Debo Secured on Elite Security, Executive Protection, Protecting High-Profile Clients, T.I., K Camp, Spotify & Life in Executive Protection

On this episode we have a tremendous guest! We have one of the most respected professionals in the elite security industry! We have Debo, founder of DeBo Secured LLC! Operating across the U.S. and internationally, Debo and his team provide world-class executive protection, secure transportation, surveillance and high-profile event security for celebrities, public figures, and elite clientele! Trusted by major names across entertainment, music, government, sports, and global events, DeBo Secured has built a reputation for delivering top-tier protection with unmatched professionalism, precision, and discretion. This high-impact interview takes you inside the world of elite security and the mindset behind protecting the world’s most high-profile individuals with amazing insights!

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hi everyone, thanks to this episode, Nick Egan Times. On this episode, we have a tremendous high impact and respected security industry professional. We have the sensational Debo from Debo Secured. Debo is the founder and driving force behind the impressive Debo Secured LLC. Debo is a security company that operates across the US and internationally, providing elite executive protection through secure transportation, surveillance, and high-profile event security. Debo Secured has become a trusted presence around major and elite names in entertainment, music, government, and sports, delivering top-tier security with professionalism and incredible precision. Welcome to the highly respected Debo and thanks for coming on the podcast. Thanks for having me. Thank you. You're welcome, my friend. Alright, let's jump straight into it. Take us back. Tell us about your family, your life growing up, and everything relating to that.

SPEAKER_00 0:56

So originally I'm from Macon, Georgia. For those within the industry and found uh young Jeezy, he's from there and uh grew up, you know, country, you know. So we grew up pretty much competitive. Uh everything that you do is bragging rights, you know. Everything that you do, you want to do it the best way, you know. So growing up there, playing ball, and anything, you have your mind set on, you achieve it, you know. So um it was funny just coming into this field of industry from football into Zach Protection and learning the original guys who've been in the game longer than me with more wisdom. Uh, a guy by the name of OG Jizzle, he was one of Young Geezy's first bodyguard. And making his dangerous, you know, like shooting and fighting comes second nature. It wakes you up in the morning, scares you at night. And uh to later meet him and learn that he was the actual guy protecting who we just were here in our ears as far as music, um, it meant more to me into what I do every day.

SPEAKER_01 1:56

That's incredible. And um, tell me about specifically your upbringing and how that shaped you as well, and I guess um the ambitions and drive as well.

SPEAKER_00 2:07

Yeah, the upbringing was definitely with discipline, you know. Um, as far as hard work, work ethic, um, with those coaches and my mentors, everything being a reason and it having a why versus we're just doing this for the day, or I'm just do I just want you to do this to be good. I'm just doing this because I'm telling you too. Everything had a reason as to why. And uh again, uh I had to find my why into where I'm in today because um my upbringing, my dad was military, he wanted me to go into the military, um, but I had a I had an attitude problem. You know, I was not the guy who can stand there and allow another guy to yell at my face, let alone spit or disrespect me without showing me why, you know, showing me why I used to be that guy to talk to me like that, you know. Um, so that was my upbringing. It was definitely clean and straight and militant. And um, as I again uh started doing security, I started in club, bouncing, just bouncing, bouncing around. I'm sorry. And um when I was given the opportunity to do executive protection, the why came about again, you know. So uh, and the why for me is as a man, you you are a protector as a man because every man wants to have a family. In order to have a family, you have to protect that family to keep that family. So that is my why, and far as my upbringing, as far as my dad being military and militant background.

SPEAKER_01 3:37

Yeah, wonderful. Tell me about DB Secured and um, I guess how that came to life and what it represents to you now.

