Built Different
Will Knox never meant to become an influencer. As an automotive technician who cut his teeth tuning supercars for a professional racing team, Knox didn’t buy into the idea that posting selfies online constituted real work.
Then, with some not-so-gentle nudging and creative help from his wife, he started posting videos on Instagram to promote Rob and Stu, a custom automotive fabrication and restoration shop he founded with his father in 2022. (“Rob” and “Stu” are Will and Jamie’s middle names, respectively.)
“I have since learned that being a content creator is really hard. It's a lot more work than I expected,” he says.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi pretium tortor felis, nec porttitor lorem placerat quis. Morbi eu magna aliquet, ornare mag.
the content has almost become the business”
Funding the dream
Though gaining followers has never been Knox’s priority, his success has shined a light on a previously nonexistent path to achieving his goal for the shop, which has always been to build custom project cars with his dad.
The original plan, Knox says, was to find as much paying work as possible, no matter how trivial, to fund the dream work: welding oil coolers for clients to cover the cost of parts and materials for the duo’s 1965 Mustang sitting on the lift. With the momentum he’s found on social media, it seems that Knox and his father may be able to prioritize the fun stuff sooner, and with more regularity, than he ever expected.
A little over a year since that first viral post, @robandstu now pushes out a steady stream of content to nearly 60,000 engaged followers. The attention has not gone to Knox’s head. He remains focused on building cool stuff, expanding his skills and learning to share that journey with others.
“I wrestle with almost an imposter syndrome. It's not natural for me to say, ‘I need to record this. I need to share this with someone,’” he says. The more he shares, though, the more he realizes that the value of doing so isn’t limited to the positive impact it has on the shop.
“It's rewarding to know we're not just putting random stuff out into the ether, and people are not mindlessly just scrolling by it," Knox says. "Even if just one person saw it and thought, ‘Hey, I'm going to give that a shot,’ then I know we did good.”
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi pretium tortor felis, nec porttitor lorem placerat quis. Morbi eu magna aliquet, ornare mag.
Even if just one person saw it and thought, ‘Hey, I'm going to give that a shot,’ then I know we did good.”
the backstory
the day to day
the gear
will's work shoes
THE kenton
check out chapter 2 ft. gabby downing
GRIP FOR THE GARAGE
The oil-and-slip-resistant rubber outsoles provide surefooted traction on slippery surfaces. “These grip so much better on epoxy floors than my last pair of work boots,” says Knox.
SAFETY MADE STYLISH
Thanks to updated, sleeker asymmetrical carbon toe boxes, “They fit and look like normal sneakers,” says Knox. “The casual look is a big part of why these shoes are top shelf for me.”
PEP IN EVERY STEP
“I often log 14,000 steps at the race-track,” says Knox. Kenton's lightweight build and KEEN.ReGEN midsole cushioning, which provides up to 50% energy return with every step, keep his feet and legs fresh.
WILL KNOX | FABRICATOR HENDERSON, NV
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An unexpected breakthrough
It didn’t take long for Knox and his wife to realize they were onto something.
“The sixth reel we ever posted was something that I thought was dumb. I told her, ‘don't post it,’” he recalls. “It hit 13 million views in a month when we had maybe a couple hundred followers, most of which were my friends or our work connections.”
What began as a shot in the dark to bring business into their humble one-bay shop quickly snowballed into something much bigger. “The content has almost become the business,” he says.
TikTok, it turns out, has made #bluecollar cool. Knowingly or not, Knox joined a trend taking social media by storm when he began sharing his hands-on automotive work digitally. Everyone from plumbers and electricians to landscapers and warehouse workers have successfully found mass audiences for their content niches. And, in more than a few instances, they’ve also found income streams that quickly surpass their day-job wages.
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These industrial makers are also digital creators. Their careers — and their trades — are better for it.
