Nick (00:00): Video content is quickly becoming one of the most important aspects to any digital marketing strategy. This is not only true for large businesses, but small brands as well. If you have a personal brand video is a major way for you to connect with the audience who might not be familiar with who you are. That's because video has a much more personal touch and gives you the creator an easier way to build a relationship with the viewer. On the other end. The problem is that we're all not that comfortable in front of a camera. And this is a major hurdle for pretty much everyone I've spoken to about creating video. We just don't like to see or listen to ourselves on camera, but I'm here to tell you that is perfectly normal. I'm currently going through the same exact thing. So to help us get through this I brought on Amanda Horvath on the podcast, Amanda has 28,000 YouTube subscribers and counting, and she helps creators break into video creation by doing what she does best, creating videos. In this episode, we talk about her journey into video marketing and discuss specific exercises. You can start doing right now to get more comfortable on camera. Now make sure you stick around until the end of the episode, because Amanda is opening up enrollment for a free live training and she doesn't open enrollment up very often. So you're not going to want to miss this opportunity, but we'll get to that in the episode for now, let's get right into the interview.

Nick (01:20): This is The Nine-Five Podcast and I'm your host Nick Nalbach, where we get into the minds of entrepreneurs and people just like you. So you can start, build and grow your own online business.

Nick (01:38): All right, welcome to the Nine -Five Podcast. If you are a return listener, welcome back. If you are new, welcome. This is the show where we interview entrepreneurs, business owners, so we can help you grow your own business. And we've kind of had a little bit of a theme on the most recent episodes of the Nine-Five Podcast. We've been talking a lot about video content and the reason we've been talking about video content is the, I do think it is extremely important for any business. So today on the episode I have Amanda Horvath who has built her own, I would say, or YouTube. I don't know. It's just a really good following. So Amanda, welcome to the Nine-Five Podcast.

Amanda (02:16): Thanks for having me stoked to be here, talking to you

Nick (02:19): Well, before we kick things off, why don't you give the audience, the listeners, a little bit of an idea of who you are and what you do in the online space?

Amanda (02:28): Absolutely. So I ran a video marketing company for five years where I was actually the one behind the camera shooting and editing videos for clients. So very much in that service-based business world, right? Trading time for money. And it was on my, or like a little at the end of 2017. I looked at my life. I looked at how old I was and I had set this goal by the time I was 30. I wanted to have passive income and had set that goal at 25. And I think I had just turned 27 at this point. And I was no closer to the goal of making that happen. Maybe I had turned 26. I don't even know I have to calculate that, but I was like, I need to, I need to adjust and change my path. If I am going to achieve the goals that I'm looking to achieve.

Amanda (03:21): And at the same time I had been working in this video marketing world. I had worked with really incredible clients and gotten to see how other people are using video to grow their business and tested hundreds of different approaches to really figure out like what works and what didn't work. And I realized that there's a massive opportunity. Every single person out there, you might right now feel like you're behind in video. But the reality is that everyone feels behind with video. And even the people at the top that I was working with, they feel like they're just getting started in this. So I saw an opportunity for me to step in front of the camera, even though I was anxious and awkward and fearful about it and start my own brand and really step out of that one-to-one model and transition to the one to many course creation online business model. So over the past two and a half years, that's what I've been doing. And it's been very life-transformational and yeah, just way bigger journey than I even anticipated it being.

Nick (04:28): That's really awesome. I'm curious when you decided, you set that goal for yourself, were you testing different things? Were you diving into it or were you just kind of putting it on hold?

Amanda (04:39): So having done it for other people, right. Having created videos for other businesses and tested, I was like obsessed with how to make video actually get results for people. So I knew the path, I knew that this would work and I kept telling business owners, Hey, I really think you should do this. I really think you should try this strategy. And they'd, they'd write me off. They'd say, well, whatever, you're the technician show up, shut up, hit record. You know, and I was like, you know what, no, like this is gonna happen. So I started with confidence knowing that kind of in a way it was a theory at the time, but definitely turned out to be an accurate one.

Nick (05:21): That's always good. And I've gone into a lot of stuff like this podcast, for example, like in my head, I have an idea of how it's going to play out and then you just kind of have to go for it at some point. And you're like, well, hope for the best.