SPEAKER_00 3:45

So the name itself came in college. Uh again, competitiveness and uh a little bit of a bully. You know, um, I was a guy in the locker room and that teammate, I took and did what I want, and I dominated on the field in that practice. And uh one of the coaches gave me that name. So um, I had the name in college as I was still on the football dream path. Uh, once I transitioned over into security and was just bouncing at clubs, I kept the name because of course you want to be distreet as you're out, you know, at late night in case things pop off. And um again, that same opportunity that presented itself, I was doing it so often to where I was getting tugged and pulled so many places to where so many people wanted me to be in so many different states and and places at once. And I'm like, hey, I need a team, and I'm very team-oriented, and I know how to be a leader as well as a team and supportive player for as character. And that's how I came about. I slowly began recruiting guys and providing them work for us, training them, letting them, you know, take the same classes and courses and certificates as far as I did. And I really built the team, and the team has been around since 2022, and we've been given a lot of opportunities, especially within Atlanta. A lot of stuff happens in Atlanta as far as low profile, high profile, but it's all about how did you build your team and the standard that you hold your team to? So it means a lot to me because it literally came from me being who I am as far as the name, you know, and I and I turned it to a whole different level.

SPEAKER_01 5:23

Yeah, that's fascinating. Great insights. Thanks for sharing. What's the most challenging part of um ainning debate secured and I guess managing a team?

SPEAKER_00 5:33

The challenging part is egos. Um, you get guys who are older than me, you know. So you get guys who are, especially with men, we have our egos, and and I'm older than this guy. Why why should he be my boss? Why should I listen to him? Or hey, I actually served in the military. I've I've done X amount of years and been on tours, or you know, just been on those 12 hour in suits and boots. Uh, why should I listen to him? So that's a big thing that you have to deal with and let it be known as far as a respect level. Because as men, once again, you know, we're we're we're we're rough. We we want what we want and we believe what we leave, what we want to believe, we don't really like take orders. Some don't, some do. So that was a major thing as far as egos with guys and making sure that they're reliable because you can lose contracts. You know, you'll get a contract personal. Like, let's say you're offering me a contract right now, we have a great interview, and I'll show you all of my credentials and you confirm if it's working for you. And the first guy I send is late or doesn't have good customer service skills, and or probably just does something out of code of conduct, and now that contract is gone. And it's not only him that you know takes accountability, but the team do too. We suffer as well because now no one else has the opportunity, even work that same site and contract to you know make money, let alone make the company look good. So those are two major things as far as egos of guys with building the team is as well, is making sure they're trustworthy and reliable.

SPEAKER_01 7:08

Yeah, that would be incredibly difficult, you know, having in people that are consistent and trustworthy, because at the end of the day, you know, you rely on that for food, you know, like that's your money, right? So, yeah, I could imagine how actually difficult that really would be. Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_00 7:22

Not even our money, I mean, their money is our money altogether, you know, as a team. That's what we're doing.

SPEAKER_01 7:28

Yeah, 100%. Yeah. Um, what's the proudest moment, like achievement you've had since you've um had DBA secured?

SPEAKER_00 7:36

The proudest moment I would say is is the moments that we get to do those private high profile events. You know, uh we've did one with Spotify, Spelman College. We did TI Far as at the Trap Museum. We did um we did DTLR, you know, we do we do K Camp at times with his private events, you know, we've done Drewski's uh could have been like auditions and reunions. We've done Taylor Johnson's sponsors events. Um, so those moments as such are proud because we're getting booked and we get an opportunity to go out and show who we are and how we do, just as football. You know, we get an opportunity to go play front of fans and to show who you are and what you do, and with a win. So I and every moment that we get booked is a bigger option, it's a it's a big moment for me. That's the type of thing I am. It's not just one moment I hold on to is every day because we we get better, we become more strong together. So I would say every time that we get booked to do a hope, a high profile event because it's it's it's intense. It's intense.

SPEAKER_01 8:50

What yeah, wonderful. That's great. Um, what separates you from um other security companies? Like, what's your key differentiator, and what I guess do you pride yourself on making you stand out against you know other security firms and competition?

