If you’re looking to get inspired to take that step into the YouTube world and make your mark in the vlogging industry, then the Beauty and the Vlog Mastermind success story of Emma of Emzotic is one that you should definitely listen to! In Part 2 of my interview with Emma, she continues to share with us lessons learned from her journey and how she overcame every challenge to get to where she is today.

“You have to follow your heart, not the trends.”

Emma is a 29-year-old self-confessed lover of exotic animals. She used to travel all over the United Kingdom, giving animal themed presentations in schools with an array of exotic creatures. After making a life-changing career move and becoming a full-time YouTuber, she has become a ‘Digital Animal Educator,’ educating and entertaining a larger audience through her YouTube channel, Emzotic.

“The best thing that you can do is to embrace who you are.”

Emma enrolled in the Beauty and the Vlog Mastermind and was able to open her eyes to her potential and the value of her uniqueness that she can share with the world. She has become that magnetic persona on camera who continues to build her tribe, attracting audiences of all ages from all over the globe! Now, Emzotic has nearly 300k subscribers and continues to take YouTube by storm!

“I’m not interested in building my numbers; I’m interested in building my community.”

Have you ever thought of starting a YouTube channel but have no idea what to do or how to do it? Emma of Emzotic was exactly like that! Her Beauty and the Vlog Mastermind success story is something that we can all learn from — from how she failed in her beauty channel, to how she finally found her niche, to growing her subscribers exponentially in just a few months!

“People are not always interested in my subjects, but I make them interested in it."

Emma is a 29-year-old ‘Animal Educator’ turned ‘Digital Animal Educator.’ Before becoming a full-time YouTuber, she used to travel all over the UK, giving animal themed presentations in schools with an array of exotic creatures. Today, she educates and entertains a larger audience with her vlogs as a ‘pet mom,’ as well as creating pet care tutorials. Her most requested and successful videos are her ‘Creature Feature’ series, where she picks a creature to deliver an in-depth fact file about.

Emma began to take her channel seriously in the spring of 2017 and grew from 1K subscribers at the end of May to 280K by December 2017. She recently moved to the United States to live with her partner who is a zoological specialist and splits her time between creating videos on YouTube and live-streaming with her animals on various platforms.

Emma’s success story is a testament to the power of staying true to yourself. If you do, there’s no doubt you can take YouTube by storm!

“It’s a small world, you have to use your elbows a lot and make a space for yourself.”

How important is it for an influencer to have a support system? Wouldn’t it be great if you were a part of an influencer community that empowers you as you pursue your passion and turn it into a business? Let’s find out in today’s episode as we explore the power of an influencer community with Style Collective’s Annie Spano.

“We’re just trying to make a difference in the world through our craft and our passion.”

Style Collective is an influencer community for women to connect, grow, and learn how to be successful bloggers and entrepreneurs. Prior to starting Style Collective, Annie had been in a toxic work situation in her corporate job after she had graduated from her MBA and realized she needed to get out. She felt the need to be around other people that were positive and inspiring. She also needed to be where she could be a leader and empower women.

She started her blog in October 2015 and did some consulting through it for a local boutique. She began to know other fashion bloggers that were starting at the same time and she connected with these women on a deeper level. She became best friends with some of them and she started a Facebook group for all of them to connect with each other, to share tips and ideas with each other, and encourage each other. Through that, Annie saw the power of an influencer community.

Now, Annie connects women from all over the world through community and empowers them to do what they love through leadership and influencer education. Annie is the host of the Becoming Fearless Podcast, blogs at anniespano.com, and is a public speaker.

“My tribe is influencers because they’re the same as me.”

Do you wish you were making money as an influencer? If so, how can you turn your passion project or hobby into a full-time career? What are the odds of making money as an influencer? How can you become successful at it?

I am so excited for today’s episode because not only will we unlock the answers to these questions, but we’ll also talk about mindfulness, meditation, and positivity with our guest, Jessica Nazarali.

Jessica knew from an early age that personal development would be part of her life’s work. However, it wasn’t until she started a passion project – a blog and health food store in 2011 - that Jessica’s dream came to fruition.

“At the end of the day you just really need to believe in yourself and what you’re doing.”

After hitting it big with $7,000 in revenue during her 7th month of blog coaching and consulting, Jessica quit her job and went full time in her business. During the first year, she did a lot of one-on-one coaching, one-on-one consulting, and then she started creating products. Now, she has a flagship program, Business Mastery, that’s all about business building skills including how to sign consistent clients for coaches, consultants, and service-based entrepreneurs. She also has a coaching certification program, Coaching Mastery, and a personal development and mindset-based program, Personal Mastery.

“Content is so important and it’s how you stand out.”

Today, Jessica has managed to successfully combine her business with her desire to help people. Her It Girl Academy and It Girl Radio podcast provide guidance and coaching to women from different walks of life, all over the world.

