At an age when most of her friends were going to the mall, Rabecca “Becca” Schwarz was at home, building her YouTube channel.
According to youtube.com, 97% of YouTube channels fail, mostly because of inconsistent scheduling and lack of planning, none of which has deterred Schwarz, who is determined and focused.
Schwarz, a Madison College student, wanted to start a YouTube channel since fourth grade, when a teacher uploaded her homework, making it a fun way to learn. Since then, she has been hooked.
But it took her a while to summon the courage before creating a channel in high school. “I just thought, why would people watch me? I didn’t believe that there was a purpose for me doing it because I didn’t know anything about it. I was scared, honestly,” she said.

Reserved and shy by nature, technology has helped Schwarz come out of her shell. In less than three years, her YouTube channel has gained 2,715,170 views and 4,361 subscribers with 437 videos, impressive for someone who describes herself as an ambivert.
Her YouTube journey began with her mother’s camera and a love for photography. She honed her skills in high school and, encouraged by her boyfriend, who taught her Premier Pro, launched her own channel.
“It was fun for me to just click random buttons. I love adding overlays, green screens, all that kind of stuff,” said Schwarz, an Oxford, Wisconsin native.
From there, she’s been using a trial-and-error approach, which led her to the school, where she is in the Video-Audio Design program.

Video-Audio Design
Two weeks before her senior year, Schwarz felt pressured about her future. She wanted to explore so many directions that pursuing video was not even on her radar—it seemed like a far-fetched idea.
After researching video and editing degrees, she toured Madison College and gained insight and appreciation of video’s possibilities.
She also met Todd Bowie, a full-time instructor in the Video-Audio Design program. Nearly three years later, he recalls first meeting her and Schwarz mentioning her YouTube presence.
“She was a very inquisitive person. She wanted to develop those skills. She was hungry to learn and gain this experience — she’s doing what she should be doing.”
Now, he sees her growth.
Bowie said the Video-Audio Design program can sometimes be challenging, and he has seen some students only go so far.
“They have to be willing to get in the trenches and do this work. That is the difference with Becca. I believe she loves the process and to do this work and that is something she loves to do on her own time. Rather than go out partying or whatever a young person does nowadays,” Bowie said, adding, “She’s a great storyteller, and she loves being a storyteller. “

Inspiration
Her YouTube statistics are impressive. “I actually did have a video on there that hit 9 million views on Instagram. I can’t even comprehend a few hundred thousand on Instagram, and then that video hit 1 million on YouTube, which is still crazy to me,” she said.
Her most viewed long-form video has over 22,000 views, which she finds amazing as a small creator. Schwarz is inspired by “A Day in My Life” videos and aims to create personal content. She covers a variety of topics, including books, college life and thrifting, with a structured posting schedule of one video per week, which she has maintained since August 2023
A YouTuber’s success is often measured by their drive and soft skills, like managing time and being intensely organized, where Schwarz shines.

In addition to growing her channel, she has a 15-credit-hour schedule that includes five classes and an internship covering eight Wisconsin Dell touring businesses.
Content creation also requires tireless hours. Editing a video can take anywhere from an hour or two to 10, 12 or 14 hours, depending on how much time she has for the video and the amount of footage.
To stay on top of her commitments, she’s ultra-organized, beginning with her meticulous planning.
She is a methodical student who loves everything about organization, including little baskets, to-do lists and her planner. She also carries her “YouTube” notebooks, a highlighter-colored palette of inspiration, where she goes in-depth and plans her videos. Her key to staying organized is remembering her goals; she believes procrastination won’t lead to success.

Advice for Aspiring YouTubers
Schwarz said the number one thing new YouTubers need to do is have fun and create for themselves.
“No matter the approach, remember to be yourself. I looked back on past videos — I was acting for the camera. I wasn’t myself, which makes me cringe a little. Just try to be personal with it. People want to relate to you, and they want to know who you are,” she said.
Discovering a niche and remaining consistent is essential for growth as a YouTuber. Finding inspiration from enjoyed videos can help shape a theme, and engaging with viewers through comments is important. She encourages new creators not to be discouraged by editing challenges, as they become easier with practice. Staying positive and focusing on the end result is vital for enjoying the social media experience.
For someone who didn’t set out to make YouTube a career, she is encouraged by the results. “I have 4,361 subscribers — like four thousand people out there. Little old me. That’s crazy to me. I didn’t set out to get that number,” she said, smiling in disbelief.
She invites those interested to join her on her journey.
“It makes me happy to see that people relate to me or enjoy my failures, my falls and everything in between. I’m excited to see where the future takes me,” Schwarz said.
You can find Becca Schwarz on YouTube @Becca Schwarz and on Instagram @beccaschwarz18.