Episode 029: Adam Wenig & Chris Frederick Interview Casey Adams

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This is the Rise of the Young podcast, bringing you insights from the most innovative entrepreneurs and influencers of this era. Hosted by 17 year old entrepreneur, author, public speaker and branding expert, Casey Adams. Now let's get right into the show.

What's going on, everyone? Casey Adams here. Welcome to the Rise of the Young podcast today. Today on episode 29, I actually get interviewed by my good buddies Christopher Frederick and Adam Wenig. And pretty much they interviewed me regarding Instagram growth, they interviewed me talking about networking opportunities on Instagram and overall it was a super, super, super cool interview. So that being said, make sure you stay tuned. It's going to be very, very cool. And let me know what you think and make sure to check out Adam and Chris in the description below. So, so that being said, see you on the other side.

Adam and Chris Frederick. And we're here with a special guest, Casey Adams, who's actually 17 years old. He is killing it, doing a lot of really cool stuff, growing a pretty massive following. Looks like over 150, which is cool. So Casey, thanks for being here with us. I'm excited to chat here.

Absolutely, man, thanks for having me. Yeah.

So talk to us a little bit about your backstory. Like, I mean man, you're in high school. I was just asking for cutting class how we got this class.

For sure, man.

But how did you get into entrepreneurship and like what were you doing previously?

Yeah, for sure, man. So it's actually, it's a funny story. So when I was 15, sophomore in high school. I've always been an athlete my entire life. And that's, that's always been like my thing. Played football, lacrosse, hockey. Played hockey for like nine years. But kind of the big pivoting point for me in my life, especially when I was in high School was I suffered a severe neck injury. So pretty much I was sophomore in High School, 15 years old. And after like the entire summer of training, like getting ready for the season, the first day of hitting practice, my. My football helmet wasn't on right. Long story short, I ended up getting diagnosed with interspiniest ligament damage, which I was in a neck brace for like 20 weeks. And that was like the moment in my life where I was depressed, I was unhappy, I didn't know what I wanted to do. And at that time, like, I come from a small town in Richmond, Virginia, and like, there's not much stuff going on. Not many people are just motivated in a sense to do stuff, in a sense, you know. So long story short, I was in this neck brace for 20 weeks. I ended up finding just mentors online because during that time it's like you can't get out and move at all. I was stuck in the house like 20 weeks straight in my neck brace the. The entire summer pretty much. And it was during that time that like, I learned about just self education in general. Started following people like Tai Lopez, Gary Vaynerchuk, Gerard Adams, and all these other guys that were just big influencers of like, the people, not just for them, but like to provide an impact. Right. So then I started reading books and then I started like just overall building my brand in a sense, when it comes to just entrepreneurship in general. Then I started like a T shirt brand, which is like my very, very first thing I ever did, which was I was selling T shirts at school, selling wristbands, and. And then like, one thing led to the other. But that was like my core background story of like, how I got started into what I'm doing. But then it kind of like one thing led to the next, and we'll get more into that as well.

Cool. What was the epiphany that you had that made you think that, hey, I need to build my personal brand? Because you've done a great job doing that. How did you come to that?

Yeah, so, I mean, for me, I feel like it really just comes down like whenever I started, like learning more about just social media in general, I always knew that it's very, very valuable to have a personal brand just from like the get go of like, not only does it provide you just recognition for you, but you can also impact people. So I looked at it from the get go of like, how can I build my brand to not only benefit me in a sense to network better or whatever it may be, but then to also Provide value to people or tell my story or help that one dude who's across the world that may not be in the best situation, you know. So I've always looked at it from like an impact standpoint, but I would say to answer the question directly of like, why did I do it? What was the pivoting point? It was always just, I always saw personal branding as something I'm interested in. And then obviously from like follow Gary Vee and seeing what other influencers online were doing, I always just knew that it was a route I wanted to take. So then I just started pursuing it. But I feel like from the get go, it wasn't like I had this master plan. I just started putting out stuff and doing things that I thought were right in the moment, you know, and so.

