1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:02,720 Speaker 1: Whenever I saw a door close, I was just like, Okay, 2 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: where's the next door? Like, how can I open that? 3 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: And I think that as I've gone on in this career, 4 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: that's become even more evident, because I cannot tell you 5 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: the amount of doors that are continuing to be shut 6 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:17,239 Speaker 1: in my face. But the minute that happens, I give 7 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 1: myself a day, I'm sad and I get up and 8 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:22,639 Speaker 1: there's another door right there, And that's always going to 9 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:24,960 Speaker 1: be true. But the minute you just let yourself sit 10 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: in the sadness of rejection, you're never going to find 11 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: that next door and it's not going to pop up 12 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:42,840 Speaker 1: before you decide to stand up and look for it. 13 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, Emily a body here. You are listening to 14 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 2: episode one sixty one of Hurdle a While, this focus 15 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 2: podcast where I sit down with inspiring individuals to talk 16 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 2: about big wins, tough moments, and everything in between. On 17 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:05,400 Speaker 2: the show, you can expect vulnerability, motivation, and candid discussions 18 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 2: with everyone from top athletes and CEOs to aspiring entrepreneurs 19 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 2: on what it really takes to follow your passions. My 20 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 2: mission is simple to inspire you to be your best self, 21 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:20,679 Speaker 2: move with intention and have some fun along the way. 22 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 3: Today I am chatting with Caleb. 23 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 2: Marshall, better known to his three point two two million 24 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:33,760 Speaker 2: YouTube followers and many more as the Fitness Marshal. In 25 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 2: today's episode, we talk about his journey to becoming a 26 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 2: top YouTube creator, where he uses his platform to spread joy, 27 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 2: self love, and confidence to many people all around the globe, 28 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 2: using as one of a kind, as he likes to 29 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:53,919 Speaker 2: call them, fit entertainment routines. Seriously, go check out his channel, 30 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 2: It's just the Fitness Marshal over on YouTube, and you 31 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 2: will not only have a blast, probably laugh a ton, 32 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 2: but also if you give it a whirl and go 33 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 2: out one of these routines, you are going to sweat 34 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 2: up a workout. 35 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 3: There are so many things I love about this episode. 36 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 2: We talk about everything from his upbringing and coming out 37 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 2: during his teenage years to going to college and coming 38 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 2: to terms with the fact that he needed to pursue 39 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:21,920 Speaker 2: a career doing what he loved, and what he loved 40 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 2: was dancing. We also talk about what it was like 41 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 2: for him to build his YouTube channel, what goes into 42 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 2: creating all of these videos, which the production quality is 43 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 2: absolutely unreal, the battles and the hurdles that he has 44 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 2: conquered along the way. Caleb just gives off this beautiful 45 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 2: energy and the way that. 46 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 3: He speaks and the content that he produces. 47 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 2: He's really just putting into the world this beautiful vibe 48 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 2: that no matter your age, your size, your ability, your gender, expression, 49 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 2: your color, everyone has a place period and he didn't 50 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,519 Speaker 2: always feel that way. So I just I can really 51 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 2: relate to his messaging. I'm really amped to have on 52 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:04,359 Speaker 2: the show today and I love everything that we get into. Now, 53 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 2: before we get into the swing of things today, I 54 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 2: do want to take a moment to give some love 55 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 2: to my sponsor at Athletic Greens. Athletic Greens is one 56 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 2: of the things that is in my daily routine no 57 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 2: matter what, no matter where I am. 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Head on over 77 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 2: there to get five free travel packs as well as 78 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:23,160 Speaker 2: a year's supply of Vitamin D with your first purchase today. 79 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,919 Speaker 2: Make sure you're following along with Hurdle over on social media. 80 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 2: It's at Hurdle podcast. I am over at Emily a 81 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 2: Body and if you have a second rate and review 82 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 2: the show wherever you get your podcasts. 83 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 3: With that, let's get to hurdling today. 84 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 2: I am sitting down with Caleb Marshall Better knows is 85 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:54,359 Speaker 2: three point twenty five million YouTube subscribers and growing and 86 00:04:54,440 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 2: many more as the Fitness Marshall. Hi, hello to us. 87 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 2: First and foremost, what is the fitness Marshal? 88 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 1: Oh gosh, what's the best way to explain it? The 89 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:10,720 Speaker 1: Fitness Marshal, I like to say, is like Britney Spears 90 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: mixed with Richard Simmons and one giant celebratory musical fitness Baby. 91 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: So we are here having a good time, celebrating dance, 92 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:23,600 Speaker 1: moving our bodies and just really making fitness fun and exciting, 93 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:28,359 Speaker 1: which I think was sorely missing kind of before my era. 94 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: And so it's just been really exciting to get to 95 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: celebrate people's bodies and dance and music without all of 96 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: the barriers to entry and the intimidation that comes with 97 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: just having fun and pretending to be a pop star. 98 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 2: I love that kind of concept, like being a fitness 99 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 2: pop star. When that terminology like came around for the 100 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 2: first time, you were like, that's it, That's exactly what 101 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 2: I'm doing here. 102 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 1: Well, I kind of I mean not to toot my 103 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:57,919 Speaker 1: own horn, but I kind of coined that myself because 104 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: I was super insecure with my body. You know, when 105 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:04,359 Speaker 1: I was younger, and I remember I love to perform, 106 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: and that was kind of my escape where I felt 107 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 1: the most confident in the most secure in myself. And 108 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,680 Speaker 1: so once I got to college, I was even more like, 109 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, like I'm getting older, I don't know 110 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 1: how to get into fitness, and I really also have 111 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: all of these negative associations with my body. And I 112 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 1: realized that the thing that helped me so much when 113 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,159 Speaker 1: I was younger was just the stage and the escape 114 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 1: was the same thing that I could use to help 115 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: me get into fitness and make it something that I 116 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 1: enjoyed and that was fun and exciting. And so I 117 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 1: really just married those two things, and I realized that 118 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: almost everything in life can be solved by pretending to 119 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: be a pop star. 120 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:47,480 Speaker 2: Now you're moving with millions of people. But was movement 121 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 2: always like something that you were really into? Were you 122 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 2: active growing up? 123 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: Like what's the oh, I guess you know. I don't 124 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 1: think that you could have found one person in my 125 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: life that would have said, you know, Cale's Kale's going 126 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: to be a fitness pop start. No, I was not 127 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 1: into fitness. I loathed it. I thought it was boring. 128 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: I thought it was hard. I did not. I thought 129 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 1: you had to be a certain type of person to 130 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 1: do fitness, so unless you had a six pack or 131 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 1: you looked like the people on the fitness DVDs, like 132 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 1: that's who fitness was for. And so it was something 133 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: that I had really just counted out from the beginning 134 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 1: because of all of the barriers to entry. And so I, 135 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 1: you know, I played sports. My parents said that until 136 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: I turned ten, I had to play basketball and baseball 137 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,360 Speaker 1: and soccer, and so I got to, you know, kind 138 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: of test the waters and experience those things. But I 139 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: also was really into dance and performing, so at the 140 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 1: same time, I got into tap dance and hip hop 141 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: and jazz, and I got to do other things that 142 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 1: weren't me moving my body. But I don't think it 143 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 1: registered to me that, oh, that can be fitness too. 144 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 1: In my mind, it was like, no sports is fitness. 145 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 1: Lifting weights' fitness. Crying in the mirror and pinching yourself 146 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 1: while doing jumping jacks's fitness. I never thought that something 147 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: that could be so fun could be a way to 148 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: actually keep yourself healthy and work out. And so it's 149 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: weird because I guess in my mind, I say no 150 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 1: but I guess the answer is yes, I was moving 151 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: my body. 152 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 2: And I mean you said until ten, your parents were 153 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 2: really enthusiastic about you playing all of these sports. 