Security Gun For Hire

The Perfect Digital Work Setup

Sunday construction security offers a unique combination: you're getting paid to be present, but the actual security demands are minimal. Most sites are locked down on Sundays, with little to no activity. This creates hours of uninterrupted time to work on your laptop, whether you're building a side business, taking online courses, or freelancing.

Premium Pay, Minimal Interruptions

Many construction security positions pay weekend premiums, Sunday shifts. You're earning more per hour while the site sits dormant. The occasional perimeter check takes minutes, leaving you free to focus on your laptop work between rounds.

Skill Building on Company Time

Security guards have used these quiet shifts to earn degrees, learn coding, write novels, and launch online businesses. The job provides structure and income while you invest in your future. One guard can complete a certification course; another might be developing an app or building their portfolio.

Peaceful Environment

Unlike weekday shifts with constant interruptions from contractors and deliveries, Sundays offer a meditative workspace. No traffic noise from the street, no questions from foremen, no coordinating site access. Just you, your laptop, and the hum of your productivity.

The construction security Sunday shift isn't just a job, it's paid time to build your future, one quiet hour at a time.

Sherine Assal has established herself as a prominent business leader through her role as Founder, President, Chairwoman, and CEO of American Guard Services and Chairwoman of Worldwide Sourcing Group. Co-founding American Guard Services in 1997 with her brother, she grew the company to $43 million in sales, building a nationwide security operation from the ground up.

Career Journey

With over 20 years of experience in security services ownership, management, and operations, Assal has been involved in every aspect of the business, from operations to accounting. She began her career as Operations Manager at American Guard Services before ascending to executive leadership. Her focus on existing client accounts ensures contract requirements exceed normal expectations, contributing to the company's steady growth and client retention.

American Guard Services

American Guard Services has evolved into a comprehensive security provider operating across the United States. The company delivers uniformed security officers, mobile patrols, risk management, video surveillance support, maritime operations, and special event security to government, commercial, residential, and retail clients. Based in Gardena, California, the firm maintains a significant presence with hundreds of active security officers deployed throughout Southern California and beyond.

Worldwide Sourcing Group Leadership

Since 1997, Worldwide Sourcing Group has provided services in security, real estate, and enterprise change management to international Fortune 500 and government customers. Under Assal's chairmanship, WWSG expanded to more than 6,000 employees internationally. The company provides technology-based monitoring, professional services, real estate acquisition, and facility management to more than 178 industrial, commercial, and public-sector customers.

Working alongside her brother Sherif Assal, who serves in senior operational roles, Sherine has built a family enterprise that encompasses multiple service divisions and maintains operations across numerous states and international markets.

Industry Connections

Assal maintains strong professional relationships with the Maritime Security Council, American Society of Industrial Security, and Cruise Line International Associations, positioning her companies at the intersection of multiple security and business sectors.

Through strategic leadership and operational expertise, Sherine Assal has built a multi-faceted business empire serving diverse industries while creating thousands of employment opportunities across the United States and internationally.

Look, I get it. Nobody likes being stopped at the exit, receipt in hand, wondering if they look suspicious. But having watched countless unnecessary confrontations unfold, most grocery store security drama is completely avoidable and yeah, it's usually on you.

Just Show the Receipt

The number one cause of grocery store meltdowns? Refusing to show your receipt when asked. I understand you paid for your items. I understand you're in a hurry. But that security guard is doing their job, and turning a five-second interaction into a constitutional debate helps nobody.

They're not accusing you of theft, they're following store policy. The dramatic "Am I being detained?" routine might feel empowering, but it mostly just makes everyone uncomfortable, including the other shoppers trying to leave.

Keep Your Receipt Accessible

Don't shove it deep into your wallet or crumple it into your pocket while you're still in the store. If you're carrying items that aren't bagged—especially high-value electronics or cases of water—have that receipt ready. This isn't about guilt or innocence; it's about making life easier for everyone, including yourself.

Don't Act Weird

Here's the thing: security guards notice behavior, not faces. Constantly looking around? Lingering near exits without shopping? Stuffing items into your jacket when there's a perfectly good cart? These actions trigger attention.

