November 24, 2025 • 47 mins
In this episode of the Together Digital Power Lounge, Amy Vaughan talks with Emmy-nominated producer and video marketing strategist Deborah Mitchell about the real power of showing up on video. Deborah breaks down why perfection holds women back, how authenticity builds trust, and what it takes to turn visibility into real influence and business growth.
She also opens up about balancing entrepreneurship with caregiving, and how that experience reshaped her leadership with more patience and clarity. From supporting women of color in claiming their digital space to creating video content that actually converts, Deborah offers practical, empowering strategies for anyone ready to be more visible.
Chapters:
00:10 – Welcome to the Power Lounge & Together Digital
01:26 – Meet Emmy-Nominated Producer Deborah Mitchell
02:29 – When Video Visibility Becomes Power
04:46 – Perfectionism, Bloopers, and Being Relatable on Camera
07:39 – Caregiving, Boundaries, and Grace-Filled Leadership
11:13 – Bringing Caregiving into Your Brand Story (Without Oversharing)
13:06 – Women of Color, Layoffs, and Building Your Own Stage Online
20:04 – Client Case Study: A Podcast that Hit 1 Million Downloads
22:47 – Using AI Without Losing Your Voice and Humanity
28:03 – Small, Brave Steps Toward Showing Up More Authentically
30:26 – Batching, Meta Glasses, and Time-Saving Video Routines
34:44 – Q&A: Being Off-Camera with POV & Voiceover Video
41:03 – Q&A: Being the Face of a Brand You Don’t Own
46:05 – Final Takeaways, Where to Find Deborah, and Join Together Digital
Quotes:
“Showing up on video isn’t just about being seen — it’s about claiming your space and sharing your expertise with intention.” - Amy Vaughan
“You don’t need to be perfect on camera. In fact, your imperfections are what make you human — and that’s what truly connects with people.” - Deborah Mitchell
Key Takeaways:
Imperfection makes you relatable — not less professional.
Caregiving teaches boundaries, grace, and empathy.
Women of color can build their own digital stage.
Batch content to save time and stay consistent.
Use AI for support, but keep your human voice.
Authenticity always outperforms polish.
Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.
Connect with the guest Deborah Mitchell:
Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahjmitchell/
Guest Website:https://www.deborahmitchellmediaassociates.com/
Popl Link (for all ways to digitally connect with Debbie): https://popl.co/card/DsfBm0DJ/2
Episode Feedback Survey Link: https://talk.ac/deborahjmitchell?code=TDPL
Mailing List Link: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/lPfcUAl/DMMAVideoVisibility
Sign Up For Deborah Mitchell Media Associates webinar series on Video Visibility- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdxrMnHiPGcMa8Fk8oQDnnOM20QjVZHoAPvkBU4piL-K84ctA/viewform
Connect with the host Amy Vaughan:
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/amypvaughan
Podcast:Power Lounge Podcast - Together Digital
Learn more about Together Digital and consider joining the movement by visiting Home - Together Digital
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:10):
Hello everyone and welcome to our weekly Power
Lounge.
This is your place to hearauthentic conversations from
those who have power to share.
My name is Amy Vaughn and I amthe owner and chief empowerment
officer of Together Digital, adiverse and collaborative
community of women who work indigital and choose to share
their knowledge, power, andconnections.
You can join the movement atTogetherindigital.com.
(00:31):
And today we are joined bysomeone who has transformed
personal challenges intoprofessional power moves.
Just the kind of lady we love tohave here in the power lounge.
Deborah J.
Mitchell is an Emmy nominatedproducer, video marketing
strategist, and founder ofDeborah Mitchell Media and
Associates with over 20 years instorytelling media and media,
(00:52):
from co-hosting alongsideGeraldo Rivera, maybe you've
heard of him, to producing theCBS for CBS News.
Deborah has mastered the art ofhelping executives and
entrepreneurs turn videovisibility into business growth.
What makes her storyparticularly compelling is how
she has navigated caregivingresponsibilities and career
(01:13):
pivots to become a CEO who nowempowers others, especially
women of color, to claim theirdigital space and authority and
authenticity.
Deborah, I can't tell you howexcited we are to have you here
with us today.
SPEAKER_03 (01:26):
Oh my gosh, thank you for having me.
What a great time we're gonnahave.
SPEAKER_00 (01:30):
I know, absolutely.
And I think so many of ourmembers and listeners today are
going to be able to relate toeverything I just read through
because some of them are in thethick of some of that right now.
And I think having women on likeyou, Deborah, just gives us hope
that there is the other side.
SPEAKER_03 (01:47):
Oh, there is hope, and we you can get to the other
side.
It's gonna take a little work,but you can get to the other
side, definitely.
SPEAKER_00 (01:55):
So, live listeners, we know we love to hear
questions from you.
You are the reason why we'rehere.
So if you have a question, ifyou have a comment, anything
like that, please drop it intothe chat.
We'll make sure we hear you.
We make sure we'll make sure youget we get your question asked.
Thank you all for joining ustoday.
All right, so Deborah, you havehad an incredible journey from
network television to finding uhfounding your own video
marketing firm.
(02:16):
You know, I know it doesn'talways come down to any one
pivotal moment, but um, when wasit that you realized, or what
was it that made you realizethat video visibility wasn't
just about being on camera?
It was actually about wieldingpower.
SPEAKER_03 (02:29):
Well, you know, the interesting thing is working in
television my entire career, Ialways knew the power of video.
Being on television, being infront of an audience on a
regular basis.
Your audience gets to know you.
They um feel that you arefriends, whether it's their
character or in real life.
So I actually spent some time ontelevision.
I was Geraldo's co-host for afew years.
(02:50):
So people would see me in thestreet and talk to me as though
we were friends.
So I knew the power of video.
What was interesting was afterthe pandemic or during the
pandemic, when everyone wentonline, that was the time where
I saw the power of video, how itcould actually work for you
online.
Now everyone has video on theirphones.
Every video is accessible.
(03:11):
You can post whenever you want.
Anyone can find you any place inthe world, can anyone can Google
you or look you up.
So the fact that you have videonow accessible on your
smartphone, that's what's that'shuge.
So yeah, you see the powerthere.
And people building communitywith the video online.
SPEAKER_00 (03:30):
Yeah, exactly.
We were just talking about that,weren't we?
Yeah.
How you know through TogetherDigital and the shifts and the
dynamics we've had to makechanges in and do a lot of Zoom
networking now, which soundsreally atrocious, but I promise
you all, it has literally led tosome of the best friendships of
my life.
And I've I literally was tellingDeborah right before we got on.
I was like, I spent all week inCosta Rica with my good friend
Molly.
(03:50):
Um, because like it just you canstill, you can like connect, you
can resonate with people.
And I think you're so right.
And I love it so much, Deborah,because I feel like you're
putting words to things that weoften think, but we don't
capitalize on, right?
We don't actually like take thatconcerted effort to say, oh,
there's something here.
How do I leverage this and andmake it work in my favor?
(04:14):
So on that note, like I said,with the colonels, like the this
is quote unquote Zoom fatigue.
I even as somebody who's aformer creative director who
produced a lot of videos, I Inever wanted to be on the other
side of the camera.
That's hard, even for me now,right?
And I know a lot of ourlisteners and women within our
community show up or struggle toshow up consistently on video.
(04:36):
What do you think is like thebiggest misconception about
video visibility that holds, Iwant to say professionals, but
also just women in general backfrom getting started?
SPEAKER_03 (04:46):
I would say the biggest obstacle, and I've heard
this because I did a surveyrecently because I have a
webinar series coming up, and Ihear it all the time.
They want to be perfect.
They want everything to beperfect, look good and sound
good.
So they're either telling methey don't like the way their
voice sounds or they don't likethe way they look.
They don't know what colors towear, they don't know how to
come off as professional.
(05:07):
They get paralyzed by trying tobe perfect, and you don't have
to be perfect.
SPEAKER_01 (05:12):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (05:12):
As a matter of fact, being not being perfect plays in
your favor because it really isrelatable.
It's it humanizes you.
You know, absolutely,absolutely.
So, yeah, that's I think thebiggest problem that that women
or any or most people have whenit comes to doing on camera and
creating video content.
SPEAKER_00 (05:29):
Yeah.
I love that.
It reminds me of a story I heardof a college professor who was
like at an Ivy League school andyou know, fought and worked so
hard to get to where he wasgetting and needed to come in
and command the um, you know,respect of his students from day
one, he felt, um, based on kindof the culture and like the
implications of him having goneto an Ivy League school.
(05:49):
And he rode his bike um to classthat day and literally
splattered mud all up thebackside of his pants to he
looked like he pooped himself.
And he was like, Oh my God, Icannot walk into this classroom.
But if class is starting, Idon't have an option.
And he was like, Why am Iworrying about this?
Why?
Why am I even caring?
(06:10):
Walked in, turned around, showedthe classes ass and was like,
Look what happened to me on theway in the day.
This is why you get a splashcard for the back of your bike.
And everybody laughed.
And he was like, Listen, we allare coming into a new classroom
and a new environment.
And he's like, I want you guysto know that you're allowed to
be vulnerable.
Like, that's how you learn is byfalling down, by failing, by not
(06:31):
doing the right thing, by notalways thinking ahead into the
next step.
And sometimes it just means youjust kind of have to show up
with the mistake on yourbackside and own it.
And it like he said that changedhow his class saw him and the
respect he got from them wasinsurmountable in the ways in
which they showed up for himafter that.
SPEAKER_03 (06:50):
But if you think about TV, one of the more
popular shows are bloopers whenyou do that.
Oh my God, yeah.
You know, everybody loves you,you catch them off guard,
they're making mistakes,everybody's relaxed, and that's
what makes it fun.
And it humanizes you.
So yeah, it's so true.
Exactly.
SPEAKER_00 (07:06):
We're trying so hard to be perfect when everybody
just wants imperfection.
SPEAKER_03 (07:10):
That's what it is.
Yeah.
So good, Deborah.
SPEAKER_00 (07:13):
Perfect, yeah.
All right.
So you have navigated.
This is another big topic withinTogether Digital.
In fact, we have a channel onSlack just for um uh just for
caregivers, um, for agingparents, and then a parenting
channel as well.
Um, you were doing this as youwere building your CEO journey.
What, what, how did those dualresponsibilities actually
(07:35):
strengthen your approach toauthentic leadership on camera?
SPEAKER_03 (07:39):
Okay, so first I'm gonna tell you, I've interviewed
many caregivers.
I've done stories on it, I'vedone stories on entrepreneurs.
Being a caregiver and being anentrepreneur are two of the
hardest things I've ever done.
So yeah, to them together isjust it's just been
unbelievable.
And um, what being a caregiverhas taught me, I've had to be
very focused on what I'm doingwith my mom.
(08:00):
She's 96 now.
She requires time, she requiresmy attention, the paperwork that
I have to fill out, there'smaneuver.
So I had to realize that Icouldn't be as perfect as a
business person, the way I usedto be when I was producing full
time and that's what all I wasfocused on.
I had to give myself grace.
So I wasn't able to be in thebusiness the way I would usually
(08:22):
be if it was just the business Iwas focusing on.
So I think that's one of thebiggest lessons that I learned.
Give yourself grace and you haveto be organized.
Learn to be, learn how to manageyour time because you have to
divvy up the time that it takesto do the caregiving and then do
what you need to do for yourbusiness.
So I've learned and I've learnedto be a more patient leader
(08:45):
because nobody knows what I'mgoing, what's going on with me
when I'm caregiving for my mom.
I may not be able to, maybe, maynot be able to show up at
networking events the way I usedto.
I'm working from home.
I'm I have to take care of momfirst, but I have to realize
other people might be goingthrough the same thing.
So as a leader, it's uh I'vejust been a little bit more
(09:06):
patient and more understandingbecause you don't know what
other people are going through.
And a lot of us are trying tojuggle 10 million things at the
same time.
And you can't do everything allat the same time.
SPEAKER_00 (09:16):
No, you can't.
Um, that space and grace is sonecessary when you're playing
multiple roles for multiplepeople like that.
Um, because you know, as much asyou need to do that for
everybody else, it needs to bedone for yourself.
I think look back to before Iwas a parent and before my mom
needed me for caregiving asmuch.
(09:36):
And yeah, I'm like, oh my God,what did I do with my time?