154 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 3: Was there like some sort of like prior it's. 155 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 1: So weird, like the age of the numbers, Like I 156 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 1: remember when I was younger, I couldn't watch cartoons that 157 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 1: were TV Y seven until I was seven. I couldn't 158 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: watch PG thirteen movies until I was thirteen. Like it 159 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:41,880 Speaker 1: was very like God has said Spider Man is for 160 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 1: thirteen year old and older. Like it was so weird 161 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 1: how numbers work. So I think they were just like, 162 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: until you turn ten, you have to play sports, and 163 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: then we will give up and let you do whatever 164 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:53,080 Speaker 1: you want. 165 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 3: Geez okay. 166 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 2: So when you say you could do whatever you want, 167 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 2: was there like a conversation that dance was the move? 168 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 3: Literally? 169 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:07,200 Speaker 1: You know what? I think that it was just I 170 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 1: was already in it, and so I was already doing 171 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 1: dance and acting, and so it was more like, hey, 172 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 1: now you have more time to take even more dance 173 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: classes and more acting classes, and I really just got 174 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 1: to dive in to what I loved and kind of 175 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:22,320 Speaker 1: let go of the things that really didn't make me 176 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 1: so happy, which is really cool that my parents did 177 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 1: that because I didn't feel the pressure to please them 178 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 1: or really be something else for them. I really got 179 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:34,160 Speaker 1: to be celebrated and the things that I loved doing, 180 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:36,320 Speaker 1: and so that was really exciting just to have that 181 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 1: space to do that, especially not feeling confident as a kid, 182 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:41,599 Speaker 1: like I wasn't the popular one. I didn't like the 183 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:43,679 Speaker 1: way my body looked, I didn't really feel like I 184 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 1: fit in. But when I was on stage, that was 185 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 1: my escape, and that's where I felt like I could. 186 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 1: I could be myself and be super confident and have 187 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 1: the time of my life. And so it was really 188 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 1: exciting just to get to explore that and have that 189 00:09:56,880 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 1: escape as a kid, especially because I don't know what 190 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 1: I would have don not having that, like going to 191 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,080 Speaker 1: school and having a bad time and then coming home 192 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:10,200 Speaker 1: and having nothing to like make me like full or 193 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 1: feel fulfilled. So I think it would have been really 194 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 1: scary had I not had. You know, the performing arts. 195 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 2: So when you start to get into the performing arts, 196 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 2: where do you see this going at the time. Did 197 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:25,679 Speaker 2: you have like an aspiration to be an actor, did 198 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 2: you like want to move to New York and be 199 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 2: on Broadway, Like what did you want to do? 200 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:32,439 Speaker 1: I wanted to be a Disney Channel star. I thought 201 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 1: that by the time I was fourteen, I was going 202 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:40,080 Speaker 1: to be Caleb Colorado. Hannah Montana would be canceled, I 203 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:43,960 Speaker 1: would be the next superstar. And I really thought that 204 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:47,199 Speaker 1: I that was just my trajectory. I mean, I don't 205 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 1: think that I had a full plan in my mind, 206 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:53,080 Speaker 1: especially not for fitness. But I knew that in some way, 207 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: like I had to perform because I knew that I 208 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: wasn't met for doing anything else that I couldn't really 209 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 1: put all of my passion to. And so I thought 210 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: that I was going to go to LA get picked 211 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 1: up by a casting agent. And I remember going like 212 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:10,000 Speaker 1: when I got to high school, I got to start 213 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:12,559 Speaker 1: going out to LA once a year for auditions, and 214 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:17,079 Speaker 1: I got told no, no, no, no, no, we don't 215 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 1: need you. You're not And it wasn't all bad, but 216 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:22,560 Speaker 1: it was never I never got picked. I was never 217 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:25,160 Speaker 1: the one that got signed for anything. I never got 218 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: past the first round of the audition. And so it 219 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:31,200 Speaker 1: was really soul crushing for me to realize that the 220 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 1: thing that I thought that I was really good at 221 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 1: and met four in this world, no one else felt 222 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:40,080 Speaker 1: the same way, and so it took me kind of 223 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 1: just accepting that that wasn't my path and kind of 224 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: moving on from that. And I like, when I got 225 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 1: to college, I had thought that door closed. I was like, 226 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: I turned eighteen, I've got the crease is setting in 227 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 1: my I got some smile lines coming. I'm not going 228 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: to be a child actor anymore. And I really thought 229 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:58,959 Speaker 1: that it was all over because I had listened to 230 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 1: all of these people who had told me what I 231 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 1: was supposed to do with my life, and I kept 232 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: trying to put myself in a box for this person 233 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 1: and this person instead of just creating my own and 234 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:12,679 Speaker 1: I think getting all of that rejection, I had two choices. 235 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,840 Speaker 1: One I could listen to it and be sad and 236 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 1: defeated the rest of my life and say, oh, this 237 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 1: world sucks and it wasn't meant for me. Or I 238 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:23,199 Speaker 1: could make my own path and be like, you know what, No, 239 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 1: I'm going to double down on the things that I 240 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:28,560 Speaker 1: love doing the most and create something out of that 241 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:31,959 Speaker 1: instead of trying to just create something that's already out 242 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 1: there for somebody else where. 243 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 2: Do you think that level of determination came from in you, 244 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:43,320 Speaker 2: because I think a lot of people would have maybe 245 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 2: not by choice, but just because of circumstance, gone with 246 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 2: that option one. 247 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 1: You know what, I think it's really the way just 248 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 1: my I'm wired. I when I get it might be 249 00:12:56,320 --> 00:13:00,080 Speaker 1: the add it. I just when I have something that 250 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: I want, I go for it. And I really didn't 251 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 1: have another option because I'm not good at a lot 252 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 1: of other things that would require me to do a 253 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 1: traditional job. I have a really hard time with the 254 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:15,079 Speaker 1: planning and the organizing and the putting energy and effort 255 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 1: into things that don't spark my passion. Like I can't 256 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: emphasize enough that I have to do what I love, 257 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 1: and so I just never even gave myself a plan 258 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: B for that. It was it when I guess whenever 259 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: I saw a door close, I was just like, Okay, 260 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 1: where's the next door? Like how can I open that? 261 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 1: And I think that as I've gone on in this career, 262 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 1: that's become even more evident because I cannot tell you 263 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:41,959 Speaker 1: the amount of doors that are continuing to be shut 264 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 1: in my face. But the minute that happens, I give 265 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 1: myself a day, I'm sad and I get up and 266 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 1: there's another door right there, and that's always going to 267 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 1: be true. But the minute you just let yourself sit 268 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:56,760 Speaker 1: in the sadness of rejection, you're never going to find 269 00:13:56,800 --> 00:13:58,720 Speaker 1: that next door, and it's not going to pop up 270 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:00,040 Speaker 1: before you decide to stand up. 271 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 2: Look for it. 272 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:02,200 Speaker 3: Love that piece of advice. 273 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:06,079 Speaker 2: So you mentioned getting to college feeling a little unsure. 274 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 3: What are you majoring in At the time. 275 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 1: I majored in video production. So I decided when I 276 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:14,080 Speaker 1: went to college that I was not meant to be 277 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 1: in front of the camera. I was like, Nope, that's 278 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:18,120 Speaker 1: not for you. You are going to be behind And 279 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 1: I genuinely do love being behind the camera. I love 280 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 1: the production aspect of it. I still edit and shoot 281 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 1: all my own videos. But I went to school thinking 282 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: that that's all I was going to do, and so 283 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: I kind of spent that whole time taking all of 284 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 1: these production classes, but really I was simultaneously teaching these 285 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 1: dance fitness classes. Because I got to college and I 286 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 1: felt so sad because I wasn't on stage, I wasn't performing, 287 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 1: and I felt like a piece of me kind of died. 288 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: And I started also really getting nervous because I was, 289 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 1: you know, a gay man eighteen going to college, and 290 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: I had no idea how to have a healthy relationship 291 00:14:57,120 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 1: with fitness. And the first thing that I decided to 292 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: do it was take this dance fitness class that reminded 293 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 1: me of an old Zuba class that I took in 294 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 1: high school. And it was this moment where I felt 295 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 1: like I got to be on stage and feel confident 296 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 1: in myself and feel that that rush of euphoria that 297 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 1: I got when I was on stage. 