Talking, I mean, I know your Instagram page is huge and I'm sure some of your other social medias as well. What was the aha with Instagram? Was that just that, hey, I was on Instagram all the time anyways and that's the, you know, the platform that I was concerned. Yeah, like, why did you decide to get into?

Yeah, so I would say for Instagram especially, I mean, that's just always for me, like it's been the most like, from like a young gen Z standpoint of just interaction, whether it be with people and then all of like not mainstream people, but mainstream people in a sense were always on it. You know, like from the get go, it's always been that main platform. But I would say the biggest thing for me when I started like really growing my Instagram is just like when I started to have more opportunities networking. And I got invited to this one event last January 2017 in San Diego and I met all these people that were like big influencers online. Like Gerard Adams was there, my buddy Caleb Maddox and all these cool guys in the industry. So when I started doing that, I kind of started to like think long term about branding in a sense. And that's really what I like to focus on, is building a personal brand. And I actually have a social media agency now that we help people build their personal brands, grow their social medias in a sense. But I would say from the get go, Instagram just been always like that platform that it's just unique in a sense regarding from Facebook or YouTube. It's just that one platform. I look at it as like a social business card in a sense. Yeah.

Now I know you and Chris have built like huge, huge followings. I don't know, Chris, you're I keep seeing your accounts growing like crazy all the time, every day I look at it. But how did you, when you first got started on Instagram, like, what. How did you start, like picking up traction?

Like, what were you doing? So I would say the biggest thing for me was just two words, collaboration and consistency, meaning just so. A huge turning point for me was just like when it comes to gaining credibility, sense. So my. One of my mentors, Tai Lopez, he ended up flying me out to LA last February from just. I got in touch with them via DMs and I just, I ended up getting contact with him at the right time for the right purpose in a sense. And then he ended up flying me out. I was in a bunch of his online courses and stuff regarding just talking about branding in general. And at that time I probably had like 20, 20, 25, maybe 30,000 followers. And then he would like plug me on his Instagram in a sense. And that drew me a lot when it comes, like collaboration with people. And then from there I was able to just build a lot of networking opportunities from his house, people that were there. One of my mentors now, Jayden Gross, who is like one of his top students in a sense, he's helped me grow and network. But I would just say a lot of just collaboration, whether that be taking over people's Instagram stories, taking pictures with people and them tagging you, you tagging them. So it's just you create this kind of foundation of just people that are driving traffic in different ways from the collaboration you do with people. So I would say that's been a huge thing for me for sure.

And what about the initial stage? I mean, because some of the people that may be watching this later, they don't have 25,000.

Yeah.

So like at the very beginning, how did you get to that initial?

Yeah, so I would say even before I kind of started branding myself as like when I got into entrepreneurship, even before that when I was on Instagram, I've always kind of wanted to build an audience in a sense. So I would say my first initial, like zero to 5,000 followers in a sense came from like in the old days when I was just 13, just trying to grow an audience from either commenting in people's pictures or doing shout out for shout outs. Like way back in the day when it was kind of first evolving in a sense. But I would say just even back then, like collaboration with people, whether that be posting a picture of someone's page or like this is way in the. And When I first started, but just posting a picture of their page, they're them doing it to you and just doing shout outs for shout out with people. But now it's like I feel like people can really get on top of it and do it strategically now when it comes to taking over an Instagram story so that you actually get to feel who the person is in a sense. So I would say from the get go, just always collaboration and then always just being engaged with people, commenting on people's pictures, actually being genuine, not just commenting one word in a sense, but just being genuine, saying that you appreciate their content and then always when it comes to the consistency of things, just definitely do your digging, see what other strategies are out there. Because there's always different strategies changing and flipping. So just being on top of the game and following trends in a sense.

So you found that basically if you give love to somebody else on social media, they tend to give it back to you with either a follow a comment, a like on a couple pictures, right? Kind of.

Definitely. 100%, 100%. Cuz it's always like, and this is from Gerard Adams at an event like your personal brand isn't necessarily for you. Like you don't want to wake up in the morning and look at your page and be like, hey, I look good today. But you're doing it for people. So at the end of the day, social media is a people place and if you engage with people, therefore you're way more likely to get engaged back with or followed with from people. Because it's just a community that if you interact with it, it'll interact back with you.

