Paul Hickman, CEO, Courthouse Concepts

Grab a latte and pull up a chair and join us for a great interview with Paul Hickman, CEO, Courthouse Concepts.

Prior to getting into the background screening business Paul was a Regional Loss Prevention Manager with responsibility for security and safety in several stores in a large retail chain. In the early 90s, he started a company in Dallas offering loss prevention services for small to medium sized companies which weren’t quite large enough to have an in-house LP staff. A client approached them about conducting background checks; we researched it and began offering the service.

Once he started performing background checks Paul indicated he enjoyed helping his clients to make informed hiring decisions. He noted that “his job is not to judge folks and added that he believes people deserve a second chance, but, he believes honesty is everything.”

Switching the conversation to the company he shared that his mission is to positively impact his clients by providing them with quality information which allow them to make informed decisions. He added that he really believes that training and education, not only of his employees, but also his clients, is a major key to success.

When I asked him about any important announcements he would like to make he reflected for a moment and then said “the company has come a long way since it was started in September of 1999.” He smiled as he shared that they just finished the NAPBS accreditation audit and have been notified that they passed. With a sigh of relief, he said “it was a long process and it has definitely made us a stronger company.”

He also shared that the company started an investigation and a security consulting division two years ago and that they have provided services nationwide to several business as well as to school districts.

In response to my favorite question about “looking into a crystal to see what the future foretells for background screening” He offered that he thinks technology will continue to play a huge role in our industry. As data is more accessible, he thinks the background screening industry, as a whole, is going to shrink. The technologically savvy companies, and the companies that integrate with other revenue streams, will survive and prosper.”

Turning back to him personally, I asked if he had read any interesting books recently. He responded that he has recently read Seven Summits by Dick Bass, Frank Wells and Rick Ridgeway. The book takes you on the journey of Dick Bass and Frank Wells to be the first ones to climb the highest summits in each of the seven continents. Given his recent read of this book, his response regarding the most interesting person he would like to meet was very befitting. He said that given the chance he would like to meet Sir Edmund Hillary. Hillary, along with Tenzing Norga, became the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

We closed the interview with him sharing his favorite quote: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”(Mahatma Gandhi)

Thanks to Paul for a very interesting and insightful interview.

If you would like to speak with Paul or learn more about Courthouse Concepts please reach out to him at p.hickman@courthouseconcepts.com