298 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 2: You mentioned coming into college being a gay man. When 299 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 2: did you come out. 300 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: I came out at I think it's sixteen or seventeen. 301 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 1: It was right before my senior year of high school. 302 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 3: Talk to me about that experience for you. 303 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 1: So, I mean, it was really hard. It's not something 304 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: I planned on doing. I come from a conservative Christian 305 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 1: family and there were very traditional values implanted in my 306 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 1: brain and I don't think that for a second anyone 307 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: thought that this tap dancing sky dancer's Barbie loving boy 308 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 1: wouldever like be anything but a CIS straight man. And 309 00:15:56,440 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 1: it was something that I had to I guess. I 310 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 1: guess I was kind of forced out in a way 311 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: because I had a boyfriend when I was, I think 312 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:10,880 Speaker 1: set sixteen seventeen. My mom went through my phone and 313 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 1: found text between us, and then, I mean all hell 314 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 1: broke loose because she was like, you're never seeing him again. 315 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,520 Speaker 1: The whole family knows about this. This is not happening. 316 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:23,400 Speaker 1: Why are you doing this? It was all and it 317 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:26,120 Speaker 1: was so crazy because it was all about them. It 318 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 1: was all about how they felt. Meanwhile, I'm terrified. I 319 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 1: have been struggling with my sexuality since I was a child. 320 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 1: I mean, my first prussures in kindergarten. I can remember 321 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 1: I had like little butterflies for a boy. My entire life, 322 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:40,880 Speaker 1: I've been so scared that at some moment I'm going 323 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:43,119 Speaker 1: to be found out and I'm going to be exposed 324 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 1: and everything's going to be over. And so that moment 325 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 1: finally happens, and then somehow it becomes all about how 326 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,520 Speaker 1: my mom felt, how my grandparents felt, how my dad feels. 327 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,200 Speaker 1: And so it took a minute for I think everyone 328 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 1: to realize, wait a minute, I'm the one going through this, 329 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 1: Like this sucks for me not choosing this. It's not 330 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 1: like this is the shirt that I decided to try 331 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 1: on today, Like I'm stuck with this for my life, 332 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 1: and at that point in time, I had still been 333 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: trying to like pray the gay away my whole middle 334 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 1: I mean middle school, high school. It was awful, and 335 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 1: so I had gotten to a point where I accepted myself, 336 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:20,119 Speaker 1: and I was so frustrated that everyone around me was 337 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:22,719 Speaker 1: kind of where I was in middle school, and I 338 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:24,920 Speaker 1: was like, no, I'm already here, like this is who 339 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 1: I am, and I not a single part of me 340 00:17:27,600 --> 00:17:30,240 Speaker 1: thought about going back in the closet breaking up with 341 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:34,159 Speaker 1: this person. It's like we talked about I mean, I 342 00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 1: am who I am. I'm passionate about who I'm passionate about, 343 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: and if you don't like that, then I'm so sorry. 344 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:43,120 Speaker 1: But it took a while for them to kind of 345 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:46,719 Speaker 1: learn and accept. And it only took them, I would say, 346 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,119 Speaker 1: about a year to really integrate my partner with the 347 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:51,680 Speaker 1: family and for everything to be okay. A lot of 348 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:54,120 Speaker 1: kids don't have that. Kids get will get kicked out, 349 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 1: will never speak to their family again. Like my family 350 00:17:57,160 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 1: loved me enough to learn, but it was not something 351 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 1: I think anyone was prepared to have to even start 352 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 1: thinking about. So I'm really grateful that I still have 353 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 1: the relationship with my family that I do, but it'll 354 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:14,600 Speaker 1: always be sad that it's something that I had to 355 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 1: help other people go through, because it's really it'd be 356 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 1: really nice to grow up and just feel loved and 357 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:21,879 Speaker 1: accepted from the beginning. And that's what I think is 358 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:25,359 Speaker 1: really exciting for gen Z and like the new generations 359 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:27,560 Speaker 1: that are going to have just a lot more understanding 360 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 1: and acceptance because of the generations who didn't have that. 361 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, can you even imagine what you would have done 362 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 2: if she hadn't found your phone? 363 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: No? I mean really, I don't know if I ever 364 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:42,679 Speaker 1: would have had the courage to have that conversation. Like, 365 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:47,800 Speaker 1: I hate confrontation. I loathe it. I would rather you 366 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: can just put me in a barrel and roll me 367 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 1: down the hill and I just would never have to 368 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 1: talk to you about it again. Like I think that's 369 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 1: really difficult for a lot of people, and so I 370 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 1: never That's why I hate when people were forced out 371 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:03,720 Speaker 1: of the closet or people get upset at other others 372 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: for not coming out or making this big statement. But 373 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 1: it really is such a personal and terrifying journey. And 374 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 1: so while I'm grateful that I was forced out and 375 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:15,639 Speaker 1: I was actually forced out of my friends too. I 376 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 1: had friends when I was like fifteen. They sat me 377 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:21,159 Speaker 1: down and they said it was like a group of 378 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 1: like four of them, one being the guy that I 379 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 1: ended up dating as my first boyfriend, and they were like, Caleb, 380 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:31,719 Speaker 1: we love you. You are homosexual. We know it. You know it. 381 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:34,679 Speaker 1: You are gay. And I was like, oh my god, stop, no, 382 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:39,920 Speaker 1: I am not. And then I just had a moment 383 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:42,200 Speaker 1: where I could like kind of start inching my way out. 384 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:45,119 Speaker 1: And I'm so grateful they did that because it allowed 385 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:48,359 Speaker 1: me to live my truth. But again, everyone's journey is unique. 386 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 1: So for someone else that might be terrifying and awful 387 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: for them to be like forced out or found out. 388 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:57,399 Speaker 1: So it is all so individual. But in my experience, 389 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 1: I'm glad that I had my friend friends there first 390 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 1: who kind of knew about my sexuality for I would 391 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 1: say almost a year before my family did. And it 392 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 1: really gave me that feeling of having my chosen family 393 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 1: because even if my family didn't accept it, my friends 394 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: loved me so much and so that made it so 395 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 1: much easier. And that's why I'm a big proponent of 396 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:21,440 Speaker 1: chosen family and family doesn't have to be blood it's 397 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 1: the people who would love you when are there for you, 398 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 1: and who fill you up and can grow with you. 399 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:28,960 Speaker 3: With a reach like yours. 400 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:33,720 Speaker 2: You probably get asked a lot of questions about coming out, 401 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,879 Speaker 2: and for someone who may be struggling with doing so 402 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:40,919 Speaker 2: in their home, I mean again, very big difference for 403 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 2: you being forced out, being found out versus coming out 404 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:46,440 Speaker 2: on your own choice. But what do you say to 405 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 2: those people who come into your dms and are like, help, 406 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:49,879 Speaker 2: I don't know what to do. 407 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: It's really it's really difficult because it is so unique. 408 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,359 Speaker 1: But I think that the most important thing is that 409 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 1: everyone is living their truth and is able to be 410 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:04,320 Speaker 1: confident in who they are. And when you tell people 411 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 1: who don't agree or who you're scared to tell, that 412 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:09,919 Speaker 1: is their own journey. So if they don't accept you 413 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:12,399 Speaker 1: for being you, if they try to change you, that 414 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 1: is their baggage. That doesn't mean you could have told 415 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:17,879 Speaker 1: them any differently. That doesn't mean you did something wrong. 