The Chris Voss Show - The Chris Voss Show Podcast – Amy Scruggs, Singer, Author, Media Coach, Trainer & Consultant

Episode Date: August 31, 2022

Amy Scruggs, Singer, Author, Media Coach, Trainer & Consultant AmyScruggsmedia.com

You wanted the best. You've got the best podcast, the hottest podcast in the world. The Chris Voss Show, the preeminent podcast with guests so smart you may experience serious brain bleed. Get ready, get ready, strap yourself in. Keep your hands, arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times. Because you're about to go on a monster education roller coaster with your brain now here's your host chris voss hi folks is voss here from the chris voss show.com the chris voss show.com that's that sounds horrible clearly i don't know why i'm doing that with the singer on the show that's just like the worst thing I could possibly put myself up against. Anyway, guys, you know me.

You've heard of me. You've seen him on the street. You've seen him in your post office walls. People don't know what that means anymore. That's like an old joke. For those of you who are Gen Zers, you'll have to Google that joke. Anyway, guys, you've seen him everywhere. But the one place you haven've seen him everywhere but the one

place you haven't seen him is on the fbi's most wanted list but there's still time anyway guys uh but please don't check because i might be on there i don't know i i didn't pay a parking bill i bet you one of these days no always pay your parking bills that's bad anyway guys uh welcome the show once again you're at the chris voss show uh the chissvossshow.com, and this is the Chris Voss Show podcast. And I'm Chris Voss. You see how that theme is intertwining and just interwoven there? It's kind of weird. It's kind of a coincidence if you think about it. For 13 years, I don't know what the hell you people have been doing, but we always ask you to refer the show to your friends, family, relatives, because the Chris Voss Show is the family that loves you but doesn't judge you, at least not as harshly as I do if I meet you in person and see what sort of fashion you're not wearing or wearing.

Because everyone knows I'm a fashion god if you've seen me lately. There was another thing I want to touch on, but I segued and I lost whatever the rest of that joke was. So anyway, guys. Oh, yeah. Sunday. We had like some crazy day on Sunday that was like almost a record day. As we've been talking about all month long, we've been hitting 30% more record numbers than ever before in the last 30 days. And at the end of this month, on October 1st, we hit the official 13 years,

and we're going to do another whole year. I mean, basically, for the 11th, 12th, and 13th year, we've had double, triple years, where we also do more than the 11, 12, and 13 years, respectively, done in all of the 11, 12, or 13 years, if that makes sense. Does that make sense, Amy? Am I making any sense when I say, or 13 years. If that makes sense. Does that make sense, Amy? Am I making any sense when I say that?

It is. It's coming together. It's coming together now. It's not coming together. Anyway, guys, but she's on the show with us. We have Amy Scruggs on the show, if you know her. She is a big name in media, music, and everything else. We'll be talking to her here in a second.

But we're going to keep her on ice for a second so we can read her bio. We're also going to have you go to grease.com, 4chesschrisfoss, go to youtube.com, 4chesschrisfoss, all those crazy places the kids are playing, the big 120,000 group on LinkedIn, and the LinkedIn newsletter. That thing's always interesting over there.

It comes out every day or weekday. You can read all sorts of business-y stuff. And, you know, there's other stuff, too, all the cool stuff on the show. Anyway, guys, thanks for tuning in. Today, Amy Scruggs is on the show. Without further ado, that's not her name. Just Amy Scruggs is her name. She is known in the country music business for more than 15 years,

opening for greats including Clinton Black, Trace Adkins, Charlize, and many more. Is that Charlize Angel's? She's been looking. Charlie Daniels. Yeah. Charlie Daniels. Yes.

Oh, wow. I grew up as a kid listening to The Devil Goes to Georgia. Exactly. I was a youngster. Is that what Biden says? A youngster. Is that what Biden says? A youngster. A youngster around 12 years of age when that was, you know, every other song they played that on the radio. The Devil Goes Down to Georgia.

And, wow, it makes me want to sing it. So, anyway, she is on the show with us today. She's going to be talking about all the things she does. She was the spokesman for the American Veterans of California from 2009 to 2011. Her career also includes 20 years in sales team coaching and received bestseller on her book, Lights, Camera, Action in 2021. We'll be talking to her about that. The past five years, she's enjoyed her position as a TV host for the american dream tv on cnbc and several other shows she uses her experience as a media executive tv host recording artist and public speaker as a media coach to help others communicate a concise and professional message for network tv podcasts

social media or in-person speaking appearances she's probably she's probably looking at our listen my podcast going what the hell is this? Her newest single, you need to check it out. It's on Spotify and everywhere. Released in 2022, What If It All Goes Right is on radio worldwide, including reaching number 66 on the Music Row charts, along with being selected for the New York Times Summer 22 playlist, as opposed to my song, What If It All Goes Wrong, which no one is playing.

Anyway, welcome to the show, Amy. How are you? Oh, it's so great to be with you. I've been really looking forward to this, and thank you so much for the introduction. Thank you. There you go. I love all the laughing in the back. Sometimes I do jokes in the academics that I have at the colleges. They're wonderful people and brilliant, but they don't laugh at my jokes, right? They're just kind of like, serious? I was holding it in. I was trying not to be disrespectful. No, I really appreciate it.

