February 2, 2025 • 36 mins
Are you ready to finally get over your resistance to being on camera?
Do you feel hesitant to turn your camera on during a Zoom call (or even record a voicemail message?)
You’re not alone.
In this special coaching style episode I’m sitting down with Habit Coach Ronnie Loaiza to talk about practical strategies to overcome your resistance to being on camera so that you can come across as the smart, put together professional that you are.
We’re sharing everything from adjusting camera angles to optimizing lighting and audio quality, plus actionable steps that can transform your virtual presence, boosting both your confidence and your message’s impact.
Listen up if you want to overcome camera shyness and really stand out in the business world.
Resources:
Take the Standout Business Scorecard
https://awesomevideomakers.com/scorecard/
Connect with Ronnie Loaiza
If you're the best-kept secret in your industry, it's time to change that.
Because when you start showing up with clarity, confidence, and the right content—your ideal clients won't just notice you. They'll choose you.
Don’t miss your chance to get a free video brand assessment to start creating videos that actually work for your business.
Schedule your video brand assessment here >
Thanks for tuning in. If you found this episode helpful, share it with another expert entrepreneur who’s ready to stop blending in.
And I’ll see you next time—on The Standout Business Show.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Brad Powell (00:06):
Almost anyone that I've ever met, some kind of
resistance to being on camera.
I mean, there are a few peoplewho for whom it's like no
problem, but for the rest of usit's usually a giant challenge.
I think it goes really deepinto the human psyche of just
this fear of being seen likerevealing some part of you that
(00:31):
you actually want to keep hidden, and you're really afraid that
if people see this part of me,all kinds of bad stuff is going
to happen, like I'll be.
I'll be tossed out of the tribe, I'll make a mistake and it'll
go out on the internet and it'lllive there forever and I'll
never be able to live it down.
You know this is a really bigfear for many, many people.
(00:54):
Welcome to the Standout BusinessShow.
I'm Brad Powell and this iswhere it's all about making a
bigger difference by doingbusiness differently.
Today we're doing a specialcoaching episode and I've got
special guest Ronnie Lawaza onthe microphone with me today and
we're going to take a deep diveinto talking about standing out
(01:15):
on video, particularly when youfeel like maybe video isn't
your thing.
Before we get started, I wantto announce that, after three
years and over 160 interviews onthis show, I've just created a
self-assessment tool that I'mcalling the Standout Business
(01:38):
Scorecard.
The scorecard lets you rankyourself on how much your
business stands out and we'llgive you personalized
recommendations based on yourscore from several of my past
guests.
So to find out your standoutbusiness score, just go to
awesomevideomakerscom slashscorecard.
(02:00):
I'll say that againawesomevideMakerscom forward
slash scorecard.
It's quick, it's free and youcan thank me later.
And now back to the show.
So, ronnie, welcome to the show.
Ronnie Lo (02:20):
Good day.
I almost said good morning, butAll right?
Brad Powell (02:22):
Well, first of all, let's just talk about what are
you're up to, the kind of workthat you do with clients.
What does that look like?
Ronnie Lo (02:31):
Well, I go by Ronnie Lowe, life Coach.
Lowe is for Loisa, my last name, ronnie Lowe, life Coach, and
I'm Ronnie Lowe, habit Coach.
I am a certified habit coachyes, there are habit coaches and
I'm a master certifiedprofessional coach, a life coach
.
Brad Powell (02:46):
Yeah, okay, well, before we started recording, you
were mentioning wanting to getsome ideas around the mindset
for going on video and doingvideo recording, like we're
doing right now, for instance.
So talk a little bit about thechallenge that you see, either
for yourself or for clients thatyou work with, around this idea
(03:06):
that, like a lot of peoplealmost anyone that I've ever met
some kind of resistance tobeing on camera.
I mean, there are a few peoplewho for whom it's like no
problem, but for the rest of usit's usually a giant challenge
and I think it goes really deepinto the human psyche of just
(03:27):
this fear of being seen, likerevealing some part of you that
you actually want to keep hiddenand you're really afraid that
if people see this part of me,all kinds of bad stuff is going
to happen, like I'll be tossedout of the tribe, like I'll be
left out in the cold, I'll beridiculed, I'll be trolled
(03:48):
endlessly, I'll make a mistakeand it'll go out on the internet
and it'll live there foreverand I'll never be able to live
it down.
You know this is, this is areally big fear for many, many
people.
So talk a little bit about howyou see this challenge.
Ronnie Lo (04:02):
Well, it's interesting that you said us
because I consider you like Brad.
He's never fearful, he's socalm and so collected and you
know exactly what you're goingto say.
So I'm really surprised to hearyou say that.
But you know, when you thinkabout it.
Barbra Streisand still getsstage fright.
(04:22):
Robert De Niro is shy.
You know we don't hear aboutall that.
Meryl Streep says she's shywhen it comes to recording.
I work with some clients thathave literally told me we've
gone through it and through itthat they want to do looms, and
if you don't know what a loom is, I'm not being condescending.
Brad Powell (04:39):
No, I know what it is.
Ronnie Lo (04:41):
Right, it's an instructional video where you go
like, okay, let's get on, andyou do this and you do this and
you show them, you share screenor whatever it is, and you take
them step by step, just like theold fashioned classroom where
the teacher illustrates how todo it and does it physically.
So a lot of people use Loom nowfor instruction, especially
consultants, and, like I haveone lady for example, she takes
(05:03):
her, she works in emergencyrelief how to be prepared, how
to be prepared for emergenciesthat we never are until we have
that earthquake or that flood orthat fire or smaller, smaller
emergencies.
So she takes people throughkind of audits their life and
their home and their business,whatever, whatever they need and
she wants to do looms, but shecannot stand the sound of her
(05:28):
voice and most people I don'tknow if people remember this If
you don't go look it upanswering machines I remember
people used to spend like a halfhour redoing and rerecording
and rerecording a simple 30second answering machine and now
on their phone it's like theyhave to get.
I have girlfriends that just no, I hate that.
(05:48):
No, I hate that.
It's like just their voicemail,you know, saying hello and
cause.
We don't like the sound of ourvoice.
You're the pro, you know thisin audio that our brains are
cavities.
They it hears it differently.
And when you hear back how yousound to the world, it sounds
different than how you heard itwhen it recycled through your
own ears.
So people are afraid of howthey sound and, like you said,
(06:12):
some people are afraid of howthey'll come off in the world,
that they make a mistake on alive or that they have to
re-record it and re-record itand re-record it.
So it's interesting.
I'd love to hear your take onit, because there are many hacks
and many try this, try that forfears.
But ultimately you're right,you have to get down to what is
your main concern?
(06:32):
That people won't like how youcame off, and then how do you
work with people with that?
Brad Powell (06:48):
is just to get started here.
One is you need to really benot thinking about yourself when
you're delivering your message.
If you're doing like as you say, like if you're doing an
instructional video and you'reteaching something, you really
need to be thinking about well,who am I talking to?
And if you're helping someone,in this case, who's getting
prepared for an emergency, likesome serious stuff going on here
, this is a really worthy causeto do and you want to be
(07:10):
thinking about well, here's thisperson, a tornado is coming or
whatever, a hurricane's coming,and you're going to help them so
that when the disaster strikes,they're going to be able to
cope and deal with it in a waythat won't be as stressful and
they'll survive.
Like, literally, you'll belife-saving, doing life-saving
(07:32):
type of thing in yourinstructional tutorial here.
That's really worth doing, beingvery generous and caring and
helpful, as in if you saw youknow somebody on the side of the
road who needed help.
You would just run over andhelp them and you wouldn't be
(07:53):
thinking about what do I soundlike, what do I look like, what
do I?
You know?
Any of that stuff?
None of that would even be inyour brain.
You'd just be like you're beinghelpful.
And so somehow you need torequire that frame when you're
doing your instructional video.
It's like I'm just beinghelpful and, honestly, the truth
of the matter is no one, not asingle person out there cares
(08:18):
about what your voice soundslike.
