Today we’d like to introduce you to Caleb and Courtney Dade.
Caleb and Courtney, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Caleb With Curls is a YouTube show that we started about three years ago because Caleb really wanted to be on YouTube. As a homeschooling family, we often take our studies outside of a traditional academic environment and explore the world around us. We were having so much fun on our adventures, that we decided to capture them and share them with the world. And that was the birth of Caleb With Curls.
In 2017, Caleb’s grandma was working as an administrator for the County of San Diego’s Health and Human Services division. Her boss, the Director of Health and Human Services, wanted to get on the Caleb With Curls show too! Well, we interviewed him about the Live Well San Diego initiative and its mission to help San Diegans live their best life.
That year, we also decided to “cover” the Live Well San Diego’s 5K and Expo. We were inspired by all of the organizations that were out there helping people in the community. Between the interview and our experience at the Live Well 5K, we decided to launch a second show within Caleb’s channel called “101 Ways to Live Well Every Day.” For the past three years, we have been connecting with organizations throughout San Diego, teaching families how they can live well!
It’s been a great adventure for Caleb and his entire family since this is definitely a family operation! But it has been well worth it. We’ve slowed down, but have plans for new shows coming up in the next few months!
Has it been a smooth road?
Caleb With Curls has a ton of challenges, but sooooo much potential. The biggest challenge we face is time. As a single parent and full-time entrepreneurial, homeschooling family, it’s difficult to get everything in. Trying to accomplish all of the things we have to do, on top of the show, has been an increasing struggle. We do have a ton of support from extended family and friends, but the creativity and execution of the shows really fall on Caleb and Mommy… and that is a big challenge.
Another challenge that we face is how to produce lighthearted and fun shows when the content isn’t always conducive to that. We’ve had to tackle some very difficult subjects, such as food insecurity and homelessness in San Diego. One of the things that we have tried is to always keep the shows upbeat and infused with positive energy. So even the saddest stories, we find a way to tell them with hope and joy. Luckily, Caleb’s energy alone can brighten up a room, so we have relied on that to get the tougher stories out. In the end, we’ve found that the toughest shows are the ones that are the most impactful.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Caleb With Curls story. Tell us more about your work.
Caleb With Curls is a kid-centric multi-channel educational project with an eight-year old CEO and community leader. His mission is helping kids and families learn outside of the classroom and live healthy and vibrant lives. He brings awareness to organizations in San Diego County that are working to make people’s lives better. He also takes families on learning adventures with him as he explores the world around him on a quest to learn from experience.
He has worked with some amazing brands, groups and organizations, such as San Diego County Credit Union, 211 San Diego, Meals on Wheels, Feeding San Diego and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, to name a few. He’s traveled to Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco, and Las Vegas, and will be launching his travel show in the next year.
He’s co-hosted events with over 1000 people in the audience and been a featured player in different community programs throughout San Diego. And he’s even gotten two awards from the County of San Diego for being a champion in the community. He loves working with brands to help them reach a new audience in a fresh way. We always say “if you can explain your business to an eight-year-old,” you’ll be able to get your message to everyone!
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Content creation is already taking over the world. As technology continues to emerge, people have stopped waiting to be discovered, and have started paving a path for themselves. When we first started, we were really looking for an outlet to share some of what we were doing with our homeschooling, but as the social platforms have started to create more opportunities for content creators to generate revenue, we are quickly adjusting the way we approach the future of this brand.
There are six-year-olds making millions on YouTube. Everyone has an opportunity to carve their content niche in this world!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://calebwithcurls.com/
- Phone: 6193791320
- Email: hello@calebwithcurls.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calebwithcurls/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/calebwithcurls
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/calebwithcurls
Image Credit:
1st Image with Caleb and Mom – (c) Ivan S. Harris Photography
Headshot in pink background – (c) Shandon Photography
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