Amanda (05:33): Exactly. You cannot prep for it. It's, it's something that you just gotta put one foot in front of the other and go on that journey.

Nick (05:42): I love it now, something that I do with all the guests that I bring on the show, I like to ask them what their superpower is. And if you're not familiar with the show already, or if we have any new listeners here by super power, I mean, what is that thing that you were just a rockstar at? So either people come to you for this thing, or you just think you just crush it in this realm, what do you think your super power would actually be?

Amanda (06:04): My superpower is taking complex ideas and explaining them in ways that people can understand them. So a lot of, yeah, and that's been like through the case throughout my entire video business of taking someone's business and they don't even know how to describe what they do and then having to describe it to everyone in order to properly market it so

Nick (06:27): Well. And it's, it's evident that you are very good at that. I mean, that's a lot of the YouTube videos that you share are kind of in that realm. You're teaching people and I've sat down and watched a couple of your videos already. And I do think you do a really good job of breaking it down and making these concepts that are kind of difficult concepts, Very simple. So I, I can totally agree and follow listeners. I completely back her claim, but that is her superpower.

Amanda (06:52): Yeah. I think that might be the first time I've ever said that out loud. So thanks for asking that.

Nick (07:00): It's I actually, it was funny. I had someone hit me up on LinkedIn and they shot me a video just randomly. And they asked me what my superpower was and they didn't listen to the podcast or anything. So I've never had anybody ask me that. So it was kind of really weird looking at it from another side. I always ask people, but no one ever asked me. So it was kind of cool. Yeah.

Amanda (07:19): That's awesome. That's awesome. What'd you say?

Nick (07:23): Um, I said my superpower would probably be that I'm kind of a Jack of all trades. Um, before, when we were talking offline, I was telling the, I had kind of had that shiny object syndrome. I'm like, do this, do that, do this. So that's kinda, when I got into business, that's what I was doing. He was like, okay, I have to do SEO. Okay. No social media is where it's at. Okay. No, maybe I need to do Facebook ads and it didn't really help me grow my business because I didn't focus in on something, but I do have knowledge of virtually every aspect of business. It's just a matter of focusing in now and making it all happen. So it's kind of a superpower kind of a lessons learned, I guess. I don't know.

Amanda (08:01): Yeah. I mean, Hey, that can be a super power for sure. So love it

Nick (08:06): Now. All right. So you obviously are primarily focused on the video content. How important is video in business?

Amanda (08:15): I would, I would even back it up for a second and it's video, but it's really building a personal brand with video. So with where businesses headed today, we are becoming more and more hyper-personal across the board. So if you look at Steve jobs and Apple, right, Elon, Musk, and Tesla, like, and you can keep going with different people too, but it's like big brands, a little brands. It doesn't matter your size, you being a face of your business and communicating the journey that you are going on as a business owner, it is not possible in today's climate of the, you know, attention deficit world that we have to do that without video. So I think video, everyone kind of writes it off as this fun thing that you're going to do once you get everything else figured out in your business. And I would say that it's the one thing you will do that will make all the difference in your business, or at least in terms of the marketing.

Nick (09:16): Absolutely. I love that. If you think about it, a lot of people talk about how social media, although it's supposed to be a platform for bringing people together, it has kind of built a separation because now you can hide behind the computer. Well, I think over time, everyone kind of got ingrained in this, behind the computer deal and they started missing that face-to-face interaction. So now these platforms are starting to introduce video, and now you're getting that face-to-face interaction. It's still not in person, which I think is probably the best of all of it, but you're actually being able to build that connection with someone because you can see them and interact like we're doing right now. We were just, before we got into this episode, we were talking about video versus not video recording this episode right now, we're looking face-to-face at each other. And I mean, it makes a big difference because I can see how you react and you can see how I'm reacting. You can tell that we're having a good conversation. And if we're just on the phone talking, you don't kind of get that emotional side of it. So I think that is great point.

