Lamarr Wilson

[00:00:00] I love tech. I love smart home tech. I love gaming tech. I love kitchen tech. I love all these kind of things And it connects to you know my life. So why not just make this a documentary of my life?

[00:00:14] This is the Techsploder podcast conversations with tech professionals about being human in a binary world Episode nine Lamarr Wilson Techsploder is made possible by the financial support of our patrons like Holly Paddock

[00:00:29] If you like what you hear head on over to patreon.com slash Jason Howell and support the show directly and thank you for making independent podcasting possible Hello, welcome to the Techsploder podcast. I'm Jason Howell and this week

[00:00:46] I have the pleasure of talking with Lamarr Wilson a guy who has cracked me up more than just a few times over the last decade or so Lamarr Wilson is a content creator who actually started his career as a technology coordinator in elementary schools

[00:01:02] He was helping students kind of discover and utilize the technology that they had in the classroom Then he transitioned into creating tech content on youtube Amassed more than two million subscribers in the process and more recently in the last couple of years

[00:01:18] Lamarr has shifted his focus to vertical video formats like instagram reels and tiktok where his enthusiastic to say the least Unboxing videos earned him the moniker CEO of unboxings from his fans He cracks me up

[00:01:34] His unboxings truly are unlike anything you're going to see out there and we talk about all of this Right now on the conversation that I had with Lamarr Wilson

[00:01:43] Lamarr Wilson it is great to have you here with me. It is so nice to finally get the chance to talk to you I feel like our paths have crossed throughout our careers At times and it's been a really long time since I've had the chance to

[00:01:57] Talk with you. So thank you for coming on to text bloater with me. Yeah. Thanks for having me I feel like I haven't seen you Yeah, like it well, we haven't seen each other in person in almost a decade and I believe

[00:02:08] For sure for sure that but as as the internet is what it is Like I still follow all your work online and I and I keep up to date on everything that you're doing and

[00:02:18] I think one of the things that I really appreciate about you and I'm sure you are used to hearing this because it is so It is so like at your core is you have a wonderful sense of humor and you make me laugh

[00:02:30] And you've got such a lightness to your personality and everything that you do on youtube And I just have a lot of appreciation for you, especially from that perspective. You're a funny guy. Thank you Thank you very much now

[00:02:42] Which is not to put you on the spot to be funny suddenly because sometimes you hear that it's like, okay Well, now I got a problem now. I have to be funny. Yeah Exactly, but but you just are where where does that?

[00:02:55] Where does that like that drive that excitement come from? Particularly as it relates to the world the technology because there's you know a lot that we focus on and you bring that spark to tech

[00:03:07] Like has that kind of spark always been there or where does that come from? Yeah, you know what it comes from a place of appreciation and I don't know if that sounds cheesy or not but

[00:03:17] But you know, I came up came up. I don't you know, like, you know, I'm 46 So I came up in the era where it really I mean tick was around but not not in the household at all

[00:03:29] And we know, I you know really wasn't so that my high school years when I started You know where I had the opportunity to work on computers on a regular basis And you know, I like, you know, it was I

[00:03:39] The time I graduated when windows 95 came out now Windows 95 was the was the push of that's when everybody Kind of kind of jumped on board. So oh, yeah Yeah, I just I've just kind of been around Before that and after that just have a

[00:03:56] appreciation of this and I just try not to Take it too seriously. I I think And that's not to say that I I'm acting silly with it, but I just I'm I'm happy and I'm Jovio whatever because I just appreciate

[00:04:11] That these things exist in my generation. I mean, I Have I just you know the generation before I would have known, you know, barely idea any idea what any of this was I wouldn't have known any of this. So I think

[00:04:23] I think it just comes from a deep rooted seed of appreciation. This would be honest. Yeah Yeah, yeah. Yeah, and I mean there is something very playful about technology That you know is is something that we can't connect to at the same time

[00:04:37] Like you said like it is also possible to look at the world of technology through You know through the eyes of like, I don't know, you know in relation to to things like AI and stuff through the eyes of suspicion or criticism or control or whatever

[00:04:54] But really at the core of it like that I feel like the thing that is so Like the thing that I connect with when it comes to technology on a deep

[00:05:02] Seated level is that kind of playfulness that that kind of ability to look at something through eyes of wonder and be like I can't believe that we could do that with this thing that that thing didn't exist

[00:05:14] And now it does and it's just amazing that it can do what it does I completely agree and I've been able to see that wonder In my you know my past life through through children. I worked that uh at a school for the

[00:05:29] You know my first my first career was was working in elementary school and I was a tech coordinator so I was able to You know, this is in this was 2000, you know late 90s to you know 2006 or so Uh, and I was able to see at that core

[00:05:44] Them discovering, you know just I just remembered a kid discovering a laptop and discovered that a computer could be portable and you know and the things they can look for on the internet and you know documents they create just just things to make Their classroom experience better

[00:06:04] And I'm looking at it from my perspective as when I was a student man, I would have loved I would have killed yeah to have these tools and they have

[00:06:12] These tools at their disposal and just to see the wonder in their eyes because I worked at a um uh inner city school in chicago so Just they just wasn't the resources unfortunately that that other schools may have had at the time

[00:06:28] So when I pushed to get those resources, you know, there was just they didn't have them at home You know, so so school became this this haven of of of knowledge and of just look at all the cool stuff

[00:06:39] We have at our school, you know that that we don't have at home So you seen it from the wonder of you know child side and and you know that that made me appreciate it a lot more