I think I always joke and say,for women who get penalized for
having kids and then trying tocome back to the workforce, like
I am more productive, I am morefocused on my time, I am more
intentional, I am more drivenand committed to earning and in
my career and making sure thatwork is good so that I can go
(09:57):
home and have my quality timewith my kids and creating
boundaries.
And I'm just always like, yeah,yeah, like being a parent and
being a caretaker is 100,000percent made me a better leader
because on the other side ofthat too, it's made you more
empathetic.
I was looking at and like, notthat I was ever like pegging
moms as lazy, as I've heard somepeople say, or that they don't
(10:17):
have their priority straight,which is absolutely ridiculous.
Heard that once from anotherwoman who was an HR too, by the
way.
Lovely.
But it gave me empathy to think,wow, like I I kind of took for
granted all these reallypowerful, strong women leaders
that I had who were doing thedual role of leader and parent.
Um, and knowing the stats andwhere particularly mothers are
(10:38):
with the parenting load.
SPEAKER_03 (10:40):
You don't know somebody else's shoes.
That's what I have kids, I don'thave children, so it was this
was really a new experience.
SPEAKER_00 (10:49):
You're like, wait a minute.
Like, whoa.
SPEAKER_03 (10:53):
Yeah, it's really, and she depends, she needs me.
So it she comes first, and youknow, I have learned to be a
better person as a kid.
SPEAKER_00 (11:02):
She's got a fantastic daughter.
That's important.
Thank you.
Love it.
Oh, you're doing a good job.
It ain't easy.
Like I said, that's why we gotthat caregiver change.
SPEAKER_03 (11:10):
And November is family caregivers month.
SPEAKER_00 (11:12):
So to all the caregivers Oh, yay!
SPEAKER_03 (11:15):
November's family caregivers month.
Give a caregiver a hug.
SPEAKER_00 (11:19):
I did not know that.
Oh my god, give them a 10-minutehug because they need it.
Nobody, it's like one of thosethings when you're a teenager
like, I can't wait to tell youwhat to do.
Dude, parenting a parent sucks.
SPEAKER_03 (11:28):
This is a good transition because I really m
people who know me know that I'mcaring for my mom, but I never
put mom on video.
I never put her out as part ofmy my, I don't want to say my
brand, but I just didn't put herout on video.
But this month I've decided todo that.
And you know, she's gotten morelikes or more comments than
everyone's gonna love mom.
(11:49):
Yeah.
So just be her.
And so um, yeah, it'sinteresting because the content
that you put out, it doesn'talways have to be, it has to be
a compilation of who you are,and so yeah, you're putting out
the the information about yourbrand and who you are and the
work you do.
But again, I talk abouthumanizing.
I'm all just putting anotherside to my life, and so you
(12:12):
know, you decide, you controlwhat you can put out there.
And so I've decided for thismonth to put a little bit of a
little bit of a little bit of alittle bit.
SPEAKER_00 (12:17):
Oh, I know that.
I think that's great.
Um, it actually reminded me of afriend of mine, Cindy Gallup,
who's I love following her onLinkedIn.
And she um has done that fromtime to time.
And in fact, if I don't see apost of mom after a while, I'm
like, okay, yeah, how's mom?
Um, because again, like I thinkit's that humanization, it's
(12:39):
that um vulnerability that opensup and allows others to speak
their truths and to share theirrealities as well, which is so
necessary.
Um, let's let's shift it to someof our audience here too about
specifically challenged forwomen of color and digital
visibility.
Um, I'd be curious to hear likewhat have been the struggles
there, and then what are some ofthe strategies that you've
(13:01):
developed to help themspecifically create and claim
their space with confidence andauthority?
SPEAKER_03 (13:06):
So I'm gonna break it up into two categories.
First of all, the women, I'mgonna age-wise, I'm gonna break
it up.
I'm from the where you go toschool, get all your degrees,
you get a job, and you hunkerdown and you do your work.
Yeah, that is no longer thecase.
You're not getting the rewardsthat you used to.
So with the major layoffs thatyou've had with that we've had,
(13:26):
what is it, over 300,000 womenof color have been put out into
the out of the workforce, andnow they have to decide what's
next.
So they're gonna look for workor they're going to start many
of them are gonna try and starttheir own company, which is why
not use the expertise that youuse to build and work for your
for an organization to buildyour own company.
(13:46):
So I talked to them aboutupgrading their skills.
AI is not going away.
No, you can't ignore it.
So you have to take on all theskills that you can so that you
can be competitive and upgradeyour uh abilities, your
expertise using AI.
So that's really important.
(14:07):
The younger generation who arecoming out of school, they
they're growing up with it.
So they already thinkdifferently about how they work.
So lean into them too.
You have a niece, daughter,nephew, whoever.
Not yet.
Yeah, it the younger generation,lean into them so that they can
help you.
Then also look for othercompanies, other individuals who
are working in the space.
I just met a young lady, um,Kelly Charles Collins.
(14:30):
She's created this greatprogram, Mobile Operations
Systems, where it helps you tofocus your business, figure out
your revenue, and help youfigure out what you're going to
put out there to your targetaudience.
So I'm taking a lot of classes.
I'm constantly taking classes,I'm constantly looking at ways
that I can reach my audience inthe newest way with the newest
tools.
(14:50):
And women of color, I think it'sa great opportunity for women of
color because in we're usuallyshut down in the corporate
world.
We don't get to speak to ourbest, the best of our abilities.
But when you create your ownstage online, that's your
opportunity.
That's your show.
So it's your opportunity to putyour expertise out there.
So I think it's a great, a greattime for women of color to be
(15:13):
out there online.
SPEAKER_00 (15:15):
Yeah, oh, a thousand percent.
Because, like you said, it'slike if you're not gonna give me
a seat at the table, I'm gonnago over here and build my own
damn table.
I love that.
SPEAKER_01 (15:21):
Exactly.
SPEAKER_00 (15:22):
You know, and I think it's I for all women,
that's such an important thingto think about and consider
that, you know, if I will getthe room, the space, and the
voice, where can I go?
Because somebody needs to hearyou.
Somebody needs to hear you.
Somebody, we need you in theworld.
We need your voice.
Like so, whatever way you can dothat.
SPEAKER_03 (15:39):
Absolutely.
So make put your voice outthere, and this is the time.
So once you decide to start yourbusiness, you got to figure out
who your target audience is.
What's the message?
Your why.
Why are you putting yourself outthere?
What is the message?
What do you want to say to them?
What problem do you want tosolve of theirs?
And then you create your plan.
So I'm big on planning,strategy, and executing.
(16:00):
And so I tell that to all myclients, no matter what, what
you're doing.
That's how you start.
SPEAKER_00 (16:05):
Yeah.
Oh, you're gonna love thistogether digital community so
much, Deborah.
Like they are all lifelonglearners, they are go-getters,
you know, and they all comedifferent shape, sizes, age,
backgrounds, everything.
But that that one thing remainstrue.
It's just the tenacity to keeplearning and to keep looking for
the opportunities when peoplearen't opening the doors for
you.
(16:25):
You're going and building andfinding the doors.
So yeah, yeah.
I love it so much.
Um, all right, let's talk aboutum working kind of between
because we have a we have a goodmix within our community as
well.
We have a lot of women who arestill within corporate or
agencies, so like corporateexecutives, but then we also
have this emergence ofentrepreneurs, which I agree
with you.
That number of womenspecifically is growing and it
(16:47):
makes me excited.
It's out of the circumstancesand it's not in the most ideal
circumstances, but by golly, I'mglad it's happening.
What do you feel is thedifference between creating
video content and creating videocontent that actually converts
viewers into clients, especiallyfor our entrepreneurial folks?
Because that sometimes feelslike a challenge, right too, as
you're doing your planning andyour strategy and your
(17:09):
messaging.
It's like, I don't want to sayall these things, but what is
actually moving the needle forme?
SPEAKER_03 (17:15):
So I would say you can create what the content is
gonna convert is the contentthat content that resonates with
your target audience.
So first you need to know whoyour target audience is, where
you're gonna find them, where dothey live, what platforms.
Um, and then figure out theirpro what problem are you gonna
solve for them?
I'm actually I I'm doing asurvey with some of my clients
(17:37):
because I want to find out whattheir challenges are when it
comes to video.
Uh again, being on camera isone.
Uh another one, another I hearis that they don't have the time
to create video.
They don't have the budget tocreate video.
So, you know, though that'simportant information for me to
use because okay, if enough ofyou are saying it, then that's
(17:59):
definitely something that it's apain point.
I need to help you solve it.
So that's how I'm gonna come upwith my content.
I'm gonna use that informationto figure out, answer those
questions.
And you'd be surprised, again,using AI to help with your
content as far as pushing itout, but also putting your touch
on it as far as what you'regonna bring to solving their
(18:21):
problem.
So, yeah, I definitely saythat's the first place.
That's the difference.
Fantastic listening, it's sokey.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (18:28):
Um, and falling in love with the problem, not the
solution.
I think that's another thingtoo.
We often think that we have tolike market ourselves, which
feels kind of ick to somepeople.
Um, but at the end of the day,it's like, but I have something
to offer.
I have I want to help people.
So what is the problem and howdo I speak to the problem in a
way, like you said, that relatesto them?
So that then they are like,okay, she is a trusted resource,
(18:49):
she knows what she's doing.
Yeah.
Um, and you build thatcredibility and then you create
that awareness, and then youmake it relatable, and there you
go.
SPEAKER_03 (18:56):
Like and be consistent, don't just go up and
disappear.
Be consistent because people dobusiness with people they know,
like, and trust.
I hear, you know, and I'm Idon't come from sales at all.
I'm a term sales but you knowit.
SPEAKER_00 (19:08):
But I know it.
SPEAKER_03 (19:09):
And so the way someone said, well, sales is
kind of like booking a guest fora show.
I was like, oh, I guess it is ina way, because you meet someone
and you're talking to them,getting to know them, and you're
trying to get their interviews.
So in a way, it's this it's thesame.
But you want to be um, you wantto be compassionate, you want to
be, you really do want tolisten, you do want to care, and
(19:30):
you don't want to be salesy.
It doesn't have to be aboutsell, sell, sell.
It's about really helping theperson solve their problem.
Agree.
SPEAKER_00 (19:37):
That feels so much better.
Feels better to you, feelsbetter to them.
And a thousand percent on theconsistency.
That's a great call out rightthere.
All right.
Um, I would love to hear maybe alittle bit about a time when
some strategic video visibility,that was hard to say,
dramatically transformedsomeone's business trajectory.
(19:58):
Like, what was it that made thedifference?
I'd love to hear some storiesabout like the success you've
had with your clients in thepast.
SPEAKER_03 (20:04):
Okay, so I'm gonna have to talk about my my main
client who I love to death, theAmazon conservation team, the
president, the founder, Dr.
Mark Mark J.
Plotkin.
He we actually got togetherduring the pandemic when
everybody was locked down, hecouldn't travel, nothing.
So he always wanted to do apodcast.
And I started working with himon the podcast, and it has
(20:29):
surpassed a million downloadsseven seasons.
And I didn't know a lot aboutthe Amazon, I've learned so much
from him.
He's a well-respectedethnobotanist, so I was like,
okay.
So cool.
Yes, and he has his community,and they are a devoted
community.
So, you know, to see him grow,because when we started, it was
(20:52):
just Mark on the mic talkingeach episode.
And I say, Mark, you know, let'sinvite some guests to be on.
And it took a little while to umto get to that point where we
had guests on, but then hestarted inviting guests on.
And so it was the back andforth, the conversation that
they were having, made took thetook took the episodes up to
(21:12):
another level.
So it was just really good tosee the growth.
And then we started doingmultiple part series, and then
so all of this took time.
And again, people come in, uhyou meet them where they are.
In the beginning, he just wantedto do it himself, and that was
great, but slowly over time,trust grew, and then we were
(21:33):
able to develop a great product.
So, like I said, we just wrappedseason seven.
He um he was very good friendswith Dr.
Jane Goodall.
She just passed away.
Unfortunately, we didn't get tointerview her before.
But I mean, yeah, but it wasjust really a great experience.
So to surpass a milliondownloads, yeah, that's one of
the great one of our stories.
SPEAKER_00 (21:55):
And what's the podcast called?
I don't know if you mentionedthat.
SPEAKER_03 (21:57):
Oh, Plants of the Gods.
Oh my gosh, it's called Plantsof the Gods.
