The Unexpected Career Podcast

Dylan Mcdonald: Music Studio or tackling Financial Crime?

• Megan Dunford • Season 2 • Episode 3

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Season 2 Episode 3: Dylan shares his journey so far and how he has navigated from music studio to financial services, and how he took chances and what he's learned along the way.

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Welcome to the Unexpected Career Podcast, where we share stories of real people and the twists and turns they have taken along their career journey. I am Megan Dunford, and as someone who found myself in the payments industry, largely by accident, I'm fascinated by how people's careers unfold and how they've gotten to where they are today. It's also why I'm passionate about reducing the pressure on young people, about going to university, what to take in school, and on getting that right first job. Today I am speaking with Dylan McDonald, a financial crime analyst with a background in music technology.

Megan:

How are you?

Dylan:

Yeah, I'm good. How are you?

Megan:

I'm good. Thank you. It's Friday. So that's always nice.

Dylan:

Yeah, bonus.

Megan:

Exactly. Thank you so much for doing this.

Dylan:

No, thank you for including me. I appreciate it.

Megan:

I know we've talked about it before, but I think you do some really interesting things and they don't. Maybe seem to connect from the outside. So I'm just really curious and interested by all of that. Excited to get into it.

Dylan:

Yeah, I'm ready.

Megan:

Cool. So I always start from the very beginning of when you were small. What did you want to be when you grew up? Is there like one thing or are there a bunch of things that you were interested in or thought about? Yeah.

Dylan:

Yeah, so that's the only one that when I was younger, I chose to be a basketball player.

Megan:

Oh, amazing.

Dylan:

But then, as you get older, you start to realize that basketball in the UK is not as popular and how many people from the UK get to America. And like the way sports is done here, it's different to America. Like in America, they include it part of your education and you breathe it. Where here it looks like a side kind of thing. So then as I got older, I started to realize, oh yeah, this dream is there. I don't think it's happening. But yeah, I was a basketball player from young.

Megan:

Amazing. Yeah. I could see though, that would be difficult in the UK. There isn't a basketball infrastructure the same way there is for football. It would be hard to, Get the coaching and things like that to make that a path.

Dylan:

That's really

Megan:

cool. I didn't know that Okay, so obviously you didn't pursue basketball So what did you pursue? Did you go to university? What did you decide to take? How did you make those decisions?

Dylan:

So I pursued basketball up until secondary school then I realized that This doesn't look like it's happening. So let me just put as a hobby. So I even still do it now times like summertime. So then so then went to, so when I finished sixth form, well, during the sixth form period, I remember I was telling my parents that I'm not going to go to uni and they were like, why? And I just said, cause I don't know what I want to do. There's not there's nothing I want to do. And my dad said, so what are you going to do? I said, I don't know. Then he said, you're going to uni then. Cause I didn't have any, like my dad's a kind of plan guy. So if I can tell him I'm going to do. Then he'll allow it, but if there's no plan, then I have to do what kind of he says, so then, yeah, I think back then I was just, I don't know I think, in my opinion, I feel like gap year should be compulsory. I feel like after sixth form, I don't think you should go to uni straight away you go to uni when you're 17 turning 18, that's still so young to be like, oh yeah, I know what I definitely want to do, unless of course you do. Yeah. If you're not 100 percent I feel like, yeah, they need to encourage people to take gap years and just define themselves because I feel like that would have been very beneficial for someone like me as well. Literally, so I went to open on days and then I remember applying because so from young, my dad, he's like a very like music head. So from young, I remember CDs from everything from pop, R& B, reggae, he had it all in his house and every Saturday and Sunday morning he would play music. So I had that in me from young and then also I had actually family members in the music industry who are also successful. In there as well. Before then, music wasn't anything in my interest or anything, but because I just didn't know what to do. People saying do business, do this, but I just had no interest. So I think because I like listening to music. I was like, okay, let me go and apply for a course of in the music tech industry. So literally I applied for it. And then I got into, and I went to De Montfort University in Leicester. So then, yeah. Yeah, it just ended up going there. And then, yeah, that was it.

