“I got kicked out of all the middle schools. I was a pretty wild kid,” said Cade Padilla.
Today, it can be seen how a 20-year-old from Washington Township has turned his passion into something creative and lasting — Cadence Creative Studios. A production space located in Pitman that helps artists, students, and anyone interested bring their creative ideas to life.
Inside a cozy and well-designed studio space along Broadway in Pitman, Cade Padilla looks back to where his story first started.
As he mentions earlier, middle school was pretty tough for him as he was a “pretty wild kid.” High school, however, brought a whole turnaround to his life.
“I got it together in high school. No one thought I was gonna make it, but I did,” said Padilla.
During his high school days, he got awarded with “People’s Choice Award,” “National School Choral Award,” and got the lead in the musical in his senior year.
Starting in his early childhood, Padilla always had those instincts of an entrepreneur. As a kid, he used to experiment with reselling sneakers and furniture, always looking for ways to turn everyday opportunities into small ventures.
Spending more time in the music industry and getting more familiar with it made him notice the challenges artists face and the lack of support they get from the industry, and that’s exactly what inspired Padilla to envision owning his own record label one day to provide those rarely given opportunities for artists.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Padilla’s personal life reflects his interests. Music remains an important element of his identity, and so does his faith. Padilla dedicates time to devotional practices, Bible studies with friends, and worship nights, some activities that he considers among the most meaningful in his life.
The idea for Cadence Creative Studios came when Cade Padilla noticed flaws in how record labels treated artists and the limited ways musicians are getting to support themselves, especially in a world dominated by streaming revenue. Initially, when the studio was just opened, it focused solely on podcasting, but Padilla recognized the growing importance of personal branding. He then started expanding the business into a branding agency, offering different services that go beyond recording. The studio offers a variety of different services, each tailored to clients’ needs. Studio offers podcast recording, content creation, photography, videography, drone shoots, and social media marketing.
“It seems like a lot, but they all complement one another,” said Padilla.
Padilla believes what makes Cadence Creative Studios unique is the deep care and intentionality behind every single project. For him, it’s not just about business but about creating something meaningful with each client.
“The clients we have, I don’t treat them as dollar signs. I treat them as part of the family. We take a lot of pride in the work. Even for the first couple months, I might not profit a lot from a client because I’m paying people extra to really do the research to satisfy the client. That’s the touch and detail that makes us different,” said Padilla
Opening Cadence Creative Studios was not an easy process. Padilla invested around $60,000 to $70,000 into the space, using his own money and some help from his stepdad, and all of that without taking any loans. Early on, he ran into a major setback, namely, right after two days, the studio’s ribbon-cutting, it was shut down because the required municipal approvals hadn’t been completed. It slowed their progress for almost two months.
“You can’t get too worked up about setbacks; it’s all about how you react,” said Padilla.
It’s no secret that balancing work and personal life isn’t an easy task, but Padilla found ways to stay grounded through faith and friendship. He balances it by attending weekly church gatherings and spending more time with his friends, which helps him recharge outside of work. The studio has also become a space where his personal and professional life blend, because his friends often stop by to hang out or share some ideas they have, making the work process feel like a shared passion, instead of just a job. For Padilla, balance comes naturally when you love what you do.
Despite all of his accomplishments, Cade Padilla doesn’t see his journey as complete.
“Never lose sight of your North Star,” Padilla said.
Padilla shared his dreams of expanding Cadence Creative Studios. He plans on buying the building it’s in, opening new locations, and eventually launching his own record label.
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