SPEAKER_00 (22:00):
We got I gotta check it out.
I'm such a nature nerd.
Oh my god, dude, you're gonnalove it.
Jane was like my idol growingup, so yeah, like I'll be tuning
in.
I'll be downloading more.
SPEAKER_03 (22:10):
We've done so many episodes on ayahuasca.
It's our number one topic thatpeople uh people have questions
about, and Mark shares hispersonal experiences, so it's
really great.
Yeah, it's a very good idea.
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (22:21):
I'll try not to nerd out, I'll tamper the nerd out
and I'll I'll get back to ourquestions here, but I'm so going
to go listen to that.
I love it.
All right.
Um, with you mentioned AIearlier, um, which is great
because there's not a minutewe're not talking about it or
thinking about it or using itaround here.
Um, with that plus othertechnologies disrupting content
creation, how do you maintainauthentic human connection while
(22:44):
leveraging these tools?
Because we know that they aregood for efficiency.
SPEAKER_03 (22:47):
Oh, oh, that's a great question.
So, yes, AI is great forautomation and efficiency.
But as I said, you don't justput it into AI, cut and paste.
You have to use it more as anoutline or a template, and you
still have to put your yourtwist.
I put Debbie's twist on whateverI'm doing.
Um, I'm telling my personalstories.
So you don't just rely on it.
(23:09):
I I think that AI could come inhandy for especially the people
who are um afraid of being oncamera.
You could there are so manyoptions that you can use so that
you don't have to be on camera.
Use A, there are so many AR AIsoftwares that are available
that you're writing to B-rolland visuals, so your voice or
other voices.
(23:30):
So I there are definitely waysto use it in uh in a
constructive, instructive way.
SPEAKER_00 (23:36):
Yeah, I love it.
That's great.
Yeah, again, efficiencies andinsights, I feel like that's the
other thing is like having itreview and analyze data because
all it's looking for ispatterns, right?
Just a really good at patternrecognition um and
regurgitation, which issomething else you just have to
be wary of and never necessarilytrust everything because it'll
hallucinate people.
SPEAKER_03 (23:55):
But in that to for your with your information,
that's the thing that people youif you've written articles, if
you've been interviewed, putthat into AI so this beginning
to get your voice, it'sbeginning to know who you are.
You're training it.
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (24:09):
Absolutely.
Love it.
Yeah, make it make it let it dothe robotic things, you do the
human things.
All right.
So you mentioned Tabitha Brownand Jesse Naylor as inspiration
in um some of the stuff that yousent us before this
conversation.
What specific visibilitystrategies could our members
learn from maybe them and theirsuccess stories?
SPEAKER_03 (24:30):
Okay, so I'm gonna talk about Janae first because I
first saw Janae online duringthe pandemic.
She was a fashion influencer,she was she was in her closet
trying on clothes, doing outfitsof the day, and she had a
community, she, a Facebookcommunity where people could
write in and she would interactand talk to talk to us.
And I I was watching her and Isaid, there's something about
(24:52):
this woman.
There's just she used to workfor Target.
That's her start story.
She worked for Target, she uhleft Target when she didn't get
a promotion that she wanted, andshe decided to go online
full-time.
But when I looked at her, Ithought, if I was still in
television, I would book her.
That was one of the fun parts ofbeing about a television
producer.
You'd meet someone and they'dstart talking, and you'd think,
this would be a good guest.
And I looked at her and Ithought, she is gonna go places.
(25:16):
What she has done in the lastfive years is amazing.
She just launched a brand, abrand of sunglasses.
So she has grown her brand fromjust being a not just, but being
a blogger, a fashion influencer,to slowly building a community
of followers and people who aresupporting her.
(25:37):
Brands pay her.
She's able to build put out herown sunglasses line.
But what's great about her isthat she's not afraid to walk.
She tries things and then shewalks away from it if it's not
working.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (25:49):
Oh, great.
SPEAKER_03 (25:49):
And that's, I think, a very valuable lesson for any
entrepreneur.
This is very fluid what we'redoing, being entrepreneurial.
And sometimes you might thinksomething's gonna work, and it
might work for a little while,and then you have to change it
up.
So you have to be ready topivot.
And that's what I that's one ofthe lessons that I actually
learned from her.
And I'm still learning the samething from Tabitha.
A lot of people know TabithaBrown's story.
(26:11):
She also V, got online sharingvegan recipes during the
pandemic.
Ellen, Ellen DeGeneres foundher, put her on, and things just
blew up from there.
It's just unbelievable tounbelievable and amazing and
inspirational to see what thesetwo ladies have done.
And you can do it.
And they've always beenconsistent, they've always be
(26:32):
been authentic.
And that's something else thatpeople want authenticity.
So they've always beenauthentic, and you just want to
relate to them and they've growntheir followers.
And that's those are the lessonsthat I've taken away from the
book.
Those are great.
SPEAKER_00 (26:47):
I love those because I would also say, too, um,
there's just, and maybe thisalso just comes after being like
a going over 40 now, too.
It's like there's just somethingso freeing about owning that
authenticity.
Like we all as women, and youknow, you put on so many masks
in a day to be able to set thoseaside and sit those down and
(27:07):
take those off.
And it's just to me, it's like alittle bit at a time.
Like sometimes it's just alittle bit of trial and error.
And that's what I love aboutcommunity because community is
usually that safe space whereyou can sort of start to show up
authentically and speak yourtruths.
And then it's like, oh, peopleagreed.
Oh, they nodded their heads whenI said that thing that nobody's
ever said.
SPEAKER_01 (27:25):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (27:25):
And it starts to feel so freeing.
And so for those of you who arelistening and thinking, I have
to fit a mold, those two womenare perfect examples of people
who decided not to fit the moldand look at how it served them.
Look at how it served everyperson you choose to follow
online for the most part.
It's likely that they are livingin some sort of truth.
(27:47):
And we see that, and then we'relike, oh, and we compare, and
then we get jealous.
And I'm like, no, follow yourenvy.
It's showing you what you want.
Like you want that freedom.
You want the ability to show upand speak your truths.
And then find do it and findjust how much people are
actually going to appreciate youfor it.
SPEAKER_03 (28:03):
But don't be afraid.
That's I think people areafraid.
Just don't be afraid.
Yeah.
That was well said.
SPEAKER_00 (28:10):
And it's not jumping off the building.
It's not jumping off the edge.
It's just taking a first step.
You know, it's just kind ofshowing up like five percent
more authentic this time thanmaybe you did last time in a
situation where you feel kind offorced to show up and be a
certain way.
And that could be like your nextmeeting at work.
So you get off the listening tothis and your next call, your
next meeting, you're like, I'mgonna ask that hard question.
SPEAKER_03 (28:30):
Ask the question.
Always ask.
All you're gonna get is a no.
That's the one thing I did learnabout being a when I was a
producer.
You gotta ask.
Just ask.
SPEAKER_00 (28:38):
You don't get it otherwise, which is a big part
of Together Digital too, ourask, give, grow.
You know, we really encourageour members to build that muscle
of asking because it's scary atfirst.
But once you learn and then yourealize, oh my gosh, people
actually want to show up andhelp me.
Oh, yeah, I'm gonna do someasking.
And I'm gonna do some giving inthe meantime, too.
But that part comes into it.
SPEAKER_03 (28:56):
Giving and yes.
And you know what you meant?
You there's a good point therebecause you talked about asking,
asking for help too.
I have to tell you, we as women,we're afraid to ask for help.
And okay to ask and accept help.
SPEAKER_00 (29:09):
Oh my gosh.
And you're doing something forthem.
People want to help.
Your friends want to show up,your coworkers want to show you
that they, you know, can dotheir jobs and their roles.
And I think, you know, a lot ofus, you know, at least a lot of
within our group, it's like veryA-type, very strong, very
capable women, but we uh tend tooverfunction.
And then that doesn't give roomor space for other people to
grow and thrive and reach theirpotential because we feel like
(29:31):
we have to be the ones coveringit and doing it all.
But that's a whole other topicfor another day.
We'll come back to that one.
I've got one more question foryou, and then we're gonna go
into our fun little power roundquestions.
Okay.
Um, we've had a couple commentsin the chat, which is great.
It's nice that our livelisteners are here listening to
us.
They agree with us on thebloopers point.
Um, but if you all do have aquestion, don't be afraid,
(29:52):
right?
Ask the questions, drop it inthe chat.
Um, before we go into the powerround, my question I have for
you next is looking at theevolution.
Um oh no, wait.
We actually I skipped aquestion.
I have two.
So um we touched on the whole Idon't I don't have time for
video.
Um so to help that, because I II know that that is a common
(30:14):
thing outside of not wanting tobe seen or on camera or the
perfection time.
What is your framework forcreating consistent strategic
strategic content contentwithout it consuming their
entire schedule?
SPEAKER_03 (30:25):
Got all the words out.
Okay.
I I talked about this before,but I'll say it again.
I'm a big fan of batching videoswhen it comes to creating um
saving time, being efficientwith your time and getting the
most out of it as far as productbatching.
So that means that you decideyou're going to take an hour or
two hours out of your week andyou're gonna create video
(30:47):
content.
So that means you had you'vealready decided on what you want
to talk about, the topics thatyou're gonna talk about.
You've chosen a couple ofdifferent outfits so that you
can change outfits during thetwo hours.
You you've taped on differentdays, and you decide how many uh
snippets of video you are goingto create, whether it's 10, 20,
(31:08):
whatever you can do in those twohours.
Again, it's you're taping it, soit doesn't have to be perfect.
If you don't like the firsttape, the uh the first um what
is the first taping, you don'thave to use it.
Redo it.
So give yourself that grace, butalso set aside those two hours
every week, and you could atleast get 10 or 15 little
(31:29):
snippets of video, two minuteslong at least, that you have in
store, and then you couldschedule them out on your
calendar.
So batching is a big thing.
I actually just started wearingmetaglasses, so I'm I I am Ah,
how's that going?
You know what?
I kind of like I kind of I'malways wearing sunglasses.
I'm known for my sunglasses, soit can come in pretty handy.
(31:51):
So I'm I'm wearing them, andwhen something catches my
attention or I feel I can getsome video, some point of view
video out of it, I'm grabbingpoint of view video.
So it's I try my best to be asefficient, work smarter, not
harder.
And that's how I'm capturingvideo and making time to get my
(32:12):
content together.
That's one great example.
SPEAKER_00 (32:15):
Cool.
I love it.
Those are great examples, yeah.
Um, all right.
Next is uh looking at theevolution of personal branding.
How should digital leadersprepare for the future of video
visibility?
Because, like you said, it'sit's everywhere.
There's not really any gettingkind of like AI.
There's no getting away from it.
SPEAKER_03 (32:31):
There's no getting away from it.
Um, that's a great question.
How to prepare for it.
Think long and hard about whatif you're going to put yourself
out there as an entrepreneur,what do you want, how do you
want to be seen?
What do you want your message tobe?
Who do you want to serve?
That's a big question.
Because you need to know thatbefore you start anything.
(32:52):
And again, that goes back to thetarget audience because once you
figure out who you want toserve, you can start to focus in
on them and creating startbuilding relationships with them
where they live online.
unknown (33:06):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (33:07):
I love it.
Love it.
Great advice.
You know, and sometimes it'sjust a matter of ripping off the
band-aid, little baby steps at atime.
SPEAKER_03 (33:14):
My my yoga teacher, I've said this before, always
says the first time is thehardest.
SPEAKER_00 (33:19):
Yeah.
Yes.
I tell that.
Even to my kids a lot.
My daughter wanted to trydiving.
Um, she's doing swim team andwas like, I'm gonna, I might try
diving, but I'm really scared.
I said, It's okay to be scared.
I said, What if you just showedup?
What if you just showed up andtalked to the coaches and shared
your fears so that they couldtalk you through like safety
practices or you could justwatch and see what it's like for
(33:39):
other students to do it.
SPEAKER_03 (33:41):
Um I'm a diver out of the water for a while, but
every time I'm going to get inthe water, I'm scared.
So now obviously the first timewas the scariest, but tell her
to do it.
It is the thing.
Oh my god.
SPEAKER_00 (33:57):
She's gonna keep trying.
She showed up and she was upsetwith herself because she wasn't
able to get on the diving boardand do it.
But I was like, You showed up.
That was like the first stop,and you always have the option
to go back.
SPEAKER_03 (34:08):
This is funny because you said diving.