Interesting. What about. Cause we've been interviewing a bunch of guys that have these big, big accounts. Nobody's really talked about this Instagram story takeover thing. You're the first that's ever mentioned that guy heard of. Tell us a little bit about that. Like how do you just how do you.

How does that work? Yeah, so I mean I used to do this a lot when I first kind of grown my audience. I haven't done it recently, but it's. I have a bunch planned out moving forward into the year. But pretty much like my buddy Caleb Maddox, for example, he's a, he has a big influence online. So a lot of people when it comes to like story takeovers, like giving someone your access to the account is not the way to go pretty much on like let's say for Instagram, you can record a story on your phone, but instead of posting it to your story, just save It. So it's like in your camera roll, and then let's say you do three or four stories, then you send it to somebody, but. But you do it in a way where it's like, if I wanted to post an Instagram story on Caleb's platform and we were gonna do a collaboration, it's pretty much I would do to his audience, like, hey, what up, Caleb Maddox fans? Or whatever. It may be like talking to their audience, like, saving the videos, and then you sending over to him, and then same vice versa on his end, and then pretty much you're just driving traffic both ways. But it's more of, like a personal connection. You're talking to that person's audience from them viewing the story, you know.

Cool, Cool. Now, have you. Have you ever done that to sell stuff or pretty much all just promotion for. For your, like, personal brand, your page?

Yes, I would say I did it a few times when it comes to. Because I have a book out called Rise of the Young, and I have a few people that I've interviewed in there, like, such as Caleb.

Where can people get the book?

Amazon. It's Bit Dot Lee slash Rise of the Young.

Cool.

Or on Amazon, you can just type in Rise of the Young and it'll be there. But yeah, I would say, like, when it comes to me and like, having that little effect of collaboration and since when I had my book come out, I was always doing. Whether that be like, people were doing a few things on their story, same thing I was sending them videos to put on. So just for people in general to sell stuff, in a sense, I would say. Yeah, I've definitely used it to definitely monetize my book, for sure.

That's what's up, man. Have you. I was just thinking that this would be a cool idea. Have you done, like. Because you can do, obviously, live stories, right?

Yeah.

Have you done this yet where you'll just go live for like, 20 minutes, 30 minutes or whatever?

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Actually, yesterday, because I've been. I've been testing this a lot recently is like, I'll go live and then people will come in, and then a lot of people would want to join, ask me questions. So then yesterday I was bringing in, like, four different people, bringing them in, answer a few questions, bringing the other person in, answer a few questions. And I feel like, as me personally, that's something that I'm gonna start doing a lot more because it just like, engages your audience, and if you let people know that you do that, people will be way more likely to start joining your live stream if they feel like they have value being added in return of them hopping on with you in a sense, you know?

Yeah, yeah, totally. As far as, like, coming up with content, like, how do you come up with your content? Is it just, like, random, off your head?

Yes. Whenever I like, when it comes to me speaking on stage about personal branding, I always try to look at a personal brand. I like to go by, like, I call it the three pillars. And pretty much what I mean by three pillars is like, I identify, like, three ways that I want people to know me as. That's really short and sweet. So when it comes to my brand, for example, I go by, I'm a young entrepreneur, so that's like a pinpoint a pillar of mine. And. And then I post traveling pictures as well as pictures of me networking or just doing my thing, whether it be I'm out and about or off guards or whatever it may be. But I look, I look at Instagram for me, and because I don't post a lot of videos of me talking about entrepreneurship, that's kind of what I do on my podcast now. But regarding, like, my Instagram page in general, I like to post a lot of job, just a lot of just like, cool pictures that just catch people's eye in a sense, because I always look at marketing in a sense that you have to overall drive attention. So if I can drive attention through my page, whether that be the places I'm at or the places I'm traveling or even the people that I'm meeting in a sense, for networking opportunities. But I always, like, try to tell people whenever people are first getting started is like, identify three reasons or three ways that you'd want to be identified so that, like, for example, when you think about Tai Lopez, he's always like, Lamborghini chicks or mansion or what here in my garage. Like, he has instantly when you hear the name or when you see this page or whatever, maybe you just identify him over categories. So if you look at it from like a marketing standpoint, I always tell people, like, just definitely try to identify yourself and then put out content based around those three pillars in a consistent way.

