Robert Donovan (Marines)
CEO and Founder
DOM360
How has your military experience influenced your career in the automotive industry?
The disciplined approach the military ingrained in us has been one of the biggest influences that I have carried over to my career. Additionally, in the military, we always defined the mission and the goal in the beginning. Sticking with that approach has been very conducive to the business environment. While other companies commonly use the “spray and pray” method, we stick to our disciplined approach and subsequently find niches to leverage and maximize for our dealers.
What are some of the ways you have seen the industry support veterans?
Many dealerships support local veteran programs. When my company manages an entire marketing budget, we recommend allocating a portion of that budget to customize toward localized vet programs.
Give one piece of advice for veterans entering the industry.
Veterans entering the industry need to go back to the basics they learned in basic training. Be open to learning a different way and combine that with the military basics you were taught. There can be a certain amount of rigidity that comes from a military background, but when you matriculate back into civilian life, you have to be willing to bend. A great analogy is pine trees. The tall ones break in a hurricane, but the shorter ones that can bend make it through. A lot of the military teaches you about leadership; if you take your basic training, add in flexibility for civilian life, and work hard in your position, your natural leadership ability will emerge.