Amanda (10:12): It's this it's like it's as close to being in person as you can be in today's society. And I think another way to think about it too, is like, it's not going to stop here, right? Like at some point in time, you're going to be sitting, uh, sitting hologram in my living room. So if you're not comfortable first and foremost, with just your face being projected to someone else, then each step of innovation along the way is going to be more and more uncomfortable. So that's kind of what I was saying at the beginning. It was like, yeah, it seems like everyone you're already behind and you're forgetting stuff. And it's like, nah, this is only just the beginning.

Nick (10:51): Yeah. I kind of look at it. TikTok is a perfect analogy for this right now because everyone wrote off TikTok at the beginning, like, ah, it's just a fad it's going to pass. And then all of a sudden just exploded. And now everyone in their mother's on TikTop. Videos, the same way. It's kind of been a slow. No, I was, but then I, I don't know. I haven't posted on there awhile. I'm more screen.

Amanda (11:13): I think it's genius. And I think it's awesome, but man talk about shiny object syndrome. I'm like, sit on my hands. Don't do it. Don't do it not yet. So

Nick (11:27): Now, so you got into video. Did you start directly in YouTube specifically? Or where, what platform did you start out on?

Amanda (11:34): So me personally with my brand, I started on YouTube. I, there was something, I think the reason that I started on YouTube is because of the search engine capabilities of it. And YouTube is not a social media platform. It is a search engine. And so the cold traffic that can come with YouTube and the long life of those videos, you kind of get off the hamster wheel that you're on with any other social media platform. So I put my foot down, I knew it was going to be a long journey, but I said, all right, YouTube, let's freaking go, let's do this.

Nick (12:15): How would you recommend anybody? Who's just starting out in video? Would you recommend the straight into YouTube or would you say try out something like Instagram and do like IGTV or do you think Instagram or YouTube all the way?

Amanda (12:28): I'm glad you asked this. I do not recommend starting on YouTube. If you are just starting with video. The video component of YouTube is the tip of the iceberg. I started this journey, knowing that like in a way saying, if I can't do this, who can as a video person, right. And it was challenging. I had to, I developed an entire system, um, which I've now bottled up into an online course that helps me like keep it in a sustainable fashion, but it took me a really long time to figure out how to do it sustainably. So I think the better approach with video is to limit the number of resistance or the obstacles that you're going to face along your path by starting with shorter videos. So one minute videos on Instagram or LinkedIn would be my recommendation. Personally, I'm not a big fan of Facebook and you could totally do Facebook if you want. Um, but I think for me, the decision really comes down to those two platforms, Instagram or LinkedIn,

Nick (13:30): We were just talking about TikTok. So when I started getting into video, some of the other listeners from past episodes might know this already, but when I was getting into video, I would freak out. I couldn't do it. I would plan this big long, like 10 minute, 20 minute video. And then I'd panic. And to kind of curb that, I decided that I was going to go on TikTok because it's 30-second minute videos. That's all it is no pressure. And I thought, well, if I build an audience on TikTok, well, I'd do it while the platform is hot, all the better. So I started doing that minute videos, just trying to pack a bunch of information into a minute and it did help build the confidence side of things.

Amanda (14:10): Absolutely.

Nick (14:10): For sure. But yeah, I kind of agree. I've, I've messed in YouTube and there is a lot going on inside the platform

Amanda (14:17): And there's a whole strategy that goes along with it, you know, with the title, the tags, the descriptions, the thumbnails, and it's like that part alone takes so much. And not to mention, you have to drive every single view when you're first starting. You can't just upload a video to YouTube and hope that it works. The first 24 hours are the most important. So you have to be like driving your email list there posting on other social platforms to drive traffic to YouTube and whatever. So I think that it's an easier to start to just focus on the video, just focus on getting it out, getting comfortable on camera, learning how to be concise in your language, how to structure it, to actually keep people's attention for one minute. And there's like a template that you can use that makes it, like if you optimize your videos for social media, like you have the title at the top, you have the subtitles at the bottom with like a progress bar going across. You can learn how to edit those type of videos. And then they're like, it's just exponentially easier than doing YouTube. So I'm glad you asked that question.