“It’s really important that you stay motivated and you stay inspired, so you keep on going and you don’t give up.”

Have you ever thought about starting a podcast? How is podcasting different from having a YouTube channel? How do you start a podcast of your own? If you’re asking these questions, you can get the answers right here in this episode! Our guest, Ashley Johnson, will share some tips with us as she tells us how she started her own podcast.

“Podcasting is a lot less work than YouTube.”

Ashley was initially from Minnesota and she moved to South Florida when she started dating her now ex-boyfriend. When she moved half-way across the country, she would often have calls with her friend. One day, she accidentally recorded a conversation they had on her computer. When she discovered the recording months later, it just cracked her up! So, she decided to upload it.

“It’s still surprising how some people don’t know what a podcast is.”

From then on, Ashley and her friend decided to just start recording their conversations. They would talk about relationships and dating and, soon enough, people started listening. They first called the podcast Unedited Living. They didn’t edit anything, nothing was cut out, it was really poor quality, but it worked! People resonated with it!

“I love podcasting. I love talking.”

After a while of doing that, Ashley changed the name of her podcast to Your Morning After and they still talk about their personal lives a little bit, but they also cover other podcasts, pop culture, and dating.

Ashley doesn’t have a niche and she doesn’t need one. Podcasting works even if you just talk about anything under the sun! You, too, can start your very own podcast just like that!

“I live on podcasts.”

Learn what top 10 tools you need to get started on YouTube in this episode of  Beauty and the Vlog. 

Check out our newest guide: 

How to get on PR lists even if you have a small following and get LOTS of free product! Get it HERE! 

Join our fabulous free Facebook group to make friends, get support and learn the ins and outs of being an online influencer. 

Gaining popularity as a blogger or YouTuber doesn’t happen overnight. It takes hard work to put content out there consistently and have people notice you. Since Instagram started, the platform has helped content creators gain subscribers from all over the world. It’s a safe bet that gaining followers using a growth hack for Instagram would also give you a bump in followers on your blog and an increase in your YouTube subscribers as well.

“Facebook is like Pinterest, it’s so underused by bloggers.”

So, what’s a good growth hack for Instagram? Let’s find out from our guest, Angela Lanter. In this episode, she talks about her best growth hack for Instagram, her journey as a content creator, and a whole lot more!

“New platforms come out all the time and you don’t know what’s going to take off.”

Born and raised in Northeast Ohio, Angela took her first job as a hairstylist and makeup artist working at a small salon giving makeovers for Glamour photos at the age of 15. While in college, she continued to pursue her love of beauty by freelancing for proms, weddings, and other special events. Even after getting a “real job,” she continued to sharpen her beauty skills by watching YouTube tutorials at night for inspiration.

“I think YouTube will always be around.”

After many years of watching and learning, it was time to start creating her content. In February 2013, Angela launched “Hello Gorgeous” and, in October, her subsequent YouTube channel. By December, she was named as an official PopSugar Select Blogger and was featured as the #1 ShopStyle Lay Down Campaign Blogger. Recognizing her passion for Hello Gorgeous, Angela left her career to take it full-time. By providing her readers with fashion, beauty, and lifestyle tips, she hopes to help each woman feel and look her best inside and out.

“So much of fashion blogging nowadays has been diluted to just photos.”

Do you randomly blog or post videos in your YouTube channel, or do you plan and schedule your blog content? Well, today we will learn from our guest why it’s far better to do the latter and take a look at all the benefits you can get by keeping track of trends, events and holidays, and keeping a content calendar of what you’re going to post and when.

Nikole is the face behind the popular health food and lifestyle YouTube channel, HealthNut Nutrition. She is a passionate "health nut" who inspires her viewers to live an active, healthy, and balanced lifestyle by showing how easy and delicious it can be. Her "healthified" versions of fresh and tasty dishes are guaranteed to make your taste buds dance and prove that healthy eating doesn’t have to be tasteless or boring!

“Let yourself be creative and find your own groove.”

Nikole’s philosophy is all about finding a balance that works for you. It’s about listening to your body, surrounding yourself with positive sources, limiting stress, and enjoying the foods you love. She doesn’t believe in dieting, calorie counting, low-fat, or sugar-free labels. She believes in taking a holistic and intuitive approach to living a healthy lifestyle both inside and out.

“You have to do what’s right for you.”

Nikole’s philosophy is all about finding a balance that works for you. It’s about listening to your body, surrounding yourself with positive sources, limiting stress, and enjoying the foods you love. She doesn’t believe in dieting, calorie counting, low-fat, or sugar-free labels. She believes in taking a holistic and intuitive approach to living a healthy lifestyle both inside and out.

Nikole only started working full-time with YouTube this year, but already she’s had videos that definitely boosted her channel. She shares how important it is to schedule your blog content, have a reason behind your videos, have a bigger picture in mind. So, make sure you don’t miss out on this episode and listen in!