If they can hear you clearly,like if you're using a good
microphone, Like if they canhear you clearly, like if you're
using a good microphone, great,they're going to hear you and
your words will be clear.
And if your message is clear,like if you're actually a good
teacher and all the people whoare doing this kind of
consulting and teaching andeducation content, they're
experts and they're really goodat it and so if you can just
(08:41):
push through and go, look I'm, Ihave something to say here.
Here's my message how peoplelike they're not going to, they
really don't care.
The biggest critic of how yousound and how you look is going
to be you.
Ronnie Lo (08:55):
Exactly that recycled sound in your head.
Exactly.
Brad Powell (09:00):
Anyway, that's one piece.
It's just sort of shifting outof the mindset of pulling the
attention on yourself and putall your attention on the person
who you're serving, and itshouldn't be like I'm serving
this giant audience.
Think of a single person.
Ronnie Lo (09:15):
I love what you just said.
I had heard somebody else sayyou're being selfish.
If you're thinking aboutyourself, Okay, but that's fear,
so that's natural.
I love connecting with people.
You put me on a stage.
I really look face to face.
If it's five people, if it's100 people, I look face to face,
catch people's eyes and see whothey are.
(09:37):
Then I'm in heaven.
It's like, okay, we'reconnected.
I actually like looking atpeople's faces.
That connects me to them,because they're looking back at
me and then I I'm in my jam.
My problem is, personally, it'sjust that camera and it's like
that.
That's when I have to.
What you said, remember, okay,how.
(09:57):
Who's this helping?
Because people and I don't meanthis in a bad way, I mean this
in a good way when you go onto aseminar or you're like I'm
going to watch this recording orthis live, you do
subconsciously think what's init for me?
That's not a bad thing, that'sa good thing.
What's in it for me, right?
So you have to think of them,what's in it for them, and
that's how you start thecommunication.
Brad Powell (10:18):
Yeah, absolutely yeah, I like that.
That's absolutely true.
And I just want to go back towhen you're speaking on a stage
or if you're speaking to a groupof people in any kind of
setting, where you're in theroom and people are really there
, you want to speak and read theroom and you will get energy
from that experience if you'redoing a good job in terms of I
(10:42):
always sort of think about it asin the call and response that
you can do in church on Sunday.
You know, you say things andpeople say hallelujah, whatever.
Ronnie Lo (10:52):
Can I get an amen?
Brad Powell (10:59):
And you can translate that in the virtual
world.
When you're doing a live streamand you can say things and
people who are there live inreal time can respond, at least
in the comments, where you cango back and forth with people,
and that gives you energy aswell.
However, when you are creating,when you are just sitting
creating a recording of somekind like whether it's a Loom
tutorial, or you're making apiece of content that's going to
(11:21):
go on social media, piece ofcontent that's going to go on
social media I really feel likeyou want to be thinking of a
single person to talk to and notbe saying, hey guys, you know,
how is everybody doing today?
Because the experience that theperson is going to have on the
other side is they're not goingto be with a group of people
like they would be in a roomwith you or in a live stage
(11:43):
presentation, like they would bein a room with you or in a live
stage presentation.
They're by themselves and likethis is really true if it's a
podcast or even a video podcast,but any video format.
If it's on any part of socialmedia, like I'm watching on
LinkedIn or I'm watching onInstagram, I'm not doing this
with an audience.
I'm doing this just by mylonesome.
Ronnie Lo (12:04):
You bring up a very good point.
Brad Powell (12:06):
And so when you're talking and the person is saying
hey guys, I'm going, well, whatguys?
I'm just sitting here by myself, and so, however, if you do say
you and use the languagesingular, that's more effective
and it's more intimate and it'smore connecting more effective
(12:27):
and it's more intimate and it'smore connecting.
Ronnie Lo (12:28):
I love that, because you just made me think of that.
You just said read the room.
Exact same thing.
Read the recording.
Am I talking to one particularperson when I listen to podcasts
?
I listen to podcasts when Idrive and I listen to podcasts
when I work out the ones I lovethe most.
You are talking to, ronnie.
You're addressing my problem.
What's in it for me, or Irelate to it?
I love what you just said.
(12:48):
It's when you connect to theperson directly or, like you
said, if you are live and you'readdressing a big audience, then
you do address the big audience.
Brad Powell (12:56):
So, yeah, read the room want to go one step further
in terms of, like how do youget over this feeling like you
don't look and or sound verygood on camera and so, beyond
just saying, well, I don't, I'mnot going to care about it
because I'm giving to the otherpeople and that's what's
(13:17):
important, there's stillsomething to.
But I do want to sound and lookgood, like we all want that.
We all have a certain level ofvanity where we want to show up
looking good to whoever it isthat we're talking to, and it's
the same as if you were gettingup on stage.
You can think about this fromthe same point of view of how
(13:37):
would you dress when you show upfor an important engagement,
any kind of meeting?
You show up for an importantengagement, any kind of meeting.
Most people and this is reallyinteresting to me what we saw
during the time of the shutdownof the pandemic, when even the
most professional newscasters,television hosts, late night
(13:59):
comedians all of a sudden theywere home in their bedroom
broadcasting and we're allseeing that they have terrible
setup.
Like they just look like normalpeople.
Their hair isn't even done verywell, like you know, all of a
sudden it was just everybodyseemed like everybody else, like
there was no, like the wholething of I'm in this
professional studio withlighting and sound equipment and
(14:20):
stuff was erased soundequipment and stuff was erased.
So all of us as professionalsreally want to look at you know,
in the same way that I mightdress a certain way when I go to
a networking gathering or ifI'm speaking at a conference, I
want to dress my set so thatanytime I'm on a Zoom call,
(14:42):
anytime I'm doing a client, youknow meeting, anytime I'm doing
a recording, like I'm doingright now, I am sounding good
and I have lighting and cameraset up to where I look good,
like it's flattering to me, andthere's a huge bit of difference
(15:03):
in terms of most people, wherethey set up with their laptop
and their laptop is down aterrible angle, it's super
unflattering, and they'respeaking through the camera in
the computer, which is not avery good camera or not a very
(15:26):
good microphone, that is, and soyour audio is not very good.
And then they're in a dark roomor they're they've got a window
behind them that's super brightand their faces in shadow, so we
can't actually see them verywell.
These are all really supercommon mistakes, and so when you
do that and then you look atyourself, absolutely you're
going to think I don't reallylook very good and I don't sound
(15:48):
very good.
I don't like the sound of myvoice, and there are very simple
ways that this can all beenhanced.
And when I work with clients,this is sort of the baseline.
We just spend a little bit oftime improving, first of all
your audio, because almost nomatter what your video looks
like, if the audio is not verygood, no one is going to watch
(16:09):
it for very long, because theaudio is really the most
important part.
Ronnie Lo (16:14):
It is because people look away and especially with
podcasts, a lot of it is audio.
They don't go to the YouTube,yeah.
Brad Powell (16:20):
And so it's really worth it.
Just in the same way that youinvest in a nice outfit, you
want to invest in a nicemicrophone and you can get like
the microphone I use now.
It cost me maybe a hundreddollars and it has a really high
quality sound and it's reallysimple.
It plugs directly into mycomputer and so it's literally
(16:42):
plug and play and now I have agood sound and I can trust it,
as always, no matter what, I'vegot it sitting here on my desk.
Every time I do anything I canturn it on and I sound great.
The other part is what peopledon't think about too much is
the quality of your light.
Like anytime you've seen anykind of film, what makes that
(17:06):
film look amazing is not thecamera, it's the lighting and
the people who are making thosefilms who do this amazing job.
They're all behind the scenes.
They're the people who aremaking those films who do this
an amazing job.
They're all behind the scenes.
They're the people who managethat cinematic lighting and it's
really all about the qualityand the softness of the kind of
(17:30):
light that you do.
So, for instance, in my setup Ihave, I have a window that's in
front of me.
