Get Comfortable On Camera!

In March, 2020, I was speeding up the onramp of a business launch, about to hit merging speed, with several consulting contracts in negotiation… when… COVID.  Fortunately, I was also in the middle of some online launches as well, including a global facebook group and 1:1 coaching that could be done via Zoom. I hit the PIVOT button, switched gears and poured all my energy into that side of my business.  

I understand what a blessing that is, and have so many examples of business owners who were not able to pivot. However, many have. Add to that, the crowds leaving conventional work for virtual, and the amazing number of women heading into encore careers… and the online space is full of shiny new faces every single day.  

Do you fall into any of these categories?  Have you pivoted to an online business?  If so, I’ll bet you’re finding some challenges. Some are technical, and if you’re like me, just learning something new uses an exorbitant amount of energy! Some of them, though, are how life seems to jump in and use up all your bandwidth, making those things even more of a challenge.  

Well, I have a new friend who can help us out! 

Suzanne Glover started modeling and acting over 30 years ago, and now she specializes in helping women learn true comfort with the camera - become a video influencer, no less! You can hear my conversation with her on my podcast, here: Episode 82.

Our conversation reminded me that it’s really easy to fall into the same thinking patterns as our culture, even when we think we don’t… or even if we don’t want to. Suzanne brought up many issues women face as we head into midlife and later, most potently, how we seem to lose our voice, our power, and become invisible.  

But that’s why she does her work. She’s experienced that disempowerment, and had to fight to gain it back. Now she helps other women do the same, specifically through teaching confidence and professionalism in the online video space. 

Every woman I interview exemplifies (in some way), the tenets of Intentional Optimism. My aim is to show how while what we may DO for a living is different, Intentional Optimism is HOW we do what we do. It’s the attitudes and mindsets we employ and embody to live out our own goals and dreams with excellence. They are: Optimistic, Present, Energetic, Courageous, Wise and Intentional. 

Living these tenets creates Unconventional Leaders, who then LEAD At EVERY level, in ANY area, using their UNIQUE gifts.

Suzanne’s main audience is, admittedly, midlife women - especially women who are heading into their encore careers. I know quite a few who are successfully pivoting into something totally new, now that they’ve either retired, or just had enough (ahem - not sure if I qualify, but, hey!).  However, her advice is helpful to anyone who is learning to move their business into the online video space.

So let’s get down to some actionable takeaways.

Video is overly accessible today - we all have cameras in our pockets (or purse)! The latest iPhone commercial literally depicts people making high quality movies with their phones. If you want to build an online following you’re told to “get in there and get comfortable on camera - by making mistakes" - and boy, do we! 

She points out that we now have to jump into “filmmaking” without any of the training that previously came from being IN the film business. There is no “moving up the ranks,” to learn the ropes for this kind of work.  

So where do you find a basic introduction to the principles of filmmaking?  

As a leader, with any amount of self-awareness, you know when you need some help. That’s part of being an Intentional Optimist - in the Tenet of Energetic, the ability to know that you need to improve your skills and the ability to do so is integral to that spirit of Industry. 

The good news is that help is out there - and Suzanne is one of those people with the expertise we need for that training. 

Her goal is to help women feel good in front of the camera. That starts inside. 

Before you ever learn about the right way to face the camera, what kind of tone you should use or to whom you should be speaking, you need to make sure you’re comfortable with you. 

85% of women over 45 say they don’t have the confidence they used to. As heartbreaking as that statistic is, I doubt any of us is truly surprised by it. This was Suzanne’s own story, until she learned how to turn it around.  

Suzanne’s Leadership Principle: Be your own cheerleader. 

Remember, self-talk is active. Your energy can go up (or down) based on what you say to yourself. Taking an active approach bolsters your confidence better than any “superwoman” stance, and will create a positive environment for more confidence to grow. 

Suzanne’s Daily Habits: To build your confidence.

• Use positive opposites: instead of telling yourself what you’re not going to do, or what’s wrong with a situation, determine what you ARE going to do, and what is redeemable in each circumstance. This will teach you to start looking for the positive, and your brain will eventually start pointing them out to you. 
• Find confirming evidence: she spends the last minutes of her day listing out all the things she did right that day. Start with five things, and increase as often as you can. 

Suzanne’s Green Flags: For pursuing an online video presence in your business.

• Determine what your true desire for your business is. If it’s just a hobby, stay off line… just build your business locally.
• But, if you truly want to scale, to have more time freedom or get out of 1:1 work, to start a group program, increase your credibility, and are willing to take some risks, then online video work could be for you!

Suzanne’s Advice: If you’re ready to scale your business through video:

• Be careful how you start: Remember Practice makes permanent, so you need to be practicing the right thing. She suggested that the best place to start is with a Live - Facebook is the easiest, but there’s also Instagram and LinkedIn, depending on your business market. It’s a fast win. It’s hard to have a  miss here - expectations are low. 

• Get some training: getting good at camera work is more than building confidence. It’s more than speaking. There’s a difference between speaking and acting, and not everyone offering advice knows what you need. When you are on the receiving end, ask yourself how it resonates with your “inner voice?” 

If you aren’t able to hire a coach, here are some specific ways you can work on your own.

• Learn to smile on camera: practice what works for you. Find some photos or casual videos where your smile is natural and effortless. Then practice recreating it. I sit in front of my camera and take quick shots every time I record anything. I take practice videos and stills so that I always have thumbnail photos that will give my video a more polished appearance. I also have a bluetooth remote that works with my iPhone, and when I’m doing recordings, I’ll take shots with that too. It’s amazing how effective playing around in front of the camera can be in helping you figure out what really looks the most natural and real. 
• “Talk” to a specific person: think of the person who would really be the recipient of your message, and picture them in your mind. Leveraging an existing relationship with a person you already have can be effective and put you at ease. As you interact with others each day, listen to your tone and how you talk to different people. Awareness of how you speak differently to your dog, your child, your spouse and your boss is extremely valuable information for who you want to “talk” to when on camera.
• And finally, think like a listener, reader or viewer: It's amazing how different things sound inside your head than when they come out! Put yourself in the place of your audience, and ask if what they hear is what you intended to communicate. This one could end up being THE most important, so don't forget it.

These are just a few foundational principles Suzanne shared in our conversation in my podcast Episode 82. 

Are you ready to start taking back your own power? Whether it’s to be in business online or to pursue another transformation, I’ve got an opportunity for you. You need the support of a community where you can dream, grow, experiment and explore, with group coaching, teaching, encouragement and gentle accountability. You need Launch from The Beach.

If you need help discovering and building YOU so that you can build your life or your business…  hop on my calendar for a 30 minute consultation and let’s get you a strategy in place.

Until Next Time!

Where to find Suzanne: Suzanne Glover 

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