Dr. Paul Dillon, President and CEO of Dillon Consulting Services LLC, has had a remarkable journey from top executive positions to successful entrepreneurship. His passion for helping veterans start their own businesses led him to create the concept for a veteran-led incubator in Chicago, which became The Bunker, now known as Bunker Labs. In an exclusive interview, Dr. Dillon shares his core values, leadership principles, and the pivotal moment that changed the course of his business. Learn from his insights and experiences as he offers advice to aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs looking to make an impact in their industries.
Interviewee Name: Dr. Paul Dillon
Company: Dillon Consulting Services LLC
Dr. Paul’s favourite quote: I have two actually: “To whom much is given, much will be required”. And, “The unexamined life is not worth living”
The Interview
Before we dive into the future, let’s rewind a bit! Tell us a story: what sparked your passion for your industry and led you to where you are today?
Dr. Paul Dillon : I was a top executive at several accounting and consulting firms, before I became a successful entrepreneur. And, I’ve had top board positions at some major non-profits and governmental committees and commissions. I’ve even had considerable experience with the media— having served for more than fourteen years as the supervisor of elections for both the National Radio Hall of Fame at Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications, and for the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Science for the Emmy Awards, when I was with an accounting firm.
I retired as a consultant from the Chicago office of the McGladrey accounting firm in 2006. Upon my retirement from McGladrey, I reinvented myself by starting my own firm in Chicago, which is now devoted to helping veterans who want to start their own business. I am a former U.S. Army Reserve 1st Lieutenant, who fought in the Vietnam War. I was the creator of the concept for an incubator in Chicago for veterans who want to start their own businesses, called The Bunker, which has been rebranded as Bunker Labs (http://bunkerlabs.org). See my op-ed that started the whole thing in Chicago:
https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:70299a37-78f7-443d-82e5-5a0d33cf61d4
In November of 2013, I moved my headquarters to Durham, NC , but maintain an office in Chicago, also. I worked with an organization, called Entredot, to start a support program for aspiring veteran entrepreneurs in North Carolina, called VetStart, which has recently been rebranded as Bunker RDU. I have been in the professional services business for most of my working life, but have never worked with veterans before this.
What core values and leadership principles have guided you in your journey as a CEO, and how have they shaped your approach to leading your company?
Dr. Paul Dillon : Here are the core values that I have tried to adhere to throughout my business career: integrity, decisiveness, good judgment, the ability to form a vision and execute it, confidence in your own competence, etc. But, without the ability to be selfless, to put the needs and wants of others before your own, you will never get people to “follow you to a place where they wouldn’t go to by themselves.” One other important thing: Practice “servant leadership”. If you take care of your employees and customers or clients, profits will come. Don’t put profits before people.
I teach these visionary leadership skills as a part of the course that I created and teach on veterans’ issues at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University. Here is a link to an article that describes this course:
https://sanford.duke.edu/story/students-explore-public-policy-and-veterans
Can you share a pivotal moment or challenge you faced as a CEO, and the strategies you employed to overcome it while maintaining your leadership vision and guiding your team?
Dr. Paul Dillon : My business didn’t start out with the idea of helping veterans. I started out thinking that I was going to provide project management and business development services to companies in the service industry. But, that didn’t work out. I had to “pivot” several times, before I found a niche that worked.
My big break, and big pivot point, was when one my clients, Crain’s Chicago Business, our regional business publication in Chicago, asked me to do some research in 2011 on companies in Chicago that were hiring veterans. I spent a considerable amount of time on this assignment, much more than was necessary or what I got paid for, and learned what I could about businesses in Chicago, and around the nation, who were hiring veterans, and the support programs for veterans wanting to enter the workforce upon leaving their military service. All of this research led to a very successful section in the publication around Veterans Day in 2011, called “Veterans in the Workplace” (http://www.dillonconsult.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Crains-Veterans-in-the-Workplace-Focus-Section.pdf).
And, things just took off from there…
That one assignment launched my second career in assisting aspiring veterans who want to start their own businesses.
What advice would you offer to aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs who are looking to make an impact in their industries and lead their companies to success, based on your own experiences and insights?
Dr. Paul Dillon : HERE IS WHAT I LEARNED FROM THAT CHALLENGE:
Your first idea for your business might not be the right one. Be flexible! And, find an area or industry that is under served where you can add value…then go for it! Don’t take no for an answer. If you meet with rejection, get up, brush yourself off, and try again. There is always more that one way to skin the proverbial cat.
We hope you enjoyed this insightful conversation with Dr. Paul Dillon. At Featured Leaders, we are committed to bringing you closer to the minds shaping our world. Stay tuned for more exclusive interviews and stories that inspire, inform, and ignite your passion for leadership. To keep up with our latest features, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media. Thank you for reading!