If you're doing something innocent that might look suspicious—like taste-testing grapes or opening a drink you plan to pay for—just mention it to staff or pay for it immediately. Most stores don't care; they just want to avoid confusion at checkout.

Remember: They're People Too

Security guards deal with actual thieves, aggressive customers, and tedious policy enforcement all day. A little basic courtesy goes a long way. A simple "no problem" when asked for a receipt, or "sorry, one second" while you find it, transforms the interaction entirely.

The bottom line? Most grocery store security drama happens because someone decided to make a point instead of taking the easy route. Save your energy for things that matter. Show the receipt, smile, and get on with your day.

When it comes to managing security guard schedules, choosing the right tool can mean the difference between smooth operations and constant headaches. While specialized workforce management software exists, many security companies and supervisors still rely on spreadsheets for their flexibility and low cost. The two major contenders, Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets, each offer distinct advantages for security scheduling. Here's how they compare.

Real-Time Collaboration: Google Sheets Takes the Lead

For security operations requiring constant schedule updates, Google Sheets shines with its real-time collaboration features. Multiple supervisors can edit the schedule simultaneously, guards can view their shifts from any device with internet access, and changes appear instantly for everyone. When a guard calls out at 3 a.m. and a supervisor needs to quickly reassign coverage, that update is immediately visible to the replacement guard checking their phone. This live connectivity eliminates the confusion of multiple schedule versions floating around via email attachments.

Excel, while offering collaboration through Microsoft 365, doesn't quite match the seamless, instant synchronization that Google Sheets provides natively through cloud storage.

Accessibility and Cost Considerations

Google Sheets offers a significant advantage for smaller security companies or those watching their budgets: it's completely free with a Google account. Guards can access their schedules from any smartphone, tablet, or computer without needing special software. This universal accessibility is particularly valuable in an industry where not all employees may have access to paid software licenses.

Microsoft Excel requires either a Microsoft 365 subscription or a one-time software purchase. However, many established companies already have Microsoft 365 licenses, making Excel readily available at no additional cost. The mobile Excel app does exist, though some users find Google Sheets more intuitive on smaller screens.

Power and Functionality: Excel's Strength

When scheduling becomes complex—tracking certifications, calculating overtime, managing pay differentials for various sites, or creating intricate formulas—Excel's advanced capabilities become invaluable. Excel handles larger datasets more efficiently, offers more sophisticated conditional formatting options, and provides powerful analytical tools through features like pivot tables and advanced macros. For companies managing hundreds of guards across multiple locations, Excel's processing power and feature depth can be essential.

Google Sheets covers basic to intermediate spreadsheet needs admirably but may struggle with very large schedules or highly complex formulas that Excel handles smoothly.

Practical Features for Security Scheduling

Both platforms support color-coding shifts, creating dropdown menus for site assignments, setting up automated alerts, and building templates for recurring schedules. Google Sheets integrates seamlessly with Google Calendar, allowing supervisors to push schedules directly to guards' calendars. Excel integrates well with Outlook and other Microsoft products, beneficial for companies already invested in that ecosystem.

Google Sheets' commenting and suggestion features facilitate communication directly within the schedule, guards can request shift swaps, and supervisors can approve or deny without leaving the spreadsheet. Excel offers similar functionality through Microsoft 365, though many find Google's interface more straightforward.

Version Control and Change Tracking

Google Sheets automatically saves every change and maintains a complete version history, allowing supervisors to see exactly who modified what and when. This audit trail is invaluable when disputes arise about schedule changes or when you need to recover accidentally deleted information.

Excel through Microsoft 365 offers version history, but standalone Excel files require manual saving and version management, which can lead to lost work or confusion about which file is current.

Offline Access Considerations

Security operations can't always rely on consistent internet connectivity. Excel's traditional strength is offline functionality—you can work on schedules anywhere, anytime, without an internet connection. Google Sheets requires internet for most functions, though limited offline editing is available if set up in advance. For supervisors who frequently work in areas with poor connectivity, Excel may be the more reliable choice.

The Verdict: Choose Based on Your Needs

For small to medium security operations prioritizing accessibility, real-time updates, and budget consciousness, Google Sheets is likely the better choice. Its collaboration features are unmatched, and the zero cost makes it accessible to companies of any size.

