Speak Like A Pro: Conquer Public Speaking & Video Fear With Emmy-Winning Anchor | Kerry Barrett

Struggling with stage fright or camera anxiety? In this episode, we sit down with Kerry Barrett, an Emmy-winning former TV news anchor turned communications expert, to uncover the secrets of commanding confidence on screen. Kerry shares her journey from aspiring veterinarian to award-winning broadcaster, highlighting the power of communication skills in personal and professional success.

If the camera feels intimidating, Kerry’s 30-day challenge can help you build confidence through short video recordings—making on-screen presence feel natural and even exciting.

We also dive into networking strategies for introverts, turning overwhelming social events into genuine opportunities for connection. Learn how to craft an engaging elevator pitch, use vocal variety to capture attention, and enhance your presence with simple tweaks to gestures and expressions. Whether you’re refining your video content for LinkedIn or navigating a crowded room, these techniques will help you stand out.

Plus, we tackle self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and mental barriers holding entrepreneurs back. Inspired by Brianna Wiest’s You Are the Mountain, we discuss embracing vulnerability, self-forgiveness, and personal growth. Kerry also shares how personalized media training can boost your authenticity and confidence on camera.

If you’re ready to sharpen your communication skills, overcome fear, and elevate your presence—this episode is for you!

🎧 Tune in now to transform the way you communicate—on and off camera!

Kerry Barrett: Emmy-Winning Former News Anchor & Communications Expert

Website: https://www.kerrybarrett.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerrybarrett/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamkerrybarrett/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAmKerryBarrett

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IAmKerryBarrett

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamkerrybarrett

 #PublicSpeaking #Leadership #PublicSpeaker #Communication #Motivation #PublicSpeakingTraining #PublicSpeakingCoach #Toastmasters #PublicSpeakingTips #CommunicationSkills #Training #Speaker #Confidence #Speech #PublicSpeakingSkills #SmallBusinessPivots #GrowYourBusiness #SmallBusinessCoach #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessSuccess #BusinessPodcast #MichaelDMorrison #BOSS #BusinessOwnership #OklahomaCity 

Chapters

• 0:00 Overcoming Stage Fright in Business
• 8:34 Effective Networking Strategies for Introverts
• 15:21 Building Confidence Through Media Training
• 27:07 Mastering on-Camera Presence and Business Pivots
• 37:50 Embracing Self-Forgiveness and Business Growth

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

All right, welcome to another Small Business, pivots. We have a very special guest from around the world and, as I always say, no one can say their name or their business like the business owner.

Speaker 2: 0:09

So I'm going to let you introduce yourself, tell us a little bit about you and where you're from and I help small business owners and lawyers speak comfortably on camera so they can create video for social media, for their website, so they can get on stages, launch books, whatever it is that you're looking to use your presence and your video for.

Speaker 1: 0:36

Oh, this is beautiful because there is the best salesperson in any business is the business owner, and I know a lot of business owners have stage fright. In fact, most of them are kind of introverts, if we'll use that word. So we've got a lot to talk about, so let's introduce the show and we'll be right back. Welcome to Small Business Pivots, a podcast produced for small business owners. I'm your host, michael Morrison, founder and CEO of BOSS, where we make business ownership simplified for success. Our business is helping yours grow. Boss offers business loans with business coaching support. Apply in minutes and get approved and funded in as little as 24 to 48 hours at businessownershipsimplifiedcom. All right, welcome back to Small Business Pivots. Today we have Keri and she's going to help a lot of us.

Speaker 1: 1:34

I know that I grew up as an introvert and I had to work on that. As I adulted I went to Toastmasters and things like that and kind of overcame that stage fright. But I know from time to time if I don't practice those muscles, I kind of revert back to that. So what was your childhood kind of growing up? Were you always kind of stage presence or did you have to overcome that as well?

