With more than 300 million views, 1.3 million subscribers, and 10 million+ monthly viewers, Sam Eckholm is the producer and host behind one of the most-watched aerospace and defense video series in the world. From flying with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels to surviving a week with Air Force Special Operations, his cinematic, story-driven content showcases the mission sets of the U.S. military like never before — and he’s turned that momentum into a thriving media brand and business.
What’s pretty cool is that Eckholm, a former U.S. Air Force Public Affairs officer, has achieved this just in the past few years (he only separated from active duty in 2023), demonstrating just how quickly someone can create a career that breaks into mainstream opportunities. Social media isn’t just for “influencers” anymore—it’s a way for creators to hone their interests and voice and then turn them into marketable and profitable opportunities.
Eckholm will appear at the 2025 Military Influencer Conference in conversation with none other than We Are The Mighty’s own Editor-In-Chief, Air Force veteran Blake Stilwell, for a panel titled “Inside the Cockpit: Sam Eckholm and Blake Stilwell on Landing Millions of Views—and Revenue.” In the exclusive fireside chat, they’ll share how to build a trusted, scalable personal brand from the ground up, how to understand and break through the algorithm, how to grow a high-impact YouTube channel, and how to translate views into partnerships and profits.
This is an emerging trend across media and industries. Erik Bartell is a combat veteran and accomplished social media creator who helped found Echelon, a military energy drink, and Bravo Sierra, a line of elite performance body care products. YouTuber Michelle Khare managed to rent a military aircraft and then hang off it at 150 miles per hour without a parachute—sending her to the Emmys. Even SNL is now actively hiring TikTok creators.
Eckholm would say that it comes back to powerful storytelling—but I’ll leave that for him to share in conversation with Stilwell. Either way, they promise to leave you fired up and ready to go make something cool. Their chat takes place Tuesday, Sep. 23, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern.