SPEAKER_00 9:06

Accountability. Uh I stand strong on how the bad guy only has to get it right one time. But as us as a good guy, we have to get it right every time. So I would say that separates me from other companies because I don't I don't tolerate, you know, tardiness or excuses. You know, I'm real big on being a man of your being honest, you know, and real big on family first, you know, because that trustworthy and being able to trust you, because what we do is dangerous. So I can't work at night with a guy I can't trust. Something to pop off. No one has my back and I, you know, get hurt, let alone lose my life. So that's first, you know. I feel like the values that I install and make sure that we have before we even begin and step out suited and booted, being boots on the ground is different from any other company because we strengthen we strive to aim to get it right every time, just off of the fact that we know it only takes the bad guy to get it right one time, and that could be at any risk and liability.

SPEAKER_01 10:10

Wow, that's great insights. Um, and how do you personally decide uh clients and projects? Um, what makes you go, okay, I'm gonna do that?

SPEAKER_00 10:23

Them needing safety. Our motto is taking back your safety. So just them or me being contacted or someone telling me someone needs security, uh, is in a sense of a superhero, you know, is someone that needs protection. And uh that's our motto is taking back your safety. So that that's what we build off of as far as us is literally just someone needing security services. It's us providing and letting them know that your safety is taken care of. If your safety was taken away from you, we're here to take it back.

SPEAKER_01 10:54

Excellent. And um, how do you person Yeah, Gagana? Sorry, continue, please. No, no, no, that was it. That was it. That was it. Okay, cool. Um, how do you personally handle pressure?

SPEAKER_00 11:06

Verbal judo and um meditation, you know, with yoga. That's that's how I personally handle pressure because what we do, it weighs a very heavy amount of weight on your mental. It starts mentally. You know, a lot of people be in bad spaces, and that's how bad decisions happen. And at that point, it's too late to fix that bad decision or what happened. You can't go back in time. So I handle it with meditating, and as well as once a stressful situation has presented itself, I use verbal judo and I de-escalate, you know. I try to solve the problem, not become the problem, you know, and just talk gently and let them know that they're being heard of whatever their situation may be, and kindly try to just separate and allow us to make it back home to our families and loved ones. Terrific.

SPEAKER_01 12:02

Do you um do you ever when you're doing security, do you ever have like a fear that there might be issues post that or like after it, an event or anything when you're doing security? Does that ever is that actually a problem? Sure, sure.

SPEAKER_00 12:16

Absolutely, absolutely. That's why um we tell guys in the field, you may hear the two word stay dangerous. You know, that's like our see you later, take care, have a good day, talk to you later. We tell each other stay dangerous, and uh what comes behind that is stay ready so you don't have to get ready. You never know what the intent may be. It may have felt good, and in that moment, it seemed as if, okay, you know, this is over with. We squashed it, we're good, but you never know what their intent is. So you have to move as such, you have to move as if there's a threat every time, just so you're already 10 toes, leaning, ready to engage. So that's exactly how I move, as if it wasn't squashed, as if it wasn't taken care of until I'm home in my bed behind my closed locked door, is when I believe when I can say, okay. But even in the future, man, you know, you just got to be aware. Um, that's why you have to have great memory as far as recognizing guys and situations. You get some guys that forget how God look, and it's the same guy that you just bumped into, or maybe have roughed house or roughed up last week. I learned that working the clubs, you know, being a bouncer, I'm at the door checking and coming into my club. So I'm seeing guys, and then once we have a dispute and we had to, you know, handle that situation, I'm on edge the whole entire time. And and the and the list just keeps going because oh man, yeah. This December, this January, we had two guys. So for me, I have a whole list of guys that I have not forgotten about what happened and how we met, and just to be prepared for if they may do hold a grudge and retaliate because uh revenge is the best dish served coke.

SPEAKER_01 13:57

Sure, sure. That's really great insights again. Um, how do you think you've personally matured since you started um debate secured to you on now?

