Lizzie Peirce - Balancing YouTube, Instagram, Running a Business, and Being Authentic
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Lizzie Peirce is the co-owner of a video production company, Know Hau Media, A Boss Photographer, and YouTuber. She started her channel back in 2018 and is about to hit 100k subscribers. She is soon to be married to YouTuber Chris Hau, making them one major power creative couple in the photography and videography space.
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TRANSCRIPT
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[00:01:00] What is up #MerceNation? Javier Mercedes here for yet again another Passion in Progress show where we talked to inspiring individuals and hopefully through hearing their stories you two motivated go out and pursue your passions. And on today's show, we are here with the amazing creator, Lizzie Pierce. How's it going?
[00:01:25] Good. Good. Well, tired, but I'm caffeinated.
[00:01:30] So there is one tweet from you and this is actually how I was introduced to you, because I think it's Cody Twitter. Yes, I think Cody Wanner retweeted it. And I just want to start off with this tweet.
[00:01:39] I'm always worried about what I tweet because sometimes I'm like, no one sees this and I just tweet whatever I want.
[00:01:45] Everyone is just doing their best to enjoy life, make caution and make friends. If you don't get that, if you're the type of person who likes to tear people down, then life's going to be very lonely for you. Screw those people. Am I right?
[00:01:57] That was me being a little ballsy.
[00:02:00] Well, I think that I mean, overall, throughout my life, a lot of people peg me or pegged me as one kind of person still happens. We all kind of judge each other on how we look and those kinds of things.
[00:02:14] So a lot of my life, I feel like I've spent proving people wrong and just showing guy can do this. Especially when you thought I can't using that to kind of fuel the fire. But there's been a lot of people that you encounter that for some sick reason really enjoy coming after you and tearing you down and trying to make you feel bad. And sometimes it really gets to you, which is probably why I tweeted that, because I was just like, why are these people doing this? Other people
[00:02:43] why why can't we all just support each other like you? We'll be friends because I just really don't understand the motivation in that end.
[00:02:51] And I think what I found on YouTube is such a huge community of like really cool people just trying to make things together. And so why can't you know there's so many of us that are on that side. And just loving are the community we've built and making things. But there's always those one or two that try and get you down.
[00:03:09] So kind of just wanted to say, forget about those people. Keep doing your thing.
[00:03:15] Yeah, for sure. Looking at things that are positive, just relating to what you're talking about in the last year, getting to really know people on YouTube as people and also creators.
[00:03:27] When you see somebody put out a really bang or piece of content, you like me and I want to make something that's cool and that's really cool that they made that really cool thing. Yeah, really cool.
[00:03:36] It's funny how I found some friends through this by watching the things that they made and going based on that thing you made. I think we would get along because I love that for all these reasons, you know, I needed to get water into their soul a little bit.
[00:03:49] You're like, oh, oh, well, we would be friends, you know, and then you get to know them and you're like, yeah, we are black. We do get along. We do see the same. We do see the world in similar ways.
[00:03:59] Or you just really admire the unique way in which they they see certain things like I bring. I feel like I bring up is like every podcast now. Do you watch is Harris? Yeah. Yeah. The way that she has kind of found her niche on YouTube I think is so unique in the way that she tells stories. And it she and I tell each other like I see pieces of what I do in what you do. And we say that to each other a lot, which is funny, but it was like an immediate friendship. We've only really met in person twice.
[00:04:26] Once was that buffer this past year and once was at buffer the year before that. But I still feel like we're such close friends and like, how does that happen?
[00:04:35] You know, you make really amazing content. By the way, can you talk about where you came from? Because I feel like when people at surface value, if they see your success on YouTube, they're like, wow, how did you have this overnight? But I know that's not the case. Can you talk about before you use the tubes?
[00:04:54] Before I used the tubes.
[00:04:55] Well, I still feel like I I mean, even when I started YouTube. Knew nothing about it. I was just. Again, it was a little bit of spite, Rose. I could do this. Just watch me. And then I just figured out what I was doing. And I'm still figuring out what what it is I want to say and what my nieces. But my my whole career was a lot of trial and error and being open to trying new things and learning new things.
[00:05:21] So I did kind of the thing that you're traditionally supposed to do. I did go to university for four years.
[00:05:28] I did get a job after university. But that doesn't mean that that's all I did. And I think that's why I became. If you want to say that I'm successful, sure. But I think I have a lot more to do. But that's why I think I've you know, I'm what I'm most proud of is I'm 27. I own my home. I just bought a car. Like, these are things I really didn't think I was going to be saying at this age. And I really just think that's because I try and I try a lot of different things. So I got into a program in school that was really prestigious for broadcasting. It's the best program in Canada for broadcasting. So I was really proud of that. That's something that, you know, parents and family recognize. So that's what I wanted to do, was get into a good program so that they would be proud of me. That's only natural. But I also wanted to make sure that it was something that suited what I wanted to do, which was, you know, that program. I always knew I was interested in the arts and things like that. So tried a lot of different specialties while I was in school, tried audio production, tried studio production. I met Chris and and met Chris going into my third year of school.
[00:06:37] And for those in the audience, I don't know. Can you explain who Chris is? Oh, Chris, sorry if you don't. I just assume everybody knows him. I do know. But I know there's some that won't know who Chris is.
[00:06:47] Chris, how is my fiancee?
[00:06:50] And we've been together for over seven years now. He's also a YouTube BA. We run a production company together now. And so the beginning of our relationship started when we were in university. And this is important to the story because we now were together. And now you know that what was interesting about Chris when I met him was that he was freelancing already. I mean, he's older than me. And he also had a bit of only child syndrome where we think we can do anything because our parents tell us we can. And so he was he had a few government clients and he was he was doing well in school. And that was his part time job.
[00:07:25] And I was like, oh, well, why can't I be doing that? So pretty soon after, like, I think we'd been dating for two months. I got my first camera started freelancing even really before I knew what I how to work my canon T3. I because you just say yes to everything and you're like you'll learn eventually as long as you're honest about where you're at.
