Deluxe Corp's 'Small Business Revolution' reality TV series to focus on Black-owned businesses in St. Paul, Minneapolis

Mar. 2—Six Black-owned businesses in St. Paul and Minneapolis will get makeovers this spring and summer as part of Deluxe Corp.'s sixth season of its reality TV series, "Small Business Revolution."

Shoreview-based Deluxe Corp. announced Tuesday that the series will be centered on the Twin Cities, with the company bringing money and advice from its business and marketing teams to one small business in six neighborhoods — all while highlighting their stories.

Season Six will focus on St. Paul's Rondo, Frogtown and East Side neighborhoods and the West Broadway, Lake Street and South Side communities in Minneapolis. One business and its neighborhood will be featured in an episode of the show, which airs on Hulu, Amazon Prime and at SmallBusinessRevolution.org.

The program's team is currently working with Twin Cities' community and neighborhood organizations to pick the businesses, said Amanda Brinkman, Deluxe Corp.'s chief brand and communications officer and a co-host of the show. The businesses will be chosen early next month, when filming is also expected to begin.

CELEBRATING BLACK EXCELLENCE

Brinkman said the death of George Floyd caused people to recognize that there are many things society needs to do to address racial injustice. Economic empowerment and investing in entrepreneurs of color is one way, she said.

"I think since last summer, every company and every individual has been trying to figure out how they can be part of the solution and the healing process within Minneapolis and St. Paul," said Brinkman, a Minnesota native who grew up in Mounds View and Circle Pines. "And so Deluxe, in our own small way, is trying to be a part of the solution and bring something that we know how to do to the table. We know how to build up entrepreneurs, we know how to build up small businesses, and we know what ripple effect strong small businesses can have on their communities. So we're excited to use our platform to share these stories and to highlight how incredible the Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs are in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area."

Data shows that there are systemic barriers for entrepreneurs of color, whether it is access to capital and business training or supplier diversity, Brinkman said.

"That will probably come out in the stories, but our real focus is on celebrating and highlighting Black excellence and celebrating these incredible business owners and their journey and the impact that they have within their communities," she said.

FROM SMALL TO BIG

Focusing on neighborhoods within two big cities is a change from past seasons, which were centered on small towns. They were also picked among tens of thousands of nominations and millions of votes from the public.

The reality series first focused on Wabash, Ind.; followed by Bristol Borough, Pa.; Alton, Ill.; and Searcy, Ark. Last season was in Fredonia, N.Y., where businesses fought to not only survive during the pandemic, but thrive.

In last season's first episode, the series worked with Mike Plaza to transform his Black-owned car-detailing business, which he considered a "side hustle." To find new revenue ideas, the show brought in Mylan Sleets and Hiep Dang, owners of Pristine Detail, a popular detailing shop along Snelling Avenue in St. Paul. Sleets and Dang suggested new services and equipment, while the Deluxe team polished up Nyce & Clean's brand and website. HGTV's makeover guru Ty Pennington, last season's co-host, remodeled the shop's interior.

As far as how much financial investment will go toward Season Six, Brinkman put the total at $500,000 in cash and in-kind services.

WHY DELUXE GOT INVOLVED

Deluxe Corp., which prints checks and provides small-business services, is a $2 billion publicly traded company that has been headquartered in Shoreview since 1972. In September, Deluxe announced plans to relocate to downtown Minneapolis in fall 2021.

But Deluxe is quick to tout its small-business cred, founded in 1915 by W.R. Hotchkiss in St. Paul with a $300 loan and a vision of portable flat-pocket checkbooks, according to its history page. The company has spent the past couple of decades branching out into digital business services, such as payment processing and marketing tools.

Deluxe launched "Small Business Revolution" in 2015 to celebrate its 100th anniversary. It partnered with a documentary film company, which in turn brought in photographers and journalists to tell the stories of 100 small businesses around the country.

Some of the stories were told in short, 3- to 5-minute videos, posted one a month for 12 months on the SmallBusinessRevolution.org website. Others, like the one on Bogart's Doughnut Co. near Uptown, were in photo essays on the site. In 2016, the show evolved into its current TV format.

WORKING WITH LOCAL GROUPS

Chad Kulas, executive director Midway Chamber of Commerce, which has members from the Frogtown neighborhood, said he was a bit surprised when Brinkman reached out to him late last year with plans for Season Six. Then she asked for help in identifying small businesses that could be considered.

"I definitely thought it was a cool opportunity," he said. "As you can imagine, we've gotten quite a few calls and attention to the neighborhood since May, with everything happening related to the civil unrest. So at this point, when somebody wants to feature the Midway or University Avenue, I'm not overly surprised."

Last week, Kulas and other neighborhood groups participated in a meeting with the show's team, which went over the criteria and asked to come up with up to five and 10 businesses. Although Kulas said he has several candidates in his head, he declined to name them Tuesday because they haven't been approached.

Deluxe said it will also be working with the following groups:

— East Side Area Business Association

— Rondo Inc.

— Neighborhood Development Center

— Metropolitan Economic Development Association

— Lunar Startups

— NEON

— Indigenous Roots

— Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

— The Lake Street Council

— West Broadway Coalition

— Dreamland

A CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Retired NBA all-star Baron Davis will co-host Season Six with Brinkman. Davis said he's been a big fan of the show, which he calls "a new revolution of content, where it's purpose." He said he heard Brinkman speak about the show while on a business panel and wanted to be involved with it.

"The story-telling aspect is a great part of it, but it's the aftercare," said Davis, who has become a successful entrepreneur post-NBA. "When 'Small Business Revolution' leaves, change has been affected. Communities have been brought together."

Davis said leaders of corporations and big businesses and even sports celebrities like himself "have an opportunity right now in these times and the responsibility to create a change in the narrative ... and be an example of how to create change and how to do it with intent and with purpose."