Hockey Enforcer to $110M: Dave Burnett on Grit, Time, and Making AI See Your Startup
Former hockey enforcer Dave Burnett took punches for a living, then helped build Achievers.com (sold for $110M), watched his own business go to zero twice, and came back both times. In this episode, we dig into why founders with non-traditional backgrounds often outperform the textbook startup playbook, how to make sure AI models actually know your startup exists, and a time management system built around 1,440 minutes that will change how you think about your day. CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 0:32 Dave's path from hockey enforcer to serial entrepreneur 1:36 Building Achievers.com and the $110M exit 3:08 Why non-traditional founders have an edge 3:52 The enforcer mentality and entrepreneurial grit 7:05 Building for the future: swappable AI engines 8:25 AI models are commodities, not loyalties 10:30 AI is table stakes now 10:43 The dumbbell theory: where to build in the age of AI 15:53 AI visibility: does ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini know your startup exists? 19:47 What separates visible companies from invisible ones 21:00 How to use LLMTel to check your AI visibility 23:01 What early-stage founders should do now to show up in AI 25:18 GEO vs. SEO: what's different, what's the same 26:48 Mid-roll break 27:09 The 1,440-minute time management system 31:04 Color-coding your day in 10-minute blocks 32:23 Constraint-based prioritization: always work on the bottleneck 34:36 Embracing uncertainty and getting comfortable with failure 36:23 Building things nobody wants (and how to avoid it) 38:27 Why Dave went so granular on time tracking 40:51 Surviving a traumatic brain injury while running multiple companies 41:51 Notifications are other people's priorities 46:54 It's going to suck, and that's normal 47:59 When to pivot vs. when to double down 50:23 Going to zero twice: Great Recession and COVID 53:03 Business as an infinite game 55:01 Closing thoughts LINKS & RESOURCES Dave Burnett's AI Visibility Tool (LLMTel): https://llmtel.com Dave's Digital Marketing Agency: https://aokmarketing.com Dave's Book "From Bricks to Clicks": https://aokmarketing.com/book Dave on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/davebburnett FREE FUNDRAISING TOOLKIT Grab templates and tools I built for the founders I coach: https://feeltheboot.com/raise Watch the video version of this episode: https://ftb.bz/128V Read the full blog post: https://ftb.bz/128B ABOUT FEEL THE BOOT Feel the Boot helps early-stage startup founders navigate the fundraising process. Whether you're preparing for your first pre-seed round or struggling to close a seed raise, we cover the strategies, frameworks, and mindset you need to raise capital and build a fundable company. Hosted by Lance Cottrell, angel investor and president of North Bay Angels. Subscribe and follow Feel the Boot wherever you listen to podcasts for episodes on startup fundraising, pitch decks, investor outreach, financial modeling, and founder strategy.