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 The 21 Most Intriguing: The Capabilities Broker: John Kilcullen If Dutch-owned conglomerate VNU had actually advertised for a colorful, dynamic, unconventional, entrepreneurial type to be the publisher and president of the Billboard Information Group — someone who thrives on multi-tasking — it couldn’t have found a better candidate than John Kilcullen. And, as a testament to the company’s confidence in him, he was recently elevated to president of the film and performing arts group and publisher of The Hollywood Reporter. Kilcullen, who talks a mile a minute and careens from topic to topic via a series of mental acrobatics — answering questions not yet posed — was installed three years ago as head of the blossoming Billboard empire. Since taking over in the face of an economic downturn, this former founder and publisher of the For Dummies series of books has overseen the revered 112-year-old magazine’s evolution from the music industry’s bible into a communications empire. Staffed by people who offer what he calls a triple threat — print, digital and face-to-face experience — Billboard has become, in Kilcullen-speak, an "entertainment economy branding." "I hate the term B2B or B2C," he says. "It’s so dated." His office is crammed with souvenirs of his life and career, including photographs galore — there’s one of him and Dr. Ruth (author of Sex for Dummies) another of a London taxi cab sporting the For Dummies livery, and some of his wife and three children — as well as framed music and concert posters and awards. Kilcullen defies pigeon-holing. Born into a three-bedroom apartment in the Bronx, he was one of eight children of a truck driver father and a one-time charlady mother. He put himself through college, working the midnight shift as a doorman of a Fifth Avenue apartment building. He read the book Confessions of an Advertising Man, by David Ogilvy, and joined ad agency Wells Rich Greene, then education publishing firm Prentice Hall. Other publishing houses followed, before he landed at technology publishers IDG. Then came the move that would define his career: launching the For Dummies series. At its height the company had more than 100 million books in print and sales of $200 million. "We were one of the fastest-growing publications in the ’90s," he says. "We defied conventional wisdom. Our mission was to build a world with ‘How To’s.’" IDG went public in 1998, and bought the company that publishes Cliffs Notes with the proceeds. When it was sold to publisher John Wiley & Sons, he could have retired on the proceeds. But, "I flunked retirement," he says. Instead, he took 16 months off, got married, and looked around for a new opportunity. Enter VNU. The challenge? "I’d done a start-up, but never a turnaround." As well as presiding over Billboard’s redesign, he’s expanded its original music trade roots by revamping Web sites, expanding shows, conferences and concerts businesses into, well, you name it: TV, video, games, rich data, cell phones and the latest — clubs promoting indie music. Then there are the acquisitions and divestments. The most recent, in July, was the purchase of competitor R&R ( Radio & Records) magazine. The aim is to make Billboard synonymous with entertainment, while appealing to a younger and more diversified global audience. The future, says Kilcullen, is in acquisitions. "We need to own the market. That’s why we bought R&R. We’re now a private company and we’ll be investing around audiences and markets where opportunities present themselves. An entrepreneurial culture is about having a sense of urgency, with which I can attract the people I want. My passion comes from seeing people do things that they didn’t think possible." Then there are sales innovations, such as the integrated cross-promotional advertising platform with Adweek, Hollywood Reporter, MediaBistro and music Web site AMG.com. "It’s about creating a solution of capabilities. You’ve got to be a broker of capabilities, versus a vendor of products and services." Kilcullen lives in Queens, because he likes to stay connected to the city. He’s immersed in his family. And, in addition to his obvious publishing and business expertise, he has other talents. For example, he used to play a button accordion. "My one claim to fame is that I played Carnegie Hall with Arthur Godfrey." And he loves to dance. "Like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever, and also break dancing," he says, perfectly seriously. IN THE CURRENT ISSUE OF MIN MAGAZINE
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