About
At first glance, the YouTube channel "Always Be Changing" presents a compelling, if familiar, narrative: an American family of five, the Lockwoods, who traded a conventional life for one of global exploration. Led by parents Phil and Erin, the channel, with its 501,000 subscribers and over 17 million views, documents their travels with children Reagan, Brooklyn, and Colt across all seven continents. But behind the polished vlogs of luxury stays and cultural immersion lies a carefully constructed, multi-platform business empire. The Lockwoods have systematically productized their semi-nomadic lifestyle into a diversified portfolio of commercial ventures that includes a travel agency, an e-learning platform, and a media production house.
Always Be Changing: History and Growth
The start of "Always Be Changing" can be traced to Denver, Colorado, in 2018. Phil Lockwood was running his marketing agency, Distill, and Erin, a University of Oregon journalism graduate and published author, was managing a life that felt increasingly stagnant. The family began discussing a shift from a mindset of "one day" to "day one," culminating in the creation of their YouTube channel on September 20, 2019. The true catalyst, however, was the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The global pivot to remote work and online schooling provided the logistical key to unlock their ambitions. The family relocated to their second home in Coronado, California, and, as Erin Lockwood stated in a later interview, they "found a new theme for our channel."
Their initial forays were to socially-distanced destinations in Mexico and Costa Rica. By 2021, the experiment became a permanent strategy. The Lockwoods sold their Denver home, fully embracing a "semi-nomadic" lifestyle facilitated by memberships like the luxury travel club Inspirato. This period marked the professionalization of their content. By 2022, the channel's growth was explosive; Erin noted their metrics for views, watch hours, and revenue had tripled since the start of the year. In 2024, they established a second strategic base in Metro Manila, Philippines, to serve as an "Asian hub." Their trajectory points forward, with announced plans for 2025 that include the official launch of their travel agency, ABC Trips, and the development of their own international resort.
Always Be Changing: Content and Style
The channel's content is characterized by high production values, presenting an aspirational vision of family travel. The vlogs avoid manufactured drama, focusing instead on luxury accommodations, unique culinary experiences, and the educational benefits of "worldschooling." Over time, the Lockwoods segmented their content into distinct sub-brands to organize their narrative. "Devouring Destinations" is a series dedicated to food exploration, while "Crashing Countries" highlights the unique and often opulent properties where the family stays. This curated approach reinforces the brand's core pillars: luxury, family, and education through global immersion.
How Always Be Changing Makes Money
The Lockwood family's financial success is rooted in a highly diversified and integrated business model that extends far beyond YouTube ad revenue. Their central website, followabc.com, acts as the digital hub, professionally designed and maintained by Phil Lockwood's own agency, Distill, which funnels audiences to a web of revenue-generating ventures.
At the core are three primary commercial enterprises. ABC Trips (abctrips.com) is the family's travel planning company, offering curated group tours and custom itinerary services that use their documented travel expertise as social proof. ABC Academy (abcacademy.world) is their e-learning platform, whose flagship product, "Travel Free, Live Rich," is an online course priced at $495 for early birds, promising a "blueprint for earning, learning, and thriving anywhere." Their personal brands are also monetized through authorship; Phil is the author of the children's book My Family Is My Home, while Erin has penned six psychological fiction novels, including Planning Penelope.
This commercial structure is buttressed by a host of additional income streams, including standard YouTube AdSense, brand sponsorships, and affiliate commissions from partners like Inspirato and Amazon. The brand also generates revenue through merchandise sales and speaking fees.
Always Be Changing: Collaborations
Strategic partnerships have been critical to the Lockwoods' growth and lifestyle. Their most prominent collaboration is with Inspirato, the luxury travel club that enables their stays in high-end properties worldwide; the family is even featured in an official member video testimonial. They actively promote Ignite Learning Academy, the online, asynchronous private school attended by their younger children, Brooklyn and Colt, which the family lists as a source of "in-kind revenue." Demonstrating their integration into the international creator community, they have also collaborated with "Mom Duty," another American family vlogging channel run by the Ocampo family, co-hosting a subscriber meet-and-greet in Bonifacio Global City, Philippines.
Always Be Changing: Public Reception
An extensive review of the public record reveals no major controversies, complaints, or negative incidents associated with the Lockwood family or the "Always Be Changing" brand. In the often-turbulent world of family vlogging, this absence is notable. Analysis suggests this is a direct result of a professional, proactive approach to brand management. By maintaining a consistently positive and aspirational narrative—and likely using the in-house public relations expertise of Phil's agency, Distill—the Lockwoods have successfully controlled their public image.
Always Be Changing: Philanthropy
On their official website, the family articulates a commitment to "making a difference for the cultures we encounter." Their philanthropic efforts are described as direct, on-the-ground actions, including picking up trash on local beaches, consciously purchasing goods from local vendors without bartering to support local economies, and serving those in need. While they encourage financial donations to causes they support, specific partner organizations or campaigns are not detailed.
Always Be Changing Today
The Lockwood family's "Always Be Changing" is far more than a travel channel; it is a vertically integrated business. Now operating between the U.S. and a strategic hub in the Philippines, and with ambitious plans for a proprietary resort, the Lockwoods are demonstrating that for their brand, the only constant is calculated, forward-moving change.