That is sort of lighting theroom.
It's like creating the ambientlight of the entire space.
But I also have a bigger light,what's called the key light, off
to one side at 45 degree angle.
But that light isn't pointed atme, it's pointed at the wall in
(17:56):
the other direction, like it'sbouncing off the wall.
I have a big white wall here,and so the light's aimed at that
, and so it's bouncing off ofthat.
And then I have an umbrella.
That is diffusion.
It's very clear white, softdiffusion.
So the white light coming offthe wall comes through the
umbrella and then it hits myface, and so the shadows on my
(18:20):
face are super soft and it'svery flattering.
And then I have a similar lightover here on this side, which
is the opposite side, and italso has a soft diffusion in
front of it.
And so what you have on my faceis that I am lit more and
brighter than the rest of theroom.
Ronnie Lo (18:41):
Now I want to add to what you said and compliment
what you said.
People get bogged down withlike well, it really just, it
matters that you show up.
Or you've heard a lot ofcoaches say look, it's 90%
showing up, don't worry abouthow you look, just get on there,
just do it, do it.
Do it, nike, just do it.
I get that Face, the fear, andjust do it.
Okay, that may take the firstplunge or two, but after a while
(19:10):
what you said, brad, is superimportant.
Because when you're watching areally good movie or something
on TV and you don't think aboutthe sound and you don't think
about the look of it and thelighting, it's because it's so
good, like that ambience.
Music People I mean directorshave to pick the right music to
evoke that right emotion and notoverpower the actors.
(19:30):
The sound and the quality oftheir voices, along with the
score, is what makes that movieor that TV show.
Same thing with the lighting.
It's when you don't think aboutit that you know it's good.
When you notice something's offor stupid, then you notice.
And we're not saying be vain inhow you dress, but you're right.
What image do you want toportray?
(19:52):
At least put together, becausewhat image do you trust when you
see people?
It doesn't mean that you haveto get all dressed up with a
three-piece suit.
I had a news reporter tell meyou know she laughs at the
Hollywood portrayal of newsreporters with stiletto heels
there's not one woman newsreporter that wears stiletto
heels when she's out in thefield.
That's just dumb.
And they don't wear these great, you know Chanel suits because
(20:15):
that's a waste of their money.
They these great Chanel suits,because that's a waste of their
money.
They wear something that looksgood on camera.
That's it.
You can go to Marshalls or TJMaxx as long as you look put
together.
And that's really important,because then people don't notice
your looks like oh gosh, he'sdisheveled, oh, he dresses
sloppy.
If they notice that, then itdeters from your message and
your self-image and yourconfidence.
(20:36):
When they don't notice youbecause you look so put together
, then that's good.
Brad Powell (20:43):
Right.
Well, I think one of theoverall goals here, when you're
doing this kind of setup, isjust what you just said you want
to make it look as though youhaven't done anything.
You want to make it look asthough, well, I'm just here and
I look the way I look and it'snormal.
I don't want to actually lookas though I'm lit.
I want to look as though I'm inthe room and you can see me
(21:04):
well.
Ronnie Lo (21:05):
Right, you don't want to detract?
Brad Powell (21:07):
And the other part of this is that when you achieve
this level of look and soundlike you know you sound good,
you know you look good, you knowyou look good.
You know people can see andhear you clearly, this is where
you start.
You will start feeling morecomfortable on camera.
It's like it's just like whenyou go out in the world and you
(21:28):
know you look good and like he'slike I'm looking good today.
Like you just feel morecomfortable in the spaces where
you have to be, and this isexactly the same thing, and I
think there's a lot to be saidaround just making the
investment of creating adedicated space, because we all
(21:49):
have to, as professionals,communicate virtually these days
.
It's table stakes.
No matter what kind of work youdo, somebody is going to want
to get on a Zoom call with youor somebody is going to have
some kind of virtual meetingwith you.
This is just what we need to doin today's world, and so
putting yourself in a placewhere getting on those kind of
(22:12):
meeting calls is no big deal,it's just a really great place
to be and people will notice.
They'll notice, in that theywon't notice Exactly the good
vibe.
You'll come across clear.
You'll come across relatable.
You'll come across just as ifthey were seeing you in person,
and that's exactly where youwant to be.
Ronnie Lo (22:35):
Yeah, that's the whole point.
Yeah, I totally agree.
So that can help.
That totally helps if you setyourself up for success.
Brad Powell (22:42):
Right, right, and I'll go one step further, though
, in the other direction, whichis that it is fine to let go of
all the stuff we're talkingabout and to create content, to
make videos, to interact withpeople, just with something
simple like your phone.
The cameras and smartphonesthese days are very good, and,
(23:04):
in fact, when you show up indifferent locations, wherever
you happen to be, that makes thecontent just that much more
interesting.
And you know, it's a place Iwant to go to, where one of the
pieces that I think people arereally challenged by when it
comes to making video is thatthey feel like they need to
create content, they need tocome up with the idea of what am
(23:27):
I going to talk about and sitdown and write a script, or
write a bunch of notes, or makesome slides or whatever they
need to do, and that that's akind of content that you can
create, but it's not always thekind of content that you need to
make, and there's a muchsimpler kind of thing that you
can do, which is much morearound documenting what you're
(23:48):
already up to.
This can be done in a variety ofways and, for instance, this
kind of thing like you weretalking about how you are now
doing guesting on other podcasts, right, and you're doing long
form webinar type presentations,or you join a summit and you do
a presentation in that summitthose kinds of things.
(24:10):
Well, that's great, and it'sgreat when somebody is
interviewing you.
Like you get on somewhere andsomeone interviews you and
you're just saying your stuffand you're answering questions
and you're saying things thatcome into your head in that
moment.
You don't have to think aboutthat or create it ahead of time.
You're just like you're in themoment doing the thing that you
(24:31):
know how to do really well andall of that makes for great
content, and you can take therecording of any of those long
form pieces of content and turnthem into shorter form pieces of
(24:51):
content.
And that's your content, where Ihave a weekly podcast and I get
on with someone for half anhour and we talk about stuff
that's interesting to both of us.
We pick a topic and we have aconversation about it, and it's
a lot of back and forth andduring those conversations, in
addition to listening andpulling out the best ideas from
(25:14):
my guests, I am alsocontributing to the conversation
.
Ronnie Lo (25:19):
I've seen podcast hosts do that with me when they
have me on their guests and thenall of a sudden I see a snippet
, like literally 30 seconds, ofsomething I said, a soundbite on
their Instagram, on theirs, andthey tag me.
I'm like, oh, good for you, andthey repurpose the podcast they
had me on with a really goodheadline or a really good point.
Brad Powell (25:36):
Yes, exactly.
So you can do that with thecontent that your guest is
talking about, but I also do itwith the content where I'm just
the one talking and I get both.
And so, from just doing theseweekly conversations, I spend a
half an hour each week havingthose conversations and I'm
getting all the social mediacontent that I want done in that
(25:59):
one half hour.
And so when people are thinkingabout, oh, I don't really like
being on social media, I don'twant to be a social media
creator, I don't want to go inlike I don't want to be posting
daily and on and on like that.
That just seems like way toomuch time and work.
And, by the way, I don't evenlike being on social media.
Well, okay, but you probably dolike having one-on-one intimate
(26:20):
conversations with people whoare really interesting to you,
and so you get to pick andchoose, like who would you like
to talk to the most, invite themto have a conversation with you
, record the conversation andthere's your content.
Ronnie Lo (26:35):
That sounds fabulous.
That really does Something thatyou said I used to do a long
time ago, 2021, when Instagramwas really in Three of us.
We were three different kindsof coaches for all different
kinds of problems.
We decided to do an InstagramLive every Wednesday because
nobody wanted to do it alone.
So we're like let's just get ittogether in all three talking
(26:57):
heads.
All of a sudden we had so muchto talk about because it was
women just talking and thenpeople would come on, but we had
each other to play off and thatmade us each really good and
better and more confident to doit on our own later on.