[00:06:49] Yeah, what what kind of uh hardware? So this is like what mid late 90s when you were doing this job and yeah the the actual tech coordinator job was 2001 to 2006 so we're okay

[00:07:04] Yeah, so we're looking at um, I don't know which one. I mean that was definitely one of us 98 uh for sure but uh Yeah, so so just yeah the Dales in the classrooms del del desktop computers. Uh, I think we had some hp

[00:07:20] Laptops that were you know laptop cart. Um, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it was yeah, so but and then uh And as I progressed on then I forgot what year I think was 2010 2011 when I was a consultant for the for the schools

[00:07:34] To see the first time a kid got an iPad We we did a pilot program where we we sent we got five schools and we sent them iPads And just that's that's what changed me Like I was not an apple person before that not at all

[00:07:51] You know, but when I when I when I saw the kids working on a laptop how quickly they picked it up They just knew what to do with it. They just they're very highly intuitive. Yes

[00:08:01] So yeah, they feel so natural and I just saw this and I was like This is I'm at the right place at the right time. This is what I'm supposed to be doing. This is amazing. Yeah

[00:08:10] Yeah, well and and it sounds like the time that you were doing What you were doing at that point that was well before even chromebooks existed, you know And I have two daughters and they're they're firmly, you know

[00:08:23] One's going into high school one's going into junior high and I mean most of their Experience has been like you said either iPad which came a little bit later Well, I'm sorry, which came a little bit earlier

[00:08:35] Um or now it's it's chromebooks and okay. So you just say yeah Yeah, and so and actually Yeah, so so my older daughter she's she's been on chromebooks for like three years

[00:08:47] My younger daughter has been doing the iPad. I think and I think for that specific reason, right? Like they're they're such an intuitive approach to the tablet not to mention kids nowadays like From such a young age they have access to touch screens be it their parents phones

[00:09:04] Or you know the tablet that was that is basically their their vector for watching cartoons and stuff when You know when parents need to get something done and so that intuitive quality to it It's just so different

[00:09:16] I guess what i'm realizing is it's so different from our perspective because I think you and I are pretty close to the same age And I had a very similar childhood where there weren't you know It was before the time of the computer in the classroom

[00:09:28] I think the first time I saw a computer in the classroom was like in the sixth grade and it was a columnar 64 And you know, it's just a much different time than what we're talking about now

[00:09:37] Where everything is built around the computer because that's just the skill that we need Yeah, I I remember in 2000 my um Because I was I was subbing in a classroom that uh for for a while for about a few few months

[00:09:55] And there was no desktop computer in there. I brought mine from home I had I had one that I got I brought it from home just like You know, I first of all, I needed a computer in the classroom

[00:10:07] You know because I inputted the grades before teachers were putting the grades and I was I was I was doing it and also, um I just I just felt like the kids needed access to it and uh, they they were fighting like literally fighting

[00:10:19] I had perfect behavior because they all wanted the computer It was it was great. Yeah, you know, and you know and and and then we're able to roll that out. Yeah, so so again

[00:10:28] Yeah, a lot a lot of my bases for tech really I mean goes before that when I was younger But but really seeing it in use with with young people and you see it with your family just just how they just Pick up things super quick

[00:10:42] You know, and it's kept me it's kept me fresh Even though I don't work with you know the schools directly now it it gave me a basis to like To do what I do now

[00:10:51] Sure, so then so then let's take a step back a little bit um and kind of the the seedling that leads to your kind of the impetus of actually getting into schools and working with kids on computers and stuff with when you were

[00:11:07] Younger kind of the beginnings of your fascination with tech. What are some of your earliest? Like tech memories and I mean they might not have anything to do with computers

[00:11:17] But like I remember, you know disassembling a radio when I was really young just to see like what's on the inside and everything Did you have was there a sense of curiosity around technology when you were much younger?

[00:11:28] Yeah, and again. Yes, and I was you know, unfortunately, you know, I was You know latchkey kids. I didn't have you know, as you know that generation So I didn't have a lot of access to resources things

[00:11:39] But I remember my mom bought me again. He's the greatest thing she got me was nothing to do with tech initially but do you remember the Worldbook encyclopedia so we got yeah, we got those and then the child craze a whole series called child craft

[00:11:53] And and so I read through every page every single thing so about crafting about building making things so So all right on. Yeah, so kind of yes. I didn't have the tech I wish I would have had access to building a radio that would have been cool

[00:12:08] Now so I didn't have access to that but I but I will say as as in school especially when I got in high school um it really started from I was the

[00:12:15] Editor of the school newspaper, which we needed a computer for so that was my first really like control of computer but really Uh in high school like the computer lab. I I was the computer lab nerd. I fully admit it. I I embrace it

[00:12:30] I I I wouldn't go to lunch. I was skinny then You know I wouldn't I would skip lunch because I just didn't like really eat during the day I you know

[00:12:40] So I would skip lunch and I would hang out in the computer lab every period that I could hang out and you know I eventually end up, you know working in there. And but yeah, that was that was my earliest memories were just

[00:12:50] Soaking up so much information. We had a pretty decent computer lab in the In uh, I was in high school from 91 to 95 So we we we had we had a decent computer lab Uh windows 3.1 or 3.0 or whatever Um and

[00:13:06] Yeah, and then from there I I got a job my first main job was at Best Buy And in 94 That's what I did it right there. That was that was my dream. I was still in school at that point

[00:13:18] I was still in school. Yeah, and I got to work and I got to work in the uh in the computer department And then and then once I I think you're bored with it, but they need to help elsewhere