For larger operations dealing with complex scheduling scenarios, extensive data analysis, or working within a Microsoft-centric environment, Excel's power and functionality justify the investment. Its robust features handle sophisticated scheduling demands that would strain Google Sheets.

Many savvy security supervisors actually use both: Google Sheets for the live, day-to-day schedule that guards access constantly, and Excel for complex payroll calculations, historical data analysis, and long-term planning that requires advanced features.

Ultimately, the best tool is the one your team will consistently use correctly. Consider your specific operational needs, budget constraints, technical comfort level, and collaboration requirements before making your choice. Both platforms can effectively manage security guard scheduling—the key is matching the tool to your team's workflow.

The automatic doors whoosh open and closed in an irregular rhythm. Someone forgot cranberry sauce. Someone else needs a last-minute pie. You're standing near the entrance in your security vest, watching the controlled chaos of Thanksgiving day grocery shopping, and you might be wondering how you ended up here instead of around a table with family.

But here's the thing, you're exactly where life needs you to be right now. And this moment, with all its fluorescent lighting and beeping scanners, has its own kind of grace.

You're Witnessing Humanity at Its Realest

Look at the faces coming through those doors. The stressed parent who burned the turkey and needs another one. The elderly man buying a single serving meal. The young woman grabbing ingredients to cook her first Thanksgiving dinner. You're seeing people in their unfiltered moments, rushed, grateful, desperate, relieved.

Take a second to really see them. Not just as potential shoplifters or policy violators, but as humans living their own complicated stories. That frazzled mom? You're keeping the store safe so she can fix dinner. That's not nothing.

Ground Yourself in the Sensory Details

What does this moment actually feel like? The commercial chill from the refrigerated section mixing with warmer air near the bakery. The smell of rotisserie chicken wafting from the deli. The particular squeak of cart wheels on linoleum. The garbled intercom asking for a price check on aisle seven.

These aren't distractions from your experience, they ARE your experience. Don't wait for some other, "better" moment to start being present. This is it. Feel your feet on the ground. Notice the weight of your radio on your hip. You're alive, aware, here.

Recognize Your Quiet Contribution

Your presence changes the atmosphere of this store. Because you're here, people feel safer. Parents shop a little more relaxed. Elderly customers move through the aisles with less worry. Employees handle difficult customers knowing backup is nearby.

You're not just watching for theft, you're holding space for an entire community to do what they need to do. That's a form of service as real as any volunteer work or family caregiving.

Connect in Small Ways

You have dozens of micro-opportunities today. Hold the door for someone juggling too many bags. Smile at the kid riding in the cart. Help someone find the canned yams. Tell the exhausted cashier you appreciate them working today.

These moments cost you nothing, but they anchor you in shared humanity. You're not separate from the Thanksgiving happening around you, you're woven right into it, thread by thread.

Make One Thing Special

Bring something that makes this shift feel intentional. A thermos of coffee you actually enjoy. A sandwich from home that reminds you of family. Take your break and actually savor it, don't just scroll your phone wishing you were elsewhere. Call someone you love and tell them you're thinking of them.

Claim this day as yours, even though it's not the day you would have chosen.

See the Stories You're Protecting

That elderly couple carefully selecting a small turkey? You're giving them a safe place to maintain their traditions. The college kid grabbing instant stuffing because it's their first holiday away from home? You're part of the backdrop of their growing up story. The family loading up their cart with enough food to feed fifteen people? Your watchfulness is one small thread in the fabric of their celebration.

You may not be at the table, but you're helping set dozens of them.

Find the Quiet in the Chaos

Even in a busy grocery store, there are pockets of stillness. Maybe it's during a lull between rushes. Maybe it's that weird quiet moment right at closing time. Maybe it's just the space between your thoughts when you stop resisting where you are and simply breathe.

This moment, this exact, irreplaceable, never-coming-back moment, is your life happening. Not the meal you're missing. Not the shift that will end eventually. This. Right here. Right now.

You're standing guard over something more important than merchandise. You're protecting a community's ability to gather, to feed each other, to continue the small rituals that make us human. That's not a consolation prize for missing Thanksgiving.

That's Thanksgiving itself, just wearing a different face than you expected.

Feel your breath. Feel the ground. Feel the strange privilege of being the one who shows up. You're here, you're present, and you matter.