I automatically thought scubadiving.
Oh scuba.
SPEAKER_00 (34:14):
Oh yeah, no, diving off a diving board.
Yeah, scuba.
She wants to do scuba.
She does not maybe once we're inthe water and trying it, she'll
get a little afraid.
But she snuggles and stuff likethat.
She's a great okay.
SPEAKER_03 (34:25):
Yeah, I'd be afraid.
Yeah, I don't know.
SPEAKER_00 (34:27):
You're like, never mind, I ain't diving off a
diving board.
But I love that you did scuba.
That's awesome.
That's something I we bothwanted to get certified in.
Okay.
Well, we have a question fromone of our live listeners,
Melanie.
Thanks for dropping the questionin the chat.
Are there ways I can utilizevideo without literally being on
camera?
Here we go.
We're still avoiding it, aren'twe?
Yes, do POV VO videos.
SPEAKER_03 (34:47):
Yeah, point of view videos where that means you're
shooting.
You're talking, you could hearyou.
I hope you if you like yourvoice, your voice can carry the
conversation, but you're justshooting in front of you and
your it's your point of view.
Then you have um different uh AItools that you can um that you
can use so that you're puttingB-roll, which is video visuals
(35:08):
of the story over to tell thestory, as opposed to having you
on camera.
So yeah, there are differentways.
unknown (35:14):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (35:15):
So then I her second like part of that question is is
a great follow-up too.
It's like, does do those videosdo as well on um online?
Like is in the from aperformance standpoint, do POVs
and voiceover videos versus likeperson on camera do as well?
You know what?
What you've seen.
SPEAKER_03 (35:33):
The the um point of view videos, they people are
having fun with it.
It depends on what you'reshooting, and um, but obviously
being on camera is morepersonal, so there's no getting
around it.
You're you're putting a face, aface to the voice and a person
to the experience.
SPEAKER_00 (35:51):
So yeah, I would agree.
Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_03 (35:53):
Yeah, there's no doubt about that.
SPEAKER_00 (35:55):
Because it's one of those things that's like
marketing to like most marketerswe know, faces are what people
want to see.
But I will say there's like, youknow, I've I've young kids, so
they're like watching YouTubefolks, and um, which is still
weird and beyond me, but um, oneof them, one of their favorite
ones, she is a crafter and acreator, and so she has like a
little character.
I can't even think of his nameright now, but they haven't
(36:16):
watched him for a minute, butthey were obsessed with their
videos for a while.
And then you just see her handsand her voice and the character.
And the character to me was kindof an expression of her and who
she was.
Um, and so she would have him belike the the the the the kind of
thing that you could see andrelate to, which I thought was
kind of an interesting strategybecause the kids loved the
little character and the littleguy, and that was like her way
(36:39):
of connecting to the audiencewithout putting her face on
camera.
SPEAKER_03 (36:41):
Yeah, and there are a couple of chefs who are out
there who are they're justcooking, you just see their
hands and the ingredients, andyou're not seeing their faces.
So I can't think of the namesoff the top, but yeah, yeah, it
can work in some instances.
It all depends on what it isyou're covering.
SPEAKER_00 (36:56):
Yeah, a hundred percent.
Yeah, maybe you can get creativewith it even.
All right.
Uh let's go to the our powerround questions.
Live listening audience.
If you have additionalquestions, we have time.
You feel free to ask them.
That's why we're here.
All right, this is a good one.
First thing you do to shake offon-camera nerves because that's
real.
SPEAKER_03 (37:14):
Yeah.
Well, always remember thatyou're the expert.
But yes, being on camera can benerve-wracking.
So I would say that you canpractice in the front of the
mirror.
Practice, practice, practice,practice in front of the mirror.
And you can say to yourself, Iknow what I'm talking about.
I'm the expert.
I know what I'm talking about.
Um, we you and I were talkingabout getting the questions
(37:34):
beforehand.
I know we never did that in whenyou're on live TV, you don't
have that.
Um, or you know, you don't wantto get yourself confused.
You don't want to get confusedby what you're saying.
You're the expert.
Think slowly, think fast, slow,speak slowly.
That's what it is.
Yeah.
And that's one of the best waysto just kind of relax.
SPEAKER_00 (37:57):
I love that.
That is a good piece of adviceto sometimes just slow it down.
One of my favorite tricks islike your nervous system doesn't
know the difference between umexcited and scared.
And so if you're getting nervousright before you go on camera
for something, I will just tellmyself, I'm just really excited
to be here.
I'm really excited to do this.
I'm really just that's what itis.
(38:17):
And it kind of tricks your body,your brain, that you're using
your brain to kind of trick yourbody into saying like these
sensory feelings, these feelingsthat I'm having, you know, it
really has more to do with thenarrative that's up in my head
versus like what's actuallygoing on in my body because it
really won't know thedifference.
And so it's worked for me.
You guys can try it if it helpsyou.
Uh, best piece of videoequipment under 50 bucks that
(38:38):
changes everything for us wholike to go out and get the
tools.
SPEAKER_03 (38:41):
Oh my gosh.
I would say you'd have to have agood mic, a lavalier mic.
People will tolerate bad video,but they won't tolerate bad
audio.
SPEAKER_00 (38:50):
So that is a great point.
SPEAKER_03 (38:52):
Yeah, I would say that's one piece of equipment
that you should focus ongetting.
SPEAKER_00 (38:57):
I love it.
Great piece of advice.
And um, our heart cast mediafriends here in Mali and Matt
would definitely agree.
Uh, all right, your go-toconfidence booster before
hitting record.
SPEAKER_03 (39:09):
Oh, um, my go-to confidence booster.
Like I said earlier, I know whatI'm talking about.
Yeah, yeah.
I'm the expert.
I know, I know this inside out.
Um, and don't be afraid to sayyou don't know the answer.
SPEAKER_00 (39:25):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (39:26):
Don't yeah, don't try and fluff it.
Don't try and pretend.
Yeah, if you don't know ananswer, just say you don't know
it, or you can get back towhoever's asking the question,
but don't, yeah, don't take it.
Pretending's exhausting, isn'tit?
SPEAKER_00 (39:42):
If you're the expert, can we just not?
I'm the expert.
I know.
SPEAKER_03 (39:46):
I know what I'm saying.
SPEAKER_00 (39:48):
Oh, I love it.
Yeah, you know what you know,and that's definitely something
to step in with.
But when you don't, gosh, justlet's not even pretend.
Like, why?
Yeah.
I love it.
It's authenticity,vulnerability, all the things we
need right now in life.
All right.
One video myth you wish that youcould delete forever.
SPEAKER_03 (40:07):
Oh, that's a good one.
We talked about being perfect,but that you have to be on all
the platforms.
But I think people getoverwhelmed.
I think they feel as though, oh,I can't post everywhere, and you
don't need to post everywhere.
Choose the two platforms whereyou think your target audience
resides, lives, and and focus onposting them.
SPEAKER_00 (40:29):
Yeah, that's great.
100%.
Absolutely.
Don't exhaust yourself trying tobe everywhere and everything to
everyone.
SPEAKER_03 (40:35):
Exactly.
You can't please everyone.
And I'd say have a YouTubechannel.
That's the other thing.
Have a YouTube channel.
SPEAKER_00 (40:41):
Yeah, if you're doing a video, you gotta be on
there.
That one, like it or not.
All right, we've got one morequestion.
Currently, I'm selling for avideo production studio that's
super tiny, but I don't own it.
Do you have any tips as someonewho is the face of a brand but
isn't the owner?
Sometimes I feel like I amputting too much of my
personality into the company andI'm afraid of feeling
inauthentic.
SPEAKER_03 (41:03):
Oh, that's a good question.
SPEAKER_00 (41:06):
That's an interesting spot to be in.
SPEAKER_03 (41:07):
Yeah, she's he or she is working for a company and
they're using their personalityto build the brand's company.
So her quest the question is,how do they?
SPEAKER_00 (41:20):
And so she's selling.
So how does she how do you haveany tips for do you have any
tips for someone who is the faceof a brand?
So it sounds like she's actuallylike herself, like is the part
of the brand that she isselling, um, who isn't the
owner.
SPEAKER_03 (41:36):
Okay.
But she still wants to sell theproduct.
SPEAKER_00 (41:41):
Yep, she says sometimes I feel like I'm
putting too much of mypersonality into the company and
I'm afraid of feeling of feelinginauthentic.
SPEAKER_03 (41:49):
Oh, that's a good I'm gonna have to think about
that one.
What do you what do you think?
SPEAKER_00 (41:55):
Um, I think my question would be why isn't the
owner the personality that'sbeing put forward into the brand
versus the person who's doingthe selling?
Because ultimately, if you're asmall independent business, um
usually we're buy we're buyingfrom, like you said, people we
like know and trust.
Um, and then again, so as theperson who is doing the selling,
(42:16):
that's hard.
So it sounds like that the ownerisn't really the front kind of
face person.
SPEAKER_03 (42:23):
And so she's being on camera, and they're using
this person is a better personon camera.
So is there a way to she saysshe answered my question?
SPEAKER_00 (42:37):
She said, Oh well, great question.
He likes being behind the scenesand trusting his team to run
things.
So I think in that if that's thecase, I would also then say, you
know, use your personality tobuild the relationships and do
the selling, but make sure thebrand is well defined so that
you're not having to make theextra emotional effort and
(42:58):
putting your personality intoplay where there is a lack of
brand.
It sounds like there's a lack ofbranding.
SPEAKER_03 (43:04):
But there must be something about her personality
that is appealing.
Yeah, she wouldn't have beenchosen.
SPEAKER_00 (43:09):
Yeah, which I mean you could work into the brand.
SPEAKER_03 (43:12):
That's what I'm thinking.
You could work into the brandbecause there's something about
your personality that the ownerlikes or feels like.
So you must be good at it.
And um, yeah, so that's I thinkyou should look at that too.
What is it, how you can betterdefine the brand so that you
feel better about what you'redoing.
(43:33):
But it's obvious that you havesome type of talent.
That's why you're there.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (43:37):
Yeah, no, exactly.
It sounds like they're lucky tohave our.
Um, and it is that thing oflike, um, what was I getting
ready to say?
It was like uh brand.
Um shit, it was a good one too.
It was like something along thelines of oh, brand should be a
sales enablement tool.
Sales should not be enablingbrand.
That's a little backwards.
(43:57):
Like you should make sure thatthe brand is there and well
defined to enable how you sell.
It shouldn't be that like thesales, like the your personality
should be enabling, like a salesshould not be enabling the
brand.
Like you need to accept thebrand first because what's going
to happen is as a business, ifyou're ever going to scale or
grow, or if you leave or youlike something happens and
(44:19):
you're not there anymore, likewhere does the selling and how
does the selling happen?
That's why the brand has to kindof come and be there first as a
tool for enable for salesenablement, not sales enabling
the brand, because then you'resetting up a volatile situation
for your business.
And this is more advice for yourboss than you, honestly.
SPEAKER_03 (44:35):
Yeah, that's the boss to and say that
conversation with her boss.
But right.
SPEAKER_00 (44:40):
Well, it's as if he's trusting to for them to run
things.
I think it would be fair foryou, Melanie, to go back and
say, listen, I'm putting a lotof myself into the selling and
it's feeling like it's takingthe place of your brand.
I want your brand to be knownand established so that people
have trust in you and what youprovide and do as a company
versus just me.
Because I always have that wholeif I get hit by a bus tomorrow
(45:01):
theory, it's like, if I'm gonetomorrow, God for like forbid,
whatever that might be.
I never wanted to ever, and thisis just being overly responsible
on my part, but I never wantedto leave any company I worked
for in the lurch.
I wanted to make sure that myprocess, my communications were
documented in a place that madeit so that if there was a
transition that needed tohappen, it could happen.
unknown (45:25):
But yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (45:26):
Did you like that?
Okay, Melanie, I hope that worksfor you.
SPEAKER_00 (45:28):
Yeah, I hope that helps.
She did.
She put it with a little heart.
Okay.
Fantastic.
Yeah, no, great question.
I love it.
And again, you know, when youask those questions, what's
that, hon?
SPEAKER_03 (45:41):
That was a good one.
No, that was a great question.
SPEAKER_00 (45:43):
And and people, when you ask questions, like there's
other people that are sittinghere listening that might be in
a similar situation, either now,in the past, or in the future.
And you just help them out byasking a really great question.
