Tag: business

BEHIND THE SCENES: WHAT I DO, WHAT I DON’T DO, AND HOW I BUILT THIS WITH GORDON

People always ask,

“How do you and Gordon work together and live together without killing each other?”

Fair question.

Because the truth is: we’re together 100% of the time.

We run a company together.

We travel together.

We film together.

We plan together.

We parent together.

We build everything in our life… together.

But it didn’t start off smooth.

And my role today is nothing like what it was in the beginning.

So here’s the truth — the full story.

⸻

In the beginning, I wasn’t in the driver’s seat. I was running beside the car.

When this whole “let’s make videos” thing started, I wasn’t running the business.

I was:

• helping on the side

• suggesting ideas

• filling in gaps

• fixing things quietly

• catching problems before they became problems

• trying to keep everything from catching fire

It felt like Gordon was driving the car at full speed, pedal down, music blasting…

And I was literally running beside it, doing everything I could to keep up.

Not because he didn’t value me —

but because he didn’t want to give up control.

This was his thing.

His identity.

His comfort zone.

His creative world.

And I understood it… but that didn’t make it easier.

⸻

Gordon didn’t want to give up control — and I didn’t want to fight him.

If you know Gordon, you know this:

He likes things done a certain way.

He’s used to handling everything himself.

He’s independent.

He’s stubborn.

He’s protective of his work.

And at first, that meant he didn’t want help.

Not real help.

He didn’t want to hand things off.

He didn’t want someone organizing him.

He didn’t want someone “telling him what to do.”

Even if that someone was me.

So we struggled.

The business was growing faster than either of us expected, but he kept trying to hold all the reins.

And I kept trying to support him without stepping on his toes.

It was like trying to run a media company with one hand tied behind my back.

⸻

And then one day… something shifted.

I don’t know the exact moment, but somewhere along the way, he realized:

• he couldn’t manage everything alone

• he needed structure

• he needed someone thinking 10 steps ahead

• he needed clarity, organization, and planning

• he needed a business partner

• not a helper

• not an assistant

• not someone “running beside the car”

He needed me.

And I stepped in.

Not as a backup.

Not as a silent partner.

Not as a shadow.

But as a business owner.

⸻

Today, we switch seats. Driver’s seat. Passenger seat. Whatever the moment needs.

Sometimes I drive:

• planning

• scheduling

• contracts

• strategy

• business deals

• negotiations

• logistics

• decisions

• systems

• crisis control

• making sure everything actually gets done

Sometimes he drives:

• creative direction / brand direction

• building ideas

• on-camera energy

• storytelling

• production flow

• the heart and personality of the brand

 

And sometimes we switch seats mid-drive, depending on the day.

That’s what makes us work:

We don’t fight for one seat.

We trade them.

We share them.

We understand that the business needs both of us doing what we’re good at.

⸻

What I do now

Here’s the real list:

• help run Bully Media

• manage sponsorship communications 

• handle contracts

• plan filming

• coordinate travel

• manage deliverables

• handle all communication

• build the systems

• keep everyone on track

• make decisions no one wants to make

• put out fires

• stand beside Gordon while he shines

• help him shine brighter

• AND TRY to build my own presence through it all

Basically, I help run the company while Gordon mostly runs the camera and the tools.

And we need both to make this work.

⸻

What I don’t do

I don’t:

• pick up a camera anymore (unless I have to)

• edit

• pretend I know the right saw blade

• climb ladders

• cut metal

• dig holes

• handle manual labour

• try to act like Gordon

• try to compete for his spotlight

He’s the builder.

He’s the on-camera personality.

He’s the spark.

And I don’t have to be him.

I’m me.

⸻

How we stay together when we’re together all the time

We’re opposites that fit:

• He’s spontaneous. I’m structured.

• He’s creative chaos. I’m organized chaos.

• He jumps. I calculate.

• He makes people laugh. I worry about the business.

• He hates being told what to do. I hate when things lack direction.

• He builds. I build the plan.

And most importantly?

We respect what the other brings.

We don’t compete.

We don’t try to outshine each other.

We don’t fight for space.

We made space for each other — and that’s why it works.

⸻

I helped build a social media company — not by being loud, but by being the foundation.

People see Gordon and assume the whole thing is him.

And he IS the face.

He IS the brand.

He IS the reason people show up.

But behind every video, every partnership, every trip, every event, every episode, every opportunity…

There’s me:

planning, organizing, pushing, supporting, structuring, guiding, deciding, building the parts no one sees.

We built this together.

Each in our own lane.

Side by side.

And now?

I’m not running beside the car anymore.

I’m in the front seat —

and he trusts me enough to let me drive when I need to.

