We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ryder and Chad Wood. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ryder and Chad below.
Ryder and Chad, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
Every ounce of optimism in my body comes from my older brother, Brandon. He gave me an up close and personal lesson on optimism at a very young age. Brandon, who’s 2 years older than me suffered from cerebral palsy. He couldn’t walk or talk and most of the time had to eat through a feeding tube. He was confined to a recliner in the day time and his bed at night time was a hospital bed that my parents had to purchase in order for him to find some kind of comfort during night. We were constantly in and out of the hospital, going to doctors appointments and such with him. I remember him having hip surgery during my early teens and him having to be in a cast from his chest down. He truly had it rough. Brandon required 24/7 help from my mom and dad. Literally, 365 days a year around the clock care had to be given to him. My parents were his lifeline. We unfortunately lost Brandon back in 2002 when I was 16 years old. He had just turned 18, 10 days prior to his passing but the lesson he taught me will forever live inside of me. No matter what Brandon had going on in his life, no matter how sick he was, no matter how much sleep he didn’t get, he ALWAYS found something to smile about, everyday. I can remember being outside skateboarding or playing music with my friends and running inside to grab something to drink. Brandon in his usual spot in his recliner, I’d always say to him “Brandon, you good over there?” And he would look over at me and just smile the biggest smile you’d ever seen! All while, I’m outside with my buddies playing music or skating, having the absolute best time ever, my brother is stuck to this recliner just wishing he could simply take a step or speak a word. Despite every obstacle that’s placed in front of him daily, he found something to smile about and one day it hit me… “Does it really matter that my high school crush doesn’t like me back?” Does it really matter that I don’t have those new pair of skate shoes?” ” Does it really matter that I don’t fit in with the popular kids at school?” “What if mom and dad don’t buy me that new car?” No, it doesn’t. None of that mattered. My brother opened my eyes and showed me just how good I have it. All of these worries and complaints I had, Brandon would have loved to have my problems. Could you imagine not being able to speak or walk or to be restricted to a recliner or having have to have around the clock care? But my big brother never let his circumstances stop him from lighting up the room with the big bright smile of his. He was happy just to breathe, just to exist, just to be alive another day. The optimism he engraved within me isn’t something that you can just pickup and learn. You have to live it. And I’m blessed enough to say that I lived it for 5,947 days. This isn’t something that I’ll ever be able to give or teach to anyone but it is the one thing that I’ll always do my best to show others I encounter. It’s something that will truly live in my heart forever.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Rowdy Ryder Reviews is the brain child of our “Rowdy” nine year old son, Ryder. He LOVES the wild world of pro wrestling! Since the day he was born, Ryder has been watching some sort of pro wrestling. Weather it be, WWE, WCW, AEW, TNA, PWG, NJPW, ROH etc he will find something to grasp onto and enjoy it. The action of the squared circle is something that has always caught the eye of my side family for many generations. I grew up going to almost every WCW/WWF live show that would come within a reasonable driving distance from our home in Upstate, SC. I was always known in school as the weirdo that only watched wrestling. When I was a kid, I had a bedtime of 9pm every night…except on Mondays. If you wanted to find my dad or I, one place you’d without a doubt catch us is in the living room in front of the tv from the hours of 8pm-11pm every Monday night. I always thought it was cool that my parents understood my love for wrestling and would let me stay up way past my bedtime. Fast forward some years later, my wife Angela and I were soon expecting our first child. Leading up to the arrive of our baby boy, we would often conversate about everything we wanted to do with Ryder when getting to a reasonable age. Picnics, trampoline parks, trips to the zoo and you guessed it…WRESTLING SHOWS! Late summer of 2014, Ryder had finally arrived. I, at the time was an Independent Wrestler, who wrestled around the South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia area. Nothing like the lights, camera, and stages you see on tv/pay-per-view but for me, none of that mattered. I was a pro wrestler attempting to make a name for myself. It never amounted to much, just a weekend warrior at best but I was living out a dream. I had been at this for three years prior to Ryder making his debut in our lives. I can remember telling Angela, “When Ryder gets old enough, he’s going with me to my shows.” Angela use to be my road dog, traveling with me on the weekends up and down I-85 while I was trying to make a name but now with a little one here, life changed…in a big way. At this time, Ryder wasn’t quite ready to hit the road with me just yet and with me still being new to this whole dad thing, my want to preform in the ring became less and less the more time I spent away from Angela and Ryder but I still had a little left in the tank as I hoped for Ryder to get to see me in action one day. Some time later, im still