So thank you so much forbringing it to us.
All right, friends.
I think, let's see.
Yep, that's it.
We got to the last myth bustingquestion.
Deborah, thank you so much forgiving all these amazing.
SPEAKER_03 (46:06):
Great conversation.
SPEAKER_00 (46:07):
Yeah, very powerful insights, all about turning um
visibility and strategic um intoa strategic advantage.
And hopefully it has encouragedyou all to just even just like I
said, five percent, just alittle bit more.
Just let yourselves be visible alittle bit more.
We absolutely need you um forall of you to step into your
video power.
And um, Deborah, I want peopleto know where can they connect
(46:29):
with you?
Oh where can they find you?
SPEAKER_03 (46:31):
Deborah Mitchell Media and Associates.com.
Go to the website, you can findme there or on LinkedIn, Deborah
Debbie Mitchell, Deborah DebbieMitchell.
SPEAKER_00 (46:39):
Debbie, all right, Debbie.
Uh, into our Together Digitalcommunity.
Remember that showing up onvideo isn't just about being
seen.
It's about claiming your spaceand sharing your expertise with
intention, as Debbie shared withus earlier.
If you're ready to harness thatpower of visibility alongside
some other women in digital, besure to join us.
Learn more about theorganization,
togetherindigital.com.
Until next time, friends, thankyou so much for showing up and
(47:02):
being here with us today and forlistening.
Um, until next time, keepasking, keep giving, and keep
growing.
We hope to see you soon.
Bye, everybody.
Hello everyone and welcome to our weekly Power
Lounge.
This is your place to hearauthentic conversations from
those who have power to share.
My name is Amy Vaughn and I amthe owner and chief empowerment
officer of Together Digital, adiverse and collaborative
community of women who work indigital and choose to share
their knowledge, power, andconnections.
You can join the movement atTogetherindigital.com.
(00:31):
And today we are joined bysomeone who has transformed
personal challenges intoprofessional power moves.
Just the kind of lady we love tohave here in the power lounge.
Deborah J.
Mitchell is an Emmy nominatedproducer, video marketing
strategist, and founder ofDeborah Mitchell Media and
Associates with over 20 years instorytelling media and media,
(00:52):
from co-hosting alongsideGeraldo Rivera, maybe you've
heard of him, to producing theCBS for CBS News.
Deborah has mastered the art ofhelping executives and
entrepreneurs turn videovisibility into business growth.
What makes her storyparticularly compelling is how
she has navigated caregivingresponsibilities and career
(01:13):
pivots to become a CEO who nowempowers others, especially
women of color, to claim theirdigital space and authority and
authenticity.
Deborah, I can't tell you howexcited we are to have you here
with us today.
SPEAKER_03 (01:26):
Oh my gosh, thank you for having me.
What a great time we're gonnahave.
SPEAKER_00 (01:30):
I know, absolutely.
And I think so many of ourmembers and listeners today are
going to be able to relate toeverything I just read through
because some of them are in thethick of some of that right now.
And I think having women on likeyou, Deborah, just gives us hope
that there is the other side.
SPEAKER_03 (01:47):
Oh, there is hope, and we you can get to the other
side.
It's gonna take a little work,but you can get to the other
side, definitely.
SPEAKER_00 (01:55):
So, live listeners, we know we love to hear
questions from you.
You are the reason why we'rehere.
So if you have a question, ifyou have a comment, anything
like that, please drop it intothe chat.
We'll make sure we hear you.
We make sure we'll make sure youget we get your question asked.
Thank you all for joining ustoday.
All right, so Deborah, you havehad an incredible journey from
network television to finding uhfounding your own video
marketing firm.
(02:16):
You know, I know it doesn'talways come down to any one
pivotal moment, but um, when wasit that you realized, or what
was it that made you realizethat video visibility wasn't
just about being on camera?
It was actually about wieldingpower.
SPEAKER_03 (02:29):
Well, you know, the interesting thing is working in
television my entire career, Ialways knew the power of video.
Being on television, being infront of an audience on a
regular basis.
Your audience gets to know you.
They um feel that you arefriends, whether it's their
character or in real life.
So I actually spent some time ontelevision.
I was Geraldo's co-host for afew years.
(02:50):
So people would see me in thestreet and talk to me as though
we were friends.
So I knew the power of video.
What was interesting was afterthe pandemic or during the
pandemic, when everyone wentonline, that was the time where
I saw the power of video, how itcould actually work for you
online.
Now everyone has video on theirphones.
Every video is accessible.
(03:11):
You can post whenever you want.
Anyone can find you any place inthe world, can anyone can Google
you or look you up.
So the fact that you have videonow accessible on your
smartphone, that's what's that'shuge.
So yeah, you see the powerthere.
And people building communitywith the video online.
SPEAKER_00 (03:30):
Yeah, exactly.
We were just talking about that,weren't we?
Yeah.
How you know through TogetherDigital and the shifts and the
dynamics we've had to makechanges in and do a lot of Zoom
networking now, which soundsreally atrocious, but I promise
you all, it has literally led tosome of the best friendships of
my life.
And I've I literally was tellingDeborah right before we got on.
I was like, I spent all week inCosta Rica with my good friend
Molly.
(03:50):
Um, because like it just you canstill, you can like connect, you
can resonate with people.
And I think you're so right.
And I love it so much, Deborah,because I feel like you're
putting words to things that weoften think, but we don't
capitalize on, right?
We don't actually like take thatconcerted effort to say, oh,
there's something here.
How do I leverage this and andmake it work in my favor?
(04:14):
So on that note, like I said,with the colonels, like the this
is quote unquote Zoom fatigue.
I even as somebody who's aformer creative director who
produced a lot of videos, I Inever wanted to be on the other
side of the camera.
That's hard, even for me now,right?
And I know a lot of ourlisteners and women within our
community show up or struggle toshow up consistently on video.
(04:36):
What do you think is like thebiggest misconception about
video visibility that holds, Iwant to say professionals, but
also just women in general backfrom getting started?
SPEAKER_03 (04:46):
I would say the biggest obstacle, and I've heard
this because I did a surveyrecently because I have a
webinar series coming up, and Ihear it all the time.
They want to be perfect.
They want everything to beperfect, look good and sound
good.
So they're either telling methey don't like the way their
voice sounds or they don't likethe way they look.
They don't know what colors towear, they don't know how to
come off as professional.
(05:07):
They get paralyzed by trying tobe perfect, and you don't have
to be perfect.
SPEAKER_01 (05:12):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (05:12):
As a matter of fact, being not being perfect plays in
your favor because it really isrelatable.
It's it humanizes you.
You know, absolutely,absolutely.
So, yeah, that's I think thebiggest problem that that women
or any or most people have whenit comes to doing on camera and
creating video content.
SPEAKER_00 (05:29):
Yeah.
I love that.
It reminds me of a story I heardof a college professor who was
like at an Ivy League school andyou know, fought and worked so
hard to get to where he wasgetting and needed to come in
and command the um, you know,respect of his students from day
one, he felt, um, based on kindof the culture and like the
implications of him having goneto an Ivy League school.
(05:49):
And he rode his bike um to classthat day and literally
splattered mud all up thebackside of his pants to he
looked like he pooped himself.
And he was like, Oh my God, Icannot walk into this classroom.
But if class is starting, Idon't have an option.
And he was like, Why am Iworrying about this?
Why?
Why am I even caring?
(06:10):
Walked in, turned around, showedthe classes ass and was like,
Look what happened to me on theway in the day.
This is why you get a splashcard for the back of your bike.
And everybody laughed.
And he was like, Listen, we allare coming into a new classroom
and a new environment.
And he's like, I want you guysto know that you're allowed to
be vulnerable.
Like, that's how you learn is byfalling down, by failing, by not
(06:31):
doing the right thing, by notalways thinking ahead into the
next step.
And sometimes it just means youjust kind of have to show up
with the mistake on yourbackside and own it.
And it like he said that changedhow his class saw him and the
respect he got from them wasinsurmountable in the ways in
which they showed up for himafter that.
SPEAKER_03 (06:50):
But if you think about TV, one of the more
popular shows are bloopers whenyou do that.
Oh my God, yeah.
You know, everybody loves you,you catch them off guard,
they're making mistakes,everybody's relaxed, and that's
what makes it fun.
And it humanizes you.
So yeah, it's so true.
Exactly.
SPEAKER_00 (07:06):
We're trying so hard to be perfect when everybody
just wants imperfection.
SPEAKER_03 (07:10):
That's what it is.
Yeah.
So good, Deborah.
SPEAKER_00 (07:13):
Perfect, yeah.
All right.
So you have navigated.
This is another big topic withinTogether Digital.
In fact, we have a channel onSlack just for um uh just for
caregivers, um, for agingparents, and then a parenting
channel as well.
Um, you were doing this as youwere building your CEO journey.
What, what, how did those dualresponsibilities actually
(07:35):
strengthen your approach toauthentic leadership on camera?
SPEAKER_03 (07:39):
Okay, so first I'm gonna tell you, I've interviewed
many caregivers.
I've done stories on it, I'vedone stories on entrepreneurs.
Being a caregiver and being anentrepreneur are two of the
hardest things I've ever done.
So yeah, to them together isjust it's just been
unbelievable.
And um, what being a caregiverhas taught me, I've had to be
very focused on what I'm doingwith my mom.
(08:00):
She's 96 now.
She requires time, she requiresmy attention, the paperwork that
I have to fill out, there'smaneuver.
So I had to realize that Icouldn't be as perfect as a
business person, the way I usedto be when I was producing full
time and that's what all I wasfocused on.
I had to give myself grace.
So I wasn't able to be in thebusiness the way I would usually
(08:22):
be if it was just the business Iwas focusing on.
So I think that's one of thebiggest lessons that I learned.
Give yourself grace and you haveto be organized.
Learn to be, learn how to manageyour time because you have to
divvy up the time that it takesto do the caregiving and then do
what you need to do for yourbusiness.
So I've learned and I've learnedto be a more patient leader
(08:45):
because nobody knows what I'mgoing, what's going on with me
when I'm caregiving for my mom.
I may not be able to, maybe, maynot be able to show up at
networking events the way I usedto.
I'm working from home.
I'm I have to take care of momfirst, but I have to realize
other people might be goingthrough the same thing.
So as a leader, it's uh I'vejust been a little bit more
(09:06):
patient and more understandingbecause you don't know what
other people are going through.
And a lot of us are trying tojuggle 10 million things at the
same time.
And you can't do everything allat the same time.
SPEAKER_00 (09:16):
No, you can't.
Um, that space and grace is sonecessary when you're playing
multiple roles for multiplepeople like that.
Um, because you know, as much asyou need to do that for
everybody else, it needs to bedone for yourself.
I think look back to before Iwas a parent and before my mom
needed me for caregiving asmuch.
(09:36):
And yeah, I'm like, oh my God,what did I do with my time?
I think I always joke and say,for women who get penalized for
having kids and then trying tocome back to the workforce, like
I am more productive, I am morefocused on my time, I am more
intentional, I am more drivenand committed to earning and in
my career and making sure thatwork is good so that I can go
(09:57):
home and have my quality timewith my kids and creating
boundaries.
And I'm just always like, yeah,yeah, like being a parent and
being a caretaker is 100,000percent made me a better leader
because on the other side ofthat too, it's made you more
empathetic.
I was looking at and like, notthat I was ever like pegging
moms as lazy, as I've heard somepeople say, or that they don't
(10:17):
have their priority straight,which is absolutely ridiculous.
Heard that once from anotherwoman who was an HR too, by the
way.
Lovely.
But it gave me empathy to think,wow, like I I kind of took for
granted all these reallypowerful, strong women leaders
that I had who were doing thedual role of leader and parent.
Um, and knowing the stats andwhere particularly mothers are
(10:38):
with the parenting load.
SPEAKER_03 (10:40):
You don't know somebody else's shoes.
That's what I have kids, I don'thave children, so it was this
was really a new experience.
SPEAKER_00 (10:49):
You're like, wait a minute.
Like, whoa.
SPEAKER_03 (10:53):
Yeah, it's really, and she depends, she needs me.
So it she comes first, and youknow, I have learned to be a
better person as a kid.
SPEAKER_00 (11:02):
She's got a fantastic daughter.
That's important.
Thank you.
Love it.
Oh, you're doing a good job.
It ain't easy.
Like I said, that's why we gotthat caregiver change.
