Conceal Reveal: The Space between Entrepreneurs and the Defense Industry by Julie Willis

One woman’s mission to keep America’s warfighters safe.

Julie Willis is a driven, and passionate woman. She is driven by so many factors, the people she has known, her working career, and her involvement with all levels of the military machine in America. It is all these things which culminated in her decision to become an entrepreneur and establish her company DEFIANT.

In this revealing book, Julie Willis takes her readers into her life, both personal and professional. For ‘Mrs Average’ me it was a real eye-opener. Already an insider in the defense industry, Julie’s life is like a movie, always on the go, a whirlwind, flying off to meetings, walking the halls of power. Exciting yes, however, it didn’t take me long to realise the magnitude of the responsibility which goes with such a job. The warfighter, his or her safety, and the ability for them to be able to do their job is the most important thing in the author’s life, it’s what she lives for!

Don’t let her self-confessed bubbly extrovert image fool you, this woman has a sharp eye and quick mind. As the reader discovers, both of these have been honed by sitting quietly and watching the political playouts at meetings, and real experience with the military and defense.

It was this insight which made her decide that there was a need for someone to bridge the gap between democracy and those creative technical companies, academia and entrepreneurs, providing a venue so each can meet and discover what is available, or will be coming soon. This book tells the story of how this was achieved, and her company DEFIANT was born, bridging the gap between the entrepreneurs and the defense industry.

At the beginning of this review I described the author as passionate, and she is certainly that. She loves her country and all that it stands for. However by the end of the book I realised that she loves the warfighter more, because they are there, on the front line, keeping us all safe, and she is determined they will have the very best!

About the Author:

Julie Willis is the founder and CEO of DEFIANT Communication, a firm dedicated to making connections that make an impact in defense innovation. Prior to starting her company, she worked as a contractor for four different federal agencies. Julie has a Master’s in global strategic communications from Georgetown University.

In her personal life, she’s caught in a bad romcom love triangle between her devotion to her work and the thrill of adventure. Outside of her roles as CEO and romcom star, Julie is suspiciously passionate about ice cream, peanut butter, and fancy hotel breakfasts.

Author’s Website: https://www.defiantcomms.com/book-conceal-reveal

About the Book:

As Julie Willis transitioned from being a government contractor inside Army Futures Command, to being an entrepreneur in defense innovation, she was thrown into the forefront of disruptive technologies and potential espionage during the beginning of the Covid lockdown.

Conceal Reveal is about the gritty reality of the dysfunction of military modernization and the ecosystem that has been allowed to grow around it. It reveals the innovative, exciting new technology waiting on the sidelines and the obstacles stopping it reaching our operators.

Told in a language we can all understand, you will discover:

• What is blocking the disruptive technology our warfighters need to protect and defend our country
• The true cost of research and development
• How you can contribute to the success of our military in 2028 (and beyond)
• How DEFIANT Communication pivoted to serve the community of disruptors at the heart of defense innovation

Conceal Reveal speaks to public servants and entrepreneurs who are inspired to contribute to the real challenges of the defense industry and the people it serves: the warfighters. 

Available from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B08Q77C24Y?_encodin...