“We need to stop trying to be the person we've been told we're 'supposed to' be, to become the person we are 'meant to' be.”
About Blake
Blake Mallen is a Billion-Dollar Brand Builder, Community Marketing Expert, TED Speaker, and the Host of the popular ‘ALIVE by Design’ Podcast, with over two decades of experience turning ideas into iconic healthy lifestyle brands that have transformed millions of lives.
Blake’s entrepreneurial journey began at age 19 when he had a wake-up call: He had spent his entire life chasing achievements because it was what he was told he was “supposed to” do. After a long list of accomplishments only leading to greater unfulfillment, Blake realized the prescription, or life ‘script’, he was following would never lead to what he was truly “meant to” do. So, he made a shift and took a leap into entrepreneurship, becoming a self-made Millionaire by age 25 and co-founding a billion-dollar brand by his early 30s. Grateful for his journey, Blake helps entrepreneurs ‘shift the script’ so they too can find what they’re meant to do, become who they’re meant to be, and feel more ALIVE.
Blake builds companies and brands that align with his personal mission. In his early 20s, he co-founded Vi, a health transformation platform that he and his business partner grew from an idea to over $2 billion in cumulative revenue, with their “Body by Vi 90 Day Challenge’ being coined the “#1 Weight Loss & Fitness Challenge in America” and impacting over 3 million people across 16 countries. As a gifted creator, Blake has also built other lifestyle brands, innovative technologies, and inspired mission-driven movements that have disrupted industries, received worldwide recognition and created meaningful positive change in people’s lives.
Inspired to share lessons learned and help people WAKE UP to their potential, Blake created the ‘ALIVE by Design’ podcast, which features an enlightening mix of live shows, conversations with the world’s most impactful people, and inspired ideas and thoughts—all providing transformation principles that help people discover their purpose and potential.
A values-driven leader, Blake married his high school sweetheart and has daily ‘dad-life’ adventures with his young son, daughter, and their big American Bulldog. From life enthusiast and high adventurer, to active health advocate and longtime surfer, to world traveler and family man, he lives the lifestyle he sells.
Blake is continually featured in mainstream publications and speaks globally on his passion for community marketing, entrepreneurship and intentional living. His latest TED Talk on how to ‘shift the script’ is inspiring a movement to move toward your ‘meant to’ and make the shift from being alive, to feeling fully ALIVE.
Blake In the News
Nick Sarnicola and Blake Mallen Recognize Growing Vi Italy Leadership at Vitality 2019
Vi, a global healthy lifestyle company, hosted Vitality 2019, their biggest event of the year in Pesaro, Italy in April 2019 to recognize the fast-expanding teams of Vi Italy sales leaders (Promoters) and thousands of life-changing transformations. Attracting more than 5,000 entrepreneurs and customers, the three-day celebration of Life, Health & Prosperity included two major
Losing Weight is this Company’s Gain – The Story of ViSalus
Story appeared on Times Business News… Diet has become a four-letter word. Decades of body shaming and deprivation is now replaced by a new health-first approach. However, in all this change,the quest to lose weight remains constant. For the weight loss industry, these trends and fads are a part of their business reality. The sector
Thrive Global Talks Gig Economy with Blake Mallen
With 36% of U.S. workers in today’s gig economy, this workforce is currently expanding three times faster than the traditional workforce in the U.S. Thrive Global interviewed Blake about how he was able to capitalize on the Gig Economy before it was a thing and go on to create million-dollar brands… READ FULL ARTICLE
Blake Mallen Leads Liv Marketing Team to Earn International Marketing Awards
Liv, a global lifestyle brand that inspires people to turn their “Bucket List” into a “Liv List,” has just been awarded creative branding and marketing honors by the Hermes Creative Awards. Under the leadership of Liv Co-Founder & President, Blake Mallen, the company received two esteemed Gold awards in electronic media categories: the Liv Membership Overview Video,
Vi Expands Nutrition Menu to Power Health Transformations Worldwide
Building off the success of their #1 best-selling meal replacement shake, the Vi-Shape® Nutritional Shake Mix, Vi expanded its mission to create health transformations around the world by developing an entire menu of nutritious replacement meals, drinks, snacks and supplements. As a global healthy lifestyle company, Vi was able to make weight-loss simple, affordable and
Vi sets world records while launching new products and expanding global mission
Co-Founded by Blake Mallen, Vi has not only launched globally successful products but also made news by organizing mass community movements around their mission, which culminated in world records. For example, they earned a world record in April 2012 for ‘World’s Largest Simultaneous Flash Mob’, mobilizing more than 50,000 people in over 300 cities across North America.