When I do stand-up, I'll pay to take you on tour, and you can be my shill audience member. I'll be your front-row person. Yeah, front-row person that gets everybody laughing at my jokes that aren't funny. So welcome to the show. Give us your dot- com so that people can find you in the interwebs amyskrugsmedia.com also amyskrugsmusic.com but they feed each other so you go to one you'll find the other there you go there you go and you you are like a uh uh mrs jack of all trades or miss jack of all trades um you you do a lot uh Do you want to surmise maybe a hit point? I know, and I'm only 25. Isn't that amazing? It's like just to squeeze all that in so quickly.

I'm two years older than you. It's a continual evolution of the word shift. I mean, in life, we have to shift. In industries collapse, we have to shift. And so it does seem like a lot when you put it on paper like that. But to me, I just see it all as one. It's years of experience in different industries that you don't necessarily let go of one. You just bring it into the next thing you're doing and level up your experience and your passion. And the constant daily pursuit of my purpose and potential has led me to what I get to do today. And I just love it.

I just say, well, why not? Why not? There you go. So, uh, let's talk about your latest work, the song, what motivated, is this your first song? Are there other songs, their albums? Uh, tell us more about this. The music started for me at three years old, like everybody else who is an artist can say, and I have my 18 year overnight success story that I'll break down really brief for you. But I was always performing, always singing growing up in the early 2000s when I was in sales and in wholesale mortgage and running sales teams. I was always still performing in the cover bands and concerts in the park all over Southern California. And I had a chance to go to Nashville in 04 and start the recording process. So there was some new music there and

I was still in the mortgage industry. And we know what happened in 2007. That world disappeared for me. My job disappeared, wholesale mortgage disappeared. And realizing that it was all the sales skills, communication skills, business skills that allowed me to be successful in wholesale mortgage. And yet I still had my passion for music and had recordings and said, why don't I combine those two? And instead of sitting here crying and wondering how I'm going to put food on the table and feed my kids, why don't I put a business plan together and put it into my passion and my purpose anyways, which was music. And so went out and asked for the business. And six months later, I was opening for Clint Black

in Camp Verde, Arizona in 2008 on the 4th of July. So that was a pretty spectacular show and went on to then tour for the next years with four kids in tow and open for some of the biggest names in country music. And that's also the time that I was doing a lot with the military and veteran community. And at that time I had a single out called Coming Home and it was a celebration song for our military and veterans. And the Amvets picked it up as their theme song for those three years that I was out doing a lot of military and veteran events at the same time and promoting that song on radio. And that allowed me to really start being in interviews on a regular basis. I mean, this is a time with a flip phone, did not have the tools and technology we had today, driving from town to town, doing radio interviews, TV interviews, and just staying out there in the forefront while I was touring and promoting that music and especially promoting our veterans. And so that was a really, really incredible time

that I took those careers and combine them and then step back into the mortgage world back in 2011, made some adjustments and some shifts and went back into business development. But I was still performing on request. I just wasn't touring anymore, keeping those careers combined and then stepped in as TV host. So again, those skills still bringing in, but always performing. I had the chance to open for Toby Keith in the last few years, Chuck Becker, Frankie Avalon, Tony Orlando, if you can believe it. So some really fun opportunities still came about. But in 2020, we had the shift happen again that happened to everyone, not just those in the financial industry. And it was such a beautiful time to say, okay, it's time to make a shift. Where do I take these skills and put it into more media coaching? And then I got a call out of the blue one day

that said, Amy, would you like to record your dream project in Nashville? Fred Mullen, who's just one of the most amazing producers of all time said yes to doing a project with me. Because remember in 2020, 2021, nobody was touring. The great musicians were home. The producers were home. So there was opportunity that presented itself that I said, hey, why not? Why did I say no to this? Did I have this planned?

No. Did I know how this was going to go about? Absolutely not. And started the crazy song searching process. And a thousand songs later to narrow it down to five from all the publishers from Nashville pitching music and working on that. And what if it all goes right? That song stood out like a sore thumb to me. I said, this is the one, this is the one. And to release it and see it having success that it's having. And the music

came about because of the pandemic. And I am so grateful and I'm grateful for the success. So that's why I still have current music out there right now that after 18 years, when I thought I wouldn't get to record again, a dream just came right out of the sky. There you go. And what's the gist of the song? Given the title, it seems like a very positive title. It's such a great song. I did not write it. It came from some great writers in Nashville. Tanya Hancher, she's just incredible. But it's that, you know, we, we've all have that. What if we can say, well, what if, what if the branch breaks, if I climb out on it, what if the road is a dead end? What if this opportunity doesn't work? What if this love doesn't last? It's kind of the, and then it gets to the chorus, but what if it goes right? What if you chase your dreams and

it changes your whole life? What if it all goes right? What if that road is a beautiful slow drive? What if that love lasts a lifetime? And even in the music video, I chose imagery that shows people from all walks of life, all ages, all cultures, getting that moment of their win. And this song is really that celebration of taking those negative thoughts off and saying, but what if it goes right? This is worth the risk. And that's the theme of the song. And, you know, it sounds like you've lived a life where you've gone through several different catharsises and different moments where you've had to readjust, realign. You know, I think most people go through life and they don't. No one has a perfect run, I don't think. No.