[00:07:44] I feel like it's OK. So long story short, freelance while I was in school, got better, didn't suck the whole time. Finish school, freelance for a while, got a job at a Toronto production company and really enjoyed that. But ultimately I knew I wanted to work for myself and also didn't love my boss because he was never going to let me have any kind of creative control. But what that did for me was I knew that I had a strength in producing love shooting as well. But I thought, you know, I'm gonna be a producer because I'd like I like running things. I like having control. I'm kind of a control freak. So I just knew that when I left that job, I was a junior producer.
[00:08:25] So I was in the middle of getting promoted. Everything was looking great. I was learning. A lot of my products were good. I was working for big clients, which was a great opportunity for someone who I think I was 23 at the time. Twenty three, 24. I just kind of thought, well, I could either keep doing this for another year, two years, three years, four years, five years. But am I going to be where I want to be? I feel like I've learned a lot. All I'm gonna do is finesse it. But why can I finesse it for myself? And Chris at that time was getting more work than he could handle, but also was based on our conversations we would have after work. He was missing out on a lot of different opportunities because he didn't know the client facing side and how to manage and how to manage projects in the real world. You know, it's different than what you learn in school, sometimes in some of the little particulars of how you approach certain things with a client, how you explain things. And I was really familiar with the process now. And so I came in with a level of professionalism and streamline the process. And and yeah, so I left that job. Chris and I started working together. Theo's got 10 times better. We made.
[00:09:33] We were worried, of course, about how whether we were gonna be able to support both of us doing this. And in the first I think in the first month or two, we made enough. We we signed enough deals that we were going to have enough that would support us for that year. Both of us. And so that was a big accomplishment. Of course, we made more.
[00:09:51] But yeah, so everything was going great. We. I'm trying to think what's the next step in kind of helping. We're going we specialized in corporate video. Mm hmm.
[00:10:02] We kind of got not bored with corporate video. I still like it. I felt like we made cool corporate videos as much as you could do that. I feel like that's what we were doing. We really tapped into the emotional storytelling side of whatever it is we were talking about in that video. But of course, we wanted to move into other niches. Travel was a big one for us. So we kind of started a little side travel video production company that didn't really like the name and and the rebranding didn't really take off.
[00:10:30] We still kind of do that under no how media now, but we did find a way and with different tourism boards and our three main facets were corporate travel. And we also developed a bit of a recipe for making viral videos, I guess you could say. And our clients loved us because not only could we make a great video for them, we could make sure that the video was actually seen as well. So we were kind of dominating in that sense, or at least we felt like we were. But at that point, Chris met Peter or rekindled his relationship with Peter. Peter McKinnon, we all know you and Peter kind of went, whoa, dude, why are you doing this?
[00:11:16] You know, you'd be so perfect for it. And then Chris came home and said, oh, maybe I should try this YouTube thing. And I was like, what?
[00:11:23] What, what, what? Like, do what? On YouTube? I don't know. You mean like, what kind of opportunities are you doing? And well, I guess it's no secret now because I just put up a video about it. But Chris ended up starting YouTube right around when my dad was in the hospital. And so my dad was in the hospital for about a month and then he passed away. And so that was right when Chris was starting. And so I didn't really pay any attention to what he was doing really until afterwards. So that was in November. And then by January, I started paying more attention to what he was doing. Started watching more of his content. Started watching more YouTube content, realized during a whole lot of girls who are in this realm of YouTube. And I was like, why the heck is that? That makes me mad. Why is it a boy's club? Why can't I be included and be the best at this and show Chris that I'm more awesome than he is? So I started YouTube again and just kind of trying to prove a point in that sense, but also thinking, hey, well, you know, I was upset that there I didn't feel like there was representation for me online in the photo and video space. And so why can't I be that for someone else? You know, from one person, especially one girl sees my videos and goes, hey, maybe I will also shoot video and start my own production company or I give them one tip that helps them make a little bit more money or whatever it is.
[00:12:57] Or maybe it's to start something completely different or take a trip, whatever. Then it'll be worth it and it's worth my time because at the end of the day, we're all just trying to make a difference. We're trying to do something that means something. So did not ever imagine that I would be here right now or I think I was like, oh yeah, I'll keep oh I'll see how long this this goes. I'll do it every week for, you know, once in a while and see what happens. And then realized I really enjoyed it. But also because of the people you meet.
[00:13:25] Mm hmm. Would you say that because both of you, you and Chris, are blogging, also making like the tutorial s kind of content, but like it's like a life's I want to coin a terms where it's like a lifestyle tainment info. Well, it's info, but it's also you put in the whole like what you're doing in life. I mean, I know that's part of the.
[00:13:48] But I say infotainment. Yeah. It doesn't quite sum up everything. I feel like every video's a little bit different and we all try to mash together different things now.
[00:13:56] How has it been? Do you think you guys have grown closer because you are blogging together or how is that really?
[00:14:02] I mean, it's a different medium than just working together because you're also filming each other. I mean, and it's also work, but it's also play. Yeah. So many different facets there.
[00:14:13] Yeah. So it's not something it's definitely a long answer. And if you want a lot of detail on each of these different questions you asked, please go visit our podcast. Check that out after this one. It's called A Couple of Creatives.
[00:14:26] That's literally what our whole podcast is about, is how we make it work. But I also know that we're the type of people that if one of us wasn't doing this and this is an umbrella of running the business of YouTube, Instagram, whatever, then I don't know if if it would work because we're so we we love our work just as much as we love each other. But also we have this friendship and like I want to say, like camaraderie over and over, building all of this together. And it's hard sometimes, I mean, every every relationship experiences jealousy, but usually it's in the sense that you're jealous of another person. Spending time with your person. Something like that. But what we had to navigate was jealousy over success and jealousy over money. So much bigger, even more complex. Like I would argue, sometimes real talk.
[00:15:24] What you're talking about right now. That's awesome.
[00:15:26] But again, we're both really good communicators. Chris's even more. I want to say emotional than I am, which he would agree with. So he's again really good at talking about how he feels about certain things and what upsets him. And same thing with me and when we feel the other one's being unreasonable. So it's and we don't get mad about one of us disagreeing on something when we're working, like in the moment, you're like, whatever. I'm right. You're wrong kind of thing.