[00:13:28] So I I I learned TVs. I learned the audio video. I learned I learned every department Uh, but the computer computer department was my core. So a lot if it hadn't been for Best Buy, I don't know

[00:13:42] If I would be doing what I do now if that's not an endorsement for Best Buy, I don't know what is Right Best Buy meanwhile like Best Buy

[00:13:50] I had to stop myself and think for for a second like Best Buy still around because but you know that the the um The place in technology for these brick and mortar tech stores, you know, like walking into a Best Buy

[00:14:04] That used to be the kind of experience we go in there and like you could burn a couple hours just you know as a tech fanatic Going in there and just twiddling the knobs and going I remember going into the stereo department

[00:14:15] You know really kind of testing the sound systems even though I didn't have the money or the ability to buy something like that But just loving the experience of being surrounded by all this stuff that that I enjoyed, you know

[00:14:27] Absolutely, I love doing that every every every week was in it was that I would take manuals home any new computer I'd take manuals home and and study them and learn them so I can so I know how to

[00:14:38] Help the customers. Yeah, I was I was fully involved man. RTFM. Yeah Yeah, are you are you a manual reader now? Like I like over time We've probably just kind of built up so much technology that we're like, yeah I don't need a manual

[00:14:52] I get in trouble for that still because I because I'll get stubborn. I don't need this manual Yeah, and and then I'll get it. Yeah, I'm doing a video and and I realized oh crap I should have read I should have read the manual

[00:15:02] It was right there the answer that I've been like page figuring out because I know enough about it It was just right there on page three all along. Yeah the whole time

[00:15:12] Yeah, so what about what about the early internet? It seems like everybody, you know, and especially in doing Doing this podcast more. I'm realizing everybody seems to have a really A clear kind of view into

[00:15:27] Either a moment or experience that made them realize holy cow like this changes everything and you know When the internet came onto the scene it was it was so much different than

[00:15:38] Anything that we had really experienced before I mean bbs's bulletin board systems was was along those lines So it wasn't completely new territory But the scale was just so such that It was just you know, it seemed like magic to a certain degree

[00:15:53] You have any kind of early internet and uh perspective or a story that that you can share that really kind of Made you realize. Oh my goodness this this changes everything

[00:16:03] I think from the perspective, I think again working working in the store now in the after I go to a high school um, I know working at uh office depot for a few years in their computer like department, which was

[00:16:17] Even to step up because now now we're in the windows 95 phase now. We're in the The phase where there's more and more people getting computers max are in the stores and then so I

[00:16:28] I think I think that error of just learning and seeing like something like that marvel me was Uh, what was the name of it? Just having a I don't know the encyclopedia on the cd That you know the I forgot what's called in multimedia

[00:16:42] I don't know what's called in car in karta or i forgot the name of it Yeah, I do remember in karta. Yeah, I believe it was I believe was that and I and I lived

[00:16:53] And being a fan of encyclopedia who had read them cover cover now suddenly having it on this plastic disc I mean that's that's magical right there. That's magic right there also an encyclopedia brown fan by the way, so Not anything encyclopedia Yeah

[00:17:10] So yeah, and I remember being able I lived in seattle uh in the 90s late 90s. So I remember answering some newspaper ad Uh for microsoft to go and do like a study

[00:17:21] And and then every like you go for an hour and like, you know, they would show you some new products um, and you know, I've never been a mic

[00:17:30] Microsoft I was it's always like yeah, I'm gonna I'm gonna do this. But yeah, they ended up giving me uh I believe what if it's called in karta if i'm correcting the name of it

[00:17:38] Yeah, I remember getting that whole set for free from them for doing the survey And I was like, oh my god. I have the I have the world

[00:17:47] You know, yes, it had to be updated every you know every year or whatever but but so did your actual insight like volumes of Encyclopedia it was like that you were encyclopedia the old school version

[00:17:58] It was locked into the data set but that in quotes that existed at that time That was just the paradigm that we followed right? That's that's what we had. Yeah And then you know, then eventually became online, you know, then you have, you know, uh,

[00:18:09] You know wikipedia, which was in this development but but still seeing That massive amount of information At my fingertips and at the world's fingertips It's it's mind blowing when you come from like your kids wouldn't understand that right? No, but when you cut

[00:18:24] Oh, but you would when you come from not having so I had you know that whole part of my life I'm just we were just born at a very unique time

[00:18:32] That we lived in both worlds like that almost equally, you know, you and you know, you get to see You know and that you know has how we were growing up not having any of these tools And all of a sudden we have wireless phones and we have

[00:18:44] Uh the palm trio, which is one of my favorite phones all time You know now I have all of this in the palm of my hand and I yeah It's it's it could be overwhelming at times to like but again

[00:18:54] I still have that appreciation that these tools existed And I got and I was able to get things done faster and help my business honestly, you know Because I stayed so long as I stayed ahead One or two steps ahead of the client. I always had a job

[00:19:08] Yeah, that's that's a pretty that's a pretty smart approach. Yeah Yeah Yes in carda. So I just looked it up on on wikipedia of all places. Uh published by microsoft from 1993 to 2009 And yes, of course, okay originally sold on cd rom and then eventually dvd rom

[00:19:27] And then you know the online stuff obviously i'm guessing at 2009 pushed it entirely out of existence Just because yeah, it's not needed anymore and not to mention like 2009's got to be the point at which we start, you know seeing the the kind of omission

[00:19:43] Of cd drives and you know disc drives In our computers now you can't now you have to go out of your way to even buy something to to load those so Yeah, my how times change at what point did you

[00:19:58] Like i'm kind of thinking of the the time scale here You're you're working, you know jumping ahead a little bit. You're you're working with the schools and doing your awesome work there At what point do you Does your does your focus shift away from that and into realizing?