Everyone gets challenged or goes through some cathartic times. Thanks to Dan Clouser. Great to see Amy on the show. Amazing human with great message in her newest single. Thanks, times. Thanks to Dan Clouser. Great to see Amy on the show. Amazing human with great message in her newest single. Thanks, Dan. Thanks, Dan. For stepping in there. I think I've been friends with Dan for a million years on LinkedIn there.

So let's talk. Do we want to touch any more on the song? Where can people download the song? It's on all streaming platforms. You can find it on Spotify. It's on all streaming platforms. So just find it. Go to YouTube. Find the video. Enjoy it. We can move on all streaming platforms you can find it on spotify it's on all streaming platforms so just find it go to youtube find the video enjoy it we can move on but thank you for listening there you go there you go can they buy uh copies of it on amazon on the digital it's for

sale it's all it's all out there digitally that you can you can get your hands on it in any way that is best for you there you go uh and so you've taken a lot of what you mentioned that you learned from doing all your media and doing, I think you have a podcast, don't you, as well? Yes, I don't run it like, not like your platform. It's really selective because I'm enjoying the process of being a podcast guest more than I am a host right now. I really wanted to switch gears, especially as I was promoting the music and the book. I'm enjoying being on the other side of the seat for a change. It's been fun, but I'd be happy to flip that switch when the time is right. I do host one for a nonprofit right now, but a lot of behind the scenes work that I produce for others and I'm enjoying that as well. Do you want to plug any names of any of them? So I have a great podcast called Two Old Kids and Two Young Adults. And it is, I know it's hysterical, but it's really a resource for our young adults trying to navigate through college,

college applications, starting their career, what to do. And we bring in professionals from all industries and all walks of life to answer the questions of our two young adults we have as our co-hosts so that parents and young adults can navigate and say, what are our opportunities? What are our options? What's out there? And start to navigate this crazy world. So you have your kids on the show? No, my kids want really nothing to do with everything I do. It's a lot of Amy, but we have...

So you have some young kids on the show though, or... We do. We have a recent high school graduate and a recent college graduate. They counterbalance that age demographic for us. And they co-host with Ed, who's our, Ed Sanderson is a tremendously well-renowned college coach in this space. And so our four experiences together and bringing in guests just makes it a really fun, lively banter and hopefully making a difference to a lot of young adults out there. There you go. That's what I need on the Chris Voss show. I need like a Gen Z interpreter, you know, be there going, you know, speaking in emojis or something, you know, like what did Chris say? And he's like emojis on their screen.

He's doing emojis and, you know, whatever the thing is. That's what I need. Millennial emoji. An interpreter. Yes. Gen Z-er. Especially when I do like dated jokes. Like, we just had a famous Pulitzer Prize historian on who wrote about the Pope and got access to the Vatican records in the basement.

We just had him on and we were doing a lot of like old jokes from World War II and stuff. And, you know, and I'm sure the Gen Zers are like. They're like, what? What's a phone? What's that? What's Hitler? What? It's on the History Channel, kids, at 24-7.

So let's touch on your book. You've got your book there, Lights, Camera, Action, Media Coaching. For any professional in today's digital world, I should probably throw this at some of the guests. We should probably throw it at the host, too. Whack him in the head. Yeah, it's true. Some of them could definitely help. It could help.

That's all. I'm just trying to help. Yeah. So you wrote this book. It came out October 26, 2021. Actually, that was 21 days after my book. So congratulations. A lot of great books got written during the pandemic. Exactly. I'm still waiting for monkey pox to get out of hand so I can write my second book. So there you go.

You know, you can dream. You can dream. It was a really fun experience to put that together. Um, for the most part, I have the editing that got you like me. It was, yes, I made HD. So to lock me up at that time anyways, and take me out of the TV studio and out of being in front of people,

that was already a shock to my system. And I, and then I started watching this virtual world unfold and I'm seeing zoom come alive. And, and all of these individuals who had not been on camera before, like you and I are used to, all of a sudden on camera. And it was disastrous to watch some of it. It was comical.

And then I also went, oh, wow, I sharing just my tips, but I actually went to my sphere of influence of some really great, incredible professionals in different, in different industries and said, will you help contribute? Will you give your input on why you feel first impression is so important and why you feel the power of messaging and, and how this, how you leveled up in your media presence and how that made a difference in your business. So I really reached out to some, some pretty wonderful people that contributed in this book as well, so that it can be a resource for anyone, even if you're just trying to be more articulate in your social media or whether you're trying to get onto the Chris Voss show. You can kind of reach all of those different levels and

just touch on it. And that's what's in the book. Yeah. I never realized how difficult it was. You know, I've been, when my partner left in 2004, uh, our corporations, I've been working at home ever since. Uh, you know, I've run companies from, from other States. Uh, I've been pretty much almost working at home other than a couple of investments and some stuff we do with some Chinese mortgage company owners in Vegas are pretty much women working at home all the time. And we've been doing the Chris Voss Show for 13 years, so sitting in front of a camera is pretty normal, and then me butchering the hell out of it is pretty normal. And my audience just drags along and goes,

yeah, let's see what this idiot does today, which is actually probably should be the name of the show, the Chris Voss Show. Let's see what this idiot does today. A little tagline in there. People just go, what is this car? It's like a slow-moving car crash. In fact, people used to write me, like, I remember 13, 12 years ago on Twitter,

they'd be like, you know what, we really hate Chris Voss. And I'd catch them talking about me on Twitter, and they'd be like, yeah, I really hate Chris Voss too. But I follow him. And they're like, why do you still follow him? Because I just want to see him when he hits the wall. It's going to be any day now. He's going to hit the wall. He's going to crash.

