Day: October 29, 2025

• Dylan Chamberlain, 24, got a full-time job with Jake Paul’s body care brand, W, after an internship.
• He stood out in the application process by creating a two-week video series on why he should get the job.
• Chamberlain suggests going above and beyond and showing up with confidence when job hunting.

This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with Dylan Chamberlain, a 24-year-old content creator and extreme sports athlete for Jake Paul’s body care brand, W. After landing a summer internship with the brand, Chamberlain competed with two other candidates for a full-time position. This story has been edited for length and clarity.

I got into TikTok about four years ago. I started posting Snapchat memories of the crazy things I would do with friends, and at some point, I started to get a following, and brands reaching out to me.

For a couple of years, I worked as a video editor for content creators. After that, I started doing my own stuff full time. It was going really well, and I didn’t want to work for anybody else because I had my own goals.

Then I saw Jake Paul posted a callout for a summer internship. I thought it was too good an opportunity to pass up, so I applied.

I ended up getting the internship, along with two others, and drove across the country in an RV for the next two months, creating content with Jake Paul while promoting his men’s body care brand, W.

The three of us competed for a full-time job while driving around on what felt like a free road trip vacation. On our first stop, we went boating with alligators at Jake’s nearly $40 million ranch. We met famous boxers and MMA fighters like Sean O’Malley. We also went to MrBeast headquarters and toured the facility.

At the end of the internship, W’s head of content reached out and asked me to work full-time for them.

Now, I’m working full-time as a W content creator in Puerto Rico and will be tailing Jake as he trains for his fight on November 14. In the first couple of weeks on the job, Jake and I went to Florida, New York, and the Netherlands on his private jet. Most of the time, though, we’re making content in Puerto Rico or at his ranch in Georgia.

Looking back, there were two things that made me stand out from other applicants for the internship — and land the full-time gig.

Go above and beyond

After people sent in initial videos of why they should work for W, Jake narrowed down the list to 10 people, and we had to compete for a spot to work for him.

Over the next two weeks, they wanted us to post three videos a week promoting W and showing them what we can bring to the table. I thought, since everyone’s going to make six videos, how can I stand out? Then I realized three videos a week is not that much. I decided to post a video a day for two weeks.

I made this series “promoting W until I work for Jake Paul,” and apparently, he really liked it.

My advice to people who want to extend a contract or turn an internship into a full-time job is: Go above and beyond. Put yourself in your boss’s shoes and see what they would want and expect from you — and then do that.

Don’t be afraid to to do things other people wouldn’t normally do. Even if you fail, somebody will see you trying to do something different. As long as you’re showing that you’re passionate and care about what you do, people are going to respect you for that.

Show confidence

I feel like most people are afraid to step outside of their comfort zone, or they’re afraid to go for something, because they might not get it. But you can get it — and as long as you believe that you are valuable and bring something to the table, people will also see that.

For example, at the end of the two-week series I made for the internship, I went to Anaheim, California, which is where Jake’s team said they would fly the winners. I flew myself out there, acting like I already won. I made my very last video of the series, saying, “All right, Jake, I’m outside of the Honda Stadium. I’m here and I’m ready, so I’ll wait for your call.” The next day, I got a call saying I got the job.

Even before the internship, I didn’t have that much experience when I started offering video-editing services to content creators. But I came in with confidence and worked my way up the ladder as a creative producer and videographer. I think what helped me stand out in the internship and get the full-time job with W was that background.

A few years ago, I would get nervous to meet a YouTuber, but I realized that all these people are just people. Rather than trying to please them or make them happier, it’s about showing your personality. If they accept that, then perfect. You know you’re compatible.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Krishna Kaliannan, the 35-year-old founder of Catalina Crunch, based in Austin. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I’m the founder of Catalina Crunch, a low-sugar, high-protein snack company. Inspired by my experience with type 1 diabetes, I started the company in 2017, a few years after leaving my career in finance.

As of 2024, I’m no longer the company’s CEO, but I’m still part of the team, working toward the company’s long-term vision.

Here’s what a day in my life looks like.

I wake up every day at 6:45 a.m.

Consistency is the key to living a predictable life. The first thing I do each morning is shower, which gives me space to think about the coming day and what I want to accomplish.

