Security Guard Service

Provide licensed security guard services for businesses, events, construction sites, and properties requiring physical security presence

Startup Cost
$15,000-$60,000
Difficulty
Intermediate
Time to Profit
4-8 months
Profit Potential
$20,000-$125,000/month

Overview

Security guard services provide trained licensed security personnel for businesses, properties, events, and facilities requiring security presence.

You deploy guards protecting people and property.

Security guards bill at $25-$60 per hour depending on location and services.

Providing 200-500 guard hours weekly generates $250,000-$1.5M annually with 25-40% margins after guard wages and overhead.

Target clients include commercial office buildings, retail and shopping centers, construction sites, special events and concerts, hospitals and healthcare, and gated communities.

Services include uniformed security presence, access control and screening, patrol and monitoring, incident response, reporting and documentation, and customer service.

Success requires security guard licensing and training, recruiting and managing reliable guards, liability insurance and bonding, potentially armed guard licensing, scheduling and dispatch systems, and building commercial security contracts.

Required Skills

  • Security Operations
  • Guard Management
  • Licensing
  • Client Relations
  • Scheduling

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Recurring contract revenue
  • Essential service for many businesses
  • Can scale through additional guards
  • 24/7 operations opportunities
  • Growing security needs

Cons

  • Thin margins on guard wages
  • Managing and retaining security personnel
  • 24/7 scheduling and dispatch
  • Liability and insurance costs
  • Guard licensing requirements vary by state

How to Get Started

  1. Obtain security company license
  2. Complete security guard training
  3. Get liability insurance and bonding
  4. Recruit and train security guards
  5. Market to businesses and properties
  6. Build contracts with commercial clients
  7. Implement scheduling and management systems

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