Speaker 2: 1:57

No, I had to overcome that. I am shy naturally and I am an introvert as well, and I actually wanted to be a veterinarian. I love animals but also I was sort of hoping I wouldn't have to talk to people quite as much. And organic chemistry put a fairly decisive end to that in my academic career, if you will, and so took a little bit of time off. I re-enrolled in a communications program no organic chemistry, but I was going to have to take a couple of public speaking courses and I think I knew I wouldn't have vocalized it this way back then, but I think there was a part of me who sort of knew I needed to get my arms around this fear if I was going to have success in my professional life and really even just. I mean that trickles down into your personal life and you know other areas that you need to bolster your confidence in as well, and that re-enrollment in a communications program eventually led me to broadcast journalism. So I ended up on air as a TV news anchor for 20 years and finished my career with a couple of Emmy awards. I wrapped up at WNBC in New York City so the largest market in the country and had a great deal of success with that and in 2019, I had sort of had it with the crazy hours and everything else and launched my own business, which I now draw very heavily on my experience in the broadcasting world to teach people to communicate effectively on camera. Now, you know, draw very heavily on my experience in the broadcasting world to teach people to communicate effectively on camera.

Speaker 2: 3:47

Now, right now, that's a lot of social media as of this recording. Linkedin is really pushing video content, but the skills are applicable to such a broad range, whether it is, you know, you're interviewing virtually for a job, or you are creating video for a website, or you're on a video podcast, or you are hosting a virtual presentation or a virtual panel discussion. Communicating to the camera is intimidating to a lot of people because it's really unnatural, especially if they're creating video for social. I find that to be the biggest challenge for most of my clients because it's one-way communication. They're not interacting with anybody else and it feels especially weird. But being in front of a camera and and being in front of a microphone is sort of a it's a need to have. It's going to eventually become, um, one of those things where if you don't have it, it's going to be a little bit weird.

Speaker 1: 4:54

So, being an introvert, what would you say is kind of the first step to get out there? Because many times I talked to small business owners and they're like I wish I could do this or that, but they just can't seem to get over that fright or that fear. So what would you say is kind of a good tip just to get started.

Speaker 2: 5:07

Yeah, so I like to take the pressure off in the beginning. I do always say this You're never going to get really good at it by dabbling, so you do have to jump in with both feet, but I suggest jumping in with both feet in sort of a low stakes environment to begin with. So don't go on a live stream. You're right, don't do that. You'll freak yourself out Eventually. I feel like live video. I know live video is one of the best ways to get very good very quickly, because it grows your confidence so much. But we can talk about that in a second.

Speaker 2: 5:39

What I suggest is very simple. I call it the 30 in 30 day challenge, and the challenge is to open up your phone and record 30 seconds of video in it every day for 30 days, and I would shoot actually whoops. Somehow I turned the flashlight on on my phone. Sorry about that. I don't mean to blind you. I suggest using this screen rather than the back facing screen because you're not distracted with how you look when you're shooting into the back of your phone or the front of your phone, I don't know which side is, which I'm with you on that one.

Speaker 1: 6:17

I go either way.

Speaker 2: 6:20

And talk about anything. It doesn't need to be about business. It doesn't need to be about business. It doesn't need to be about work. It can be about you're excited for your first cup of coffee in the morning, or whatever it is, and I would suggest also not trying to do yourself up in order to. If you're a woman, or man for that matter don't worry about hair and makeup and dressing the part and take all of that pressure off Right and then pick, watch that first video back.

Speaker 2: 6:47

Pick one thing to work on, whether it is eye contact or energy or, um, hand gestures looking happy, look happier for most people yeah, and pick one thing and and work on that for a few days until you feel like you have your arms a little bit around it. You won't have it mastered, but you've, you've got the feel for it, and then move on to the next thing. And then go back at the end of the 30 days and look at the difference between video one and video 30. And I promise you will see a difference. It may be small, but if you try and fix all of the things all at once, you end up really fixing none of the things. So I like to focus on one element at a time and you will I promise you a difference on day 30.

Speaker 1: 7:40

Would you say there's a difference of presentation on stage versus in front of a camera, with you being behind the cameras or in front of the cameras, behind the front on the news channels. What would you say is kind of the difference between those.

Speaker 2: 7:55

Well, there are definitely some conceptual similarities. There is some overlap. You're always really speaking to the person in the back of the room. If you've ever been on a stage, you know that you want to make sure that people in the very back of the room have as close to a similar experience as the people who are in the front row. So your gestures are magnified and your energy is amped up. And if you are, you know, on a stage performing, you've got a different makeup on, and the whole nine yards video is a little more intimate than being on a stage because it's often in a one-to-one environment.