SPEAKER_00 14:08

Man, a lot. Just um, and I I hate to continue to repeat myself, but the transition from working at clubs is very different from protecting a human being. You know, you're you're laying your life down on the line, it's to the point where you will be the one to take the bullet for them to ensure their safety and ensure that they make it home to their family and kids if the cause is for you not to. So that alone is a very mature pill to swallow and accept and be eager and notice what you're there to do. Um, which brings you back to your why, finding your why, which is why do I do this? Uh, that was another pinpoint as far as my maturity. Because you know, doing clubs, you learn depending on how you came into the game. You get some guys who always had a dream of being a protector of security or probably had mentors of their parents were and they actually followed in those footsteps. But if you're a guy that kind of just got into it from having the size and you're learning from experience, hands-on experience, as you go, you learn the do's and don'ts. And there was a lot of you know, do's and don'ts that you could learn in the club. So once stepping from that, learning more class training, and uh getting to where I am today was was a big maturity eye-opener for me, which sets me different from the past to the present. Even speaking how I am now, the guy that used to work the club, he wouldn't be able to speak like that.

SPEAKER_01 15:38

Well, you should be incredibly proud, and you're very well spoken, and you're very mature beyond your years. So, yeah. What's uh uh what's the best compliment you've ever received?

SPEAKER_00 15:53

Professional. Hey man, thank you though. You're very professional. I would say that's the best compliment that that I I enjoy to hear. And once it's given to me, um you know, it's good to hear. You know, sometimes you work for clients that don't even say thank you. Um, but to hear client response or feedback be, hey, very professional, we love you, or however I handle the situation, hey man, that was very professional. I I feel, you know, great because anybody could just say thank you and leave it at that. But they chose to label it as professionalism to where as a professionist, I do this with the perfection and I give off what they receive, you know. So that would be my biggest compliment.

SPEAKER_01 16:41

That's impressive. Again, you should be proud. Uh, what's the best piece of advice you've ever received?

SPEAKER_00 16:48

Oh, best piece of advice I would say is um don't trust no one. You get a lot of guys, you know, other and I will say, you know, let me not be a hypocrite as far as you have to trust the guy you work with. Um I'm saying more so as in someone outside if you're working with like a client or a a customer, you know, serve what they need far as you know what they request, but don't trust it for a long while. You get guys who get high hopes and uh get love bombed by clients because we deal with males and females, and they immediately just retain this big amount of trust to where, oh, they'll never leave me and get a new guard, or they'll never, you know, they'll be here forever. I work with this client until I'm ready and comfortable to depart in separate ways. So when I say don't trust no one, I'm speaking in the context of that because you get a lot of guys who will fall into depression or grudgment just from getting laid off, you know, or just something happening that caused a delay of them being able to work because you know we're all human beings and we all got the same bills that we have to pay. So that that that sets you that sets you in the in a dark space that people don't want to be in. So I would definitely the best advice would be to keep it professional and and business over you know, friendship when it comes to what you're playing.

SPEAKER_01 18:22

That's great advice. And what would you say to a young Debe? Very similar position, maybe even the same background, um, that's willing to take the leap and open their own business. What advice would you give them?

SPEAKER_00 18:34

I would give them to learn their why. As I said, are you sure you want to do this? This this is a job to where you can wake up this Wednesday, day before Thanksgiving, hey, I'm just gonna make some money going into Thanksgiving for the holiday. I'm bored tonight, and you don't wake up for Thanksgiving, you know. So it's it's literally that quick of a moment. So my first advice would be me asking them of their in are you are you sure? Are you positive? Because once you start, you can go back and you can quit, but you also will leave you know uh a bad name for yourself. So once you leave, you can't come back. So it's my advice would just make sure this is something that you want to do because it comes with long hours, it comes with spontaneous schedulings and bookings, it comes with its own calendar, it comes with his own life. So the life that you thought you would keep or you had before will change once you begin. So my advice to them would be me really making sure that this is something they want to begin.

SPEAKER_01 19:42

Yeah, for sure. That's really, really great advice. Thanks for sharing. Um, what's the biggest challenge uh challenge, should I say, um, facing Debase Secure today?

SPEAKER_00 19:53

Today, I would just say the economy with everything going on. Uh, of course, it's not a big adversity for us. We overcome any and everything. But you know, with the government shutdown, that actually in most cases caused a big need for security for some security services, depending on the area and what was needed, but at the same time, some funding, which of course affected some clients to continue funding our services. So, but that's over now. So that uh kind of like today, but that's the most recent because today we we don't have any problems. That's great.

