Muskegon County man embraces normalcy in life to find fame on TikTok
MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. (WOOD) — Having a normal day may sound boring to some people, but one Muskegon County man has found the beauty in sharing those days with the world.
Josh Neading, also known as cibsandibus on TikTok, has gained a massive following on social media by doing just that. Since he first began posting videos in 2020, he has gained over 1.7 million followers on the social media app alone.
This feat is even more impressive when you realize that Neading had rarely ever used social media beforehand.
“I never had a Facebook. I never had a Myspace back in the day,” Neading said.
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Neading’s approach to TikTok has always been to stay authentic. He started out posting videos about cooking and video games, two things he cared about. That authenticity struck a chord with his followers early on, he said.
“In the beginning days of TikTok, it wasn’t hard to grow quickly because not a lot of people were doing it,” he said.
Neading has been able to stay ahead of other accounts even as more creators join the app. The influx of users has brought more creativity to the types of videos that get posted to TikTok.
It can be difficult to stand out now, but Neading has done so by being himself. He still continues to post cooking videos and show what he does for the day, which often involves whipping up a meal, going to Meijer and drinking some Michelob Ultras. What some might call “boring,” Neading calls “comforting.”
“I think a lot of people open the app, see these videos, and they’re like, ‘That was my day. That’s exactly what I did today. This guy isn’t this big influence, he’s just a normal person who’s brave enough to kind of film it and throw it out there for the world to critique and do what they will with it,'” he said.
On top of the comfort his videos may bring his followers, Neading said he is also extremely relatable in his content. He doesn’t flash the audience with monetary or luxury items, he doesn’t jump out of planes — he is just like you.
“I’m not an incredibly exciting guy. I’m a pretty normal life, you know? And you have to tap into, ‘What can I share?’ and just sharing your life being yourself, being down to Earth,” Neading said. “Just a regular blue-collar guy with a family, couple dogs and a home. That’s pretty much the average person.”
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But most of us don’t have nearly 2 million followers and almost 51 million views on TikTok.
Neading has had so much success that his family members have also started their own accounts and gained followings. His girlfriend and brother have both reached the million-view mark on their accounts, too. That family aspect is a big deal to Neading. He said that while he could move out west to collaborate with more creators and continue to build his account, he would rather stay home in West Michigan.
“As far as relocating, definitely out of the question,” Neading said. “If I was 20, I would probably already be gone. But I’m kind of set where I am. My foundation’s here and my family’s here, so I definitely plan on staying.”
As for what’s next, he said he plans on remaining the same guy he’s been on TikTok while continuing to grow himself as a brand in Muskegon County. But he does have one goal and it relates to what got him his fame: cooking.
“I’m big into the cooking industry. I’d love to compete on a cooking show or get an opportunity to do something like that,” he said.
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