We had the good fortune of connecting with Kevin Gilliland and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kevin, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
It was really basic, the healthcare system for mental health issues simply doesn’t offer us the services that many people need. I’ve been fortunate to work for and with some great people and organizations in various roles of healthcare, from UT Southwestern to Blue Cross Blue Shield Texas and seen some of the good things about our system and some of the tremendous needs. There were really only two options for people, go to a hospital or a residential program for up to 30 days or seeing a counselor one time a week. While that addresses some of the needs, it also leaves out a lot of people that don’t need that much or need a little more. We help people that are stuck and either need a little more than talking once a week or a lot less than leaving a job or family for 30 days.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I think the thing that we’re all very proud of and sets us apart is that we evaluate an individuals needs and provide the services they need, not a generic list of everything we do. And for a lot of people that means stepping into the lives of our clients and helping them translate the insight of therapy into behaviors in their home, their job, or their life. We call it Life Development. We work outside the office just like other areas of medicine (usually called home health) and that’s where some of the best change occurs. How did I get to where I am today and was it easy? Hell no. Was it worth it? Hell yes. I’ve said on more than one occasion, this is the hardest job I’ve ever had and the most rewarding. Every great achievement requires a sacrifice and while I like that saying, it’s really hard to remember in the midst of the struggle. How did I learn to do it well so that I could keep doing it? Hire people that are more talented than me and let them do what they do better than me. Develop a culture that collaborates extremely well because we work with individuals and families and we have to communicate really well (and I watch over that culture like a hawk because it takes a long time to develop and can go away faster than you can imagine).

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
White Rock lake at sunrise or sunset. The Arboretum. Barbeque and burgers are a definite food source. Probably catch some music at House of Blues, grab some coffee at Cultivar, and probably take a spin through the Perot museum.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Honestly, I have been so fortunate to work with some really great people and organizations. Researchers, business leaders, therapists – I’ve really been lucky in that regard. Currently, I’d have to say the staff at Innovation 360 has helped to shape my skills and abilities immensely for over 10 years.

Website: i360dallas.com, drkevingilliland.com
Instagram: dr_keving
Twitter: @i360life, @Dr_KevinG
Facebook: Innovation 360

Image Credits
Dale May (photo of Kevin)

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