We may earn a commission from links on this page.As the son of two pastors growing up in San Diego, money was always a limiting factor. We didn’t have a lot, but somehow always found a way to make the most of it. Our one splurge each year was when my dad would take my brother and me to the San Diego Auto Show. This is where it all started for me. After spending hours at the convention center snagging every announcement document and brochure that I could get my hands on, I’d get home and run up to my room to read through every single one. I’d memorize horsepower numbers, cargo space, pricing, and any key details that set one model year apart from the next. I even based my sixth grade research project on what I learned, doing an A-Z of automotive manufacturers (Z was for Zündapp, in case you were wondering). Then I got older and had to think about how I was going to afford college. I focused on lacrosse in hopes of getting an athletic scholarship (which I did), and cars became a side project, a quiet hobby of mine. Injuries cut my lacrosse career short. And then, right when I needed a new purpose the most, the pandemic hit.Now I was completely lost. No job, no potential prospects, and a communications degree that felt as useful as firewood. What was I supposed to do now?I went back to what I lovedWith the $300 I had left in my bank account from graduation, I purchased a camera drone off Facebook Marketplace. I started going out to empty parks and practicing how to film, while also reaching out to car clubs, real estate agencies, and anyone who might give me a chance to work for them. I was fortunate enough that a few amazing people did exactly that. Businesses and friends gave me access to vehicles I would’ve only dreamed about, and trusted me to document them in creative and sometimes unorthodox ways. I was reminded why my younger self used to read all those brochures in his bedroom. My love of cars (and the tech behind them) transcended any other dream I had, and I couldn’t let that go again.Over the next four years, I began building my online presence as a content creator in the automotive space. With my parents’ garage as my base of operations, I would spend hours on my computer looking for socially-distanced car meetups and events where I could gain a foothold in the San Diego automotive community. I’d ask event organizers if they needed any drone photography or promotion, and show up with a backpack full of business cards and camera gear wherever I was needed. I’d even travel hundreds of miles out of my way simply for the opportunity to get access to some of the west coast’s amazing vehicles.At that time, I was barely making enough to cover the cost of my gas. There wasn’t much money to be made in the pro-bono car content space, but I always had a feeling that something was just around the corner, as long as I kept trying to make something of this dream.My creator footprint created new opportunitiesIt wasn’t until 2022 that things really started to take off. A local company that manufactured car upgrades needed a media specialist to join their team, and I was more than happy to be a part of it. With them, I attended some of the biggest car conferences in the world, acted as a brand ambassador, and jumped at every chance to level up my knowledge and connections in the industry.Sometimes, the role could be a bit daunting, from hanging out of a car with my drone flying above, to riding jet skis with a camera strapped to me for a surf-themed car shoot. But even so, there wasn’t a thing they could pitch that I would’ve turned down. At my core, this was what I had always wanted, and opportunities like that were once-in-a-lifetime, no matter the complexity or chaos that came along with it.Over time, my account grew from just under 3,000 followers to now over 25,000, and I built a company that now manages media for racing teams and drivers alike. I finally found a way to meld my passion for vehicles, videography, and writing into a career that excites and challenges me every single day. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sam McPeak (@xammcpeak)From deciding on your next car purchase, to finding cool car hacks that make your life easier, to creator life at home and on the go, my goal is to empower you to make the best possible decisions for a better life on the road. There’s a ton of information out there, and it can be truly overwhelming to try and navigate it all.To me, cars are not just a hobby. They’re interwoven with my identity. My hunger for knowledge about all things automotive drives me from the moment I wake up until the moment I fall asleep. Some might think it’s obsessive, and to a certain extent, they’d be right. But that obsession has led to both a sense of purpose and a passion to share it with others.