Gate Crashers... PR & The Homeland Security

This past October Joseph Clancy took charge of the U.S. Secret Service on an interim basis following a series of security lapses that led to the resignation of Julia Pierson as director of the government agency. Clancy's efforts will try to right the wrongs while a search for a permanent successor is conducted, but are the breaches in security already impacting the Secret Services and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a negative manner when it comes to publicity and public image?
Oh, let us not even speak about the recent retirement party and the gate crashed by Secret Service officials!

One article on PR Newser states, "The agency has been hammered by the media since 2009 because of the string of embarrassing security breaches that have put the agency’s credibility in jeopardy. The latest episode happened September 19, when an armed intruder jumped over the White House fence and ran into the residence. That was preceded by the service allowing an armed felon to ride on an elevator with President Obama. The most notorious incident was in 2012, when several Secret Service agents conducting advance work in Columbia for a summit meeting there were recalled after being accused of hiring prostitutes and bringing them back to their hotel."

The list of blunders, unfortunately, can go on and on.... So, yes- the DHS and the Secret Service have lost respect in both the eyes of the media and public. A loss of respect in this specific example equates directly to the loss of feeling secure among the American people. We can plead with people to "see something, say something" all we want, but if the government isn't leading by example- why should the public take anything its says seriously?

Rebuilding trust isn't as easy as fixing communication errors or weak spots in security plans and procedures. It is a long-term fix that has to built up over time. There is no quick fix to the damage done, which is unfortunate in a time where feeling secure is all that matters right now within this country and its road back to economic greatness.

Until Monday,

Twyla Garrett

Goodbye W. Africa... For Now

The headline out of Detroit today reads as follows; "Congresswoman Candice Miller: Temporarily suspend visas to west African countries impacted by Ebola." Is this move too little, too late? Should this order come from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)? Well, yes on both!

I fudged the truth with Congresswoman Miller's statement. You see, she has formally noted a filing with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Jeh Johnson, and Secretary of State John Kerry to make a temporary suspension come to life. Right now, there are 13,500 visas out there from the three impacted countries plagued with Ebola right now. So, yes- with Ebola now in the USA- it is a little too late and the DHS should have jumped on this sooner rather than assuming we had everything under control.

Either way, do you know what the symptoms of Ebola are? I've listed them below. Keep coming back, however, as I cover this subject more on the day-to-day blog. I'm sure once Congresswoman Miller obtains the suspension, we will have a lot to discuss!

Nausea and vomiting.
Diarrhea (may be bloody)
Red eyes.
Raised rash.
Chest pain and cough.
Stomach pain.
Severe weight loss.
Bleeding, usually from the eyes, and bruising (people near death may bleed from other orifices, such as ears, nose and rectum)

Ebola is usually transmitted from animal meat to the host. From there, infected people typically don't become contagious until they develop symptoms. Family members are often infected as they care for sick relatives or prepare the dead for burial.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Secret Service Reform?

Photo: Julia Pierson

A proposal came to the table this week seeking to remove Secret Service from the realm of Homeland Security(DHS). This action was proposed after a terrible week for the Secret Service, which included Secret Service Director Julia Pierson resigning amid multiple reports of breaches in White House security. So, what are my thoughts on this proposition?

Well, the Secret Service has 6,500 employees to it- all of which have suffered since it was synced up with the DHS back in 2001. Right now, under the DHS umbrella, these 6,500 employees work as a team to combat counterfeiting and to protect current and former presidents, vice presidents and visiting heads of state. My issue isn't so much with the mission statement or the team work, but the being spread too thin part. For example, why isn't the treasury department handling counterfeiting? Well, because their staff isn't trained to spot certain terrorist patterns, where the DHS is and the secret service can be helpful within this type of associated task. Basically, without one- the other can't work as efficiently.

I do think the secret service should only be focused on protecting the president, but still should remain under the umbrella of the DHS because threats to the terrorist could involve terrorists. They should work hand-in-hand on these types of concerns, but independent ff one another when applicable. To put it in everyday terms, think about a clerk at an office. His or her job is to enter data into a computer system.The data is payroll. So, she enters it in and that is all she is responsible for, right? But what if she spots an error? Should she still enter it in? Or, should she call the supervising manager who turned in the data and point out the error? The two have to work together to solve the problem. If the clerk were to only stick to her job and enter in the error, the billing would be off and someone would be over or under paid. The supervising manager obviously made a mistake. For the benefit of the company- and basically all involved- working together , but in different capacities, was beneficial in the example.

I don't understand why we have to make things so complicated when it comes to common sense security issues. I also don't understand how forcing someone to resign rectifies any errors. Now, a new person can come in and the learning curve to start the security process can be that much more behind... right? Working together without overstepping one another only makes sense.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

America’s PrepareAthon! Campaign

Tomorrow, 09/30/14, officially launches the start of FEMA's America’s PrepareAthon! Campaign!