Megan:

That's amazing. Because I think there's some subjects and I think music is one of those subjects that people I think often assume that you have to love music to do it. Lots of people will take business or whatever because they don't know what to do. But basketball is really your, first love. And you took music because you didn't know what to do instead of something like business, which I think a lot of people just default to because they don't know what to do.

Dylan:

That's,

Megan:

that's really cool.

Dylan:

Yeah. Did you

Megan:

enjoy it?

Dylan:

So no. So what happened is that, so my first year, I actually hated university. Like I wanted to drop out and my dad was saying no. And I didn't enjoy it so much that I remember I stopped going to lectures after January. I was just, so is it weird because I stopped going to lectures, but then I'll actually go to, I'll start going to actual studios. I'll reach out to like random producers and random engineers. I'll just find out who recorded a song I liked. I'll look on Google and stuff. I'll say this person, then I'll find their email, social media and be like, Oh, can I come down to the studio just to learn and see how it is. And then some of them ignored me. Some of them were like, yeah, they come down. So I just started doing that in my own time and not going to lectures. So of course I ended up failing first year. So when I had, I was actually happy. Because I didn't actually want to go back. But then they said you have to retake and do classes in the summertime. So I remember I used to lie to my parents saying because they saw it and they're like, yeah, you have to go all the way back to Leicester to do the lessons. I'll say I'm going, I didn't, I never went to one. I never went to one. Then literally the exam was one random day. I went to do the exam and then I passed.

Megan:

Amazing.

Dylan:

And I was so confused because it's like, how did I fail the first time when I stopped going to lectures? And then there's a retake, I didn't go to any catch up lessons, and then I ended up passing. So when I got the email that I passed, I was annoyed because then I had to go back to uni. Yeah, because I actually wanted to fail. So then it's like that door shut. Yeah. Literally, I remember I passed and then I remember uni started in a month. So then I remember I was scrambling, looking for accommodation, looking for just to get my life in order, because in my head I wasn't going back to uni. Yeah, that

Megan:

was not the plan.

Dylan:

Yeah, I told my friends and I'm not coming back and all of a sudden I'm coming back. So I'm asking them like, do you know any land agencies and stuff like that? So first year, I did not enjoy it. But then I don't know, it was weird when I went back for second year, not that I loved it, but it was just better. Maybe I don't know if I don't know, it had a change of heart, but I just felt like the environment I was in, because I moved house as well. And I don't know, second year I just joined like a different group. I met different people. They just made it more enjoyable. And then I started I was going to lectures, but also I was still reaching out to people in my own time. So they were saying, yeah, come to our studio. So it was more enjoyable, but I wouldn't say that I loved or liked it, but I just didn't hate it.

Megan:

I

Dylan:

wonder

Megan:

if, do you think because you were doing some real life experience, do you think that was helping the courses, feel better of you could see maybe not directly because I I don't know, because I know nothing about music production, but music tech, but to see it in action in real life did that help make the courses Yeah. At least maybe not enjoyable, but make sense in terms of okay, there's some fundamentals here that maybe are helpful because I'm seeing it in action and real life in the studio.

Dylan:

Yeah, I think so. Probably that. And yeah, that just gave me a better, better understanding. So I think, yeah, probably that helped because then I remember being in the lectures, it was just so much theory and I feel like I'm a very practical learner. Mm hmm. Yeah. I can't learn by you telling me this does this and this does this and me watching. I need to be in the studio and a lot of the times they would have the lectures and then they'll tell you to book the studio in your own time and use what you apply from the lectures in the studio and I'm like I can't learn that way. I need to. There's so

Megan:

much distance between what you've heard and then getting to practice it.

Dylan:

Exactly so then when I'm going to the studio in my own time and they're physically telling me you do this to do this you do this to do this so it's just way more enjoyable and then yeah I think finding the both made it a bit more. bearable for me. So yeah.

Megan:

I think that's really amazing that you hated first year, but you still were interested enough in music to reach out to people. That's quite like most people wouldn't do that. First of all, it sounds quite scary to be like, Oh, I like this. Song or artists like who, record it, reach out to them that's really brave and amazing because you weren't enjoying first year so to still explore and trial out music anyway, it's pretty impressive.

