Our Founder and President, Deanna Baumgardner, was recently featured on a business docu-series called The Blox and here we talk with her about her time and experiencing filming and participating in the program.
What is The Blox?
According to the BetaBlox website, it is “The Largest Competition TV Show on the Planet for Startups”
From my experience, The Blox is a leading program in the entrepreneur community created by veteran reality TV star, entrepreneur and investor, Wes Bergmann. Combining his experience in reality TV along with his start-up, entrepreneurial and small business expertise from his company BetaBlox, he created this docu-series where entrepreneurs learn a new business topic each day, are given a challenge to complete to test their knowledge of the topic and then ranked by the expert judges/mentors. That’s where the competition part comes in.
While all of this is going on, they are also assessing all 100 companies to identify companies that they deem the most valuable and the most investable.
How did you find out about The Blox and how did you apply?
Funny enough, one of team members for Employers Advantage saw it on Instagram and sent it to me in November 2023. I had already committed to “level up” in 2024 and that included doing different things and making strategic moves that might be something I wouldn’t have done before. So, when this came up, I researched and decided to apply. The application process is multiple steps but it was a smooth process, and they were very communicative throughout it so I always knew what to expect.
The application process started with an online questionnaire. Once that is reviewed, the next step is a video submission, and the final step is a phone call with a casting agent of the show. Thousands of people apply every season and only 100 are picked at a time, so it was such an honor when I received notification that I was selected for Season 15.
Where did you travel to participate and film it?
I traveled to Tulsa Oklahoma with 100 other start-up founders and entrepreneurs from across the country. We were all staying in the same place, the Osage Casino and Hotel so it’s essentially a 24/7 situation. They were long days and nights, but the level of energy in the room with 100 people of similar thought and drive was out of this world.
Why did you participate in this docu-series?
I chose to participate in the docu-series because I really wanted to get out of my bubble and push myself out of my comfort zone. When this opportunity came around, I was going into my 14th year in business with Employers Advantage and I am very comfortable and confident in what I do with my business. Because I was in a comfortable spot, I wanted to shake things up a bit and find a new way to learn about business. I also wanted to get exposure to new people, new ideas, and rejuvenate the inspiration and motivation that can only come from being around people chasing and achieving their dreams.
I also wanted to give more exposure to Employers Advantage for the benefit of the team and the business overall. Whatever I can learn to better run Employers Advantage for our clients and the employees, I am all for it.
What did you hope to get out of it?
I wasn’t 100% sure what to expect but I really wanted to absorb as much knowledge as I could and hear other entrepreneur’s stories. Particularly I wanted to see where I could improve and elevate Employers Advantage. I feel like I know the business inside and out, but I also know that I need to keep learning and keep staying ahead of the game to continue to move the business forward. I also really wanted to get outsider perspectives on my business and how I am doing. I have a lot of great people, coaches and supporters that give me guidance and support, but I also wanted to see what somebody coming in with no knowledge of my business would say about it. Lastly, I love hearing what other people are doing, what their businesses are, how they got into the work they are doing and what drives them. I am completely fascinated by the sheer determination of people who believe in their ideas and dream and the obstacles they overcome to get there.
What did you get out of it?
More than I could have ever imagined. I got validation, which in and of itself was worth it. Because that reality is, none of us starting businesses really know what we are doing to full scale and it’s really hard. I know for me, I learned along the way through trial and error, through knowing what I did and didn’t want my company to be and mostly went with my gut. So, to feel “not so sure” but “somewhat sure” all at the same time over the years and then to get validation from outside experts was huge for me. So much so that you’ll see in Episode 4, I was representing Employers Advantage as one of the 20 out of 100 companies that was chosen to be considered for most valuable or most investable. No spoilers, but we did really well in the most valuable category.
The other thing I got out of it was very specific, practical and applicable information that I can immediately apply to my business. The way Wes presented the materials was very relatable and specific. I’ve been to a ton of business seminars and things like that over the years and it’s always the same fluff and nothing granular. The information we received was no-fluff, there were no mincing words, and it was very specific. With the challenge at the end of each topic, I was then tasked with how to take what I just learned and either apply it to my business if it’s not already or how can I apply it to my business. On top of that, I received one on one consultation on each topic with a mentor so we could really dig deeper into my business and what I should focus on. That type of information for any business owner is invaluable.
Lastly, I got lifelong connections, friendships and inspiration from my time on The Blox. I connected with other business owners in different industries and different parts of the country, but we are all in the same boat and it’s great to be together.
Why should someone watch the show?
Anyone starting a business, thinking of starting a business or even those that have been in business for years, such as myself, there is always something to be learned. Particularly for start-ups, you will learn what you need to be thinking about and how to apply that to what you are going to do. For any business at any stage, it’s helpful to watch so you can learn what more can you do create efficiency in the business, understanding how to scale, where to focus your efforts as the owner and where to delegate, how to identify where your customers are and how to create an overall experience that keeps them coming back.
Outside of that, it’s really great to hear the stories of all the small businesses in the show, see what impacts they are having in their communities and seeing the passion behind all of it.
How can someone watch it?
This is an 8 episode docu-series that gets released weekly on the Beta Blox Facebook page. It's also available to watch on The Blox app in the Apple and Google Play store. Lastly, you can watch all the episodes, read the details of each topic, and get to know the mentors on the BetaBlox blog here. Pay particular attention to Episode 3 in which I am featured talking about the topic of the day, Equity and Business Valuation. But also, I get to talk about the great team and work we do at Employers Advantage. You can watch that clip here.
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