Meet Eric Dillman

 

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Eric Dillman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Eric, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

I think the best way for me to keep my creativity alive is with my side jobs. From Digital creation to the podcast it allows me to be the creative director of my brand and think outside of the box. I think a lot of people who have a creative mind needs to be constantly using it and I find the side jobs help me fulfill that void.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

My name is Eric Dillman and I started my professional career as a full time Interior Designer. Being new to the field you don’t get a whole lot of new customers because you really don’t have a portfolio to show, so I created my own social media and was able to get my first customer from it within two weeks. It all started as me posting products that I love or materials that I would design with until I was to the point to post actual jobs of mine. As my career progressed I moved into other parts of the business but kept my design page. So after that I created a Content series where professionals from around the world would send in their advice for ROI called “Pro Series”. Once 2020 came I knew I needed to put my self more on y content and created my “Pro Series” into a IGTV show, releasing a new episode once a month or so. I was lucky enough to have lot of HGTV stars, and some very high up people in the design industry on in the very early days of this show. At the end of 2021 I had some requests to make this into a podcast given its already in that format. The last so many months of the year I met with professionals in the podcast space to make sure I knew what to do and get as much advice as I could. I released it as a Podcast in the first of the year in 2022 and have release a new episode every week since. in 2023 i knew i was painting myself into a corner by only talking about design when I am interested in so much more and expanded the podcast into anyone in the professional space. Also added a second episode of the week called “Off Topic” where I talk about any think I want from country music, to shows, to social media. As June of 2024 I hit 100,000 listens and have been growing the podcast into different professional spaces. My plan is to grow the podcast and be able to help people figure out their professional goals by listening to the inspiriting stories of all the professionals I have on each week.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back at my own journey I see determination, confidence, and work ethic being the most impactful in my journey.

Determination because I have always know what I want the end goal to be and I don’t take no as an answer. I just take it as a pivot into the correct direction. I think if you want something bad enough in your life you will make the time for it and will get it done.

Confidence has been a tough one but the one I am most proud of. Being a very introverted person, putting yourself out there on social media for your brand can be very intimidating. But I have realized my opinion is the only one that matters in my brand. I think for so long i worried about what others would think hen I post something or would second guess everything I said until a flip switch in me in 2020ish time period. Its something I think I just worked towards with out really know if was. Its hard to explain, but now I can careless what people say about what I put out. Yes, I have heard horrible comments about my podcast and content from people I know, an even friends. But, to tell you the truth it just makes me want to put more content out. When you get to the point where what you are doing makes you happy, none of the other crap that comes along doesn’t matter.

Work Ethic is a quality that I have valued since I was little. I think when I want something, I will build out a plan and work towards it. I will find my way around obstacles and keep moving.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

Honestly, is other creators. I have been blessed to meet a lot of other creators in my niche and outside my niche from the podcast and just networking events that help out so much. There are so many people out there that truly want to help others out. Sometimes its hard to find, but when you do its a beautiful thing. Who else knows what you’re going through than people like you, in the same industry as you. Being able to find people that are going through the same journey as you, same obstacle/ challenges is so important. They can give you advice best advice because they have gone though it. I’ve made lot of connections with creators from all over the world which is such a cool thing to have the ability to do.

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