Dylan:

Yeah, people were telling me as well and then that is only when they told me then I look back and think oh yeah because who would really do that and I was like yeah I think Frustrated. So I was thinking if I'm not going to be going lecture that I need to be doing something, not just relax, lazy. So that was my other way of trying to learn something.

Megan:

That's amazing. So what did you do after university?

Dylan:

So then, yeah, so this is when I don't know so I finished uni and then so straight after uni, obviously cause I've got family members in the music business. I went with them at the studio. Of course I'm not getting paid. To do so, they're literally just helping me out because they've got success so and I want to just learn more and I enjoy being in a studio, but then you need to make money at one point. So, I was doing that for about six months, and then I was like, I actually need a job as well. So then literally, I had a friend that worked in a recruitment agency I asked her if there's any jobs and she was like, yeah, there's a job at Open University. I can get you there. So she got me there and I'd never actually had a proper job before. So I understand I didn't just like even salary and stuff. I didn't understand how nothing worked. And I think back then I had a bit of a problem with authority as well yeah, just respecting people. it was just all new to me because the music industry is very unprofessional. Yeah. So now we're going into a very corporate professional environment so you can't apply the same knowledge and the same behaviors. Yeah. So I was there for about three days and I remember the There's a train or something said something I didn't like I walked out I just didn't go back. My friend called me like what happened? They said that you quit and I was like, I come she says something and then the my friends that you can't just walk out. I thought why not? Just because It doesn't work like that. And I was thinking but in music you don't Yeah, it's just a complete different world, like there's certain things that can't be said, or even the way you handle stuff. I was like, okay I didn't know that. So have you got anything else? And then she was like, there's a job at Metro Bank, but you need to act a certain way. So then she was telling me how the corporate world is and how, yeah. And how I just couldn't believe at the time, cause I just had never had a job. I've just always been, if I worked anywhere, it's just music industry. And then they work in like invoices and stuff. Yeah. Sometimes I, like I've seen. I've seen certain invoices, how much people get paid. So when I'm seeing like big amounts and I'm seeing salary in corporate, I'm thinking this is nowhere near it just didn't make sense. So I was like, I can't believe that in my head. I don't know what I thought the corporate or the corporate world, but I just thought it was completely different. So then she got me a job at Metro Bank. So then literally went to Metro Bank customer service. And I don't know how, but I was just, I just went there as a just normal job. But then when I was there. Management began to like me. So they were like, Oh, do you want to do this? Do you want to do that? And then I would just be like, yeah, like I want to say no. I'll just be like, yeah.

Megan:

So your friend's coaching really helped.

Dylan:

Yeah, exactly. So she showed me how to maneuver in, in that kind of business world. And then they moved me on to a different department in the fraud section. Then the manager of the fraud section left. So then the people encouraging me to apply for the job. So I was like, I still kind of doubted myself because I was like, it's not really me, but then people are like, do it. So I applied and I got it. Then I just kept elevating from there. And then that's how I got into the financial fraud analyst role, like just literally for my friend, it was random. Then I remember even at that point, because I, so I missed the key factor. So when I was working in the music industry, I was living in London. Then I moved back to Milton Keynes. with my parents to get a job in with my friend for the recruitment agency. But my plan was to only stay there for six months. That was it, and then come back to London. I didn't, but I didn't have a plan what I'd come back to London to do, but I don't know. I just said, yeah, six months and then I'll come back. But then people just ended up liking me. So I ended up staying, I kept getting promoted. So that forced me to stay, end up getting a girlfriend. So that all kept me there for longer.

Megan:

Yeah, it's funny how like so many people end up in roles completely randomly, and then you build a little career, get promoted learn new things and sometimes it creates a whole new path, and sometimes it's a diversion of from what you ultimately want to do, but it's funny how it is kind of random sometimes.

Dylan:

Yeah, very well, because if I didn't know her, I probably wouldn't have been in the financial industry, I would have most likely been somewhere else, but it's only because I knew her, and then she, or if I hadn't have walked out of Open University, I may have stayed in somewhere in that field, so it's weird even your life choices, even though I did something negative, it worked out to a positive in the end.