[00:20:15] Oh, wait a minute. I can like go on youtube this like entertainment technology space And you know create create content that's more about entertainment and informative of course, but it's a totally It's it's like on some hand. It's different Because it's a very production oriented direction

[00:20:35] But on some hands actually now that I think about it's kind of the same because you are educating You are kind of sharing knowledge with people in that regard. It was a complete and utter accident Oh really?

[00:20:48] It was never I'd never had any inkling of being a creative do I was Fine with what I was doing. I had when I left the school system in 2006 I left I was working at one school. I left to start a business. So I became a tech coordinator

[00:21:04] Uh, what was the tech coordinator there? I became a tech consultant. Excuse me Uh, so, you know built build my business and I ended up working then I got at a federal grant I was working with with the Chicago public school

[00:21:13] So we I ended up working with a total of like 50 schools in this federal grant under technology and reading literacy uh, so That was a five-year grant. So I so it was you know, I think it ended in 2010 2011 so I remember in 2008 um, yeah, yeah 2008 I Uh

[00:21:39] Talked to someone in the school in the schools and they were like hey, we need someone To uh, we don't know anything about video. We need someone to film some some of these classroom interactions and things Uh, can your company do that?

[00:21:51] Hey, you know and being a newer company. I'm like we we will figure it out. Yes. Yeah, we mean making me. Yeah Right. So I so I bought a camera and this was over the christmas break. So this was december 2008

[00:22:03] They were like, yeah, let us, you know, we're gonna we're taking a break in the new year We'll uh, you know, let's see what you what you what you know so during the break I

[00:22:14] Was playing with the camera and I was just coming up. Okay. I would come up with this skit or something I just wanted to test to see how the camera was and and how I looked at it

[00:22:24] And then I just uploaded it to youtube just as a well I need someone to look look at it And I I never thought of oh, I'm gonna get an audience I just already had a youtube account that was not being used

[00:22:36] And so I just uploaded it and it got view Viewers and I started seeing these things called subscribers and I'm just like what really that was just a silly skit And so I put another one on and and yeah

[00:22:48] And what was interesting though about this this story does connect though because the school system at the time Was very anti youtube they blocked it, you know, because youtube was unfortunately known for a lot of fights

[00:23:00] People post fights on there and things to the school. So here I am now in 2009 I'm helping them with their video stuff But I'm also Have this secret life where I put things on youtube because they they had weren't fully into it

[00:23:16] And so as I got more popular in youtube and made on mid 2009 or so Uh, you know a few thousand subscribers One of them found out about it and they were like, hey, what are you we see this thing on you? What are you doing?

[00:23:29] And so I'm like well, I'm not an employee for you. I don't have to you know I'm doing my thing Yeah, but I explain I explain what I explain what I was doing and how I was integrating technology You know, I saw my tech and talk about

[00:23:40] You know stuff with the classroom and they they dug it. They were like, yeah, keep keep doing what you're doing. So Uh, yeah, it started from complete boredom Accident just wanted to play with a camera and it turned into this thing and then yeah

[00:23:54] Now we go to 2012, you know, the the grand is done so i'm like Do I continue with this youtube thing? Do I can I mean it's working. I'm making start making some money off this can

[00:24:06] Can this be a thing or do I want to keep trying to scrap and consult and build websites? I think I was also a website builder for some of the school. So I'm like, yeah, so I made a I made a call To to go the video route

[00:24:19] And here we are what 15 years later and it's still Still going strong different formats. I'm doing right now, but it's it's still it's still working You are you are and I want to talk to you about that because I'm super fascinated about this

[00:24:31] We're going to take a super quick break and we're going to talk a little bit about the format shift that you've had in the last Couple of years and uh why you are referred to as the CEO of unboxings. We got to talk about that Just one second

[00:24:46] All right, so you've been doing the youtube thing now for quite a few years I'm looking at the page right now 2.13 million subscribers on your main channel Do you have just one channel on youtube on youtube idea? Yes. Yeah

[00:24:59] Yeah, and I know you're also doing like ticktocks and and other other avenues If you had to pick one platform that is your the one you most enjoy working with Oh, don't do that. Maybe that's

[00:25:13] No, no, but they're they each do things a little bit differently. You know what I mean Yeah, I I say I have more I have more enjoyment on ticktock But I have but a business success is actually way more on instagram Wow, okay. Yeah, and instagram is

[00:25:32] I consider instagram my home base in a lot of ways because I divert it from youtube You know because instagram is where instagram people come to follow you there because they want they want to see you for you

[00:25:43] And so yeah, and so you know instagram has the stories it has the reels it has regular posts Now not my extension has threads, you know, uh, so it has a lot instagram has a lot to offer

[00:25:57] Uh, in my opinion for for myself. So I look at that as my base, but I tend to have more enjoyment on ticktock because that that um I don't that that algorithm is great over there. I mean the algorithm is incredible

[00:26:10] You know, it's it's funny that you mentioned this about you know, because they are all very different and in my short kind of like independent experience with creating content that I don't have you know a

[00:26:22] A company that is that has a team devoted to all the different things I'm now in a position of Understanding which place is best for what and I think as you're talking through this I think it kind of answers at least a part of one of my questions

