Check Out Caleb Nelson’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Caleb Nelson.

Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
A few years ago, my wife and I learned a fine line between living and working to live. So we were two years into our marriage, 24 years old, and decided to stop climbing the corporate ladder, quit our jobs, sell all of our things and travel 49 states in 52 weeks in our Toyota FJ Cruiser. During traveling, we decided to document as much of our trip as we could via video. In doing that, I found a passion and happiness for creating videos and sharing stories. So after quitting our jobs, we had no plans for how we would make money once we ran out of our savings. I decided to start creating videos and pursue that as a source of income. In developing my career in videography, I traveled a lot. Instead of continuing to make these long drives, let’s get a camper that way. The whole family could leave on Tuesday, enjoy the area for a few days, do the video shoot, and then drive to the next one. Being newly self-employed with a 6month old baby and my wife being a stay at home, the funds weren’t there to go out and buy an $80,000 camper. The cheaper alternative that we decided on was a school bus. So in 2019, We purchased a 35ft long-retired school bus, and over the following two years, I worked restlessly turning an International School bus into a fully self-sufficient, off-grid, luxury, tiny home for my wife of 4. Being the digital creator I have become, I decided to document our build on our YouTube Channel. Share the entire story from when we decided to buy a bus to driving it 100o miles home and breaking down by ripping everything out and building every piece of that bus with my own hands. Now having built up a ton of knowledge in multiple trades, from mechanical, to solar Power, 12v and 120v Electrical, plumbing, welding, and custom carpentry, I have now put myself in a position to offer these services to people and help with their builds or complete a form out for them.

Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The previous 4 years from when we decided to sell everything and restart our lives have been the hardest part. During our trip, we ended up getting pregnant after being told we could not have kids, so we were on a hustle to get our lives in a good spot financially and independently so we could be good parents and provide. That being said, I continued to pursue my dreams of being my boss. That was the goal from the beginning. To do what I wanted, when I wanted, because I could. I was in the grind of becoming what I wanted and was trying everything to make that happen. We were fortunate to live with family during those years or figure out the video and build the bus, but with that came a lot of learning. Those years were very hard, and we are just now climbing out of them. That being said, I wouldn’t trade those years for anything. I learned so much and was beat down so many times that I will never return to a time like that again. I will not allow myself to fail in a way that I will have to endure that leveling of living again. I know there will be countless moments of struggle in the future, but I now know that I can overcome them and what I have to do to make them minimal.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Growing up, we didn’t have a lot. So with not having a lot, you’ve got to figure things out on your own. In high school, I had a little raggedy Miata that needed work. Not having a lot of money to pay someone to fix things when they broke, I had to fix them. I would be in the garage for the entire weekend trying to fix the problem. In those moments, I developed skills in automotive repair, and then one day, it clicked. I realized that if someone else could fix a problem, why couldn’t I? So I call it cheap, not wanting to pay someone to do something I could do myself. And now, that has played out in every facet of my life. I have developed skills that range from web development, digital media marketing, business management and workflow, welding, and fabrication to fine carpentry and off-grid self-sustainability—basically, a jack of all. So with now having all those skills, my clients range in many ways. I am currently a video editor for a few YouTube Channels, a Supercar driving instructor, a Project Manager for multimillion-dollar home renovations, tiny home consulting, and Youtuber. Now my main focus is turning School Buses into tiny homes or businesses.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Unfortunately, my social circle has been very small. My previous job was a tiny group of people who stayed within the company. I did not know anyone who was self-employed or was chasing after their dreams. Everyone I knew was chasing the American Dream, climbing the ladder, and waiting for retirement. I didn’t have someone to talk with that I could ask questions or learn from. So I did the next best thing, YouTube. Before I quit my job, we planned the trip for a year, getting all the ducks in a row. Instead of listening to Kid Cudi or Linkin park on my way to work, I would listen to Gary Vaynerchuck, Joe Rogan, Steve Harvey, Eric Thomas, and Casey Neistat, guys I aspire to have a similar life as theirs. Guys who were in control of their life and were happy. But you can only be listening to many motivational presentions and stories. What helped was committing to doing this and having to go through the mud—having to go through those tough years and realizing that if I quit. If I go back to my old job or get another job, then all the struggles and time I spent reading and listening, all the late nights away from my wife, all the crap would have been for nothing. Time is precious, and I didn’t want to have wasted those years.

Contact Info:

• Email: caleb
• Website: thecalebnelson.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/backroadpurpose
• Facebook: facebook.com/backroadpurpose
• Youtube: Youtube.com/backroadpurpose

Image Credits
Caleb Nelson