“Outsourcing and getting help from people is going to help grow your business.”

If you could work on YouTube full time, would you take that leap of faith? Our guest, Amanda Lee, went with her gut and decided to do just that!

"It's kind of nice when what other people enjoy, and what you enjoy, lines up."

19-year old Amanda first started her YouTube channel when she was only 15 years old. She attended an art program in high school and, although art is definitely her number one passion, YouTube became a place for her to get away from art when it felt too suffocating. She started doing DIY and fashion and beauty videos and had about 60k subscribers when she graduated high school in August 2016.

As an artist, Amanda felt like she could do a lot more on her channel. So, she decided to take a year off from school and do YouTube full time. She then made the conscious decision to rebrand her channel and strategize her content. By January 2017, she hit 100k subscribers. And when she transitioned into art and started her bullet journals, they became so popular that she has now gained more than 400k subscribers and 17 million views.

"Find your groove, and once you do, it's enjoyable on both ends of the spectrum."

Amanda first started her channel to get away from art but now it's what her channel is known for. She has definitely come full circle and you can too! If you have something you love and that you're truly passionate about, you might want to take that leap of faith and do YouTube full time!

"You have to really love something and keep doing it without any guarantee of success in order for you to actually succeed."

Listen for an update on the podcast, sign up for a new surprise and get a sneak peek at future episodes.

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What are you passionate about? Wouldn't it be amazing to be able to earn a living out of what you love to do? Has the idea ever crossed your mind? What is the secret to turning your passion into a profitable online brand?

"Even the stuff that didn't turn out great, it's always a learning experience."

Amber of SweetAmbsCookies started sharing her passion for cookie decorating on YouTube after realizing people were actually more interested in learning how she made her cookies than buying them. Her eye-catching cookie decorating videos became so popular she decided to stop selling cookies on ETSY and instead focus on teaching others how to decorate their own cookies through YouTube videos and in-person classes.

"I really think passion will show through and people will enjoy watching what you're doing."

Amber didn't originally set out to become a cookie decorating instructor, but she has always enjoyed baking and she's also an artist. By combining her two passions, she was able to create a profitable online brand that has allowed her the flexibility of working for herself as well as be able to help support her family by doing what she loves. Amber is a mother of a nine-month old baby and she is able to work full-time producing cookie decorating tutorials.

"It's nice not to have to rely on one single thing especially as it gets more difficult to reach people."

Amber has over 1.1 million followers on Instagram, almost 700k YouTube subscribers, and 75 million video views.! Let's be inspired by her success and create a profitable online brand of our own!

"There's nothing to lose by starting a channel and trying it out."

Defining your niche is SO important to unleashing your potential as an influencer. Join us in this challenge to uncover your niche. 

Download your FREE niche workbook HERE. 

To participate in the challenge, you need to be a member of the Facebook group. You can join HERE. 

The challenge starts today October 9th and ends on Thursday October 12th. I will be live in the Facebook group on Friday October 13th. 

You will fill out the workbook and comment on the Facebook group on Thursday what your niche is. On Friday I will discuss all of the submissions and provide feedback. 

Make sure you use the hashtag #BATVNicheChallenge in Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to share your involvement in the challenge! 

October is the BEST time if you are a beauty YouTuber. Between Halloween, the Fall season, holiday releases and more, this is an amazing month to create lots of content. I detail why specifically October is the best month all year, backed by data, and the three things you need to do to capitalize on it! 

Here is the playlist for our collaboration! Check out the videos and see what everyone is up to! 

If you want to be part of the fun and make sure you can participate in the next collaboration make sure to join the Facebook group! 

Here is the link to my video tutorial on using the Google Keyword Search Tool 

As you might already know by now, anybody can start a YouTube channel, but not everybody becomes successful at it. It takes hard work and sometimes even a little bit of luck. In fact, when you think about growing your number of subscribers, you have to think creatively and not only as a content creator but also as a marketer. Luckily for you, in today’s episode, we’re talking about some of the best YouTube marketing tips in 2017. So, make sure to perk up your ears and listen as our lovely guest, Aileen Xu, shares with us how she’s been marketing her channel and her videos.

 "Life is an art, make it your masterpiece."

Aileen is a lifestyle design YouTube creator and podcast host. Throughout college, she posted videos on YouTube just for fun. At that time, she was into music and so she would post videos of herself doing covers of songs. Later, she came up with the idea of sharing all that she’s learned about improving her life using the YouTube platform. She then made a new channel, Lavendaire, through which she empowers millennials around the globe to embrace their true potential and create their dream life.

"Consistency is super important on YouTube."

When Aileen decided to quit her day job to focus only on her YouTube channel, she said she took a leap of faith. She now uploads twice a week and has about 300k subscribers and 18 million video views. With the best YouTube marketing tips in 2017, you can get the confidence to make that leap yourself!