[00:15:56] But it doesn't affect our relationship because we've built these clear lines over time. And I mean, clearly, I'm 90 percent right.
[00:16:06] But so far, though, it's so true. If he were here, he'd be like, you are.
[00:16:15] So that makes it much easier for me. But it's something we had to set guidelines, limits on. You know, we're having dinner. We don't talk about work now. But do we break them? Yeah, for sure. Sometimes when we're traveling together, it's hard. We're still figuring out what's a work trip. What's a personal trip? How are we working? Like, do we just set a full day of not shooting any video or photos? Because when we take out a camera, are we thinking about Instagram or are we thinking about a YouTube video that we could get? Grab a shot for or a client or maybe we'll just bring this? I don't know. Like I just did something to promote a coat for Hudson's Bay. Do I bring the coat? Maybe we can grab a photo. So is it work or is it play like there's a little bit of of that going on, especially for me.
[00:17:01] Chris is fine to work all the time, but I need time to separate myself from work and calm down a little bit and then feel like I'm really relaxing because I'm one of those people that I'm always thinking about things even unnecessarily. So it's nice to like have a break. But I mean, granted, when I do get a break, then I kind of. Feel like I should be working?
[00:17:26] Yeah.
[00:17:26] It's a double edged sword. Yeah. How do you bridge that gap of perfectionism and YouTube ness? Right. When you're making a video, is there like for a talking head when you're just sitting at home? Is there some degree of me and I put a lot of effort into a lot of these shots and many people just don't notice it. And then for different sequences, like when there's a sweet bang or B roll sequence. Obviously, there can people know that like, oh, you spent a lot of time like finessing the shot. But just the idea of when I do my talking heads here at home, there's a lot that goes like when it's nighttime. You have to get enough lights in the right position just to make sure it looks OK for YouTube and things like that.
[00:18:11] In terms of being a perfectionist, I try and remember what it is I'm shooting and what the purposes for it. And if it's a YouTube video. I mean, some people would disagree with me, but this is just the way I do things. If it's a YouTube video and one has to go up every week, then you have to cut some corners. You have to be more forgiving, especially because I don't have an editor and I don't have other people to help me. And I'm trying to run a business and I'm trying to, you know, do all these other things. I just straight up don't have time to do things in a super uber fancy way all the time and setup the monitor and go to a studio and, you know, whatever else. So I have to be okay with doing what I would consider a pretty good job.
[00:18:56] Like it's good. It looks pretty good. I think good is amazing.
[00:19:00] And but that's partly why I like doing my short films is because I go, oh, this is my opportunity to shine. This is my opportunity to read a script and finesse and take my time and make sure that this is something that's not just, you know, a tutorial that was maybe fun to shoot.
[00:19:18] And we were out at a location. And I sometimes I only have 10 minutes to shoot like it for at some castle in Scotland. I only have like 10 minutes to shoot it. So I do whatever I can in 10 minutes. Then I'm like, whatever. That's it. That's. Those are a lot easier for me to pump out because I'm limited in what and how I shoot it.
[00:19:32] But when I'm going ahead and trying to put more effort into something like like one of my films, then it's something that I want to spend more time on, which is nice. Though I don't look at it as, oh, if there's something wrong with it. Oh, if it's not perfect, like it's it's really whether you're happy with it or not. And I know that even with the film I just put out about my dad.
[00:19:54] I just used my A7 3 with my epic design tripod on my kitchen table and blanket as the background and family photos.
[00:20:04] And the whole point was to keep it really simple because I'm a person that I think I'm not a huge gearhead, although I'd get really excited about when I get a new lens or things like that. And especially because Chris certainly is. I understand the importance of it. I understand how it works. But I would much rather spend my time writing an incredible script or or editing even really making sure all the cuts are at the perfect moment. And I'm telling that story in the best way I can, because I I edge on the side of it's not just the gear. The gear really helps. But I mean, not to like humble brag, but I mean, people saw that it was a it was a simple concept. That was just a story that was told. Well, and that's all I wanted it to be. And so like. Which was really great. I won an award. Yay for it. But other other people see that and recognize it.
[00:20:58] So it's not all about how you're shooting it necessarily.
[00:21:03] Well, I would say in that case, it was definitely how you're shooting because it seemed like a simple car. Sorry. The means in which you're. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I was going to say that it seemed like a simple concept, but you executed it so well.
[00:21:14] The execution took a long time.
[00:21:16] I organizing the photos and coming up with like in I should make like a little behind the scenes of how I did it and what order I put the photos down. I had to know what the timing was because I didn't just take a stack and then just end when the voiceover ended. I practiced. I'd have to sit and listen to the voice over and put the photos down and then learn. Oh, when I say this line, I should be at this photo by now. And if I'm not, I know I'm going too slow or too fast. I have to make up for it. So I set little markers and then I realized, well, I couldn't have a full stack of photos like how I wanted like one big stack because then it might fall over. The focus would change. So I had to separated into three stacks. So then I had to get the timing right in terms of taking breaks to take the photos out and put a new ones. And then it was one shot. So if I make a mistake, I have to start all over again. And then after every take, I have to restock all the photos.
[00:22:07] Wow. So even when you cleared frame, you didn't hide a cut in there? No. All right. For those that don't know, what she's referencing is a very heartfelt piece that she put together with describing her relationship with her dad. It was like it was. Very, very well put together. Thank you.
[00:22:26] It was just something I wanted to make for myself, but I think that's an example of like you just you make the thing and then it's done. You had one take to do it. There's a mistake in it. There is a part where my finger kind of catches like one of the photos.
[00:22:38] Didn't even know all had mistakes in them. One person didn't notice.
[00:22:41] He was like, I voted for your buffer. He's like, I voted for years, but I only gave it a 9 because I saw when you like most of the body.
[00:22:49] I was like, I did nothing. It's fine.
[00:22:53] I have a similar piece on my channel where I made a in memory of my grandmother and it was like the very first time where I cried on camera and it was like a very heartfelt like thing.
