RISING ICON #73: Dorion Taylor
What name do you prefer to be called?
Dorion
What are your pronouns?
He/Him/His
Where did you grow up?
Milwaukee, WI
What city are you currently based in?
South Minneapolis
How do you typically introduce yourself to new people?
Hi. My name is Dorion. It’s a pleasure meeting you. And you are?
What’s one thing you wish more people knew about you?
I love to cook and entertain for my friends.
Who do you help?
Most anyone who needs it.
What are you building now?
I’m currently building a startup business that conveys high-volume water to suppress wildland fires. (It’s much more complicated than that, but that’s the gist.)
What were you building ten years ago today?
My career.
What do you predict of yourself 10 years from now?
Leading a successful national company that’s on the verge of international expansion.
What’s a fact or statistic you wish everyone knew about your industry?
Nearly 90% of all wildland fires are caused by humans and much could be avoided with careful handling and planning.
Why do you believe the work you do matters?
Wildland fires are increasing in intensity and damage severity at a rate that is destroying our natural resources. Developing a sustainable and scalable solution is crucial to the longevity of our ecosystem.
Who is your mentor and what is the best advice they’ve given you?
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have several mentors who have contributed to my professional and personal growth. One I lean on and share with others is to develop your story and master its delivery. You cannot count on others to know it and be able to articulate it on your behalf.
What piece of content about you or your company are you most proud of?
We are so new, practically everything we’ve created so far is something to be proud of. Our first case study video was produced using iPhone photos and videos and stock images is something worth mentioning.
What publication do you hope to appear in next?
Wired
Who would you love to be interviewed by ?
Sean Evans from Hot Ones. (My absolute favorite.)
If you had to give a TEDTalk tomorrow, what would the title be?
The impact that an unlimited amount of water has on fighting wildland fires.
What award would mean the most to win?
I’d love to be involved with a campaign that is awarded a Gold Effie for Sustained Success. I mean, who wouldn’t? To be recognized for a campaign that has sustained success for five plus years and has adapted and remained relevant is pretty dope.
What makes zero sense to you?
How on earth do people float?
What’s a word in your industry you hope gets re-evaluated?
Digital Advertising. At some point, isn’t it Advertising?
What game are you changing?
We are revolutionizing the wildfire preparedness and suppression industry with technology that has never been available before – a high-volume, continuous flow of water.
What’s the next thing you’re a part of that you want to invite more people to participate in?
I’d like to invite as many people as possible to support and participate in any organization that are increasing diverse representation in the advertising/marketing industry: AdColor, the Marcus Graham Project, The BrandLab, One Club’s Where Are All The Black People, 100 Roses from Concrete, just to name a few.
Where can we follow you online?
I’m not incredibly busy on social media beyond my Instagram, which is private. If you want some laughs about my sports fandomness, my X account is @DorionLT. (My likes and comments are of my own, not a reflection of my company.)
What’s one thing that makes every leader better?
EMPATHY
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We’re grateful to each Rising ICON for their transformative work. Thank you, Dorion, for sharing your story!
LAUREL is a media relations partner for bold leadership. For nearly a decade, we’ve helped leaders build effective strategies for scale and growth specializing in key opinion leadership and go-to-market strategy for emerging brands. To follow along with the RISING ICONS series, nominate a leader or subscribe to our weekly email newsletter. To accelerate your own rise, get our free guide to elevating your leadership profile, FIT(lite). RISING ICONS is made possible by grant funding from Knight Foundation.
“Develop your story and master its delivery. You cannot count on others to know it and be able to articulate it on your behalf.”
Notice: It’s important for our readers to understand the origin of the interview content. The featured ICON contributed responses that were not edited from the original submission. All claims are made solely by the contributor and do not reflect the views of LAUREL or its partners. Thank you for supporting innovation leaders. We’re convinced, the future is bold.
