Influencer
Josh And Sav – Unveiling The Real-Life Journey, Struggles, And Triumphs Of A Social Media Power Couple
Meet Josh And Sav, a dynamic married duo of content creators who have carved their unique path across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Residing in the Pacific Northwest, this duo, married and deeply in love, brings an unparalleled blend of authenticity and creativity to their audience, standing out in a sea of content creators.
Joshua’s journey began with a passion for acting and film that traced back to his formative years. “I would just love to be in front of the camera. I was always in the theater, always creating little YouTube videos that no one ever saw.” His passion led him to pursue acting and film in college, where he found himself amidst kindred spirits.
“I was filming for dancers and artists, going on tour with them and documenting their experience.” Little did he know that these experiences would pave the way for a fateful encounter with Savannah, his future partner in this exhilarating journey.
Savannah’s journey took an unexpected turn, as she reflects, “I was a dancer my whole life growing up and then I pursued a professional dance career”, which led her to the bustling streets of Los Angeles at the tender age of 18, where she immersed herself in the world of dance for seven years. She adds, “I was always behind the artist if that makes sense. I was in the spotlight, but not in the spotlight at the same time.”
Public speaking was an area she had never explored before, and the thought of occupying a prominent position in the digital sphere seemed alien. However, life had its surprises in store.
Their paths converged in a dance class, an encounter that Joshua vividly recalls: “She was in a dance class, and I was filming and I saw her after and hit her up. And then the rest is history.” Indeed, the rest became history as their partnership blossomed.
Josh And Sav – Unveiling The Real-Life Journey, Struggles, And Triumphs Of A Social Media Power Couple
Their diverse backgrounds have left an indelible mark on their content, shaping the messages they choose to impart to their ever-growing audience, “It influences everything that we do”, says Joshua. His experience in the entertainment industry has undeniably provided him with a distinct advantage, particularly with editing and content creation. “I feel like it gives us a slight advantage when it comes to editing and when it comes to knowing certain things,” he shares.
“Josh has been in full-time ministry multiple times and I feel like that’s all kind of wrapped into our content as well because we do share our faith”, Savannah adds. Their faith is a cornerstone of their identity, and it naturally finds its place in their content. However, they approach it with a delicate balance, as Savannah articulates, “We love people to know that we love Jesus and we hope that they see Jesus through us.” Their content is a reflection of their faith, a testament to their values, and an invitation to viewers to embrace the positivity and inspiration that emanate from their journey.
From Fresh Love to YouTube Stardom: The Birth of a Passion Project
Their venture into the world of YouTube began during the early stages of their relationship when they were still in the honeymoon phase. Savannah shares, “Initially, we were freshly dating, and I was like, ‘It would be so fun to start a YouTube channel to document our relationship and our day-to-day experiences’.” It was a whimsical idea, a desire to capture the essence of their journey together.
“I had a camera already that was more for photos, but Josh was like, ‘We can use this camera,’ and we got a couple of ring lights, and we were like, ‘Let’s go for it.'” The decision was made, not out of any grand ambition, “We just started as a passion and a hobby,” Savannah admits.
Their channel’s concept, however, underwent an evolution of its own. Joshua elaborates, “We started off doing pranks and challenges, and that was our whole thing. We had a few that went viral, and that’s where a lot of our following came from.” Yet, as their relationship deepened and their content matured, they felt the need for a pivot. Joshua explains, “Then we wanted to go strictly to lifestyle vlogs so people can get to know us more.” Their channel evolved into a platform for sharing their day-to-day lives, experiences, lessons learned, and challenges faced. “That’s where the whole concept of our brand is now.”
Savannah concurs, acknowledging the transformation they’ve undergone. “Before we had to put on like a show on us, and now we feel we just pick up the camera and show who we are and share our life.” This pivot towards authenticity has resonated deeply with their audience, forging a profound and meaningful connection.
Navigating Vulnerability and Privacy: Striking the Perfect Balance
“We love to be absolutely as authentic as we possibly can.” It’s a commitment they hold dear, allowing their audience to glimpse into their real lives. “I think there’s a really healthy balance of sharing our life but not sharing too much,” Savannah adds.
Reflecting on their past experiences, Savannah acknowledges that they’ve shared moments of struggle and vulnerability. “We shared things in the past that we were struggling with, but we were in the midst of struggling with it,” she admits. However, they’ve learned from these experiences, recognizing that it’s perfectly acceptable to share challenging moments, but with a caveat. “Now we’ve learned from that that it’s totally okay if we feel comfortable and want to share a challenging moment we went through, whether it be in our relationship or marriage.” Their decision to share is guided by their comfort level and the desire to encourage and inspire their audience.
For Joshua and Savannah, the timing of sharing vulnerability is crucial. “For us, it works better to share when we’re already out of that tough moment,” Savannah explains. They prefer to reflect on their experiences and share them when they’ve gained perspective and overcome the challenges. This approach allows them to speak from a place of strength and growth, inspiring others by saying, “This is what we went through, but we got through it.”
Savannah reflects on a particularly challenging moment in her life, “For me, when we had our first daughter, my postpartum experience was really tough. I had postpartum depression and anxiety, and we didn’t necessarily share that online at the time.” During this difficult period, they made a profound realization. “We kind of just realized that we needed to take a step back, and we needed to take a break,” Savannah shares. Their commitment to family and mental well-being took precedence, a decision they consider non-negotiable.
Joshua adds an important perspective to their journey, “Now, with anything that ever happens on a day-to-day basis or if we’re not doing well or something’s happening in our life, we know that it’s okay to step away from social media and not feel pressured to do something or be smiling while we’re on camera when it’s not even us.”
