Training the next generation of creative talent while running a YouTube Channel

If you’ve ever wanted to train creative professionals, and aspiring creative professionals then this episode is for you. It is also an opportunity to dive into what having your own YouTube channel is really like.
 
I brought someone on the show who is juggling both. Shaw Bernard is a model with over sixteen years of experience in the fashion and beauty industry. She also has her own pop culture focused YouTube channel.
 
And she’s here to answer any questions you might have about juggling both a business, and a side project, like a podcast or YouTube channel, and training the next generation of creative talent.  
 
What this episode covers:
 

• What Shaw’s agency covers
• The story behind the name, “Strut” …because I had to ask, due to its catchiness
• The importance of getting the input of those that love and care about you when first starting a new creative venture
• Shaw’s secret to successful collaboration with coaches and etc.
• How sites for artists and teaching artists have helped Shaw find people to collaborate with, outside of her professional contacts.
• How a company she has wanted to work with for a while, no longer being in existence has opened up the opportunity to work together.
• The vetting/ putting to the test process that all coaches/ instructors at Strut go through.
• How she finds doing things like getting instructors to create a curriculum of their own helps her figure out if they’re willing to do the groundwork required to teach students
• How observing instructors’ classes helps Shaw figure out if they’re willing to take direction as well, and what their teaching style is.
• How choosing people with diverse backgrounds in the industry, who work in the field right now can make a huge difference.
• How being on social media a lot helps Shaw keep up to date with all trends and etc. in her industry.
• How she finds that her past experiences working in the industry helps her be constantly reminded of what it is really like, and motivated to keep up with progress that’s being made.
• Why representing diverse age groups, races, cultures, etc. is so important to Strut as an organization.
• Why she also finds that it’s important represent both high fashion and promotional fashion worlds.
• Something that’s really important to Shaw: not limiting people, by telling them they’re too young, old, etc. And why that’s so important to her
• How she includes “real talk” about her industry’s competitiveness in the training she gives her students.
• Why talent is not enough to survive, and how for her, it’s about giving students and their families the tools to not only have the talent to succeed, but the skills to navigate the industry as a whole.
• How confidence and self-esteem, in contexts like her Self-Esteem program for young women is super important.
• What this program does for the inner-city school students they work with, not only an exposure to the arts, but preparation for the real world and how to speak and dress appropriately to truly thrive.
• How she tackles difficult subjects like self-esteem with adolescents, and how things like her age, looking a bit younger than she actually is, and how personal she gets about her own experiences with that.
• How her awareness of social media and all the ads’ impact on the younger generation is a huge influence really helps her relate with the young women she works with on a personal level
• The story behind Shaw’s YouTube channel
• How taking videography and video editing classes helped her
• Why there’s never a good time to start something like a YouTube channel
• How Shaw juggles her business and her YouTube channel, while having a kid to take care of as well
• Shaw’s advice for people that want to start a YouTube channel: “just start!” and why she is a huge believer in that.
• The most important part of fitting a YouTube channel into your busy schedule: figuring out the right days and times to suit your busy schedule and life, and how to figure that out.
• The sacrifices you have to make as a one person show to make it happen, but the pay off as well: making sacrifices to not have regrets.
• Why having goals and ambitions for your channel are great, but you also need to not let that stop you from just starting.
• Why it will never be perfect, and you shouldn’t let your desire for perfection stop you from putting your channel together.
• The typical process for turning her ideas into videos...? Figuring out topics that relate to her.
• The filming and editing process she uses.
• Why there’s rarely a crossover between her YouTube channel and Strut.
• The only context where Shaw actually finds the two worlds overlap: when there’s a story that impacts the modelling community in some way, for example
• How the practice Shaw has had with her YouTube Channel have helped her create videos for Strut
• Her favourite part of her YouTube channel, and why it’s all about working towards her dream.
• Shaw looks back to her first video and admits that the takes she did were the one thing she would change. Take two on the video wasn’t great, and the one on the phone she wasn’t looking directly into the camera.
• I add the more positive side to that: the audience feeling invested and like they are part of your growth.
• Something Shaw is actively trying to improve due to how it increases engagement for her channel: adapting her videos for channels like Instagram.

About Shaw:
Fashion model, TV Host and entrepreneur Shaw Bernard has sixteen years of experience in the fashion and beauty industry.  During her over a decade long modeling career, Shaw has worked with numerous fashion and cosmetic brands, both internationally and nationally including Jovani Fashions, Ellery and Tommy Hilfiger to name a few.  She has also hosted fashion events and pageants. In 2013, Shaw opened Strut Model & Talent Agency in New York City, her talent development and management company for kids, teens and adults.  Shaw also created the Strut-Esteem program to help NYC public school students develop self-confidence through the arts. 
 
Where you can find Shaw online
Facebook: www.facebook.com/shawbernardtv
Instagram: www.instagram.com/shawbernardtv
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8LmIbGLegEo68TavtkQyXw
Website: http://strutmodeling.com/
 
How you can follow this podcast (and learn more about its host)
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