In February 2010, I hit “publish” on my first blog post about how one could have avoided hedge fund fraud based on an episode of American Greed on CNBC.
It was a scary moment.
Not because it was controversial or I had feared some retribution, but because I was putting myself out there for the first time and I was worried what other people would think.
Was I wrong about my conclusions?
Did I misstate a fact?
Would people find it interesting?
Would anyone other than my mom read it? (Shoutout to Mom, who is undoubtedly reading this. 🙌)
I think about 14 people might have read it. I was refreshing Google Analytics every 10 minutes to see if anyone else had looked at it.
That didn’t stop me from getting the opinion of four other investigators before I wrote my second, third, fourth and fifth blog posts.
And 10th, 11th and 12th posts too.
Sharing can be uncomfortable. Not everyone will agree with you. Some may actually dislike what you share or dislike the fact that you are sharing anything. And others will simply dismiss it.
But for me, sharing has been the most powerful thing I have done professionally.
Why?
Execution Is Everything; Secrets Are Nothing
Some of the earliest negative comments came from fellow investigators who would contact me about how I was giving away too much information. You know, the “secrets” that all the investigators before me had held so close to the vest for so long were now being exposed to the public. Like when I wrote about free public records links or myths about what a private investigator can get. The argument made to me was that keeping the mystique is a good thing for our profession.
My feeling at the time, and one that still remains, is that most secrets are not really secrets at all, and that the mystique is actually hurting our business more than helping. I can have dozens of secret sources, but when it comes down to it, it’s how I utilize those “secrets” that matters.
Clarity
Writing helps you clarify your thoughts. Just last week, I was writing a story about a local businessman whom I had helped track down someone. From the time that I started writing to the time the piece was finished, I was in a completely different place. It was only when I wrote the story that I was able to have clarity in my thoughts, discover the gaps in my thinking and devise a message worth reading.
The same sort of clarity of thought has come from writing about topics such as a code of ethics, pretexting, crossing state lines or the idea that being a former law enforcement officer somehow immediately makes you a better private investigator.
Generosity = Opportunities
Over the past 10+ years, I’ve had more than 2 million visitors read my posts. While most of those 2 million visitors I have never heard from or met, I have received countless notes from people thanking me for sharing information.
From a business perspective, Diligentia Group received more than 150 new clients from blog posts we have written. We’ve received client referrals from people we have never met based on blog posts.
And I have personally been invited to countless speaking opportunities and podcasts, and met people I probably never would have had the chance to meet otherwise. I even got a chance to visit the American Greed studio at CNBC, which, coincidentally, was the reason I wrote my first blog.
Digital Memory Bank
I end up referring to my own blog more than I like to admit. Like how to verify military service or in what states it is legal to record a conversation. These aren’t things I think about all that often, so when I do, I refer to my own posts.
Or one-off cases, in which I spent time chasing down some records that were new to me. Like the time I spent tracking down travel records or airplane ownership information. So anytime those come up, I have a handy reference.
It is also a great way to capture the journey, the moments that you forget, as well as reflect on where it all started and what Diligentia Group has become.
The Power of Sharing…
Sharing can be exhilarating, uncomfortable, emotional, awkward and delicate, all at the same time.
But it’s the most important thing I have ever done.