"Once you have momentum, you don't want to stop."

"Don't try to be something you think people want."

YouTube is filled with bubbly and outgoing personalities who have become YouTube stars in their own right. However, having a YouTube channel is not exclusive for extroverts. If you have passion and knowledge to share, then what you actually have is the magic formula to become popular on YouTube!

One such popular YouTube influencer is Silvia Reis, who goes by the name ellebangs in her YouTube channel. She's a popular hair guru and a Redken trained hair stylist living in San Francisco who shares professional DIY tips about hair color, cut, and styling to help people get their dream hair while saving some money at the salon.

"Consistency gets people attracted."

Shy and reserved, Silvia's personality doesn't quite fit the mold of a typical YouTube influencer. However, because she's passionate about sharing her knowledge about hair, she started her channel with her husband about four years ago to teach people some of the things she learned herself going through cosmetology school and working at various salons in the Bay Area. She loves everything hair and makeup and thought YouTube would be a good way to engage with other like-minded people. Currently, Silvia has almost half a million YouTube subscribers and 49 million video views.

"The audience I have, I want it to be super genuine."

So, remember, you don't have to reinvent yourself in front of the camera and suddenly become super bubbly and super outgoing to become popular on YouTube. Stay true to yourself and people will embrace you for who you are!

"Don't try to be something you think people want."

Are you looking to embark on your very own journey to becoming a beauty, lifestyle, or health and fitness influencer? Most, if not all, influencers out there can be found on multiple social media platforms, the most popular of which are YouTube and Instagram. However, if you're someone who's just starting out, which social media platform should you get on first? Should you consider getting on both, or is it better to stick to just one? Instagram vs. YouTube – which one should you focus on more? Is it worthwhile to even compare the two? Our guests in today's episode may just have the answer for you.

"You have to have an element of free content."

Katie Dunlop of Orange County, CA is the creator of LoveSweatFitness, a women's health and fitness community focused on making fun and effective workouts accessible to everyone. After going through her own 45-pound weight loss journey, Katie has created a wonderful and motivating community, reaching more than half a million women through her social media pages and Hot Body Guides.

"Find a big topic and then create your own space inside that."

She first started Instagramming in 2014 to share more workouts and more inspirations to her students on the days when she wasn't teaching her fitness classes. A year later, together with her husband Ryan, they started the LoveSweatFitness channel on YouTube and have since grown their following to more than 200k subscribers. Listen to their story and be inspired!

"If you're determined and you're focused, you can get pretty good pretty fast."

Listen to the podcast episode to learn more about the website creation process including tips I have for creating a new brand new website, my process with creating this website as well as details on the giveaway. 

You can enter the Giveaway HERE! 

Are you ready to take YouTube seriously and make that transition from your current job to being a full-time YouTube content creator? It’s not an easy decision to make, and achieving success on YouTube is certainly no easy feat. However, for fitness influencer, Amanda Bucci, making that transition was empowering!

"I wanted people to take some piece of value out of it at the end of the day."

 
Amanda Bucci made that transition and began having the time of her life! She was absolutely loving what she did, helping people with fitness through her videos that she was uploading at least five times per week! With her bikini competition series called “That Prep Life,” her YouTube channel subscribers went from 6k to 100k in only 6 months.

"Getting noticed comes from doing videos that potentially could go viral."

Growing up in Rhode Island, Amanda had no idea having a YouTube channel, and being a YouTuber, was even a thing. When she did finally get started on YouTube, it was by sharing her fitness journey, educating her audience, and gaining fast exposure in the fitness industry.

"I like to make sure I get a good mix of informational versus vlog videos."

Amanda has now branched out to start her own podcast and showing others how to grow their own personal brands. She is passionate about fitness, business, and self-development and wants to help ignite the fire of millions by sharing her knowledge and leading by example.

"YouTube is obviously an amazing vehicle to get clients, to get business."

In the world of YouTube where there is so much content and so many people doing the same thing, success comes to those who do what they are passionate about. For some, it can be DIYs; for others, it can be makeup tutorials. Still for others, like 25-year-old Olivia Marie, AKA KeepUpWithLiv, it can be their passion for healthy eating and living a healthy lifestyle, which results in them becoming a YouTube food influencer.

“You really can’t just do what everyone else is doing. You have to actually be you.”

Do you think you have what it takes to be a YouTube food influencer just like our guest in today’s episode? Well, if you’re a foodie who’s passionate about living a healthy lifestyle, then don’t hold back thinking you’ve got to make the same “trending” videos as everybody else. Listen and learn as Olivia Marie shares her journey from being just a regular YouTuber to becoming a YouTube food influencer with about 105k subscribers and over 6 million video views.

“I just really like the community aspect of YouTube and being able to talk to people all around the world ...”