[00:26:37] Which was you switched a couple of years ago I can't remember how many years ago away from the standard kind of like horizontal You know format to go entirely vertical for the most part, right? And I and I'm I'm guessing right now that is because

[00:26:55] Ticktock at least until recently ticktock has been You know pretty much entirely vertical Instagram is you're gonna see I mean an insane amount of vertical there probably more than any other format youtube now has its Short so they're They're adaptable to that

[00:27:11] Once you focused on vertical over horizontal which for purists can be really hard to do You know, we've been around long enough that it's like no the right way is horizontal But that isn't of course the right way now

[00:27:22] Like what what motivated that change and like do you do you enjoy working in the vertical format now that you're so used to it Yeah, so that happened in 2021 and yeah the short version of that is

[00:27:34] Um, I got burned out. I was doing the same same ish thing I could tell the audience was burned out from it. Uh things were kind of stagnant I just uh, so I knew and then you know, that was during pantheid pandemic

[00:27:49] Uh, well, I was home a lot So I had more time to think and test out things and I just wanted to do something different I had always regretted that I missed divine Bandwagon, you know, I kind of I kind of laughed it off I

[00:28:03] And you know and but it was great for so many people's careers. I liked watching them, but I never jumped on Uh, but yeah during during the pandemic. I was just like, yeah, I'm just I'm tired of doing the same thing

[00:28:15] I've been doing it for what 12 13 years at that point. I just wanted to do something different And during that time now from a business financial point of view, you know, some people are like, what are you you're doing? But most of my brand

[00:28:29] Integrations that were coming in were all asking for vertical. They were all asking for Instagram stories instagram reels Uh, tick tock tick tock was early then but they were tested and out on tick tock youtube shorts that just came out

[00:28:45] And so I just knew I didn't want to do both because I was out for a while I was doing both videos I was doing a regular then cutting down the shorter

[00:28:54] The shorter ones were the one that was blowing up going crazy and and they weren't like short like you get less information They were just quicker You know, uh, you know more efficient. And so I started thinking why am I doing double work here?

[00:29:09] Like if I can what we are why am I talking about this this headset for eight minutes over here And get this amount of views And I could do it here in a minute

[00:29:22] And and people get what they need out of it and it's completely, you know, blowing up And so just from a bandwidth point of view And from a business point of view I was like, I need to make a decision. I could continue to do both

[00:29:36] And I did for the first part of 2021 and then it just it just became man I just I need to focus on one thing and do it well I've already done the widescreen. I've established myself. We're good

[00:29:48] It's nice knowing you's good retirement now. This is this this is the next error of my life and I got to tell you This is point of view it's In the last three years, I've done better than I had in that previous 12 years

[00:30:02] Interesting now. Do you think that the previous 12 years were Necessary to get to the point to where it pays the path for you to do

[00:30:10] Yeah, I knew you're gonna ask that. Yeah. Yeah, I knew you're gonna ask that and I know that's why I don't discount the last 12 I'm not saying all I made a mistake. I know I was yeah

[00:30:18] We're always building and growing and everything it's no I would not be able to do do it now had I you know Come from nothing. I don't think so having that has definitely been been what's essential But I do think anyone

[00:30:32] Who were starting out yourself or anyone who's starting? I think You don't necessarily need that that background There's people who come in now who have never created anything in their life and they're

[00:30:43] They got millions they get millions of views. It's it's a it's such an interesting platform for technology too because When I got on tiktok, there just wasn't a lot of hardly anyone was doing anything tech related

[00:30:55] Unboxings nothing like that. So I'm not saying I was first but I was one of the The first because it was just dances, you know, everybody was dancing and singing and lip-syncing And then I brought you this informational entertaining side to it with technology

[00:31:12] And it's done really well over over there now. Everybody's over there with technology But but I I think it was that was a good time to to jump in and I I've been having no I'd say Jason. I've been having a ball with it I

[00:31:26] so it achieved the the the The desired outcome for you, which was You were burning out you'd kind of you'd done what you'd done at that point And I could totally understand that doing something for 12 years

[00:31:39] No matter how successful it is if you're still doing the same type of thing 12 years later Like you want to evolve you want to grow this was enough of a transition even though It's related with what you were doing before

[00:31:51] But it changes it enough to where you're having as much fun as you are right now. That's definitely something Uh, something to pay attention to you. That's important. That's cool for sure. Yeah

[00:32:01] Yeah, I'm having a time of my life right now. Oh right on. That's that's awesome. And then do you feel like um It like it's easy to look at vertical and think oh well it's

[00:32:11] Verticals low effort. It doesn't take much time. You know because of the shortened amount of time It's easy to look at vertical versus like long form 25 minutes sprawling thing Which oh my god takes forever, you know, not only just to like

[00:32:25] Come up with you know the material to fill that time but also to record all the necessary components and then to edit it all together Um, I don't know how how do you see the the two different approaches from like an effort standpoint?

