A&R wasn’t a new dream for Gordan Dillard—he’s a man who has always believed in what he wanted to do, and when he was younger, he aspired not only to become an executive and entrepreneur, but also to go into A&R. The journey to that dream began with an internship at Motown, and it only evolved from there.

Dillard is a person who has always believed in what he wanted to do, but some of the paths his life has taken have been unexpected and/or a case of being in the right place at the right time—including his position as manager. Early on in his career, Dillard wasn’t completely clear on what being a manager entailed—that is, until he was around managers in the A&R space. It was then that he realized that managers were embedded in the artists’ careers and had more freedom and a hand in running the business than he had expected. His role as manager for Doja Cat followed a similar trajectory.

Dillard and Brilliant Thoughts host Tristan Ahumada discuss his journey to his present positions, the importance of being of value and how to find the people who will help you and your career.

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Gordan Dillard is the executive vice president of A&R and artist development for Capitol Music Group. He is known most for being Doja Cat's manager.