And I'm like, yeah, I'm watching too. I'm seeing that. So stay tuned, folks. But now 12 years later, I'm still looking for the proverbial wall. There's some people think that I passed through it. and I'm just an aberration at this point. Aberration? Aberration. Aberration.

I know. It's one of those words, isn't it? I'm aberration my aberration at this point. God knows what I'm talking about. See what I mean? You never know what's going to happen on the Chris Fong show. But no, like everybody came into my world. Like I was here working from home and working on zoom

and all this stuff and like suddenly everyone showed up and hey hey we want to be like you and i'm like fuck off i've been here for years go away leave me alone stop trying to touch me the the uh the logitech camera you know we run a 4k brio we've had it for a few years and i wanted to order a new one because you know it's getting called a scratchy on the surface there and uh i was couldn't order one because they're all sold out i'm like isn't that crazy i'm like you what do you people lee get get your own so there you go but one thing i found very interesting about your book is you talk about on-camera securities and fears which is what i'm setting up the long way around with 50 segues. The one thing I saw was so many people, especially women, you know, are concerned about their beauty and stuff and how they appear on camera and stuff.

You know, a lot of people I saw on Facebook were like, oh my God. And so I love that you talk about that in your book and help people. Cause I didn't really understand how terrorized some people are. Yeah. And I've interviewed hundreds of professionals like you, Chris, we, you know,

well, let's not push it when you say call me professional, but yeah, I'll believe you. But we meet individuals of all walks of life, all industries, all professions. But there is that common thread that I,

when I was in the TV studio, when I was hosting a lot on Skype and also in person, it was Skype then, that there was that nervousness beforehand, no matter who they were. And I started paying attention, like, wait a minute, this is definitely more common than I realized. And what's funny, the one thing that I hear the most is, is this how I look? Oh, is that how I sound? And I always say, you know what the answer is? Yes. So if you don't like it, let's fix it. Yes. That is how you look and that is how you sound. You're just not used to seeing it and hearing it. So that's maybe where it's time to make

some adjustments. It sounds like half my dates on Tinder when they take that fog thing off and I meet them in person. Something, I don't know. You just hold it, you take a picture of him and you go, here's your Tinder picture and your Instagram picture and here's you. That's not right. But no, I mean, a lot of people were really insecure. They didn't have training. You know, I've been, you know, we weren't great hosts for 13 years of this show. In fact, I still don't. You know, there's some times I do a show and I'm just like,

I don't know what the hell that was. People will be like, that was a great show. And I'm like, I'm kind of like Carson. You go home that night, you watch the show, and you just go, that sucked. That really sucked. But it resonated with somebody. Yeah, and then people download it and you're don't don't do that no you're good please do that all the time but no um so i'm glad you there's a book out there that talks about

insecurity and fears because my book would just be like yeah you really do suck and there's no help for you um but no i mean i'll tell people hey look if this face can get on camera and people will watch it most people tell me they listen to show, but if most people put up with watching it, hey, don't complain to me. Like most people, I'm down here with Brad Pitt. He calls me for makeup tips. George Clooney, I don't take his calls anymore because he's older. He was just calling too much, wasn't he? It looks bad and he's kind of desperate.

Ever since he got married, he's been real beta. But no, any little tips or anything you want to tease out on the book so that people will be enticed to pick it up? Well, you know, it's funny. I was reading the show notes that you sent over to me before being on the show. And I giggled because you have on there one thing that I say to everyone. First of all, clean the lens. For God's sakes, please start cleaning the lens on your cell phone, on your camera. There are so many bad, fuzzy photos and videos out there that you can just clean the lens. And second, we're going to talk about it. It's the resting face.

The resting bitch face? Yes. But there's the confused face. There's the confused face. There's the indifferent face. There's the, I'm really not even listening face. We have got to learn what we're representing because having effective communication comes from what we're presenting with our facial expressions. And it takes time to really get to know your face, what you're putting out there. And let me tell you, it's not going to just help when you're on camera or being on shows or podcasts, but it's going to help you at home too. Because guys, maybe she won't keep asking you, why are you mad at me? And you say, I'm not mad because your face says you are, right? So getting comfortable with your face and what is

presenting is a big part of it. How do we engage with the camera? How do we engage and make it as if we're sitting in the same room? I want you to feel like we are sitting here right together, even though I'm looking in that camera. I'm there. No, what you speak to is really true. You know, one of my problems is remembering that because like, I mean, just about 15 minutes ago, I was seeing like a wifi error coming in and I'm shutting down computers and whatever else we had going on. I'm like, ah, no, we're not, you know, not a internet sort of thing. And so I was getting this look on my face, like, and you know, people might be watching going, uh, maybe he doesn't like what she said, you know, she's very nice. Um, kick her off right now. This is going to be

interesting. And people do that. They'll do, they'll do the resting bitch face or, you know, she's very nice. Um, kick her off right now. This is going to be interesting. And people do that. They'll do, they'll do the resting bitch face or, you know, for me, according to YouTubers and the kids on YouTubers, there's a lot of butt face that goes on on my show, but that's what they put in the comments. I don't know what it means, but, uh, no. And people don't have that self-reflection, uh, of what's going on in the show. Um, which is why I got fired from half my jobs. Because every time, you know, we'd have one of those meetings, I'd be like, and they'd be like, you're on camera, Chris.