My Story
Becoming President
In January, I was elevated from Chief Sales & Marketing Officer to President of ViSalus. I’ve always felt it’s important to continually reinvent and challenge yourself to go to the next level.
Our Son Is Born
On October 8, 2015, Karis gave birth to our first child, Greyson Clay Mallen. I learned so much that day, about the strength of my wife, and about the incredible blessing of life. Today, I continue learning to appreciate life from a whole new perspective, as a father. What a life to live.
All In
In one of the largest moves of my entrepreneurial career, my partners and I negotiated a $143 Million founder and management buy-out of our company. In simple terms, that meant each us each writing a personal check for approximately $34 Million. You know you are doing what you are truly meant to do, when you are willing to put it all on the line for the chance do it for the rest of your life.
ViSalus Is Recognized at #21 on the Direct Selling News Top 100
That same year, ViSalus also received the Growth Award for 2012. As we rocketed toward $1B in sales, our peers in the industry started to take notice. You know you’re moving in the right direction when your hard work is acknowledged by your competition.
ViSalus Reaches $1 Billion in Cumulative Revenues
2012 and 2013 were truly a season of celebration. I had a lot to be thankful for and I made sure those people who’d helped make it possible shared in the rewards. The truth is that success is alway more fun when you do it with others.
The Challenge Magazine hits newstands
Our debut magazine was featured in book stores and newsstands across North America and ended up becoming one of the most sold health magazines at the time. While today, Im focused more in the digital space, it’s important to remember that constant innovation is key to any business.
Filling a stadium!
Over 18,000 ViSalus promoters filled the America Airlines arena in Miami for our annual Vitality event. Having spent years thinking, “One day we’ll fill a stadium,” it was an amazing experience to live that day. Remember, everything is a thought before it’s a thing.
She Said Yes!
After twelve amazing years together, I finally asked Karis to marry me while on an anniversary trip throughout Italy. Her yes was the best yes I’ve ever heard.
Jäger Entered the Family
I think the world would be a better place if everyone had a dog as great as him. P.S. He didn’t remain this small for long. He now weighs in at 120 lbs!
Cover Boys
With the growing success came some great publicity. We were featured on the cover of SUCCESS from Home magazine. It’s one thing to believe in what you’re doing. It’s another thing when mainstream outside sources begin to recognize you.
Living What I’m Selling
Later that same year, I completed my first 90-day challenge by competing in the Olympic length New York City Triathlon. I believe it’s critical to not only say you believe in what your company sells but also live that belief out by using its products. To this day, I have completed dozens of 90-day challenges, including putting on over 20 lbs of lean muscle, competing in a Jiu Jitsu tournament, summiting Mt Whitney, and getting down to 6.7% body fat. I still use ViSalus everyday.
Launched the Body by Vi Challenge
Launched the first phase of what would become a complete challenge marketing strategy, which introduced innovative compensation and recognition programs that would later become an industry standard. The Body by Vi Challenge was responsible for exploding ViSalus revenue by 600% in one year. When it comes to growing a business, there’s nothing like an original, innovative marketing strategy.
Sold ViSalus to Blyth Holdings
At the time we sold the company, Blyth was a billion-dollar-plus, public, global direct sales company. The relationship was like a crash course in scaling a company, developing a lean management system, building corporate infrastructure, and the pros and cons of being a public company. I owe a lot of my business and investment education to the Blyth team. It wasn’t an easy road, but I’ve found that many of the best lessons in life and in business come from heavy lifting.
