The 3 Foundational Skills

There are three foundational skills: SURVEILLANCE, OSINT, AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS. These skills alone or together will allow you to work a small group of case types such as infidelity, workmen’s comp., locates, etc. Once you have these skills, then it’s time to pick your niche and take things to the next level.

In order to do infidelity cases, for example, all you need are surveillance skills, report-writing skills, photography skills, plus a little mentoring. I could have you trained up in a few days, and this is a great way to become a Texas PI. So don’t get too concerned. I suggest to all new PI’s that they start with infidelity and work that for a year. It’s a great way to make money, develop your surveillance skills, and have some fun.

There are many investigators who only learn surveillance or OSINT and then make a career with some special niche that ONLY requires those skills. I know one PI that sits at a computer all day long doing research for another PI who is in the field. He became a PI by becoming a computer expert first. I don’t recommend that path, but it’s doable. I do recommend starting with surveillance. Get good at that, then move to the next thing on your list.