SPEAKER_01 20:34

You're living the life. Um what um what would you like your legacy to be?

SPEAKER_00 20:45

I would like my legacy to be something that's that's just everlasting. You know, um it's a lot of guys who I've hired and who've been with me for for two or more years, and they've pulled me to the side and said, hey man, you changed my life. You know, it's a lot of guys that moved to Atlanta and is looking for a job but don't know what they're gonna do, or was doing security from the state they came from and wanted to continue that career coming to Atlanta, and I was able to provide that for them. And at the time was blessed enough to have, you know, a contract or whatever the work case may be, and I was able to staff that guy or that employee and change their life. So I I was just I just wanted to be everlasting as far as Debo Secured. Hey man, I remember that. Like he changed my life. I started working for him. I I I came here with nothing, or I was in a bad space, I wasn't making no money. Uh, he taught me a lot, and now I branched off and became this because these guys who work for me who I don't I don't gatekeep, I don't keep them down. It's it's guys that work for me that has started their own security company as well, and that has a stock. Anything they still work for me, they still support me, I still engage with them. Uh, we'll even do contracts together as two companies, subcontracting. So I just wanted to be that open space of everlasting to know that you know, as long as there are no disloyalty or distrust, it's open arms. It's a bridge that'll never be burned. And when it someone can always cross and even cross to prevail. So everlasting.

SPEAKER_01 22:24

That's wonderful. And what's uh what's an example of elite protection that um people don't know or don't understand?

SPEAKER_00 22:35

One more time.

SPEAKER_01 22:37

What's an example of elite protection most people don't understand?

SPEAKER_00 22:45

As I said, that their safety is our priority. Depending on what they do, it sets a level of their liability. But as their protector, we treat every outing, every event as if it's a high risk. So where they don't understand, you get clients say, Hey, I'm just going here for 30 minutes, or I'm just going to this event for two hours. Okay, that's fine. It may be daytime, it may be in a good area, but there also may be someone that has a grudge with someone we don't know, and a drive-by happens. Or there also there also may be, and this is something recently, um, we're departing from Hartsville Jackson Airport on the international side, and there's a bomb threat, which literally just happened about two or three days ago. There's a bomb threat at Hartsville Jackson Airport on the international side. So we step out the house, treating everything as high risk. So nothing is not looked upon as nonchalantly. Oh man, it's nothing, man. It's just real quick. You're gonna charge me that, you get something to try to negotiate your life. Like you want to tell me how much my life costs in case something happens. So that's the biggest misunderstanding when they try to negotiate what you are comfortable with risking your life for, and at the same time, that person that's on the other end negotiating wouldn't last nor want to do one day in your shoe or one night. So that's the biggest misunderstanding that they need you to understand is that at any given moment, even at the park, you know, it's it's real. Life is real. Life is real.

SPEAKER_01 24:43

Well, thanks for sharing. Um, can you share some celebrity stories and experiences and insights that you've dealt with with us?

SPEAKER_00 24:52

Good or bad. Good or bad. Uh both. It doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_01 25:00

It doesn't matter. Whatever you want to do.

SPEAKER_00 25:02

Of course, of course. Um, it's great. I would I would share one that that's most recent and great. Uh, so this year I was awarded Eager Eye Protector of the Year with K KSE Entertainment, uh just for all of my hard work and having that keen awareness anytime that I'm working. And my client K Camp, I've been with him for four years, going on five. His mother was the one to present me the award. And um, she called me the same night of the award ceremony. K Camp had an event he was attending in Vegas, Las Vegas. And I was just going to be the guy to, hey, okay, I got nominated for this award. If I win, accept the award on my behalf as I'm at work. And she personally called me to say, Hey, I need you there. My son would be okay. You need a knight to yourself to be honored for what you do, you know. And that is the mother of the client telling me, you know, and that's a mother being someone who's nurtured him and cared for, cared him for nine months and still caring for him up until his age of his 30s, telling me to take off to be at his war ceremony. And uh, I was I was given that award, and I also met a lot of great elite executive protector agents. Man, I met uh I met um the guy that does what he's been doing, Tyrese and Kanye West. I was able to meet Elijah Muhammad's bodyguard. So the minister for his nation of Islam, true to Islam, I was able to meet their bodyguard, and they're very, very respective and militant, how they move. So that that all in itself was a celebrity client moment. Um, and dealing with that client's mother for me that that I choose to share. Because on the night of me receiving the award, I'm receiving it from my client's mother, and a lot of other agents who was there receiving awards were receiving it from their client that they've been with 10 plus years, which is great. But it was it was a different celebrity moment for me for his mom to be the one to award me with that award.

