Episode 32: Amy Schmittauer Explains Video In Her New Book VLog Like A Boss

In this episode of “Bella In Your Business”, Bella speaks with Amy Schmittauer from the popular YouTube series Savvy Sexy Social In this episode they discuss what a Vlog is, and how and why Amy got into it.  They also talk about how pet sitters can use video to enhance their business and marketing and some tips on how to overcome that fear of being on camera. Amy's newly released book Vlog Like a Boss: How to Kill It Online with Video Blogging just launched on Jan 31st and just by listening to this episode, you might win a free copy. Want to join our book club? The Jumpers in my FB group voted for Amy's book as our next book club read. If you would like to join us, we start the middle of February. You can get a copy of her book here and join our FB book club group here Amy Schmittauer Amy Schmittauer  is the Vlog Boss. As a new media triple threat —YouTuber, Keynote Speaker and Author—she coaches people to go after what they want in life and leverage online video to make it happen. Creator of the popular YouTube series Savvy Sexy Social, her channel boasts a global community and millions of views.  And let’s not forget she is Mama to an adorable Beagle named LUCY. In Amy’s first book Vlog Like a Boss: How to Kill It Online with Video Blogging, she shares her collection of strategies and tactics to help you create video that gets the attention you deserve. Subscribe To The Show: Transcript: This is episode 32 of Bella in Your Business. Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready—Bella’s got your chute. Let’s jump. Welcome to Bella in Your Business. I'm Bella Vasta with Jump Consulting, and today I'm here with Amy Schmittauer, the Vlog Boss. She’s a new media triple threat—a YouTuber, keynote speaker, and author—and she coaches people to go after what they want in life and leverage online video to make it happen. She’s the creator of the popular YouTube series Savvy Sexy Social, which I highly recommend you go check out because I’m an avid watcher. And let’s not forget, Amy, you’re also pet mama to the adorable Lucy Beagle. That’s exactly right. That’s the main job description. Right? They totally run our life. And I love how Lucy is in some of your videos as well. Amy also has her first book that just launched, How to Kill It Online with Video Blogging, where she shares her collection of strategies and tactics to help you create video that gets the attention you deserve. Amy, welcome. Hello, Bella. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it. I’m so excited because I got my ticket to Social Media Marketing World and looked at all the speakers. Out of all of them, you were the one I was like, “Ooh!” I went to your YouTube channel, started consuming all your content, got super excited—you actually cost me about a thousand dollars because I invested in all this awesome equipment. I stepped it up a notch and was like, all right, I’m going to do this. I took a 30-day vlog challenge and reached out, and you totally motivated and inspired me. Our audience today is made up of pet sitters, pet business owners, and dog walkers. We have the best thing to put on video—cute, fluffy puppies, dogs, and kitties. I wanted to bring you to my audience to help excite them and explain all this video stuff and how they can incorporate it into their business. So first, if you’re the Vlog Boss, what the heck is a vlog? Absolutely. It probably sounds like a lot of things to people. Sometimes it sounds like “blog,” and sometimes it sounds dirty—what is that? It’s literally just the short way of saying “video blog.” Vlog Like a Boss is what I named my book because I wanted people to go out and do their thing. You don’t have to be like anyone else. You just have to share your message with video. If you use video, then you are vlogging like a boss. Pretty simple and straightforward, right? And the best part—for those who hate writing or worry about grammar—is that video is raw, authentic, and fast. You can film anything from your daily thoughts while walking a dog to saying, “Hey guys, I’m in the office just scheduling for the week and here’s how to give your dog a treat without getting your hand bitten.” Exactly. So, Amy, what’s your why? Why did you start all this? You couldn’t have just been amazing on camera on day one. Absolutely not. The first video I made had nothing to do with me being on camera. I talk about this in the book. It was 2007, and I was a bridesmaid in a wedding. I wanted to make the bride feel even better on her big day, so I made a video—a compilation of short clips from our friends wishing her well—and played it at the rehearsal dinner. It was for one person, but everyone there was emotional and shocked. That’s when things started to click