About the Guest:

Eddie Dunn is a "human-centered, culture-focused" talent management professional with a rare superpower: building relationships that drive culture transformation and deliver measurable results. Eddie is a change leader with a relentless growth mindset, combining strategic insights and operational excellence to simplify complex challenges and create meaningful organizational change.

With award-winning expertise in talent management, Eddie designs and implements approaches that not only shift cultures but also drive value innovation, creating unique competitive advantages in what he describes as the "Blue Ocean" of possibilities—where the competition becomes irrelevant.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Growing Your Business with People, host Jeff Lackey sits down with Eddie Dunn to discuss the critical transition of veterans from military to civilian life. Eddie shares the powerful story behind founding the Civilian Ready Foundation and how his organization has driven measurable business impact. From saving over $8.5 million in labor costs for clients like UnitedHealth Group to achieving a remarkable 74% conversion rate to employment and an 80% retention rate, Eddie reveals how hiring veterans can be a game-changer for businesses.

Eddie also opens up about his personal journey as a military brat, his combat experiences, and the pivotal moments that led him to take on this mission. The conversation highlights the value veterans bring to the workforce and how leaders can better facilitate their transition.

Key Takeaways:

Measurable Impact: Eddie’s program helped achieve an 8.5M cost savings over three years and maintained an 80% retention rate.

The Challenge: Over 200,000 veterans transition to civilian life annually, but many aren’t "civilian ready" on day one.

Hiring Veterans is Smart Business: Veterans bring leadership, discipline, and problem-solving skills that can drive significant business growth.

Breaking Misconceptions: Eddie tackles the false perception that veterans lack "domain experience" and discusses how businesses can translate military achievements into corporate value.

Notable Quotes:

"How is it possible that we’ve created the greatest fighting force in human history, yet our service members aren’t civilian ready on day one?" — Eddie Dunn

"We achieved a 74% conversion rate to employment and saved $8.5 million in labor costs—these results speak for themselves." — Eddie Dunn

"Grit is the intersection of passion and perseverance. That’s what success looks like." — Jeff Lackey