[00:23:06] And same thing where I I wrote this script for a high school paper where I interviewed my grandmother and I didn't know or realize how bad ass she was. And she just started telling me this her whole life story. And I was like, wow, I'm just happy that I'm here on Earth because you did all things to get me here. With that being said, how would you say your confidence is that I mean, your confidence is amazing, especially in person. But I don't thing when you're when you're putting out content like that. I realized after when you're editing something and you can see yourself crying on camera and like constantly like, all right.
[00:23:47] Because I put it to be roll and other things like that. But I let that part breathe. But I have to constantly see myself. Why am I doing that? I found that it was almost releasing in a way that like, oh, I'm gonna put this out there. And and then all of the recognition that I got back, I mean, it wasn't like a huge bang or in terms of like other people that watch my content, but a lot of my immediate family members didn't know all of these things that my grandmother went through and they reached out. And I think that speaks towards your if you can just affect like one person or. Yeah, I get emotion from one person.
[00:24:21] But really it was more just a piece, too. I want to put this out there and I did it in end result. I feel like I'm more confident in what I do. Including your your father's piece. Would you also relate to that?
[00:24:36] Yeah, I think I. I never thought I was going to make anything about his death at all. It was actually something I was keeping really private on social media. And I don't. It's funny because I don't even remember the point that I thought I'm going to make this and I don't even remember the point where I was like, this is gonna be the style. It kind of just. It just came to me as if in a dream.
[00:25:02] Isn't that amazing? Just be creative on the spot sometimes. Like any idea, somehow it just like pops into your head.
[00:25:08] You're like that. Be cool. I just thought it like all of those thoughts that to me were so like I knew they were a bit morbid and I knew they were upsetting. And they were things that I couldn't say to anyone else because I knew. Like, what's the point of talking about it? Because no one can fix, though, the fact that I feel that way. But then I thought, you know what? What I didn't find was someone else who felt the same way. And I think if I put this out there, maybe they're thinking the same thing that, oh, I had this weird thought about, you know, dealing with the death of whoever. And it's just comforting, I think, to know that someone else was thinking the same weird thought that you were thinking.
[00:25:48] So that's mainly the reason I made it. But also during the process, which was unexpected, was it was extremely cathartic, too. I mean, in the time in the moment, a bit upsetting. I was a little depressed that week when I had to listen to my own voice over and over again saying all those really depressing things. And Chris tried to give me some space. He's like, she's doing her sad thing. Now I'm just gonna go in the office and work.
[00:26:12] I leave you in the kitchen with all your pictures.
[00:26:15] But I mean, now that it's it's out. Those are just. They're just thoughts now. They're just like they don't exist just in my head. So it is it is definitely liberating in that sense. But in terms of, you know, my confidence after putting it out, I this was my first year being a creator at Buffer, so I attended in the past, but always as Chris's plus one. So I was super excited to be participating this year, but I actually had a different project in mind that I wanted to show at the festival. I just didn't have enough time in the end of it. So I thought, OK, well, I do want to make this all. I'll screen it up buffer, but not before I asked several people if they felt it was appropriate because I thought it was really depressing.
[00:26:57] I was like, I don't know if this if this is really what they want need to screen and was not expecting to get very much like recognition from it or anything that wasn't the intention behind it because it was just a thing I made for myself. It wasn't flashy. I thought someone's beautiful documentary, travel film, short film, whatever would be much more recognized and appreciated than mine.
[00:27:24] And I didn't care. I was. I just kind of found comfort in knowing like, oh, then I'll get to show this many people my film. And that'll be really cool to see my dad on an on a screen. That'll be that'll be really cool. But. Having won an award and having people come up to me and saying this reminded me of what I went through or there was so beautiful in that they understood the message I was trying to or the story I was trying to tell. It gave me a lot more faith in my abilities as a creator and a writer and to trust my instincts in terms of the content I want to make. Because I think we see so much of the same on YouTube and a lot of the same does really well in terms of tutorials and things like that. Note still keep making them, but getting recognized for something that I done that was so left. From what I've done and really intimate and really private. But that was important to me. And I was I put effort into was really. Yeah. It was just a huge. Like we see you and that work is good. And like, people want this. You know, people people also think that, you know, your voice is being heard. And that's, I think what any creator feels when they do something that they feel is like really unique and really. Emotional story or something that you feel like is a part of you, like whatever, whatever it is you want to work on, whether it's a documentary or a short film like your thing that you want to make. And aside from the money, aside from recognition, aside from any of any of that stuff, the thing that you want to make. And you made it.
[00:29:06] Other people really like and you're just like, oh, I can do this like I am. You know, I am a creator. I do have my own unique ideas that people like. And that is nice to know.
[00:29:19] Yeah. It's very like you said, liberating. Yeah. For people that are starting out on YouTube, would you suggest starting out with tutorials and things of that nature and then branching into original content?
[00:29:31] It's so I almost don't want to suggest a way for anyone to start.
[00:29:35] I thought you would say something like that.
[00:29:37] Like I didn't know how to start. I just did what I thought I was a bit supposed to do and what I saw people doing. Yeah. And what was working? If you want to grow a channel and grow subscribers and that's all you want to do, I certainly think that there's a fast way to do that. But. Again, I'll bring up. Actually, I'll bring up Becky and Chris and is Harris again, because they just made the things they wanted to make for a really long time and then they found their people and now they're making the things they really like. For them, and people are there to watch it. So I think if if you will, if you want to be a creator and you want to stick to your guns and you have something to say and you have a way to tell it, and it's not something that's on YouTube, that's awesome, because not a lot of people can say that honestly.
[00:30:28] The hardest part is finding a way to to stand out and to be different. And that's all I spend my time thinking about. Like, it's not hard to. Well, I mean, some people can do a much better job than others are doing a tutorial and explaining it thoroughly and making it engaging. And those are really fun to make. But I think that you have to differentiate yourself. I think if you want to have longevity on YouTube and have a legacy, perfect example of this is the other day I had on my recommended feed a guy that all he does is review soap and say, I had a friend that started a channel and he reviewed water, but it was supposed to be a joke like that now.