for me. I realized I could use creativity to affect people in a positive way. That’s how I discovered video and later YouTube—not to be famous, but simply because it was an easy platform to upload and share. My why every single day originally came from my dog. I got Lucy when I was 18. She totally shaped me as I grew up, and I hated leaving her every day. She had separation anxiety, and I thought, “Wouldn’t it be cool if I didn’t have to leave the house?” That was my first why—to work for myself and stay home with Lucy. That’s so sweet. So it started off with Lucy, but I’m sure your why has evolved. Definitely. When you find something you love to do and can make money at it, it’s amazing. I started this because I was passionate about the online world. I grew up with computers, so content creation and community building came naturally. That’s how I became a social media consultant—helping businesses figure out how to use Facebook effectively. I just happened to use video to teach that message. Here we are in 2017—it’s still “the year of video.” Every year it becomes more important. The medium has lifted me up because it’s how I deliver my message. I tell people: if you want to rise above your competitors, do something different. Everyone’s hesitant about video, but if you just go after it, you’ll stand out. My why now is about ownership—knowing that anything I want is up to me. I don’t let excuses or circumstances define me. Anything possible for me needs to be decided and done by me. That’s my why: to stay focused on what I love and do it well, on my own terms. I love that. Right? It’s not about “working for the man.” I can’t imagine not being in charge of my life. We’re going to take a quick break, but when we come back, we’ll talk about losing that fear of being in front of the camera. Commercial break – ProPet Hero CPR ad And we’re back. Amy, thank you so much for being here today. How do you get over the fear of being on camera? You have to be real about what your fears actually are. Ask yourself: what’s the worst-case scenario? People often say, “I don’t have the right stuff.” But you don’t need a thousand-dollar camera—you have an incredible device in your pocket. Your smartphone is enough. The bigger fear is usually about ROI—“Is it worth my time?”—and to that I say, don’t be lazy. Figure out your goals and respect the process. It takes time to build relationships with people through video. Most people think you have to be born for this, but that’s not true. You just need practice. No one is a natural. I was never comfortable on camera—I barely have pictures from my childhood because I avoided them! But I practiced. The trick is not to see the camera as a camera. Talking to a device isn’t natural, but neither is imagining you’re talking to a million people. Instead, think of it as one person—your best friend. The original YouTubers did that—they spoke to one person, and then they found many who related. Understand your fears, and then start talking to that one person through the lens. That’s where something special happens. Exactly. It’s about being real and relatable. Right. And being yourself matters. If you’re fake, people will know. If you’re truly yourself, meeting someone in real life will feel natural. I’m the same person online and offline. That authenticity is what builds trust. Absolutely. And for our pet sitters and dog walkers, it’s about being real. Show the fun, messy, human side of your work. Don’t be afraid to be authentic, funny, and imperfect. Exactly. So let’s talk about your 30-day challenge. Sure. It’s called 30 Days to Better Vlogging. It’s $30—just $1 a day. Every day you get a tip on improving your videos—from strategy and editing to lighting and promotion. It’s not just “upload and pray.” It’s about creating and marketing your videos effectively. Love it. And that led to your book, Vlog Like a Boss, right? Yes! It’s essentially the complete guide to video blogging—practical, step-by-step, and full of strategy. It covers how to build your schedule, stay confident on camera, and promote effectively on social media. That’s awesome. How can people get your book? You can get it at vloglikeaboss.com—it redirects to Amazon. And Bella, you’re doing a giveaway, right? Yes! If you want this book and don’t want to pay for it, comment below this video or email me at [email protected]. The first three people will get a free copy. And check out 30 Days to Better Vlogging and Savvy Sexy Social on YouTube. Amy, thank you so much for joining me. Thank you, Bella. It’s been wonderful. This has been another episode of Bella in Your Business. You can catch me on iTunes or Stitcher, or on Facebook at Bella in Your Business or Jump Consulting. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe—and always keep jumping.