We can see you. Don't get me started on Jeffrey Toobin jokes. You led me right in that setup. I did. It was a softball pitch. I appreciate that. It took a little work to put that in place, but it was appropriate. I can't believe he got his job back on CNN, but I don't know. I mean, where is he going to go? MSNBC? I don't know. There's a joke there somewhere. I don't know what it is. So moving on from your book, let's talk about some

other things you do. You do coaching and help people with that. And so people can work with you, I guess, one-on-one through a coaching thing that you do. People can hire you to do sales team coaching as well. Tell us about how you do some of that and how people can work with you, interact with you, contact you to hire you, et cetera, et cetera. The one-on-one is my favorite because it's so personal. Chris, if you and I were working one-on-one, we would be talking about your resting face. We would be going over how you articulate, how you phrase things. What's your message? Is it on point? Are you rambling? Are you using filler words? These are all the things that in private

coaching, they say, how do we help you craft your best message and your best self? So I start with definitely the body language, the facial expressions, and we work on delivery and dialect. You know, some people speak in the same tone in every sentence and it's like, it's just not resonating. Let's wake you up here. Let's wake you up. And there's a disconnect, especially when the camera goes on, that that takes place, that people will just lose their energy and drop it. And then also the message, some professionals that have incredible businesses or huge outreach or nonprofit community leaders, and then they go to share their message and it's just not there. I mean, have you been on interviews where you've heard somebody start with? Yeah. So thanks for having me here.

What I came to talk about. And it's just lost. You've got to know how to get to your talking points. And it's so important. So the private coaching, I definitely, definitely work with the individual and it's personal work and it's hard work. And I'm tough. If some, some guys, I will take their chair away cause they're swiveling or they've, they're, they're leaning back and like they're in a recliner. It's like, Nope, we're going to sit up straight and we're going to focus and we're going to deliver your best self group coaching. I have to break it down a little bit differently. If I've got 15 people on a zoom meeting, it's going to be a little bit more general, but everybody's still

going to follow those same principles. And I have to tell you, it's a blast. Those that really trust me to take them there. I've seen tremendous improvement, really tremendous improvement. And it's fun for me to see them go on. I have one of my former clients that was just in Dallas last week, and she shared a stage with Tony Robbins. And before, she couldn't even do public speaking at all. So to see that opportunity happen for her because of putting in the time and the effort to do the coaching was really awesome. Yeah. You know, one trick I learned about public speaking is you imagine yourself naked in front of the crowd. Wait. Wait. No. Be naked, then naked. about public speaking is you imagine yourself naked in front of the crowd wait wait no it's like yeah it's an old trick someone told me a long time ago imagine the audience naked

and i'm like have you seen those people especially the ones in the front row they've been clearly look like me and been to mcdonald's too many times uh but no the uh that that's gonna give not only my audience nightmares but probably me as well uh so yeah these are these are good tips to have you know one of my biggest problems is the um word um we use discord to clean up the show afterwards to take out the filler words. Yes. And it about goes into cardiac arrest in, you know, it says like we've removed 5,000 ums and ahs. And I'm just like, yeah. And I got a call from the CEO the other day.

He's like, we have to double what we're charging you because you're breaking our computer. My clients, I have a clicker and I literally count them. We do practice and they know exactly how many we're in for every question I ask or every section of a presentation. And any other filler words that may be in there. A lot of people use absolutely a lot. There are other filler words that are in there. It's okay to use them once in a while, but once it becomes a pattern, they got to go. Yeah.

Sounds like some of my dates when I go on them. They're like, you know, you know, you're like, you know, you know, like, like somehow people have turned half of a conversation in those two, three words. But no, I have people on the show that did that. You know, the posture thing is a real big deal, too. I had a body language coach friend and I still have her as a friend. Why that? I mean, that makes sense. You're getting a text after this?

Yeah, I'll get a text. But she was a body language and she'd sit up and look at the camera and stuff. You know, years ago, it's been several years, so I can probably do this joke. But I had a comedian on the show one time. And he literally was doing this. Like, he was back here like this. Oh, no. He was, like, looking at something the whole time like he's looking at whatever yeah okay whatever podcast boy and he

pretty much did the whole thing kind of like that and i was just so offended no i would be too i was like yeah he looked away most of the time like yeah i'm just phoning this in and uh i i probably these days i would have just been like you know what you can take your little you can get a little comedian box down the road you're not as funny as i am uh and he wasn't um but yeah i i think uh how do people reach out to you uh when they want help for coaching you also do public speaking we should probably touch on as well yes yes amyskrugsmedia.com, amyskrugsmusic.com. They both come to me.