at it, coasting on fumes but I finally had the opportunity to wrestle with Ryder in the crowd. It was such a wonderful feeling. I remember thinking, “One day, Ryder is gonna say my dad is a pro wrestler!” Now with the rowdy one, riding shotgun with me from time to time, that thought kept me going for a year or so later until I had enough of coming home late on the weekends, beat up, bruised and bloody. All while the weekend runs were fun, nothing beat sitting at home with my family on the weekends. No long drives. No late nights. No worrying about injuries. No commitment. No more missing out on all the “1st” that were happening with Ryder. I slowly faded out into obscurity in the tri-state area, not looking back. Now, just because I quit being a “wrestler,” it didn’t mean that my love for wrestling had left. I thought with Ryder not going to shows and getting to be up close to the action, that his love for pro wrestling would start to dwindle but boy was I wrong! When wrestling was on the tv, he was right there with me watching, cheering his favorites and booing his most hated. “Maybe this life after indy wrestling isn’t so bad after all.” I’m getting to still enjoy pro wrestling but from the comfort of my living room…WITH MY FAMILY! You know the saying, “You can’t have your cake and eat it too” but I was more than happy just having my cake. Back when I was a kid, my parents would buy me all of my favorite WWF/WCW wrestling figures. I would sit in my rooms for hours recreating my favorite moments. Throughout the years, I had managed to some how hold onto a few of these figures from my childhood and one day I decided, the time was up, the time was now, I showed Ryder my figure collection and he replied with WOW! Some of them out of the package and my most rare ones, still sealed up. Ryder was in awe as he got to see handheld versions of the bigger than life superstars that he would see on TV. Seeing how he reacted to this, I gladly handed over a few of my loose figures and right then, Ryder would begin an epic journey of collecting. He progressed through childhood, played with the usual toys that kids his age gravitate toward but he would always end up playing with these wrestlers more than anything. Initially thinking his interest in wrestling figures might be a short lived phase, my wife and I soon realized that Ryder’s passion for collecting them was only intensifying. His collection grew steadily, and a unique pattern emerged. Whenever a WWE superstar appeared on TV, Ryder would eagerly sift through his figures, showcasing his ability to find the perfect match for the on-screen WWE Superstar. Yet, this enthusiasm presented a challenge – if a wrestler without a corresponding figure appeared, it triggered quests to local stores and flea markets in search of the missing action figure. Ryder and I turned these excursions into memorable adventures, blasting our favorite WWE superstar’s entrance music in the car while embarking on the quest for the elusive plastic companions. Upon finding them, the excitement was palpable as we unwrapped the boxes like two fiends. He would be bursting from excitement to add another figure to his collection and I’d be over thrilled to see the joy this brought him. Beyond collecting, Ryder mastered the art of posing his figures in iconic WWE stances, even creating his own versions of their signature moves, dubbed ‘set-ups.’ With his WWE ring and figures, we transformed our living room into an arena, bringing his dream matches to life. This was right around the time that Ryan’s Toy Review was starting to take over YouTube and Ryder as most kids at the time, would sit and watch this kid play with all of his toys for hours. I couldn’t quite fathom the appeal of watching another child play with toys but he was into it. One evening, while awaiting for my wife to come home from her work shift, Ryder and I pondered if there were YouTube channels dedicated specifically to WWE figures. A search for “WWE action figure set-up” led us to the revelation of “Brett-O Live,” Brett-O would review the latest WWE action figures and recreate memorable WWE moments using his figures. Oh boy at the rabbit hole he and I had entered. Inspired, Ryder declared, “I want to do that!” We immersed ourselves in Brett-O’s videos, and upon Angela’s return, Ryder eagerly shared our discovery with my wife as soon as she opened our front door. In the subsequent weeks, our YouTube watch history overflowed with Brett-O Live videos, and Ryder persistently expressed his desire to create a YouTube channel where he could do the same. This caused some concern from us due to Ryders young age and of course how dangerous the internet could be. We both attempted to dismiss this idea over the coming days but he wouldn’t stop talking about doing this channel. He would often ask for our phones and record himself doing mock reviews like he would see on BrettO’s YouTube. He was all about it. “Can I film a review please?” is all the we would hear come out of his mouth for days on end. Angela and I still didn’t quite know how to handle this. We wanted to support him but more importantly, wanted to make sure we were putting his safety first! After a few late night talks between Angela and I about it, despite initial reservations due to Ryder’s age and online concerns, Angela and I eventually decided, let’s do this! With one or both of us actively participating in his videos and overseeing his endeavors. We sat time aside later in the week to film Ryders very first review but the day of, I started feeling under the weather, Angela, who was six months pregnant with our second child Charlee, embraced the challenge