Wanting to share her tips, tricks, and healthy recipes to more than just her family and friends, Olivia Marie wanted to create a platform that “helps you live your best life” and shows that living a healthy lifestyle can be fun and delicious! Enjoy!

What would you do if your lucky stars aligned and you won a free stay at a brand new fully-furnished apartment for an entire year, with free utilities, groceries, and monthly gift cards to boot? Well, you might think this is just wishful thinking, but sometimes wishes do come true! For 21-year-old Lindsay Marie, who was just fresh out of college, winning a contest and getting this dream-come-true opportunity was exactly what she needed in order to pursue her dreams and focus on her YouTube channel.

“I feel like there’s enough success to go around but a lot of people feel like they have to compete.” - Lindsey Marie

In a stroke of more good luck, shortly before winning the contest Lindsay Marie’s Bethany Mota haul video caught the attention of Bethany Mota herself. This one video alone got her about 30,000 subscribers in just three days within just a month of starting her YouTube channel. Now, three years later, Lindsay Marie has currently over 300K subscribers and 14.6 million video views.

“I always have to remind myself when I see someone doing really well that it’s their turn. They deserve that. I should be happy for them and I know that my time will come eventually.” - Lindsay Marie

However, everyone knows it takes more than just luck to have a successful YouTube channel. And anyone who has a YouTube channel knows that sometimes content creators do find themselves running out of video topic ideas.

So, how does one rise to the situation and break out of that slump? Stay tuned and find out how to research video topic ideas like Lindsay Marie to get your creative juices pumping.

Have you had thoughts about starting a YouTube channel but don’t have the confidence or are too shy to take the plunge? Check out today’s episode and see how our guest overcame her fears and shyness to become YouTube’s viral video beauty queen.

“We all do this because we love it but it is nice to get recognized for your work.” - Mayra Garcia

Mayra Isabel Garcia, of Mayratouchofglam, knew from the start that she wanted to have her own YouTube channel. But she didn’t always have the confidence from the get go nor did she expect to end up with a viral video that would boost her to stardom. Now, her beauty channel has around 1.7 million subscribers and 111 million views.

“I think my craziest videos are the ones that help me out the most.” - Mayra Garcia

As a freelance makeup artist, Mayra was encouraged by the people around her to start posting her own makeup tutorials. She initially did it just for fun. It wasn’t until she was tapped by StyleHaul that she realized she could actually get paid and build a career around it. She quit her day job and devoted more time to her channel, posting videos a lot more consistently than when she first started.

Rather than just sticking to makeup tutorials, Mayra felt the need to step out of her comfort zone and try different things. Just to change things up a bit, she started doing challenges and reviews of certain products and is now having a lot more fun with it all.

When she had her first viral video, she was shocked. She absolutely didn’t expect that it would get over 1 million views overnight and hit 15 million views in just a week. Although there’s no formula to making a viral video, Mayra says that it’s her craziest videos that help her out the most.

If you're wanting to go beyond posting videos on YouTube as just a hobby and actually make a career out of it, then this episode is exactly what you need! Having a successful YouTube channel doesn't just mean having an outlet where you can pour out your creative juices to your satisfaction and being able to share that with millions of people. Just like Kimbyrleigha, a successful YouTube channel can afford you numerous opportunities that will eventually lead you to financial success.

"I would not venture off into things that I wasn't passionate about." - Kimbyrleigha

When Kimbyrleigha started her YouTube channel back in 2015, she was not only juggling a corporate job but also raising a 3-year-old daughter as a single mom. Even with all of that, she had no intention of making it as just a hobby. Kimbyrleigha wanted to make being a YouTube creator her new career.

Through her boyfriend, Kimbyrleigha learned about affiliate marketing and began researching it. Now, she's affiliated with about 100 companies and approximately 80% of her income is from affiliates.

"You probably need to get on trends because those things are going to catapult you." - Kimbyrleigha

Kimbyrleigha always wanted to be an entrepreneur and she has been afforded that opportunity m among others, through doing YouTube. However, according to Kimbyrleigha, the opportunity to become a voice that people listen to has been the greatest opportunity so far. If you're earning money on top of doing that, and doing what you love, what more could you ask for?!

If you're wondering how to get subscribers on YouTube fast and drive your channel to new heights, you're in for a treat with today's episode! So, perk up your ears as our guest shares her inspiring story and some invaluable tips on how you can achieve your goals and become a rising star in the YouTube world.

"You have to be really thankful if you even have the bravery to do YouTube." - Kimbyrleigha

After a tough breakup with her ex, Kimbyrleigha was looking for a change of scenery and a fresh start when she moved from Florida to Los Angeles in 2012. As a single mom to a one-year-old daughter, she struggled to find a job despite having graduated from law school, until she eventually landed one in corporate America where she busted her butt every day for three years.