[00:31:09] Is that all he does? Yeah. The thing I love about this podcast is I talked to a lot of creators, but then I also get other people on here that like they're not a part of the YouTube space, but they do amazing things creating other stuff. And I may not know much about whatever they do, but the way that they talk about it is so relatable because they're so passionate about it. With a soap guy, when you when you watch his videos, see this? He is so adamant about you need to try this soap. Don't use this soap. Like he utterly hates Irish Spring because it's like it reminds of him being cheap, like he uses all of these adjectives to describe soap and he does all these things with soap and like me and I'm like five videos in a mesmerized by how this guy. Can you talk about soap?
[00:31:54] Well, I mean, he also just shut down. Yeah. This is my thing now.
[00:31:57] You know, I'm going to talk about soap. Anyone. I'm gonna be the soap guy.
[00:32:02] I think that's actually what it is. It's like. I think so. I think yeah, I think he changes in it. I'll Zoey levelheaded Lego guy reinsert video or something like that.
[00:32:10] His name is Dude.
[00:32:11] Whatever. Well, a lot of people say, you know, what do you what do you think makes someone stand out or, you know, do you recommend someone does this type of video versus this type of video? And sometimes I want to be like, I don't really know if it matters what you're saying in the video as much as it matters how you're saying it. Does that make sense? So like how you're presenting the information as you in your unique way. So say, you know, there's a ton of videos out there about the exposure triangle. Mm hmm. Everybody has done one pretty much. But why would you watch one person's over another? Maybe you like the way they present their information more than someone else. You feel they're maybe more thorough. But also, maybe you find them more interesting. Maybe you watch two different ones because, you know, like Peters is gonna be really funny and engaging. But you go on, watch Linus Tech tips and learn all the nitty gritty, like everyone delivers things slightly differently. And you know their characters and they keep coming back because of you. Ultimately, yes, the information. But ultimately, information is something everybody has access to. So what's different there? You.
[00:33:11] And that's kind of the conclusion that I've made. That's my personal theory.
[00:33:16] Yeah, I think that's reminiscent of when you're listening to a speech. You don't really remember the speech, but you remember how you felt during that speech. Exactly. There's a couple creators that I I follow on Instagram and they went live one time and they were editing photos. And this guy just like does it in his free time. And he was explaining things during the process. And I was like, dude, why don't you make tutorials about this? Because I know he'd kind of did YouTube for like whatever, but it was more like vlog style content and everything. And I'm sitting there mesmerized by what he's saying. I was like, man, I like I'm learning a lot.
[00:33:52] And then his conclusion was that, oh, there's already a whole bunch of tutorials about this. Case in point where you're just talking about and I had the same exact exact answer to him. I said, yeah, but you're telling me this right now. And I like watching you do it as opposed to the other the other way around. And I feel like the YouTube algorithm works in mysterious ways sometimes. Like if you put out content and you know, it's a very well you put a lot of effort into a video and then especially when you're beginning off or you're in the beginning, you put the video out and maybe it only gets like 10 views like five years down the line that might get picked up. And there's like a couple of videos on my channel where I spent like a lot of time on of them and it's like maybe got a couple of views, but now they're starting to pick up. But yeah, it's really weird that I guess it's not weird, but it's kind of gratifying knowing that like will they people like quality content. And yeah, it will get shown to people. Exactly. Speaking of quality, do you find quality in the weekly schedule posting weekly? Do you find it tough to do that to when you're standing a couple weeks for me personally?
[00:35:00] How does that make you feel on the inside when you haven't posted in a week?
[00:35:03] I'm kind of in this middle ground where I'm trying to figure out if I want to be a person that post possibly. Yeah. I was doing weekly and you def. We see growth, especially in the beginning. So it depends. You know, what's your what's your motivation?
[00:35:18] Do you want? I mean, do you really want subscribers than you? You have to feed the beast. You have to come up with a catchy title. Maybe. Yeah, do some tutorials. You know what I mean? You got to. You're feeding the algorithm and that's how people are initially going to find you. But also like you. And what I tried to do is sneak in some of you know, me in there with my films and blogs and things like that and even into my tutorials now I feel like I'm trying to be more myself.
[00:35:45] I was looking to do that. I hate cutting off the guests, but I like I know I've been watching your tutorials. I love the fact that you have a bit of information. Then you have some obscure thing that has nothing to do with its story. Like you might dancing on a banister or something. And I look at it, I'm like, I'm really interested to see what her audience retention is on this like during these moments. But I love that you do that because, one, it differentiates yourself and it puts your personality into the tutorial.
[00:36:13] That's what I think, because like anyone, I don't want to be just and especially if I'm talking about gear like I keep I say all the time, like I am not techie.
[00:36:23] I'll tell you what, you need to know what I think you need to know.
[00:36:26] But if you want something really detailed, then you probably shouldn't come to my channel. If you want the the basics of how something works or you want like a fun tip on how to shoot something differently or something, especially like business stuff, I'll go into a lot of detail on and and storytelling and writing and things like that.
[00:36:45] But ultimately it should be a fun place for you to come and get inspired at the end of it. And if you want if you're looking for a full education, then, well, we're making a course so you can probably get it.
[00:36:59] But that's my kind of mentality about it. Now, I'm forgetting your first question, though.
[00:37:03] Oh, how does it make you feel and all that stuff. But I think you've answered it.
[00:37:07] Oh, posting weekly. Well, yeah, I'm still trying to figure it out just because then I know I'd have more time to make something maybe a little bit better. But also, I'm wondering whether I just need to hire on help, like hire an assistant, because if I want to be creating things, then I maybe need to free up some of the other parts my life. So schedule is something working on right now and juggling everything. And I think that's a big part of the weekly problem because we're still running a business and I've been working on like we have a shoot on Monday and like no one sees that stuff.
[00:37:43] So they go, oh, Lucy's really slacking off. She is imposing anything. I'm like, guys, you don't even know. You don't even know. I should not even. I'm in Austin right now. I should not be in Austin. Chris is probably mad at me for coming.