Interesting.

That's awesome. Casey, I want to ask you this. How have you monetized your following specifically for, you know, your book or the T shirts that you were selling? And because you're 17 years old, there's going to be a lot of people that are watching this that are around, you know, the millennial age demographic and are like, wow, Casey's 17. You know, like how is he able to monetize social media for not just your demographic, but how are you marketing other demographics, like our demographic, 30, etc. How are you relating to every demographic being at the young starting point that you're at?

Yeah, so yeah, I would say there's, there's a multiple different ways. So I mean from the forefront when it comes to just like whether it be a product of mine, whether it be my book or some other T shirts that I used to sell. But then recently, over the last like six, seven months, my team and I, we've been doing a lot of just events in different cities. We had one in Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, New York, Vegas, and those were just like mastermind events that we were holding. Regarding we, I spoke about social media branding and then some people on our team are crushing it in E commerce, some people are crushing it in real estate. So just different industries coming together as like a millennial Gen Z group that have audiences on Instagram. Or we would then collaborate, like I always say, and come together and then pick a location that we want to do it, pick a city we want to do it. And then we would just be selling tickets. Whether it be a 50 person event or like some of our events have been like 200, 250 people. So when it comes to monetization in the standpoint, I always look at it like of course, the value that you provide back. So I think from these events a lot of people, because for me, going to my first event was huge. The networking opportunities that you can come from it in a sense. So I would say when it comes to the monetization standpoint, having those events have been very successful from the different cities. It's allowed me to travel, of course. And traveling therefore grows my brand. I'm able to collect content and storytelling a sense. So having those events have definitely been a huge thing. And then when it comes to the products, my book as well as just some little things, whether the affiliate products or stuff like that.

And you've been able to do that all just through Instagram. Like you went to your first event because of Instagram, so that's why. I mean, if you want to talk about this real quick, if I ask the question, you know, why is Instagram such a huge opportunity for not just you, but anybody watching this right now? Why has it been that huge opportunity? I mean, you just said you did all this just through Instagram and went to your first event because of. Elaborate on that.

Yeah, that's. That's that's kind of a cool standpoint, I think, that you brought up. And I think that when it comes to just Instagram, like, if you ask any person or someone that's building a brand, I feel like Instagram is definitely the hub or like it's a database of content that it's like, it will always be there. It's like the longevity effect of Instagram. So I would say when it comes to, like, why we did it or why I did it on Instagram and why I believe Instagram is powerful in a sense, it's just. It's just unique as a platform because whether you have the pictures, the videos, the stories, and then overall, like the bio and the profile, it's just like I said earlier about like the business card, you just get to identify people for who they are, what they do, as well as they brand themselves correctly. But I think from Instagram, I mean, I've been able to build my audience on there. And then like I said earlier regarding me having my first event or going to my first event in San Diego, that was like my driving force. I got to figure out information about it. They had the link in their bio. It's just like a database of a platform that you can always figure out more things that are happening, especially if you're actually looking for them. Because, I mean, if you're just on Instagram, scrolling at Worldstar and different platforms or pages, you're never gonna get new opportunities because you gotta be looking for them, you know. So I would say definitely just Instagram has been huge for me and it's always just been like my day one in a sense, that I've just been going to.

Cool, man. So there's a. There's obviously like a lot of different things that people talk about Instagram and I wanted to hear your take on it. People talk about, like, the importance of like hashtags, for example. Like, how important is this or is it. Is it mainly, you know, collaboration and getting shouted out?