SPEAKER_03 (11:10):
And November is family caregivers month.
SPEAKER_00 (11:12):
So to all the caregivers Oh, yay!
SPEAKER_03 (11:15):
November's family caregivers month.
Give a caregiver a hug.
SPEAKER_00 (11:19):
I did not know that.
Oh my god, give them a 10-minutehug because they need it.
Nobody, it's like one of thosethings when you're a teenager
like, I can't wait to tell youwhat to do.
Dude, parenting a parent sucks.
SPEAKER_03 (11:28):
This is a good transition because I really m
people who know me know that I'mcaring for my mom, but I never
put mom on video.
I never put her out as part ofmy my, I don't want to say my
brand, but I just didn't put herout on video.
But this month I've decided todo that.
And you know, she's gotten morelikes or more comments than
everyone's gonna love mom.
(11:49):
Yeah.
So just be her.
And so um, yeah, it'sinteresting because the content
that you put out, it doesn'talways have to be, it has to be
a compilation of who you are,and so yeah, you're putting out
the the information about yourbrand and who you are and the
work you do.
But again, I talk abouthumanizing.
I'm all just putting anotherside to my life, and so you
(12:12):
know, you decide, you controlwhat you can put out there.
And so I've decided for thismonth to put a little bit of a
little bit of a little bit of alittle bit.
SPEAKER_00 (12:17):
Oh, I know that.
I think that's great.
Um, it actually reminded me of afriend of mine, Cindy Gallup,
who's I love following her onLinkedIn.
And she um has done that fromtime to time.
And in fact, if I don't see apost of mom after a while, I'm
like, okay, yeah, how's mom?
Um, because again, like I thinkit's that humanization, it's
(12:39):
that um vulnerability that opensup and allows others to speak
their truths and to share theirrealities as well, which is so
necessary.
Um, let's let's shift it to someof our audience here too about
specifically challenged forwomen of color and digital
visibility.
Um, I'd be curious to hear likewhat have been the struggles
there, and then what are some ofthe strategies that you've
(13:01):
developed to help themspecifically create and claim
their space with confidence andauthority?
SPEAKER_03 (13:06):
So I'm gonna break it up into two categories.
First of all, the women, I'mgonna age-wise, I'm gonna break
it up.
I'm from the where you go toschool, get all your degrees,
you get a job, and you hunkerdown and you do your work.
Yeah, that is no longer thecase.
You're not getting the rewardsthat you used to.
So with the major layoffs thatyou've had with that we've had,
(13:26):
what is it, over 300,000 womenof color have been put out into
the out of the workforce, andnow they have to decide what's
next.
So they're gonna look for workor they're going to start many
of them are gonna try and starttheir own company, which is why
not use the expertise that youuse to build and work for your
for an organization to buildyour own company.
(13:46):
So I talked to them aboutupgrading their skills.
AI is not going away.
No, you can't ignore it.
So you have to take on all theskills that you can so that you
can be competitive and upgradeyour uh abilities, your
expertise using AI.
So that's really important.
(14:07):
The younger generation who arecoming out of school, they
they're growing up with it.
So they already thinkdifferently about how they work.
So lean into them too.
You have a niece, daughter,nephew, whoever.
Not yet.
Yeah, it the younger generation,lean into them so that they can
help you.
Then also look for othercompanies, other individuals who
are working in the space.
I just met a young lady, um,Kelly Charles Collins.
(14:30):
She's created this greatprogram, Mobile Operations
Systems, where it helps you tofocus your business, figure out
your revenue, and help youfigure out what you're going to
put out there to your targetaudience.
So I'm taking a lot of classes.
I'm constantly taking classes,I'm constantly looking at ways
that I can reach my audience inthe newest way with the newest
tools.
(14:50):
And women of color, I think it'sa great opportunity for women of
color because in we're usuallyshut down in the corporate
world.
We don't get to speak to ourbest, the best of our abilities.
But when you create your ownstage online, that's your
opportunity.
That's your show.
So it's your opportunity to putyour expertise out there.
So I think it's a great, a greattime for women of color to be
(15:13):
out there online.
SPEAKER_00 (15:15):
Yeah, oh, a thousand percent.
Because, like you said, it'slike if you're not gonna give me
a seat at the table, I'm gonnago over here and build my own
damn table.
I love that.
SPEAKER_01 (15:21):
Exactly.
SPEAKER_00 (15:22):
You know, and I think it's I for all women,
that's such an important thingto think about and consider
that, you know, if I will getthe room, the space, and the
voice, where can I go?
Because somebody needs to hearyou.
Somebody needs to hear you.
Somebody, we need you in theworld.
We need your voice.
Like so, whatever way you can dothat.
SPEAKER_03 (15:39):
Absolutely.
So make put your voice outthere, and this is the time.
So once you decide to start yourbusiness, you got to figure out
who your target audience is.
What's the message?
Your why.
Why are you putting yourself outthere?
What is the message?
What do you want to say to them?
What problem do you want tosolve of theirs?
And then you create your plan.
So I'm big on planning,strategy, and executing.
(16:00):
And so I tell that to all myclients, no matter what, what
you're doing.
That's how you start.
SPEAKER_00 (16:05):
Yeah.
Oh, you're gonna love thistogether digital community so
much, Deborah.
Like they are all lifelonglearners, they are go-getters,
you know, and they all comedifferent shape, sizes, age,
backgrounds, everything.
But that that one thing remainstrue.
It's just the tenacity to keeplearning and to keep looking for
the opportunities when peoplearen't opening the doors for
you.
(16:25):
You're going and building andfinding the doors.
So yeah, yeah.
I love it so much.
Um, all right, let's talk aboutum working kind of between
because we have a we have a goodmix within our community as
well.
We have a lot of women who arestill within corporate or
agencies, so like corporateexecutives, but then we also
have this emergence ofentrepreneurs, which I agree
with you.
That number of womenspecifically is growing and it
(16:47):
makes me excited.
It's out of the circumstancesand it's not in the most ideal
circumstances, but by golly, I'mglad it's happening.
What do you feel is thedifference between creating
video content and creating videocontent that actually converts
viewers into clients, especiallyfor our entrepreneurial folks?
Because that sometimes feelslike a challenge, right too, as
you're doing your planning andyour strategy and your
(17:09):
messaging.
It's like, I don't want to sayall these things, but what is
actually moving the needle forme?
SPEAKER_03 (17:15):
So I would say you can create what the content is
gonna convert is the contentthat content that resonates with
your target audience.
So first you need to know whoyour target audience is, where
you're gonna find them, where dothey live, what platforms.
Um, and then figure out theirpro what problem are you gonna
solve for them?
I'm actually I I'm doing asurvey with some of my clients
(17:37):
because I want to find out whattheir challenges are when it
comes to video.
Uh again, being on camera isone.
Uh another one, another I hearis that they don't have the time
to create video.
They don't have the budget tocreate video.
So, you know, though that'simportant information for me to
use because okay, if enough ofyou are saying it, then that's
(17:59):
definitely something that it's apain point.
I need to help you solve it.
So that's how I'm gonna come upwith my content.
I'm gonna use that informationto figure out, answer those
questions.
And you'd be surprised, again,using AI to help with your
content as far as pushing itout, but also putting your touch
on it as far as what you'regonna bring to solving their
(18:21):
problem.
So, yeah, I definitely saythat's the first place.
That's the difference.
Fantastic listening, it's sokey.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (18:28):
Um, and falling in love with the problem, not the
solution.
I think that's another thingtoo.
We often think that we have tolike market ourselves, which
feels kind of ick to somepeople.
Um, but at the end of the day,it's like, but I have something
to offer.
I have I want to help people.
So what is the problem and howdo I speak to the problem in a
way, like you said, that relatesto them?
So that then they are like,okay, she is a trusted resource,
(18:49):
she knows what she's doing.
Yeah.
Um, and you build thatcredibility and then you create
that awareness, and then youmake it relatable, and there you
go.
SPEAKER_03 (18:56):
Like and be consistent, don't just go up and
disappear.
Be consistent because people dobusiness with people they know,
like, and trust.
I hear, you know, and I'm Idon't come from sales at all.
I'm a term sales but you knowit.
SPEAKER_00 (19:08):
But I know it.
SPEAKER_03 (19:09):
And so the way someone said, well, sales is
kind of like booking a guest fora show.
I was like, oh, I guess it is ina way, because you meet someone
and you're talking to them,getting to know them, and you're
trying to get their interviews.
So in a way, it's this it's thesame.
But you want to be um, you wantto be compassionate, you want to
be, you really do want tolisten, you do want to care, and
(19:30):
you don't want to be salesy.
It doesn't have to be aboutsell, sell, sell.
It's about really helping theperson solve their problem.
Agree.
SPEAKER_00 (19:37):
That feels so much better.
Feels better to you, feelsbetter to them.
And a thousand percent on theconsistency.
That's a great call out rightthere.
All right.
Um, I would love to hear maybe alittle bit about a time when
some strategic video visibility,that was hard to say,
dramatically transformedsomeone's business trajectory.
(19:58):
Like, what was it that made thedifference?
I'd love to hear some storiesabout like the success you've
had with your clients in thepast.
SPEAKER_03 (20:04):
Okay, so I'm gonna have to talk about my my main
client who I love to death, theAmazon conservation team, the
president, the founder, Dr.
Mark Mark J.
Plotkin.
He we actually got togetherduring the pandemic when
everybody was locked down, hecouldn't travel, nothing.
So he always wanted to do apodcast.
And I started working with himon the podcast, and it has
(20:29):
surpassed a million downloadsseven seasons.
And I didn't know a lot aboutthe Amazon, I've learned so much
from him.
He's a well-respectedethnobotanist, so I was like,
okay.
So cool.
Yes, and he has his community,and they are a devoted
community.
So, you know, to see him grow,because when we started, it was
(20:52):
just Mark on the mic talkingeach episode.
And I say, Mark, you know, let'sinvite some guests to be on.
And it took a little while to umto get to that point where we
had guests on, but then hestarted inviting guests on.
And so it was the back andforth, the conversation that
they were having, made took thetook took the episodes up to
(21:12):
another level.
So it was just really good tosee the growth.
And then we started doingmultiple part series, and then
so all of this took time.
And again, people come in, uhyou meet them where they are.
In the beginning, he just wantedto do it himself, and that was
great, but slowly over time,trust grew, and then we were
(21:33):
able to develop a great product.
So, like I said, we just wrappedseason seven.
He um he was very good friendswith Dr.
Jane Goodall.
She just passed away.
Unfortunately, we didn't get tointerview her before.
But I mean, yeah, but it wasjust really a great experience.
So to surpass a milliondownloads, yeah, that's one of
the great one of our stories.
SPEAKER_00 (21:55):
And what's the podcast called?
I don't know if you mentionedthat.
SPEAKER_03 (21:57):
Oh, Plants of the Gods.
Oh my gosh, it's called Plantsof the Gods.
SPEAKER_00 (22:00):
We got I gotta check it out.
I'm such a nature nerd.
Oh my god, dude, you're gonnalove it.
Jane was like my idol growingup, so yeah, like I'll be tuning
in.
I'll be downloading more.
SPEAKER_03 (22:10):
We've done so many episodes on ayahuasca.
It's our number one topic thatpeople uh people have questions
about, and Mark shares hispersonal experiences, so it's
really great.
Yeah, it's a very good idea.
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (22:21):
I'll try not to nerd out, I'll tamper the nerd out
and I'll I'll get back to ourquestions here, but I'm so going
to go listen to that.
I love it.
All right.
Um, with you mentioned AIearlier, um, which is great
because there's not a minutewe're not talking about it or
thinking about it or using itaround here.
Um, with that plus othertechnologies disrupting content
creation, how do you maintainauthentic human connection while
(22:44):
leveraging these tools?
Because we know that they aregood for efficiency.
SPEAKER_03 (22:47):
Oh, oh, that's a great question.
So, yes, AI is great forautomation and efficiency.
But as I said, you don't justput it into AI, cut and paste.
You have to use it more as anoutline or a template, and you
still have to put your yourtwist.
I put Debbie's twist on whateverI'm doing.
Um, I'm telling my personalstories.
So you don't just rely on it.
(23:09):
I I think that AI could come inhandy for especially the people
who are um afraid of being oncamera.
You could there are so manyoptions that you can use so that
you don't have to be on camera.