[00:37:55] Yeah, I am in a similar way with my with my client work and doing YouTube at the same time. Like spending way too much time during YouTube.
[00:38:04] But for me, it's like the payoff of doing YouTube. It's just I feel so much better than when you do. Oh, yeah. A client video. And I'd still put as much effort as I can into it, but there's only so much that that's gratifying about it.
[00:38:19] Yeah, and it's hard to figure out like financially to how it works. And initially I was really reliant on the business. And when we started YouTube and Chris too. But then at a certain point. And. And Chris first hit a milestone where he was like, you don't really need the business anymore. If I didn't want to work on it anymore. And then I hit a point. I was like, I guess I don't really need it either. But is it the fact that we need it or that we built it? And he could also I mean, this is a financial conversation. Could we get it to run without us? Mm hmm. Could we just have it manage some of the big things, sell and have have a boutique agency run?
[00:39:03] I'm very clear about this. So say you did. Somebody else took over.
[00:39:09] Like you know where it could run by itself. Yes. I think that would release some of your clout in terms of being able to approach conversations in a way that, hey, I'm a business owner and a YouTube bear. Like, say, two years down the line or something like that.
[00:39:25] Well, that's what I said to Chris, because this is a conversation we're having together. And he might be mad at me for bringing up, but I don't care. He doesn't feel that way. Yeah, I do. Okay. And I like the business and I don't want to let it go.
[00:39:37] I don't think there's ever a time because like I said, I'm a control freak where I'll be completely out of touch with what's going on. I'll just be overseeing more than anything. So and I think that also shows quite a bit about my business sense and my managerial knowledge. If we if we're able to get to that point, I think that's frickin awesome. And because we're again, I've never had to completely run a company as as a CEO that's not actually working on some of these project. Not producing them, not even having a hand in the editing. And I mean, right now we have editors. We have some. We have one producer that we're trying out. That's the hardest role to fill. We have a script writer. You know, we're bringing on people and figuring out a way for it to work, because at the end of the day, I feel like. I I would like to also invest time in transitioning some of the projects that know how media is doing. So keep those corporate videos flowing. But what if we want to get into even more commercial work and bigger commercial work? I'm also talking about getting funding for a documentary I'd like to produce and I'm talking to like CBC. And I might be working with Samsung soon and trying to get funding for that. So I don't think it's like, oh, me not managing projects for know how you can totally by myself now means that that's that's gone and I have no touch with that anymore. It's more like but now I'm freeing up time to. Yeah.
[00:41:15] Do YouTube for sure, but not just YouTube. I can improve my skillset as a as a documentary filmmaker and have time and rally up the budget to actually make that happen. Because right now between those two things, I'm not. And then I'll be at a standstill. Like, how many times do people want to hear me talk about how we have a corporate video production company? And here's how you make yours.
[00:41:39] Like, I'll only be a only have so many tips, but then, you know, if I grow my skill set, I'm now going. Here's how you make a documentary. Here's how you do this. And those are things I want to learn as well.
[00:41:51] Yeah. Does that answer your question?
[00:41:53] So even when I was asking the question, I was thinking to myself, yeah, when you do step away from or you're just overseeing that business in as I was asking you, I was like, yeah, that actually does sound awesome because then you can go and do bigger and better things and then also have that in your back pocket. So it's kind of like you're just scaling it.
[00:42:13] Yeah. And and finding different types of work to potentially bring into the business, too. And we won't have time to do that if I'm still working on our existing client work. If you're behind a computer editing videos. So that's that's my mentality behind it all. Chris, Chris has a lot of I mean, he's like loving YouTube. Like it's so high energy. It's so fast paced. He loves the jobs. He gets to work on. He loves working with different brands. And so he's really happy doing that right now. But I think I mean, I can't speak for him, but I think he's trying to figure out how. Like what his next next step is, because I think he's really he's a bit bored with the work that the company is doing. So maybe you'll see him doing some really interesting stuff on YouTube. I don't know.
[00:43:02] I don't know. It is like giving Precursor his own. I'm trying to figure it out.
[00:43:06] But he's got I mean, he's he's good at pretty much anything he does. So it's not like I'm worried about him. It'll probably be like I'm going to do this now and then tomorrow. He does it as I think about things for like a really long time. Who are you? Would you say that's the editor in you? Yeah, probably. Yeah.
[00:43:21] I think it's it's one of those things where you just like say things out loud once and then you're like, oh, oh, it's out in the world now. Can't take it back. And then you say it again. You're like, OK, I told two people I better actually do that thing now. So it kind of keeps you accountable in a way. But yeah, Chris is a little less scared of I don't even know if I'm scared either, but he's a little less like apprehensive about the time and and energy put into things. Right. Whereas I'm like, if I'm going to invest time into that, it better be good. But I'm saying this out loud. I'm gonna do it. I have to put time into it and make sure it's good.
[00:43:55] That reminds me of a video where you had a little talking head part of it where you said make it happen for yourself. Can you elaborate? Because I feel like that's a good dovetail into you. Yeah, that concept.
[00:44:05] Again, that was a video that I thought about the night before and I just kind of went, oh, I guess I'll shoot that tomorrow. Didn't think anyone would care. I thought it would flop. It didn't shock. Literally shocked. I have I never know what picks up on YouTube anymore. But the whole mentality behind it was that you are you're in control of your own life. So if there's something that you want to do that you're not doing, why the heck aren't you doing it? It's really not. I mean, everyone has so much time in the day. Everybody has like kids, a family. Some in my case, like parents. Sometimes you have to help take care of and that kind of thing.
[00:44:44] So it's we all have have things holding us back. We also all have certain advantages. Like I'm fortunate enough that my parents paid for my education. And I think that was extremely generous of them. And that was great because I didn't have to worry about paying that back right when I finish. But at the same time, like there there is a way that you can make everything happen that you want. I mean, as long as it's reasonable, like not only so many people can really be astronauts, but if you really want to be an astronaut, like you should at least try and then you'll know you tried. So that was that's kind of the mentality is that like a lot of people say, oh, well, I.