Yeah, I mean, I would say because I do use hashtags and a multi, like pretty much every single one of my pictures in a sense. And I would say when it comes to like ranking in the hashtags, I mean, there's different strategies that I've used that have helped when it comes to my engagement, in a sense. But then there's also. There's always different algorithms changing. Some people say this, some people say that. So you never legitly know from like the Instagram God or whatever it may be himself, but when it comes to just an overall engagement and testing, in a sense, I would say hashtags when it comes to me ranking them, because I have this funny story where this girl that was actually, she lives locally and she didn't know about my page, and she ended up seeing my page on like the popular page from like a hashtag I used. And then we ended up getting contact with each other, and then that was kind of the girl that we hosted this event in Vegas. So I would say when it comes to just opportunity, if you can rank and hashtags from getting your content out there and actually using particular words or phrases that relate to the image itself or the video itself, I mean, that's kind of a story that I believe in hashtags because, like, someone has disgusted. Discovered me in a sense from that because they were either looking at it or whatever it may be. So I would say, I mean, for me, I definitely suggest it because like I said, like, I have multiple stories like that of people finding me through the hashtag, whether that be Los Angeles or hashtag Richmond, Virginia, or hashtag young entrepreneurship or just anything that relates to who you are. Not just like the generic, like big hashtags that have hundreds of millions, but just kind of like if you go niche specific and you kind of like think about the hashtags that you're using from like a. All right, how can I. Very, very niche target what people? I want to come to my page and then just do a lot of analysis and then start testing overall.

Interesting. Chris, do you have any other questions? Because I have one last question because, Casey, I know you got to get run here a second. Chris, you have any last questions?

I do, Casey. So to kind of like wrap this up before Adam has his question for you here, what do you think is the number one takeaway that you've been able to consume from Instagram and kind of get back. You know, I know you talked about providing the value, it being a great data, you know, base to, you know, see somebody kind of like a business card and figure out who they are. What's the number one thing that Instagram has been able to give you at the age of 17 with the opportunity, I mean, traveling, you know, you know, kind of talk about that real quick and sum that up for sure people to give you.

I mean, I would say from like a. If I had to say it very straightforward. It's just networking opportunities. Simple as that. Because when it comes to like. Because for me, I always tell people all the time, whether that be I'm getting interviewed or I'm interviewing people. It's like I come from a small place in Virginia that there's no entrepreneur like tendencies or people that I'm surrounding myself with in a sense. But when it comes to like the opportunities that I've been able to get, whether that be going, getting invited to speak at my first event in San Diego that I had to pay for, I wasn't like, I wasn't able to then go out there for like it wasn't paid or anything like that. But when it comes to like the biggest thing for Instagram, when it comes to like how it's been added value to me, like I have a funny story with like how I got in touch with Tai Lopez. It was like just from a direct message, but it wasn't like the first message. It was like the consistency of messaging for a distinctive purpose that has helped me a lot along the way. Like for example, I'm going out to New York City this Friday and I have a meeting with Gary Vee. But that just happened from a direct message and I know like from my outlook of like where I want, what I want to do with my network, the value I want to add to people, I would just say like there's so much gold inside of Instagram if you're digging for it and if you're very selective like of how you do things. Cuz like I said earlier, if you're just on the platform, if you're just scrolling, scrolling, scrolling, nothing's gonna pop out at you and you're not gonna get like a magic genie's gonna come out of nowhere. You know, you have to do the work and actually be consistent with direct messaging people with getting in contact with people, with trying to build your following. But I, I would say the networking opportunities that have came from it is like the number one most valuable thing that I've taken away. And then just kind of like a quick. My insights of what I think about networking on Instagram is that I look at Instagram as a platform that I build relationships on to then build real relationships in real life. Because you only get so far with someone on Instagram that you're connecting with them on the phone with them. But like for example, me and you met from Instagram, Chris, we met up in Florida. Now it's like that building a personal connection but using the platform as like a pinpoint of leverage that to get to that initial standpoint is like my, oh, that's always what I'll try to focus on is just like Bringing relationships from Instagram to then real life to actually build stuff with people.

Super cool, man. Okay, last question. Because I know you gotta get going.

Oh, you're good.

Last question. Let's say that your Instagram account were to get deleted tomorrow. What do you do? What are your next steps?

