How a Youtube Sketch Comedy Channel changed my life

In 2010, after touring the country for a few years, I quit my band. And honestly, I had no backup plan. The thought of not being a musician hadn't occured to me until that's where I found myself.

I've talked before about how during one of our touring adventures we ended up ​stranded in new york​ which had the silver lining of sparking my desire to become an actor.

The problem? I had zero idea where to start.

I was living in Arkansas—no film industry, no connections, no clue what I was doing. But I needed an outlet, a way to make progress and get in front of the camera while I was figuring it all out.

So, I started a YouTube sketch comedy channel called ​Step Brotherly Love​ (some of these are still up if you're curious.)

Looking back, It's funny how random that decision was. But what I didn’t realize at the time was that it was setting me up for everything I do now.

I wasn’t just learning to act—I was teaching myself how to shoot, edit, color grade, troubleshoot all kinds of problems (there were a lot), and even dabble in lighting and VFX.

I was just following what I thought was cool. No grand plan—just curiosity.

Years later, when I started pursuing stunts, all those random skills came back around.

Here’s the thing: being a stuntman isn’t just about jumping off buildings or fighting on screen (though that’s definitely part of it). A big chunk of the job is, as a team, pitching concepts and creating pre-visualizations (concepts) for the director and producers.

And guess what? All that experience playing around on YouTube gave me an unfair advantage.

Suddenly, I wasn’t just the guy who could take a fall or do the fight—I was the guy who could shoot, edit, and present ideas like a filmmaker. That’s what got me hired.

I'll be honest. At first, I hated admitting this. My ego wanted to be hired for my physical skills and all the things I'd been training. You know, “I’m here because I’m a top notch performer” not “I’m here because I can edit a cool previz.”

But the reality? Those skills—the ones I picked up just messing around with a YouTube channel—ended up making me way more valuable.

Here’s What I’ve Learned:

The things you’re interested in, the skills you pick up just because they’re fun or exciting, are what make you unique.

It’s not always about the straight line to success—it’s about following what lights you up. Even if it feels random. Even if it doesn’t seem like it fits into the “big picture” right now.

Because those little curiosities? Those tend to be the side missions that end up intertwining into the main quest.

I'm a firm believer in the idea that as long as your are following what you're currently passionate about, you can't make a wrong turn.

So, if you’ve been holding off on something that lights you up because it doesn’t feel “relevant” or “important,” just go for it. You never know how it’ll connect later.

I've talked a little bit before about how a lot of the time we need to get bored to get creative, so lately I've been commuting without the stereo on.

It doesn't take long for my mind to start wandering and connecting idea the later become the next video.

I’ve got to be honest for a second. I’ve really been trying to focus on the business aspect of all this, because the reality is, if I want to do this full-time, I need to be able to sustain myself.

The problem is, a lot of that stuff makes me super uncomfortable. I genuinely love creating things that help others find their own outlet so the idea of monetizing that starts to feel a little icky to me.

I know thats something I just need to get over, and that in the end it's going to result in me creating products and services that are even more worth it, but that doesn't mean I'm not struggling with the best way to go about it.

Also, it's just.. overwhelming. Staying on top of creating content while simultaneously learning about online business feels like trying to plug holes in a leaky boat during a hurricane. That's a little why I've been a little MIA lately. But I'll get there.

Anyway..

I hope this helps, and we'll talk soon.

Caleb