With no other creative outlet, she started posting videos on YouTube in 2015 with the secret hope that she could make enough money to one day quit her day job. It was one of the best decisions she ever made. After only less than a year, Kimbyrleigha was able to make a breakthrough and now has nearly 100,000 subscribers,4.5 million video views, and is fulfilling her dreams.

Kimbyrleigha's secret on how to get subscribers on YouTube fast was her do-or-die attitude and her determination that failure was not an option. With her current channel rebranding, she continues to find ways to achieve better success.

"You always have to know how YouTube is changing. This is your business." - Kimbyrleigha

"When you have a good title and a thumbnail and good content, I feel that that's really all that matters." - Karina Garcia

If you’ve ever wondered how to grow your YouTube subscribers and have a successful YouTube channel, you don’t want to miss this episode! Our guest for today grew her YouTube subscribers to 5.5 million and received 693 million video views in just two years! Lucky for us, she is willing to share with us her secrets and insights on how she was able to achieve such fast growth.

Karina Garcia is YouTube's DIY slime queen from L.A. Ever since she started her YouTube channel in February 2015, she has become one of the most recognizable faces on social media and is best known for being one of the top five most followed DIYers on the internet thanks to her super eye-popping YouTube thumbnails.

"I actually edit my thumbnails before I even edit my videos. It's one of things that I really think of right away." - Karina Garcia

At first, Karina wasn't so sure about creating her own YouTube channel because she felt scared about having to face negative feedback. However, once she made up her mind and jumped straight into it, she loved it so much that she made it her hobby and started uploading every week.

Her videos are all about empowering her viewers, especially kids, to create on their own terms. Now, she's the author of Karina Garcia's DIY Slime, a collection of 15 DIY slime recipes that will take you to slime heaven.

Beyond teaching the world how to make slime and crazy arts and crafts projects, Karina loves design, style, and keeping up with the latest trends. She shares with us her story of when she first began filming her videos to now becoming the YouTube sensation she is.

“If you show up for YouTube, YouTube will show up for you.” - Shan Boodram

If you're considering getting in on the YouTube action, you're probably wondering how to start a good YouTube channel, right? Building your YouTube channel to a highly successful level takes a considerable amount of time and effort so you want to make sure you get started off on the right foot.

Luckily, my guest today can help provide some great tips for how to start a good YouTube channel! Shan Boodram started off her adult life by going the traditional route and earning a degree in Journalism. She then wrote the book, Laid: Young Peoples Experiences with Sex in An Easy-Access Culture. However, when she found herself in a "massively toxic" relationship, she decided to leave Toronto and pursue a career in Los Angeles.

Shan had used YouTube to promote her book and had built her channel to around 20,000 subscribers so, after her fourth failed pilot (for MTV, no less), she decided to become a Certified Sexologist and take her YouTube channel more seriously. Within six months, she grew her subscriber count to over 100,000! Don't worry, she shares exactly how she did it in today's episode.

Shan also shares exactly how to start a good YouTube channel, what elements of the process are the most important, the equipment she absolutely loves, her issues finding the right agent, and the incredible opportunities that have resulted in having a dominant presence in a relatively small YouTube niche ... including her own multi-season web series with Full Screen!

“If you see results, you will be motivated, and then you will keep going.”

YouTube newbies often struggle to stay motivated. It’s hard to get inspired when it feels like no one is watching your channel. But today’s guest gained traction quickly, earning 1,000 subscribers in the first month and adding another 1,000 per week since then. Curious how she gets more views?

Shea Whitney is an up-and-coming fashion and luxury YouTuber who started her channel just eight months ago, but has already gained an impressive 30,000-plus subscribers! Shea has grown her channel quickly – all while being a wife and mother of two AND working full-time as an HR specialist. She loves to mix classic and trendy styles, and Shea is a collector of high-end, investment designer handbags.

Today Shea offers tips and tricks for getting inspired, shooting quality videos and securing more views on YouTube!

Looking to spruce up your YouTube game? This podcast episode is all about the best tips you can use to craft amazing YouTube titles that help you get thousands of video views. 

Check out the show notes here with all the detailed information. 

So you want to work with brands, but it’s hard to know exactly how to reach out. Who do you contact in the first place? What should you include in that first email? Is there something you can do to stand out from the crowd? If only we could ask someone who’s worked with influencers at a PR agency exactly what they’re looking for…

Well you’re in luck, because today’s guest understands both the beauty community and PR. Amy Chang is the founder and editor of BOND EN AVANT, a luxury beauty and lifestyle blog founded in 2016. Her brand seeks to provide thoughtful reviews and inspiring stories, while showcasing brands that uplift women.

At 19, Amy took a year off from college and worked as a makeup artist for Shiseido. When she returned to school in New York, Amy knew she wanted to pursue her passion for beauty, and studying PR allowed her to do internships with Loreal and few hospitality firms. After graduation, Amy worked in the consumer products division of an agency where she was responsible for dealing with the bloggers! But after a move to LA, she made the decision to become a content creator herself, tapping into her creativity to establish a blog where she has the freedom to write about products she believes in. Listen in as she explains the best way to introduce yourself to PR reps for brands and how to establish enduring relationships with those reps. She also shares great tips on branding, developing your site, and harnessing SEO to grow your audience.

