The Five Essentials of Starting and Running a Successful PI Business

By John A. Hoda

Not sure how to launch or grow your private investigation business? This short read will save you time, money and grief. Written by veteran PI John A. Hoda, it lays out the essentials you need to address before even buying business cards or making a website. John coaches private investigators exclusively as The PI Coach and has talked to hundreds of private investigators that are struggling to survive and thrive. He has distilled his teachings into this book to help you focus on what is most important in your business developement

• Language: English
• Publisher: John A. Hoda
• Release date: Apr 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393679257

John A. Hoda

John A. Hoda is an investigator and author. He blogs, YouTubes, and podcasts from his All Things Investigative website. www.johnhoda.com. He is a former police officer and insurance fraud investigator. He is a licensed Private Investigator with expertise in Forensic Genealogy and Investigative Interviewing and is the creator of the DVD: The Ultimate Guide to Taking Statements. He is a Certified  Legal Investigator and Certified Fraud Examiner. He has sat on the board of the National Association of Legal Investigators and the CT Assoc. of Licensed Private Investigators. He has run marathons and bicycled long distance. He played club soccer and semi-professional football. He has written, produced and acted in amateur theatre in New Haven, CT. He is the Author of Phantasy Baseball: It's about a second chance and Mugshots: My favorite Detective Stories

Book preview

75% of Newly Licensed Private Investigators Do NOT Make it to Their First License Renewal and Go Out of Business!

The 25% who survive follow most, if not all, of these tips.

If you are thinking about starting a PI business or are struggling to keep the lights burning, read on.

The Essential Five:

Mindset

Knowing Your Target Audience

Market at Least One Hour a Day

Knowing Your Numbers

What is Your Critical Number?

Number One: Mindset

Overcoming obstacles and ‘failing better’ employed together are the number one predictors of success in any business. Have you overcome adversity before? Are you really willing to do the work now? Are you willing to fall flat on your face and get up more than once? Can you get out of your comfort zone?

Also, the sooner you think of yourself not as an investigator, but as a businessperson selling investigative services, the easier the marketing medicine will go down.

Having the talk.

Can you get your significant other and/or family on board with your desire to turn your investigative skills into gold? Their support or lack thereof should be quantified before you embark on your journey.

You better find out soon if they going to be a sail, an anchor, or a grumpy passenger on your ship?

Begin with the end in mind.

What do you want your company to look like in 5 years, 10 years, or when you decide to hang up your spurs? Are you going to sell it or quietly ride off in the sunset?

It is better to build your house from a blueprint than to just start nailing boards together.

Decide your company’s True North and head towards it, one step at a time.

Thanks John, but what do you mean by True North?

It is your compelling reason for going into business for yourself and not working for someone else. Your True North is why you wanted to be a private investigator in the first place. Twenty-two years ago, mine was to prove that I could train a team, with no prior Law