Brad Powell (27:13):
Yeah, I think that's a really good technique
as well.
I mean, it's a chore and it'sscary to do it all by yourself
and all of a sudden, when you'renow with somebody else, it
becomes just easy, like thepressure's off.
You're not having to carry allthe weight, you're not having to
(27:33):
talk the entire time, it's justnot all you, and that's a
really great thing.
So I think a really goodtechnique is to get together
with a buddy of some kind, likea video buddy, and at the very
least, what you can do is invitesomeone to just come and
interview you and just sit down,aim the camera at yourself
(27:58):
Don't even look at the camera,look at your friend and have
them ask you questions and thenyou just answer whatever
questions they ask you and eachone of those answers can be
turned into a piece of content,and that's another really easy,
comfortable way to createmessaging.
Ronnie Lo (28:15):
I love that.
Let me ask you one lastquestion.
I have my own answer.
But what do you do when you'retalking to someone, like we are
now, and you're recording?
I know what I do in my coachingsessions, but often when it's a
one-on-one recording and you'renot by yourself, you're with
somebody else, do you keeplooking at the lens or do you
(28:35):
look down and look at them inthe eyes, like I look at you in
the eyes, but on the screen so.
But then I have to remindmyself to look up at the camera.
But when I'm looking at thecamera I'm not making true eye
connection, but it looks like itto the audience.
So I keep looking up and down.
I look at the screen, cause I'mreally looking at you, and then
I look up at the camera.
I'm looking at the camera, notreally you, but it looks like
I'm looking directly at you.
(28:56):
Do you know what?
Brad Powell (28:57):
I mean, I do know what you mean.
And actually when you're likeI'm looking at the camera now
and your impression now I'mmaking eye contact.
I'm making eye contact with youbecause you are seeing me, look
at you, even though I'm notactually looking at the image on
my computer monitor.
And so the rule of thumb hereis that when you're speaking,
(29:20):
look at the camera, when you'relistening, look at the monitor.
Ronnie Lo (29:26):
That's good, yeah, and see, you answered that
really well.
And that's what I do with mycoaching clients, because we are
really truly in a conversationand I remind them like, if I
look like I'm not looking at you, I'm looking directly at you.
Now I'm looking down whenthey're talking because I love
seeing their facial gestures,how they're moving their body
(29:46):
language and.
I'm paying attention to them.
So it may not seem like I'mpaying attention to them, but
I'm looking at them in the eyes,but on my screen, yeah and yeah
.
And then when I'm talking Ilook at the lens.
So, yeah, that's exactly what Ido in my coaching sessions,
without even thinking about itmuch.
Brad Powell (30:01):
Right, well, just the thing is that when you're
looking at the computer screen,you're not actually making eye
contact.
Ronnie Lo (30:07):
Exactly, you're seeing them, but it looks like
you are.
Brad Powell (30:10):
It's just not happening.
Yeah, yeah, that's sointeresting.
Well, it's a bit of a trickbecause of the fact that we have
to look at a camera, and noneof us really love it looking at
cameras.
The camera is just thisinanimate robot thing.
We much rather look at aperson's face, and so we do.
(30:31):
The other thing that I'll say,though, is that it's just food
for thought for people in termsof their content creation.
There's actually a lot of datathat I've seen in terms of
recordings and how well theyperform when you have, like
you've, seen lots of documentaryfilms, and usually, when a
documentary film is made, theydo an interview with the subject
(30:52):
of the documentary, and that'salways done with an interview
where the subject is looking offcamera, and so they're looking
off camera, like this, at theperson asking the question.
Ronnie Lo (31:03):
Diagonally yeah.
Brad Powell (31:04):
They're going like this and this is the way you see
them, sort of on the side.
And so when you're doingsomething like we were
describing earlier, where youhave someone interview you or
there's two of you and you'regoing back and forth, if you're
there in the room together, youcan set yourself up in the same
way where you're looking offcamera and it looks like you're
on a podcast as a guest in like.
(31:25):
We see lots of podcasts onYouTube, say, where the both the
host and the guests are lookingoff camera at each other, and
that's just the way the camerais set up, instead of looking at
them straight on.
And it turns out and this isjust interesting to me that when
you take that kind of footagethat is, the off camera look and
(31:47):
even like the microphone is inthe frame, you can see the
microphone and you can see themlooking at the other person.
That performs better.
It actually people watch thatstuff longer and deeper and it
gives you a little bit ofauthority.
So I've actually seen peoplerecord themselves in that way,
(32:09):
even though they're not on apodcast, but it looks as though
they are, and then they put itout there and people see it and
they go oh, this person, this isfrom a podcast that they were
on, so it must be, you know,cool.
It must be just not them withtheir phone, like they're
actually doing something morewith more authority and that
kind of content actually getswatched more, which?
Ronnie Lo (32:33):
Yeah, it has this vibe of you're the expert or
you're interesting, whetheryou're the guest or the expert,
because it looks like, oh, theyset up a studio and it's an
actual interview, so you do havea little bit more authority
when it's the diagonal shot orthe 60 minute shot, you know,
and then they get the cutaways.
So yeah, and that's, that'sgood.
I would like to contribute thatyou don't want to get stuck on
(32:54):
any of these.
None of these are the secretsauce.
The secret sauce for every time.
Play around with it, vary it upand don't it's easy to say,
don't worry about it so much butwhen you play with it and you
have variety, you're much moreinteresting and you find what
feels good as well.
I mean, once in a while I havethrown the camera on when I'm
walking, the walking shot.
(33:14):
It's like, literally, I've beenwalking out of the gym and I
thought of something to say andI turned on the camera and I
said it.
Brad Powell (33:22):
Right, yeah, and you make a really good point.
I mean, from the idea aroundthis thing of I have to create
something, there's all kinds ofmoments of inspiration.
You know, for example, when youdo have a meeting or you've
done a webinar or you haveyou've just done a being a guest
on somebody's podcast andyou've just had this cool
(33:43):
conversation and you've got sometakeaways from that
conversation, because whoeveryou were talking to said some
things and you're like, wow,that was really cool.
I have, I have new ideas now.
Well that, and, by the way, yougot up for the interview like
you did your hair, you're infront of your lighting, you
sound good, like you're all setto go.
Well, it's a really good time.
(34:05):
After you're done, like, you'reright there sitting in the same
room, push record and sharewhat just happened, say, oh, I
just got off this interview withso-and-so and we talked about
this one thing and I just wantto mention, and then just say,
whatever that is, and it's justin that moment, your brain is
kind of on fire and you havesome things to share and you can
(34:28):
do it right.
Then, without thinking about it, you're in your zone, you've
got good ideas, you look good,you feel good, you've got this
higher energy and all of that isgoing to come through the
camera.
Ronnie Lo (34:39):
Yes, I love that.
That is true.
That is so true.
You have that afterburn and allthese great ideas.
Don't wait, because you mayforget about it and not do it
again.
Brad Powell (34:48):
Right, well, with that, the energy will be
entirely different.
Yeah, all right.
Well, ronnie, this has been avery cool conversation.
I've enjoyed it quite a bit.
Ronnie Lo (34:57):
Me too.
I have a lot of takeaways and,like I said, yes, you have the
technical part.
That's just as important as themindset and the feelings of it,
and the feelings and themindset and the confidence are
just as important as thetechnical part.
So get help, ask for advice,watch these podcasts, Listen to
Brad Talk about it, becauseeverybody goes through the same
(35:20):
thing and everybody has theirown way, and some of these
things can help you.
Brad Powell (35:25):
Right, exactly, all right.
Well, if someone would like toget a hold of you and learn more
about your work, what's thebest way for them to reach out?
Ronnie Lo (35:32):
I love being on LinkedIn.
You'll find me under RonnieLoisa or Ronnie Lo Life Coach
Ronnie Lo Life Coach.
I'm also on Instagram.
I just said Ronnie Lowe, LifeCoach, and I'm on Facebook.