416 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:20,400 Speaker 1: That doesn't mean you should change who you are. That 417 00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 1: means that they have something they need to work on 418 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 1: within themselves. So have the courage and the bravery to 419 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 1: tell your truth. But know that someone not receiving that 420 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:33,399 Speaker 1: well has no bearing on you, and that is the 421 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 1: hardest thing for people to accept. But whoever is there 422 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 1: for you after you are living as your most authentic self, 423 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:42,639 Speaker 1: those are the people who are supposed to be around you. 424 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:47,680 Speaker 1: So it's kind of a necessary spring cleaning, a necessary awakening, 425 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:51,840 Speaker 1: and it's uncomfortable, but just know that all of that 426 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 1: that is going to be happening after is other people 427 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:56,360 Speaker 1: working through their own shit. Not You. 428 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,919 Speaker 2: Love that piece of advice, And again, as you said, 429 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 2: chosen family is kind of what happens as a result 430 00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:08,280 Speaker 2: as a result of that. So you mentioned taking those 431 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 2: dance cardio classes in college. Do you remember in college 432 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:15,439 Speaker 2: the first dance cardio class that you actually went to? 433 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:18,280 Speaker 2: Because when I think about going dance cardio class, I 434 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:21,679 Speaker 2: feel like there's like that initial hurdle, so to speak, 435 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:23,199 Speaker 2: when you get in there and you're like, am I 436 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:25,959 Speaker 2: really just about to be like completely in inhibited and 437 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:28,000 Speaker 2: like go completely wild in here? 438 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:31,439 Speaker 1: There there was this and I remember the instructor, her 439 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 1: name is Kayla, and she she was leading this like 440 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:37,520 Speaker 1: the first week of college classes and it was this 441 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:41,520 Speaker 1: Far East Movement song, and I remember we were like 442 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:43,879 Speaker 1: like making this big movie. Were like driving our arms 443 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:46,160 Speaker 1: like this, going backside to side and everyone just having 444 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 1: so much fun, like pretending they're driving a car down 445 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: like Las Vegas Boulevard, and I was like, oh my god, 446 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:55,520 Speaker 1: this is so fun, like this is a big party. 447 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:59,159 Speaker 1: And it was the same feeling like I took a 448 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:01,959 Speaker 1: Zooma class in high school and I got the same thing. 449 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 1: It was Sean Kingston's fire burning on the dance floor. 450 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 1: I remember we were like, shohtie bay get burn it 451 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: on the dance and it was so much fun. And 452 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:11,920 Speaker 1: that was my teacher, Natalie. That was like my dance 453 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 1: teacher from middle school was teaching the Zooma class to 454 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 1: me in high school. And it's all these like little 455 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:20,000 Speaker 1: things that kept happening, and I kept having the same 456 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:23,320 Speaker 1: euphoric rush when I was in these dance cardio classes 457 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 1: that I thought were just for somebody else's mom, and 458 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:27,960 Speaker 1: then I was like wait a minute, no, like this 459 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 1: is exactly what I need. 460 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:35,680 Speaker 3: Somebody else's mom. But so true. 461 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 2: I mean, I think growing up, like we're all exposed 462 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,560 Speaker 2: to dance in such a way, especially dance cardio where 463 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 2: it's like mom goes to step aerobics, Mom goes to zoomba, 464 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:46,119 Speaker 2: like moms loved dancing growing. 465 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:49,679 Speaker 1: Yep, yep, But moms get it. Obviously they're doing something 466 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 1: right because it is fun. It is not just for 467 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:56,679 Speaker 1: one type of person. And also, I think that notion 468 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 1: of what's cool and what's in is something that I 469 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 1: dispise because I remember spending so much of my time 470 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: worrying about what's the end thing, what should I be doing, 471 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 1: what should my body look like, what's the new trend? 472 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:16,359 Speaker 1: And then I realized there is no cool for a 473 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:18,920 Speaker 1: certain age. It's just what do you have fun doing, 474 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:21,359 Speaker 1: what do you enjoy doing, and that's all that matters. 475 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:24,280 Speaker 1: If you're having a great time doing it, then it's correct. 476 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 1: It doesn't need to be the trendiest or whatever that 477 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 1: may be. If you are connecting to it, then you're 478 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:32,359 Speaker 1: in the right place. And I think that's what I 479 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:35,200 Speaker 1: love so much about the fitness martial inness space we've created. 480 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:38,199 Speaker 1: It's it doesn't matter what your body type is, it 481 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 1: doesn't matter what age you are, it doesn't matter what 482 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 1: kind of music you're into, your dance experience, your sexuality, 483 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 1: your gender expression. Like, get on the dance floor and 484 00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:47,639 Speaker 1: move your body. Let's party. 485 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 3: Period my job. We're done that. We can be done 486 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 3: with this podcast. Now we're good. So you remember we 487 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:56,440 Speaker 3: just recounted your first dance cardio class. It was great. 488 00:24:56,480 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 2: You were driving down the boulevard as you go to 489 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 2: graduation and you're trying to think about what you're going 490 00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:03,040 Speaker 2: to do in the world, and you're like, holy shit, 491 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 2: I'm going to launch a YouTube channel. 492 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:07,400 Speaker 1: It's funny, say graduation. I didn't even go to my graduation. 493 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: I sat. I sat on my porch. I made myself 494 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:16,840 Speaker 1: a really shitty margarita, and I had my cap and 495 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 1: gown on it, and I took the selfie and I 496 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:22,440 Speaker 1: said happy graduation, Caleb. And graduation was happening, like literally 497 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 1: so close, and I was like, you know what. I 498 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:29,919 Speaker 1: at that point, I was again so disconnected from my 499 00:25:30,119 --> 00:25:34,000 Speaker 1: major and the whole idea of you graduate and now 500 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:38,199 Speaker 1: go find corporate job b and go do that. That 501 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 1: was not on my mind. I remember the summer between 502 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:45,440 Speaker 1: junior year and senior year that I was going through 503 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 1: this awful time. That's when the guy that I was 504 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:51,240 Speaker 1: dating we broke up. So but that was like my 505 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 1: first relationship and my it was like a five year 506 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:56,639 Speaker 1: relationship and so I lost that, and then I was 507 00:25:56,680 --> 00:26:00,239 Speaker 1: having this moment of Okay, so my relationship's gone, and 508 00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 1: I'm about to go into my senior year of college 509 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:04,199 Speaker 1: and have no concept of what I want to do 510 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:06,160 Speaker 1: for the rest of my life. And it was this 511 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 1: big aha moment of wait, you keep coming back to 512 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 1: these like cardio classes. The only thing you care about 513 00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:15,680 Speaker 1: is what new dance you're going to do next week. 514 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 1: If that's so important to you and that makes you 515 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:20,679 Speaker 1: so happy, then let's make something out of that and 516 00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 1: see if see if it sticks, Like, what's the worst 517 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 1: that could happen? No one watches your videos? Okay. So 518 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:30,119 Speaker 1: I went home from this summer internship and I created 519 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:33,479 Speaker 1: a YouTube channel and I created a brand behind it, 520 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: and I took the fitness Marshal because my last name 521 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:39,359 Speaker 1: is Marshall, and I made it kind of like army 522 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:43,120 Speaker 1: themed because my family has all been in the military. 523 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:45,120 Speaker 1: And I think it's also really funny, like little game 524 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 1: me like dancing around mary pants. So it was just 525 00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 1: really fun. And I just started pumping out like videos 526 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:56,400 Speaker 1: every week. And I was remember in my senior year, 527 00:26:56,520 --> 00:26:58,960 Speaker 1: like I was doing all these projects, trying to I 528 00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:01,480 Speaker 1: was getting great, great but also at the same time, 529 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:04,320 Speaker 1: all of my mental effort was in this YouTube channel, 530 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:07,120 Speaker 1: and in eight months of starting it, by the time 531 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:10,080 Speaker 1: I graduated, I had one hundred thousand subscribers, and so 532 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,720 Speaker 1: that was really what I needed to know, Okay, this 533 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:16,840 Speaker 1: is working, Like it's not like, Okay, you've gained just 534 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:19,360 Speaker 1: you know, a thousand subscribers in a year, which it's 535 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 1: still really cool and amazing, but it was like it 536 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:24,919 Speaker 1: gave me enough confidence to not run out and go 537 00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:28,639 Speaker 1: get a job I didn't want, and so I just 538 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:32,160 Speaker 1: put everything I had into this YouTube channel that with 539 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 1: one hundred thousand subscribers was making me zero dollars because 540 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:39,679 Speaker 1: I use copyrighted music and so I still to this 541 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:42,000 Speaker 1: day don't monetize my videos, and I think that is 542 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:46,600 Speaker 1: also a huge misconception. Yeah, that's a huge misconception because 543 00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:48,879 Speaker 1: people think once you have views, you have money, But 544 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:52,120 Speaker 1: I mean, I have a copyright pan on every video 545 00:27:52,119 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 1: I put out, Like that's just that was never the 546 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:55,440 Speaker 1: case with me, and so I had to be even 547 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 1: more creative. And luckily, like I found my partner who's 548 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:01,640 Speaker 1: also my manager camera and we started dating a couple 549 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:06,400 Speaker 1: of months after I graduated, and he's really like business brains. 