[00:32:40] That's a really good question because I I I I've got that negative Part of your question from from people is it like oh you know, I easy way out or you just right totally And and for those people is like I could work. I'm dude. I'm you know

[00:32:58] Second half of my life. So I I could work smarter. I could work harder. And like, you know, like 100 I'm I'm working more efficiently for me and my energy level and that in that sense

[00:33:10] Uh, because I and I have been doing one way for so long, but uh, but also Yes, there are smaller Videos, but I find myself doing more content. I'm doing more things whereas one video can sometimes take

[00:33:24] A week or a week to do for something, you know, depending on what you're working on I could put out 10 5 10 Videos of varying different things during that time Uh, lately has I you know, because I've been doing working on some background stuff

[00:33:39] It hasn't been that kind of consistency But I'm trying to get back to that because at the end of the day it it's social content So, you know, I'm so you know, so I look at it like that so

[00:33:50] It could be looked at as throwaway content, but I don't I don't I try to make mine where Yeah, it's social content, but it's it's valuable Right. It can be valuable to you. Hey this thing came out. I want to show you this this oriole

[00:34:04] Just did something with star wars. Let me show you that Uh razor just came out with this rgb microphone. Let me show so there What it is is just moments in time of things that i'm experiencing in my life. It's my tech lifestyle

[00:34:17] There you go. It's it. Yeah, and that's a huge driver of of uh, what people love about social media and not just entertainment content, but A big part of the social experience is knowing like, oh, yeah, I like that person

[00:34:32] I like that human not just the information that they're sharing But I want to know more about that person and why they're sharing what they are That's actually a that's actually a really great way for you to describe why I wanted to do this show because like

[00:34:45] I know a lot of wonderful people Yourself included that i'm like, I want to know them on a deeper level Like what drives them and motivates them in the world of technology to do what they do And that's a really fantastic answer. You you've totally got my

[00:34:59] My mind is like turning those there was a moment like five minutes ago where I was listening to you I was like, oh, you know finger on my lips like I've got some ideas suddenly

[00:35:08] Uh, that's really cool, man. Re-invention is important. It looks like you've really done a great job with that Yeah, you know like I said the the youtube crowd of tech Tubers or whatever you want to call them. I have nothing against them

[00:35:22] Is never was for me like like I've always I don't say resisted that crowd, but you know, they're they're they're good They're excellent what they do they they're that's been established. I just didn't want to be yet another Tech channel yet another

[00:35:38] You know so it you know so like what's unique to me me So I love tech. I love smart home tech. I love gaming tech. I love kitchen tech I love all these kind of things And it connects to you know my life

[00:35:52] so why not just make this a documentary Of my life and so social media content allows you to do to do that And if something inspires you which is the point, you know, it's not just say hey look at all the cool stuff

[00:36:05] I have hey, I have this stuff here is how it's helping my life Maybe you see this and get oh, I I might need something like that that could help me and make my life a little bit better or make me happier

[00:36:20] For for a while too. So that's really the the the drive behind what I do is just how to help people understand How to make tech work for them because everybody has tech Not doubting that, you know there, you know, most people have a phone

[00:36:36] Most people have some kind of tech in their life. It's everywhere. It wasn't like early 2000s where some people you know It's it's everywhere around us But everybody doesn't know how to use it the best way to enhance their life

[00:36:48] And and that's where I feel like, you know, uh, you know people like us can come in and give them that Real world. Hey, I've I live with this device. That's why I love when people do videos

[00:36:58] I I live with this for a week. Let me tell you about it. You know, that's You know, that's the real juice. That's the juice right there And I totally agree like there you can you can do and we're kind of getting into the realm of

[00:37:11] Another question I have for you, which is the CEO of unboxings, but you can you can do the here's a product Here's all the specifications and here's what it's capable of

[00:37:21] Um, and that really really tells a very small part of the story really at the end of the day I feel like a product success is does it deliver on the promise that it

[00:37:31] It brings with it if a product is made and it is proposed to be this thing that does these things At the end of the day, if you get that technology, does it deliver on that promise?

[00:37:41] And if it doesn't doesn't matter how much memory it has or what kind of processors underneath or all that Really nerdy geeky stuff that I also, you know, am interested in sure but really at the end of the day

[00:37:52] I just want to know is it a good product that's going to deliver on that promise now you People know you like as the CEO of unboxing and I'm just

[00:38:02] I'm really curious to know where that moniker came from. Is this something that you came up with or your community came up with for you? That will be so that'll be so arrogant if I came up with that myself

[00:38:13] You know what there are people out there that would do that I would not put you in that camp, but yeah, I mean a decade ago I playfully called myself the world's funniest tech reporter But I was just that was to get people's attention

[00:38:24] And it was you know and because it was like I knew I was it was just funny. No the seat It worked. I mean it worked for me. I was like, yeah, he is pretty damn funny

[00:38:31] I mean that's how I got to know you all is how I got into networks because because of that No, it came from a community Seriously on tiktok the tiktok had this thing I don't that'll see there's much anymore

[00:38:42] But if someone does a lot of one thing and they and and they're good at it They'll call them. Oh, yeah, you're you're the CEO of drama or you're the CEO of movies Or you know, it was just it's just acknowledging that you are a person that

[00:38:57] That they look at it and that does a lot of that. So I constantly get in my Comments, oh man, look to see you over boxing there. He's back at it again

[00:39:06] And I cracked up and I'm just like this is this is hilarious because it wasn't just one time I saw it in several videos And I was also about to update my profile and I was like

[00:39:16] That's that's so cool because that will that's a conversation starter instead of just saying You know, like right now my my bio is a little boring because I'm in a period of adjusting it

[00:39:27] But that has to go back in there because because they just make it makes people ask What what is that? What do you mean? What is what is that and then I get to explain

[00:39:36] Uh why I primarily love unboxing so much. Yeah. Yeah. Well, it also it also lends a certain bit of authority and uh understanding like no know how knowledge around The art of the unboxing because it is kind of an art form, right? Like you can

[00:39:52] You know, I've been playing around with it a little bit and just really like cranking up the compression on the audio and going total Sound and unboxing and you know going for the asmr thing which isn't necessarily my thing but there's not my either

[00:40:06] But I but I tell you people love it. There's something about the experience of taking this box that has this thing that you desire inside And going through the motions like what do you think makes a really great unboxing?