Megan:

Well, there was a lesson. Sometimes you learn lessons the hard way, which that sounds like the hard way to learn it. But yeah, when you're young, you don't know everything. And so you have to learn things and that comes in many forms.

Dylan:

Yeah, true, true. So yeah, I've no regrets. So it was a good, it was a good life lesson.

Megan:

Amazing. So what are you doing now? And maybe share a bit of the journey of how you got to from that to where you are now and what you're doing now.

Dylan:

So yeah, so then worked at Metrobank, then applied for, at a time, foreign Currency Direct. So then applied for a job there. And then I got it, so then I was at, Metrobank for two and a half years, I think, then moved on to foreign currency direct, which was way more of a different because it was my role as a fraud analyst. And this was transaction analyst, which is, it's still within the same kind of bubble, but two different lanes in depth. And also because Metrobank you have, there's probably about, I don't even know, 50 of us working cases where foreign currency directs, it's literally just mainly two of us. Yeah. So it was like more pressure, but again, I always say pressure makes diamonds. So it was a good, it was a good way to learn how to work under pressure and to work in a smaller team as well and was there for two and a half years as well but at the time I was still, I'd left doing music because I used to just do it in like evenings or weekends then there's a time I just left it because a lot of the work was in London and London after work when you've got work the next day and weekend was just tiring so I just left it for a few few months. Then when the office moved to London, then I moved back to London, people found out I was back. So then I started to get work on weekends and evenings. And then the work became consistent again. And then, when, those times I was working for free, sometimes I'd get paid. Then I got a job offer. And then, I had a job offer maybe six months before I actually left. But then, I don't know, I was, not that, I don't know, I just wasn't sure. Because obviously it's moving back to a whole different industry, maybe the one I started in, but it was just, I was just thinking like, why not, I just keep it doing on the weekends and evenings. So then I rejected that at first. I was just like, no, I'll just stay how it is. And they were really cool, but they were like, okay we'd like to have you full time, but if not, it's cool doing what you're doing. But then I think it was because I was missing out on opportunities. And that, I think that started to get to me, because I'd be like, this is happening with this big artist, can you do it? And I'd be like, nah, I've got work. And it became very consistent. Then it started to bug me, and then, I think when it started to bug me, that's when It became a problem for me in my head because I was thinking if it's not important, it wouldn't bug me. It would be like, yeah, this came up, but it is what it is. I'm like but then I remember there was a time it really, really started to bug me because a lot of the guy kept saying like these people are coming through and I'm recommending you and you're not around. And then I was like, Hmm, I was thinking, yeah, I've got a big decision to make. So he was like, the offer is still there. If you want it, then I thought about it for, I think, two weeks. And I was like, yeah, because it's bugging me every day. And even in those two weeks, it was happening still. And I was like, yeah, I've got to leave. I've got to leave.

Megan:

Your intuition is telling you you have to take the chance.

Dylan:

Exactly. You have to take the chance. And then if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. But at least you've taken a chance because I've never been full time in the industry and getting paid full time so then that's when I left for Lumon at the time and I went to work in the studio so then I was there working then it is so interesting how if you do something, maybe from a side hustle or part time to you doing it full time, it's a complete different world, complete different because you're going to see all the positives, you're going to see all the negatives, in that you may not see just doing part time or doing evenings. So then, I was working there company was good, relationship was good, but then, I don't know, when I was working there, it was just Again, I was thinking long term there was nothing really wrong with it, but I was just thinking, I think maybe if I was younger, maybe like 18, 16, I would be like, yeah, this is okay, but I was thinking, in my 25 plus day, can I imagine doing this till I'm 40? And I don't know why, I was like, no, when it became actual real work, I started to love it less. Yeah, it didn't become fun anymore. It became like a chore after a few months, but it wasn't like I hated it, but it just became like a chore. It's a job.

Megan:

It becomes a job instead of a passion or a hobby. It becomes a job.