All social medias are just going to be Amy Scruggs, Amy Scruggs Media. Thankfully, there's really no one else out there with my name. And so I'm super easy to find and I answer my messages. So it's easy to find me on any of those platforms by just reaching out to Amy Scruggs. And I love hearing from people, even with just quick questions or, you know, want to get some feedback or you want to schedule a consultation. I absolutely love what I do. What about people who, uh, I'm not, this is, of course, doesn't pertain to me, but people don't shave sometimes, or they just don't cut their beard or they just don't give a shit. Um, what about those people? Are they good people still?

Well, you know what, if they're, If they can deliver and their message is on point and their eyes are lit up, right? We don't care. Well, I'm screwed then. Parents are good. Or I'll tell that person they're screwed. You know, it's funny. For years, I mean, we've been on YouTube for, well, since 2006. We just hit like some crazy number, but we really didn't do videos until consistently and business-wise

until like, I think, 2009. There's filler words now. You had me thinking about it. There's another one. Now I'm in your head. Yeah, I can hear the clicking. You're like my mom when I used to swear. I'm clicking.

She was going to charge me for the swear jar. So I've lost the segue to the clicking. You're like my mom when I used to swear. I'm clicking. She was going to charge me for the swear jar. So I've lost the segue to the joke. So that went right out the window. Wow, it's Monday. Moving on. What haven't we talked about that you're really amazing at? What am I amazing at? What haven't we talked about that you're amazing at we're trying

to make sure everything you know i'm a proud wife i'm a mom we have six kids they're all grown now and i six kids yes and i still i'm still together i am still in one piece and i am proud of that you kind of have to be actually but no the youngest is off to college in a few weeks and it's just fantastic so i'm really proud of. And my oldest son was my lead guitar player and toured with me. Really? And he's still my lead guitar player. So it's really awesome that I've shared some of the most incredible stages with myself. That is awesome.

I like to share that because I'm really proud. Yeah. Having your kids do your band thing, that's great. And you don't have to pay them either because they still owe you like half a million dollars for raising them. It's like $300,000 to raise a kid from zero to 17 now. That doesn't count college. Yeah, they all had to work and help. You know, it's all part of the family business.

There you go. Six kids. That's a lot. I met a, when I was in high school, I knew a young lady who asked me to go to prom once. She wanted 12 kids. Yeah, she wanted 12 kids. And I was like, I don't think we're going to prom together. I actually had a prior date.

And I met her years later. And she's a wonderful person, a good friend. And I said, why don't we have that 12-kid thing? And she goes, I watched the video on what having kids thing is like. And I said, no, we're not doing that. So six kids is definitely a feat. But, yeah, these, these, these kids nowadays they're, they're expensive. They're expensive. And the adults are expensive. Even, you know, adulting is hard on our kids now. And so it's, there's still a lot that we absorb that, you know, it's all right. It's worth it. And now I

get to still, you know, have music out there and be a rock star and be a coach and do great shows like this. I'm so thrilled that I get to be here with you today. Yes, still, even at the end of the show, you cracked me up. I'm still happy we're here. I'll send that PayPal over for what I owe you. No, it's really great. So what's the future

of what you're looking forward to in, you know, do you have some events coming up or different things? I mean, what you're looking forward to uh uh in uh you know do you have some events coming up or different things i mean now you're kind of free to run around without i i'm free to run around a little bit i'm excited about continuing on the music promotion i still have four more songs on this ep that i'm really thrilled about promoting i do a lot of speaking i actually speak in front of uh districts and big regions for rotary clubs so really trying to inspire rotarians out there for leveling up their media visibility

because they do a ton of outreach and not everybody knows about it. And so there's a disconnect there with Rotarians really letting people know what they're really out there doing in the community. So it's really fun to go out and speak and empower and challenge. But what's next?

I leave it open because every time I think I know what's coming next, it goes a different direction. So I love the joy in not knowing every day. I don't know which clients are going to come in next that I haven't even met yet. And I'm excited about them. And I don't know what phone call is going to come in tomorrow. I love the business I have now and excited about whatever opportunities are ahead.

There you go. You know, it's good stuff. Exciting, man. I love your energy and how excited you are about life. When you said six kids, I went, oh, my gosh, that's a lot. You never know. Maybe I'll have six more. No, no, no, no, no, no.

I'm visiting up here in Utah. They're grown, Chris. Chris, they're grown. Yeah, but you can start over. I'm up here in Utah. That's the setup for the joke I'm getting to. I'm up here in Utah, and 12 kids is normal up here. It's pretty normal. That's an entry-level headcount. That's right. for the joke I'm getting to. I'm up here in Utah and 12 kids is normal up here. It's pretty normal.

That's an entry-level headcount. That's right. You can move. You know, you just start your own football team or baseball team. No, I just raised my own band. And now, you know, my daughter plays five instruments. So, really, if I could have a couple musicians in there, that's what worked. And now I can call you. I just, as soon as my kids were born, I just sent them to military school and said,

call me when you're 18. So, I'm just waiting for that call to be. And we changed the number a few times. So they can't call back. So good luck to them. I wish them luck. So what do you think? I mean, you coach for, you know, people being able to do Zoom calls.