Nick (15:28): I think it kind of takes a little bit of the pressure off too, in a way, because you're not trying to put out massive amounts of content. We can still help people. But one thing that I did like that you said by doing a minute long video, you're trying to keep that viewers attention for a minute on YouTube. You're trying to keep their attention for five minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, whatever it is, people don't have that big of an attention span. So when you try to get them on YouTube, you have to have some hard hitting content. You can't, you really have to know what you're doing when you're going into it to try to draw them in and keep them there that full time. Whereas a minute that might be a little bit more doable on social media or LinkedIn or Instagram, like you said.

Amanda (16:04): Exactly.

Nick (16:04): I think that, yeah, I think that's a very good point. Now you were talking about anxiety and getting nervous, doing all that. So you experienced all of that.

Amanda (16:13): Very much. So everyone's always like, Oh yeah, it was easy for you. Cause you did video. And I was like, it's a whole different thing to step in front of the camera is there's a lot of nerves that go along with it.

Nick (16:25): Talk about that for a minute. How, what was it like when you were starting? What were the kind of like feelings and emotions and how were you inside your head when you got started and how did you, I guess, overcome that and get to where you are now. Because you, I watched your videos and you do look extremely comfortable. Like it's uncomfortable for me. How comfortable you are.

Amanda (16:44): That's hilarious. Yeah. So when I first started, I, the reason that I got into stepping in front of the camera in the first place, it was actually previous to starting my YouTube channel. I was outsourcing to the Philippines and video editing and I was outsourcing like I, I was trying to, I knew I couldn't afford someone here in the US to be able to work with me. And I could afford someone that was $6 an hour, right when I was first starting out. But the video would come back and it would be terrible. And so I was dedicated to building a system and training outsourcers to be able to actually execute in a way that wouldn't make my job harder. It would make it easier. Right. Which is the point of outsourcing. So I stepped in front of the camera and started creating training videos for outsourcers in the Philippines.

Amanda (17:37): And it was a little bit easier because I knew it wasn't going out to the entire world, but I was still so anxious. So I set up everything at my house, my camera, my lights, I sat down. I, I decided that personally, I was going to use a teleprompter for it. So I had scripted out all the videos and my heart was beating. So incredibly fast, you think like a lion was running at me and what I've come to know after the fact is that it's, it's a physiological response that we all have that we don't really want to be seen because when you're seen as a human, if you go back to caveman days, like you are in danger of the, like you're vulnerable. And so when you sit down in front of the camera, it's kind of like that same feeling of being in front of a crowd, right?

Amanda (18:29): Your heart's racing, your mind goes blank, you're sweating. You're you're you get choked up on your words. You know? And when I, so I did that. I, I gritted my teeth. I faced that lion and I did it. Right. And then when I was watching the editing of that video, I realized, Oh, wow. Like I don't look as nervous as I thought that I would. And so this is one of the reasons why I really recommend when you're first starting with video, edit your own videos because you will learn so much and you will gain so much more confidence. But that was the very first thing for me to recognize, like, okay, yes, I looked nervous, but I don't look like I kinda got away with it a little bit, you know? And then it's just a matter of practicing and knowing that you're going to start bad, you're going to get so much better and yeah, just like keep doing it.

Amanda (19:22): Now I have come up with some methods that help clients get over it a lot faster. And I'm happy to share an exercise if that is helpful.

Nick (19:31): Absolutely! Let's do it.

Amanda (19:31): Okay, cool. So this is something that you can do today, and it's really working on your on-camera presence ultimately. And what you'll do is you sit down in front of your phone. Let's just say you put it horizontal in front of a window, just so you're nice and well lit, but whatever you do, don't do like the selfie mode. You want to actually have the camera down. So you're going to say the same phrase and you're going to repeat it multiple times. So the phrase is going to be I'm Amanda Horvath. And I'm practicing my on-camera personality to see what works best for me or whatever it is that you want it to be something that's easy to say. You're not having to like really think about it. So you're going to say it in your regular voice. Then 25% more excited, then 50% more excited and this time, you're going to move your head

Speaker 4 (20:21): And your hands and your shoulders

Amanda (20:24): Because you'll notice, well, I'll get there in a second, then a hundred percent or 75%, and then 100% like over the top. Go crazy with it and look ridiculous. Watch back that video. And you'll see, just within the two minutes that it took you to film that one clip. You'll see why previously you looked like a serial killer on camera. You'll recognize that it wasn't actually you being bad at camera on camera. It's just that you weren't living up with the energy or showing up with the energy that is required for that to be transmitted are transmuted. What is, I don't know, whatever, whatever the word is there on camera.