Dylan:

Exactly. And I think that was a problem where it was just my passion at first. I had fun doing it. That's why I'd even work for free sometimes. So I was like, Oh, I'll give discount. it's not always about the money, but when it was strictly about the money, then it's yeah, I'll need to be charging more. This was a thing. And then, yeah, just maybe with age as well. I just lost the passion to work as it seriously. But it was so life was so weird. How it plays out. Because when I began to lose the passion, then a job in the fincrime industry contacted me literally just out of the blue, randomly contacted me randomly. And was like, Oh. A senior CV online. I even forgot my CV was still there and they were like, Oh, we've got senior CV online we want to put you in this position. This is the salary, et cetera, et cetera. We feel like you'd be very good. Are you interested? And I was thinking, I was like, yes, I am, but I couldn't give them an answer. And I was like, I'm a bit confused now because I just left. Like the fans getting to go to this and then now this I'm not really 100 percent in so I don't want to make a split decision just based on my feelings now. So I was like, can I contact you back and he was like, maybe what a position maybe like maybe gone. So then, at that time, I think I think I was like yeah if it's gone then it's gone is where it is. So then I left it didn't contact him for about, I didn't even ask I think for three, four months. Wow. Then I then,'cause I remember, I think I said can you email me your number or something so I can contact you back? So after three, four months, actually it was five, six months. I made my decision.'cause especially what they were offering as well was nice. And I was thinking, okay let me try and maybe see, let go back to that and see if I put the music on the weekend side for if it brings back my passion. So then contacted him back but I kept going to his assistant, he was always constantly in meetings. So then, it took me two weeks to get through to him. And then, I said that, yeah, I'm interested in the role. And he was like, oh, it's so fortunate, because yeah, we've actually got not that exact same position, but there's another one, and you'll suit that as well. So then, literally, then left the music. went back to the the financial crime industry. And then, yeah, I've been there since I, I came back to the financial crime industry in 2024 May. And then I went back to doing the music on that weekends and evenings. And I think I prefer it like that. I think I prefer it as just being a passion and hobby and not a job. I think when I was, it was a job for me, I didn't really find it interesting or that enjoyable anymore. Yeah. Yeah. Back in though.

Megan:

Yeah, another thing you had to learn by doing it, and sometimes the only way to know, because you liked it when you're doing it on evenings and weekends. Of course, it's a logical thing to want to do that full time. You hear all the time do what you love. But actually, maybe that's not always the best solution because it can turn what you love into a job.

Dylan:

Exactly. That's why I feel like people should always try, at least the thing that you love, try going to a full time. A lot of people tell me or when I told them my story, they're like, you took a risk and now you're back. But I'm like, yeah, I'm back, but I'm glad I'm, because if I didn't take that risk, I'll be here wondering, Oh, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if for years? And then that would bug me, but it's I've done it. I'm back and I have no regrets. Like it was fine. It was a good time. I learned a lot doing it and now I know it helps. The more you try, the more you find yourself. So I always tell people find more

Megan:

a hundred percent. I think the only way to learn is to try. Yeah. And and sometimes you can try in little ways, but sometimes you have to try by taking the leap So I think that's amazing and like good on you. And now you you came back, but like you said, you came back to fin crime, but with a different Mindset for it because you don't have that weighing on you of what if about music like you at least for now anyway decided like where music fits in to life.

Dylan:

100 percent Yeah, and I don't have that bug no more because I get I still get contacted like, Oh, can you record this person. Yeah, I'm like, I've got work, but it doesn't bug me, because I've been in that life so it's like of course it's positive to it but I see the negative so then now I just sound free and it doesn't. It's like a no mail tool. If there will be occasion on the weekend, I can record the person and I'll be there. But if it's during a time where I can't do it.

Megan:

Yeah.

Dylan:

Yeah.

Megan:

And I would imagine in some ways, yes, you might miss opportunities, but it gives you a lot of flexibility to have things you do want to work on. I would imagine as well.