Speaker 2: 8:34

Even if you're watching asynchronously meaning if somebody is recording, recorded a video and you're watching it on social media or you're watching it on the website there is less distraction in this little box. You also have less context and so you have a narrower field of vision. So, while your hand gestures need to be amplified and your facial expressions need to be amplified, there's a very delicate balance between coming across almost as bombastic for lack of a better word and being too quiet and too small. Most people. I would say 97%. I know that's very specific. It's not 99, it's not 95. It's in the middle somewhere.

Speaker 2: 9:25

Yeah, fall on the side of being too small, meaning they shrink, their vocal variety shrinks, their hand gestures shrink, and there's some psychology that goes along with that that we can dive into if you're curious, but most people fall on that side. You're curious, but most people fall on that side, and so it becomes a process of getting yourself acclimated with what it feels like to communicate effectively on camera, because in the beginning it's going to feel really weird and really unnatural and you're going to feel like, uh, you know a sleazy sort of used car salesman over the top. It's not going to come across that way, though it's going to come across as you just look like you're happy to be there.

Speaker 1: 10:07

Yeah, and I learned a long time ago that that's what I look like, so get used to it.

Speaker 2: 10:15

Yes, and that's what you sound like.

Speaker 1: 10:17

That's what you sound like too. Yeah, exactly so for business owners. I'm going to go into several different areas of business, because one of them is sales. I mentioned that if they're at networking events and there's 20, 30 people in the room, I can see them shaking in their boots as it goes around the room. You know, little icebreaker, tell us about yourself and they just frighten, they get scared. So in this presentation stage, is there any tips or anything that you have that can help them prepare what to say? Because I know that's what they get so scared about is I don't know what to say. I don't want to mess up.

Speaker 2: 10:55

Right. So I, most people, I, my experience has been that most people have a sort of like a rehearsed script that they say and it sounds rehearsed, and it sounds I'm blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, I blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, we blah, blah, blah, blah, blah I'm. And then they repeat their name and the name of their company and it's it, they, they, they couldn't sound less enthusiastic about being there if they tried. And that is actually the biggest mistake that I see. It's okay to have something planned and rehearsed to say but you can't, it can't sound canned. You need to be able to deliver with the same, and this is what it comes down to often is vocal variety. You need to be able to deliver that and I'll put it in air quotes script in a way that doesn't sound like you are delivering a script.

Speaker 2: 11:44

So, while I'm not an expert on elevator pitches absolutely, I mean you sort of heard me give mine at the beginning of this. It's not fancy, it's not long, this is my name and here's the thing that I do and I work, here's the people that I work with. That's really all it needs to have into it. You don't have time to get into the story and, frankly. You know 20 seconds in people's eyes begin to glaze over anyway. So take the pressure off a little bit and and recognize that you can have something prepared. It's who you are, it's what you do and it's who you work with and deliver it as if you're delivering it for the first time every time you work with and deliver it as if you're delivering it for the first time every time.

Speaker 1: 12:26

That's great advice. What about if someone goes to a room of networking and everyone's standing kind of congregating having their little conversations? How does one that isn't comfortable in their own skin go up and introduce themselves? Because, kind of like you were talking about at the other networking events, where they get scared to say their script how can they go up and actually talk to people?

Speaker 2: 12:50

Oh my gosh, you are putting me on the spot today, aren't you?

Speaker 1: 12:54

Yes.

Speaker 2: 12:55

I hate doing that. I really I still hate it. I am. That's one of my biggest challenges as a business owner is to go into a room full of people, which sounds crazy given my background, but to go into a cause I can talk on a stage until I'm blue in the face. Now, I used to be terrified of that also. Um, this is one of the biggest challenges. So what I like to do is I I generally try and look for a friendly face, somebody who has made eye contact, and then it's really just again going back to what I said at the beginning of this jumping in with both feet and going up and saying hi, my name is Carrie, I'm new here. I don't know anybody. Tell me a little bit about this event. Or tell me a little bit about this organization. And tell me a little bit about this event. Or tell me a little bit about this organization. And and tell me a little bit about yourself.

