As his presentation at Big Idea Hastings drew near, Hastings College sophomore Caden Block felt the nerves of a packed house at The Lark in downtown Hastings. The judges themselves seemed to lock onto him as a shark to prey, but it wasn’t enough to cause Block to back out.
Block, a business administration and marketing double major from Hastings, was on the stage for Big Idea Hastings, pitching his business, Caden Block Media, as part of the “Shark Tank” style competition. Facing nine other competitors, Block earned second place. The win secured him business coaching, access to planning services and a monetary prize.
Block’s interest in entrepreneurship goes back to when he was young and mowing lawns for people he knew. “That was kind of a spark for me. It showed what I could do if I worked hard and went the extra step to work for myself,” Block said.
He first became interested in videography and photography as a senior in high school, when a video board was installed in the school’s gymnasium. For students to help manage the board during athletic and other events, they had to enroll in a class. It was during that class Block said he found himself falling in love with media production.
Block was the Content Generation Award winner while at Hastings High School in 2023. The award was earned from a challenge hosted by Class Intercom, a program focused on social media management for schools.
He took the title of the challenge, “Make an Impact,” and connected it to his own experiences as a mentor with MentoringWorks, a local non-profit that matches elementary school students with a high school role model. He interviewed the program directors and his mentee, and used his knowledge of video production to capture b-roll footage.
Caden Block Media is currently focused on real estate media, between 360 walkthrough tours, aerial images, videos and other assets that help agents promote and sell properties. “That’s where I got my start,” Block said, “There’s a need for modern development in the market.”
Block said he plans to use his winnings from Big Idea Hastings to purchase more gear, such as an extra camera and lens, to help create quality content. The extra gear will also allow him to hire an employee in the future to help serve more clients and grow his business.
Aside from the continued assistance Block will be getting from placing second at Big Idea Hastings, he emphasized the other benefits of public speaking, including working on his confidence and sharing his company’s vision to potential future clients who were in the audience.
Beyond real estate, Block also works with other organizations on event recaps and promotions. He also assists various companies with creating and sharing advertisements.
“Caden is incredibly talented, creative and driven, and his excitement for his work is contagious,” said Dave Rippe, owner of Queen City Development in Hastings. “He has coordinated all of the marketing efforts for our Trailside Village Housing development, and I’m consistently amazed with his enthusiasm and innovative ideas.”
As a one man enterprise, Block said there’s been many challenges. One such was being sought out to produce videos for the annual banquet held by Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce.
Block’s task was to highlight eight organizations or people, meaning producing eight videos in a month. Despite the long hours, he pushed through the project, and was proud of the outcome. He received shoutouts afterwards — and a list of potential clients.
“It feels good to be recognized for the work you do,” Block said.
Block said Jarod Rogers, a media instructor at Hastings College, has served as a mentor to him, providing support even back when he was in high school. He said he’s also grateful for the students he has surrounded himself with on campus, and that their shared ambition and drive allows them all to push each other to do more.
When asked about advice he’d wish he had received, Block said, “Take that leap, invest in yourself, both personally and financially. Don’t be afraid to start.”