550 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:11,240 Speaker 1: I'm like, dance, creative, be happy, and he was like, 551 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:12,679 Speaker 1: but how are you going to pay it? Rent? I 552 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 1: was like, be happy, dance and so it was a 553 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:19,600 Speaker 1: really good kind of merging of two worlds and he 554 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 1: kind of helped build out all of the business parts 555 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:25,280 Speaker 1: of it. And we've really in six years, me, Cameron 556 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:27,160 Speaker 1: and my two best friends from high school who are 557 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 1: our backup booties, have built kind of this empire together 558 00:28:31,359 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 1: and now we're we were touring where we have our 559 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:37,440 Speaker 1: own active whereline, We're working on other projects on the side. 560 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 1: There's just so much happening that happened out of necessity. 561 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:43,640 Speaker 1: We didn't have the luxury of just getting views and 562 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 1: getting a big paycheck. It's been a constant hustle and 563 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 1: a constant pivot to keep this going as a career. 564 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:01,840 Speaker 2: Taking a break from today's show to give some love 565 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:06,840 Speaker 2: to hurdles sponsors. First up, my friends at Element. Element 566 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:10,240 Speaker 2: is a science backed electrolyte drink BANKX with everything you 567 00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 2: need and nothing you don't. This formula is good for 568 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:15,840 Speaker 2: so many reasons. 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Again, that is 598 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 2: Gooder dot com, g oo dr dot com slash hurdle. 599 00:30:58,640 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 3: Use hurdle one five. 600 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:05,400 Speaker 2: I've a checkout for fifteen percent off your order today. 601 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:14,280 Speaker 2: When you started creating this YouTube content, did you think 602 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:17,360 Speaker 2: extensively about like the format that you wanted to create 603 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:20,120 Speaker 2: things in, or what types of dances that you would 604 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:22,240 Speaker 2: be doing, Like talk to me about where it started 605 00:31:22,360 --> 00:31:24,480 Speaker 2: versus like maybe where it is now. 606 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:27,840 Speaker 1: How it started, how it's going. It was so intentional 607 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:33,200 Speaker 1: from the beginning. I often I feel I can criticize 608 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:37,200 Speaker 1: for overthinking things, but in this case it worked because 609 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:40,920 Speaker 1: I thought to myself, Okay, if you start this and 610 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:47,200 Speaker 1: it blows up, what could you do potentially forever? And 611 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:51,360 Speaker 1: that's a lot to think about. But I knew exactly 612 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 1: how I wanted it to look. I saw, like a 613 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:58,520 Speaker 1: lot of fitness videos were they had like different angles 614 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:01,920 Speaker 1: in like moving camera and things like that. I was like, hey, 615 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:03,760 Speaker 1: I want my camera on a tripod. I want you 616 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:05,480 Speaker 1: to be able to see this like you're at an 617 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 1: actual fitness class and you're looking at it and the 618 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:11,080 Speaker 1: camera doesn't move, so you know exactly what's going on. 619 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:13,320 Speaker 1: So that was one thing that I think set me 620 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:17,280 Speaker 1: apart from other fitness videos. And then I was intentional 621 00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:19,840 Speaker 1: from the beginning about I want to have a mic 622 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:21,920 Speaker 1: on and I want to use the master track of 623 00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:25,200 Speaker 1: the music. And so I had no equipment, which is 624 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:27,880 Speaker 1: why most videos you see don't have a high production 625 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:31,160 Speaker 1: value because it's expensive to have a microphone and lights 626 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 1: and a camera and all of this. So my friend 627 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:37,960 Speaker 1: was in the production school because I had already graduated, 628 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:40,440 Speaker 1: and so I had my friend rent out production equipment 629 00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:43,240 Speaker 1: from the school so I could use it to shoot 630 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 1: all of my videos. And I did that until I 631 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:48,680 Speaker 1: had enough to save up for actually my own microphone 632 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 1: and my own equipment. But it was always about I 633 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:55,920 Speaker 1: want the music to be popular and exciting everyone. From 634 00:32:55,960 --> 00:32:58,240 Speaker 1: the beginning was like, use royalty free music, use copyright 635 00:32:58,280 --> 00:33:00,520 Speaker 1: free music, and I was like you and get it. 636 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:03,080 Speaker 1: One day this is going to pay off, Like one 637 00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:06,160 Speaker 1: day someone is going to see this, and so I 638 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 1: wanted that to be a thing as well. I had 639 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:10,240 Speaker 1: the camo pants and the tank top on. That was 640 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:12,920 Speaker 1: my branding. For like five years, I wore the same outfit, 641 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:17,720 Speaker 1: which is to anyone else exhausting, but it became a 642 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:22,160 Speaker 1: point of recognition. People knew me not only for my 643 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:24,680 Speaker 1: dance or my personality, but even if you just saw 644 00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:27,120 Speaker 1: it for a minute at some point, that was going 645 00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:30,000 Speaker 1: to be repetitive enough, like a cartoon character for you 646 00:33:30,080 --> 00:33:32,840 Speaker 1: to recognize me based on my outfit. And so that 647 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:34,640 Speaker 1: was another way I got it out there. And then 648 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:37,200 Speaker 1: I mean the branding of the name, I came up 649 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:41,000 Speaker 1: with a fitness marshal backup booties were the people, but 650 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 1: the girls behind me. Then it was like the fans 651 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 1: were called the booty Army. Like it all was just 652 00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:48,440 Speaker 1: very strategic in a way that I kind of built 653 00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:51,520 Speaker 1: a brand from the before even getting out there. And 654 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:53,800 Speaker 1: so like my first set of videos, I released fourteen 655 00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:56,880 Speaker 1: at a time and just to have like a full 656 00:33:56,920 --> 00:33:59,560 Speaker 1: hour long set that people could do and actually work 657 00:33:59,560 --> 00:34:01,160 Speaker 1: out to just kind of build off of that. But 658 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 1: if you look at the videos. The format's the exact 659 00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:07,080 Speaker 1: same six years later. I do more fun effects, I'm 660 00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:10,400 Speaker 1: better at editing the qualities better, but it's the exact 661 00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:13,279 Speaker 1: same video now as it was six years ago. And 662 00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:15,719 Speaker 1: so when you're building a workout, you can pick any 663 00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:18,520 Speaker 1: video you want and it'll fit perfectly into that format. 664 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:21,719 Speaker 1: And so it's it all works together so well. 665 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:25,280 Speaker 2: I love that tidbit you said about well, I didn't 666 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:27,399 Speaker 2: have the right equipment, so I just figured it out 667 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:30,960 Speaker 2: and I started anyway. And I think that oftentimes so 668 00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:34,640 Speaker 2: many people let logistics like that stand in the way 669 00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:37,440 Speaker 2: from going after what it is that they want. Like 670 00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:40,440 Speaker 2: you didn't know the first thing, I'm sure about starting 671 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:44,239 Speaker 2: a YouTube channel, or how to get people to subscribe, 672 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:46,440 Speaker 2: or you know, all the filming and the product, like 673 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:48,440 Speaker 2: you went you had a degree in production, but you 674 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:50,240 Speaker 2: get what I'm saying, Like there were so much. 675 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:52,000 Speaker 1: Watch YouTube before I started a YouTube channel. 676 00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:54,360 Speaker 3: I didn't listen to podcasts before I started a podcast. 677 00:34:54,480 --> 00:34:58,520 Speaker 1: I love that. It's so great because it's just you'll 678 00:34:58,560 --> 00:35:01,000 Speaker 1: figure it out. I mean, longer I do this, And 679 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:02,600 Speaker 1: I don't know if you feel the same way. It's 680 00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:05,839 Speaker 1: just like everyone is just figuring it out. As they 681 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:08,120 Speaker 1: go and making the rules up as they go. If 682 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:11,480 Speaker 1: you create good content, people will find it and you 683 00:35:11,560 --> 00:35:15,560 Speaker 1: can always make it better, and that's exciting. My first videos, 684 00:35:16,239 --> 00:35:18,360 Speaker 1: I am horrified by some of them, the way I 685 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:21,520 Speaker 1: am instructing, the way some of it looks, the way 686 00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:25,520 Speaker 1: I am dancing completely off center, which I still sometimes do. 687 00:35:26,080 --> 00:35:28,720 Speaker 1: But it's not like, oh my god, I'm so embarrassed 688 00:35:28,719 --> 00:35:31,120 Speaker 1: I should have never done that. I'm so proud of 689 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:33,440 Speaker 1: how I've grown because I'm like, when people watch that 690 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:36,440 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty one and then watch my current videos, 691 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:39,160 Speaker 1: they can see the progress, and I think that's so important. 692 00:35:39,160 --> 00:35:41,560 Speaker 1: And I hate how I feel like we're in a 693 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:43,880 Speaker 1: place where people go back and just erase all of 694 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:46,160 Speaker 1: the things that they don't like or the embarrassing things, 695 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:49,000 Speaker 1: because then that makes other people feel like they have 696 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:51,359 Speaker 1: to be perfect before they start. Like, No, I want 697 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:54,840 Speaker 1: you to see my journey because that, I think is 698 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:57,200 Speaker 1: the most human thing you can do, and it's something 699 00:35:57,239 --> 00:35:59,160 Speaker 1: I'm proud of. I'm not embarrassed of it. Like I've 700 00:35:59,160 --> 00:36:00,760 Speaker 1: come a long way and that's really cool. 701 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:02,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's really cool. 702 00:36:02,680 --> 00:36:06,439 Speaker 2: So speaking of coming a long way, obviously so much 703 00:36:06,480 --> 00:36:09,360 Speaker 2: farther along in the journey than you were right after college. 