Speaker 2: 13:47

It's asking questions. Most people are more than happy to talk about themselves. Uh, they, they love the sound of their name and they love hearing themselves speak. It makes us all sound a little bit self-centered, but, frankly, when somebody is a good conversationalist, it's usually not because they're talking a lot. It's usually because they're asking a lot of questions. So if you go into a conversation rather than saying, hi, I'm Carrie, I do blah bitty, blah, blah, and I do it with X, y, z and you know, and I'm here to, here's my business card Go in and ask with genuine curiosity about that person, about the event, and then, when you are wrapping up that conversation, offer to introduce them to somebody in your network or ask them is there anybody else here you think would be good for me to meet? And then you're creating warm introductions from there on out.

Speaker 1: 14:43

I love that and I want to expand on the very first or part of that first comment that you said, because I just witnessed that this week with someone that came up to someone they didn't know and they said I'm new here, I've never been here, can you help me? It was kind of I mean, that's not exactly what they said, but I think people love to help people because what I heard that other person said you know what? This is only my second time and last time I felt just like you. I met a few people. Let me introduce you to them, I think, lowering that or maybe being a little vulnerable.

Speaker 2: 15:19

Absolutely. It's just what I was going to say. People are more than happy to help If you um, if you're, if you're honest and willing to share that. You know you're a little bit nervous and the truth is, unless you are extraordinary, most people walking into a room and not knowing anybody there are insecure. They are nervous, they are afraid to do the thing. You know, go up and introduce themselves. They've all been in your shoes and I haven't met anybody who's not willing to say oh my gosh, of course my name is so-and-so, tell me a little bit about yourself. Here's what this organization is all about. I really like it because blah, blah, blah, blah. Here's what I'm hoping will happen, or they'll expand. They've been talking about doing this thing X, y, z, and yeah, let me introduce you to. You know Bob and Susie over here, who I think you might really enjoy talking to. I have never met anybody ever at an event that isn't more than willing to do that.

Speaker 1: 16:22

I will second that, because when I started doing that decades ago, that's how I felt, and every time I asked for help I felt kind of weird when I would come out, like you said, just throw out my pitch, this pre rehearsed script. But when I asked for help, wow, my guard went down, the stress went down and everybody wanted to help?

Speaker 2: 16:45

Yeah, because they know that you're not out there to just pitch them, whatever it is that you're doing, so they become more relaxed. It's just a cascading effect.

Speaker 1: 16:57

So let's talk about your company and how you help people, because there aren't many people out there doing what you do. So there's a lot of business coaches of all kinds. We're business coaches, we focus on infrastructure, organization, system, that kind of stuff but there's not many coaches, I guess, like what you do. So can you talk about how you actually help people and how they can get in touch with you?

Speaker 2: 17:23

Sure, absolutely so. Some people would refer to what I do as media training, and when I work with executives at large corporations, that is in fact what it is I'm preparing them for interviews. Often, my specialty is preparing people to speak to a camera. So that's my background, preparing people to speak to a camera. So, and that's my background. So if they have an interview coming up on CNBC or CNN or Fox business or whatever it is, or on their local TV station for that matter, preparing them for those opportunities. For the small business owner, there are certainly, you know, media opportunities that are available for the small business owner as well. Except I don't phrase my training with a small business owner as media training, because generally that's not a well understood phrase in that particular group of people. Um, and I, I, I 100% get it. They're not thinking about CNBC or Fox Business for the most part, although, I will say again, those options are available.

Speaker 1: 18:21

You never know, you never know.

Speaker 2: 18:23

They absolutely. I was on NBC not too long ago talking about video marketing, and that is a hard sell when you are talking to a news organization, and so and I'm a small business owner and it probably had a little bit to do with my background but I see small business owners have media opportunities all the time. Maybe that's a conversation for another day, but when I work with a small business owner, I generally bring them through. It's either a two or three month program. It depends a little bit on their basic level of skill and what it is that they're looking to do. I always ask I do a video assessment, um, when suggesting a particular program to somebody, and, um, we start with a session that goes deep into their goals and their fears and some mindset. The second session I do an assessment with a, a, a business partner, a Gallup certified strengths coach.