SPEAKER_01 27:36

Yeah, well, that just shows um the level of trust and love, you know. Like it's incredible. Like, you know, that's that really shows who you are and how professional, and I guess you know, your person that you are. So, yeah, it's incredibly impressive.

SPEAKER_00 27:49

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 27:51

Okay, cool. Thank you for sharing that. Um, what do you like to do in your downtime away from security? Uh, what are your hobbies and passions aside from that?

SPEAKER_00 27:59

It it kind of still all plays a part into security, man. I like to train, I like to keep my size. I'm working out. As I mentioned, I'm I'm meditating. I will say I'm a big family guy, so I'm I'll spend as much time as I can with my family in the downtime because my schedule is so spontaneous and I'm on the road a lot, a lot, depending on the client's needs, and I'm and I'm doing combative training. You know, I'm sharpening my skills uh so that it becomes even more natural than breathing, you know, in the moment, just to be able to react. So those those pretty much are my hobbies. It's it's still around the same thing. I know it may be boring, but uh that's what that's what keeps me consistent.

SPEAKER_01 28:41

Yeah, I was about to say that it really keeps you consistent. That's what you want in life, right? You want that long as your video, so yeah. Exactly. Yeah, 100%. What um what is your favorite place you've been to? You've obviously traveled a lot um on the road. Where where is your like go-to place you're like? I'm really excited to go here now.

SPEAKER_00 29:01

I would just say, in order from the places I've been, number one would be Canada, number two would be would be Greece, number three would be London, and number four would be Nigeria. And I I'll get excitement with with one and two. I'll get excitement with one and two. Those are just great places, man. Canada is is a different, you could taste the air. Like as soon as you land on the plane, the air itself is different. If you've ever been, you may know what I'm talking about. If not, please go experience it. And as far as Greece, man, the people there are just so friendly. Like there is there's no there's no dangerous stuff that happens there often. So it's you could literally have a night out like this with all my jury on stay out until four or five in the morning and not cross, not wind, death, or you know, a bad guy or a criminal. So I would say those. Those are the places for me.

SPEAKER_01 29:59

Yeah, fabulous. Thanks, Sharing. If you were 8-8 again, and you could change anything, this can be personally or professionally, what would you change?

SPEAKER_00 30:09

I would change how long it took me to begin. I would change how long it took me to begin because I I I didn't start until seriously, and it still started with the club first instead of executive tech. I didn't start until after COVID. You know, I was still like playing ball, you know, I was still doing other things instead of just choosing this and knowing that this is my path. Because I later in life found my purpose in life, which is helping other people. I gain pleasure out of just helping someone free cost, just them saying, Hey man, thank you, you helped me, or as you as I share with you, thank you that was very professional. Um, so I would change how long it took me to begin because it literally made me the man I am today. And I could have saved a lot of miscellaneous activity and trouble that I've gotten into. I started earlier than what I did. So that would be something I'll change.

SPEAKER_01 31:11

Well, that's impressive. Um, thank you for sharing that. Uh Diva, thank you very much for coming on the podcast. You know, you should be incredibly proud of your business and everything you're doing. Um, you know, it's it's it's wonderful. Like I couldn't describe into words how proud you should be. Um, and yeah, thank you again for coming on.

SPEAKER_00 31:27

Absolutely. Thank you, Mr. Nick. Anytime. Thank you, my brother.