of turning Ryder’s vision into reality. Seated at our modest kitchen table, they filmed a joint review of the Hot Topic Exclusive Young Bucks and the regular version of Young Bucks Funko Pops. Despite their lack of experience, the laughter and engaging conversation during the review spoke volumes. Witnessing the joy it brought Ryder and the bonding experience between him and Angela was truly special. From that moment on, instead of simply tearing into boxes, we began filming Ryder’s unboxings and opinions on his figures. As Ryder’s channel went on, we began to add a variety of pro wrestling content to his channel. Such as, WWE PPV prediction videos, WWE reaction videos, toy hunts and vlogs when we venture out to any live pro wrestling show. We want to make sure that we put out enjoyable wrestling content for anyone who might be a fan of sports entrainment, not just the collectors. We feel like that adding these other variables to his channel, it widens our potential reach with the wrestling community. One rule that we’ve have with Ryder about his YouTube, have fun! We always tell him that if this ever stops being fun, tell us and we won’t continue this anymore. I know he gets tired of us always asking “Are you still having fun doing YouTube?” but we never want him to feel as if this is a job. Although parts of his quest can often be a daunting task for myself with editing, SEO research, keeping up with the trends etc, it’s things that I’ve always loved doing. I’ve found out in life that when a hobby starts to feel like a job, it’s time to find a new hobby. When/if that time comes with Ryder, it’s going to be a bittersweet day but there will be no doubt that we’ve had fun and hopefully positivity impacted at least one person with our content.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Reflecting on our journey, it’s hard to narrow down to just three impactful qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge, but I’ll keep it as short as possible. First, surround yourself with people who genuinely want to see you succeed. I’m not referring to family; rather, I’m emphasizing the importance of a supportive network outside your immediate circle. The encouragement and insights from like-minded individuals can be a driving force in your journey.
Stay committed to continuous research. In the YouTube landscape, staying on top of trends is crucial. The game is ever-evolving, and being well-informed is your best defense against missing out on opportunities or trends. Dedicate time to staying up on developments and trends relevant to your niche.
Build connections with fellow creators. Befriend those who are where you want to be. Reach out to them, pick their brains, and seek guidance. However, it’s important to approach this with authenticity. I receive DMs on Ryder’s social media accounts asking for shoutouts, and it’s clear when someone hasn’t put in the work. Yeah, we’ve received shout outs by toy companies, WWE/AEW wrestlers before but we’ve never asked “Hey, can you please shout me out to your followers?” instead, we focus on creating quality content that speaks for itself. Our journey includes being unnoticed far more often than being recognized, but persistence is the key. Don’t let the lack of recognition deter you. Let your work be the reason people take notice. The key is to do the work consistently. Don’t be disheartened by the unnoticed efforts. Every successful journey is paved with unanswered emails and overlooked posts.
Develop the skill of being coachable. Welcome criticism and seek ways to enhance your performance. When receiving feedback, ask about specific areas for improvement. It’s beneficial to seek input from multiple individuals whose opinions you value. Recognize that each person may offer different perspectives, and the key lies in understanding feedback to refine yourself and your content. The ability to consider varied opinions and use them constructively is instrumental in continual self-improvement.
Finding your niche and staying consistent is crucial. As a smaller YouTube channel or someone not yet established, it’s essential to focus on a specific theme and stick with it. You can’t be a channel about rebuilding cars while also posting unrelated content like “what it actually means when your dog eats grass.” Maintaining relevance to the core topic of your channel is key for building a dedicated audience. It helps establish your identity and expertise in that particular field, making it easier for viewers to connect with and remember your content.
Enjoy your content creation process. If you’re not genuinely passionate about what you’re creating, your audience will sense it, and over time, they might shift their attention elsewhere. The authenticity of your enthusiasm and enjoyment directly translates into the quality and appeal of your content. So, make sure that the content you produce is something that resonates with your passion, ensuring a more engaging and lasting connection with your audience.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
We’re always looking for other creators to collaborate with! We’ve had a few collabs with other creators and it’s always been a blast. JC Figz, LumberJill Vill, The Wrestling Universe Channel, Wrestling Hero Figz to name a few. We’re always looking to expand and explore the land with others in our niche. If you’re a WWE or AEW content creator and would like to do something with us, please DM us on IG, X, or Facebook and let us know. Our schedule is always nuts just due to everyday life but if we got a heads up with time plan, we’re all for it!
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