Use A, there are so many AR AIsoftwares that are available
that you're writing to B-rolland visuals, so your voice or
other voices.
(23:30):
So I there are definitely waysto use it in uh in a
constructive, instructive way.
SPEAKER_00 (23:36):
Yeah, I love it.
That's great.
Yeah, again, efficiencies andinsights, I feel like that's the
other thing is like having itreview and analyze data because
all it's looking for ispatterns, right?
Just a really good at patternrecognition um and
regurgitation, which issomething else you just have to
be wary of and never necessarilytrust everything because it'll
hallucinate people.
SPEAKER_03 (23:55):
But in that to for your with your information,
that's the thing that people youif you've written articles, if
you've been interviewed, putthat into AI so this beginning
to get your voice, it'sbeginning to know who you are.
You're training it.
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (24:09):
Absolutely.
Love it.
Yeah, make it make it let it dothe robotic things, you do the
human things.
All right.
So you mentioned Tabitha Brownand Jesse Naylor as inspiration
in um some of the stuff that yousent us before this
conversation.
What specific visibilitystrategies could our members
learn from maybe them and theirsuccess stories?
SPEAKER_03 (24:30):
Okay, so I'm gonna talk about Janae first because I
first saw Janae online duringthe pandemic.
She was a fashion influencer,she was she was in her closet
trying on clothes, doing outfitsof the day, and she had a
community, she, a Facebookcommunity where people could
write in and she would interactand talk to talk to us.
And I I was watching her and Isaid, there's something about
(24:52):
this woman.
There's just she used to workfor Target.
That's her start story.
She worked for Target, she uhleft Target when she didn't get
a promotion that she wanted, andshe decided to go online
full-time.
But when I looked at her, Ithought, if I was still in
television, I would book her.
That was one of the fun parts ofbeing about a television
producer.
You'd meet someone and they'dstart talking, and you'd think,
this would be a good guest.
And I looked at her and Ithought, she is gonna go places.
(25:16):
What she has done in the lastfive years is amazing.
She just launched a brand, abrand of sunglasses.
So she has grown her brand fromjust being a not just, but being
a blogger, a fashion influencer,to slowly building a community
of followers and people who aresupporting her.
(25:37):
Brands pay her.
She's able to build put out herown sunglasses line.
But what's great about her isthat she's not afraid to walk.
She tries things and then shewalks away from it if it's not
working.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (25:49):
Oh, great.
SPEAKER_03 (25:49):
And that's, I think, a very valuable lesson for any
entrepreneur.
This is very fluid what we'redoing, being entrepreneurial.
And sometimes you might thinksomething's gonna work, and it
might work for a little while,and then you have to change it
up.
So you have to be ready topivot.
And that's what I that's one ofthe lessons that I actually
learned from her.
And I'm still learning the samething from Tabitha.
A lot of people know TabithaBrown's story.
(26:11):
She also V, got online sharingvegan recipes during the
pandemic.
Ellen, Ellen DeGeneres foundher, put her on, and things just
blew up from there.
It's just unbelievable tounbelievable and amazing and
inspirational to see what thesetwo ladies have done.
And you can do it.
And they've always beenconsistent, they've always be
(26:32):
been authentic.
And that's something else thatpeople want authenticity.
So they've always beenauthentic, and you just want to
relate to them and they've growntheir followers.
And that's those are the lessonsthat I've taken away from the
book.
Those are great.
SPEAKER_00 (26:47):
I love those because I would also say, too, um,
there's just, and maybe thisalso just comes after being like
a going over 40 now, too.
It's like there's just somethingso freeing about owning that
authenticity.
Like we all as women, and youknow, you put on so many masks
in a day to be able to set thoseaside and sit those down and
(27:07):
take those off.
And it's just to me, it's like alittle bit at a time.
Like sometimes it's just alittle bit of trial and error.
And that's what I love aboutcommunity because community is
usually that safe space whereyou can sort of start to show up
authentically and speak yourtruths.
And then it's like, oh, peopleagreed.
Oh, they nodded their heads whenI said that thing that nobody's
ever said.
SPEAKER_01 (27:25):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (27:25):
And it starts to feel so freeing.
And so for those of you who arelistening and thinking, I have
to fit a mold, those two womenare perfect examples of people
who decided not to fit the moldand look at how it served them.
Look at how it served everyperson you choose to follow
online for the most part.
It's likely that they are livingin some sort of truth.
(27:47):
And we see that, and then we'relike, oh, and we compare, and
then we get jealous.
And I'm like, no, follow yourenvy.
It's showing you what you want.
Like you want that freedom.
You want the ability to show upand speak your truths.
And then find do it and findjust how much people are
actually going to appreciate youfor it.
SPEAKER_03 (28:03):
But don't be afraid.
That's I think people areafraid.
Just don't be afraid.
Yeah.
That was well said.
SPEAKER_00 (28:10):
And it's not jumping off the building.
It's not jumping off the edge.
It's just taking a first step.
You know, it's just kind ofshowing up like five percent
more authentic this time thanmaybe you did last time in a
situation where you feel kind offorced to show up and be a
certain way.
And that could be like your nextmeeting at work.
So you get off the listening tothis and your next call, your
next meeting, you're like, I'mgonna ask that hard question.
SPEAKER_03 (28:30):
Ask the question.
Always ask.
All you're gonna get is a no.
That's the one thing I did learnabout being a when I was a
producer.
You gotta ask.
Just ask.
SPEAKER_00 (28:38):
You don't get it otherwise, which is a big part
of Together Digital too, ourask, give, grow.
You know, we really encourageour members to build that muscle
of asking because it's scary atfirst.
But once you learn and then yourealize, oh my gosh, people
actually want to show up andhelp me.
Oh, yeah, I'm gonna do someasking.
And I'm gonna do some giving inthe meantime, too.
But that part comes into it.
SPEAKER_03 (28:56):
Giving and yes.
And you know what you meant?
You there's a good point therebecause you talked about asking,
asking for help too.
I have to tell you, we as women,we're afraid to ask for help.
And okay to ask and accept help.
SPEAKER_00 (29:09):
Oh my gosh.
And you're doing something forthem.
People want to help.
Your friends want to show up,your coworkers want to show you
that they, you know, can dotheir jobs and their roles.
And I think, you know, a lot ofus, you know, at least a lot of
within our group, it's like veryA-type, very strong, very
capable women, but we uh tend tooverfunction.
And then that doesn't give roomor space for other people to
grow and thrive and reach theirpotential because we feel like
(29:31):
we have to be the ones coveringit and doing it all.
But that's a whole other topicfor another day.
We'll come back to that one.
I've got one more question foryou, and then we're gonna go
into our fun little power roundquestions.
Okay.
Um, we've had a couple commentsin the chat, which is great.
It's nice that our livelisteners are here listening to
us.
They agree with us on thebloopers point.
Um, but if you all do have aquestion, don't be afraid,
(29:52):
right?
Ask the questions, drop it inthe chat.
Um, before we go into the powerround, my question I have for
you next is looking at theevolution.
Um oh no, wait.
We actually I skipped aquestion.
I have two.
So um we touched on the whole Idon't I don't have time for
video.
Um so to help that, because I II know that that is a common
(30:14):
thing outside of not wanting tobe seen or on camera or the
perfection time.
What is your framework forcreating consistent strategic
strategic content contentwithout it consuming their
entire schedule?
SPEAKER_03 (30:25):
Got all the words out.
Okay.
I I talked about this before,but I'll say it again.
I'm a big fan of batching videoswhen it comes to creating um
saving time, being efficientwith your time and getting the
most out of it as far as productbatching.
So that means that you decideyou're going to take an hour or
two hours out of your week andyou're gonna create video
(30:47):
content.
So that means you had you'vealready decided on what you want
to talk about, the topics thatyou're gonna talk about.
You've chosen a couple ofdifferent outfits so that you
can change outfits during thetwo hours.
You you've taped on differentdays, and you decide how many uh
snippets of video you are goingto create, whether it's 10, 20,
(31:08):
whatever you can do in those twohours.
Again, it's you're taping it, soit doesn't have to be perfect.
If you don't like the firsttape, the uh the first um what
is the first taping, you don'thave to use it.
Redo it.
So give yourself that grace, butalso set aside those two hours
every week, and you could atleast get 10 or 15 little
(31:29):
snippets of video, two minuteslong at least, that you have in
store, and then you couldschedule them out on your
calendar.
So batching is a big thing.
I actually just started wearingmetaglasses, so I'm I I am Ah,
how's that going?
You know what?
I kind of like I kind of I'malways wearing sunglasses.
I'm known for my sunglasses, soit can come in pretty handy.
(31:51):
So I'm I'm wearing them, andwhen something catches my
attention or I feel I can getsome video, some point of view
video out of it, I'm grabbingpoint of view video.
So it's I try my best to be asefficient, work smarter, not
harder.
And that's how I'm capturingvideo and making time to get my
(32:12):
content together.
That's one great example.
SPEAKER_00 (32:15):
Cool.
I love it.
Those are great examples, yeah.
Um, all right.
Next is uh looking at theevolution of personal branding.
How should digital leadersprepare for the future of video
visibility?
Because, like you said, it'sit's everywhere.
There's not really any gettingkind of like AI.
There's no getting away from it.
SPEAKER_03 (32:31):
There's no getting away from it.
Um, that's a great question.
How to prepare for it.
Think long and hard about whatif you're going to put yourself
out there as an entrepreneur,what do you want, how do you
want to be seen?
What do you want your message tobe?
Who do you want to serve?
That's a big question.
Because you need to know thatbefore you start anything.
(32:52):
And again, that goes back to thetarget audience because once you
figure out who you want toserve, you can start to focus in
on them and creating startbuilding relationships with them
where they live online.
unknown (33:06):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (33:07):
I love it.
Love it.
Great advice.
You know, and sometimes it'sjust a matter of ripping off the
band-aid, little baby steps at atime.
SPEAKER_03 (33:14):
My my yoga teacher, I've said this before, always
says the first time is thehardest.
SPEAKER_00 (33:19):
Yeah.
Yes.
I tell that.
Even to my kids a lot.
My daughter wanted to trydiving.
Um, she's doing swim team andwas like, I'm gonna, I might try
diving, but I'm really scared.
I said, It's okay to be scared.
I said, What if you just showedup?
What if you just showed up andtalked to the coaches and shared
your fears so that they couldtalk you through like safety
practices or you could justwatch and see what it's like for
(33:39):
other students to do it.
SPEAKER_03 (33:41):
Um I'm a diver out of the water for a while, but
every time I'm going to get inthe water, I'm scared.
So now obviously the first timewas the scariest, but tell her
to do it.
It is the thing.
Oh my god.
SPEAKER_00 (33:57):
She's gonna keep trying.
She showed up and she was upsetwith herself because she wasn't
able to get on the diving boardand do it.
But I was like, You showed up.
That was like the first stop,and you always have the option
to go back.
SPEAKER_03 (34:08):
This is funny because you said diving.
I automatically thought scubadiving.
Oh scuba.
SPEAKER_00 (34:14):
Oh yeah, no, diving off a diving board.
Yeah, scuba.
She wants to do scuba.
She does not maybe once we're inthe water and trying it, she'll
get a little afraid.
But she snuggles and stuff likethat.
She's a great okay.
SPEAKER_03 (34:25):
Yeah, I'd be afraid.
Yeah, I don't know.
SPEAKER_00 (34:27):
You're like, never mind, I ain't diving off a
diving board.
But I love that you did scuba.
That's awesome.
That's something I we bothwanted to get certified in.
Okay.
Well, we have a question fromone of our live listeners,
Melanie.
Thanks for dropping the questionin the chat.
Are there ways I can utilizevideo without literally being on
camera?
Here we go.
We're still avoiding it, aren'twe?
Yes, do POV VO videos.
SPEAKER_03 (34:47):
Yeah, point of view videos where that means you're
shooting.
You're talking, you could hearyou.
I hope you if you like yourvoice, your voice can carry the
conversation, but you're justshooting in front of you and
your it's your point of view.
Then you have um different uh AItools that you can um that you
can use so that you're puttingB-roll, which is video visuals
(35:08):
of the story over to tell thestory, as opposed to having you
on camera.
So yeah, there are differentways.
unknown (35:14):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (35:15):
So then I her second like part of that question is is
a great follow-up too.
It's like, does do those videosdo as well on um online?