Nick (21:07): That is an awesome exercise. I'll probably after we get off this call, go test it out myself. Yeah. Oh yeah. Well I'll have to post it or something. Everybody listening. If you do this challenge, I want you to, I don't know what should we, should we have them share it, share it on social media. Maybe you shoot a DM or something.

Amanda (21:30): I would say, yeah, hit us, hit us up in the DMs on Instagram and, and just be like, Hey, I did the exercise. Or you could even post how about this? You post on Instagram stories and you said, I just did the exercise. And I'm feeling so much more confident on camera. You can tag us and we will repost it on our stories if we see it. And then you can mention this episode too.

Nick (21:53): Absolutely. Perfect. I love that. Guys, The challenge has been set. I'm counting on you to follow through. Let's get you on camera. Get you comfortable. Show that energy.

Amanda (22:03): You can do it. You can do it.

Nick (22:06): I love it. Um, shoot, there was something I was going to bring up. Oh, the, uh, you were talking about doing the training videos. So I actually, I had that theory in my head when I was starting to do these videos, I guess I haven't really started doing videos when I'm starting to do these videos. I thought, well, if I'm going to be teaching someone something, I am a lot more comfortable because it's a topic that I know in and out. I've trained people, whether it's at my nine to five job, whatever it is, I've trained people on a specific topic. And I have no problem. Yes. Sending them a video because I know it's not going out there for the world.

Nick (22:41): It's like, when I know what's going on social media or YouTube, whatever it is, I kind of freak out and say, well, this has to be perfect. And doing a training video. I'm like, well, I don't care if I screw up. Like if I fumble over my words, like they're going to get the idea. They're going to get trained regardless of whether or not it fumble over my words. So I thought about taking that same concept and almost treating my videos as a live stream in a way. So I can bring you into the, I mean, I use OBS for this podcast and for other videos I want to do, it's a streaming software and I plan to be me on camera, go into the computer back and forth. But it'll kind of be more like a training session. And to me that makes it seem like, I don't know, I'm just teaching someone something. I'm not trying to create this big grand production that needs to go up on YouTube and everyone find out. So I didn't think that was really an interesting point.

Amanda (23:30): Yeah. I think that with that, you get really comfortable and this is one thing that I've considered doing myself too, of just doing a where you just show up authentically on camera and you're okay with the time pass with not knowing what you're going to say. Sit there and be quiet. If you just start kind of filming yourself every day and doing like one video for yourself, then that's another way to kind of get comfortable. But I think that what you're saying is, is a great method of doing it. The one thing I will say though, is that one take videos, especially on YouTube, don't do as well, just because they need to be so tightly edited.

Nick (24:11): Right. That, that was something I've thought about. Like with everything on the screen like that is it possible that when I make cuts, like I just do a jump cut or something like that. Will that look funny? So I'm really going to have to test it out depending.

Amanda (24:25): Because you're screen recording kind of thing?

Nick (24:27): I guess it'd be more, it'd be more prevalent if I had graphics up on the screen while I was, while I screwed up or left along space that I just needed to cut out of there. So it's something I think will take practice, but I, I liked the idea of it basically being edited for the most part, right. When I'm done.

Amanda (24:47): I think it's a great idea. And I, I think that you can kind of play around with it. I think it's all about testing, you know, and seeing what works and all of this, all fronts test.

Nick (24:57): Absolutely. Tests and practice, like you said, it's going to be tough getting in front of it and starting it. And it's probably going to be bad. I have a lot of really bad TikToks up. My first couple, actually, all of them were probably just really bad and just got to get them out there and do it

Amanda (25:19): True. In fact, um, I am doing a free video class on December 9th that I'll be talking all about, like how to start before you feel ready, like what to do when no one's watching and all those things, they kind of go into the nerve wracking side of video. So just wanted to plant that seed if anyone wants to, wants to attend.

