Episode 289 - Client Needs and Risk Strategy with Forhad Razzaque (Part 1)

About this episode

Mark Ledlow interviews Forhad Razzaque about his career in the security industry and the importance of client-focused risk assessments.

In this episode of The Fearless Mindset Podcast , host Mark Ledlow is joined by Forhad Razzaque, president and President of Integras Intelligence in New York, to discuss his career path and the security industry’s current risk landscape. Forhad describes immigrating from Bangladesh, growing up in Queens, losing his father in high school, and helping run the family deli in a dangerous Brooklyn area, which shaped his customer-service and security instincts. After starting at NYU on a pre-med track, he switched to economics and joined Guardsmark despite a lower offer, learning relationship-building and account management. He later partnered with Tony Picciano to start a guard-force consulting firm in 2006, sold it around 2008, entered investigations, and in 2016 acquired and rebranded a company into Integris. They discuss industry acquisitions, AI’s impact and client distrust, and Forhad’s view that clients need strategy-first risk assessments; Integris is 60–70% background investigations with other services including executive protection and assessments. Learn about all this and more in this episode of The Fearless Mindset Podcast. KEY TAKEAWAYS You don't need a military or law…

People in this episode

Host: Mark Ledlow

Guest: Forhad Razzaque

Topics covered

• client needs
• risk strategy
• security industry
• career path
• relationship building
• background investigations

Keywords

• risk strategy
• security industry
• client needs
• background investigations
• relationship building
• career path

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Integras Intelligence, NYU, Guardsmark, Integris

Places: Bangladesh, Queens, Brooklyn

More episodes of The Fearless Mindset

• Episode 291- Building Relationships, Marketing, and the Future of Executive Protection with Forhad Razzaque (Part 2) · June 9, 2026 · 31 min
• Episode 290 - ASIS President Eddie Sorrells on Transformation, Next-Gen Leadership, and Becoming a Total Risk Partner · June 2, 2026 · 30 min
• Episode 288 - Scaling Pyramids, Entrepreneurial Mindset, and Innovation in Executive Protection Media with Christopher Stitt (Part 2) · May 19, 2026 · 42 min
• Episode 287 - Navigating AI, Crypto Risk, and Next-Gen Wellbeing in Security Leadership with Michael Gips · May 12, 2026 · 30 min
• Episode 286 - Finding a Common Language in Security: Risk, AI, and Leading Through Uncertainty with Jonathan Perillo · May 5, 2026 · 25 min
• Episode 285 - Entrepreneurship, Leadership Development, and Navigating Polarization with Christopher Stitt · April 28, 2026 · 31 min