Meet John Mills | CEO & Cofounder of Watch Duty

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

Hi John, what is the most important factor behind your success?
At the core of Watch Duty is unadulterated truth. In a world overwhelmed by noise, opinion, and misinformation, we are a return to something simpler and more vital — facts. Watch Duty reminds us of the way news media used to be: full of facts, delivered without sensationalism or hearsay.

During moments of crisis — like we saw during the devastating Los Angeles fires — there is no room for opinion, delay, or confusion. Only the facts matter. And sometimes, the truth can mean the difference between life and death.

Trust is not something we ask for; it’s something we earn, every single day. Our users depend on us to provide real-time, clear, and actionable information when it matters most. That trust is built entirely on our commitment to the truth — the linchpin of our brand. Without it, nothing else we do would matter.

At Watch Duty, we believe that when you are entrusted with informing people in their most vulnerable moments, you owe them everything: accuracy, transparency, and respect. That is the promise we make — and the standard we hold ourselves to — every day and during every fire.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My career path has been anything but traditional and it hasn’t been easy at times — but that’s what makes it meaningful. I come from a background where technology, service, and a deep respect for community always intersected. Watch Duty wasn’t born out of a business opportunity; it came from a genuine need I saw during some of California’s worst fire seasons: people needed real-time, trustworthy information, and they weren’t getting it.

What sets Watch Duty apart — and what I’m most proud of — is that we put truth and trust first. We’re not chasing headlines or engagement metrics. Our mission is simple but vital: get the right information to the right people at the right time, without noise, without opinion, without delay.

Building Watch Duty was full of challenges. There were technical hurdles, sure, but the biggest obstacles were building credibility and earning trust — both from the fire service community and from the public. That trust wasn’t given; it had to be earned slowly, day by day, update by update. And it had to be protected fiercely, which meant making hard decisions about how we built our team, managed our data, and communicated with users.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that integrity is everything. If you lose that, you have nothing. Especially when lives are at stake. I also learned that perseverance matters more than perfection — you have to be willing to keep moving forward even when things are messy, uncertain, or overwhelming.

If there’s one thing I want people to know about Watch Duty and about my own story, it’s that we’re here for the right reasons. We believe in serving the public. We believe in the power of good information to save lives. And no matter how much we grow, we’ll never lose sight of why we started.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m relatively new to the Los Angeles area, even though I spent the last 20 years living in Northern California. Every time I come down to LA, I find myself drawn to Topanga Canyon. It’s become a special place for me — a little slice of heaven tucked right at the edge of the city.

Topanga feels like the best of California: wild, rugged, and quietly beautiful. It’s close enough to feel the pulse and energy of Los Angeles, but far enough removed that you can hear yourself think, feel the sun on your skin, and breathe in the quiet.

What really makes it magical, though, are the people. There’s a groundedness here — a connection to the land, to community, to something more enduring than the city lights. Every visit reminds me why I fell in love with California in the first place: not just the landscapes, but the spirit of the people who call these hills home. It’s a place that brings me back to earth and reminds me that beauty often hides within the folds and ridges, just waiting to be noticed.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Without a doubt, this shoutout belongs to the firefighters, dispatchers, and first responders who are the heart and soul behind Watch Duty. Our service would not exist without their knowledge, their vigilance, and their deep, often hard-earned understanding of fire behavior and emergency response.

These are the people who spend their careers — and their lives — protecting communities, often without recognition or thanks. They are the ones who monitor the scanners at all hours, who know how to interpret a half-garbled radio call and translate it into actionable information that can save lives.

Watch Duty is simply a reflection of their commitment to public service. We owe them everything — not just for supporting our mission, but for setting the standard of courage, selflessness, and truth that we strive to live up to every day.

Their work, their leadership, and their example remind us why trust and truth must always be at the center of what we do.

Website: https://watchduty.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/watchdutyapp/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/watchdutyapp/

Image Credits
Photo of me taken by Sky Battles for WIRED magazine:

https://www.instagram.com/skyebattles/