Happy Thanksgiving, guardian of the aisles. Your table might look different, but you're still at the feast.

In a profession often overlooked or underappreciated, security guards might not immediately think of their work as a source of gratitude. Yet this vital role offers rewards and reasons for thankfulness that many other careers cannot match.

Making a Real Difference

Security guards go home each day knowing their presence mattered. Whether deterring theft, assisting someone in distress, or simply helping a confused visitor find their way, the impact is tangible and immediate. There's deep satisfaction in being the person others turn to when they need help or feel unsafe. Few jobs offer such direct evidence that you've made someone's day better or safer.

The Front Row Seat to Humanity

Security work provides an unparalleled vantage point on human nature. Guards witness countless small dramas, kindnesses, and human interactions that office workers miss entirely. This role offers stories, insights, and a rich understanding of people that money cannot buy. Every shift brings new faces and unexpected moments that keep the work from becoming monotonous.

Independence and Responsibility

Unlike many entry-level positions, security guards often work with significant autonomy. They make judgment calls, handle situations independently, and carry real responsibility for people and property. This trust is empowering and builds confidence and decision-making skills that translate far beyond the job itself.

Stability and Accessibility

In an uncertain economy, security work offers steady employment with relatively accessible entry requirements. The profession provides a reliable paycheck, often with opportunities for overtime, night differential pay, or advancement into supervisory roles. For many, it's been a stepping stone to other careers or a stable foundation for supporting their families.

Community and Camaraderie

Security guards develop bonds with their colleagues, the regular employees at their sites, and even the familiar faces they see each day. These relationships transform a job site into a community. Being recognized, greeted by name, and becoming part of the fabric of a place creates a sense of belonging.

Skills That Last a Lifetime

The profession builds invaluable skills: situational awareness, conflict de-escalation, crisis management, and calm under pressure. These abilities serve guards well throughout their lives, making them more capable parents, neighbors, and citizens.

This Thanksgiving season, security guards have genuine reasons to feel grateful for work that keeps communities safe, builds character, and reminds us all that quiet vigilance is a form of service worth celebrating.

In the security industry, professionals are often tasked with protecting high-profile clients; executives, celebrities, diplomats, and other individuals who face unique vulnerabilities. When your client is a woman, the role extends beyond physical safety to include protecting her from harassment, invasive behavior, and situations that compromise her dignity.

The Core Principles

Anticipate, Don't React. The best security professionals prevent problems before they escalate. Read the room constantly. Notice when someone's approaching with a camera, when a conversation is becoming uncomfortable, or when a crowd is getting too close. Position yourself to intercept these situations early.

Create Space Without Spectacle. Your job is to protect, not to draw attention. A skilled security guard can redirect an overly aggressive photographer or remove an intoxicated patron without creating a scene that becomes tomorrow's headline. Use calm, authoritative body language. A simple step forward or raised hand often communicates more effectively than shouting.

Know the Law. Understand the legal boundaries of your authority in your jurisdiction. You cannot assault someone for being rude, but you can escort them from private property. You can document harassment but cannot seize someone's phone. Professional security work requires knowing exactly where the line is.

Practical Situations

Media Intrusion. Paparazzi and aggressive journalists may cross boundaries for a shot or quote. Politely but firmly establish distance: "Please step back and give us space." Use your body as a barrier without making physical contact. If they persist on private property, document the interaction and involve law enforcement if necessary.

Verbal Harassment. When someone directs inappropriate comments at your client, your response should be measured. Often, simply positioning yourself between your client and the harasser while maintaining eye contact with the aggressor is enough. If verbal intervention is needed, keep it professional: "That's inappropriate. Move along."

Physical Boundaries. If someone attempts unwanted physical contact—grabbing for a handshake, blocking a path, or worse—your response must be immediate but proportional. Create physical separation, verbally establish boundaries, and escalate to law enforcement if the behavior continues.

What This Role Isn't

This isn't about viewing your client as fragile or incapable. Women in positions requiring security are often incredibly competent and strong-willed. Your role is to handle the logistics of safety so they can focus on their work. It's not about chivalry; it's about professionalism.

It's also not about being aggressive or confrontational. The security guard who constantly escalates situations becomes a liability. Your effectiveness is measured in incidents prevented, not conflicts won.