[00:45:23] I can't do that because, you know, I'm. I just have my full time job right now or I have this or I don't know, like. How do I start? I don't have a camera. Everybody has excuses.
[00:45:34] They're all fixable. And it just depends how bad you want it and what what type of person you are, how hard you're going to work to make that happen for yourself.
[00:45:45] Yeah. Your delivery on camera when you were talking about it, when you're like walking through the woods, you like, I made this like I'm doing what I'm doing right now.
[00:45:53] Yes. So authentic. Well, think. Can you talk about authenticity?
[00:45:59] And I believe you're giving everything away. I mean, I talk about tomorrow, but that's OK. No one will see this, but this one's gonna be quite in the future.
[00:46:06] Authenticity on camera. I know we've already kind of touched on it, especially with your buffer festival.
[00:46:14] How being authentic just makes your life easier.
[00:46:19] Like just meeting you in person. Yeah. And also, do I seem like how I see my lines? So that's the other thing. What I alluded to with your tutorials or your content, you'll make my early ones probably seem less like me now.
[00:46:32] Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you put something, you'll have the amazing information, but you can still hold my attention even if you were to put whatever the subject matter of the oriel is like near the end, because now I'm just along for your journey and experiencing what you're experiencing in life at the same time.
[00:46:51] But it's like you want to. Oh, this is a person I just want to hang out with that. Like that feeling that you get.
[00:46:58] Yeah. I think it's important for everybody to feel like, well, there's this whole habit on social media of everyone putting up their highlight reel and showing the best version of themselves.
[00:47:10] So I think I love showing like the not best version of myself. Like, I love showing myself do really stupid things or saying something dumb or that's why I leave mistakes. And or Whalen when I make like self-deprecating jokes because everybody I feel like that makes me more relatable.
[00:47:24] I don't add it. And just so people think I'm relatable, but that's really what I'm like. I'm silly, I'm awkward, I'm weird, and I want people to feel like they can also be that weird.
[00:47:37] We're just forced to conform so often. And I think it's cool. Like the the other coolest thing about YouTube is that like we're all so different, like all the creators we met there, people that I may have never met otherwise. And we all come from different places, like different countries like Kitty we were talking about earlier has like purple hair. Like, she's so cool. I don't have purple hair like. You know, it's it's I just want people to feel like themselves. Not like they have to be anything else. And because life's too short. Honestly, to. Waste time trying to make somebody like you or to please somebody else because you never are. Mm hmm. I think just showing that through my videos makes them not only like a little more entertaining, but yeah. Like I said, if people want to come back because they know me and like me, so I want them to get to know me as much as they can through a camera in a few minutes.
[00:48:38] There's like this polished version of, I want to say Polish because it's edited on YouTube. But then you look at something like Instagram stories. I feel like that took away from what a vlog was. Back in the day on YouTube, because now you can write what people are doing day to day even more real. Yeah, exactly. And even what's even crazier now is things like tick tock. I've you delved into Tic TAC and all I know of the tick tock. I have friends on said tick talk, but I do not tick tock. So I I peruse it every now and then and only tweet. I should tweet.
[00:49:11] Speaking like a real creator over here, I said the same exact sentence yesterday when I was talking to a photographer. I forget what I said, but is like, oh man, I'm going to tweet that. Yeah, but anyhow, on ticktock, they've gotten so good at their ads where you're swiping through. And as you're looking at the content, the ad, it still says sponsored content. But yeah. By that time you're already invested in it just looks like a cell phone video of whatever it's like. So they're so good at being authentic. It's like, oh yeah, what are you doing? And people sitting there, since we're kind of talking about ads, I know that a lot of your YouTube content recently has been sponsored. So how. Like, how are you doing that? Like how? Like it is. Is everything inbound at this time? Are you actively pursuing sponsors and things of that?
[00:50:00] Interesting or how you're going to ask me like what my perspective is on doing sponsor content? Because that's a question I get a lot. But this is. Well, I yeah, actually I don't think I've talked about this too much. I do have a management company. So some of it is inbound. We have another. Well, I haven't. We have another agent that does outbound for a lot of our travel related things and reaching out to tourism boards and things like that. So that also frees up a lot of our time to make content because before we were doing all of it ourselves.
[00:50:33] Yeah. Yeah.
[00:50:33] And so it's really nice to have people and of course, they they get a percentage, but we're we're still careful and cautious to only work with brands that we like, products that we support because we would never want to blast people with things that aren't real.
[00:50:51] But at the end of the day, we have a mortgage and things like that. We had to do have bills to pay. So I think it's kind of a necessary part of it. But it's also really fun to get to work with brands that you've always dreamed of working with and getting to share a product or something or service that you're really excited about and then delivering it in an interesting way, in a way that's valuable for people again is always the challenge of YouTube. But it's cool. It's fun. Like it's really fun. It's never it's things that I thought I was ever going to make.
[00:51:23] Honestly, the one that I thought was the funniest was your what was the one where you're on the treadmill and Chris comes in on you having like. Yeah, whatever. I think it was skill share and you know, it was it was you find ways to incorporate the sponsored content just like what I was talking about with ticktock where it's a part of.
[00:51:43] Yeah. Figured people have to listen to it.
[00:51:44] Might as well be interesting. And as everyone knows, with the skill share ads, they give you a list of things that you absolutely have to say. And so I thought, well, OK, I'll say them, but you don't get to say what I'm doing.
[00:51:57] Well, I say and I'll be honest too, it was totally inspired by.
[00:52:03] Peter did the same thing with his skill share where he has like the two sides of his personality, he is like the annoying Peter and then himself.
[00:52:11] You know, I'm talking about. Oh, well, you have to go see his skill share. And because they're also like, really funny, awesome. Like, yeah, they're super funny. So I thought, yeah, why am I just doing like, why am I just delivering these lines for whatever brand? Why can't I make it interesting too? That's such a good idea. So how can I make it different? A quick question on this.
[00:52:32] What was the conversations like when you first started doing sponsors and you were putting it not at the beginning of your content, but towards either the middle or the end?
[00:52:42] I I still try and do that unless it's in the contract.
