Today we’d like to introduce you to Devon Mares.
Devon, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My name is Devon Mares and I created ‘Coach Kody” and Building Blocks Entertainment in 2017 with the help of my friend, Jared Oluwa. Born and raised in LA, we both began professionally teaching in 2010. Jared was a preschool teacher at the Charles Drew Development Center in Compton, CA and I was beginning my journey as an after school playground supervisor for the Los Angeles Unified School District. It was this beginning that would help shape the way we view teaching and creativity today, especially when it comes to kids ages 3-11. We both have musical backgrounds and quickly saw the advantage of being able to integrate songs into our daily lessons and thus Coach Kody was born.
Coach Kody is a Giraffe that uses music to teach an elementary grade-level curriculum while promoting positive social and life skills. He can be seen as a mentor who stimulates and engages students with a creative approach to teaching which focuses on their curiosity, individuality and their own creativity. He’s an instrument of change, encouraging children to enjoy life.
I created Coach Kody for many reasons. First and foremost, music is at the heart of Coach Kody and all our content development. Browsing the Children’s Music section of any modern streaming service or similar medium, it’s hard to find kids music that can keep them busy, occupied and happy while parents can enjoy some time for themselves as well, in addition to, teachers being able to fundamentally incorporate the music into their lesson plans.
It’s not a secret that melody and rhythm make learning easier for kids. They love simple songs and love to hear them repeated over and over. We have studied multiple state content standards to help incorporate a broad curriculum within the music ranging from movement, manners, social anxieties, among many others.
The educational infrastructure within our content is very important. The primary education years (K-5) are considered to be the most important when it comes to the development of young kids everywhere. The Institute of Education study found that the quality of teaching children receive is more important than their gender or family income. Teaching isn’t just passing on information. The whole point of education is to get people to learn. Children acquire new knowledge rapidly during these years and by third grade, low-performing schools have left many children so far behind they never catch up.
Now more than ever, it seems society is pushing kids to grow up faster with the easy access to whatever seems trending and now. Part of our mission is to prepare children to enter the world with sound and emotional skills. I remember being one of the last kids on the playground after school waiting for my mom to pick me up. As a current member of the Creative Brain Learning after school program, I see that between the teacher and me we probably see their kids more than their parents. There’s no telling what these young minds have going on when they go home and what they’re being taught. Most of them rely on TV, phones and computers to feed them information and more often than not, unsupervised. So what information are they actually receiving?
Our rhythms are current to the tempo which some kids may be exposed to but with content that is safe for parents and also curriculum-based for teachers to use in their classrooms. Today, Coach Kody has released 4 full-length albums with lyrical content suitable for teachers to use in their classrooms as well as parents in their everyday lives with their kids. He has performed at indoor playgrounds and elementary schools across Los Angeles.
What we’re doing matters and we are both actively involved with various youth programs and community playgrounds throughout the city of Los Angeles and surrounding areas.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Definitely have had ebbs and flows within trying to make things “work.” ‘Okay I booked a show here, but the rest of the world still isn’t paying attention.’ It’s always a constant battle of trying to fit into what’s relevant but also staying true to you, your brand and your ‘why’ of doing what you do.
Most of the struggles have come with marketing and trying to figure out the space. The kid’s media industry is just like any other within entertainment. You have the popping artist and the ones trying to make it. It’s especially hard, trying to make it when it’s just one or two of you doing all the work. Within the kid’s entertainment specifically, the question of, ‘Where do I start?’ always comes up. It’s such a foreign space to most that you have to do a lot of research and spend time understanding the medium.
Another struggle is financial. Not necessarily for me as the creator but the consumer. Most of our demographic are moms and teachers and most already are low on cash, so it’s like, how can we provide something that’s new and fresh, but also something that people would be willing to spend time, money or effort on in paying attention to.
Please tell us more about your work. What do you guys do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from competition?
The business was built as a full-service kids media company. That means videos for kids on YouTube and other streaming platforms as well as songs for the family and school on all streaming services. To date, we specialize in kids’ hip-hop music with musical Giraffe artist, “Coach Kody.” If you look up “hip-hop” for kids 9 times out of 10 if you understand the current state of hip-hop and culture you would say, ‘that ain’t it.’ We pride ourselves on having current rhythms and melodies that kids and parents can enjoy but with content that parents can trust and teachers can use in the class.
The thing I’m most proud of is the reception that Coach Kody has received. Teachers have embraced our music and curriculums in the classrooms, students have embraced our energy, teaching and music and parents have shown support by playing our music for the kids.
The company was built on having a better option for our youth. I’ve seen kids as young as eight walking around talking about, “Percocet, Molly, Percocet.” We’ve given the option of having the same hard-hitting 808’s and melodic rhythms, but with lyrical content that may actually benefit their young growing minds in a positive way.
We’re set apart from our material. Again, kids “hip-hop” is literally non-existent, at least from how we’re doing it. It’s also the connection that we’re building. We’re trying to connect to ALL kids.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Again, my name is Devon, but the brand has grown tremendously with the help of Jared Oluwa, who is advocating for the youth all throughout Los Angeles every chance he gets with volunteer opportunities in addition, to providing instrumentation and vocals to all the children’s albums we have put out.
I’d also like to thank the indoor playground community that has embraced Coach Kody from the beginning. The whole team at Giggles N Hugs in Topanga Mall. Suzanne, owner at The Playroom Valley in Sherman Oaks. James, owner of The Play Destination in Agoura Hills. Kidsworld LA in Calabasas and Amy’s playground in Pasadena. The indoor playgrounds across the valley and LA have allowed me to perform and/or display or musical content for kids in their business.
Contact Info:
- Website: coachkody.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: coachkody
- Facebook: coachkody
- Twitter: _coachkody
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