Nick (25:42): Perfect. Yeah. Uh, before we wrap up here, you'll have to shoot me that link so that I can throw that in the show notes for everybody listening. I do have a show notes page for every episode that I do here for the Nine-Five Podcast. So any links that we discussed links to get in touch with Amanda, all that is going to be in the show notes page. So make sure you go check that out. Um, one thing that you did mention when you started out, you had started completely scripting out, you were using a teleprompter, I actually watched your video specifically about using a teleprompter versus not using the teleprompter. What would you recommend for someone who's just starting out? Should they use it or should they not?

Amanda (26:19): So teleprompter comes with its own challenges. There's a couple of different things to think about, I think, and in that video, that video blew up and was a big, a big reason why my channel has as many subscribers as it does. I talk about how, before you even get to the teleprompter conversation, you have to think about, are you going to script your video or are you just going to outline it? And this is so dependent on each person. Some people they're like, Oh, I could totally wing it. I could be fine. Other people they're going to sit down in front of the camera. They're anxious, they're nervous. Their mind is blank. And it's so helpful in that moment to have a fully scripted out video. And the trick with sustainable video content is eventually you want to move to the point where you were just outlining it because it takes so long to script a video fully as you're over analyzing it.

Amanda (27:13): Especially if you're a perfectionist like me, I struggle with that. Right. So that is like, before you even think about teleprompter. And I think those are two, that's a question to kind of ask yourself and if you are just starting out, I think scripting is really good because of what I mentioned, being anxious. You have it right there. And if you are going to the effort of scripting your videos, then I think using a teleprompter does make sense, but know that it's not going to be magical now that you have the teleprompter, it's going to be super easy. It's going to come with its own challenges, like not having your eyes scan back and forth and look like you're reading and having to say something that you're reading in a very natural tone of voice to where it doesn't look like you're reading. Right? So the it's just a different skill

Nick (28:02): That is where I was going to go next. That's I've tried to do the scripting deal. And I had, I don't know, it was a cheap teleprompter app that I tried to put it so that it looked like I was looking at the camera, even though I was looking above it. And you could definitely see my eyes moving and I sounded like a robot. It wasn't great scrapped the whole thing. And I was like, well, I better just wing it because this isn't going well,

Amanda (28:24): Everyone does that. The whole put the, put a notepad next to the camera lens, put something like whatever next to it. And I don't recommend doing that because people can definitely tell you're not looking in the lens. So just type in teleprompter and Amanda Horvath on YouTube. And I bet that video that we're talking about would pop up and I like give my top recommendation for a teleprompter in there. But yeah, I think it's just having the right gear, but the alternative, just to throw it out there, the alternative option instead of using a teleprompter is to just recite your script in chunks. So like, you're just going to say sections of your script. So like in this video, we're going to be talking about X, Y, and Z in this video, we're going to be talking about X, Y, and Z. And you do like multiple takes, you know, and then you can in editing, learn to splice those together. You don't have to do it in one take. Yeah, absolutely.

Nick (29:20): That, that is one thing to consider for everybody. And something that really helped push me with this podcast is that, yeah, it's not one take unless you're doing a live stream, which everyone at that point knows it's live. They're not going to hold it against you. If you miss a word or you fumble over a word or something like that, recording it, it is, you can cut out as much as you want from that video. I tend to, when I talk, I tend to leave a lot of space in between my words, as I'm thinking about the next thing to say, everyone listening here probably doesn't really notice that too much because I'm able to take out those little silences. So I might sound like an absolute genius when really I'm like, uh, what am I supposed to say here?

Amanda (30:00): But at least you're not filling all those blank spaces with ums and likes and huh. You know?

Nick (30:07): Yes, yep. Space is better than filler words, a hundred percent.

Nick (30:14): But I will like the other links. I will throw a link to that teleprompter the script versus outline video as well. Because I, I did get a lot of value out of that. I think that was a good, good video for anybody looking to get started. Once we finally built up the courage to start creating this video, we're probably gonna be starting on social media because that's what Amanda told us to do now, how do we get that content seen? How do we start building buzz around the content? I think that's, that's been my biggest struggle for sure. But if you're feeling confident, you're feeling good about the video. You want people to see that you want people to find that content, what do we got to do to start building buzz around what we're creating?