It looks like, you know, this new way of interacting and doing business over zoom you know we've seen the great resignation we've had a lot of great authors who've talked about the great resignation and and remote work uh we've had other great authors wrote about books about that in the future it looks like this is going to be with us for some time where people are going to have to get used to um you know dealing presenting over media, being good at it. Maybe we're just going to have a whole new generation of YouTube people on Zoom or something. It's interesting, isn't it? It really is here to stay. And I realized that as it was happening, I'm like, this is what I do. This is good news. I can help people. This is what I was already

doing before COVID. So how exciting that this opportunity has presented itself for me to have that visibility of helping professionals know their resting face, right? What their message is. Take out those filler words and to realize that your ums are being edited out when you're on interviews. So let's just take them out and save our poor hosts the step of having to take them out. Let's level up as professionals because it's time. All industries now, you're on camera and you can't avoid it anymore. It's time to level up. And the CEO of Descript will thank you and not charge me double. Of course, half of them, most of them are mine. So let me ask you this. As we're talking about that, we've entered a new world that I've discussed with people where,

uh, as a leader, as a CEO, see, I'm used to being a big mouth. I'm used to being a CEO of my companies and being in person. And it's very easy for me to motivate, inspire, touch people, get people, uh, you know, fired up, you know, get on my little box and go, we're going to do this. And we're going to march over there and do this stupid stuff with whatever the company is. And that's very easy to do. And one thing I've been thinking about is how as a leader and board of directors, vice presidents, CEOs, that you can use this medium to be able to reach through the screen and get, you know, the employee who's sitting there in his pajamas or his or him or her sitting there in pajamas going, I don't know,

motivate me, buddy. Let's go. And it's much harder to do through this medium. Much harder to do. I think there needs to be more of a consistency where maybe if you've got those employees that are having a harder time with it, there needs to be more regular interaction of leveling up how they're interacting on these virtual meetings, what that looks like, how you, because if the message isn't being received, then we need to find a new way to deliver it. So if you're trying to get the same person motivated over and over again, we've got to look at how, what am I saying? How am I trying to motivate them and maybe try a different approach. And that is tough. We're dealing with a remote world with that. But it can even just start with looking in the camera. It could start with showing some more energy when you're on that virtual

meeting and seeing if you can get that person to come up and join you. As a guest sometimes, even with different shows that I get to interview on, the host may have low energy and then it keeps dropping. So I got to lift it back up. All right, let's just raise this level back up. And sometimes we have to do that virtually and it's tricky, but it's worth it. Yeah. I've been on my fair share of podcasts where like, I think, I think the audience is so used to hearing their host and their host is a bit dry and slow and I come on, it's like like an explosion what the hell's going on that's what the coffee's for folks the other thing I want

to touch on with you that you epiphany me epiphany my mind I don't know it's Monday sometimes after a weekend sometimes after a weekend I get out of the groove because we don't do podcasts in the weekend I get out of the groove and like the brain's like you want us to do stuff again?

I should have never booked a Monday. Yeah. No, it's actually funnier. I think the audience is like, look at this idiot. Sometimes it's like one of those comedic things that I love. It's great when you kill, right? You're funny on stage. But I think great comedians are funny if they die, like Norm MacDonald.

There's a few other ones that were really great at dying on stage and were so good at dying that they killed. And so I think my audience half the time just sits around and goes, look at this idiot boy. So that should be the violinist show, the Chris Vaughn show. Look at this idiot boy. So that should be the show. Look at this idiot boy. Um, but your book has me having an epiphany about how, what people need to realize too, is when they're in their corporate, you know, zoom calls and stuff. And geez, I've had some of my friends that work for big companies. They're, they're on like 12 calls a day. And what people don't realize is, you know, your bosses are looking at you. Your coworkers are looking at you.

You know, and of course, if you're just like over there, I don't know, filing your nails. Right. Oh, my God. You wouldn't have done that in person. Yeah, you wouldn't have done that in person. Well, I did. That's why I know. Well, maybe you did.

Someone will hire me anyway. I have to. It does not play with others. That's why I'm self-employed. But no, people need to realize that and they need to realize how important that is for promotions. You know,

your job, you know, I mean, clearly if you're, you know, we've all seen that guy, that comedian who's running around with the green screen and he's going on, he's riding his bike and you've seen those things on TikTok.

So, you know, you don't want to be that guy. He's at football games with his laptop held onto him and a green things on TikTok. So, you know, you don't want to be that guy. He's at football games with his laptop held onto him and a green screen behind him. But, you know, it's important that people get your book and get this sort of media message because it makes all the difference in the world.

You know, it's very different trying to communicate across the screen and whether it's enthusiasm, motivation, you know, looking like you're an employee who's attentive. Right. You know, it also helps if you wear those pajamas. You don't want to show up shirtless. This is another reason. Put something on.

That's the number one. Yeah, this is another reason I'm banned from HR companies. He's not working anywhere. We've seen his file. You know, don't Jeffrey Toobin, basically. That's what I'm saying. Anything more you want to touch on

or tease out before we go? No, you know, the one thing that I love to tease out is just take those limits off. I think that as individuals, we tend to put limits on. Let's take the shirts off then.

