Celebrating Emily Reeves’ 60th Episode of PEAK Auto’s State of the Build

Five years, 38.2K subscribers and 60 episodes in, Emily Reeves’ State of the Build is going strong and shows no signs of slowing down. We were on hand at the epic John Ford Racing facilities in Yorba Linda, California, where Emily shot her 60th episode — a rare in-person visit with drag racer Jack Beckman and his gorgeous 1968 El Camino. 

In Emily’s 60th episode of State of the Build, she chats with Jack about the car he took his driving test in at age 16, and later drove down his first drag strip. There are a lot of stories in his beloved Camino … as Jack puts it, “It’s a memory machine.”

Between filming with Jack and cruising in the El Camino to In-N-Out, Emily sat down with us to talk about how State of the Build started, what she’s learned along the way, and where the show is going.

The Birth of State of the Build

State of the Build was born during the pandemic when, as Emily says, “we were all trapped in our own homes and in our own shops.” Despite the limitations of the time, Emily found a way to create content that everyone could get excited about.

“I pitched this really bootstrap series where I literally text videos back and forth with my friends and fellow creators about the state of their builds,” she says. “I wanted to have a spot on PEAK’s channel where people could go to get an update on their favorite creators' builds.”

The video-exchange-via-text formula worked so well that it’s still the way that Emily creates her episodes today. Every now and then she’ll shoot an in-person episode, like the time Jeff Lutz Jr. took Emily on a ride in his ‘57 Chevy, or the 60th episode with Jack, but most months it’s still the organic video exchange format.

For Emily, the heart of the show is “getting the full story on a build and making sure people are getting the insights that they're excited to get — or getting exposure to a creator or a build that they weren't aware of that they can then follow after that.” 

Supporting Fellow Creators

Whether she’s hitting up a friend to be on the show, or she’s inspired by suggestions from her comments section, Emily has no shortage of subjects to shoot with. And as the show has evolved, she made a point to start including more up-and-coming creators who may not have massive followings yet.

Introducing her audience to new creators and inviting them into the PEAK family is one of the things Emily loves about the show. “It feels really good to new folks to be featured on a brand that they love because PEAK is known for having a really cool vibe and very much an enthusiast mindset. To be featured on PEAK’s channel means a lot to these people, so that has been really cool.”  

Emily has also made a few new friends along the way. “I end up making friends because the industry and the hobby is very much conducive to making friends,” she says. “Especially when you come together over something you're both passionate about.”

A Winning Partnership With PEAK

Teaming up with PEAK on State of the Build was a no-brainer for Emily. “PEAK is one of my favorite partners because of the people behind the brand,” she says. “For me, working with a company where I love their products, but when there’s also heart behind it because of the relationships, that really means a lot to me.”

“PEAK really puts heart behind what they do,” she explains, “which is a whole lot more than selling coolant. It’s supporting a hobby and a passion. Being part of a brand like that and helping them build that community — the PEAK Squad — has meant a whole bunch to me.”

For our part, PEAK couldn’t be prouder to have Emily on our team, and to support and encourage all that she does for State of the Build and beyond.  

Tune in for the Next 60 Episodes

So what’s next for State of the Build? “We're going to have a lot of really unique stuff,” says Emily. “Not only cars and trucks, but also things that fly and more things that go on water. There are lots of builds and creators to look forward to in the upcoming seasons.”

Join the PEAK Squad and subscribe to State of the Build to see what Emily has in store for her next 60 episodes. And don’t forget to suggest a creator you’d like to see featured in the comments section of her show.