Thoughts on success, startups, and legacy, drawn from Episode 1 of the i.v.i Podcast with Dave Blakelock
The word visionary gets thrown around a lot. So does innovator. They’re celebrated in headlines and founder bios, usually with little distinction between the two. But the truth is, they’re not interchangeable. And building something impactful requires both—working together, often in tension.
In the first episode of the ivi Podcast, I sat down with Dave Blakelock, a rocket scientist turned entrepreneur, angel investor, and the guy who once played 100 rounds of golf in 100 days to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s. Our conversation was packed with insight, but one idea stood out: true impact happens at the intersection of vision and innovation. And vision, on its own, is not enough. Some people can be both innovator and visionary. Some only one. But in every successful startup Dave has worked with, the innovator role must exist.
Vision Sets the Direction. Innovation Makes It Real.
Dave explains it best: “If I’m going to do something truly unique, I need to have that individual that’s going to set the vision for the organization. And then I’m going to need to have innovators to execute against that vision.”
He shared an early example from his time at Streamline:
“The vision was set by our founder, my partner Tim DeMelo… My job was the innovator. I had to go out and figure out how to do it. So I designed the warehouse, I designed our trucks, I designed all of our systems that allowed us to do it at a cost-effective basis.”
That distinction between idea and execution was at the heart of every decision. And sometimes, the innovator has to push back:
“Occasionally, Tim and I would go back and forth and I’d say, ‘Tim, we gotta take that out. We gotta take it out of the vision. We can’t do that at a cost-effective [level].’”
Being Early Isn’t Always a Win
A major theme in our conversation was also around timing. It’s one thing to have the right idea—it’s another for the market to be ready for it.
“You may have to abandon the vision. You may have to shut down the company because the market just isn’t ready for you. You’re too soon.”
– Dave Blakelock
We’ve all seen ideas that were “before their time” only to be proven right years later—by someone else. But as Dave shared, knowing when to walk away is one of the hardest calls a founder will ever make. “One day you just wake up and you walk into the office and you go, ‘You know what? I don’t think this is going to work,” as Dave put it.
Mistakes Are the Cost of Innovation
You cannot innovate without making mistakes. You’re not innovating if you don’t make mistakes.
That line resonated deeply during our talk. Innovation demands risk. And risk means failure. The trick is building a culture where mistakes aren’t hidden—they’re expected and learned from.
“If you can’t acknowledge the mistakes, fix them and move forward, you’re going to end up with even bigger mistakes.”
– Dave Blakelock
What Does Impact Actually Look Like?
Of all the stories Dave shared, his 100-day golf journey was one of the most powerful. He played one round of golf a day for 100 days straight across 28 states to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s. And in every round: “I would play a purple ball for somebody with Alzheimer’s, and I would play the third hole of every course for that person… I asked this woman, I said, ‘Would you mind if I played a purple ball for your mom today?’ And she gave me the biggest hug and said, ‘That would be great.’ … I came back and said, ‘I want you to have this.’ And she started to cry.”
That moment—connection, intention, humanity—is what impact really is.
Legacy Is Something You Build Every Day
“My legacy is about my two kids, my two daughters. I wrote that book with an audience of three in mind. A few more than three have read it, but not a lot more.”
– Dave Blakelock
At Givinga, we believe the definition of success is shifting. It’s not just about valuations or exits—it’s about impact, legacy, and living a life of meaning. That’s why we launched the ivi Podcast. To spotlight the stories and people who are doing just that—defining success on their own terms. And as Dave reminded us, it’s not about being the loudest voice in the room.
“Hopefully I’ve had an impact. And I’ve touched people around me. And that’s really what it’s about.”
Listen to the full episode with Dave Blakelock.