Like is in the from aperformance standpoint, do POVs
and voiceover videos versus likeperson on camera do as well?
You know what?
What you've seen.
SPEAKER_03 (35:33):
The the um point of view videos, they people are
having fun with it.
It depends on what you'reshooting, and um, but obviously
being on camera is morepersonal, so there's no getting
around it.
You're you're putting a face, aface to the voice and a person
to the experience.
SPEAKER_00 (35:51):
So yeah, I would agree.
Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_03 (35:53):
Yeah, there's no doubt about that.
SPEAKER_00 (35:55):
Because it's one of those things that's like
marketing to like most marketerswe know, faces are what people
want to see.
But I will say there's like, youknow, I've I've young kids, so
they're like watching YouTubefolks, and um, which is still
weird and beyond me, but um, oneof them, one of their favorite
ones, she is a crafter and acreator, and so she has like a
little character.
I can't even think of his nameright now, but they haven't
(36:16):
watched him for a minute, butthey were obsessed with their
videos for a while.
And then you just see her handsand her voice and the character.
And the character to me was kindof an expression of her and who
she was.
Um, and so she would have him belike the the the the the kind of
thing that you could see andrelate to, which I thought was
kind of an interesting strategybecause the kids loved the
little character and the littleguy, and that was like her way
(36:39):
of connecting to the audiencewithout putting her face on
camera.
SPEAKER_03 (36:41):
Yeah, and there are a couple of chefs who are out
there who are they're justcooking, you just see their
hands and the ingredients, andyou're not seeing their faces.
So I can't think of the namesoff the top, but yeah, yeah, it
can work in some instances.
It all depends on what it isyou're covering.
SPEAKER_00 (36:56):
Yeah, a hundred percent.
Yeah, maybe you can get creativewith it even.
All right.
Uh let's go to the our powerround questions.
Live listening audience.
If you have additionalquestions, we have time.
You feel free to ask them.
That's why we're here.
All right, this is a good one.
First thing you do to shake offon-camera nerves because that's
real.
SPEAKER_03 (37:14):
Yeah.
Well, always remember thatyou're the expert.
But yes, being on camera can benerve-wracking.
So I would say that you canpractice in the front of the
mirror.
Practice, practice, practice,practice in front of the mirror.
And you can say to yourself, Iknow what I'm talking about.
I'm the expert.
I know what I'm talking about.
Um, we you and I were talkingabout getting the questions
(37:34):
beforehand.
I know we never did that in whenyou're on live TV, you don't
have that.
Um, or you know, you don't wantto get yourself confused.
You don't want to get confusedby what you're saying.
You're the expert.
Think slowly, think fast, slow,speak slowly.
That's what it is.
Yeah.
And that's one of the best waysto just kind of relax.
SPEAKER_00 (37:57):
I love that.
That is a good piece of adviceto sometimes just slow it down.
One of my favorite tricks islike your nervous system doesn't
know the difference between umexcited and scared.
And so if you're getting nervousright before you go on camera
for something, I will just tellmyself, I'm just really excited
to be here.
I'm really excited to do this.
I'm really just that's what itis.
(38:17):
And it kind of tricks your body,your brain, that you're using
your brain to kind of trick yourbody into saying like these
sensory feelings, these feelingsthat I'm having, you know, it
really has more to do with thenarrative that's up in my head
versus like what's actuallygoing on in my body because it
really won't know thedifference.
And so it's worked for me.
You guys can try it if it helpsyou.
Uh, best piece of videoequipment under 50 bucks that
(38:38):
changes everything for us wholike to go out and get the
tools.
SPEAKER_03 (38:41):
Oh my gosh.
I would say you'd have to have agood mic, a lavalier mic.
People will tolerate bad video,but they won't tolerate bad
audio.
SPEAKER_00 (38:50):
So that is a great point.
SPEAKER_03 (38:52):
Yeah, I would say that's one piece of equipment
that you should focus ongetting.
SPEAKER_00 (38:57):
I love it.
Great piece of advice.
And um, our heart cast mediafriends here in Mali and Matt
would definitely agree.
Uh, all right, your go-toconfidence booster before
hitting record.
SPEAKER_03 (39:09):
Oh, um, my go-to confidence booster.
Like I said earlier, I know whatI'm talking about.
Yeah, yeah.
I'm the expert.
I know, I know this inside out.
Um, and don't be afraid to sayyou don't know the answer.
SPEAKER_00 (39:25):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (39:26):
Don't yeah, don't try and fluff it.
Don't try and pretend.
Yeah, if you don't know ananswer, just say you don't know
it, or you can get back towhoever's asking the question,
but don't, yeah, don't take it.
Pretending's exhausting, isn'tit?
SPEAKER_00 (39:42):
If you're the expert, can we just not?
I'm the expert.
I know.
SPEAKER_03 (39:46):
I know what I'm saying.
SPEAKER_00 (39:48):
Oh, I love it.
Yeah, you know what you know,and that's definitely something
to step in with.
But when you don't, gosh, justlet's not even pretend.
Like, why?
Yeah.
I love it.
It's authenticity,vulnerability, all the things we
need right now in life.
All right.
One video myth you wish that youcould delete forever.
SPEAKER_03 (40:07):
Oh, that's a good one.
We talked about being perfect,but that you have to be on all
the platforms.
But I think people getoverwhelmed.
I think they feel as though, oh,I can't post everywhere, and you
don't need to post everywhere.
Choose the two platforms whereyou think your target audience
resides, lives, and and focus onposting them.
SPEAKER_00 (40:29):
Yeah, that's great.
100%.
Absolutely.
Don't exhaust yourself trying tobe everywhere and everything to
everyone.
SPEAKER_03 (40:35):
Exactly.
You can't please everyone.
And I'd say have a YouTubechannel.
That's the other thing.
Have a YouTube channel.
SPEAKER_00 (40:41):
Yeah, if you're doing a video, you gotta be on
there.
That one, like it or not.
All right, we've got one morequestion.
Currently, I'm selling for avideo production studio that's
super tiny, but I don't own it.
Do you have any tips as someonewho is the face of a brand but
isn't the owner?
Sometimes I feel like I amputting too much of my
personality into the company andI'm afraid of feeling
inauthentic.
SPEAKER_03 (41:03):
Oh, that's a good question.
SPEAKER_00 (41:06):
That's an interesting spot to be in.
SPEAKER_03 (41:07):
Yeah, she's he or she is working for a company and
they're using their personalityto build the brand's company.
So her quest the question is,how do they?
SPEAKER_00 (41:20):
And so she's selling.
So how does she how do you haveany tips for do you have any
tips for someone who is the faceof a brand?
So it sounds like she's actuallylike herself, like is the part
of the brand that she isselling, um, who isn't the
owner.
SPEAKER_03 (41:36):
Okay.
But she still wants to sell theproduct.
SPEAKER_00 (41:41):
Yep, she says sometimes I feel like I'm
putting too much of mypersonality into the company and
I'm afraid of feeling of feelinginauthentic.
SPEAKER_03 (41:49):
Oh, that's a good I'm gonna have to think about
that one.
What do you what do you think?
SPEAKER_00 (41:55):
Um, I think my question would be why isn't the
owner the personality that'sbeing put forward into the brand
versus the person who's doingthe selling?
Because ultimately, if you're asmall independent business, um
usually we're buy we're buyingfrom, like you said, people we
like know and trust.
Um, and then again, so as theperson who is doing the selling,
(42:16):
that's hard.
So it sounds like that the ownerisn't really the front kind of
face person.
SPEAKER_03 (42:23):
And so she's being on camera, and they're using
this person is a better personon camera.
So is there a way to she saysshe answered my question?
SPEAKER_00 (42:37):
She said, Oh well, great question.
He likes being behind the scenesand trusting his team to run
things.
So I think in that if that's thecase, I would also then say, you
know, use your personality tobuild the relationships and do
the selling, but make sure thebrand is well defined so that
you're not having to make theextra emotional effort and
(42:58):
putting your personality intoplay where there is a lack of
brand.
It sounds like there's a lack ofbranding.
SPEAKER_03 (43:04):
But there must be something about her personality
that is appealing.
Yeah, she wouldn't have beenchosen.
SPEAKER_00 (43:09):
Yeah, which I mean you could work into the brand.
SPEAKER_03 (43:12):
That's what I'm thinking.
You could work into the brandbecause there's something about
your personality that the ownerlikes or feels like.
So you must be good at it.
And um, yeah, so that's I thinkyou should look at that too.
What is it, how you can betterdefine the brand so that you
feel better about what you'redoing.
(43:33):
But it's obvious that you havesome type of talent.
That's why you're there.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (43:37):
Yeah, no, exactly.
It sounds like they're lucky tohave our.
Um, and it is that thing oflike, um, what was I getting
ready to say?
It was like uh brand.
Um shit, it was a good one too.
It was like something along thelines of oh, brand should be a
sales enablement tool.
Sales should not be enablingbrand.
That's a little backwards.
(43:57):
Like you should make sure thatthe brand is there and well
defined to enable how you sell.
It shouldn't be that like thesales, like the your personality
should be enabling, like a salesshould not be enabling the
brand.
Like you need to accept thebrand first because what's going
to happen is as a business, ifyou're ever going to scale or
grow, or if you leave or youlike something happens and
(44:19):
you're not there anymore, likewhere does the selling and how
does the selling happen?
That's why the brand has to kindof come and be there first as a
tool for enable for salesenablement, not sales enabling
the brand, because then you'resetting up a volatile situation
for your business.
And this is more advice for yourboss than you, honestly.
SPEAKER_03 (44:35):
Yeah, that's the boss to and say that
conversation with her boss.
But right.
SPEAKER_00 (44:40):
Well, it's as if he's trusting to for them to run
things.
I think it would be fair foryou, Melanie, to go back and
say, listen, I'm putting a lotof myself into the selling and
it's feeling like it's takingthe place of your brand.
I want your brand to be knownand established so that people
have trust in you and what youprovide and do as a company
versus just me.
Because I always have that wholeif I get hit by a bus tomorrow
(45:01):
theory, it's like, if I'm gonetomorrow, God for like forbid,
whatever that might be.
I never wanted to ever, and thisis just being overly responsible
on my part, but I never wantedto leave any company I worked
for in the lurch.
I wanted to make sure that myprocess, my communications were
documented in a place that madeit so that if there was a
transition that needed tohappen, it could happen.
unknown (45:25):
But yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (45:26):
Did you like that?
Okay, Melanie, I hope that worksfor you.
SPEAKER_00 (45:28):
Yeah, I hope that helps.
She did.
She put it with a little heart.
Okay.
Fantastic.
Yeah, no, great question.
I love it.
And again, you know, when youask those questions, what's
that, hon?
SPEAKER_03 (45:41):
That was a good one.
No, that was a great question.
SPEAKER_00 (45:43):
And and people, when you ask questions, like there's
other people that are sittinghere listening that might be in
a similar situation, either now,in the past, or in the future.
And you just help them out byasking a really great question.
So thank you so much forbringing it to us.
All right, friends.
I think, let's see.
Yep, that's it.
We got to the last myth bustingquestion.
Deborah, thank you so much forgiving all these amazing.
SPEAKER_03 (46:06):
Great conversation.
SPEAKER_00 (46:07):
Yeah, very powerful insights, all about turning um
visibility and strategic um intoa strategic advantage.
And hopefully it has encouragedyou all to just even just like I
said, five percent, just alittle bit more.
Just let yourselves be visible alittle bit more.
We absolutely need you um forall of you to step into your
video power.
And um, Deborah, I want peopleto know where can they connect
(46:29):
with you?
Oh where can they find you?
SPEAKER_03 (46:31):
Deborah Mitchell Media and Associates.com.
Go to the website, you can findme there or on LinkedIn, Deborah
Debbie Mitchell, Deborah DebbieMitchell.
SPEAKER_00 (46:39):
Debbie, all right, Debbie.
Uh, into our Together Digitalcommunity.
Remember that showing up onvideo isn't just about being
seen.
It's about claiming your spaceand sharing your expertise with
intention, as Debbie shared withus earlier.
If you're ready to harness thatpower of visibility alongside
some other women in digital, besure to join us.
Learn more about theorganization,
togetherindigital.com.
Until next time, friends, thankyou so much for showing up and
(47:02):
being here with us today and forlistening.
Um, until next time, keepasking, keep giving, and keep
growing.
We hope to see you soon.
Bye, everybody.
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