that have become standards in the profession. The Papers are free for members.
Webinars
ISDA offered free webinars to the membership, subjects such as;
- Business
- Executive Vehicles
- Basics of armored vehicles
As an example: https://isdacenter.org/courses/
Member Networking
We connected members that offered job opportunities with members looking for opportunities, an interesting note; our members that can supply opportunities all mention how hard it is to find qualified security drivers.
We are aware that many of our members work in other sectors of the business. To meet the professional needs of those members, ISDA highlighted other areas of the profession. As an example: Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security