— Samantha

GOING FROM A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY TO A MEDIA COMPANY OVERNIGHT

If you had asked me in 2019 what my five-year plan was, I would’ve said something reasonable like,

“Grow the construction company,”

or

“Build nicer decks,”

or

“Try not to lose my mind during busy season.”

I definitely would not have said:

“Run a media company have over a million followers and travel across the continent filming competitions while drinking iced coffee at 7AM in a parking lot.”

But here we are.

People always ask me, “When did you know it was happening?”

And honestly?

We didn’t — it just… happened.

⸻

The Construction Days (AKA: The Origin Story)

Back in 2019, we ran Wood Bully Ltd., and our days were filled with:

• lumber deliveries

• client estimates

• job site mud

• sawdust in every pocket

• and Gordon building decks with a crew of 1

We filmed a few things here and there for fun.

Nothing serious.

A couple videos.

A few posts.

Some harmless chaos.

And then one video took off.

Then another.

Then Gordon said something funny on camera used his “ Pay attention Brian” slogan, and the internet said,

“Yep. We’ll take more of that.”

⸻

The Snowball

Suddenly we weren’t just “a construction company posting content.”

We were:

• answering DMs

• reviewing sponsorship emails

• posting every day

• filming constantly

• building bigger projects

• doing collabs

• somehow growing into a full-blown brand

It didn’t feel slow.

It wasn’t a plan.

It wasn’t even intentional.

One day we had a construction company.

The next day we had a media company.

And the day after that, we had both and zero sleep.

⸻

The Moment Everything Shifted

The shift happened the day we realized:

The camera wasn’t just documenting the work —

the camera was the work.

Suddenly:

• video deadlines mattered more than lumber deliveries

• scripts mattered as much as material lists

• filming schedules replaced deck timelines

• competitors replaced clients

• sponsors replaced suppliers

• and our shop turned into a full-time set

The sawdust stayed though.

Some things never change.

⸻

The Team Became… a Production Team

Gordon was no longer “just a deck builder.”

He became the face, the character, the storyteller.

Chuck wasn’t “just a crew member.”

He became a walking content generator.

Cameron wasn’t “just a labourer.”

He became the guy who turns chaos into watchable videos.

And me?

I turned into a business owner / producer / scheduler / negotiator / professional problem solver / licensed firefighter of daily emergencies.

We didn’t even have time to think about the transition.

We were too busy living it.

⸻

The Day We Made the Official Decision

Eventually, the reality became impossible to ignore:

• the content was growing faster than the builds

• the audience kept showing up

• sponsors kept asking for more

• opportunities kept getting bigger

• filming became the heartbeat of everything we did

So we made the call:

Wood Bully would stop building as many decks.

Bully Media would take over.

A lot more content.

Full-time.

All in.

It wasn’t easy.

It wasn’t simple.

But it was right.

⸻

Looking Back

Going from construction to media overnight sounds like a joke — but it’s our real story.

It was messy, fast, stressful, hilarious, terrifying, and perfect.

And the craziest part?

We’re just getting started.

— Samantha

FROM LABOURER TO FULL-TIME CONTENT CREATOR (A STORY I DID NOT SEE COMING)

If you told me a year ago that I’d be writing a blog post for a media company, I would’ve laughed, brushed the sawdust off my shirt, and asked if you were feeling okay. Because up until recently, my entire life was job sites, lumber, labour, tools I’m still surprised I survived using, long days, and constantly asking, “What’s next?” every five minutes. I was a labourer. That was my lane — safe, predictable, sweaty, familiar. And then everything changed.

How I Got Here (Accidentally, On Purpose)

I started with Wood Bully doing the most basic labour work: hauling materials, helping on builds, being the extra set of hands, saying yes to everything because that’s what you do when you’re learning. Then one day, someone handed me a camera — probably because they just needed someone to grab a couple shots. But “grab a couple shots” turned into “Can you film this?” which turned into “Can you film that?” which turned into “Okay, you’re actually pretty good at this,” and eventually, “Congratulations, you’re full time now.” I went from labourer to content creator faster than I could figure out how to turn airplane mode off.

What I Do Now

If you ask me what my job is today, the honest answer is: everything. I film, edit, learn new gear, travel, shoot thumbnails, record audio, capture behind-the-scenes, stay caffeinated, try not to drop expensive equipment, and pretend I know what I’m doing until I actually do. And I love it. Even when it’s overwhelming. Even when I’m exhausted. Even when my camera battery dies at the worst possible moment (which is always).

