Unfortunately, many people get dumped on The Bachelor , but that doesn't have to be the end of a contestant's journey in the spotlight. Just ask two-time Bachelor alum Becca Tilley, who turned her reality TV breakup into a platform to build her own brand and give back to those in need. While there are plenty of reality stars looking for social media followers and a paycheck, Tilley does seem to be "here for the right reasons."
In a recent interview with Bustle, Tilley delved into her ultimate goal to promote her partnership with DoorDash, an on-demand destination that connects customers with their favorite restaurants. She explained: "The platform The Bachelor gave me made me realize that because I've worked with so many brands and done so many fun things, I've gotten to the point where I'm asking myself, 'Am I doing anything good? Or help others through my platform?”
It was this introspection that led to her DoorDash campaign benefiting Feeding America, whose mission is to "feed America's hungry and engage our nation in the fight to end hunger through a nationwide network of food bank members." Last week , DoorDash has launched murals in Boston, Austin and New York City. “People can come to the mural and take photos, but even if you can’t be there in person, they can still participate in taking photos with the hashtag,” Tilley explained. When people post a photo with #DeliveringGood, a meal is provided to a family in need.
To further drive home this message, Tilley took to the New York location on Saturday, August 4th. For anyone who missed it, prepare to be jealous: The Bachelorette Season 14 contestants Colton Underwood and Jason Tartick brought canned goods to show their support. Of course, Tilley shared a photo with the two on IG and joked about sharing the same name as this season's Bachelorette.
Tilley currently has 1.1 million followers on Instagram and has partnerships with major brands like L'Oréal, Nordstrom and Dermalogica, but it didn't happen overnight. It all has to do with The Bachelor , as she explained, "It's funny because obviously everything that's happened to me so far is from The Bachelor , so I owe it to The Bachelor ."
To recap, she appeared on The Bachelor Season 19 with Chris Soules and returned in Season 20 with Ben Higgins. Tilley entered the final two games of Chriss' season. While few actually know how Becca Kufrin's final Bachelorette contestants Garrett Yrigoyen and Blake Horstmann feel, Ty Tilley knows firsthand what these people are going through.
So what advice does she have for the upcoming runner-up in the series? "You're going to be fine," Tilley said. "I remember talking to JoJo (Fletcher) about it because I was second on Chris' season and then she was second on Ben's season... and she said, 'This It's really hard. It feels weird, all of a sudden it's over.'"
But don't worry, it gets better. "All of a sudden you're okay because it wasn't intentional," Tilley explained. "You have to go into it with that mentality, but look at Ali's [Luyendyk Jr.] season? Honestly, who can forget how it ended?" Most of the time, the "second" contestants admit that's not the case, but there are a few exceptions — like Ali ending up with "runner-up" Lauren Burnham.
Just like the rest of us, Tilley has been following the season and speculating on who will win. She admitted, "I thought it was Garrett in the beginning, and I still feel like it's going to be Garrett." Plus, Garrett did get Kufrin's first-impression rose. That's definitely a promising sign, considering the last three recipients of this honor are still dating the Bachelorettes from their seasons.
However, Tilley didn't rule out Blake either: "I don't know if it's the way they edited it or something else, but I feel like there's been a really strong connection with Blake since their first date."
Ultimately, the podcast host concluded: "To me, there's something about Blake that looks very youthful. I feel like Garrett is more in line with what she's looking for in a life partner...but I can See it swinging in any direction."
In addition to knowing what it's like to make it to the Finals, Tilley also relates to something else going on this season - Colton's disclosure about his virginity and the public speculation about it. This is familiar territory, as Tilly has discussed her virginity on both of her seasons of The Bachelor . "It's one of those things you talk about on TV that feels very personal, but it's also just a decision, like everyone else's decision," she says now.
Tilley continued, "On 'Man Tells All,' [Colton] opens up and you see a very vulnerable side of him. I think that's how people really react to it... I think they feel positive about it and not Bully him or beat him for it."
As for her own openness, she explains, "I've always been the kind of person who feels confident in any decision I make. It's not like anyone is putting pressure on me." FYI, Cole Dun's journey is far from over. He may have been eliminated, but he's returning to Bachelor in Paradise this summer , so his personal decision is bound to be a topic of conversation again.
Another hot topic these days? The next Bachelor. Kufrin's season isn't over yet, but viewers can't help but wonder who will take on the lead role. "In this season, I could see Jason, but I could also see Garrett or Blake," Tilley speculated. The social media influencer added that if they wanted to shake things up, "I'd love to To see Ben H. as The Bachelor again. People love him. I, personally, as a viewer and as someone who knows him, would love to see him."
Speaking of people she knows, Tilly and Ashley Iaconetti are close friends, so of course, she's super excited that Ashley is finally getting together with now-fiancé Jared Hybon. She admitted, "I always had the feeling that I was just waiting for him to realize, so when she told me that Tanya [Ladd] was over, we both freaked out and screamed like little girls. I really happy for them."
Speaking of Ashley and Jared, Tilley said: "They've always been best friends, so it was really cool to see them develop into a strong love for each other and ultimately show it to everyone."
Yes, breakups are difficult. Imagine getting dumped from a very popular reality show in front of the whole world. But even if Tilly didn't find love on "The Bachelor," she turned the experience into something more — including building friendships and supporting causes she truly cares about. Looking at it from another perspective, breaking up isn’t that bad, right? At least not in Tilly's case.