A retro-inspired work shoe reinvented with lightweight safety features, active fit, and energy-returning comfort
FROM THE FEED
@ROBANDSTU
Will Knox never meant to become an influencer. As an automotive technician who cut his teeth tuning supercars for a professional racing team, Knox didn’t buy into the idea that posting selfies online constituted real work.
Then, with some not-so-gentle nudging and creative help from his wife, he started posting videos on Instagram to promote Rob and Stu, a custom automotive fabrication and restoration shop he founded with his father in 2022. (“Rob” and “Stu” are Will and Jamie’s middle names, respectively.)
“I have since learned that being a content creator is really hard. It's a lot more work than I expected,” he says.
An unexpected breakthrough
It didn’t take long for Knox and his wife to realize they were onto something.
“The sixth reel we ever posted was something that I thought was dumb. I told her, ‘don't post it,’” he recalls. “It hit 13 million views in a month when we had maybe a couple hundred followers, most of which were my friends or our work connections.”
What began as a shot in the dark to bring business into their humble one-bay shop quickly snowballed into something much bigger. “The content has almost become the business,” he says.
TikTok, it turns out, has made #bluecollar cool. Knowingly or not, Knox joined a trend taking social media by storm when he began sharing his hands-on automotive work digitally. Everyone from plumbers and electricians to landscapers and warehouse workers have successfully found mass audiences for their content niches. And, in more than a few instances, they’ve also found income streams that quickly surpass their day-job wages.
The original plan, Knox says, was to find as much paying work as possible, no matter how trivial, to fund the dream work: welding oil coolers for clients to cover the cost of parts and materials for the duo’s 1969 Mustang sitting on the lift. With the momentum he’s found on social media, it seems that Knox and his father may be able to prioritize the fun stuff sooner, and with more regularity, than he ever expected.
A little over a year since that first viral post, @robandstu now pushes out a steady stream of content to nearly 60,000 engaged followers. The attention has not gone to Knox’s head. He remains focused on building cool stuff, expanding his skills and learning to share that journey with others.
“I wrestle with almost an imposter syndrome. It's not natural for me to say, ‘I need to record this. I need to share this with someone,’” he says. The more he shares, though, the more he realizes that the value of doing so isn’t limited to the positive impact it has on the shop.
“It's rewarding to know we're not just putting random stuff out into the ether, and people are not mindlessly just scrolling by it," Knox says. "Even if just one person saw it and thought, ‘Hey, I'm going to give that a shot,’ then I know we did good.”
Funding the dream
Though gaining followers has never been Knox’s priority, his success has shined a light on a previously nonexistent path to achieving his goal for the shop, which has always been to build custom project cars with his dad.
The original plan, Knox says, was to find as much paying work as possible, no matter how trivial, to fund the dream work: welding oil coolers for clients to cover the cost of parts and materials for the duo’s 1969 Mustang sitting on the lift. With the momentum he’s found on social media, it seems that Knox and his father may be able to prioritize the fun stuff sooner, and with more regularity, than he ever expected.
A little over a year since that first viral post, @robandstu now pushes out a steady stream of content to nearly 60,000 engaged followers. The attention has not gone to Knox’s head. He remains focused on building cool stuff, expanding his skills and learning to share that journey with others.
“I wrestle with almost an imposter syndrome. It's not natural for me to say, ‘I need to record this. I need to share this with someone,’” he says. The more he shares, though, the more he realizes that the value of doing so isn’t limited to the positive impact it has on the shop.
“It's rewarding to know we're not just putting random stuff out into the ether, and people are not mindlessly just scrolling by it," Knox says. "Even if just one person saw it and thought, ‘Hey, I'm going to give that a shot,’ then I know we did good.”
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Then, with some not-so-gentle nudging and creative help from his wife, he started posting videos on Instagram to promote Rob and Stu, a custom automotive fabrication and restoration shop he founded with his father in 2022. (“Rob” and “Stu” are Will and Jamie’s middle names, respectively.)
“I have since learned that being a content creator is really hard. It's a lot more work than I expected,” he says.
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chapter ONE
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