From Badge to Boardroom: How Chad Perez Built Two Security Companies from the Ground Up
Constructive Interference Episode 7 with Rufus Cressend
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What happens when a former police officer builds not one, but two businesses that revolutionize public safety and private security?
You get Chad Perez — founder of Pinnacle Security and Aegis — a visionary entrepreneur who’s bringing tactical clarity, people-first leadership, and massive operational impact to cities across the country.
In Episode 7 of Constructive Interference, host Rufus Cressend sits down with Chad to uncover how he went from patrolling the streets of New Orleans to running two of the most innovative companies in the security sector. The conversation digs deep into leadership, decision-making, scaling with purpose, and why sometimes the most valuable thing you can do… is let go.
🧭 From NOPD to CEO: A Career Pivot Fueled by Frustration
Before launching Pinnacle, Chad Perez spent 15 years with the New Orleans Police Department. But even in uniform, he often found himself questioning hierarchy and authority — particularly when reporting to superiors who lacked vision or practical skills. That dissonance planted a seed.
“I didn’t even know what the word entrepreneur meant,” Chad admits. “I just knew I wanted to build something on my own terms.”
That drive eventually led him to create Pinnacle Security and Investigations, a company that stands out in a saturated industry by treating its people as people, not placeholders. Where most firms cycle through personnel like a numbers game, Chad prioritized humanity — listening to his team, adapting schedules to individual needs, and giving purpose to every role.
🔍 The Power of People-First Leadership
Leadership is a major theme throughout the conversation — not as a buzzword, but as a practice. Chad shares how early experiences with both excellent and terrible supervisors shaped his own approach.
“Bad leaders don’t make bad decisions,” he says. “They just don’t make any decisions.”
It’s a philosophy he’s embedded in every layer of his companies: empowering managers to act independently, training team members to think critically, and giving room for failure — as long as the lesson is learned.
He encourages new leaders to come to him with solutions instead of problems, asking them: What’s the best-case scenario? Worst-case? And can we live with the worst?
🚧 Scaling Through Systems (and Setbacks)
After building a strong foundation with Pinnacle, Chad started facing a new challenge: growth. The business was gaining traction quickly, but scaling without infrastructure can lead to collapse. That’s where programs like Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, Birthing of Giants, and Vistage came in.
Each program provided frameworks that matched Chad’s stage of growth:
Goldman Sachs: Provided the business fundamentals for building beyond a solo operation
Birthing of Giants: Helped him refocus the vision for a second-stage company ready to scale
Vistage: A long-term peer group to pressure test decisions and sharpen leadership in real-time
These programs didn’t just refine his strategies — they challenged his mindset. Especially the realization that you can’t grow a company if you’re still the bottleneck.
🚨 Aegis: Solving a Crisis in Modern Policing
Chad’s newest venture, Aegis, was born out of a simple but critical observation: police departments are stretched too thin. With rising manpower shortages and overwhelming call volumes, many officers spend hours responding to non-injury car accidents — situations that don’t require a badge or gun, just a report.
“If an officer works 2,000 hours a year, and we give back 20,000 man-hours to a department — that’s 10 full-time officers worth of time saved,” Chad explains.
Aegis deploys former law enforcement professionals to handle these calls — trained, experienced agents who know local laws, can file reports on the scene, and free up active-duty officers for more urgent matters.
The results are dramatic:
Faster response times for citizens
More efficient use of public safety budgets
Better morale and effectiveness within police departments
As of this interview, Aegis is already in talks with 18 cities nationwide, scaling fast thanks to Chad’s hard-won operational blueprint.
💡 Lessons from the Frontlines of Entrepreneurship
Throughout the episode, Chad and Rufus unpack key insights that any entrepreneur — especially visionaries building in high-stakes industries — can apply:
1. Let Go to Grow
Stop being the smartest person in every room. Train your people to think, act, and decide — then get out of their way.
2. Surround Yourself with Sharpeners
Join groups like Vistage or find peer mentors who don’t let you bullshit yourself. People who challenge your thinking and aren’t impressed by your highlight reel.
3. Create Structure Around Your Chaos
Visionaries are wired for momentum, not maintenance. Use frameworks like EOS or strategic planning days to turn energy into execution.
4. Reputation Doesn’t Build Retention
Especially in industries like security or law enforcement, your internal culture matters more than your brand reputation. Treat your team like humans — because that’s what they are.
🗣️ Final Thought: What Would Future Chad Say?
Near the end of the episode, Rufus asks: What would your five-year future self tell you right now?
Chad’s response is striking in its simplicity:
“Take better care of yourself. Take more time off. And be grateful for the personnel changes you made — they were worth it.”
🎧 Listen Now
Episode 7 of Constructive Interference with Rufus Cressend
🎙️ Featuring Chad Perez
🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms
📺 Full video on YouTube
