NASA, Launchpad, and 100 Golf Courses in 100 Days: Dave Blakelock's Impactful Journey
- E1
- 1:07:35
- April 2nd 2025
In this inaugural episode of The IVI Podcast, host Joe Phoenix sits down with Dave Blakelock, an accomplished aerospace engineer, professor, and angel investor.
Dave shares his journey from NASA to becoming an influential figure in the startup world. Delve into Dave's unique perspective on the crucial roles of visionaries and innovators in creating successful businesses, his remarkable fundraising campaign for Alzheimer's called '100 Days, 100 Courses', and the profound impact of his professional and personal endeavors. Don't miss this engaging conversation filled with insights, anecdotes, and practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators.
Resources Mentioned:
- Book "100 Days 100 Courses: Drive to End Alzheimer's" by David Blakelock - This is the book Dave wrote to chronicle his
- Launchpad Venture Group - During the podcast Dave and Joe discussed Launchpad at several points. Learn more about the group via this link.
- Book "The Real Heroes of Business" by Len Schlesinger - Dave mentioned that this the book that had the greatest impact on his life.
- Quote "They Can Conquer Who Believe They Can" by Virgil - Dave's favorite quote is from the the ancient Roman poet Virgil.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the IVI Podcast
00:38 Meet Dave Blakelock: A Triple Threat
02:54 Innovators vs Visionaries
03:14 The Role of Visionaries in Startup
10:00 Dave's Career Journey: From NASA to Entrepreneurship
11:18 Lessons from NASA and SpaceX
16:09 The Rise of Private Space Companies
18:48 Embracing Failure in Innovation
21:19 Dave's Transition to Business and Consulting
31:32 Joining Launchpad and Angel Investing
35:07 Navigating the Capital Market for Startups
35:33 The Pain and Gain of Raising Money
37:12 The Value of Investor Feedback
38:41 Balancing Investor and Customer Feedback
41:08 The Concept of Value Influencing Milestones
41:41 The 100 Days, 100 Courses Challenge
49:45 The Purple Ball Initiative
55:52 Defining Impact and Legacy
01:04:43 Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Remarks
The IVI Podcast
Innovators, Visionaries, and Impact
Hosted by Joe Phoenix, Founder and CEO of Givinga
The IVI Podcast explores the world of innovation, vision, and impact on the world with some of today's most fascinating people.
Joe Phoenix sits down with a range of leaders from across the landscapes of business, technology, government, philanthropy, and even the occasional NASA engineer on his quest to discover how we... as people can make a positive impact on the world.
Meet the Host
With 30 years in the global asset management industry in the US and overseas, Joe recognized that donor advised funds (DAF) were underutilized and could be used to change the way everyone thinks about giving. He spreads the word about philanthropic technology, believing anyone can be a philanthropist, especially when they leverage all available resources.