So yeah, let's connect.
I love answering questions andI love asking people questions.
I'm always learning from otherpeople, so find me on LinkedIn,
Instagram, Facebook and mywebsite is
RonnieLoweLifeCoachcom.
(35:53):
And thank you, Brad, for havingme.
Brad Powell (36:05):
And for those of you listening at the end, I just
want to remind you that ifyou'd like to go and get the
entire archive of the StandoutBusiness Show, you can go to
standoutbusinessshow and it'sall there, All the audio, all
the video, all the extra stuffthat I put in there only for our
listeners and until next time,thanks again.
So long.
Almost anyone that I've ever met, some kind of
resistance to being on camera.
I mean, there are a few peoplewho for whom it's like no
problem, but for the rest of usit's usually a giant challenge.
I think it goes really deepinto the human psyche of just
this fear of being seen likerevealing some part of you that
(00:31):
you actually want to keep hidden, and you're really afraid that
if people see this part of me,all kinds of bad stuff is going
to happen, like I'll be.
I'll be tossed out of the tribe, I'll make a mistake and it'll
go out on the internet and it'lllive there forever and I'll
never be able to live it down.
You know this is a really bigfear for many, many people.
(00:54):
Welcome to the Standout BusinessShow.
I'm Brad Powell and this iswhere it's all about making a
bigger difference by doingbusiness differently.
Today we're doing a specialcoaching episode and I've got
special guest Ronnie Lawaza onthe microphone with me today and
we're going to take a deep diveinto talking about standing out
(01:15):
on video, particularly when youfeel like maybe video isn't
your thing.
Before we get started, I wantto announce that, after three
years and over 160 interviews onthis show, I've just created a
self-assessment tool that I'mcalling the Standout Business
(01:38):
Scorecard.
The scorecard lets you rankyourself on how much your
business stands out and we'llgive you personalized
recommendations based on yourscore from several of my past
guests.
So to find out your standoutbusiness score, just go to
awesomevideomakerscom slashscorecard.
(02:00):
I'll say that againawesomevideMakerscom forward
slash scorecard.
It's quick, it's free and youcan thank me later.
And now back to the show.
So, ronnie, welcome to the show.
Ronnie Lo (02:20):
Good day.
I almost said good morning, butAll right?
Brad Powell (02:22):
Well, first of all, let's just talk about what are
you're up to, the kind of workthat you do with clients.
What does that look like?
Ronnie Lo (02:31):
Well, I go by Ronnie Lowe, life Coach.
Lowe is for Loisa, my last name, ronnie Lowe, life Coach, and
I'm Ronnie Lowe, habit Coach.
I am a certified habit coachyes, there are habit coaches and
I'm a master certifiedprofessional coach, a life coach
.
Brad Powell (02:46):
Yeah, okay, well, before we started recording, you
were mentioning wanting to getsome ideas around the mindset
for going on video and doingvideo recording, like we're
doing right now, for instance.
So talk a little bit about thechallenge that you see, either
for yourself or for clients thatyou work with, around this idea
(03:06):
that, like a lot of peoplealmost anyone that I've ever met
some kind of resistance tobeing on camera.
I mean, there are a few peoplewho for whom it's like no
problem, but for the rest of usit's usually a giant challenge
and I think it goes really deepinto the human psyche of just
(03:27):
this fear of being seen, likerevealing some part of you that
you actually want to keep hiddenand you're really afraid that
if people see this part of me,all kinds of bad stuff is going
to happen, like I'll be tossedout of the tribe, like I'll be
left out in the cold, I'll beridiculed, I'll be trolled
(03:48):
endlessly, I'll make a mistakeand it'll go out on the internet
and it'll live there foreverand I'll never be able to live
it down.
You know this is, this is areally big fear for many, many
people.
So talk a little bit about howyou see this challenge.
Ronnie Lo (04:02):
Well, it's interesting that you said us
because I consider you like Brad.
He's never fearful, he's socalm and so collected and you
know exactly what you're goingto say.
So I'm really surprised to hearyou say that.
But you know, when you thinkabout it.
Barbra Streisand still getsstage fright.
(04:22):
Robert De Niro is shy.
You know we don't hear aboutall that.
Meryl Streep says she's shywhen it comes to recording.
I work with some clients thathave literally told me we've
gone through it and through itthat they want to do looms, and
if you don't know what a loom is, I'm not being condescending.
Brad Powell (04:39):
No, I know what it is.
Ronnie Lo (04:41):
Right, it's an instructional video where you go
like, okay, let's get on, andyou do this and you do this and
you show them, you share screenor whatever it is, and you take
them step by step, just like theold fashioned classroom where
the teacher illustrates how todo it and does it physically.
So a lot of people use Loom nowfor instruction, especially
consultants, and, like I haveone lady for example, she takes
(05:03):
her, she works in emergencyrelief how to be prepared, how
to be prepared for emergenciesthat we never are until we have
that earthquake or that flood orthat fire or smaller, smaller
emergencies.
So she takes people throughkind of audits their life and
their home and their business,whatever, whatever they need and
she wants to do looms, but shecannot stand the sound of her
(05:28):
voice and most people I don'tknow if people remember this If
you don't go look it upanswering machines I remember
people used to spend like a halfhour redoing and rerecording
and rerecording a simple 30second answering machine and now
on their phone it's like theyhave to get.
I have girlfriends that just no, I hate that.
(05:48):
No, I hate that.
It's like just their voicemail,you know, saying hello and
cause.
We don't like the sound of ourvoice.
You're the pro, you know thisin audio that our brains are
cavities.
They it hears it differently.
And when you hear back how yousound to the world, it sounds
different than how you heard itwhen it recycled through your
own ears.
So people are afraid of howthey sound and, like you said,
(06:12):
some people are afraid of howthey'll come off in the world,
that they make a mistake on alive or that they have to
re-record it and re-record itand re-record it.
So it's interesting.
I'd love to hear your take onit, because there are many hacks
and many try this, try that forfears.
But ultimately you're right,you have to get down to what is
your main concern?
(06:32):
That people won't like how youcame off, and then how do you
work with people with that?
Brad Powell (06:48):
is just to get started here.
One is you need to really benot thinking about yourself when
you're delivering your message.
If you're doing like as you say, like if you're doing an
instructional video and you'reteaching something, you really
need to be thinking about well,who am I talking to?
And if you're helping someone,in this case, who's getting
prepared for an emergency, likesome serious stuff going on here
, this is a really worthy causeto do and you want to be
(07:10):
thinking about well, here's thisperson, a tornado is coming or
whatever, a hurricane's coming,and you're going to help them so
that when the disaster strikes,they're going to be able to
cope and deal with it in a waythat won't be as stressful and
they'll survive.
Like, literally, you'll belife-saving, doing life-saving
(07:32):
type of thing in yourinstructional tutorial here.
That's really worth doing, beingvery generous and caring and
helpful, as in if you saw youknow somebody on the side of the
road who needed help.
You would just run over andhelp them and you wouldn't be
(07:53):
thinking about what do I soundlike, what do I look like, what
do I?
You know?
Any of that stuff?
None of that would even be inyour brain.
You'd just be like you're beinghelpful.
And so somehow you need torequire that frame when you're
doing your instructional video.
It's like I'm just beinghelpful and, honestly, the truth
of the matter is no one, not asingle person out there cares
(08:18):
about what your voice soundslike.
If they can hear you clearly,like if you're using a good
microphone, Like if they canhear you clearly, like if you're
using a good microphone, great,they're going to hear you and
your words will be clear.
And if your message is clear,like if you're actually a good
teacher and all the people whoare doing this kind of
consulting and teaching andeducation content, they're
experts and they're really goodat it and so if you can just
(08:41):
push through and go, look I'm, Ihave something to say here.
Here's my message how peoplelike they're not going to, they
really don't care.
The biggest critic of how yousound and how you look is going
to be you.
Ronnie Lo (08:55):
Exactly that recycled sound in your head.