Raising Money
We were growing fast and felt outside capital was needed to take us to the next level. It was the first time we sought money from an outside investor but thankfully we found the perfect one—our now close friend and partner, Todd Georgen. He gave us our big shot. He also taught me, through his belief in us, the incredible value of investing in others not just with time and words but with money. Because I’ve been the beneficiary of others’ belief in me, today I’m always looking for the next entrepreneur into whom I can invest my time and money.
Making a difference
Later that first year of business, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. It was an opportunity for us to begin giving, despite not even having a year’s worth of revenue under our belts. That spirit of generosity, no matter the condition of business, is why we can proudly say we’ve donated over five million meals to kids in need across North America and Europe through hundreds of charity partners including our current one, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Giving is the best part of living.
An Early Win
I collaborated with Ryan Blair and Nick Sarnicola to produce a sales training event under the brand, Fusion—a combination of the words Future and Vision. The event was a success and most importantly it confirmed that the skills I had been developing in the Direct Sales industry were extremely valuable to a wide range of people across many industries. The early wins, no matter the size, are great fuel to keep moving forward.
Betting on Myself
Instead of starting over with a new company, Ryan, Nick, and I completed an asset acquisition of the telecommunications company and used those assets to start a new company called ViSalus. We started from the bottom, with little to our names, and went hard and fast. Our first month sales were $30,000. Sometimes a little naiveté, combined with a lot of faith, goes a long way.
A Bend in the Road
After finding out the telecommunications company Nick and I were an integral part of was going out of business, I worked for 18 months without income to develop the initial ideas, product, and marketing that would become ViSalus. I lived in a apartment with Karis and her dad to save money. Sacrifices are always necessary on the road to success.
Paris with Karis
Our first time visiting Europe and it helped solidify our love for traveling, seeing new places, and experiencing new cultures around the world. These days, we make a point to visit at least 1-2 new countries a year. I believe having new experiences like this each year are a key to continually learning, growing, and getting the most out of life.
The IM that Started It All
While in my freshman dorm at UC San Diego, I received an intriguing AOL Instant Message from a high school friend. The next day I dragged my entire dorm floor to what would be my first introduction to entrepreneurship and the Direct Sales industry. I was hooked and soon became the youngest Top Producer of a telecommunications direct sales company. From there, my business partner Nick Sarnicola and I founded a young entrepreneurship organization called Arrive by 25, with the mission of helping young entrepreneurs, including ourselves, become financially free by the time we were twenty-five. The mission became a reality for many of us. This experience is why I still hold a big place in my heart from mentoring Millennials and Gen X entrepreneurs.
Staying in State
I decided to stay in CA for college. I applied to Stanford, UCLA, USC, and several other UC’s, and most schools asked for an entrance essay. This is when it became clear to me that I wanted to do something with my life that would make a deliberate impact on others. Worthwhile legacies, I learned, don’t happen by accident.
Love at First Sight
As a high school senior, I met Karis for the first time while on a church mission trip to Mexicali, Mexico. From the first moment I saw her, I knew she was the one. She has been by my side and been my number one supporter ever since. There’s no greater gift than the constant love and encouragement of your best friend and soulmate.
Embracing a Lifelong Passion
In middle school, I traded my bodyboard for a surfboard. Surfing quickly became something I knew I’d never stop doing. It was a few years later, on a high school surf trip to San Diego, when I fell in love with that area and told myself I would live there someday. I’ve learned that even non-work passions can fuel us to accomplish greater things in life
Learning the Power of Words
My fifth grade teacher told me I was gifted. I had always gotten good grades, but this was the first year I got straight A’s and went on to receive the “Outstanding 6th Grader Award” the following year, which put me on the honors path. I often wonder, “What if that teacher hadn’t told me that, and what if I hadn’t chosen to believe her?” I learned at an early age the power our words can have on another.
Discovering My Place
Living 20 mins from the Pacific, the beach was my primary playground. This formed in me a strong affinity for the ocean. Today it’s still my place of rejuvenation, and I can’t imagine ever living away from it. We should all have a special place that speaks to our soul.
Where It All Began
Born in Camarillo, CA, to a State Police Officer and a High School Principal. Loving and disciplined, my parents gave me a good moral compass, a strong work ethic, and their unconditional support to pursue my passions. They showed me how important the advocates in our lives truly are.