Joshua and Savannah have also identified strategies that allow them to maintain a positive and authentic online presence. They’ve discovered that showcasing the fun side of their marriage, complete with lighthearted banter, is a powerful way to connect with their audience.
Joshua shares insights into their approach, “With our content we’ve noticed what’s done well, especially with marriage, is just showing the fun side to it.” Their content often features moments of playful banter between them, highlighting the relatable and humorous aspects of their relationship. It’s these moments that resonate with their audience, sparking comments from other couples who can relate. Joshua elaborates, “We saw those comments and I went to the drawing board. I was like, okay, let’s kind of lean into that and just keep our authentic self, but let’s show just a little bit more.” These interactions reinforce the authenticity of their content, as viewers see reflections of their own lives in Joshua and Savannah’s experiences.
A Partnership That Transforms: The A3 Artist Agency Journey
“We’ve been with A3 for a few months now, and one of the agents there reached out to us via email and wanted to set up a call with us.” This initial connection set the stage for what would become a fruitful partnership. The call was a success, and they quickly established a strong rapport with their agent. The relationship flourished from there. “We absolutely love them. We couldn’t do what we do without them,” Savannah affirms.
Joshua echoes this sentiment, expressing his admiration for their agent, “I always refer to her as our one agent, but we have a team. She gets stuff done, and she’s so serious, and she’s the sweetest person in the world, but she is just cutthroat.”
The impact of their partnership with A3 extends far beyond just representation. Savannah highlights how A3 has lightened their load, allowing them to focus on what they do best: creating content. “With them negotiating rates and helping us stay organized, we can spend more time actually creating content” she explains.
Authenticity Above All: Collaborations with Purpose
“We will never promote a brand or talk about a brand or work with a brand to have a partnership with them unless we love and use the brand ourselves”, Savannah explains. This principle serves as their guiding light, ensuring that every collaboration is grounded in genuine enthusiasm for the product or service. “Even when we get an inquiry or an offer, we’ll say, ‘Sounds great, and if we’ve never tried the product before, we’ll be like, ‘Can we try it out first, to make sure we like it before we go forward with it,'” Savannah adds. This careful evaluation process underscores their commitment to sharing only what genuinely resonates with them.
Josh and Sav recognize the value of genuinely loving and using a brand or product as the foundation for successful collaborations. Their advice to fellow influencers seeking to build authentic brand partnerships is rooted in this principle.
“Even if we’re not doing a paid partnership with a brand if we love a brand and use it and post about it, I think that’s like an authentic way to share the brand”, Savannah states. This approach underscores the idea that sharing what you genuinely love can organically pave the way for brand collaborations. By authentically incorporating a brand into their content when it aligns with their preferences, influencers can create an opportunity for brands to take notice.
In essence, their advice revolves around staying true to oneself and showcasing the things that hold genuine significance in their lives, “Show the things that you truly love and the things that you use from day to day.” This authenticity not only resonates with the audience but opens doors for meaningful brand partnerships.
Evolving Trends in Influencer Marketing
Joshua points out a notable change in how brands are engaging with influencers, saying, “I’ve noticed that a lot of brands are shifting towards allowing us to just be more free when it comes to promoting their brand.”
This shift emphasizes a desire to grant influencers more creative control over how they incorporate products into their content.
In terms of trends, Joshua highlights the growing popularity of interview-style content. They have been experimenting with interviews within their own content, and brands are increasingly requesting this format for marketing purposes. “A trend that we have been doing recently is interviews where I would interview Savannah, and sometimes she would interview me, and we would just ask each other random questions”, Joshua explains. This style of content allows for organic product placement and the seamless integration of talking points. It offers a versatile and engaging way for influencers to connect with their audiences while delivering brand messaging.
Genuine Authenticity: The Foundation for Aspiring Influencers
Joshua and Savannah’s message to aspiring influencers is a profound reflection of their journey and values. “I think for me –I know we keep mentioning authenticity– but we learned it much later in our experience when it comes to social media, but being genuine will take you so far.”
He dispels the misconception that one’s life must be extraordinary to be shared on social media, saying, “Everyone’s life is so unique. Everyone was made uniquely different.” He encourages aspiring influencers to embrace their individuality, even if it means starting with just a smartphone camera and a willingness to be their true selves. Joshua acknowledges that they too had to learn this lesson later in their journey and experienced the shift it brought. Now, they find joy in being authentic on camera.
Balancing Aspirations: Personal and Professional Goals
As the couple looks ahead towards 2024, Josh and Savannah find themselves at the crossroads of personal and professional ambitions. Savannah, a former professional dancer turned social media influencer after having two children, hopes to revisit her first passion. “Before kids, dance was my whole life,” she said. “I’d love to get back into a studio and maybe even fuse my love of movement with creating content.”
Josh, meanwhile, seeks to return to on-camera acting roles, his career before viral stardom struck. “I haven’t auditioned in years. The industry is more digital now with self-tape auditions replacing cattle calls,” he said. “But good stories are still good stories.” He also envisions expanding their podcast empire into televised late-night style celebrity interviews.
The couple grapples with balancing reviving dormant careers while maintaining a growing social media presence and raising two young children. “It’s not easy,” said Ms. Savannah, “but we support each other’s dreams.” For now, viral dance breaks between diaper changes will have to suffice while Mr. Joshua reviews old monologues late into the evening. But their loyal followers stand poised to witness the couple’s next act.