Exactly.
Brad Powell (09:00):
Anyway, that's one piece.
It's just sort of shifting outof the mindset of pulling the
attention on yourself and putall your attention on the person
who you're serving, and itshouldn't be like I'm serving
this giant audience.
Think of a single person.
Ronnie Lo (09:15):
I love what you just said.
I had heard somebody else sayyou're being selfish.
If you're thinking aboutyourself, Okay, but that's fear,
so that's natural.
I love connecting with people.
You put me on a stage.
I really look face to face.
If it's five people, if it's100 people, I look face to face,
catch people's eyes and see whothey are.
(09:37):
Then I'm in heaven.
It's like, okay, we'reconnected.
I actually like looking atpeople's faces.
That connects me to them,because they're looking back at
me and then I I'm in my jam.
My problem is, personally, it'sjust that camera and it's like
that.
That's when I have to.
What you said, remember, okay,how.
(09:57):
Who's this helping?
Because people and I don't meanthis in a bad way, I mean this
in a good way when you go onto aseminar or you're like I'm
going to watch this recording orthis live, you do
subconsciously think what's init for me?
That's not a bad thing, that'sa good thing.
What's in it for me, right?
So you have to think of them,what's in it for them, and
that's how you start thecommunication.
Brad Powell (10:18):
Yeah, absolutely yeah, I like that.
That's absolutely true.
And I just want to go back towhen you're speaking on a stage
or if you're speaking to a groupof people in any kind of
setting, where you're in theroom and people are really there
, you want to speak and read theroom and you will get energy
from that experience if you'redoing a good job in terms of I
(10:42):
always sort of think about it asin the call and response that
you can do in church on Sunday.
You know, you say things andpeople say hallelujah, whatever.
Ronnie Lo (10:52):
Can I get an amen?
Brad Powell (10:59):
And you can translate that in the virtual
world.
When you're doing a live streamand you can say things and
people who are there live inreal time can respond, at least
in the comments, where you cango back and forth with people,
and that gives you energy aswell.
However, when you are creating,when you are just sitting
creating a recording of somekind like whether it's a Loom
tutorial, or you're making apiece of content that's going to
(11:21):
go on social media, piece ofcontent that's going to go on
social media I really feel likeyou want to be thinking of a
single person to talk to and notbe saying, hey guys, you know,
how is everybody doing today?
Because the experience that theperson is going to have on the
other side is they're not goingto be with a group of people
like they would be in a roomwith you or in a live stage
(11:43):
presentation, like they would bein a room with you or in a live
stage presentation.
They're by themselves and likethis is really true if it's a
podcast or even a video podcast,but any video format.
If it's on any part of socialmedia, like I'm watching on
LinkedIn or I'm watching onInstagram, I'm not doing this
with an audience.
I'm doing this just by mylonesome.
Ronnie Lo (12:04):
You bring up a very good point.
Brad Powell (12:06):
And so when you're talking and the person is saying
hey guys, I'm going, well, whatguys?
I'm just sitting here by myself, and so, however, if you do say
you and use the languagesingular, that's more effective
and it's more intimate and it'smore connecting more effective
(12:27):
and it's more intimate and it'smore connecting.
Ronnie Lo (12:28):
I love that, because you just made me think of that.
You just said read the room.
Exact same thing.
Read the recording.
Am I talking to one particularperson when I listen to podcasts
?
I listen to podcasts when Idrive and I listen to podcasts
when I work out the ones I lovethe most.
You are talking to, ronnie.
You're addressing my problem.
What's in it for me, or Irelate to it?
I love what you just said.
(12:48):
It's when you connect to theperson directly or, like you
said, if you are live and you'readdressing a big audience, then
you do address the big audience.
Brad Powell (12:56):
So, yeah, read the room want to go one step further
in terms of, like how do youget over this feeling like you
don't look and or sound verygood on camera and so, beyond
just saying, well, I don't, I'mnot going to care about it
because I'm giving to the otherpeople and that's what's
(13:17):
important, there's stillsomething to.
But I do want to sound and lookgood, like we all want that.
We all have a certain level ofvanity where we want to show up
looking good to whoever it isthat we're talking to, and it's
the same as if you were gettingup on stage.
You can think about this fromthe same point of view of how
(13:37):
would you dress when you show upfor an important engagement,
any kind of meeting?
You show up for an importantengagement, any kind of meeting.
Most people and this is reallyinteresting to me what we saw
during the time of the shutdownof the pandemic, when even the
most professional newscasters,television hosts, late night
(13:59):
comedians all of a sudden theywere home in their bedroom
broadcasting and we're allseeing that they have terrible
setup.
Like they just look like normalpeople.
Their hair isn't even done verywell, like you know, all of a
sudden it was just everybodyseemed like everybody else, like
there was no, like the wholething of I'm in this
professional studio withlighting and sound equipment and
(14:20):
stuff was erased soundequipment and stuff was erased.
So all of us as professionalsreally want to look at you know,
in the same way that I mightdress a certain way when I go to
a networking gathering or ifI'm speaking at a conference, I
want to dress my set so thatanytime I'm on a Zoom call,
(14:42):
anytime I'm doing a client, youknow meeting, anytime I'm doing
a recording, like I'm doingright now, I am sounding good
and I have lighting and cameraset up to where I look good,
like it's flattering to me, andthere's a huge bit of difference
(15:03):
in terms of most people, wherethey set up with their laptop
and their laptop is down aterrible angle, it's super
unflattering, and they'respeaking through the camera in
the computer, which is not avery good camera or not a very
(15:26):
good microphone, that is, and soyour audio is not very good.
And then they're in a dark roomor they're they've got a window
behind them that's super brightand their faces in shadow, so we
can't actually see them verywell.
These are all really supercommon mistakes, and so when you
do that and then you look atyourself, absolutely you're
going to think I don't reallylook very good and I don't sound
(15:48):
very good.
I don't like the sound of myvoice, and there are very simple
ways that this can all beenhanced.
And when I work with clients,this is sort of the baseline.
We just spend a little bit oftime improving, first of all
your audio, because almost nomatter what your video looks
like, if the audio is not verygood, no one is going to watch
(16:09):
it for very long, because theaudio is really the most
important part.
Ronnie Lo (16:14):
It is because people look away and especially with
podcasts, a lot of it is audio.
They don't go to the YouTube,yeah.
Brad Powell (16:20):
And so it's really worth it.
Just in the same way that youinvest in a nice outfit, you
want to invest in a nicemicrophone and you can get like
the microphone I use now.
It cost me maybe a hundreddollars and it has a really high
quality sound and it's reallysimple.
It plugs directly into mycomputer and so it's literally
(16:42):
plug and play and now I have agood sound and I can trust it,
as always, no matter what, I'vegot it sitting here on my desk.
Every time I do anything I canturn it on and I sound great.
The other part is what peopledon't think about too much is
the quality of your light.
Like anytime you've seen anykind of film, what makes that
(17:06):
film look amazing is not thecamera, it's the lighting and
the people who are making thosefilms who do this amazing job.
They're all behind the scenes.
They're the people who aremaking those films who do this
an amazing job.
They're all behind the scenes.
They're the people who managethat cinematic lighting and it's
really all about the qualityand the softness of the kind of
(17:30):
light that you do.
So, for instance, in my setup Ihave, I have a window that's in
front of me.
That is sort of lighting theroom.
It's like creating the ambientlight of the entire space.
But I also have a bigger light,what's called the key light, off
to one side at 45 degree angle.
But that light isn't pointed atme, it's pointed at the wall in
(17:56):
the other direction, like it'sbouncing off the wall.
I have a big white wall here,and so the light's aimed at that
, and so it's bouncing off ofthat.
And then I have an umbrella.
That is diffusion.
It's very clear white, softdiffusion.
So the white light coming offthe wall comes through the
umbrella and then it hits myface, and so the shadows on my
(18:20):
face are super soft and it'svery flattering.
