‍Positive Social Causes and Entrepreneurship: Derek Dawson and Kyle O’Rourke of the AHL’s SD Gulls | Episode 10 of Twist of Fate ‍

Recognizing your team, promoting community, partnering with people who share your values. As an entrepreneur, you could choose to see these directives as little more than platitudes. Or you could take them as the call to action that they are. 

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On the latest episode of Twist of Fate, Douglas Younger III sits down with Derek Dawson and Kyle O’Rourke, the partnership managers of the San Diego Gulls. This franchise of the American Hockey League has been taking steps not only to build a brand, but to create a sense of pride and culture that people want to be a part of. 

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Part of how O’Rourke and Dawson do this is by granting a Military Hero of the Game award at every home game. By partnering with 3STEPS4WARD to recognize outstanding service men and women, the Gulls are bringing people to the ice for more than just straight competition. We look at how events like this tie in with a bigger mission and why it’s so important for entrepreneurs and small businesses to take that mission to heart. 

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Respect for the Game 

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When most people think about hockey, they might think about what kind of fight they’re going to see on the ice. But it might only take one game to change that perspective. While the NHL takes itself a little more seriously, the AHL has had a lot of freedom to branch out without losing their respect for the main event. 

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Younger and the managers talked about the excitement of themed games. From Star Wars to ‘80s night, there’s a sense of people coming together to celebrate San Diego. And in a city of veterans, the military award is the cherry on top. 

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Pride, Positivity, Enthusiasm 

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Trying to generate real enthusiasm for your brand is not easy these days. When there’s so much conversation and so many new startups with big dreams, the chances of getting lost in the mix are high. Younger points out that doing the work means being genuine about the values you choose to embrace. 

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For the Gulls, they’ve made it a point to build up their fans in whatever way they can. This includes youth programs that teach kids the basics of hockey, partnerships with different nonprofits in the community, and creating merchandise for positive social causes. 

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This isn’t about one flashy event or a few press conferences with buzzwords. O’Rourke and Dawson love the Gulls because you can’t trick people into loyalty. You have to show up every day and do what you can to uphold what you’ve promised the people around you. Their fans certainly get it. 

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Fall Down, Get Back Up 

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Real entrepreneurs are used to failure and Younger knows better than most that falling down is a part of every facet of your life. Getting back up sounds so simple that it’s trite by now. The reality is that rising from a proverbial fall can take everything you have to face the next challenge. In fact, there will be times when everything you have won’t seem like enough to measure up to the challenges in front of you. 

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Heading back into the fray is something that you learn in every game, even when the chips are down and victory isn’t a possibility. For entrepreneurs trying to stay true to why they built their empire in the first place, this is where pride comes from: the ability to keep going when every odd is against you. When Dawson and O’Rourke consider Gulls’ fans, they think about how much ownership their fans have taken in their city. That’s exactly what entrepreneurs should hope for from their customers and clients too. 

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