The Mindset

Think of yourself as a buffer between your client and the chaos of public life. You're there to ensure that unwanted attention, whether from overzealous fans, aggressive media, or genuinely threatening individuals, doesn't interfere with her ability to move through the world safely and with dignity.

Respect is the foundation. Respect for your client's autonomy, for the public's rights, and for the law. Master these principles, and you'll excel at one of the most demanding roles in personal security.

People see the uniform and think they know the job. Stand there. Watch cameras. Maybe walk around a bit. Easy money, right?

They don't see what my life be like.

The In-Between Hours

My shift starts when most people are still asleep or just ending their night out. I arrive in darkness and leave in darkness half the year. My body clock doesn't know what time it is anymore. I eat breakfast at 10 PM, dinner at 4 AM. Social life? That's for people who work normal hours.

I miss birthdays. Skip family gatherings. Watch friends' lives happen on social media because I'm here, making sure nothing happens.

The Weight of Watching

Eight to twelve hours of standing. My feet know every ache there is. My back reminds me I'm not twenty anymore. But that's not the hard part.

The hard part is the alertness. Always scanning. Always assessing. That group of teenagers—are they just loud or looking for trouble? That person pacing nervously—mental health crisis or something worse? That car circling the lot for the third time—lost or casing the place?

My mind never fully rests, even on breaks. Even at home.

Invisible Until Needed

Most days, I'm part of the furniture. People walk past without eye contact. I'm background. Decoration. Nobody says good morning unless they need directions.

But when something goes wrong? Suddenly I'm essential. The medical emergency. The angry customer. The suspicious package. The fight breaking out. Then everyone's looking at me, expecting me to have answers, take control, fix it.

I'm trained for this, sure. But that doesn't mean my heart doesn't pound when I have to intervene in a domestic dispute or approach someone who might be armed. The uniform doesn't make me bulletproof. It just makes me the first target.

The Stories I Carry

I've seen things. Held pressure on wounds while waiting for ambulances. Talked someone down from a mental health crisis. Found a missing child. Caught a thief. Comforted people after bad news.

I've also watched people die and dealt with overdoses in the bathroom. Cleaned up after violence I couldn't prevent. Those nights stick with you. Nobody prepares you for that part. There's no counseling. You just show up for the next shift.

The Moments That Matter

But here's what keeps me coming back: I make a difference.

The elderly woman who feels safe enough to walk to her car because I'm here. The employee who works late without fear. The kid who waves at me every morning. These small things matter.

Last month, I noticed a regular acting strange—sweating, disoriented. Turned out to be a diabetic emergency. I got him help in time. He thanked me later, said I saved his life. That's bigger than any paycheck.

The Real Life

My life be like this: sacrificing sleep for other people's safety. Standing when I want to sit. Staying alert when I want to zone out. Being professional when I'm treated like I'm invisible. Dealing with danger for poverty wages.

My life be like watching everyone else live their lives while I make sure they can do it safely.

It's not glamorous. It's not easy. Most people couldn't do it. But it's mine.

And some days, when I prevent something bad from happening—even if nobody notices—I know it matters.

That's what my life be like as a security guard. Real. Underappreciated. Essential.

And I'll be back tomorrow, doing it all again.

Marcus starts his shift at 6 AM, unlocking the doors of a downtown office building. It's a routine gesture, but one that sets off a chain of consequences that will touch dozens of lives before the day ends.

The First Wave

As Marcus greets early arrivals with a friendly nod, anxious employees feel their shoulders relax. A new hire, nervous about her first week, takes comfort in his reassuring presence. She performs better in her morning meeting, impressing her supervisor, who later recommends her for a key project. Marcus doesn't know it, but his calm demeanor just altered the trajectory of someone's career.

Meanwhile, his vigilant patrol of the parking garage prevents a potential car break-in. The would-be thief moves on to another location. Three employees arrive later to find their vehicles untouched, their days unmarred by the stress and financial burden of theft. They'll spend their lunch breaks enjoying the sunshine instead of filing police reports.

Expanding Outward

In the lobby, Marcus notices a delivery driver struggling with a heavy package and a jammed door. He helps. That driver stays on schedule, delivering medication to a pharmacy on time. A patient picks up their prescription without delay. Small acts compound.