Episode Sponsor:

Make sure you check out our current podcast sponsor, GloProfessional. To be added to their PR list, make sure that you fill out the blogger interest form  or to take advantage of the 15% discount (use code Erika15) check out my favorite products HERE. 

What do you represent? One of the most difficult aspects of establishing yourself as an influencer is finding that thing that makes you unique and leveraging your ‘superpower’ to stand out in a crowded field of YouTubers. The platform has evolved into a lucrative business, and that means your channel is its own brand. And when your personality matches up with a beauty brand, collaborations follow. Today’s guest is a YouTube veteran with a unique brand identity who is ready to share how her individuality as an influencer has led to some awesome opportunities.

Stephanie Ledda is a 26-year-old New York native with a passion for beauty and a unique eye for fashion. Her channel, SMLx0, has over 900,000 subscribers who look to Stephanie for inspiring hair, makeup and styling tutorials. She was a college student when she started her channel in 2009. A business management and marketing major, Stephanie enjoyed watching YouTube videos and decided to try it out herself. Using the webcam on her MacBook to make videos in her dorm room, she created celebrity-inspired looks and gained a modest following.

Stephanie considered YouTube a fun hobby, but she didn’t realize its potential to become a career until StyleHaul and the YouTube Partner Program reached out to her in 2011. After graduating from college, she tried to balance a traditional job in marketing at a bridal boutique with her channel, but quickly recognized that she couldn’t do both – and she really missed YouTube! Certain she could support herself through the channel, Stephanie quit her marketing job to pursue YouTube full-time. She definitely made the right decision, considering that she’s partnered with major brands like Schwarzkopf, Maybelline, Sephora, Ulta Beauty, and Tarte. Today she chats about sharing your personal life with your followers, the value of a degree, and how she chooses brands for sponsored videos.

“How many fishtail braids can someone do before their eyes bleed?”

Chatting with today’s guest on Beauty and the Vlog is a master class in sharing your authentic voice. Prepare to laugh and learn from a lifestyle and food influencer who has been on YouTube since 2008, amassing 150,000 followers and 18.5M video views.

Theodore Leaf began his career – and his YouTube channel – as a stylist at Chris McMillan Salon in Los Angeles. Hoping to expand his client base, Theodore uploaded a demo video on YouTube, but had no intention of posting consistently to cultivate a following until he met and became friends with Michelle Phan.

Watching Michelle work and teaming up with her on projects for the For All Women Network (FAWN), Theodore got inspired to grow his own channel. He was able to capitalize on that social media presence to land network and cable gigs including Fashion Star and Secret Guide to Fabulous. But after a move to New York and a little soul searching, Theodore made the decision to shift the focus of his channel to lifestyle and cooking. He incorporated a vlog while attending culinary school, and thus began his quest to become the next Martha Stewart! Listen as Theodore shares the importance of being yourself, diversifying your online presence and capitalizing on the freedom provided by the YouTube framework.

In this episode of Beauty and the Vlog, I had the pleasure of getting to know one of our podcast sponsors a little better and also picking up some awesome tips related to skincare and makeup! I was able to chat with GloProfessional brand representatives, Anna De la Cruz, Director of Brand Development and Janeena Billera Senior Makeup Artist Educator. They shared SO many amazing skincare and makeup tips along with insight into their careers and how they landed their positions with GloProfessional.

Got a question? Erika’s got answers!

Whether you are curious about photo editing, growing your YouTube channel or connecting with brands, Beauty and the Vlog has you covered with a Q + A session in response to topics posed in the Facebook group.

Listen in to find out about common newbie mistakes and how to make your channel stand out from the crowd. And if you like this episode or have questions yourself, be sure to connect with Erika and let your voice can be heard!

Interested in working with brands you love, but not sure how to make that connection? Curious about how to develop a social marketing strategy to reach more people, but don’t know where to start? Start right here with advice from a crazy successful entrepreneur with a niche in the beauty space.

Trina Albus is the founder and president of Magenta, the premiere social media marketing agency for beauty brands. She has 20 years of experience in digital and has been acknowledged as a thought leader in the social marketing industry. Prior to forming Magenta Agency in 2011, Trina put her expertise in economics, math and statistics to work for technology and marketing groups at Price Waterhouse, Discovery Channel, Time Inc. and BeachMint.

During her time running social media for BeachMint in Los Angeles, Trina saw an opportunity to work with a number of beauty brands as well as the talent in the YouTube community. Her love of beauty and background in digital made the formation of Magenta Agency a natural next step, and now she is a regular advisor to prominent national brands and influencers.