Speaker 2: 19:21

One of the things that media training generally focuses on is eliminating the weaknesses, and that's certainly important. But one of the things that helps people show up authentically on camera is to understand what their strengths are and to capitalize on those things as well. It's just as important. So we go through the second session, we go through their Gallup strengths assessment and figure out how their strengths are applicable to the way that they show up on camera. And then we move into the foundational skills of delivering well on camera. So we we go into understanding what their shot should be like, what their into understanding what their shot should be like, what their gear is, what their setup is, their lighting, their microphone, all that other stuff. I don't suggest a lot of techie equipment or gear. You should have enough gear. It can fit in your handbag and it shouldn't cost you more than a couple hundred dollars all in. Then we move into vocal variety and facial expressions and hand gestures and energy and looking happy and and most people need a little bit of help with that and then we move into some of the other elements.

Speaker 2: 20:31

So, for example, one of the things that I like to use when I'm recording, especially longer form video, is the teleprompter. It makes the editing process a lot easier, meaning I don't have to do a bunch of takes. There's not a lot of mistakes. I can basically do my video in one cut from beginning to end, and it's especially helpful if you have a lot of information that you're trying to pack into a video, and so we walk through how to read from a prompter in a very conversational way. We talk about how to write for a prompter so that you can um your writing facilitates that conversational delivery. And then we do practice and rehearsals. So we review videos that you've created for homework and we um talk about what went right, what went wrong, and then we work on fixing whatever that challenge is and that will take them through the bulk of that three-month program. There's also digital trainings and resources, but the bulk is really done via the one-on-one coaching sessions.

Speaker 1: 21:38

I noticed you have a lot of training, short videos, tips, things like that. Where's the best place they can find the bulk of those?

Speaker 2: 21:45

The best place is to go on LinkedIn. I I just restarted my Instagram, so it's I'm not as consistent there as I would like to be. Tik TOK. Who knows what's going on with that. I haven't put a lot of energy into expanding a TikTok. It's absolutely LinkedIn. I post daily content with tips and inspiration and motivation and I really try and put a lot of value into my video, into all of my content, but especially my video content on LinkedIn.

Speaker 1: 22:15

I encourage the listeners to go check that out because there's a lot of good stuff. When I was looking through those I was like, wow, yeah, that's on point on point, right there. So you said something earlier that we can talk about that another day, but that was You're listening to Small Business Pivots. This podcast is produced by my company, Boss. Our business is helping yours grow. Boss offers business loans with business coaching support. Apply in minutes and get approved and funded in as little as 24 to 48 hours at businessownershipsimplifiedcom.

Speaker 1: 22:51

If you're enjoying this podcast, don't forget to hit the subscribe button and share it as well. Now let's get back to our special guest as well. Now let's get back to our special guest. You said something earlier that we can talk about that another day, but that was getting on camera. As a small business owner, I will say being an entrepreneur for over two and a half decades dates me a little bit, but I have had many opportunities unexpectedly to get on camera, get in a news release, whatever it was. But for those that seek that, for those that need that opportunity, do you have any advice coming from that industry for those?

Speaker 2: 23:29

Yeah, absolutely so. Where most pitches fall flat is that they are talking about marketing rather than news. So, for example, unless you are, you know, jk Rowling or Jim Quick or some other big name, generally speaking, the fact that you're releasing a book is not newsworthy. So, again, you're not about marketing. But what may be newsworthy is if you have a book about health and wellness. Here are three tips that you know, let's say it's, let's say it's Women's Health Month and you have written a book that has to do with health. And here are three tips for women to boost their energy and, you know, I don't know get better sleep.

Speaker 1: 24:22

Again, this is not a very good one, but you get the you get the, you get the gist.

Speaker 2: 24:26

Hey, here's. Here's my smoothie recipe with my, you know, my top three smoothie recipes for women who are looking to get a jumpstart on their day. Boom, there you go. Right, it's a cookbook. Now I've just decided, and I can't wait to hear what that is either. That is newsworthy, especially when you're tying it into that month which is women's health month, which I don't think exists.

Speaker 1: 24:51

Well, I think you may have just created it.

