As we wrapped up what turned out to be a bucket-list conversation for me, I asked Dave Turin what he hoped listeners would take away from his journey. His answer was immediate and powerful: "Don't be afraid of failure."
An Epic Failure in South America
Dave didn't sugarcoat his experiences. "You go back to the jungle in South America—we failed miserably," he told me. "It was embarrassing, the amount of gold that we pulled out of there. It was an abysmal failure, an epic failure."
But here's what made it a turning point: "I came back from that, and I felt like a better person. I was like, 'Okay, we failed.'"
Then Dave shared something most people don't know: "After that, they fired me. They fired another cast member too. I was like, 'Okay, all right, I'm gonna go do my own things.'"
That's when Dave and Freddie Dodge started planning their own mining company. They visited Nome, Alaska, went to Fairbanks, traveled around looking for gold. Through that process, Discovery Channel decided they probably could use Dave and the other cast member after all.
"I came back, but I was like, 'All right, whatever. If I can do that, I can go out and do my own thing,'" Dave said. "So yeah, don't be afraid of failure. Sometimes when you fail, it's one of the best lessons. And that helps in business and in life."
The One Thing He'd Tell His Younger Self
I asked Dave: after all these years, if you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
"I wish I would have enjoyed the ride a little bit more," he said without hesitation.
Dave explained that growing up, his dad stressed production—which makes sense when you own a rock quarry where you don't get paid unless you produce something. Dave brought that same mentality and drive to Gold Rush.
"I felt like if we're doing a TV show about people gold mining, we better find some gold," he said. "I was very driven. Everything I did—if I was gonna survive on this show—I didn't wanna worry about the TV. I wanted to worry about how do we get more gold?"
That drive sometimes put him at odds with producers. "I'd say, 'Get that camera out of my face. I need to go run that piece of machinery so I can go find some gold,'" Dave admitted. "I was constantly butting heads with the producers."
Looking back, Dave recognizes both the good and the challenge of that approach. "I think it served me well because I was pushing hard to get more gold. But I should have enjoyed a little more of the ride."
It's advice I'm taking to heart myself. As a CPA who works with construction companies, I see this same pattern all the time—owners so focused on the next job, the next milestone, that they forget to appreciate what they've built.
Six Months That Changed His Perspective
One of the most memorable stories Dave shared was about his time in Guyana, South America—six months in the jungle that he called "probably one of the hardest, most difficult places I've ever been."
It wasn't just the mining. It was the people, the humidity, the culture. Being in a third-world country with no air conditioning, none of the basic amenities we take for granted in America.
"I think everybody should go to a third world country and just live for a while to understand how the majority of the world is," Dave said. "I came back from that, and I was so annoyed with people that thought they had a right to air conditioning or ice cubes in their drink. We're so pampered."
But Dave didn't bail—even though many in the group wanted to leave. "I could have walked away, but I signed up for it. I thought it was a very poor choice—Todd made that decision to go there—but I signed up for it and I had to do my best. That's just kind of the way I am."
The experience had unexpected rewards too. Dave's wife came down to cook for the crew for six weeks. "So that was a little scary," he said. "But to be able to experience that with my wife—the jungle comes alive at night, there's fireflies and sounds—it was amazing."
"It was extremely difficult, but it was also very rewarding to be able to say I spent six months and survived in a jungle setting," Dave concluded.
Something else Dave mentioned that the cameras didn’t catch for the show. Before leaving Guyana, he said he couldn’t leave the mine site the way it was. He would not leave until they reclaimed the site and left it before than it was before.
Building Entrepreneurs
Dave also shared his philosophy on raising kids to be entrepreneurs. His son is an optometrist with three offices. His daughter owns a women's boutique. And it's trickling down to the next generation.
His grandson Micaiah did a freshman-year report on Jamba Juice franchises. Dave's son and daughter-in-law challenged him to turn it into reality. They opened a Jamba Juice and made Micaiah work to earn 5% ownership, then another 5% the second year.
"Right now he's 10% owner of a successful business. He's 16 years old," Dave told me. "He learned how to manage, how to open a business, how to do renovations."
I told Dave that's the epitome of "teach a man to fish and he eats for life." It's a legacy that goes beyond money—it's about passing down the mindset and skills to create value and take ownership.
The Takeaway for Construction Professionals
Sitting across from Dave, I was struck by how his advice applies to everyone in construction and mining. We're all facing pressure—from clients, from the economy, from ourselves. We're all tempted to keep our heads down and grind without looking up.
But Dave's message is clear:
Don't be afraid to fail. Failure teaches lessons that success never can. Getting fired led Dave to explore starting his own company, which ultimately brought him back stronger.
Enjoy the ride. The production matters, but so does appreciating what you're building and experiencing along the way.
Commit when you sign up. Dave could have left Guyana, but he'd made a commitment. Following through, even when things are hard, builds character and earns respect.
Pass it on. Whether it's teaching your kids to be entrepreneurs or mentoring the next generation of trade workers, leaving a legacy is about more than just what you build—it's about who you help build up.
As Dave told me at the end of our conversation: "Whenever I get an opportunity to share, I hope it lights a fire in somebody. Sparks some emotions. Sparks them to not be afraid of failure. Don't be afraid to risk things. Hopefully somebody will be inspired and help them do something amazing."
Mission accomplished, Dave. Mission accomplished.
This was one of the most inspiring conversations I've had on Constructive Conversations. Dave Turin's wisdom from decades in construction, mining, and television offers invaluable lessons for anyone building a business or a career. Listen to the full episode on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
• 21 min
David Turin: Lessons in Leadership, Failure, and Mining Reclamation (Part 2)
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