Dylan:

Yeah, exactly, exactly. And you can't be, not every opportunity is a good opportunity as well. Yeah, just because it actually looks good presented like they always say as well like sometimes it's not good to meet your idols or your people that you think because when you meet them it'll change your perspective and I think I didn't have any idols but when I met certain people I was thinking yeah you guys in real life yeah we are behind the doors but no one sees yeah I wouldn't want to speak to you guys at all so yeah I think I have no regrets I'm happy that I took the chance and I went over to the other side, experienced it fully and I've come back. And also we, as much as it can be a worry, but I always feel like to a certain degree you have time, people believe that you don't have time to do stuff, but we're in a world where opportunities come left, right and center. Yeah. Yeah, it's it's, when I, cause when I, they were like, Oh, what if you don't find a job? And I was saying to people, I'm 100 percent sure I can find another job in the film crime industry. 100%. It may not be the exact one I want at that time. It will come, maybe if it's not now, but later down the line it will come, it will because opportunities come left or if it's not that, a different opportunity I'm very open minded, if this opportunity hadn't come and there was another one in, I don't even know, just something else that I had no experience in, I'll take it, just to see.

Megan:

I think that's a great perspective of the first thing you said of you have time, so many people have this, these deadlines in their head, but they're made up deadlines. They put that pressure on themselves and, it's never too late to try something or do something. Yes, there can be risk and we have responsibilities and the older you get, you have more responsibilities, but there are still. ways to make it work or to try things and you're right opportunities come along all the time and not always the way you expect them like someone reached out to you about fin crime which prompted you to think about that again but you weren't ready so that role wasn't available but luckily when you were ready they're like that one's not there but we have this other one

Dylan:

So that's why I always say don't put negative thoughts like what if this doesn't does like it's the negative people put first and that doubt kills dreams and kills joy and opportunities. I always feel like what if something does come so if that does come you're going to be in a better position. So I always say think like that especially if you know you yourself you have skills I get if you don't have skills maybe you don't have education. That's going to set you back. But if you know that you have education, you've got skills, you're a good people's person, you're good, you're talented at something, you should be more confident in yourself to know that if opportunity does come, one will be right for you. So yeah, it's been a good time.

Megan:

I think the other thing too, is even if you don't have that experience, like you might not be able to get the ideal job,

Dylan:

but

Megan:

with working at McDonald's, working in a restaurant, working in a retail shop, you actually learn a lot of those skills that can build those opportunities and build confidence in yourself. And you can learn so much in those jobs which sometimes people, are scared to take, or don't want to take, or feel they'll get stuck there.

Dylan:

Is that, it's

Megan:

a great learning experience, to work. While working with people and then the public is, yeah, a really good learning experience for so many things in the corporate world, but in other industries too. Yeah,

Dylan:

exactly. So yeah, it's been, I feel like I've learned the most in the in my life regarding just myself, my personality and how to move in the past max three years. I've learned a lot.

Megan:

That's amazing. I love that. So what's next? What's your vision and hope for what's next?

Dylan:

But now my plan is to do a few ICA courses this year. So I'm really focused on getting that because I know that's very important in the financial crime world to have those certificates on your CV. So literally that's my main plan regarding financial crime. And then, yeah, just keep elevating, keep gaining knowledge and I feel like I'm focused in this industry now and I do enjoy it. It is very interesting to me. I think I had, I just had a distraction at the time. Mm-hmm Which is which was a what if let me just try a what if, so I had to just go there. But yeah, now literally, yeah, just literally elevating and just the industry I essay courses. I think it's, it is AC A MS courses and yeah, just elevate, that's my plan for this year and further

Megan:

Amazing. That sounds great. And yeah, I know you're gonna do amazing with that. So good luck with all the studying. And I guess my last big question that I always like to Ask people is when you look back, is there one piece of advice or a couple piece of advice? I don't know that you would like to go back in time and give yourself

Dylan:

So one thing,'cause I think at that age of 18 when I went to uni, the first thing I would tell myself is don't go uni straight away. That's the first thing.

Megan:

Take that gap year.