From 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., I’m with my two-year-old daughter and four-month-old son, making and eating breakfast. Every morning, I have plain Greek yogurt with Catalina Crunch cereal on top. I like having the same breakfast to minimize the number of decisions I make since I know I’m going to make a lot of other decisions throughout the day.

Recently, however, my daughter has decided to change up what she eats for breakfast, which is a bit challenging for me since it’s different from what I’m used to. Depending on what she’s feeling, she sometimes has Catalina Crunch cereal with almond milk or oatmeal with the cereal on it.

I read the news and take a quick walk

During that time, I’ll also spend a few minutes reading the news to better understand what’s happening in the world. I usually like to read conflicting news stories to get different perspectives and cycle through some international news outlets as well.

I also try to spend 15 minutes outside in the sun, taking a quick walk around the block. It helps me reset my body and get ready for the day. I also find I sleep more easily at night when I do it.

Since I have type 1 diabetes, walking after meals really helps to contain the amount my blood sugar rises, so it’s important to me to walk throughout the day.

Then, I get into my workday

When I’m not traveling, I work from home in a separate office. My daughter goes to preschool and spends afternoons with my parents, while my son spends the day with my wife, which allows me to focus in a quiet environment.

For me, getting a productive start begins the day before. Every day, I make a to-do list for the next day so that when I start working, I already know what I want to focus on and accomplish.

I also try to avoid morning meetings as much as possible so I have more time for deep work. When I don’t designate that time, it’s easy to get caught up in responding to emails, talking to people on the phone, and getting things from the refrigerator.

Around 10:15 a.m., I usually take another 15-minute walk. I also use this time to check my blood sugar and see if I need to take more insulin, since it’s about two hours after I finish breakfast.

I eat lunch while I work

From 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. I eat while I work, which helps me to get more done in less time.

Like I do for breakfast, I almost always eat the same thing for lunch: four slices of turkey breast, baby carrots with hummus, and a little bit of Catalina Crunch snack mix.

I try to meet with people every week

In the afternoons, I try to focus more on creative work, brainstorming, and meetings. Since the brain gets a bit foggy as the day goes on, I find that this is the best use of my time.

One thing I like to do each week — usually on Friday afternoons — is to meet virtually with someone at the company I haven’t talked to in a while to see what’s going on with their role. It’s a good way to hear people’s great ideas and learn from them on what’s being done well, where we’re struggling, and if there are risks I might need to be aware of.

Around 3 p.m., I check my blood sugar again. Since I typically have the same breakfast and lunch, it’s generally about the same — but I still like to check.

I usually wrap up work around 5 p.m.

I typically go for a three-mile run, and then do some sit-ups and push-ups before dinner.

Dinner is when my family and I will indulge and mix up our meals, so I don’t always have the same dinner. Sometimes, my amazing wife cooks dinner. Other times, we’ll walk to a food truck. We really like a Thai food truck that’s about a 30-minute walk from our house.

On the weekends, we spend as much time as we can with our parents. My dad grew up in India and really enjoys Southern Indian food, so we like to go to a restaurant called Sangam in the Austin area.

I sometimes continue working after dinner

Depending on the day, I might work another two to two-and-a-half hours after dinner. Other times, I’ll go on a walk.

After that, I set my alarm for the next day and don’t use my phone for the rest of the night. I’m a workaholic who likes to be productive all the time, so it’s helpful to physically separate myself from my phone so I don’t see emails and notifications coming in.

I then put our daughter to bed while my wife puts our baby to bed. I give my daughter her bath and brush her teeth, we read some books and sing some songs, and then she goes to sleep.

My wind-down routine includes brushing my teeth in the dark

My wife and I come back together and watch a show. I hardly watched any TV when I was growing up, so we’ve been enjoying watching a lot of older shows like Better Call Saul and The Office.

The other thing I do to prepare for sleep is brush my teeth in the dark. About four years ago, there was a big freeze in Austin, and the power went out for several days. It was pitch black when I was brushing my teeth, and I realized how much easier it made getting a good night’s sleep, so I kept up the habit.

I make sure I’m asleep by 10 p.m. I need a full 8 ½ hours of sleep, which allows me to wake up the next day and start my routine again at 6:30 a.m.

In Broward County, Florida, the start of this school year brought more than the usual first-day jitters — it came with a sense of urgency.