And then I have a similar lightover here on this side, which
is the opposite side, and italso has a soft diffusion in
front of it.
And so what you have on my faceis that I am lit more and
brighter than the rest of theroom.
Ronnie Lo (18:41):
Now I want to add to what you said and compliment
what you said.
People get bogged down withlike well, it really just, it
matters that you show up.
Or you've heard a lot ofcoaches say look, it's 90%
showing up, don't worry abouthow you look, just get on there,
just do it, do it.
Do it, nike, just do it.
I get that Face, the fear, andjust do it.
Okay, that may take the firstplunge or two, but after a while
(19:10):
what you said, brad, is superimportant.
Because when you're watching areally good movie or something
on TV and you don't think aboutthe sound and you don't think
about the look of it and thelighting, it's because it's so
good, like that ambience.
Music People I mean directorshave to pick the right music to
evoke that right emotion and notoverpower the actors.
(19:30):
The sound and the quality oftheir voices, along with the
score, is what makes that movieor that TV show.
Same thing with the lighting.
It's when you don't think aboutit that you know it's good.
When you notice something's offor stupid, then you notice.
And we're not saying be vain inhow you dress, but you're right.
What image do you want toportray?
(19:52):
At least put together, becausewhat image do you trust when you
see people?
It doesn't mean that you haveto get all dressed up with a
three-piece suit.
I had a news reporter tell meyou know she laughs at the
Hollywood portrayal of newsreporters with stiletto heels
there's not one woman newsreporter that wears stiletto
heels when she's out in thefield.
That's just dumb.
And they don't wear these great, you know Chanel suits because
(20:15):
that's a waste of their money.
They these great Chanel suits,because that's a waste of their
money.
They wear something that looksgood on camera.
That's it.
You can go to Marshalls or TJMaxx as long as you look put
together.
And that's really important,because then people don't notice
your looks like oh gosh, he'sdisheveled, oh, he dresses
sloppy.
If they notice that, then itdeters from your message and
your self-image and yourconfidence.
(20:36):
When they don't notice youbecause you look so put together
, then that's good.
Brad Powell (20:43):
Right.
Well, I think one of theoverall goals here, when you're
doing this kind of setup, isjust what you just said you want
to make it look as though youhaven't done anything.
You want to make it look asthough, well, I'm just here and
I look the way I look and it'snormal.
I don't want to actually lookas though I'm lit.
I want to look as though I'm inthe room and you can see me
(21:04):
well.
Ronnie Lo (21:05):
Right, you don't want to detract?
Brad Powell (21:07):
And the other part of this is that when you achieve
this level of look and soundlike you know you sound good,
you know you look good, you knowyou look good.
You know people can see andhear you clearly, this is where
you start.
You will start feeling morecomfortable on camera.
It's like it's just like whenyou go out in the world and you
(21:28):
know you look good and like he'slike I'm looking good today.
Like you just feel morecomfortable in the spaces where
you have to be, and this isexactly the same thing, and I
think there's a lot to be saidaround just making the
investment of creating adedicated space, because we all
(21:49):
have to, as professionals,communicate virtually these days
.
It's table stakes.
No matter what kind of work youdo, somebody is going to want
to get on a Zoom call with youor somebody is going to have
some kind of virtual meetingwith you.
This is just what we need to doin today's world, and so
putting yourself in a placewhere getting on those kind of
(22:12):
meeting calls is no big deal,it's just a really great place
to be and people will notice.
They'll notice, in that theywon't notice Exactly the good
vibe.
You'll come across clear.
You'll come across relatable.
You'll come across just as ifthey were seeing you in person,
and that's exactly where youwant to be.
Ronnie Lo (22:35):
Yeah, that's the whole point.
Yeah, I totally agree.
So that can help.
That totally helps if you setyourself up for success.
Brad Powell (22:42):
Right, right, and I'll go one step further, though
, in the other direction, whichis that it is fine to let go of
all the stuff we're talkingabout and to create content, to
make videos, to interact withpeople, just with something
simple like your phone.
The cameras and smartphonesthese days are very good, and,
(23:04):
in fact, when you show up indifferent locations, wherever
you happen to be, that makes thecontent just that much more
interesting.
And you know, it's a place Iwant to go to, where one of the
pieces that I think people arereally challenged by when it
comes to making video is thatthey feel like they need to
create content, they need tocome up with the idea of what am
(23:27):
I going to talk about and sitdown and write a script, or
write a bunch of notes, or makesome slides or whatever they
need to do, and that that's akind of content that you can
create, but it's not always thekind of content that you need to
make, and there's a muchsimpler kind of thing that you
can do, which is much morearound documenting what you're
(23:48):
already up to.
This can be done in a variety ofways and, for instance, this
kind of thing like you weretalking about how you are now
doing guesting on other podcasts, right, and you're doing long
form webinar type presentations,or you join a summit and you do
a presentation in that summitthose kinds of things.
(24:10):
Well, that's great, and it'sgreat when somebody is
interviewing you.
Like you get on somewhere andsomeone interviews you and
you're just saying your stuffand you're answering questions
and you're saying things thatcome into your head in that
moment.
You don't have to think aboutthat or create it ahead of time.
You're just like you're in themoment doing the thing that you
(24:31):
know how to do really well andall of that makes for great
content, and you can take therecording of any of those long
form pieces of content and turnthem into shorter form pieces of
(24:51):
content.
And that's your content, where Ihave a weekly podcast and I get
on with someone for half anhour and we talk about stuff
that's interesting to both of us.
We pick a topic and we have aconversation about it, and it's
a lot of back and forth andduring those conversations, in
addition to listening andpulling out the best ideas from
(25:14):
my guests, I am alsocontributing to the conversation
.
Ronnie Lo (25:19):
I've seen podcast hosts do that with me when they
have me on their guests and thenall of a sudden I see a snippet
, like literally 30 seconds, ofsomething I said, a soundbite on
their Instagram, on theirs, andthey tag me.
I'm like, oh, good for you, andthey repurpose the podcast they
had me on with a really goodheadline or a really good point.
Brad Powell (25:36):
Yes, exactly.
So you can do that with thecontent that your guest is
talking about, but I also do itwith the content where I'm just
the one talking and I get both.
And so, from just doing theseweekly conversations, I spend a
half an hour each week havingthose conversations and I'm
getting all the social mediacontent that I want done in that
(25:59):
one half hour.
And so when people are thinkingabout, oh, I don't really like
being on social media, I don'twant to be a social media
creator, I don't want to go inlike I don't want to be posting
daily and on and on like that.
That just seems like way toomuch time and work.
And, by the way, I don't evenlike being on social media.
Well, okay, but you probably dolike having one-on-one intimate
(26:20):
conversations with people whoare really interesting to you,
and so you get to pick andchoose, like who would you like
to talk to the most, invite themto have a conversation with you
, record the conversation andthere's your content.
Ronnie Lo (26:35):
That sounds fabulous.
That really does Something thatyou said I used to do a long
time ago, 2021, when Instagramwas really in Three of us.
We were three different kindsof coaches for all different
kinds of problems.
We decided to do an InstagramLive every Wednesday because
nobody wanted to do it alone.
So we're like let's just get ittogether in all three talking
(26:57):
heads.
All of a sudden we had so muchto talk about because it was
women just talking and thenpeople would come on, but we had
each other to play off and thatmade us each really good and
better and more confident to doit on our own later on.
Brad Powell (27:13):
Yeah, I think that's a really good technique
as well.
I mean, it's a chore and it'sscary to do it all by yourself
and all of a sudden, when you'renow with somebody else, it
becomes just easy, like thepressure's off.
You're not having to carry allthe weight, you're not having to
(27:33):
talk the entire time, it's justnot all you, and that's a
really great thing.
So I think a really goodtechnique is to get together
with a buddy of some kind, likea video buddy, and at the very
least, what you can do is invitesomeone to just come and
interview you and just sit down,aim the camera at yourself
(27:58):
Don't even look at the camera,look at your friend and have
them ask you questions and thenyou just answer whatever
questions they ask you and eachone of those answers can be
turned into a piece of content,and that's another really easy,
comfortable way to createmessaging.