The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) is encouraging individuals, families, workplaces, schools and organizations across the nation to take part in America’s PrepareAthon!, a national day of action that will take place tomorrow, September 30th. America’s PrepareAthon! is a community-based campaign to increase emergency preparedness and resilience through participation in hazard-specific drills, group discussions and exercises every fall and spring.

If you don't have an emergency management plan, you can create one at Ready.gov. As many of you already know, I have composed a book on the topic of Homeland Security called Homeland Security; A Comprehensive Guide for All. You can buy the eBook version of it my clicking here.

Before you buy the book, however, check out these three simple tips for creating an emergency management plan for your family;

1. Make sure you have one emergency kit for every member of your family. Each kit should include enough water for a week, nonperishable food for a week, $200 dollars in cash, a first aid, back up prescriptions, 2 medical masks, a knife, flashlight, a lighter, a set of battery powered walkie talkies, and a battery-powered radio on hand (with a set of extra batteries). Also, make sure the written down phone numbers of your relatives and neighbors is in the kit. Too often, we depend on our cell phones to keep our contacts. However, in the event that your phone is missing or not working, it is good to have these numbers on paper.

2. Set up multiple meeting spots. Your designated meeting spot may not be accessible, so it is important to have two alternative spots just in case.

3. Set up a Google Alert for your city PLUS the word "emergency." This is more preventative than anything else, but these daily alerts will keep you informed on issues and threats in the area so you can further adjust your lifestyle and educate yourself on pending issues.

Until next time,

Twyla N. Garrett

The Transition of Employee to Entrepreneur

            Are you tired of working for someone else? Do you think that you would be happier as a boss of your own business? Before you take the plunge, consider looking into the business opportunities available to you at your current job. Your job could potentially help set up the foundation for you to be a successful solopreneur. In the off chance you decide to go your own way from your job and own your own business, here are some tips to help transition you from employee to entrepreneur.

            The first thing to consider is deciding between your professional and industry skills. You may be knowledgeable on certain topics, but passionate about others. Which one will make you happier? This is something to consider when making the transition. You want to take into account the most profitable business move, but also keep in mind that this is YOUR business and it should be interesting and fun for you as well.

            Secondly, you should find the trends that are driving your industry. Within every industry are strengths and weaknesses. It is important for you as the potential business owner to be educated in such topics. Being able to indentify the trends in the market will help your business in finding success.

            Third, you need to find your sweet spot. Once you figure out what the industry trends are, it is important to react and figure out what clients want. If a client needs something new and you are first to react upon it you have a really good shot at turning that into winning sales. You also need to keep in mind what YOU want. If you are merely leaving your job because you are fed up with it, that is not a long-term success factor. You will need to figure out what you would like to do and turn that into an ambition or goal.

            Lastly, work your network. When you are about to launch your business, use your connections that you have made to give it a jump-start. It is beneficial to talk with people already within the industry to get some pointers and success tips. Since they have previous experience and have started up their own business, they would be the most useful people to be in contact with.

PRLog (Press Release) - Jan. 2, 2013 - Twyla Garrett is the owner of Investment Management Enterprise and was recently invited to speak at The White House on issues related to business and the country’s economic growth. Now, Garrett is announcing her “2013 Business Awareness Campaign.” The Campaign is designed to help aspiring business owners launch their ideas into actual business ownership during the 2013 year.

“The word “economy” strikes fear right now in many people. I don’t want potential business owners to miss out on great opportunities because of a misperception right now,” said Twyla Garrett. “I was just at The White House. I own several businesses and I know what it takes to make a good go at starting a business. Thus, I am launching this Campaign to help others feel empowered, not fearful, when starting their businesses in the New Year!”

The “2013 Business Awareness Campaign” will allow potential business owners (world-wide) to reach out to Twyla Garrett, via her blog http://twylangarrett.blogspot.com/, and submit questions. In turn, Garrett will offer free advice as a response to the questions. “I normally charge for a full business consultation. I know start-up owners often don’t have spare cash laying around. So, I thought why not launch this campaign and have my blog be a free spot for potential business owners to network, ask questions, and maybe even find investors,” continued Garrett. The Campaign will start on January 3rd of 2013.

About: Twyla Garrett is an extraordinary entrepreneur, corporate speaker, and compelling author who has been personally invited to speak at The White House on the issues of creating jobs, economic growth and the controversial fiscal cliff of 2012. Garrett is known for her notable (sometimes 100% self-funded) business deals as much as she is known for providing excellent opportunities to individuals facing immense challenges. Twyla’s memoir will be published in 2013 and it will be followed by a series of “how-to” business books, starting with one based on Homeland Security. Currently, Twyla’s business blog and social media accounts furnish motivational quotes and an over-the-shoulder view of her unique perspective on profiting in business while helping others.

MEDIA CONTACT
https://twitter.com/TwylaGarrett
Helene Vece of JumpStart Ink (Media Manager)
702-749-5925 Ext 210