[00:40:19] Yeah, so I and again the people who do the asmr there's some relaxing in there's some channels that that are just amazing with What they they they get into that emotion That people want to want to see and so my my point of view is how can I

[00:40:34] This person doesn't have this thing in front of them And how how can they live vicariously through me? And this in this in this moment and so Why you see excitement with me? Well number one, it's not fake because I am genuinely excited because

[00:40:51] I mean just for a lot of reasons. I didn't have presents growing up Uh, I didn't you know what he said about the holidays and things so That just comes from my oh my god. I got I got this cool thing

[00:41:00] I got this cool thing to open. So I am always genuinely excited. Yes I know my camera So it does I do ham it up a little a little bit But it comes it comes from a deep rooted place of just it's a privilege place to come

[00:41:11] It's a privilege. It's a privilege I'm honored when it's you know an apple would send me something or a goon or is any like these are Multi-billion like and I'm just and I don't consider myself big at all Like there's so many people that are bigger than me

[00:41:26] And I'm just like they thought of me to send this now. I do know it's pr I mean we're not stupid, you know like these are pr boxes But so many people don't have their privilege. So I'm honored for that

[00:41:37] So when I when I open that box, you know, and I I'm excited and I get to show people. Hey, this is this, you know What this cool thing is and get to demo it Even the short form they get just a little little taste of it

[00:41:51] And I just think that goes a long way and they just yeah people love The aspect of seeing someone else enjoy something so they can Have some enjoyment in their life life too. So to me it's more about showing that. Oh, yeah, this has a core

[00:42:04] This has a USB-C. This has the power. That's fine. And I show those things but like Excitement up. I got I just got the new iPad guys. Oh my god, you know, I had this

[00:42:15] I had this old one. I got just doing the screen. Oh man. The screen is brighter. Oh, it is You know, so that's where I come from and I think most people Like those type of

[00:42:25] Unboxing so I guess that makes me the CEO of it. I laugh every time I hear that because I never say it out loud Uh myself, but but yeah, so when you say that I was just laughing inside. Yeah, that's a that's a thing

[00:42:38] And see you just stopped yourself there. You couldn't even finish you couldn't even finish the CEO of unboxing Yeah, it just sounds weird to call yourself something there, but it's fun. It's it's fun though I I love I love unboxing

[00:42:50] I love the wonder, you know the uh behind it and I I love that I'm helping someone to To learn something at the same time Yeah, yeah, and it really is kind of the one of the pinnacle

[00:43:03] Ways that as a technology fan someone who who gets excited for themselves about technology That's that's what makes you a great unboxer is because of that excitement That so much of what we do in technology and media creation and everything

[00:43:18] I think if we're doing it right, we're tapping into that like that shared excitement that shared passion that we all have about technology and It doesn't get much kind of You know more nerdy Then I just got this thing and I get to open it

[00:43:35] You know like one of my favorite things peeling off the plastic sheet that that covers the screen or whatever You know being the being the first person to take that thing off Even though some people leave it on because they think that's the way that's no way

[00:43:48] That's the wrong way You got to peel that sucker off and it's never looked and will probably never look as Brand new and amazing as it does right in that moment. That just makes me happy My most controversial unboxings that still to this date are controversial

[00:44:02] And I love it as I lean into it now because I know people don't like it Is when I um when I unbox uh funko pops and I take them out the box Not only do I take them out the box. I destroy the box

[00:44:18] But I just and so that started as the exit because I was actually just excited like oh my god I got to do it and it started tore the box open and open and then people were freaking out collectors like

[00:44:28] You don't check this out there. How dare you? And then funko started Reposted them themselves. They were like we love this And that that just inflamed no more. So I just dig into it just for fun

[00:44:40] Like I make sure every every time I do it because I am excited about it. Also, it's a it's a little plastic toy That I don't find enjoyment in the box. It should come out the box so I can enjoy it. Enjoy it. So

[00:44:53] Yeah, I always always do it and so I was you know, like my cherry, you know, you know this reference here Yeah Playhouse, that's right. Yeah, I would I would I would always have mine out the box for sure

[00:45:05] Yeah, no, I'm right there with you keeping keeping the stuff on the on the inside like I get the desire I get the the kind of collectors mentality of oh, but then it's pristine and there is something to be said for Like that that nostalgic

[00:45:19] Kind of hit of of seeing the the original packaging and everything but oh no, no, I want it out of there I want it out of there. I want like that's the the real kind of yeah And also I'm not I'm not running a store

[00:45:32] I'm not trying to totally. I'm not trying to have or a gallery box. Oh I only have so much room, man. So I just let me tell you it Yeah, I completely get you. I totally get it. Um,

[00:45:46] Finally before we wrap this up because I'm realizing we're right at the end of our time here I was just like to throw in a really random kind of like question about technology that you know

[00:45:56] I I don't intend for it to be difficult to think of but if something comes to mind great. Is there a technology that you Hope someday to see in your lifetime something that maybe has been kind of in your mind, you know like, you know someday

[00:46:11] Technology is going to enable this and we quite aren't we aren't quite there yet I know that some of my own examples seem to Tie into some of the capabilities that we're seeing from from ai right now