About 10,000 fewer students entered its public schools this year, a 4.7% drop from last year, putting 34 of its schools on a watchlist for risk of closure or consolidation.

Broward County isn’t alone; public schools nationwide are reckoning with shrinking student bodies as publicly funded vouchers for charter and private schools expand, birthrates fall, the cost of living rises, and immigration crackdowns deter some families. The Trump administration’s push to redirect funding away from public schools has intensified the pressure. Faced with dwindling enrollment, which is directly tied to their funding, public schools must either reinvent themselves or risk shuttering classrooms. Business Insider visited five schools in the county that are doing the former — and seem to be succeeding.

“It costs a lot of money for a family to live in South Florida,” Howard Hepburn, Broward County’s superintendent, told Business Insider, which is pushing some families to move to areas with lower costs of living. “So incrementally, the district has been trying to address it, but it’s compounded itself, and we have to make some tough decisions.”

The county’s solution, a plan called “Redefining Our Schools,” is now entering its second phase. The plan includes shutting down or repurposing some schools and incorporating community feedback to stay competitive with private schools.

“We’re constantly in an iterative process of enhancing academic programs at schools,” Hepburn said.

The county is also offering school choice reassignments, allowing families to attend schools outside their residential boundaries. Everglades Elementary School has approved over 100 reassignments, said Eliot Tillinger, the school’s principal. Tillinger said the school’s debate team — which often isn’t offered until high school — is a likely draw.

“It could be people who know the reputation of the school, know the programs that we offer, and they just want to be part of what they believe is the best opportunity for their children’s education,” Tillinger said. “And that’s a phenomenal, phenomenal thing.”

Why families are leaving public schools and what might make them return

Andreina Gandica pulled her fifth-grade son from Coral Cove Academy of the Arts, a public school in Broward County, because she was worried about the switch to a larger public middle school in sixth grade. She sent her son to a K-12 charter school instead.

It turns out, she wasn’t the only parent worried about this. Stephanie Saban, Coral Cove’s principal, said that a high percentage of families used to leave the public school system after fifth grade because parents weren’t satisfied with the transition to middle school. She’s now overseeing Coral Cove’s transition into a K-8 school.

“We knew that we had something very special here, but we were not able to just draw the kids in based solely on that because of the competing charter schools,” Saban told Business Insider. “Many families in my community wanted the K-8 continuity.”

Teachers had to adapt, too. Some quit because they weren’t prepared to work with older students.

“I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it or not,” Dina Becker, Coral Cove’s art teacher, told Business Insider, adding that she ended up being happy with the transition. “I’ve always said I’ve never wanted to teach middle school, but then to save our school, we had to do something.”

So far, the transition’s first year is going well: 513 students were enrolled in the academy as of the 10th day of the current academic year, compared to 443 at the same point last year.

And Gandica has since reenrolled her son at Coral Cove.

“We never left because of a negative experience; it was simply a preventive decision related to future enrollment,” Gandica said. “Once the new grade structure was announced, coming back felt like the most natural choice for us.”

At Apollo Middle School, Principal Louis Kushner is also battling competition from private schools. He described Apollo’s robotics program as the school’s “hub,” saying it helps attract families and boost enrollment. But it’s not enough to stop student attrition. He said a family recently asked him to write a recommendation for their child to attend a private school, and he plans to have a conversation with them to understand why.

He’s now working to strengthen the robotics program at the feeder high school to show parents that there is continuity for their kids after they leave Apollo.

“We have to get the parents to be in the building to see and feel what’s happening,” Kushner said.

Coral Cove and Apollo are examples of how public schools are trying to compete with charter and private schools. It’s an uphill battle. The Trump administration has moved to expand school vouchers, directing the education secretary to explore shifting federal funds to “K-12 educational choice initiatives” and prioritizing support for schools promoting “patriotic education” over “woke” ideology.

The administration’s immigration policies are also leading some families to leave the public school system, Hepburn said. Immigration has historically offset declining birth rates, “but with federal policies restricting immigration in the country, it’s likely that it will not be enough to sustain enrollment going forward,” said Tara Moon, a policy analyst at Georgetown University think-tank FutureEd.

“We’re almost at a reckoning point for the public education system since we’re seeing so many families choose to leave,” Moon said.