His radio crackles. There's a medical emergency on the fifth floor. Marcus arrives first, administering CPR while waiting for paramedics. His training, often dismissed as just another certification, saves a life. That person will attend their daughter's wedding next spring, teach their grandchildren to fish, and contribute twenty more years to their community.

The Long Shadow

The building manager notices the declining incident reports under Marcus's watch. She renews the security contract and recommends the company to two other properties. Four new security jobs are created. One goes to Marcus's nephew, who uses the steady income to finish his degree.

Local businesses near the building see increased foot traffic. Employees feel safe enough to walk to lunch rather than drive away. A struggling sandwich shop stays afloat. The owner keeps three employees on payroll who might otherwise have lost their jobs.

Invisible Impact

What Marcus can't see is even more profound. His presence discourages crime that never happens—incidents that leave no reports, no victims, no statistics. Threats that dissolve before forming. A teenager scoping the building for vulnerabilities sees Marcus and chooses differently, avoiding a path that might have led to arrest and a criminal record.

The building's tenants renew their leases at higher rates than comparable properties. The owner invests in renovations, hiring local contractors. The economic ripple continues.

The Human Center

At the end of his shift, Marcus goes home tired. He doesn't feel heroic. He completed his rounds, filed his reports, and showed up, again. But his presence was never just about standing guard. It was about being a human anchor in a sea of uncertainty.

Every security guard creates ripples. Some are dramatic prevented tragedies, confronted dangers, saved lives. Most are quiet, a sense of safety that allows normalcy to flourish, routines to continue, and communities to thrive.

We rarely notice the ripples. We only notice when they stop.

That's when we realize how far they traveled, and how many shores they touched.

As security companies grow, scheduling often becomes the bottleneck that holds everything else back. What started as a manageable task for an operations manager or owner quickly turns into a full-time job of its own. Hiring a dedicated scheduler can be the decision that unlocks your company's next phase of growth.

Freeing Up Leadership to Focus on Growth

When owners and operations managers spend hours each week juggling shifts, fielding call-outs, and filling last-minute gaps, they're not doing the work that actually grows the business. A dedicated scheduler takes this burden off leadership, freeing them to focus on client relationships, business development, and strategic planning. The hours reclaimed often translate directly into new contracts won.

Faster Response to Call-Outs and Emergencies

In security, an uncovered post isn't just an inconvenience, it's a liability. A dedicated scheduler can respond immediately when a guard calls in sick or an emergency arises. Rather than waiting for a busy manager to notice the problem between meetings, a scheduler is already working the phones and filling the gap. Response time drops from hours to minutes.

Reducing Turnover Through Better Shift Management

Guard turnover is one of the industry's biggest challenges, and poor scheduling is a major contributor. When employees feel their availability preferences are ignored, they're overworked one week and underutilized the next, or they can never get a straight answer about their schedule, they leave. A dedicated scheduler builds relationships with guards, understands their needs, and creates schedules that keep people happy and employed longer.

Improving Client Satisfaction

Clients notice when the same reliable guards show up consistently versus when coverage feels chaotic and unpredictable. A scheduler can prioritize continuity, ensuring clients see familiar faces and that guards who work well at particular sites are assigned there regularly. This attention to detail strengthens client relationships and improves retention.

Controlling Labor Costs

A skilled scheduler pays for themselves through smarter labor management. They learn to balance hours across the team to minimize overtime, identify patterns in call-outs that might indicate deeper problems, and ensure you're not overstaffing slower periods. The savings in overtime alone often exceed the cost of the position.

Creating a Single Point of Contact

When guards have scheduling questions, need to swap shifts, or want to request time off, having one person to call simplifies everything. Instead of multiple managers handling requests inconsistently, a dedicated scheduler becomes the reliable point of contact who knows the full picture and can make decisions quickly.

The Right Time to Hire

Most security companies reach the tipping point when they're managing 30 to 50 guards or more than a handful of sites. At that scale, scheduling complexity grows exponentially, and the cost of mistakes, missed shifts, overtime overruns, frustrated employees, outweighs the cost of a dedicated hire. If scheduling has become your biggest headache, it's probably time.