Amanda (30:53): So there's the video side of it. There's then there's the distribution side of it, right? And with the distribution side of it, you really, depending on which platform that you're starting on, which is, this is why I recommend starting with one platform and not spreading yourself thin. You have to learn what the algorithm wants. So this can be as simple as going to YouTube and watching videos on that. Like how to grow on Instagram, watch like five or six videos and see what people are saying, and then start implementing those strategies. Alternatively, you could buy courses on it, um, as well, but really don't overlook the need to understand that side of it .and know that bad content, no matter how much you try is not going to circulate. Like even because the algorithm just knows, right? So it's really like, it's, it's a two-pack punch, right? You gotta have the good video and you gotta learn how to kind of get it out there. But one trick that everyone can implement right away is if you're just getting started, try to find some sort of engagement pod where people from the get go can be watching, can be commenting on your videos right away, because it's just really encouraging. I did that when I was first starting with YouTube and it also kicks off the algorithm. So I would recommend that.

Nick (32:22): Absolutely. Are there any, what are some ways that you can kind of get into those engagement pods? I've done something similar on Twitter, but Instagram just completely blows my mind. How would you go out finding people to do you just reach out and say, Hey, want to join this group? Or what, how would you actually join an engagement pod?

Amanda (32:39): Yeah. Great question. And I've had, so for YouTube, I had a course that had an engagement part, pod be a part of it. In fact, with my course this time, we're doing an engagement pod. Like there will be elements of that. That is like a technology that will have engagement pod features for Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. Otherwise I would say, yeah, start one. Start, start one with people, your friends find others that are creating it. Get in Facebook groups and talk to others that are doing this. Like, I think starting your own is probably a good place to start and focus on providing for other people too. Like it's not a one-way street, but you could also, I mean, you could, if you were just starting out have like, Hey friends and family, every time I post a video, I'm going to give, I'm going to send it to you guys. Can you just like, and comment on it? And then if you can get the buy-in from people that you don't have to do it for their videos, then awesome. Do that.

Nick (33:42): Now you mentioned a course. Why don't you tell me a little bit about, or what this course is and it's going to be releasing soon. So fill us in on it.

Amanda (33:52): Yeah, so I have a course called the DIY Video Roadmap and it is my solution for how to create high quality videos on your own without breaking the bank or taking up tons of your time. So it's the exact system. I teach the exact system for how I've gone and created weekly videos for the past 129 weeks at this point, which is crazy.

Nick (34:17): Wow.

Amanda (34:18): So it's the fastest system for producing videos. And I take you from developing your brand voice, developing your online persona and walking through that process. Like what, who are you, what is your personal brand? Let's talk about it. Then I tell you exactly what gear to buy exactly how to set it up and how to edit. So everything walk you step by step through the entire process. And so for, if anyone is slightly interested in that, I am doing a free video class where I'll be kind of giving insight into my teaching style into the way that I, my methodology with video and that is happening on December 9th. It's going to be, it's a very solid training. It took me like a hundred hours to put it together. So we're going to be walking around with walking out with amazing content. So I cannot recommend showing up to that enough.

Nick (35:16): Awesome. Where, where can people find this or can, is registration open for it? Is there any kind of preregistration or anything?

Amanda (35:23): So registration opened on December 1st or opens on December 1st and the first webinar will be on December 9th. And then there will be four total. So two on December 9th, two on December 16th. And we'll make sure that the, um, the link is in the show notes for you all to join. But I will stress that I don't do this often. I only opened up enrollment for my course a few times per year. And this is your chance. There's 10 days for the open enrollment period. So I would just come to the webinars, see if you're interested and then take it from there.

Nick (36:05): Absolutely. I love it. Yes. Like Amanda said, I will link to that in the show notes. So make sure you go check that out. You don't want to miss that, especially she's not doing this very often. And if you're interested in getting video, video's not going anywhere. So you definitely should probably hop on this. Now, what would be some last minute tips of advice you want to leave? The listeners who are interested in getting into video, obviously go register for the webinar, jump in your course that's priority. Number one. But aside from that, what can people start doing right now to kind of prep or get ready for that?