704 00:36:09,719 --> 00:36:12,560 Speaker 2: When do you realize I mean, one hundred thousand subscribers, 705 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:15,240 Speaker 2: a lot going on, But when does it really start 706 00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:17,200 Speaker 2: to feel like it's super taking. 707 00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:20,040 Speaker 1: Off side a video go viral. It was Megan Trainer's 708 00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:23,960 Speaker 1: me Too, and I remember I uploaded that to Facebook 709 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:29,400 Speaker 1: and then overnight it had one hundred thousand views on 710 00:36:29,440 --> 00:36:32,640 Speaker 1: Facebook and I was like, whoa. And then the next 711 00:36:32,719 --> 00:36:35,880 Speaker 1: day it had like five hundred thousand, and then a million, 712 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:40,160 Speaker 1: and then ten million, and then Megan Trainers retweeting it, 713 00:36:40,239 --> 00:36:44,880 Speaker 1: Megan Trainers following me. A clothing company in Australia, cotton On, 714 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:46,799 Speaker 1: is reaching out to me asking me to do a 715 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:51,279 Speaker 1: world tour with them, and all of these things start 716 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:54,120 Speaker 1: happening at once, and I'm like, whoa, this is just 717 00:36:54,200 --> 00:36:57,840 Speaker 1: the craziest moment. I'm getting so many emails from media 718 00:36:57,880 --> 00:36:59,919 Speaker 1: companies being like, do you want to do a reality show? 719 00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:04,160 Speaker 1: And that was that was the craziest moment, just the 720 00:37:04,239 --> 00:37:07,399 Speaker 1: me too video, Because I think virality is I mean, 721 00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:11,320 Speaker 1: what's even viral anymore? Like someone can go viral and 722 00:37:11,360 --> 00:37:13,319 Speaker 1: get a billion views, and someone can go viral and 723 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:16,120 Speaker 1: get up you know, ten thousand views, like it's all 724 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:18,840 Speaker 1: based on your own perception of what that is. But 725 00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:24,960 Speaker 1: for me, that was just the biggest, most immediate growth 726 00:37:25,040 --> 00:37:28,279 Speaker 1: I guess in a video, and the most attention I 727 00:37:28,280 --> 00:37:31,080 Speaker 1: got in at one time. And so that's when I 728 00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:34,200 Speaker 1: got really excited and thought that, Okay, this is something 729 00:37:34,280 --> 00:37:37,759 Speaker 1: really really cool, Like we can for sure make money 730 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:41,120 Speaker 1: off this at some point or somehow. But then that 731 00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:45,720 Speaker 1: is also what started my decline and what started probably 732 00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:48,440 Speaker 1: one of the saddest times for me in this career, 733 00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:53,719 Speaker 1: because every video was chasing that success, and every time 734 00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:56,239 Speaker 1: I put out a video that didn't get as many 735 00:37:56,320 --> 00:37:58,960 Speaker 1: views or didn't get the attention, I was like, you're 736 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:02,520 Speaker 1: not as good anymore. That was your peak, You're not enough, 737 00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:05,160 Speaker 1: And it was just this negative self topic kept happening, 738 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:08,400 Speaker 1: and until I broke out of ever trying to do 739 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:12,240 Speaker 1: that again. Like I was just miserable trying to recreate 740 00:38:12,280 --> 00:38:14,880 Speaker 1: I mean miserable. I wasn't miserable. I still have always 741 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:17,240 Speaker 1: had a great job, but it was just the most 742 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:22,560 Speaker 1: soul sucking time to try to constantly compete with yourself 743 00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:25,680 Speaker 1: or keep trying to live up to a standard that 744 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:29,520 Speaker 1: is just not realistic and not attainable. I didn't make 745 00:38:29,560 --> 00:38:32,719 Speaker 1: that video with all of those things in my head. 746 00:38:32,760 --> 00:38:35,360 Speaker 1: I made the video and it just happened to connect 747 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:38,520 Speaker 1: a lot of people. And that was not intentional. It 748 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:40,680 Speaker 1: was just by chance. And so the only way that 749 00:38:40,719 --> 00:38:43,920 Speaker 1: was going to happen again is by having that same 750 00:38:44,200 --> 00:38:45,320 Speaker 1: authentic reaction. 751 00:38:47,120 --> 00:38:51,759 Speaker 2: Interesting you talking about what happened after that video went 752 00:38:51,840 --> 00:38:55,440 Speaker 2: viral and all the offers that were coming your way, 753 00:38:56,080 --> 00:38:59,160 Speaker 2: did you at the time take any of them? Because 754 00:38:59,200 --> 00:39:02,480 Speaker 2: I feel like some of that, if you had, would 755 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:05,680 Speaker 2: have deterred you from like your original mission, which it 756 00:39:05,880 --> 00:39:08,600 Speaker 2: sounds like you were pretty steadfast on and kept working on. 757 00:39:09,280 --> 00:39:12,040 Speaker 1: It goes a couple of different ways. I like the 758 00:39:12,239 --> 00:39:14,400 Speaker 1: like the world tour like that aligned with what I 759 00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:16,520 Speaker 1: wanted to do. I wanted to go and I wanted 760 00:39:16,520 --> 00:39:18,520 Speaker 1: to perform, and so I got to go to literally 761 00:39:18,880 --> 00:39:21,960 Speaker 1: like South Africa and New Zealand, Australia and Singapore all 762 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:24,640 Speaker 1: in two weeks and perform. That was probably the coolest 763 00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:27,680 Speaker 1: thing I've ever done. But then the other things that 764 00:39:27,800 --> 00:39:30,360 Speaker 1: kept coming in, like the reality shows and things like that. 765 00:39:30,719 --> 00:39:33,319 Speaker 1: It's not even that I was saying no, but I 766 00:39:33,360 --> 00:39:36,080 Speaker 1: think it's important for people to understand that nothing in 767 00:39:36,120 --> 00:39:41,239 Speaker 1: this industry is real until it's real. You will have X, 768 00:39:41,360 --> 00:39:44,040 Speaker 1: Y and Z person talking to you, Oh, I got 769 00:39:44,040 --> 00:39:48,160 Speaker 1: a call from this giant network or whatever. There can 770 00:39:48,239 --> 00:39:51,600 Speaker 1: be so many background conversations that ultimately amount to nothing 771 00:39:52,400 --> 00:39:56,000 Speaker 1: except maybe like a relationship that you can have with 772 00:39:56,400 --> 00:39:59,400 Speaker 1: this producer or this person. So most of those just 773 00:39:59,440 --> 00:40:02,600 Speaker 1: completely through. And I think that was hard for me, 774 00:40:02,719 --> 00:40:05,759 Speaker 1: being new to this industry and getting so excited at 775 00:40:05,760 --> 00:40:09,080 Speaker 1: every new opportunity, and every time something didn't follow through, 776 00:40:09,719 --> 00:40:12,960 Speaker 1: I took that as a like a personal defeat, Whereas 777 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:15,680 Speaker 1: now I understand like it can be as simple as 778 00:40:15,760 --> 00:40:18,120 Speaker 1: like everyone's on board and then this one person's like, 779 00:40:18,160 --> 00:40:22,000 Speaker 1: oh but wait, we're pivoting to unicorns this quarter. So no, 780 00:40:22,239 --> 00:40:25,120 Speaker 1: you're no, we're not doing fitness this quarter. And it 781 00:40:25,160 --> 00:40:27,560 Speaker 1: can be a billion things. It could be budget, it 782 00:40:27,560 --> 00:40:31,319 Speaker 1: can be just one legal issue that doesn't get worked out. 783 00:40:31,360 --> 00:40:34,680 Speaker 1: And so it's just like knowing that nothing is real 784 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:37,719 Speaker 1: until it's real, and again, not riding the hives, not 785 00:40:37,880 --> 00:40:41,640 Speaker 1: riding the lows, just staying steadfast on doing what you love. 786 00:40:42,160 --> 00:40:44,279 Speaker 1: That's the only way to make it, because if not, 787 00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:46,680 Speaker 1: you will get thrown up and down. And left and 788 00:40:46,760 --> 00:40:48,560 Speaker 1: right in the entertainment industry. 789 00:40:48,680 --> 00:40:49,560 Speaker 3: I totally hear it. 790 00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:52,080 Speaker 2: I mean I'm in a completely different place than you are, 791 00:40:52,160 --> 00:40:56,360 Speaker 2: but I have certainly had to have some serious pep 792 00:40:56,400 --> 00:40:59,440 Speaker 2: talks with myself after like stuff that gets really exciting 793 00:40:59,480 --> 00:41:02,200 Speaker 2: like comes your way, and then you're on this mountain 794 00:41:02,280 --> 00:41:04,239 Speaker 2: and you're talking for months and months about like the 795 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:07,480 Speaker 2: biggest deal of your career, and then like on Friday 796 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:09,279 Speaker 2: at ten am, you get into a meeting where it's 797 00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:11,359 Speaker 2: like completely off the table now, and that's it. 798 00:41:11,840 --> 00:41:13,880 Speaker 1: I mean, if that's so funny you say that because 799 00:41:13,920 --> 00:41:14,799 Speaker 1: that just happened. 800 00:41:14,560 --> 00:41:17,440 Speaker 2: To me, I get it, because it sucks and it hurts, 801 00:41:17,520 --> 00:41:20,239 Speaker 2: But I think that what's really special and what I've 802 00:41:20,239 --> 00:41:21,799 Speaker 2: come back to, and I'm sure that you've come back 803 00:41:21,800 --> 00:41:23,120 Speaker 2: to it as well because of the way that you 804 00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:26,200 Speaker 2: talk about this is like, holy shit, I had a 805 00:41:26,200 --> 00:41:27,120 Speaker 2: seat at that table. 806 00:41:27,640 --> 00:41:32,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, that's that is exactly it. Like whoa, I 807 00:41:33,080 --> 00:41:36,200 Speaker 1: had that conversation. They know my name, they care about me, 808 00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:38,440 Speaker 1: like it's it's they. 809 00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:40,799 Speaker 3: Care about me. Sometimes I'd like to think that they 810 00:41:40,880 --> 00:41:43,719 Speaker 3: care about me. I mean, like they they know that 811 00:41:43,760 --> 00:41:45,160 Speaker 3: you exist though it is great. 812 00:41:45,680 --> 00:41:47,840 Speaker 1: Like they cared enough to have that call, you know, 813 00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:50,600 Speaker 1: it's just like it's really cool, and you have to 814 00:41:50,680 --> 00:41:53,800 Speaker 1: keep reminding yourselves of those little victories because that's what 815 00:41:53,880 --> 00:41:56,600 Speaker 1: you have to hold on to. It's not about the 816 00:41:56,680 --> 00:41:59,520 Speaker 1: end result, because there are too many variables in that 817 00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:04,200 Speaker 1: and if you let yourself get so defeated by those moments, 818 00:42:04,239 --> 00:42:06,240 Speaker 1: then you're never going to find the next door to open. 819 00:42:06,280 --> 00:42:08,359 Speaker 1: Like you have to be willing to just stand up 820 00:42:08,360 --> 00:42:11,920 Speaker 1: and be like, okay, dust my shoulders off. I wanted 821 00:42:11,960 --> 00:42:13,920 Speaker 1: to go through that door more than anything else in 822 00:42:13,960 --> 00:42:16,400 Speaker 1: this world. I thought that was the golden door. But 823 00:42:16,520 --> 00:42:20,200 Speaker 1: here's another door that's not golden, but it's blue, and 824 00:42:20,239 --> 00:42:22,279 Speaker 1: I'm going to see what's through that one. And then 825 00:42:22,440 --> 00:42:24,920 Speaker 1: you find out that something even more amazing is a waiting. 826 00:42:24,960 --> 00:42:28,040 Speaker 1: I mean, I've had that moment happened so many times 827 00:42:28,120 --> 00:42:30,759 Speaker 1: in my career where I'm like it's all over, I 828 00:42:30,800 --> 00:42:35,960 Speaker 1: can't anywhere, and then a few months later, amazing things happen. 829 00:42:36,239 --> 00:42:40,160 Speaker 1: And so it's just about holding on to your passion 830 00:42:40,200 --> 00:42:42,120 Speaker 1: and the why of why you're doing. And I think 831 00:42:42,239 --> 00:42:47,320 Speaker 1: that's what helps people really have longevity in this industry 832 00:42:47,600 --> 00:42:50,759 Speaker 1: is because if you're here for the quick check, you'll 833 00:42:50,760 --> 00:42:53,640 Speaker 1: be out really fast. Yeah, you'll be out really soon, 834 00:42:53,680 --> 00:42:58,120 Speaker 1: because I mean, for me, money didn't come for a 835 00:42:58,320 --> 00:43:00,960 Speaker 1: very long time. Like when I say money, I mean 836 00:43:01,040 --> 00:43:06,160 Speaker 1: like paying rent, buying a haircut, Like it was not easy. 837 00:43:06,200 --> 00:43:09,319 Speaker 1: It was struggle, struggle, struggle for so long and just 838 00:43:09,680 --> 00:43:12,040 Speaker 1: doing what I love. And that's that's what I ate. 839 00:43:12,680 --> 00:43:16,200 Speaker 1: Was was passion, Like that is what really got me 840 00:43:16,239 --> 00:43:18,759 Speaker 1: through and got my friends through. Like my friends gave 841 00:43:18,840 --> 00:43:20,759 Speaker 1: up a lot as well to kind of be on 842 00:43:20,800 --> 00:43:23,480 Speaker 1: this journey and believe in what this is all about. 