We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Halie Behr. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Halie below.

Hi Halie, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

I have taken risks my whole life. It was a risk at the young age of just 15 years old, to attend auctioneering college with folks who were much older and who were already established in the industry. It was a risk to continue to pursue auctioneering and move off to Colorado where I knew only a handful of people at 18 years old. It was a risk to move into the male dominated, automobile auction industry as a female. It was a risk to ditch my 9-5 job and go full time into the auction industry with my fundraising business and contract work as an auto auctioneer at just 26 years old. It was a risk to put myself out there and compete on the world’s largest stage at the International Auctioneer’s Championship, but I did it and won. Life as an entrepreneur is all about analyzing the risk and the reward. So far, the risk taking has paid off and lead to many rewarding experiences.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I got into the auction industry by pure divine intervention. It was something I never expected or knew too much about. My grandpa encouraged my sister and I to go to auction college. He said it runs in our family and could be a fun experience as there would be a lot of kids for the June session. We did not know anything about it and really did not know what we were in for. It ended up having the most profound impact on my life, so I am beyond grateful I went to auction school. After auction school, I was hooked, and it was all I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to be an auctioneer. I mentored under various auctioneers and continued to learn the craft. My grandpa and uncle convinced me once more that I needed to be involved with the National Auctioneer’s Association (now the National Auction Association) and compete in the International Junior Auctioneering Championship. Again, I had no idea what that entailed, but I thought why not. I am so glad I did, because competing in that contest and becoming involved in the NAA changed the trajectory of my life. The joy I got from competing, networking, and winning the championship made me realize this is where I need to be, and this is what I need to do. Auctioneering is my calling!
I continued to stay involved and mentor under a few different benefit auctioneers. That is when I found my niche and realized I want to be a fundraising auctioneer. I continued to work at it, learn, and conduct fundraising auctions while going to college.
After graduating from college, I moved out West to Colorado to pursue the auction industry full-time. It did not happen over night. It took me working many jobs, early mornings, late nights, lots of traveling, you name it. I created “Halie Behr, Fundaneer” in 2019, serving the needs of worthy nonprofits, organizations, and schools.
The mission was simple: offer my expertise, consulting with the client ahead of their event, so they are as prepared as possible for success, bring the energy and enthusiasm during the live auction portion, and bring in the mission driven approach during the donation portion of the evening.
In 2021, my business grew significantly, so it was time to rebrand and bring in additional auctioneers to the team. Our main goal at Behr Benefits it to serve. We say, “choose Behr, because we care.” It is not about us. It is about the organization or client we are working for. It is about raising awareness to they cause, captivating their audience, so they are engaged throughout the evening, and maximizing their revenue during the event, so they can go on to fulfill their mission and goals.

What sets us a part is our ability to entertain a crowd and bring that high level of energy to an event but also slow it down and bring in the heart of the mission during the donation segment. We become so involved in the mission and cause of the organization that we are working for that it is authentic to us. It is real and genuine. We know facts off of the top of our head and can call out people in the audience because we spend time with the nonprofit well in advance and get to learn everything we can about them. Whether it might be a school tour or volunteering with them for a day, sitting in on classroom discussion, we want to feel apart of the cause that we are representing. I always say, “If I am not passionate about your cause, how can you audience be?” I believe that is a major part of our success!

Have you ever had to pivot?

Pivot was the go to word in 2020. My business consists of conducting events with hundreds of people gathered together. When Covid hit, we could no longer do that. It was a scary time and the very thing I knew how to do was no more. Auctioneers everywhere were scrambling- what do we do next?

Luckily, I was able to pivot into the virtual space. I turned to the camera and worked with my clients on conducting virtual auctions where we could keep everyone safe but still raise the much needed funds that were required for them to be successful. I managed to work with a variety of different mobile bidding companies, video producers, and studios to create these virtual auctions, so my clients could still fundraise and help those they serve. The neat thing is that it lead to more business and allowed me to acclimate and pick up a new set of skills.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

Yes! Since graduating auction college in 2010, all I ever wanted to do was be an auctioneer. Then when I went on to compete and win the International Junior Auctioneer Championship, I knew this was the field I was meant to be in. I just needed to figure out how I would make it happen. I slowly built up my auction clientele while working a 9-5 job and various other jobs.

I continued to keep the end goal in mind. The blinders were on and my focus was set. I continued to work at my 9-5 job and every auction I did, I gave it my all. My business spread from word of mouth! One auction turned in to another. Then two turned in to five and so on. I landed an opportunity working one day a week at a local auto auction, so as I was building my fundraising auction business, I worked at my 9-5, the local auto auction on Thursday’s, and helped other auctioneers whenever I could.

In 2019, I was conducting around 30 fundraising auctions. In 2020, although, Covid hit and hurt the event industry, my business grew to 40 auctions as many were looking for someone to connect with their donors through the lens of a camera. By 2021, I had about 60+ fundraising auctions on the books, and I needed help. I enlisted my sister, brother, and cousin to help me. Behr Benefits was created and established in the fall of 2021, so I resigned from my 9-5 job. Our business grew by 60% from 2021-2022 with 82 benefit auctions on our books. This year we are on track to do 100 fundraising auctions, and I could not be happier!

I went full time into the auction industry by the fall of 2021 running my business while also continuing to work as a contract auctioneer at Dealers Auto Auction of the Rockies on Thursday’s. By spring of 2022, I was also hired to work as an auto auctioneer at Dallas Manheim. I am grateful and blessed to work full time in the very industry I know and love.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.behrbenefits.com
• Instagram: behrbenefits
• Facebook: Behr Benefits
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@haliebehr7519/videos