Ronnie Lo (28:15):
I love that.
Let me ask you one lastquestion.
I have my own answer.
But what do you do when you'retalking to someone, like we are
now, and you're recording?
I know what I do in my coachingsessions, but often when it's a
one-on-one recording and you'renot by yourself, you're with
somebody else, do you keeplooking at the lens or do you
(28:35):
look down and look at them inthe eyes, like I look at you in
the eyes, but on the screen so.
But then I have to remindmyself to look up at the camera.
But when I'm looking at thecamera I'm not making true eye
connection, but it looks like itto the audience.
So I keep looking up and down.
I look at the screen, cause I'mreally looking at you, and then
I look up at the camera.
I'm looking at the camera, notreally you, but it looks like
I'm looking directly at you.
(28:56):
Do you know what?
Brad Powell (28:57):
I mean, I do know what you mean.
And actually when you're likeI'm looking at the camera now
and your impression now I'mmaking eye contact.
I'm making eye contact with youbecause you are seeing me, look
at you, even though I'm notactually looking at the image on
my computer monitor.
And so the rule of thumb hereis that when you're speaking,
(29:20):
look at the camera, when you'relistening, look at the monitor.
Ronnie Lo (29:26):
That's good, yeah, and see, you answered that
really well.
And that's what I do with mycoaching clients, because we are
really truly in a conversationand I remind them like, if I
look like I'm not looking at you, I'm looking directly at you.
Now I'm looking down whenthey're talking because I love
seeing their facial gestures,how they're moving their body
(29:46):
language and.
I'm paying attention to them.
So it may not seem like I'mpaying attention to them, but
I'm looking at them in the eyes,but on my screen, yeah and yeah
.
And then when I'm talking Ilook at the lens.
So, yeah, that's exactly what Ido in my coaching sessions,
without even thinking about itmuch.
Brad Powell (30:01):
Right, well, just the thing is that when you're
looking at the computer screen,you're not actually making eye
contact.
Ronnie Lo (30:07):
Exactly, you're seeing them, but it looks like
you are.
Brad Powell (30:10):
It's just not happening.
Yeah, yeah, that's sointeresting.
Well, it's a bit of a trickbecause of the fact that we have
to look at a camera, and noneof us really love it looking at
cameras.
The camera is just thisinanimate robot thing.
We much rather look at aperson's face, and so we do.
(30:31):
The other thing that I'll say,though, is that it's just food
for thought for people in termsof their content creation.
There's actually a lot of datathat I've seen in terms of
recordings and how well theyperform when you have, like
you've, seen lots of documentaryfilms, and usually, when a
documentary film is made, theydo an interview with the subject
(30:52):
of the documentary, and that'salways done with an interview
where the subject is looking offcamera, and so they're looking
off camera, like this, at theperson asking the question.
Ronnie Lo (31:03):
Diagonally yeah.
Brad Powell (31:04):
They're going like this and this is the way you see
them, sort of on the side.
And so when you're doingsomething like we were
describing earlier, where youhave someone interview you or
there's two of you and you'regoing back and forth, if you're
there in the room together, youcan set yourself up in the same
way where you're looking offcamera and it looks like you're
on a podcast as a guest in like.
(31:25):
We see lots of podcasts onYouTube, say, where the both the
host and the guests are lookingoff camera at each other, and
that's just the way the camerais set up, instead of looking at
them straight on.
And it turns out and this isjust interesting to me that when
you take that kind of footagethat is, the off camera look and
(31:47):
even like the microphone is inthe frame, you can see the
microphone and you can see themlooking at the other person.
That performs better.
It actually people watch thatstuff longer and deeper and it
gives you a little bit ofauthority.
So I've actually seen peoplerecord themselves in that way,
(32:09):
even though they're not on apodcast, but it looks as though
they are, and then they put itout there and people see it and
they go oh, this person, this isfrom a podcast that they were
on, so it must be, you know,cool.
It must be just not them withtheir phone, like they're
actually doing something morewith more authority and that
kind of content actually getswatched more, which?
Ronnie Lo (32:33):
Yeah, it has this vibe of you're the expert or
you're interesting, whetheryou're the guest or the expert,
because it looks like, oh, theyset up a studio and it's an
actual interview, so you do havea little bit more authority
when it's the diagonal shot orthe 60 minute shot, you know,
and then they get the cutaways.
So yeah, and that's, that'sgood.
I would like to contribute thatyou don't want to get stuck on
(32:54):
any of these.
None of these are the secretsauce.
The secret sauce for every time.
Play around with it, vary it upand don't it's easy to say,
don't worry about it so much butwhen you play with it and you
have variety, you're much moreinteresting and you find what
feels good as well.
I mean, once in a while I havethrown the camera on when I'm
walking, the walking shot.
(33:14):
It's like, literally, I've beenwalking out of the gym and I
thought of something to say andI turned on the camera and I
said it.
Brad Powell (33:22):
Right, yeah, and you make a really good point.
I mean, from the idea aroundthis thing of I have to create
something, there's all kinds ofmoments of inspiration.
You know, for example, when youdo have a meeting or you've
done a webinar or you haveyou've just done a being a guest
on somebody's podcast andyou've just had this cool
(33:43):
conversation and you've got sometakeaways from that
conversation, because whoeveryou were talking to said some
things and you're like, wow,that was really cool.
I have, I have new ideas now.
Well that, and, by the way, yougot up for the interview like
you did your hair, you're infront of your lighting, you
sound good, like you're all setto go.
Well, it's a really good time.
(34:05):
After you're done, like, you'reright there sitting in the same
room, push record and sharewhat just happened, say, oh, I
just got off this interview withso-and-so and we talked about
this one thing and I just wantto mention, and then just say,
whatever that is, and it's justin that moment, your brain is
kind of on fire and you havesome things to share and you can
(34:28):
do it right.
Then, without thinking about it, you're in your zone, you've
got good ideas, you look good,you feel good, you've got this
higher energy and all of that isgoing to come through the
camera.
Ronnie Lo (34:39):
Yes, I love that.
That is true.
That is so true.
You have that afterburn and allthese great ideas.
Don't wait, because you mayforget about it and not do it
again.
Brad Powell (34:48):
Right, well, with that, the energy will be
entirely different.
Yeah, all right.
Well, ronnie, this has been avery cool conversation.
I've enjoyed it quite a bit.
Ronnie Lo (34:57):
Me too.
I have a lot of takeaways and,like I said, yes, you have the
technical part.
That's just as important as themindset and the feelings of it,
and the feelings and themindset and the confidence are
just as important as thetechnical part.
So get help, ask for advice,watch these podcasts, Listen to
Brad Talk about it, becauseeverybody goes through the same
(35:20):
thing and everybody has theirown way, and some of these
things can help you.
Brad Powell (35:25):
Right, exactly, all right.
Well, if someone would like toget a hold of you and learn more
about your work, what's thebest way for them to reach out?
Ronnie Lo (35:32):
I love being on LinkedIn.
You'll find me under RonnieLoisa or Ronnie Lo Life Coach
Ronnie Lo Life Coach.
I'm also on Instagram.
I just said Ronnie Lowe, LifeCoach, and I'm on Facebook.
So yeah, let's connect.
I love answering questions andI love asking people questions.
I'm always learning from otherpeople, so find me on LinkedIn,
Instagram, Facebook and mywebsite is
RonnieLoweLifeCoachcom.
(35:53):
And thank you, Brad, for havingme.
Brad Powell (36:05):
And for those of you listening at the end, I just
want to remind you that ifyou'd like to go and get the
entire archive of the StandoutBusiness Show, you can go to
standoutbusinessshow and it'sall there, All the audio, all
the video, all the extra stuffthat I put in there only for our
listeners and until next time,thanks again.
So long.
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