Transcript

Melissa Hart · Calm Under Fire

Col. John Boggs: Welcome back to Calm Under Fire. I'm Colonel John Boggs, United States Marine Corps retired and the president of Fortitude Consulting. today I'm joined by Melissa Hart, founder and CEO of eBodyguard. Melissa spent more than 15 years developing solutions at the intersection of criminal justice and technology, building systems that help law enforcement, prosecutors, and communities work more effectively together. Permission is clear. Modernize the justice process and improve public safety through innovation. Partnership and disciplined leadership. And that's what this is all about, is leadership. Melissa, it is great to have you today. It is truly great to have you today. Melissa: Thank you so much, it's really nice to be with you, Colonel. Col. John Boggs: Thank you, thank you, thank you. So if it's okay, we'll just jump right in. Is that all right? Perfect. So Melissa, what problem did you see that made you say this system has to change? Melissa: Yeah, of course, yeah. Well, think it was when I was young and a crime occurred me, actually, and ⁓ I to myself, well, things should be better. They just should. And ⁓ I when you're young, you just assume the system works. Right? Don't we all? until you come face to face with it, and ⁓ then it doesn't, and the fails you, ⁓ you get choice. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm, yes we do. Melissa: you get a choice about your attitude and we all do. And I think there's a, a saying it's about like. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Melissa: 80 or 90 percent is what, percent is what happens to you, 90 percent is how you respond to it. And so ⁓ response was, well, ⁓ get a decision, I'm ⁓ do something about it. So I became curious about it, and so I decided I was gonna go ahead and ⁓ all about the criminal justice system ⁓ then ⁓ some innovations so that we could ⁓ back ⁓ give back to others ⁓ ⁓ to experience a different outcome than what I experienced. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. wow. Well, know, justice requires courage. What prepared you to lead in this environment? Melissa: Probably my naivety. Probably the idea that I didn't know what I didn't know. Right? Just because I thought, it needs to be different, so we all should make it different. But also because I truly... Col. John Boggs: Okay. Melissa: Truly knew that we had to have it had to be different and I also have a composing brain and then I also am a technologist so, you know, I grew up in Xerox at Xerox corporate and Have a math and science brain and I also knew we had access to resources and tools and skills and so with all that in mind My first mentor Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Melissa: former army colonel as well. And so he taught me wonderful leadership skills. you know, he came into my office one day and he said, Hey, why don't you come to my office on Monday morning and let's talk about my mentor, General Colin Powell. And I want you to learn some of the best leadership skills and You know, so besides my background, which is an innovator and a composer, I was ⁓ this ⁓ gift in life, which was ⁓ Xerox. You know, God rest his soul. He's no longer with us. He mentored me along the path for goodness. I was blessed for almost a decade with him he taught me ⁓ he taught me ⁓ Colin Powell's leadership and he's amazing man. ⁓ Col. John Boggs: he absolutely was. Absolutely Is there any lesson that he gave you that stood out? Melissa: Yeah, you know the servant leadership of general Colin Powell was probably one of the biggest lessons But he also taught me you know not to let adverse effects get in the way of being you know ⁓ Able to make truly great decisions right that we have to be able to Make the right call and the urgent call being able to know that the difference between the two, right? Sometimes you allow noise to get in your head. You have to be able to decide, decipher between the two. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Yes, ⁓ boy, that is so true. That is so true. That is so true. Melissa: Right? have to, you have to know that in the morning you're going to, know, it's going to be a rough day, but in the morning, morning is going to come. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Melissa: Right. And, there's that, that's the calm under fire. I love, I love the phrase that you're talking about. And and the title of your program is being able to, to, to, to calm things down and that there's so many different leadership qualities that I was taught young, like over 20 years ago that probably brings stability to why I just keep showing up and like doing the same thing over and over provisions that Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Melissa: me the mission and the team and then is able to just provide that to the layers of the organization. Col. John Boggs: Wow, excellent, excellent. So layers to the organization. you're building stuff that touches law enforcement, prosecutors, and the communities. So alignment has got to be critical. So how do you keep everyone moving forward with that mission, with that shared goal? How do you keep everything moving forward? Melissa: You know, it's interesting. I think all people see on LinkedIn is they just see like the top line mission. always repeat, go repeat, repeat, repeat, right? I've said keeping you safe wherever you are or we are the bridge to smart safe cities. just do that over and over and over and over. And I've done that for nine years. I probably sound like, you know, beat the same drum, beat the same drum. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Melissa: But when you're dealing with like the salient details underneath and how, you know, when you pull peel back the onion, there's so much to it. Like we were at, we were at a meeting today in Pennsylvania and conversation was just simple. mean, he said, well, all I want to start with is just the victim group. And I'm like, no problem. We got it. We got, we an organizational piece to that. And so ⁓ it's, ⁓ able just say, okay, well what's the mission? What's the KPI for that? How do you break that down. Here's the survivor support group, boom, to serve the top line mission, boom, to deliver it through the My Bodyguard program, boom, good. Let this group deal with that and meet over here, right? And then you just let them do their job and you're power to do their job and to then to support the top line mission. You just let your people and then you empower your people to do that. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Wow, that's interesting. That's interesting. You said the victim group. What is it? What other groups are there? Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. Melissa: You mean any bodyguard? Yeah, so you got your tech team, got your legal team, got your finance team, you got your, got all these different departments, right? They all have to serve the mission and then they all have to report in on a weekly basis on how they're serving the mission, just like any other ⁓ Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Okay. So what are the lead what leadership challenges are unique to building in a space like you just talked about? what are what are the leadership problems and how does how do you invest in public trust? Melissa: Well, just like any other or organization, right? It's getting them to integrate and talk to each other and communicate to each other and share information so that everybody feels aligned and moving in one direction like rowing a boat. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. ⁓ cool. ⁓ keep them in the same direction. Yes. ⁓ my gosh. ⁓ So there you go. Hoarding it to yourself. Well, then we start talking about accountability. Well, how how does accountability work then? How do how do you balance innovation and accountability? Melissa: in the same direction. Right? Sharing information. Right? Not hoarding it to yourself. Right? That's so great. What a great question. We begin with Sieges Compliance, And Sieges Compliance 6.0 is digital to... ⁓ Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Melissa: to ⁓ that compliance. We're going through ⁓ compliance checks right now. We just had a cyber meeting this morning ⁓ and accomplished a lot last year in making sure we were at a certain cyber level check. ⁓ We're going our SOC 2 type 1 now this year ⁓ and ⁓ start with the SEGIS background checks. I mean that looks like this. Hey, Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Melissa: Can you pass certain level of background requirements? I mean that would mean like ⁓ get a criminal background check the moment you walk in the door ⁓ Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Melissa: through the Colorado Bureau of Investigations that goes all the way into the FBI. You're on file. If you can't even pass that, you can't work at eBodyguard, sorry. And then you have to pass what's called a CGS test, which means that you learn about data security, privacy security. This is like the moment you walk in the door for every contractor, every single employee at eBodyguard. This is on file. And then from there, and that happens on an annual basis, Col. John Boggs: Hmm. Melissa: We're beginning this year in 2026. We're beginning a quarterly cyber you know, like awareness so that everybody is tested. Are they going to get caught like on fishing? Like, are we going to catch you? You know what I mean? Cause, cause cyber is a big deal in this world. Right. So those are the things that we do from a accountability perspective. And then, uh, from an innovation perspective, like customers want everything because you know, they, think, cause they're, cause the world is full of tech, right? Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Yes. Yes. Hahaha! Right. Melissa: So like between AI, blockchain, apps, websites, I mean, I could go on and on and on about what customers want and need. Now it's like managing that with cost and who's gonna pay the bill and government is slow to pay, trust me. Col. John Boggs: ⁓ God, I know. Yes. Melissa: And then B2B, know, and B2C and then like keeping all that in focus with a CEO and then all the rest of the world. So yes, that's how we've been managing accountability up against innovation. Did that address your question? Col. John Boggs: Yes, it did. As a matter of fact, you opened up others AI. God, love AI. ⁓ my. There's so much going on with AI. Is that something in particular that you all pay attention to? ⁓ Melissa: Yeah, yeah, yeah. We do and I just sent out an email yesterday on the three compliant tools that are compliant for eBodyguard based upon Siege. So are you ready? Here's the three most secure and private tools. Grok AI, Enterprise Chat GPT, not the regular chat GPTs, Enterprise Claude AI. The other AI platforms are not ⁓ Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Wow. Wow. Okay. All right. So folks that are listening in, ⁓ my gosh. Melissa: ⁓ I know, I know, I know. Okay, next, next, let's move on. Here's what we do for privacy. ⁓ First and foremost, Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Melissa: When you open the eBodyguard app, we have the terms of use right in your face so that you don't miss it. And that was because of my conversation with the Office of Privacy Commissioner in Canada. They asked us to do that. Second thing we do is if you are a teenager, we require you to have an adult to sign you up so that we are COPA compliant. The third thing we do is on a medical perspective, we make sure that you have a HIPAA compliance form so that we hold the standards of HIPAA. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Melissa: The fourth thing we do, you want me to keep going because there's way more about privacy that we ensure, that we make sure that we do not sell or share your data so that you can't have a sub or security breach. Okay? So from a privacy perspective, when we engage with law enforcement, we only share 24 hours before and 24 hours after. Col. John Boggs: ⁓ please. Uh-huh. Mmm. Melissa: 911 call so that we are ensuring that we keep a window of your evidence and bring it to law enforcement. The fifth thing we do is we only send your name, your XY coordinates, and that it's eBodyguard to law enforcement as the call is opening up. And then we're moving forward and creating more innovation around that so that we let you choose what you send to law enforcement this year. Col. John Boggs: Wow. Wow. Wow. Melissa: Yeah, because maybe you want to send that protection order, but maybe you only want to send medical or maybe, you know what I mean? So we're going to break apart the safety card this year. Okay, there you go. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Holy smokes. So is this something that an individual can get for themselves? Melissa: ⁓ yeah. ⁓ yeah. Yeah. On the Apple and Google Play Store right now for five dollars and ninety nine cents per month. Col. John Boggs: ⁓ my God. ⁓ ⁓ me make a note of that. Okay. Apple and Google Play Store. Okay folks to the listening in pay attention. No, ⁓ say you got it. You got hammered and you know this, you knew this was out there. So, so tell me, tell me about this. ⁓ justice reform and technology, these stakes are high. ⁓ how do you stay ready? Melissa: Did they? Col. John Boggs: when scrutiny increases. Melissa: Well, I think that most of our CEOs today in the tech space ⁓ are being asked to be able to support the privacy of the individual as well as law enforcement because when you're dealing with safety and life safety in particular, okay, at the most vulnerable community. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Melissa: you really have to consider. that if you're dealing with a school incident or you're dealing with that, you know, most difficult environment, law enforcement have to be able to show up and protect you. And everybody needs that at that moment. Okay. At the same time, um, law enforcement only needs Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Melissa: They only need that critical moment. They only need so much information. Okay, right? They only need to save your life at that moment, right? So this is the key piece that I'm trying to get at. So they need X, Y coordination. They need enough information to save your life. Make sense? And ⁓ the negotiation moment. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Makes sense. Melissa: the meeting in the middle moment to save your life. Okay. So you back out of that, okay, the privacy concerns that the community has had, they have every right to have those concerns. Col. John Boggs: Mmm. Melissa: Okay, okay, so let's negotiate through that for a second. I believe we as tech innovators need to continue to get into the discussion and lead forward into this discussion and have human centered design models and continue to embrace listen ⁓ continue to design heavily for ⁓ supporting community ⁓ and our justice and law and prosecutors and defense. We have got to continue to listen. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Melissa: to each of the stakeholders and pay attention and make sure that everybody's involved in the chain of custody throughout so that we enable tech for good. Absolutely. Col. John Boggs: said chain of custody. With chain of custody, that talk about a legal comment. So this is something that law enforcement uses to... Melissa: To support. Okay, let's just bring up a use case. All right, so we've got a God forbid a school shooting or God forbid a mass casualty, right? Like everybody, of course you want law enforcement there. You gotta have them. And the prosecutors are gonna be involved in the scene after and you know, defense will be there too, of course. Everybody in that chain of custody for that evidence will be involved and engaged, right? Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's... Yep. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Melissa: Okay, but the privacy of the individuals involved also remain that discussion, right? So, ⁓ example, you look at Yuvalde and that awful scenario, Okay, ⁓ I mean, you've got parents, you've got little kids, they deserve the privacy ⁓ the environment. Col. John Boggs: Thank you. Mm-hmm. Yes, it was awful. Mm-hmm. Melissa: And so what I'm sharing is that data privacy of witnesses, victims, and even the perpetrator needs to absolutely be involved in those discussions law enforcement and prosecutors and defense have to remain involved and the voice of each and everyone in that chain of custody. We as tech innovators have got to listen. Col. John Boggs: Wow, powerful. This is really powerful. Tell me, was there a moment you've had in working with all of this where you've had a hard decision to make use your instincts as a leader? Melissa: Yeah, yeah, many hard decisions. the mission ethic and the duty ethic can collide. Col. John Boggs: What have you found when that happens? Melissa: I think sometimes when you have people working at the company that individual need can collide the mission ethic, ⁓ you to back and you have to as the innovator look at and the CEO and the founder and you have to look at it and say, who do I Right. And you and me as, as knowing what my North star has been and consistently knowing what my North star has been, I will, will sometimes. And that's the other piece is like, ⁓ mentor has said, Melissa, general Colin Powell taught me sometimes you will piss people off and that is okay. And ⁓ had to be okay with not being liked in order to get to the outcome of where I'm at. I'm not. ⁓ Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. That's a fact. Melissa: I people to like me, of course, ⁓ I don't need people to like me. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Very good. normally phrase that as you have to be approachable. Melissa: right. I have to be I have to be approachable, but that's not necessarily my job. ⁓ not my job. I've told my son it wasn't my job to be your friend. It was my job to raise you and for me to mother you. Col. John Boggs: And this is, yeah. Mm-hmm. I've been doing this a long time, leadership business. one the, ⁓ I them my cardinal sins, but one of the cardinal sins, one of the cardinal sins is the need to be liked. That's a cardinal sin for a CEO and a very senior leader in any organization. The need to be liked. If you need to be liked, you have a problem. You're gonna run into it and it's gonna scare the bejesus out of you when it finally comes home to roost. Wow. Excellent, you're leading a company through, let's turn the page here, leading a company through, you're growing, you're a growing company, you're scaling, you're gonna be huge. And for the audience so you know, yeah, I know Melissa and she's gonna be huge, her organization's gonna be fantastic. So when leading a growing company through the funding, the expansion and everything you're doing, Melissa: Mm-hmm. Col. John Boggs: How do you protect your culture? Melissa: Such a great question, right? I think the balance between growth and knowing your people is the biggest. I think the biggest thing to do, no matter how big you get, think one of our best CEOs ever was Annala Kehi. One the reasons why is because she knew us, even though she was leading what, like 16,000 people at the time. She knew all of us. And she knew her organization. And the reason that she knew it was because of the way that we were built. And she was a people led organization. She trusted her people and she just, she just, she knew the pulse of her people. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Melissa: I think that's the key is to know the pulse of your people. You know, even though I haven't been to Brazil for like six months and I got to go to Brazil and live there with my, amongst them to build a bodyguard, ⁓ can still feel, I can still feel them. You know, ⁓ I know what's going on. can almost smell it. ⁓ Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Melissa: We just had our first baby down there. I met one the gals and her her husband, I met them because I went out to the central market down there in Bebelhorizonchi ⁓ and she had baby ⁓ and ⁓ her is ⁓ and it's so ⁓ know, ⁓ our e-bodyguard ⁓ Col. John Boggs: Mm. Melissa: Yeah. Yeah. Col. John Boggs: Bye. So as you move through growth and outside investments, how your leadership have to evolve? Melissa: to ⁓ back now. meaning when you trust your people, you know, now I don't make the decisions regarding like platforms, right? I used to make all the decisions and we have a COO, CTO here now. are doing, ⁓ just, ⁓ just got an email where they said, want ⁓ ideas on the market expansion in America? I'm like, sure, you know, before I meet tomorrow. ⁓ you know, like we have different regions opening up in America this year and people are making Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Melissa: decisions in Pennsylvania. People are making decisions for certain market expansion. Like it's just different now. gotta trust others. Col. John Boggs: Yep, you're talking about founder maturity now. there you ⁓ ⁓ Melissa: Yeah, and it's good, it is good, you know? And it's good to do that. You know, I got people ⁓ well is the valuation, no this is the value. I'm like, whatever guys, you know, like we'll figure it out. I mean, that's based upon, it's based upon your revenue, it's based upon your intangibles, it's based upon, you know, ⁓ you ⁓ how is. You've talked to companies, yeah. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Yep. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So, ⁓ Leadership discipline. Melissa: Yes ⁓ Col. John Boggs: Are you intentionally developing sorts of things now? I mean, there's a certain discipline that you've got to have. What are you ⁓ out about that? Melissa: Are we talking about my own? we talking about the companies? Are we talking about the structure of I'm doing with the leaders internally? ⁓ are we talking about? Col. John Boggs: Well, we're talking about you as a leader, and leaders have to have discipline. the board, there's only one you. So tell me about that. Because you have, ⁓ Melissa: Are we talking about my every day, like what I do every single day? Are we talking every day I have the same schedule almost as boring, Colonel? I mean... Col. John Boggs: Every day. Well, there's the discipline. Can you talk us through the discipline of a day? Melissa: Yeah, I wake up and do the same thing every single day, every single morning. Yeah. I mean, it's literally, I mean, I spend my time my spiritual life. I spend my time ⁓ my coffee. I make my bed just like General McRaven asked us to. I mean, ⁓ what I do every single morning. It's the same thing every single morning. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Okay. Mm-hmm. Right. Good. All right. If e-bodyguard succeeds at the highest level, what changes in the justice system? Melissa: Mm-hmm. This makes me want to cry, but our children will know that the belief I had is that it works. ⁓ going to know it works. And it doesn't matter what we are. doesn't matter what gender we are. It doesn't matter what creed we are. You know, have this vision that the Uber of today, it'll be, will be the Uber of every country, no matter what. No matter what country eBodyguard you show up and eBodyguard works there. Because it's an American export and it's just going to show up and it's going to say, do you want to enact eBodyguard? ⁓ get to travel safely ⁓ you get to feel a sense of peace no where you go because you're going to be safe. And don't we deserve that? And don't your children deserve that? ⁓ Col. John Boggs: Hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Wow, we certainly do. We certainly do. When you think about leaders building the next generation of justice systems, what do they need to get right that the previous generation didn't? Melissa: Interoperability and I don't mean like integration because that's it. That's it. That's a object that we've been chasing for a long time I'm really talking about communication platforms that AI gets you to yes, but secure communication platforms that Really truly isn't owned by the one guy at the top Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Melissa: that hoards the information. I'm talking about true interoperability that everybody's able to finally be able to know and learn from a secure perspective. Col. John Boggs: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Okay. Wow. Melissa, for those of us that are listening, and I sincerely hope there's a lot of people listening to this one because this is something that each individual needs to probably have for themselves as well as their organizations. How do they reach you? How do they connect with you? I did. Melissa: Well, you found me on LinkedIn, so that's a great way to reach me or eBodyguard.org. Col. John Boggs: LinkedIn or eBodyguard.org. let me say that again, eBodyguard.org. All right. Let me summarize here. This is a company that is creating something that's gonna keep us safe. It's gonna help ⁓ law if they have to prosecute someone ⁓ from you safe. Melissa: Mm-hmm. Col. John Boggs: That's what this company is all about and it's going to collect the evidence. It's going to do all of these wonderful things and so folks be If not for your organizations, you should definitely be looking at this sort of thing for yourself so Meaningful moment. This has been very good. Melissa, thank you so much for this. This has been a fantastic journey. leaders, don't get this wrong. Stay ahead of the game ⁓ stay leading well. I'm just, excited about watching this thing grow because it's going to grow. It's going to scale. It's going to be fantastic. All right. shots. Last word for you, Melissa, what are your thoughts? Melissa: ⁓ no, my thought is to thank you for your service, Colonel, and thank you for having me today. ⁓ Col. John Boggs: Well, ladies and gentlemen, that's it for this episode and I look forward to our next ⁓ that's it out here.