843 00:43:23,600 --> 00:43:26,560 Speaker 1: My partner, Cameron gave up. He was his dream was 844 00:43:26,560 --> 00:43:28,800 Speaker 1: to work for the CDC. He had a degree in 845 00:43:28,840 --> 00:43:30,759 Speaker 1: public health, and he's like, Okay, we're gonna go out 846 00:43:30,760 --> 00:43:34,000 Speaker 1: to California, we're gonna build this fitness brand, and we're 847 00:43:34,000 --> 00:43:36,680 Speaker 1: all just gonna hope it works out. So it's just 848 00:43:36,800 --> 00:43:40,160 Speaker 1: having people around you that believe in you and believing 849 00:43:40,160 --> 00:43:44,000 Speaker 1: in yourself and not being so controlled by the immedia 850 00:43:44,040 --> 00:43:46,799 Speaker 1: dollar amount, which is a privilege, because if you can't 851 00:43:46,800 --> 00:43:49,399 Speaker 1: pay your rent, it's it's you can't just say, oh, 852 00:43:49,400 --> 00:43:51,640 Speaker 1: but I'm like, I'm passionate, like you have to pay 853 00:43:51,680 --> 00:43:55,319 Speaker 1: your bills, and so it's really difficult, I think to 854 00:43:55,400 --> 00:43:58,600 Speaker 1: make a career out of I guess to build your 855 00:43:58,600 --> 00:44:01,600 Speaker 1: own career and follow your own dreams because the reality is, 856 00:44:01,600 --> 00:44:05,279 Speaker 1: in this society you're expected to pay your bills on time, 857 00:44:05,840 --> 00:44:08,359 Speaker 1: and there are only a few ways that happens. 858 00:44:09,239 --> 00:44:12,080 Speaker 2: For someone who's listening to this and they're like, oh, 859 00:44:12,120 --> 00:44:15,200 Speaker 2: I've here, I've heard this so many times before. Follow 860 00:44:15,239 --> 00:44:17,520 Speaker 2: your passions. If you're not passionate about what you're doing 861 00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:19,080 Speaker 2: for work, what are you doing with your time? And 862 00:44:19,080 --> 00:44:20,719 Speaker 2: then they bought up with that other thing that you 863 00:44:20,719 --> 00:44:22,759 Speaker 2: were saying just now about well I need to pay 864 00:44:22,760 --> 00:44:24,880 Speaker 2: my bills if I'm not ready to jump into X 865 00:44:24,960 --> 00:44:27,320 Speaker 2: or why, Like what do you say to those people 866 00:44:27,400 --> 00:44:30,520 Speaker 2: because sometimes again, like if we're talking about being realistic, 867 00:44:30,760 --> 00:44:33,480 Speaker 2: not everyone gets to do a job every single day, 868 00:44:33,480 --> 00:44:35,600 Speaker 2: where they're like, I am so passionate about it. 869 00:44:35,680 --> 00:44:37,400 Speaker 1: No, and you know what, you don't have to And 870 00:44:37,440 --> 00:44:38,920 Speaker 1: I think that's the other thing, And I don't want 871 00:44:38,920 --> 00:44:43,359 Speaker 1: to be misconstrued on this podcast, for I mean, I 872 00:44:43,400 --> 00:44:48,000 Speaker 1: am so painfully aware that my story is incredibly rare 873 00:44:48,440 --> 00:44:53,360 Speaker 1: and it is exceptionally unlikely even if you do everything 874 00:44:53,440 --> 00:44:56,200 Speaker 1: right for everything to work out, like life isn't just 875 00:44:56,239 --> 00:44:59,440 Speaker 1: a fairy tale. I've worked really hard and I am 876 00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:03,160 Speaker 1: urried to determined to figure it out. But I also 877 00:45:03,239 --> 00:45:07,279 Speaker 1: think that there is nothing wrong with just loving your 878 00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:09,560 Speaker 1: life and loving the people in your life. And I 879 00:45:09,560 --> 00:45:11,839 Speaker 1: mean I just hung out with friends yesterday and they 880 00:45:11,880 --> 00:45:16,200 Speaker 1: were like, I work to live. I do not live 881 00:45:16,239 --> 00:45:19,640 Speaker 1: to work, and that's okay. Like, if you have a 882 00:45:19,760 --> 00:45:23,120 Speaker 1: family that you love, friends that you love, hobbies that 883 00:45:23,200 --> 00:45:27,200 Speaker 1: bring you joy, that's the whole point of life is 884 00:45:27,520 --> 00:45:30,600 Speaker 1: be happy, like do good in this world and just 885 00:45:30,680 --> 00:45:33,400 Speaker 1: find fulfillment. And so if you have to have a 886 00:45:33,480 --> 00:45:36,120 Speaker 1: job that you don't love, but it allows you to 887 00:45:36,600 --> 00:45:38,560 Speaker 1: have a life that you love and people in your 888 00:45:38,600 --> 00:45:40,880 Speaker 1: life that you love, then you've made it. That is 889 00:45:40,960 --> 00:45:42,400 Speaker 1: success in my book. 890 00:45:42,800 --> 00:45:45,800 Speaker 3: Love That Love That Now these days. 891 00:45:45,960 --> 00:45:48,640 Speaker 2: You mentioned that at first, and still you're like, I'm 892 00:45:48,640 --> 00:45:50,000 Speaker 2: going to dance to what I want to dance to. 893 00:45:50,160 --> 00:45:52,080 Speaker 2: This is not how we're going to monetize. Then you 894 00:45:52,160 --> 00:45:55,440 Speaker 2: started going on these tours and like accepting different partnerships, 895 00:45:55,480 --> 00:45:57,120 Speaker 2: and now you're thinking about and now you have a 896 00:45:57,160 --> 00:46:01,160 Speaker 2: membership structure. Talk to me about kind of the cornerstones 897 00:46:01,200 --> 00:46:04,160 Speaker 2: I guess of what do make you money? In your business, 898 00:46:04,200 --> 00:46:06,480 Speaker 2: because I'm sure that's a question you probably get quite often. 899 00:46:07,000 --> 00:46:13,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean as of twenty nineteen, Yeah, as of 900 00:46:13,080 --> 00:46:16,920 Speaker 1: twenty nineteen, there was no monetary structure. It was well, 901 00:46:16,960 --> 00:46:20,319 Speaker 1: it was tour. So we had these shows and the 902 00:46:20,440 --> 00:46:22,399 Speaker 1: only way I made a check is if we went 903 00:46:22,440 --> 00:46:25,719 Speaker 1: out and we performed at a venue. And so that 904 00:46:25,760 --> 00:46:29,960 Speaker 1: meant like Cameron, my partner, calling a venue, setting up 905 00:46:30,000 --> 00:46:33,000 Speaker 1: a show, renting our own stage, renting our own sound, 906 00:46:34,000 --> 00:46:38,480 Speaker 1: Cameron at the door, checking in tickets, also running the 907 00:46:38,480 --> 00:46:42,040 Speaker 1: stuff backstage, Cameron also taking meet and greet photos, like 908 00:46:42,880 --> 00:46:45,960 Speaker 1: whilst lugging our own step and repeat banner in a 909 00:46:46,000 --> 00:46:49,440 Speaker 1: suitcase to every single city we went to. It was 910 00:46:50,160 --> 00:46:53,560 Speaker 1: it was just a grind and it was the most 911 00:46:53,600 --> 00:46:55,880 Speaker 1: rewarding thing but also the most taxing thing. And I 912 00:46:55,920 --> 00:46:59,400 Speaker 1: think it became very clear that it wasn't going to 913 00:46:59,400 --> 00:47:02,360 Speaker 1: sustain us, Like we can only hop on a plane 914 00:47:02,920 --> 00:47:05,839 Speaker 1: every single weekend for so long before it's like we've 915 00:47:05,880 --> 00:47:10,000 Speaker 1: got a new something else. And so we also had 916 00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:13,560 Speaker 1: a really hard time because we i mean, the music 917 00:47:13,600 --> 00:47:17,080 Speaker 1: we're just it's been a battle with the music industry 918 00:47:17,160 --> 00:47:20,399 Speaker 1: this whole time. It's like you feel as if you're 919 00:47:20,440 --> 00:47:23,560 Speaker 1: promoting all of these people's songs and they're treating you 920 00:47:23,640 --> 00:47:28,440 Speaker 1: like a cockroach who is like somehow abusing their music 921 00:47:28,560 --> 00:47:31,600 Speaker 1: or misusing it. And so it was really difficult, and 922 00:47:31,680 --> 00:47:35,560 Speaker 1: we had a really just bad year right before Funny, 923 00:47:35,640 --> 00:47:38,560 Speaker 1: right before twenty twenty, and we were like, it's just 924 00:47:38,600 --> 00:47:41,360 Speaker 1: getting exhausting at this point, and we were about to 925 00:47:41,440 --> 00:47:44,080 Speaker 1: quit using popular music because it just I was so 926 00:47:44,280 --> 00:47:47,200 Speaker 1: tired of like looking over my shoulder and like wondering 927 00:47:47,239 --> 00:47:49,319 Speaker 1: for the next person to come at me when I 928 00:47:49,440 --> 00:47:53,960 Speaker 1: literally like I was not making money, like when we 929 00:47:53,960 --> 00:47:56,880 Speaker 1: were touring, we were paying for the stage and the 930 00:47:57,000 --> 00:47:59,520 Speaker 1: sound and the people to run the show. Like the 931 00:47:59,600 --> 00:48:02,840 Speaker 1: profit margin was bad. It was so bad. But we 932 00:48:02,960 --> 00:48:06,520 Speaker 1: love doing it. But we just got really tired like 933 00:48:07,040 --> 00:48:11,560 Speaker 1: four years into it, and once twenty twenty came around, 934 00:48:12,440 --> 00:48:15,520 Speaker 1: we couldn't tour and it was like, okay, so this 935 00:48:15,640 --> 00:48:19,440 Speaker 1: is it, Like we're done, this is not meant to be. 936 00:48:19,760 --> 00:48:24,120 Speaker 1: And that's when YouTube memberships opened up, and it was 937 00:48:24,239 --> 00:48:27,920 Speaker 1: just the craziest timing. And YouTube is like, hey, you 938 00:48:28,000 --> 00:48:30,640 Speaker 1: can have a membership program on our platform, and so 939 00:48:30,800 --> 00:48:34,000 Speaker 1: then we got together and we're like, oh wait, if 940 00:48:34,040 --> 00:48:37,600 Speaker 1: we're not touring. Let's just do these like sixty minute 941 00:48:37,600 --> 00:48:40,520 Speaker 1: classes once a week for our YouTube members and that 942 00:48:40,600 --> 00:48:42,800 Speaker 1: way they can still have all of our regular content 943 00:48:42,840 --> 00:48:45,240 Speaker 1: for free, but if they want, like this full length 944 00:48:45,840 --> 00:48:48,239 Speaker 1: sixty minute workout, they can do that with us every 945 00:48:48,280 --> 00:48:50,520 Speaker 1: week and we can actually get paid for it. And 946 00:48:50,600 --> 00:48:52,839 Speaker 1: so it was this pivot that I don't think would 947 00:48:52,840 --> 00:48:55,920 Speaker 1: have happened without the pandemic, and it allowed us to 948 00:48:55,960 --> 00:48:58,360 Speaker 1: open up what we do in a way that's so 949 00:48:58,440 --> 00:49:00,880 Speaker 1: much more sustainable because we're not getting on a plane 950 00:49:00,880 --> 00:49:04,080 Speaker 1: and traveling and exerting ourselves. And I think that kind 951 00:49:04,080 --> 00:49:06,920 Speaker 1: of got our minds going in the place of how 952 00:49:06,960 --> 00:49:09,239 Speaker 1: can we work smarter and not harder? And so many 953 00:49:09,239 --> 00:49:12,719 Speaker 1: people say that, but it's so true, Like you have 954 00:49:12,800 --> 00:49:15,960 Speaker 1: to be so weary of burning out and over exerting yourself, 955 00:49:16,040 --> 00:49:18,480 Speaker 1: so you have to really maximize how you spend your time. 956 00:49:18,640 --> 00:49:22,319 Speaker 1: And so the YouTube memberships has truly like been life 957 00:49:22,400 --> 00:49:25,680 Speaker 1: changing for us. It's been amazing. And then also this 958 00:49:25,840 --> 00:49:29,600 Speaker 1: year we got to partners. So music works in a 959 00:49:29,600 --> 00:49:33,000 Speaker 1: weird way, but there's like three like music titans, and 960 00:49:33,080 --> 00:49:36,000 Speaker 1: so one of them is Warner Music Group, and they 961 00:49:36,840 --> 00:49:39,600 Speaker 1: reached out to us and we have just the best 962 00:49:39,640 --> 00:49:43,439 Speaker 1: relationship now and now we are getting to actually work 963 00:49:43,480 --> 00:49:46,319 Speaker 1: with them to promote their songs on our channel, and 964 00:49:46,640 --> 00:49:49,279 Speaker 1: they gave us our own Spotify workout playlist, so every 965 00:49:49,280 --> 00:49:51,799 Speaker 1: week I get to like update this playlist and it's 966 00:49:51,840 --> 00:49:56,400 Speaker 1: like the official Warner Music Spotify playlist. And it's just 967 00:49:57,200 --> 00:50:00,040 Speaker 1: this craziest thing because last year I was like, the 968 00:50:00,040 --> 00:50:02,560 Speaker 1: whole music industry hates me, no one wants me to 969 00:50:02,600 --> 00:50:05,200 Speaker 1: do this, we can't tour anymore, Like I'm actually going 970 00:50:05,239 --> 00:50:10,120 Speaker 1: to quit. And then the year after that it's I mean, 971 00:50:10,280 --> 00:50:14,480 Speaker 1: we're making money, we're working with record labels, we're doing 972 00:50:14,560 --> 00:50:18,400 Speaker 1: things we never thought possible. We're launching an active wear line. 973 00:50:18,440 --> 00:50:21,160 Speaker 1: Like it's just all of these doors kept opening, even 974 00:50:21,239 --> 00:50:23,400 Speaker 1: when I thought that they kept closing, Like we just 975 00:50:23,520 --> 00:50:27,359 Speaker 1: kept standing back up and be like, okay, maybe one 976 00:50:27,400 --> 00:50:28,359 Speaker 1: more try. 977 00:50:29,200 --> 00:50:31,839 Speaker 3: What other lessons did you learn during the pandemic. 978 00:50:32,200 --> 00:50:36,080 Speaker 1: I think that it was really it was just more 979 00:50:36,120 --> 00:50:38,279 Speaker 1: of a reset for me. I think because it was 980 00:50:38,320 --> 00:50:40,799 Speaker 1: the worst time for so many people, and it was 981 00:50:40,840 --> 00:50:44,360 Speaker 1: really weird because we were kind of like, I don't 982 00:50:44,719 --> 00:50:46,520 Speaker 1: it's weird. I don't want to paint a picture and 983 00:50:47,120 --> 00:50:50,040 Speaker 1: negate all of the bad that happened, because it was 984 00:50:50,040 --> 00:50:52,800 Speaker 1: a it was a fucking awful year, Like it was awful, 985 00:50:53,080 --> 00:50:55,040 Speaker 1: and there was so much bad that happened. But I 986 00:50:55,080 --> 00:50:58,040 Speaker 1: think if any of us can figure out, is there 987 00:50:58,280 --> 00:51:00,640 Speaker 1: anything good that came out of it? And for me, 988 00:51:00,719 --> 00:51:02,879 Speaker 1: it was like, Okay, I have to have this whole 989 00:51:02,920 --> 00:51:07,280 Speaker 1: reset and rethink about how I look at the world 990 00:51:07,640 --> 00:51:09,840 Speaker 1: and what I'm doing. And I was like, I can 991 00:51:10,360 --> 00:51:14,600 Speaker 1: help the world online. I can do these fitness classes. 