Travelling for Content — The Part I Didn’t Expect

If you’d told me I’d go from job sites to airports, I would’ve laughed again. But now I’m on the road constantly — filming tours, competitions, contractors, events, brands… everything. I’ve learned how to sleep sitting up, how to carry gear through a terminal like it’s a newborn, how to film in 100-degree heat, how to film in weather that makes me question all my life choices, how to work in hotels that were definitely decorated in 1993, and how to keep up with Gordon and Chuck (which is nearly impossible). Filming in new places is wild. Filming while trying not to get in the way is even wilder. But it’s the best part of the job.

Editing: The Part No One Sees

People see the final videos, not the late nights, the endless timelines, the hours trimming clips, the “Where’s that file?” panic, or the colour correction marathons. They don’t see the audio chaos, the re-edits, the re-re-edits, or the existential crisis when something exports weird. Editing is where everything comes together — where I get to help tell the story. That part hooked me. I went from building decks to building videos, and honestly, it feels like the thing I was meant to do.

What It’s Like Working With The Crew

Working with Bully Media feels like jumping onto a moving train — fast, chaotic, hilarious, unpredictable, and somehow the best decision I’ve ever made. Gord pushes me creatively, Chuck keeps things fun, Samantha keeps us alive and organized, the team keeps growing, and I’m learning nonstop. It’s the kind of environment where you grow because you have no choice but to grow — in the best way possible.

Who I Am Today

I’m still @camerononsite — that part hasn’t changed. But now I make content, tell stories, travel, edit, work with incredible brands, film builds people actually care about, and I’m part of a full-blown media team. I went from swinging a hammer to holding a camera, and somehow it feels like the most natural transition ever.

Where I’m Going Next

Honestly? I’m not totally sure. But I know it’s going to be good. More filming. More travelling. More learning. More storytelling. More growing with the Bully Media team. More stepping into this new version of my life. Whatever comes next, I’m ready for it.

— Cameron (@camerononsite)

HELLO WORLD — The Beginning of a Much Bigger Story

So… apparently I’m writing a blog now.

If you’ve followed us for any amount of time, you’re probably thinking,

“Samantha, don’t you already have enough going on?”

And honestly? Absolutely not. Bring on the chaos.

Anyway — hello.

Welcome.

Grab a coffee, or a snack, or one of those little granola bars you pretend is a meal.

This is where the real story starts.

Where We Were (AKA: The 2019 Era of Pure Madness)

Back in 2019, I had no idea what we were building.

Gordon was building decks.

I was building… sanity? Systems? Something like that.

What started as “Let’s post a few videos” somehow three years later turned into:

  • over a million followers
  • a full-blown media company
  • sponsorship’s from companies I used to be too scared to email
  • events, competitions, build-offs, and whatever else we’ve accidentally invented along the way

Snowballed is an understatement.

Avalanched feels closer.

One moment we were filming in a backyard with one camera.

The next minute we had Chuck throwing out one-liners, Cameron editing ten videos at once, Gordon teaching the internet how to hold a hammer, and me running a company that somehow became… a thing.

Where We Are Now

Today, we run Bully Media Inc., a full media company that does everything from YouTube competitions to sponsored content to full-scale productions that somehow always involve sawdust.

I say “we,” because this entire operation is a team effort:

  • Gordon – The on-camera chaos generator, builder, storyteller, and sometimes the reason I need Advil.
  • Chuck – Our resident comedian/content machine.
  • Cameron – The editor who somehow turns 40 hours of footage into something people actually want to watch.
  • Shannon – Making sure we don’t miss any deliverables, all our contracts are up to date and TRYING to keep the competition series on some sort of schedule
  • Me – The one running the business, organizing the circus, and pretending I don’t have 47 tabs open at all times.

We’re a little dysfunctional, but it works.

Somehow.

Why This Blog Exists

Here’s the thing: social media doesn’t always show the real stuff.

This blog will.

The plan?

Everything. Literally everything.

  • The behind-the-scenes
  • The travel
  • The construction stories
  • The business stuff
  • The things we get right
  • The things we absolutely do NOT get right
  • The moments where we laugh
  • The moments where we nearly throw our phones across the room
  • The things Gordon says off-camera that probably shouldn’t be public but… here we are

This isn’t just an update feed.

This is the start of a much bigger story — the one we’re still writing, the one no one sees on Instagram or YouTube.

And honestly? I think it’s going to be fun.

What’s Next

This is just the “Hello World” moment.

The very beginning.

You’ll hear from me the most, but Gordon, Chuck and Cameron (yes, all of them, willingly) will be dropping their own posts from time to time — so buckle up for whatever that ends up looking like.

If you’re here, welcome to the chaos.

Welcome to the journey.

Welcome to the story behind everything we do.

Let’s see where this goes.

— Samantha