Stateline has a reality TV contestant named Ryan Rydell who presents his own business, “My City Guide,” on TV and is rooting for him.
Rydell, owner of RyCOM Creative and founder of digital franchise business My City Guide, was selected as a contestant on the reality TV competition “The Blox.” Created and hosted by reality TV star Wes Bergman, known for his appearances on MTV’s “The Real World” and “The Challenge,” “The Blox” is billed as the world’s largest live-in startup competition. The show is currently available to watch on Prime Video, Facebook Series and the BetaBlox app.
Reidel, who has an office in Rockton, is director of Stateline Baseball and vice president of the Stateline Chamber of Commerce. He is also a candidate for Roscoe Township supervisor and serves on the boards of several local charitable and trade organizations.
He has helped develop the next generation of business leaders as a volunteer coach/mentor for Hononegah Community High School’s Entrepreneurship Development Program. Reidel’s own entrepreneurial journey began in 2009 in the basement of his home.
Out of an estimated 50,000 applicants nationwide, Rydell made it through three rigorous interview rounds and landed a coveted spot on the show, which is scheduled to film in July 2024. On “The Blox,” entrepreneurs from different backgrounds and industries compete to grow their businesses under the guidance of industry experts and mentors.
Rydell founded local marketing and design firm RyCOM Creative in 2011, but will be focusing on My City Guide during his time on the show, which he says mimics the same model Elon Musk used to make his first $307 million.
My City Guide has been operating a local website, myrockford.guide, for nearly three years and offers a franchise model for local entrepreneurs to start and run their own digital city guide businesses across the country. With exclusive licensing rights on a city-by-city basis, My City Guide offers a suite of digital tools to help local businesses succeed in today’s digital environment, including an online directory, event listings, coupons, menus, reviews and marketing resources.
“I’m thrilled to have been selected to be a contestant on ‘The Blox,'” said Ryan. “At first I wasn’t sure if a reality TV show was worth my time, but after speaking with the casting director, I knew I could use this opportunity to showcase My City Guide on a national platform and highlight the potential for entrepreneurship and creativity in our community. I look forward to learning, growing, and inspiring others through this amazing experience.”
“Of course I’m going to win this competition and represent my city well, but even if I don’t win I’ll go home with a ton of great knowledge, connections and even more motivation to succeed,” Ryan added.
Ryan recently collaborated with his friend Jim Baruch on a webcast called “Middle Staged,” a light-hearted look at middle-aged men, which Ryan sarcastically declares is “not a podcast.”
Through his agency, RyCom Creative, Ryan has helped launch and grow numerous local brands, events and organizations, and has expanded to serve hundreds of businesses across the country.
My City Guide is currently working on its gAlpha program, building a system to scale nationwide. Ryan says the program will allow aspiring entrepreneurs to enter the digital business world without needing to invest large amounts of capital or know anything about coding or app development. He calls it a complete “business in a box” digital franchise.
Rydell hopes to use this national platform and the lessons he’s learned through “The Blox” to expand his brand to a national audience at a faster pace.
Rydell will be taking My City Guide to new heights and posting on social media via Facebook, Instagram and TikTok about his journey with “The Blocks” competing to represent our community on a national stage. He will step down on July 18.