Not the shirts. We're going to leave the shirt on, but we're going to take the limits off and just say, you know what? Why not? Why not try this? Why don't you just try, try to put your energy up in your next virtual meeting?

Try to show up like you actually really belong and want to be there and watch and see what opportunities might present themselves. Because I'm seeing great professionals miss opportunities just because they're not presenting themselves well in those virtual meetings or showing up to a great show like this and then just not having their message on point. And then why did you put all that work into it? We've got to level up and don't be afraid to just try it. Put yourself out there, show up, put your good face on, get the resting, you know, anger faces off and just give it your all.

Yeah, I, I, I like it. And sometimes like, sometimes I guess, look, come on. And, and, uh, I'm like, are they taking a poop? Like what's going on? They have that face. Like, you're like, are they taking a poop? What's going on? They have that face like, hmm. They're like, what? Do you have constipation? What's going on with your face?

They don't even know it. They don't even know they're doing it. Yeah. I mean, I'm pooping right now. Look, I'm smiling. No, I'm just kidding. It's a joke. This is my angry face.

Yeah. This is my angry face. I'm smiling. But no, people don't realize it. And I think, correct me if I'm wrong, this is a setup, is you like to identify it. The setup is you can stand out in this medium and excel and maybe get more promotions and be more successful in business with your clients or whatever, you can really stand out if you read your book, coach with you and different things. Because if you have just these extra little tricks, the small percentage that makes all the difference that pushes everything over the edge, you can stand up for your fellow

employees. Then you can get them fired. Yes. You can get a promotion. You can get the job you've been trying to get. Look at these idiots. They've got resting bitch face on the show. What the fuck?

But it's the truth. Yeah. And the other thing people need to realize that I've talked to people about is the Chris Voss show, our mediums are 13 years now. People are still commenting and people are still watching those things. And we tell people when they

get on the show, people are still going to be watching your videos like 12 years from now. I mean, we've got, we've got like time capsules of people on the Chris Foss show. In fact, you can go back and see what I looked like 12 years ago. Don't do that. I'm going to do that. Don't it's it's there's about twice of me. I want to see the evolution, Chris. Yeah, you can probably can. It's like a weight loss photo, but you know, I've got, I've got friends that I go back and I back and i'm like wow look when you were young and you had your hair um to soberly there's people on the show that aren't with us anymore and uh their families can go back and see what they were um so you know you've got to realize these mediums especially if they're on video and

they're going to be on the internet they're going to be around for long term and you don't want to have that look on your face. Like, you know, and, uh, all that stuff. And smiling is really important in getting that voice out to getting, you know, all that stuff,

which you probably know. Uh, so it takes practice like anything else. Work at it. It's worth it. Yep. Yep. I'm smiling right now.

I'm angry right now. See, well, you have six kids I've seen mom anger before I don't have it I don't even get it my mom used to be one of those people that she could be screaming

at us and you know you damn kids and we were damn kids and she'd get a phone call and she could make that switch have you ever seen a mom who could make that switch hi Joy oh everything's wonderful over here! It's the greatest thing, and they're all positive.

And then as soon as that phone gets hung up, those of you who can Google that, I'll get my interpreter for later, like Amy has. You know, immediately she would turn it like, ah, fire and animation, and She-Hulk. So it was always that.

Anyway, it's been wonderful having you on the show. Give us your.com so people can find you on the interwebs or wherever. amyskrugsmedia.com, amyskrugsmusic.com. You can find the music on all streaming platforms. The book is on anywhere the books are sold. Go online. You can find it on Target, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, whatever. But just reach out.

I'd love to answer any questions. And it was just awesome to be with you today, Chris. It was fun to have you, whatever. But just reach out. I'd love to answer any questions. And it was just awesome to be with you today, Chris. It was fun to have you too. It's so good to have lively people on the show who know their media. So that's a wink and nod to you guests that are coming up. Please show up without your resting bitch face. Because the resting bitch face. Come with me first.

I'll help you. I'll prep you for the Chris Foss show. We'll just make you any. Because there's only one person on this show who gets resting bitch face and it's me. Thank you very much for coming on, Amy. We really appreciate it. Thank you. It was a joy. Thanks. There you go. And thanks to my audience for

tuning in. We really appreciate you guys. You guys are so wonderful in so many different ways. What more can I say to buddy you up? You know what? Refer this show to your family, friends, and relatives. Tell them it's the Chris Foss Show. It's the family that loves you but doesn't judge you except when I meet you personally.

Just kidding. I don't do that. I love you guys. Just don't run up to me screaming like you do. The Chris Voss Show! And I, I don't know, I pull out a weapon. So, you know, let me know you're coming. Go to goodreads.com, 4chesschrisvoss, youtube.com, 4chesschrisvoss, all the places around the internet except for Snapchat

for the most obvious reasons, LinkedIn group LinkedIn newsletter, subscribe to that as well be sure to order up Amy's book, lights, camera action, media coaching for any professional in today's digital world you can get it wherever you find books are sold but stay away from those alleyway bookstores

thanks for tuning in, be good to each other, stay safe and we'll see you guys next time