Dylan:

Take that gap 100 percent and find yourself, be very open to what anyone offers you, just to try it. But just because I did go uni, I would say to be patient and not to worry, because I've always very been very open to things. So and the girl offered me there's a job here, job here. I'm like, I'm always like, yeah, let me try. Let me try. That's how I am. So because I had that within me I think I panicked and worried a bit too much about my future back then. So I would say Don't worry because you're doing the right things. It's just about having a lot of patience because then it will come to you. And also to have a better understanding of just about, not even like financial crime industry, but just how money works in this world. I think that the money concept, I feel like it should be taught in schools. So because they teach you to save, but not in depth reason why that makes sense and having assets. I feel like that should be taught. So I think I'll tell myself definitely be patient to learn about the concept of money and then also be very, maybe I think I did a lot of stuff on my own, for example, emailing people and going to studios and, but to network a bit more. Because I wouldn't, for example, I'll go to the studio and then learn, but then I wouldn't really maintain a relationship. Okay. That makes sense.

Megan:

Yeah.

Dylan:

Yeah. And I feel like that kind of stuff will serve you in the long term good because, for example, some of the studios I went to, some of those people that were recording records back then that were doing okay, they're very big now. And it's If I maintain a better relationship, I don't know. I feel like it just would have been good for me, but I didn't do that. I just it's like I used them for knowledge and I just left them. Oh yeah, cool. Thanks. But yeah, I think it's something I've learned now how to build relationships, but to learn how to network and build relationships with people to have, because that's where the opportunities are also going to come from. And people are going to put you in certain positions that you haven't even asked for. or speak about your name in certain rooms. Yeah. Which is something I just did not do at all growing up. So that's a piece of advice I would give. I

Megan:

think that's great advice. A) everyone should do networking or build those relationships, but it's interesting because you were so brave to reach out to people like complete strangers in an industry that maybe because you were doing uni it was less for you. I don't know, but, I'd be completely intimidated because there's like names you've heard, so it's interesting that you were brave enough to do that, but then as you said, it was like, okay, I've got the knowledge let's see.

Dylan:

Yeah, which is bad of my wasn't necessarily bad because they're also cool. If I saw them, they'll probably say hi, but it would just be a lot better to do. So, yeah,

Megan:

I think that's great advice. Amazing. Thank you. And, yeah, I'm excited to see where your journey goes from now. I've started been thinking like, Oh, I'm gonna have to reach out to people in a couple years and see how they're doing, do a check in. But yeah, when I saw on LinkedIn that you had gone back into fincrime, I'm like, I have to talk to Dylan, I was just super curious, because they are such different things and such different industries. Thank you for coming on and sharing with me. Yeah, I think it's a really cool story. And I'm really excited to see how you continue to progress I know you're going to do great things.

Dylan:

Thank you. I appreciate it. And thank you for inviting me on this. I'm excited to see even the podcast go and listen to other people's stories and how they've maneuvered in their own careers as well.

Megan:

Cool. Thank you.

It was so much fun talking to Dylan about his varied interest and how he has made decisions along the way about where he wanted to build his career. A few of the things I took away from our conversation were. First of all, listen to your gut. Dylan has followed his instincts throughout his journey, whether it was going into music full time to answer those what if questions or when he decided to go back into the financial crime industry. I think it also speaks to how he has built his life in a way that works for him, keeping his passion for music as a side gig and focusing on expanding his career in fin crime at the same time. And second, I love how open to opportunities Dylan was as he was learning about himself and what he wanted to do and how he was also brave enough to create some of those opportunities. And there were maybe a few hard lessons along the way, but those experiences created the foundations for where he is today. And third Dylan's story is the perfect example of how random the journey can feel sometimes, and you can't predict or plan exactly how it's going to work out. He didn't particularly like his degree when he was doing it, but ultimately found a passion for music and discovered the best way to keep that passion alive was to not work in music full time. And on the other hand, he found himself in financial crime basically by accident, and discovered it was something he enjoyed and could build a career in. Lastly, Dylan's advice of patience is so key. It takes time and experimentation, and a great way to figure it out and create opportunities is through the relationships you build along the way. Thank you for listening to the unexpected career podcast, please follow, share and rate on your favorite podcast provider. The unexpected career podcast is produced, edited and hosted by me, Megan Dunford. See you next week.