Amanda (36:41): So one of the things that I talk about a lot is that there's this voice that people hear that's like you should do video. And so many people ignore that voice and they silence it and they've silenced it for years. They've put it on the back burner over and over again. And no matter what that voice keeps coming up. And I genuinely believe that that voice is a call to action for you to step up and start playing a bigger game. And it's saying like, the reason you should do video is because what you are going to accomplish within this lifetime is not going to be able to be done without the reach that comes with video. So I personally heard that voice and took the steps to making it happen after two years of ignoring it. And it's a journey that you go on and you're invited on and not every single person hears that voice.

Amanda (37:39): So the first thing that I would say is just pay attention. Do you have that voice? What is it telling you? Could it be your intuition telling you to take the next step? Then I have a quick start guide to video. That is a three-part video series that will tell you exactly what fi your first five video scripts or your first five video topics. How to determine those, how to write a clear explainer statement. That is who you are and how to communicate that with the world. And then also the script structure for any type of video that you might create specifically long form educational video content. So not as much the short form, but the, the longer form like training videos, course videos, YouTube videos or anything like that. So I would highly, highly recommend watching the Quickstart guide to video and just starting to get educated on that. Totally awesome. This, the

Nick (38:36): Show notes to this episode is packed with so much value that Amanda is giving you here. So make sure you go check out the show notes page. It's I'm going to go check out my own show notes page once I'm done creating it. All right Amanda, we have come to the end here. Where can people find you online? Where would you like people to go social media website? Obviously all these links will be in the show notes as well, but where would you like people to go and find you and get in touch with you?

Amanda (39:03): So if you go to AmandaHorvath.com, you can find everything there. Uh, the quick start guide the video that I mentioned, all of the social media links and yeah, otherwise Instagram is @AHVisions, YouTube. There's tons of free content on YouTube, Amanda Horvath. And I hope that you reach out, let us know what you thought about this, this episode.

Nick (39:27): Absolutely. And don't forget the challenge. I want you guys to post it on Instagram stories and you have to tag us so that we know that you posted it.

Nick (39:35): Yes, do it.

Nick (39:37): I'm excited about it. Well, Amanda, I want to thank you for coming on the show. I had a lot of fun and I learned a lot. So I'm positive that the listeners will have learned a lot after finishing this. So thanks for coming on the show and keep crushing on video. I'm excited to see how the course does for you.

Amanda (39:56): Thank you. Thanks so much for having me.

Nick (39:58): All right. Take it easy.

Nick (40:00): I hope you enjoyed that interview. Like Amanda mentioned earlier in the episode, video marketing, isn't going anywhere. Anytime soon, it's not too late to get started, but the longer you wait, the more difficult it will get to make further progress.

Nick (40:12): So the key is to start practicing now. Accept the fact that your first videos are probably going to suck. And I feel like it's almost a Rite of passage. Every video creator needs to make some really bad videos before they can start creating really good ones. So start with the challenge that Amanda discussed in this episode,

Nick (40:30): say a phrase on camera and just speak in your normal voice. Then repeat that same phrase, but amp up the energy a little bit by 25%. And again, at 50%, 75 and a hundred. And then what I want you to do is I want you to post to Instagram, that video, or share it on your stories and tag Amanda and myself, to let us know that you completed it. If you're new to video, it's going to make you uncomfortable. And that's all right. You have to get uncomfortable to make progress.

Nick (40:54): It's all a part of the process. Now, if you want to take advantage of Amanda's free live training, make sure you sign up soon. Enrollment is currently live or right now. And if you want to sign up for that free training, just go to ninefivepodcast.com/amanda. That link will direct you to a landing page for Amanda's training, or if you want to get access to this and any of the other links discussed. In this episode, you can head over to the show notes for this episode. And the link to the show notes is ninefivepodcast.com/episode21. Nine five is all spelled out N I N E F I V E podcast.com forward slash episode 2 - 1. Lastly, if you enjoyed this episode, make sure you head over to iTunes and leave a review of the podcast. Thanks for tuning in and sticking around until the end.

Nick (41:43): Now go get started on your video creation and do your challenge. I will catch up with you guys in next week's episode.