There are bright spots: Broward’s Apollo Middle School, Everglades Elementary School, and Millennium 6-12 Collegiate Academy have maintained steady enrollment or experienced growth over the past year. Broward’s population has also been growing — it’s up 13% since 2010 — and rose 0.79% in the past year. Some families say that the unique programs, like robotics and debate, drew them to the schools. Gastride Harrigan, the principal at Millennium, told Business Insider that parents are drawn to the school’s structure, which enables students to receive an associate degree alongside their high school diploma when they graduate.

“We noticed that 80% of our high school students were our middle school students, so that tells us we’re doing something right,” Harrigan said. “But the selling point for most parents is the free associate’s degree.”

Brian, a Millennium 9th-grade student, is part of the school’s STEAM program. He said the science and technology programs are helpful because he wants to pursue a career in pediatrics.

“It really correlates to what I want to do when I grow up,” Brian said.

Kay Thomas, the coordinator of the STEAM program, said it’s designed to give students experience in their fields of interest and help them discover less familiar careers.

“It’s providing also the hands-on experience and the exposure to the unknown, to not just sitting down and being instructed, but how can you really integrate this and have the kids engaged in what they’re doing and learning what other options are out there,” Thomas said.

A call to action for public schools

Public school student bodies are expected to continue shrinking.

Faidra Monachou, an assistant professor at the Yale School of Management, coauthored a report that estimates public school districts nationwide could lose up to 6.5 million students over the next quarter-century.

Overall, 49.5 million students were enrolled in public schools in the fall of 2023, compared to 4.7 million students enrolled in private schools in the fall of 2021, the most recent year for which data is available.

States dole out funding to schools based on their number of students, and those with already limited resources could be hit the hardest by further enrollment declines.

Hepburn said that Broward County has lost over $300 million in public school funding over the past decade due to declining enrollment, including an $85 million budget deficit this year. While closing schools is difficult for the community, he said, “it costs a lot of money to operate under-enrolled schools, and we’re spending more resources on operating and maintaining the school than we are on educating the students.”

Public schools gaining enrollment aren’t immune from funding stressors, either. At Apollo Middle School, Kushner said the robotics program, which helps attract new families, is largely made possible by grants from the National Science Foundation. The Trump administration has canceled a range of NSF grants that it said did not comply with its priorities, and Kushner worries that the funding could end.

For Florida in particular, there’s an additional challenge that could strain its public school system: property tax cuts. Lawmakers are considering cutting property taxes — which account for nearly half the state’s public school budget — to help offset the strain of higher living costs. The Florida Policy Institute said in a September report that eliminating property taxes on primary residences could cost school districts $7.7 billion.

Sadaf Knight, CEO of the Florida Policy Institute, said the move would “leave local governments and school districts scrambling to balance their ledgers, whether it’s through cutting vital programs and services or by introducing or raising new fees to replace the lost revenue.”

Many schools are focusing on the factors they can control. Northeast High School champions a program that allows students to select a path in either art, technology, or aviation beginning in elementary school.

Principal Anthony Valachovic told Business Insider that the program was created to boost enrollment, with the added bonus of offering free industry certifications. He said he and his colleagues created the program after asking themselves, “What are colleges looking for and what can kids do hands-on?”

Students in aviation can gain experience at nearby flight schools, and classrooms feature flight simulators that allow students to practice. Art students can showcase their work at a fair in Palm Beach, exposing them to the entrepreneurship element of the profession.

Christopher Blackman, a sophomore at Northeast High School, aspires to pursue a career in coding. He said he plans to earn college credits and an industry certification to further his experience in the field once he graduates. According to data from Broward County, 15 teachers at the high school offer industry certifications, and 457 students passed the certification exam in 2025.

Randolph Manchester, Blackman’s computer science teacher, said the certifications are “a big draw” for parents: “If they get certifications here with us, they might not have to pay for their children to get it elsewhere.”

Enrollment pressures aren’t going away. Hepburn said that public schools continue to be the first choice for many families, and districts must adapt to ensure that remains the case.

“Public education is not going anywhere,” Hepburn said. “I think we just need to evolve to address our current times. Just like every business has to evolve over the years, it’s now time for public education to evolve to really address the demands of today’s world.”