I have always had an interest in stories involving crime solving…whether it be a good crime fighting novel or an episode of NCIS. Veronica Mars has steeped my interest probably the most of all of these shows because she makes it seem so cool and makes it seem so easy to juggle being a private investigator and a student. I mean besides all of the resources she has from her dad being an ex-cop. Come on…to be using your study hall to catch bad guys, seems pretty awesome and she makes it seem like a cake walk.

So…how easy IS it to become a private investigator in the state of Minnesota.

First off, one should understand what a private investigator really is. By definition: a person who under takes investigations, usually for a private citizen or some other entity. That individual is NOT involved with a government or police organizations.

One usually will attend some sort of schooling. This may involve actual police academy, criminal justice or even a business degree. Schooling is not necessary but, it does give you an advantage especially if you have had training with finger printing, taking evidence samples, writing reports and using a firearm.

It is very important to have excellent writing skills. The majority of what one observes has to be documented and well! There is no room for gaps when it comes to documentation and reports. Also, become familiar with digging things up about individuals. It is pertinent that one is able to do a thorough credit check and background check on a suspect. The better and more familiar one is with tools (like the computer), the more proficient one will be in their reports.

To be a private investigator in this fine state called Minnesota you need to be licensed. One can acquire a license from the Department of Public Safety Private Detective and Protective Agent Services Board which is located in St. Paul. When I went to the website for receiving a license, there were a few different repercussions for not having a license. Also, there was a lot of information on conduct and code of ethics because, as an investigator you are not to break any of those. Basically, to get a license you just apply and pay some money. There are also some board certification training programs and advance training as well but, when all else fails there is a list of minimum requirements. All training programs need to go through evaluation and certification to ensure compliance with Minnesota statutes. Then get some clients! :)

Private investigators commonly work for defense attorneys, insurance companies and divorce wannabees. Some private investigators are ex-law enforcement, hey that is just like Veronica Mar’s dad. In the job description of a PI they are required to testify in court on their detailed notes and observations. The most lucrative path for these folks would be in the divorce arena (pulling up dirt). The difference from being a real PI and being Veronica Mar’s is that you need to actually follow the law. One can not break into cars and houses at ones own liking. The part that is quite similar though, the irregular hours. Surveillance of suspected criminals or law breakers can keep even V-Mars up all night!

The big warning on this career would have to be the hours AND hours of solitary work one will have to complete. One has to be extremely self motivated and up for a fluctuating schedule.

Maybe, I have a side job up my sleeve. :)

She’s Geeky was set up similar to Minnebar’s unConference except that sessions and presentations were created at the conference instead of in advance.  I was very impressed by the subject matter and thought that there were some very intriguing topics to be discussed. The way Heidi Nobantu Saul organized the unConference made the day very relaxed and open to learning in an intimate format.

The first session that I attended was about the book and way of life called, “Getting things Done” by David Allen. I had never heard of this process and I was quite intrigued. Basically, what I learned from the discussion (which Meghan Wilker hosted) was that in our daily lives there are tons of missed opportunities to get things done because of procrastination and poor time management. I have always felt like the lists are swirling around in my brain and they do not ever get to where they are supposed to go, completely. This is why, as I was listening to Meghan explain the system of getting things done and what she has learned from David Allen, my eyes widened and I was saying to myself (maybe out loud) “there is a way to get things done?”. I actually went out and purchased the audio book today because I was just so taken with the method of time management. Meghan went through and showed us how she goes about organizing and using custom lists/folders to prioritize. I can not help but think this is a little intense, never the less, I want to try it for myself.

Another interesting session that I chose to attend was that of entrepreneurial women. The session leader was Jacque Urick. Jacque has just started a gaming company, designed for women. She herself is a gamer and thinks that companies are not targeting women like they should be. Jacque had some very useful stories, both horrific and encouraging. A lot of women in the session were freelancers, start ups or had an amazing idea and did not know where to start. Through out this session, I heard a lot of wisdom from women who have been trailblazers in fields that overall, are still male dominated. These women have hard shells and are ready to take on the world. (I did not realize coming in, just how many lawyers are involved in taking on the job of owning an idea, system or product, as well as funding it!) I felt extremely inspired and the recommendations that the different women gave will always be immensely appreciated. I think that those that shared their stories helped others seek an inner strength to do something they believe in.