In addition to running the agency, Trina also teaches social and digital marketing courses and presents regularly at conferences like Social Media Week, Beauty Biz Roundtable and Lucky Magazine Fashion and Beauty Blogger Conference. Today she teaches you how to cater your social marketing to your target audience and utilize metrics to post when that audience is most engaged. Listen and find out how to get your name on Magenta Agency’s list of core influencers!

Hollie Forrest is a 22-year-old full-time college student in California who started her YouTube channel three years ago. Her videos focus on drugstore makeup and to date, she has 103,000 subscribers and 12 million video views!

This time on the podcast, Hollie shares how YouTube has impacted her life in a positive way, helping her come out of her shell as she built relationships with her followers and peers in the beauty community. Listen and learn Hollie’s secrets to engaging her audience and standing out from the crowd!

Business-minded beauties: Welcome to Part II of our interview with Roberto Blake, CEO and Creative Director of Create Awesome Media! Roberto is an innovative entrepreneur helping businesses, brands and individuals market themselves successfully with engaging videos and effective messages. He has ten-plus years of experience commercially in advertising, design and marketing, help brands both large and small achieve their goals and reach their audiences. He started his own YouTube channel in 2013, capitalizing on skills in graphic design, photography and video editing to offer creative people a resource.

Roberto’s work has been recognized by Forbes, Huffington Post, Adobe and Photoshop Creative magazines. He is also a HOW Design Live speaker covering topics such as video marketing, personal branding, entrepreneurship, career development and social media. In this continuation of the interview with Roberto, he explains the nuts and bolts of the YouTube algorithm, the benefits of a diversified income and his take on the future of YouTube. Listen and learn to grow your personal brand and build a thriving business!

CEO and Creative Director of Create Awesome Media, Roberto Blake is an innovative entrepreneur helping businesses, brands and individuals market themselves successfully with engaging videos and effective messages. Roberto has ten-plus years of experience commercially in advertising, design and marketing, help brands both large and small achieve their goals and reach their audiences. He started his own YouTube channel in 2013, capitalizing on skills in graphic design, photography and video editing to offer creative people a resource.

Roberto’s work has been recognized by Forbes, Huffington Post, Adobe and Photoshop Creative magazines. He is also a HOW Design Live speaker covering topics such as video marketing, personal branding, entrepreneurship, career development and social media. In this podcast, Roberto explains the updated YouTube algorithm and offers strategies to increase your watch time. He also discusses hacks that increase efficiency and marketing principles that can help grow your channel!

Our current podcast sponsor, Empress Tips spills how she was able to launch her press-on nail online business in this episode! Great in-depth look at how to go about starting an online beauty biz! 

Check out empress tips HERE! 

Make sure you use the promo code ERIKA15 for 15% off your order! 

If you are an influencer on YouTube or Instagram and would like to connect with Sunja to possibly work with her and her brand, email her at: empresstips@gmail.com

To join the Beauty and the Vlog Facebook Group Click HERE! 

Show notes can be found HERE. 

The new year is a perfect time for a little self-reflection! In this one-on-one episode, Erika discusses her top 6 important takeaways from 2016, including things she learned about specific online platforms as well as things she learned about herself.

If you missed the two-part interview with NurberXO, check it out here:

Part I http://beautyandthevlog.com/nur-p1/

Part II http://beautyandthevlog.com/nur-p2/

Sign up for the Beauty and the Vlog email newsletter at beautyandthevlog.com and receive a free mini-training covering online tools that will drastically increase your video views!

The wait is over, beauties! Welcome to Part II of our interview with Nur. As a beauty vlogger who goes by the handle nurberxo, she has been a YouTube influencer for seven-plus years. Through an unexpected opportunity, Nur began working with beauty brands as a social media strategist. For the past year and a half, she has consulted with some of the biggest beauty brands on how to work with influencers and create a powerful social media presence. Her inside-out perspective as an influencer, coupled with her business background and fascination with psychology is what has made her a valuable asset to brands. Nur’s 360 degree perspective of the beauty industry has provided her with all the insight she’ll be sharing today.

In this episode, Nur explains how to tailor your press kit to a specific brand, design a campaign with supporting links, and build relationships with brands as you work toward a paid collaboration!

Nur is a Beauty Vlogger by the name Nurberxo who has been on YouTube for seven-plus years. Through an unexpected opportunity, she began working with beauty brands as a social media strategist. For the past year and a half, she has consulted with some of the biggest beauty brands on how to work with influencers and create a powerful social media presence. Her inside-out perspective as an influencer, coupled with her business background and fascination with psychology is what has made her a valuable asset to brands. Nur’s 360-degree perspective of the beauty industry has provided her with all the insight she’ll be sharing today.

In this episode, Nur reveals the secret to building lasting relationships among brands, influencers and consumers, and inspires you to “attack life” and make things happen!