[00:46:21] Or it's like oh wow some of these things could actually possibly happen at some point Maybe it's derived from sci-fi. I don't even know but what is technology given you at this point that you're hoping to see someday

[00:46:32] Is anything come to mind? Yeah, one of my favorite genres of a sub-genres of tech I don't talk about a lot because I'm still you know, I mean, I'm excited about it But I I'm still trying to get other people excited about it. It's uh smart home tech

[00:46:47] Uh, I love love love smart home tech. I one day. I may make a whole whole thing about But and there's so many people who do who do it who do it already, but so there is a movie

[00:46:58] I just looked it up because came up in nine. It came out in 99 It has katie sigal in it from from From married children, but it's called smart house And it's a disney movie and it's it's it's ridiculous It's just this futuristic smart house that you know

[00:47:14] It it cut things go awry in that movie. So i'm not saying I want exactly like that But when I saw that I was like man before I perish I would love That full automated

[00:47:30] type of smart house. I'll walk in the house. Good evening Lamar. Oh, you know, you're you know What do you what do you like for dinner today? Here are your messages like just like that kind of ai

[00:47:41] And that's why you know where people are so you know anti ai I get the concerns, but i'm from like If we want the future there, we have to deal with the pains they're going to come to get there

[00:47:52] And these are some of the cool things we get I want my house to know everything about me Oh, it needs to because I live there And so I want I want these kind of cool cool developments and all that

[00:48:04] I really want the full vision of the smart the smart home. That's just it's coming. It's not that's that's That's something I mean some argue that is already here I have you know home pods all around the house. So, you know, there's there's versions

[00:48:19] Versions of it, but I just mean like that full Like autonomous thing would be really cool you know some kind of Minority report type of holographic screen that pops up and I can get things done

[00:48:31] Uh, I just I marvel I love seeing those kind of things. You know, I'm a big star track geek That you know, so I see things like that and I just like man I would love that we have that in our lifetime

[00:48:44] And we're getting there. We're we're it's just celebrating how fast we absolutely how we get there. Yeah Yeah, yeah, we're getting there and we're and you know once again Like you said, we're not quite there yet

[00:48:56] But the seeds have been planted and more and more the technology that would enable that is building up around it I think you're absolutely right. The real kind of hurdle there is

[00:49:07] Are we willing to let go of certain things in order to enable something that smart to exist and Yeah, you just have to ask yourself like if that's what you truly want Then there are certain things that we you know

[00:49:19] Oh hold too close to the chest that we maybe need to you know Consider loosening a little bit in order to get it. It's all trade-offs at this point Yeah, I think a lot of what i'm hearing with that

[00:49:30] Tends to be our generation because we've lived in both worlds Whereas your your your kids generation would have no like duh, of course you want this You know, so yeah, so it's just it's just getting us to get on that side saying it's okay

[00:49:45] You know their challenges with it, of course, but but uh, yeah I just that's why it's like continuing my education of this and learning Learning about this because it's just exciting and I just again. It's just something I want to see

[00:49:58] Uh, you know before I get the heck out of here Well speaking of getting the heck out of here, maybe that was a horrible transition it is the end of this interview That's why I said it

[00:50:10] I know right Lamar. Thank you so much. I'm so happy we got the chance to do this and uh, I feel like it wasn't enough time Yeah, yeah, we gotta do this again Absolutely. Well, I really appreciate all the work that you're doing. I appreciate your humor

[00:50:23] I appreciate how good you are at what you do and I want more people to know about the work that you're doing Where would you point people to if you wanted people to to check you out in a place or two?

[00:50:33] And it just are they just looking for your name and you pretty much got the username locked up everywhere Yeah, yeah, I'm at Lamar. I'm at Lamar Wilson everywhere. That's Lamar with two hours But yeah, it's Instagram is a great home base

[00:50:47] If you want to check them out there because all of my content does filter there, but I post The same video on six different platforms. So it's a chance. You'll see me even though you're on snapchat You know, you look at me up. I I post. Yeah

[00:51:00] I post that I don't know how you do that, but uh, that's a conversation for another time Thank you so much. You are you're a rock star and I appreciate having the time to to hang out with you today

[00:51:09] Thank you. Take care Jason. Thanks for having me huge. Thanks to our guest Lamar Wilson Thanks for stopping by and hanging out with me Listen up everyone. We do this show Based on your support really right now as i'm growing the text loader podcast

[00:51:25] It's imperative that I support the show through the fans who are enjoying it It's really the most direct way to support us right now as we build things So patreon.com slash Jason howl is where you can go if you want to support the show

[00:51:38] You do also get some perks ad-free shows early access to videos a discord community and an exclusive patrons only pre premiere livestream every week and a whole lot more you also actually have the opportunity to become an executive producer and

[00:51:55] You know we have some awesome executive producers this week. Jeffrey Maricini John Cuny, Katie Lake, Bill Rudder y'all are awesome everyone who subscribes and supports this show is awesome So thank you for helping me drive this independent podcast text bloater podcast premieres every friday at 10 a.m. Pacific

[00:52:13] 1 p.m. Eastern on the text bloater youtube channel with the audio podcast Publishing to the feeds later that day. Just look for youtube.com slash at text bloater

[00:52:22] If you want to see the video version and you can find everything you need to know about this show and everything I'm doing at text bloater comm thanks again to our guest lamar and thanks to you for watching and listening

[00:52:33] I'm jason howl see you next week on another episode of the text bloater podcast