Yeah, I've thought about this before for sure. And I would say that, like, for me, I was always out. I wouldn't, I wouldn't try to stress about it because I know, like, it's a platform itself. Like there's. You still have the. I still have my relationships. And that's kind of like where I see Instagram. Is that like building relationships from like a real life standpoint. So I already know that, like, let's say I was to throw my phone in the water and I have just. Or like, I just have nothing in a sense of Instagram platforms or social media. Right. I just know that, like, when it comes to like direct outreach of people, that if I was to start up again, I have people that have audiences that know me for me, not just know me for my Instagram page, in a sense that would then help me. Whether it be like, it all comes down to like the collaboration again, you know, and especially when it comes to like investing into Instagram growth, whether that be shoutouts or whatever, it may be definitely just doing some investing, like I have before on my page of just. Whether it be shout outs or getting in contact with the right people or going to events or just whether it be a course or whatever, it may be from Instagram growth in general. But I would definitely just start. I have so much content or if I had to restart everything, I would definitely just start traveling like I have been before and like collecting content, getting in contact with my connections, getting them to shout me out, doing live streams, letting people know that, oh yeah, this is my new account from like my. My network standpoint of like people letting people know in a sense, you know. Yeah.

Hey, man, thanks so much for doing this. I know you gotta get running here, but that was super cool.

Absolutely.

And I know a lot of people are gonna enjoy watching this replay, so thanks again, man.

Absolutely, man. I appreciate it. I actually, I recorded this as well, so I could I put this on my podcast. Is that cool?

Absolutely.

For sure. For sure. I appreciate it, Adam. Thank you so much, Chris. And we definitely, definitely want to continue this relationship, build it long term. I know that me and Chris have met up, but we haven't had a chance to meet up in person yet. Adam. So let's for sure we'll make it happen this year.

Yeah, man, I'm gonna. I'm gonna go ahead and just pause my recording here and do that. But. Yeah, man, you're. You're freaking super cool, man.

I appreciate that.

Let me know if there's anything that I can do to help you ever.

For sure.

I kind of. My specialty is I work with Russell Brunson, his inner circle group. And so I'm kind of in that world where I'm more in tune with the funnels and stuff like that. So if I could ever build a funnel for you or something to help you, let me know.

And then.

Yeah, your book link bit ly.

Rise of the Young.

Rise of the Young.

Yep.

Cool, man.

For sure. And then also. Oh, wait, go ahead, Chris.

Where's my book, dude?

I got. I have two right here. That's it. I got to get a new shipment, bro. I got you, dude.

I don't like that, man. Last year I was gonna.

Okay, I'll buy you on Amazon, bro. Cool.

Nice. Nice meeting you here.

For sure.

Yeah. If you're ever in South Florida, we'll have to connect on Instagram and.

Definitely. For sure. Yeah. Cuz I've only been afforded once. That was when I met Chris. And then I plan on going to Miami sometime this year cuz like, that's like, the only place, like, city that I haven't been to when it comes to, like, major cities. I know for sure, man.

Come during the winter, though, while you're freezing your ass.

For sure. For sure. Definitely. Yeah. Whenever I'm heading down there, I'll for sure let you know. Cool, man, Cool. I appreciate it so much.

Okay, right on. I'll talk to you later, man.

Cool, man. Have a good one. Thank you.

Yep.

Casey Adams here again. Thanks so much for tuning in for my interview with Christopher Frederick and Adam Wenig. Make sure to subscribe to the Rise of the Young podcast. Make sure you drop a review, drop a rating. We just got ranked number 17 in top business podcasts in the world, so I'd very much appreciate it if you could subscribe. Help us keep growing. We just hit 17,000 downloads. We're trying to hit 1 million downloads in 2018 alone. And every download is very, very helpful. So then again, thank you so much for tuning in to the Rise of the Young podcast. Make sure to share it with a friend. Make sure to stay tuned for the next episode and I will see you on the next show.

Peace Legacy of Monsters An Apple Original.

Series the world is on fire. I decided to do something about it.

On the November 17th.

This place. It's not ours. Believe me.

The most massive event of the year arrives.

If you come with me, you'll know everything. I promise.

Oh, my God. Go, go, Go.

Monarch Legacy of Monsters streaming November 17th only on Apple TV Plus.