The unConference was a true success and I met so many amazingly smart and talented women. I was pleased that ipHouse sponsored this event and that I was able to attend!

New media is much more unpredictable, it’s hard to maintain a consistent image without fading into the ether. It’s harder,still to control information, good or bad, that can effect your company. While there is a high amount of passion with the participants of new media,  this can lead to a low signal-to-noise ratio. You’re competing with a lot of people out there and if your stuff isn’t interesting, it’ll just be a ripple in the ocean.

The advantage of new media is simple: Access

Anyone with an internet connection can access a blog and make comments, or start a Twitter or Facebook account. With a small investment in web hosting, a person can start his or her own blog. Using content management systems makes updating and managing your message trivial.

The disadvantage of new media is also simple: Access

Since more and more people are participating more and more time to new media, that means that older forms of information exchange are withering away. Sooner or later, If you’re not out there, you’re nowhere. Pretty soon, we won’t submit resumes, HR firms will simply look to LinkedIn. Pretty soon, we won’t have television or radio ads, it’ll be far more economical to buy blurbs on Facebook or Google Ad Words. Newspapers and magazines are already feeling the pinch as Craigslist has sapped up most of their ad revenue, and subscriptions are dwindling. Television is next.

As more and more people get online, the lure of newer/interactive mediums will surpass passive ones. Broadcast television is the next big target, followed by cable. As high speed gets more ubiquitous, who wouldn’t rather watch a show stream on their TV via a home theater PC (HTPC) or some sort of internet connected box that plays only what you want whenever you want to see it? The networks and cable companies understand that. They take tentative steps via services like Hulu so that people can watch TV on their computers. What they fear is that people will start watching what they want on their TV. They take steps to restrict their services from playing on devices that are connected to a television. Pretty soon they won’t have a choice. Look for shows to start appearing exclusively online. “The Guild” did it, “Dr Horrible” did as well.

For a small company, a presence online is critical, and participation in new media is almost mandatory if they want new customers to find them. They have to interact with their customers as well, and try to build communities. They have to draw positive attention to themselves.

A small company with a relatively large new media footprint can reach a lot more potential customers than they used to. For a small company, the rewards far outweigh the risks. A larger company has a reputation to defend, and in many cases, undo. A smaller, newer company can control their message and image a lot easier.

In my opinion, a small company would benefit by having a PR person on speed dial, and a competent designer to unify their image across the board; from print to their website, to new media outlets. They will probably see a greater ROI than traditional or web advertising alone.

But hey, what do I know? I’m a tech guy, a consumer of this new media.

I hope that helps!

Technology can be the secret weapon that allows your existing employees to provide a high-quality customer service experience. It is far more cost effective to keep existing customers than to find new ones. From the customer standpoint, it is easier to work with a company you know and trust, than to go through the process of finding a new vender. Your well-organized web site and online database servers can help customers find the information they need and can even lead to new incremental purchases.

Technology can also be leveraged to reduce basic business expenses. By implementing plans that enable employees to work from home, employers can help the environment, lower office costs and reduce employees’ travel expenses. Solid Internet access combined with secure access to internal company servers can keep your employees productive at home.

If your servers are showing their age but a big project and capital investment doesn’t make sense in this climate, managed and dedicated servers are a great option. 

ipHouse has years of experience managing servers and, although we don’t provide internal network support, we can work with you to explore different options for your employees to work from home. Companies who colocate servers as part of a corporate, work-from-home solution can qualify for reduced rate DSL accounts for their employees.

Whether you have a plan or are just exploring options, give us a call. We can help you examine the pros and cons and put together a strategy that will help you make the most of your IT dollars in 2009.