Tom Dickson is the star of the world’s most famous viral marketing video series – Will It Blend? Long before the Will It Blend? series exploded on YouTube, Tom was blending 2x2s with his blenders to determine their capability. As an engineer and inventor, Tom grew up putting big engines in little things. His entrepreneurial career started in 1975 at age 29. After experimenting with sending hard wheat through a vacuum, Tom produced The Kitchen Mill. This eight-pound mill produced flour twice as fast and twice as fine than its 60-pound predecessor, the stonemill, and revolutionised the home grain milling industry.
His innovations didn’t stop with one success. As an inventor, Tom’s drive to simplify people’s lives led him to design the Mix and Blend: an all-in-one kitchen machine with a mixer and a blender built-in. This machine can mix four times as much dough as its nearest competitor. Because the blender on the Mix and Blend outperformed most commercial blenders of the time, Tom further improved on this platform to create one of his finest inventions to date: The Total Blender. Since the early 90s when there was a need for high-power blenders in smoothie shops, Tom has continued to improve on his invention.
As an engineer, Tom has been blending crazy things in his blenders for years. In October 2006 some of Tom’s extreme blends were captured on film and they became a viral sensation. Since then, Tom has become an Internet celebrity with his whacky extreme blending videos seen on WillItBlend.com and YouTube. Seen by more than half a billion people around the world, Tom has become an icon and has been featured on many local and national news and entertainment programs, newspapers, magazines and blogs. Tom is still innovating, continues to sit on multiple boards, and has received many accolades and awards for his inventions and his impact on the industry.
Blendtec today has more than 270 employees and is a privately held company. Blendtec is the leading manufacturer of innovative blending and dispensing equipment that is used daily in homes and in the most prestigious restaurants and smoothie shops around the world. If you’ve ever had a smoothie from a high-powered blender, odds are it was a Blendtec.
Listen is as I have a very revealing fireside chat with this amazing fellow. He was a pleasure to interview and really does take us inside the Will It Blend tent – explaining where the idea came from and how it’s helped him build a hugely successful company.
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Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode .
Netregistry – Check out these three exclusive packages for SBBM Listeners. Each one designed by myself and Netregistry to help get your online marketing sorted.
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The Will It Blend website.
Tom’s company website – Blendtec.
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4 thoughts on “#114 Will It Blend? That is the question!”
Well-done to you Timbo for getting Tom on the SBBM podcast. I’ve watched this guy on YouTube for years and it’s great to hear his story. What a way to market your product though – awesome!
Thanks Greg – I was stoked when he agreed to come on. A really nice bloke who didn’t hold back. He had so much marketing / business wisdom to share.
Thanks Tim..really enjoyed that one ..well done getting him on the show… lots of great content there! keep em coming…
Thanks Jason – yep, I agree, it was a coup for me and the show.He was an interesting guy to interview too – given his ADHD!