992 00:51:14,680 --> 00:51:19,320 Speaker 1: I can take this time and really create an active wordline, 993 00:51:19,440 --> 00:51:22,880 Speaker 1: and let's think about how to make it inclusive for 994 00:51:23,040 --> 00:51:25,719 Speaker 1: even more people and really dive into and spend more 995 00:51:25,760 --> 00:51:27,320 Speaker 1: time on things that I wouldn't have had time to 996 00:51:27,360 --> 00:51:28,799 Speaker 1: because I was going to be on a plane going 997 00:51:28,880 --> 00:51:31,880 Speaker 1: and doing a show. And so it was really this 998 00:51:32,040 --> 00:51:37,000 Speaker 1: moment of we are stuck in here, let's meet, let's 999 00:51:37,200 --> 00:51:40,640 Speaker 1: figure things out, let's plan, let's strategize and get ready 1000 00:51:40,680 --> 00:51:42,680 Speaker 1: because we knew at some point things were going to 1001 00:51:42,680 --> 00:51:45,480 Speaker 1: get better. But our job right now is really just 1002 00:51:45,480 --> 00:51:48,359 Speaker 1: to help people who were inside and humble ourselves and 1003 00:51:48,400 --> 00:51:51,160 Speaker 1: just dance in our living room. And that's really what 1004 00:51:51,239 --> 00:51:53,880 Speaker 1: we did because, like my videos are usually highly produced 1005 00:51:54,440 --> 00:51:57,800 Speaker 1: in our shows like on tour there's lights and smoke 1006 00:51:57,960 --> 00:52:01,000 Speaker 1: and effects and it's amazing. But I think really what 1007 00:52:01,000 --> 00:52:02,520 Speaker 1: people wanted last year was to know that we were 1008 00:52:02,560 --> 00:52:05,200 Speaker 1: all in this together, and that was something really cool 1009 00:52:05,239 --> 00:52:06,720 Speaker 1: that we got to do, and we were just working 1010 00:52:06,719 --> 00:52:09,240 Speaker 1: out with people inside, and I think it really helped 1011 00:52:09,360 --> 00:52:11,760 Speaker 1: us connect with people in ways that we didn't connect 1012 00:52:11,800 --> 00:52:17,640 Speaker 1: before and realize how important this was outside of the 1013 00:52:19,280 --> 00:52:22,280 Speaker 1: glitz of it all. This was a way for us 1014 00:52:22,719 --> 00:52:25,759 Speaker 1: to feel like people again, and for people who are 1015 00:52:25,760 --> 00:52:30,400 Speaker 1: struggling with their anxiety and their depression and isolation to 1016 00:52:30,800 --> 00:52:33,520 Speaker 1: have a moment where they can just release some endorphins 1017 00:52:33,520 --> 00:52:35,360 Speaker 1: and some serotonin and they can't even go outside for 1018 00:52:35,400 --> 00:52:39,520 Speaker 1: a walk like this became more important than it's ever been, 1019 00:52:39,640 --> 00:52:43,440 Speaker 1: and so I felt that responsibility and it also helped 1020 00:52:43,440 --> 00:52:46,920 Speaker 1: me I think just as much. I mean, I need 1021 00:52:46,920 --> 00:52:48,719 Speaker 1: this as well, so it's not like I'm just doing 1022 00:52:48,760 --> 00:52:51,160 Speaker 1: this for other people. But it was really cool to 1023 00:52:51,200 --> 00:52:54,400 Speaker 1: realize the gravity of what movement can do for the 1024 00:52:54,400 --> 00:52:55,120 Speaker 1: body and the brain. 1025 00:52:55,800 --> 00:52:59,920 Speaker 2: You mentioned earlier back in college, not feeling really comfortable, 1026 00:53:00,080 --> 00:53:01,600 Speaker 2: are at home in your body? 1027 00:53:01,640 --> 00:53:03,440 Speaker 3: How do you feel these days? 1028 00:53:03,719 --> 00:53:06,880 Speaker 1: I feel good. I feel good these days and it's 1029 00:53:07,200 --> 00:53:11,279 Speaker 1: and I say that while also scrolling on Instagram and 1030 00:53:11,280 --> 00:53:13,279 Speaker 1: being like, I don't look like him. I don't look 1031 00:53:13,360 --> 00:53:15,320 Speaker 1: like him. He's more defined than me, he has a 1032 00:53:15,320 --> 00:53:17,920 Speaker 1: better hairline than me, Like I mean, I don't think 1033 00:53:17,960 --> 00:53:20,960 Speaker 1: we ever get away from comparing ourselves to others. And 1034 00:53:21,000 --> 00:53:24,440 Speaker 1: I just like was thinking the other day, I think, 1035 00:53:24,520 --> 00:53:26,320 Speaker 1: right now, I'm in the best shape of my life, 1036 00:53:27,200 --> 00:53:31,360 Speaker 1: and still that doesn't change me seeing someone else and 1037 00:53:31,400 --> 00:53:33,040 Speaker 1: being like, ah, but I don't look as good as them. 1038 00:53:33,360 --> 00:53:36,520 Speaker 1: And so I think, just remembering that there is no 1039 00:53:36,680 --> 00:53:40,600 Speaker 1: point in your fitness journey that you are not that 1040 00:53:40,640 --> 00:53:42,720 Speaker 1: you are going to feel like the best. You're always 1041 00:53:42,719 --> 00:53:44,680 Speaker 1: going to look at someone and wish that you could 1042 00:53:44,760 --> 00:53:48,960 Speaker 1: look more like them. And so taking that knowledge and 1043 00:53:49,080 --> 00:53:53,040 Speaker 1: just deciding to be happy and confident in your body 1044 00:53:53,040 --> 00:53:55,879 Speaker 1: where it is right now is the most powerful thing, 1045 00:53:56,000 --> 00:54:00,000 Speaker 1: because that stole so much of my joy for so long, 1046 00:54:00,200 --> 00:54:02,080 Speaker 1: Like not I remember I would I would go to 1047 00:54:02,120 --> 00:54:05,480 Speaker 1: the swimming pools in like middle school, and I would 1048 00:54:05,520 --> 00:54:07,480 Speaker 1: never take off my shirt. I wouldn't go on, like 1049 00:54:07,560 --> 00:54:09,600 Speaker 1: to the water park trips that my friends went on. 1050 00:54:09,640 --> 00:54:13,000 Speaker 1: I missed out on so much just because I was 1051 00:54:13,040 --> 00:54:14,920 Speaker 1: so worried about people looking at me and what they 1052 00:54:15,000 --> 00:54:18,360 Speaker 1: thought about my body. But then you realize that everyone 1053 00:54:18,400 --> 00:54:21,680 Speaker 1: is also thinking about that, like are thinking about themselves? 1054 00:54:21,880 --> 00:54:23,880 Speaker 1: Like are they looking at me? And we're all just 1055 00:54:24,000 --> 00:54:27,399 Speaker 1: so insecure, but we all assume that everyone is so 1056 00:54:27,480 --> 00:54:30,279 Speaker 1: secure and confident who they are. And so I think 1057 00:54:30,280 --> 00:54:33,600 Speaker 1: it's just so important to embrace the right now because 1058 00:54:33,640 --> 00:54:35,920 Speaker 1: you do not know if you're going to be here tomorrow, 1059 00:54:36,239 --> 00:54:39,799 Speaker 1: you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, And I 1060 00:54:39,880 --> 00:54:42,160 Speaker 1: just think that you should celebrate yourself right now because 1061 00:54:42,160 --> 00:54:44,680 Speaker 1: it's a really beautiful and amazing feeling when someone else 1062 00:54:44,719 --> 00:54:48,560 Speaker 1: doesn't have the power to validate how you feel about yourself. 1063 00:54:48,800 --> 00:54:54,080 Speaker 2: When you started to gain a bigger following, I'm sure 1064 00:54:54,200 --> 00:54:57,719 Speaker 2: that that came with a fair amount of external criticism 1065 00:54:57,920 --> 00:55:01,240 Speaker 2: as well. How have you come to a place where 1066 00:55:01,280 --> 00:55:06,240 Speaker 2: you can handle the unsolicited feedback and stay in your joy? 1067 00:55:06,600 --> 00:55:10,200 Speaker 1: I think it goes back to not riding the highs 1068 00:55:10,200 --> 00:55:14,000 Speaker 1: and not riding the lows. That sticks with me every 1069 00:55:14,040 --> 00:55:16,759 Speaker 1: time when I make a video, I try my best. 1070 00:55:16,800 --> 00:55:18,720 Speaker 1: I'll look at the comments for the first day, see 1071 00:55:18,719 --> 00:55:21,680 Speaker 1: like what the actual fans or like the super fans think, 1072 00:55:21,680 --> 00:55:24,840 Speaker 1: all should I should say, But after that, it's just 1073 00:55:24,960 --> 00:55:29,680 Speaker 1: people who are discovering the video, and who knows why 1074 00:55:29,719 --> 00:55:32,000 Speaker 1: they got there, what mood they were in when they 1075 00:55:32,040 --> 00:55:35,080 Speaker 1: got there, what their purpose is for leaving a comment 1076 00:55:35,120 --> 00:55:37,120 Speaker 1: on that video. So there's just so much that you 1077 00:55:37,200 --> 00:55:40,800 Speaker 1: don't know when it's just a username and a comment 1078 00:55:41,160 --> 00:55:43,640 Speaker 1: that you can't put weight into it, Like someone could 1079 00:55:43,640 --> 00:55:45,520 Speaker 1: be having a really awful day and feel really bad 1080 00:55:45,560 --> 00:55:47,879 Speaker 1: about themselves and then try to take you down too, 1081 00:55:48,360 --> 00:55:51,400 Speaker 1: or someone could be trolling and just I mean, there 1082 00:55:51,400 --> 00:55:54,120 Speaker 1: are accounts dedicated to just leaving me in comments to 1083 00:55:54,160 --> 00:55:58,800 Speaker 1: get attention. So it's like I do not pay attention 1084 00:55:58,880 --> 00:56:01,480 Speaker 1: to the comments or what people say at all. I 1085 00:56:01,560 --> 00:56:04,120 Speaker 1: know what makes me happy. I know that if something 1086 00:56:04,160 --> 00:56:06,920 Speaker 1: stops making me happy, I'm not gonna do it anymore. 1087 00:56:07,040 --> 00:56:09,480 Speaker 1: But I need to base what I do in this 1088 00:56:09,600 --> 00:56:11,719 Speaker 1: world off of how I feel and the impact that 1089 00:56:11,800 --> 00:56:15,480 Speaker 1: I have, as opposed to what Sally from New Jersey 1090 00:56:15,520 --> 00:56:20,279 Speaker 1: s doaes Oh Sally, Sally, Sally's just having a bad You. 1091 00:56:20,360 --> 00:56:22,760 Speaker 2: Just have it a bad day, all right? What excites 1092 00:56:22,760 --> 00:56:26,960 Speaker 2: you right now? What excites me right now is the possibilities. 1093 00:56:27,239 --> 00:56:30,640 Speaker 2: I feel like it almost in This may be because 1094 00:56:30,640 --> 00:56:34,160 Speaker 2: I'm such a naive, like overly optimistic person, but I 1095 00:56:34,239 --> 00:56:39,480 Speaker 2: just feel a renaissance coming of people really appreciating life, 1096 00:56:39,760 --> 00:56:44,960 Speaker 2: appreciating people and what really matters. And I think this 1097 00:56:45,360 --> 00:56:48,040 Speaker 2: past couple of years, this past year and a half 1098 00:56:48,160 --> 00:56:50,880 Speaker 2: has just humbled us and I think humanized us. And 1099 00:56:50,920 --> 00:56:54,279 Speaker 2: I really am excited to see the genuine joy that 1100 00:56:54,320 --> 00:56:58,359 Speaker 2: people have just coming together, dancing, being in person, going 1101 00:56:58,400 --> 00:57:02,880 Speaker 2: out to brunch, like just doing things that human beings 1102 00:57:02,960 --> 00:57:05,799 Speaker 2: used to do and getting on and I think it's 1103 00:57:05,800 --> 00:57:08,920 Speaker 2: going to be something that sticks with this generation forever. 1104 00:57:09,000 --> 00:57:10,440 Speaker 1: But I think it's also going to make us a 1105 00:57:11,960 --> 00:57:15,680 Speaker 1: group of people who all realize the value of the 1106 00:57:15,719 --> 00:57:19,680 Speaker 1: little things that we all took for granted, because we 1107 00:57:19,720 --> 00:57:22,360 Speaker 1: could be stuck inside behind a computer screen for the 1108 00:57:22,360 --> 00:57:25,520 Speaker 1: rest of our lives for all we know. So yeah, 1109 00:57:25,520 --> 00:57:28,440 Speaker 1: I think there's just so much joy and excitement that's 1110 00:57:28,440 --> 00:57:31,560 Speaker 1: going to be coming out of this next year. 1111 00:57:32,760 --> 00:57:38,360 Speaker 2: When people come to your Instagram page, they see this 1112 00:57:39,440 --> 00:57:43,000 Speaker 2: guy that loves to dance and has a shit ton 1113 00:57:43,040 --> 00:57:43,680 Speaker 2: of followers. 1114 00:57:43,720 --> 00:57:45,200 Speaker 3: The same thing goes for YouTube. 1115 00:57:45,520 --> 00:57:49,520 Speaker 2: You're having a great time and you know, enjoying yourself 1116 00:57:49,840 --> 00:57:51,280 Speaker 2: when you look in the mirror. 1117 00:57:51,520 --> 00:57:54,560 Speaker 3: What is it that you see looking back at you see? 1118 00:57:54,600 --> 00:57:56,680 Speaker 1: I see the same kid in high school who really 1119 00:57:56,680 --> 00:58:02,480 Speaker 1: loves musical theater, and really he likes hanging out with 1120 00:58:02,520 --> 00:58:07,920 Speaker 1: his friends and playing Pokemon Go and watching funny YouTube 1121 00:58:08,000 --> 00:58:14,720 Speaker 1: videos and just enjoying the regular life. It's so funny 1122 00:58:14,760 --> 00:58:17,200 Speaker 1: that we have this perception of people who have a 1123 00:58:17,240 --> 00:58:20,880 Speaker 1: following as if they're unreal. But I don't see myself 1124 00:58:20,880 --> 00:58:23,160 Speaker 1: as any different. I don't think that people in my 1125 00:58:23,240 --> 00:58:25,520 Speaker 1: life see me as any different, and I really wouldn't 1126 00:58:25,520 --> 00:58:27,720 Speaker 1: want it any other way. I just feel like Caleb 1127 00:58:27,800 --> 00:58:31,720 Speaker 1: from Indiana, who really just wants to go hang out 1128 00:58:31,760 --> 00:58:33,480 Speaker 1: with his friends. 1129 00:58:34,400 --> 00:58:37,040 Speaker 2: All right, Caleb from Indiana, Right now, you have an 1130 00:58:37,040 --> 00:58:43,280 Speaker 2: opportunity to offer the Caleb from Indiana, fresh into college, 1131 00:58:43,720 --> 00:58:47,320 Speaker 2: feeling a little unsure of his path, a piece of advice. 1132 00:58:47,440 --> 00:58:50,800 Speaker 2: Looking back on that time, right now, what do you 1133 00:58:50,920 --> 00:58:53,280 Speaker 2: tell him? 1134 00:58:53,600 --> 00:58:58,560 Speaker 1: I would say, stop looking in the mirror every single day, 1135 00:58:58,920 --> 00:59:03,280 Speaker 1: pinching yourself, wondering why you have a pudge here, why 1136 00:59:03,360 --> 00:59:07,560 Speaker 1: you have a pudge there. Stop praying away your sexuality. 1137 00:59:08,120 --> 00:59:12,120 Speaker 1: Stop thinking that you constantly have to get validation from 1138 00:59:12,120 --> 00:59:16,480 Speaker 1: other people because you're not enough as you are. Just 1139 00:59:16,600 --> 00:59:19,520 Speaker 1: be confident and do the things that you love, and 1140 00:59:19,560 --> 00:59:21,800 Speaker 1: the people that are around you will stay if they're 1141 00:59:21,840 --> 00:59:24,440 Speaker 1: supposed to stay, and if not, they weren't supposed to 1142 00:59:24,480 --> 00:59:30,360 Speaker 1: be in the first place. But just keep being yourself beautiful. 1143 00:59:30,440 --> 00:59:35,560 Speaker 2: Caleb from Indiana, Tell me, tell us, tell the hurdlers. 1144 00:59:35,600 --> 00:59:36,960 Speaker 2: How do we keep up with you? How do we 1145 00:59:37,000 --> 00:59:39,600 Speaker 2: follow along with you? Give me all the details. 1146 00:59:40,200 --> 00:59:43,040 Speaker 1: You can follow me at YouTube dot com, slash the 1147 00:59:43,040 --> 00:59:48,280 Speaker 1: Fitness Marshal on Instagram, The Fitness Marshal on TikTok. I 1148 00:59:48,320 --> 00:59:51,720 Speaker 1: also have an inclusive activewear line called active Booty that 1149 00:59:51,720 --> 00:59:55,760 Speaker 1: you can find on activebooty dot com and we're I 1150 00:59:55,880 --> 00:59:57,360 Speaker 1: don't know if I can say that yet, but I'll 1151 00:59:57,400 --> 00:59:59,400 Speaker 1: say that right now. We offer extra small to three 1152 00:59:59,560 --> 01:00:01,880 Speaker 1: X and we're so excited to keep including more people 1153 01:00:02,360 --> 01:00:07,600 Speaker 1: in that and keep expanding The Fitness Marshal to so 1154 01:00:07,760 --> 01:00:10,640 Speaker 1: many other avenues and really spreading the joy of movement 1155 01:00:10,760 --> 01:00:12,760 Speaker 1: and just self love. 1156 01:00:13,520 --> 01:00:14,400 Speaker 3: Thank you so much. 1157 01:00:14,560 --> 01:00:17,600 Speaker 2: I'm over at Emily a Body and at Hurdle Podcast 1158 01:00:17,720 --> 01:00:19,240 Speaker 2: Another Hurdle conquered. 1159 01:00:19,560 --> 01:00:20,560 Speaker 3: Catch you guys next time.