[00:52:47] No, that's what I mean, though. Yeah. If you if you send a cut to the sponsor and they say like, well why didn't you say something at the beginning or something like that.
[00:52:53] Oh some rarely does it happen. OK. And if it's not in the contract it has happened.
[00:53:01] So there. So their understanding of like hey look you want people to really get into this product, then it's better if it's here.
[00:53:09] Yeah, OK. Exactly. And I also try and like skillfully choose a time where it's not. Going to be too invasive for the viewer, but at the same time, like if they're really pushing for it, if they're going, can't you just put a logo up or just say, like, this is like we're partnering with whoever for this video and then get to the meat, the meat of it later on? Usually they'll say that's a good compromise, but at the end of the day, it depends like do you want to work with them again? Do you want to piss them off? Because if it's not in the contract, you can get away with it and get paid for that video. But did you ever want to work with them again?
[00:53:45] So it's down. You're talking from experience.
[00:53:50] Yeah. I think the one of the coolest things I've heard on the subject. I had a past guest, Chris Michael Harris is his name. He's a podcast or in when I was listening to his podcast. The way that he does his reads square space. Actually, no. Wickes contacted him, wanted to do an ad read, but he uses WordPress. So he literally said in his ad read like, look, I recommend that you use WordPress in, not out. Yeah. In the end, I talked to him about it and it was because he and who he is as a brand is so authentic and he tells it how it is. But he also prefaced it with my dad owns a small business that sells like maybe guitars or something like that. Where? I know that he doesn't have the time to build a Web site. So I would recommend Wicks for this kind of thing.
[00:54:39] Yeah. With the car. So he gave it caveats. But I just thought I was so ballsy that you could. Yeah. Deviate from not speaking the best of. Yeah.
[00:54:49] I think you have to be honest and I think that's a good way to integrate it. I mean, he would probably have to run that by them upfront and say, this is how I'm going to position you. And I mean, that is pretty much works in general.
[00:55:00] Yeah. Versus WordPress. So I think they know that's their demographic anyway. So like hopefully they're okay with that. Yeah, but yeah, we.
[00:55:10] I totally agree with what he did and I think we would potentially do the same thing if it. Sometimes we'll talk about certain pieces of gear or whatever if if it pertains to a person who's in a certain like price point, if they need a certain because I can't go everyone get a G.M. lens.
[00:55:30] I mean, that's all. That's what I use. So when people ask and like, yeah, well, this is the one I have.
[00:55:34] So I'll do a video about it and then I get comments like, whoa, too expensive, do it. I'm like it is. I saved for a long time to buy said blends. But if another company goes, Hey, we do want to talk about this one and I like it, or I can just be honest about the features about it. And I don't I would never lie. I think that's OK.
[00:55:51] All right. But let's start to wrap it up. Two questions I ask everybody at the end of the podcast and kind of switch this one up recently is what's your best investment that you've had in the last year?
[00:56:01] That's hard. I want to say our our home, because that's the biggest one I've ever made. And it is where we work and where we live. And it's such a great place to come back to. And it's really it's cool that we get to feature it in our videos, especially at this stage, too. And it's our set. It's everything. So, yeah.
[00:56:20] There you go. And then last one is in order to get from where you say with your YouTube journey, to get from where you at in the beginning to where you're at now, what's one piece of advice that you could give?
[00:56:31] Stop caring what other people think or try your best not to think about it as often as possible. Just close off that side of your brain and then make the thing that you want to make and think about it later.
[00:56:43] Suddenly it's natural for things to get you down, but don't. People are always going to have something to say whether you start YouTube or whether you don't. If you start YouTube, they'll be like, wow, that's so narcissistic of you. You want you think people are going to watch you make videos? You don't start YouTube. They'll be like, so lazy. So typical of you. Like, they're gonna come up with something regardless. And it's because they're bitter and they don't like their own lives.
[00:57:04] But like, you just have to do it anyways. And today as well, the mike walks.
[00:57:14] So to add to that, I think it's we just looped it back to my very first tweet web, how I got introduced to you in the first.
[00:57:22] Yeah. Just me. I did that on purpose.
[00:57:25] The thing I love about people that really know who they are is you're just authentic to what you want to be and who you are. Just use the same phrase in the definition, right?
[00:57:35] Don't care, but we're getting tired now. Yeah.
[00:57:39] There's a creator I met at vid, some in Sydney. Oh yeah. I did it. If I hope I pronounce your name. Nice name right there. Honestly, I don't know if I can pronounce your last name.
[00:57:48] Sydney, I'm so sorry. But with his whole interview, anytime I asked him something, it was like he knew what to say right there.
[00:57:58] Like he just knew what his path was. And at the end of the podcast he had, he said the same like he is kind of like that. You're right. Yeah. And after I made that compliment to him and he was like, yeah, that that's I know what I want to accomplish. And therefore, I just know what answers I need to have any type of like if this is in line with my goals, then it's that way.
[00:58:21] If it's not, then it's this way. Mm hmm. I think if you have that kind of perception when you approach anything in life, it makes things a lot easier.
[00:58:29] Oh, for sure. If if you know what you want out of life, I think you start with a broad definition of I want to. And like for me, it's I want to do as many things as I can. Try as many things as I can. Travel to as many places as I want to travel to. I want to have a family. And, you know, I don't ever want to worry about money.
[00:58:51] I've certain financial goals if those are your, like, umbrella things that, you know, you want out of life.
[00:58:56] I feel like navigating in between them is just trial and error.
[00:59:00] They go, yeah, awesome. Where can people find you?
[00:59:03] You can find me on the YouTube, which we mentioned just a couple times on Instagram, also at Lizzie Pearce and Lizzie, as Eliza did, i.e. Pierce's P.I..
[00:59:15] I see you said everyone that. Yeah, I can say you've said that a couple times.
[00:59:18] Everyone's spelled it wrong, which I understand technically it's incorrect.
[00:59:23] OK, well, thank you so much for your time. I thank you for having had an awesome time here in Austin, Texas. Is your first time? It is my first time. Well, awesome. All right. Until. Next episode, I hope you're out there living a life of abundance. I'll see you guys on the next show.