Veteran landman David Dachner shares his remarkable career journey, from having $1,000 to his name to building a multi-million-dollar oil and gas portfolio in the Austin Chalk. This candid conversation reveals how integrity, relationship-building, and strategic persistence transformed both his professional success and personal mission to give back through philanthropy in Honduras and personal development programs.
What You’ll Learn
- How to build lasting success through integrity and authentic relationships with landowners
- Strategic approaches to surviving oil industry downturns and market cycles
- The power of specializing in one geological formation for long-term profitability
- How personal transformation can enhance rather than compromise professional success
- Practical wisdom for balancing career ambition with meaningful impact
Time Stamps
- 00:49 Episode & Guest Intro
- 02:45 David's Early Life and Career Beginnings
- 07:02 Navigating the Oil Industry in the 80s
- 09:36 Challenges and Successes in Amarillo
- 19:53 The Importance of Integrity and Relationships
- 27:56 The Fast-Paced Culture of America
- 28:45 Building Trust and Rapport as a Landman
- 31:24 The Importance of Giving Back
- 33:04 Discovery Programs and Personal Transformation
- 36:36 The Abundant Life Foundation in Honduras
- 41:38 Balancing Career and Philanthropy
- 45:04 A Life-Changing Epiphany
- 49:25 The Journey of Personal and Professional Growth
- 52:52 Creating a Culture of Integrity and Purpose
- 56:49 Episode Outro
Snippets from the Episode
- "I always believed in the quality of life, not the quantity of life. I feel number one is I think we are, first of all, a giving industry."— David Dachner
- "I went through this program, and one night they said, 'I want you to write 10 pages on what your life is going to be like if you don't get what you want.' I woke up at five o'clock in the morning, and I had a spiritual epiphany where I encountered what I believed to be the Christ in my room. It changed my heart, and I gave my life to him that day."— David Dachner
- "Find the purpose in what you're doing. Find the why. Why are you doing it? You know how to do it and what you're doing, but why are you doing it?"— David Dachner
Key Takeaways
- Austin Chalk Specialization Strategy
- Integrity-Based Relationship Building
- Surviving Industry Downturns Through Persistence
- Balancing Professional Success with Personal Mission
- The Roy Landowner Generosity Story
- Personal Transformation at Age 41
- Creating Culture Through Purpose-Driven Leadership
Help us improve our podcast! Share your thoughts in our quick survey.
Resources
More From David Dachner
More from Our Hosts
Connect With Us
Ready to hear more landman success stories and industry insights? Subscribe to The Land Department podcast and connect with us on LinkedIn. Know a landman with an inspiring story? Send us their name - we're building a library of industry biographies that showcase the incredible people in our business.
