by KB Vega
"Entrepreneur?" Ah, yeah, I actually am! I’ve been running my own online clothing and lifestyle brand, InspiHER Empire, for about two years at this point. I considered myself an entrepreneur, so you can imagine how curious I was when an ad popped up on my Facebook feed. It was just another ordinary day, and I was scrolling through Facebook during a break when this ad caught my eye. The colorful graphics and bold question had me debating whether to click the ‘LEARN MORE’ button. Finally, I thought, "What the heck? What do I have to lose?" So I went for it.
Little did I know, this impulsive click would lead to one of the most transformative experiences of my life.
When I clicked that button, I was led to sign up for an entrepreneurial bootcamp that was being filmed for a docu-series called 'The Blox'. My first thought? No way. This has to be a scam. But, strangely, I couldn’t stop myself from continuing. I filled out a form with personal questions about myself and my business, wondering why I was giving all my info to something that seemed too good to be true. Then, I went back to scrolling, hoping my data wouldn’t end up in some digital black market.
A few days later, I was shocked to get a text saying my written application had been accepted, and the next step was a video submission. Wait, what? This can’t be real. I thought they had the wrong person. Still, my curiosity pushed me to record a video, despite the fact that I completely botched it. I had three takes, all of which were cut off. I honestly thought that was the end of it. I figured these people must be out of their minds if they were still considering me after seeing that disaster.
Weeks went by, and I pretty much forgot about it. Then, out of nowhere, I got another text saying I made it to the final round of interviews. Was this a dream? I was asked to schedule a phone interview with someone from the show. I was still skeptical, but at this point, I figured I might as well go through the motions and see where this would lead.
The phone interview went really well. The staff member explained how the bootcamp worked and what it would cost as a small investment. My gut told me this could still be a scam, but I was already invested in the process and decided to keep going. After all, stranger things have happened.
Then, the week of July 4th, 2023, while my husband and I were in Canada celebrating both the holiday and my birthday, I woke up on July 2nd to the email I’ll never forget. I had been accepted to join the show, and I’d be filming in January 2024. I couldn't believe it. They saw something in me and wanted me to be part of their community. It was surreal.
The next six months were a complete whirlwind. I had to prepare in so many ways for this bootcamp. There were home video assignments, where I had to film myself going about everyday life. I also had to complete homework, watching learning videos to get a sense of the material that would be covered during the bootcamp. On top of that, I had to mentally, emotionally, and physically get myself ready for an entire week of intense filming. Did I mention this was a competition?
Yeah, 80+ entrepreneurs, all competing for the grand prize. We’d be mentored and judged throughout the whole week for long hours at a time. Sounds fun, right?
Looking back, it was easily one of the toughest weeks of my life—on every level—mentally, emotionally, and physically. But it was also one of the most inspiring, empowering, and humbling experiences I’ve ever had. I met some truly incredible, genuine people who have since become some of my closest friends.
And to think, all of this started with me clicking on that “sketchy” ad on Facebook.
Curious about how it all unfolded? You can check out my season (S12) on The Blox app.
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