37 Questions with Dave Horesh

Originally published in February 2020

Block Club partner Dave Horesh exudes the kind of energy and enthusiasm that inspire big ideas. Whether he’s overseeing business development for Block Club or managing day-to-day operations for Block Club Labs’ Oxford Pennant, Dave works tirelessly to grow both companies and execute innovative projects for clients. In this installment of 37 Questions, a humble nod to Vogue’s 73, Dave talks about the industry experts who inspire him, the multifarious perspectives that humble him, and the evolution of Block Club from print magazine to branding agency.

1. What do you do for fun?

   I love music, and I try to see live shows as often as I can. I’m also a sucker for a long nap.

2. What did you do last weekend?

   I’m sick of being cooped up in the house, so I bundled up and took my son and dog sledding at Delaware Park. It was colder than I expected.

3. What is one thing people might not know about you?

   I speak Hebrew! Not as well as I used to, but I can carry a conversation.

4. How would you describe yourself in one word?

   Gregarious

5. What are you passionate about?

   I’m passionate about growing as a person. As I get older and meet more people, both professionally and personally, I understand how little I actually know. I try to listen more than I talk, but spend five minutes with me, and you’ll see that’s not an easy thing for me.

6. What makes you nervous?

   Climate change

7. What are you looking forward to?

   Good question. I think I’m going to buy a bass guitar soon. (Update: I bought a bass guitar)

8. Where do you want to go?

   South by Southwest

9. What inspires you?

   I’m inspired by people who are experts in their trade. I always feel like I learn something from our clients, and I often find my mind wandering to the “why” behind a problem—or its solution.

10. Are there any brands that really resonate with you?

    Any brand that makes an incredible product but doesn’t take itself too seriously is always a hit with me (see: Young Jerks, Birddogs).

11. What is the last thing you searched on Google?

    “Toddler-sized Goo Goo Dolls shirt”

12. What is the best thing you heard someone say today?

    “We have so many cookies left over from last night.” – my mother-in-law, this morning

13. What makes you happy?

    The perfect moment in the perfect song

14. Where is your favorite place in the world?

    Dr. Shakshuka in Tel Aviv

15. What is your best habit?

    I always floss.

16. What is your worst habit?

    Speaking way too quickly

17. What did you buy last?

    …A toddler-sized Goo Goo Dolls shirt

18. What words do you live by (or try to)?

    “Everyone’s experience is different.” I always try to think about the multiple perspectives that people bring to situations and how their life experiences shape their perception of what they see.

19. Who do you look up to?

    I try to remember that we all have faults, even when we pretend not to. I look up to people who own their imperfections. And Pat Reichert, Block Club brand coordinator, whom I look up to because he is taller than me.

20. What does an ideal day off of work look like?

    Day off?

21. What did you want to be when you grew up?

    I was sure that I wanted to be an environmentalist, mostly because adults were always impressed that I knew such a big word.

22. How do you want to be remembered?

    As a good father who retired early and lived to be 100

23. What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

    “Be good to others, and they’ll be good to you.” – my dad

24. What did you do before you joined Block Club?

    I worked as an outside sales representative for a printing company. Block Club was my customer, and Patrick Finan poached me.

25. What is your role at Block Club?

    I oversee business development and act as a strategist on client projects.

26. How long have you worked at Block Club?

    500 years

27. How has Block Club changed since you started working here?

    Block Club has matured from being a small, cute business run by a couple of buddies to a serious, competitive, and intelligent branding, strategy, and content agency. We’re doing more consequential work than ever before.

28. How has your job evolved over time?

    Good question. I’ve been exposed to enough businesses in different sectors to see “the big picture” better than I did in my early days at Block Club. Ten years ago, we were just selling design work. Now our work requires us to understand a client’s organizational challenges, identify how we can help them overcome those challenges, and develop a strategy that’s considerate of where their organization is going and how our work impacts that vision. It seems obvious in retrospect, but I’m not sure that I appreciated the correlation between design, content, strategy, and outcomes the way I do now.

29. What do you like about your job?

    There are times when the work is hard and the days are long, but I like our clients on a personal level and genuinely enjoy spending my days with them.

30. What is challenging about your role?

    New business efforts require an open mind. You have to be open to learning about businesses that you don’t understand, and you have to take the time to develop your own perspective before providing advice. I’m an eager person, and I like to experiment with new ideas. The most challenging part of my job is shutting up while I learn.

31. What do you want to accomplish?

    I’d love to find a way to step away from a screen for more than an hour at a time.

32. Do you have a favorite Block Club memory?

    Whenever I’m asked this question, I usually think back to the early days at Block Club, when we were all younger and the stakes were lower. We spent all of our time together: work, dinner, parties, Bills games. Our small team was inseparable. I have a thousand favorite memories mixed into that sentiment.

33. What are you proud of?

    I’m most proud of how far our businesses have come. So much of running a small business is sweat equity and delayed gratification. I’ve been with Block Club for close to a decade, and I’m amazed at how far we’ve come in that time. The clients we’re able to work with, the quality of the work we’re putting out—it’s all light years ahead of where we were when I joined in 2011.

34. What do you want to do next?

    I’d like to spend more time meditating. No real life changes, just more focused breathing.

35. What keeps you up at night?

    Literally everything. Horeshes are world-renowned for their insomnia.

36. What advice would you give 25-year-old Dave?

    Buy stock in Tesla

37. If you won the lottery, how would you use the money?

    Buy stock in Tesla