Pro Series with Eric Dillman

What if one of the most important features in your home is something you rarely think about?In Episode 268, I'm sitting down with Eric Kurbanov, Founder and CEO of RKIN Water Systems, a company changing how modern homes access clean drinking water through innovative water filtration technology.After immigrating to the United States from Uzbekistan, where he experienced severe water scarcity firsthand, Eric developed a personal understanding of the importance of clean water. During the 2008 financial crisis, he turned that experience into a business focused on helping families feel more confident about the water they drink.More than 15 years later, Eric continues to push the water filtration industry forward with high-performance systems designed for modern living.We talk about entrepreneurship, water filtration technology, clean drinking water, kitchen design, home innovation, and how water systems can become an important part of the modern home.Whether you're an interior designer, architect, builder, or simply interested in the technology behind your home's water, this episode offers a fresh perspective on something we use every single day.

In this episode, I’m talking about my experience at High Point Market, some of my biggest takeaways, and why one of the biggest mistakes people make on social media is talking themselves out of posting because they think nobody cares. From mukbangs to unboxing videos, there’s an audience for just about everything. We just have to stop overthinking it, stop judging success by likes alone, and give people a chance to find our content. Plus, Country Music of the Week!

In Episode 267 of Pro Series, I sit down with Louis Young, Vice President of Business Development at Design Phase, to talk about the importance of relationships, community, and getting involved in business organizations.

With experience in architectural building products, retail displays, and more than 25 years of owning and managing rental properties, Louis has learned that success goes beyond simply making a sale. We discuss how business organizations create opportunities to connect with like-minded professionals, why investing in your community matters, and how building genuine relationships can lead to long-term success.

Whether you're just starting your career or have spent years in the industry, this conversation is a reminder that some of the most valuable things in business come from the people you meet along the way.

What if the biggest mistakes leaders make come from everything they were taught about leadership?

In Episode 266, I’m sitting down with Lawrence “Larry” Coval, a veteran technology and telecommunications executive who spent nearly four decades leading sales organizations, business units, and billion-dollar operations at companies including AT&T, Global Crossing, and Cox Business.

Throughout his career, Larry turned around underperforming teams, drove business growth, and developed future executives. His experience led him to challenge traditional leadership thinking and rethink what it truly means to lead people.

Larry is the author of Misled: Why (Almost) Everything You Learned About Leadership Is Wrong and How to Fix It, a book that explores why accountability, trust, influence, and employee development are essential to building successful teams.

In this episode, we discuss leadership, employee engagement, team building, accountability, workplace culture, management mistakes, and how great leaders create an environment where people can succeed.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, business owner, manager, or aspiring leader, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on what it takes to lead effectively.

This week on Off Topic, I’m talking about the Ryan Seacrest and iHeartRadio Top Host opportunity, why putting yourself out there matters, and the simplest social media advice I can give anyone right now: press record and start talking. You don’t need perfect lighting, a perfect thumbnail, or a huge following. You just need to start. I also share what I’ve learned from putting myself out there more with Storytime with Eric, Now Design Talk, and my country music content.

What can the experiences of a 22-year-old Army officer in Vietnam teach us about leadership decades later?

In Episode 265, I’m sitting down with Richard A. Moore, known as Rick, a Vietnam veteran, former U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officer, engineer, and author of An Officer’s Journey.

After graduating from Lafayette College with a degree in civil engineering, Rick entered the Army through ROTC and found himself leading soldiers in Vietnam’s Central Highlands at just 22 years old.

From making difficult decisions under pressure to earning the trust of the people around him, those early experiences shaped the way Rick approached leadership, engineering, consulting, relationships, and life long after his military service ended.

We talk about leadership, courage, responsibility, resilience, teamwork, military service, career growth, and building a life with purpose.

What if your biggest obstacle to success isn’t your strategy, your circumstances, or your business plan, but the way you see yourself?In Episode 264, I’m sitting down with Arash Vossoughi, President and Co-Founder of Voss Coaching Co., mindset expert, author, and high-performance coach who has spent more than 20 years studying personal transformation alongside legendary personal development pioneer Bob Proctor.Arash believes that you don’t have a strategy problem. You have an identity that is limiting what you believe is possible for you.After overcoming more than $150,000 in debt and nearly losing his home, Arash transformed his own life and now helps entrepreneurs and high performers do the same.We talk about mindset, identity, wealth, entrepreneurship, personal growth, raising your standards, and breaking through the mental limitations that can keep you stuck.If you're working toward your next level in business or life, this conversation will make you think differently about what's actually standing in your way.

https://vosscoachingco.com/

We’re told to find a niche, stick to it, and build everything around it. But what happens when that niche starts becoming a box?

In this episode of Pro Series Off Topic, Eric Dillman talks about why your niche should give your content direction without limiting what you’re allowed to create. Your interests can change. Your career can evolve. Your audience can grow with you. And you don’t have to keep making the same content forever just because it worked once.

We talk about personal brands, social media, creativity, chasing the algorithm, and why sometimes the things that make you different are exactly what make your content more interesting.

Your niche should explain you, not contain you.

What if you discovered your true creative purpose later in life?

In Episode 263, I’m sitting down with Christian Calvin, known professionally as 33n, a self-taught Tennessee artist who began painting in his mid-40s and has since taken his work to international exhibitions and long-term installations with Lexus.

Christian’s work blends neo-expressionism, cubism, bold color, and layered texture to explore themes of transformation, love, faith, purpose, and the human experience.

In this episode, we talk about starting something new later in life, finding your creative voice, turning passion into purpose, the role faith plays in his work, and what can happen when you give yourself permission to pursue something you truly love.

In this episode of Pro Series Off Topic, Eric talks about something he thinks we could all use more of: encouragement.

Why would he rather be cringy, put himself out there, post the content, and actually work toward a dream than have a dream sitting untouched in an account, notebook, or idea folder? Because there is something incredibly fulfilling about actually trying. Eric talks about why we're so quick to judge everything we see and why he'd rather encourage someone who's putting themselves out there, even if it's not perfect.

Then it's time for country music. Eric breaks down the latest CMA Awards nominations, talks about Ella Langley making history and breaking records, and runs through some of the new country music he's been listening to.

Topics include: encouragement, creating content, chasing your dreams, social media, judgment, CMA Awards, Ella Langley, new country music, and Song of the Week.