Speaker 2: 24:54

Yeah, there we go. This is all. This is all for demonstrative purposes only. Now you've created a pitch that is newsworthy and interesting and is not about marketing. Generally speaking, some of the lowest hanging fruit is not necessarily being on camera. Being on camera has really the highest social proof, but guest posting on large websites like Huffington Post or Forbes or Entrepreneur or Inc is a great way, because on their digital platforms they're constantly looking for content. Their amount of space is infinite and if you are writing an article for them, you're doing the work. So it's finding the right person to pitch. It's never the editor in chief, it's always an editor of a certain section or a writer, and putting together a pitch with a story that is newsworthy why you, why this and why now is basically what that pitch needs to answer and then sending it in.

Speaker 2: 25:57

And writing a guest post is not a huge process. It's anywhere from 500 to 900 words. 700 is a sweet spot. It is a little story. It's three to five takeaways, it's putting a bow on it and then it's some sort of quick, not bio. It's called a short tail, it's. You know, Mike is a blah, blah, blah. He does X, Y, Z. If you're interested in learning more, click here. And the process of bringing people from that article to whatever your call to action is by the book click here to connect schedule a call is seamless, which is why it's such. All of those reasons why guest posts are such a great place for people to start when it comes to media. You're not on camera there, but you can leverage those opportunities for bigger opportunities on camera networks, etc.

Speaker 1: 26:50

So we've been talking about video and how to help small business owners. I'd like to shift a little bit, but before we do, do you have any final advice on the video side?

Speaker 2: 27:01

Yeah, look happier no.

Speaker 1: 27:04

Okay, I'll try.

Speaker 2: 27:06

It's interesting. I was, and I'll try and keep this brief, but I was having a conversation with somebody the other day and we were talking about the reach on LinkedIn with video content and my video content always gets three to four times the impressions that a text or that a picture post does. And this other person was saying, well, it's funny, mine don't generally do as well. And I went back and look at the video feed and every single video starts like this sour face, you know, um, very dour, like very serious, and I'm like well, no wonder nobody's cooking on these, because you look angry and I know you're not an angry person.

Speaker 1: 27:47

I see enough of that in the news.

Speaker 2: 27:48

Yeah, exactly, I don't need any more of it. So that is really that, and energy is one, two of the biggest challenges for people. When you're thinking about the energy with which you need to deliver on camera. Here's a quick analogy, and then I promise I'll be quiet.

Speaker 2: 28:04

If you're at a noisy restaurant and you're at, let's say, a table of eight, and you're on one side, at one end, and the person with whom you're trying to speak is on the other side, at the other end, what are some of the things that you do, aside from you know, getting up and walking around and sitting down next to them? What are some of the things that you do, aside from you know getting up and walking around and sitting down next to them? What are some of the things that you do to make sure that they hear what you're saying and understand that? You probably lean in when something's exciting and you use you know. If you're listing three things maybe you show three fingers, you amplify your facial expressions, you project your voice a little bit more. Conceptually speaking, that's exactly what you want to do when you are on camera as well. It is um it. It allows you to look energetic and enthusiastic. It'll again feel super weird, but that's where most people need to go when they're on camera.

Speaker 1: 28:56

Well, you said you'd be quiet. We don't want you to be quiet. Our listeners probably want me to be quiet. Our listeners probably want me to be quiet because they're here to hear you. But I do want to add something on the. When you said lean in and things, I witnessed this not too long ago and I was like, oh, I feel so sorry for them. So we've heard like mimic right Copy so that they're comfortable. But I literally saw this person. When the person they were talking to went like this, they went like this they folded their arms. When they leaned in with one arm, they leaned in with one, I was like, no, no, no, no, no. That's not what we're doing. Don't do exactly the same thing.

Speaker 2: 29:30

Right, and it's because you are not just generally having a conversation with the person. There's a reason the video is being made. It's being made for the end user and the the end you know whether it's a. It's somebody who's watching a podcast or they're you know wherever um, they're watching this as an outsider, so for them, it's very obvious. When one person leans up and put them and the other person does the same thing and they lean in and they lean back, it becomes awkward looking. So remember, when you're creating a video, you're not creating it for you and you're generally not creating it for the, for the person to whom you're speaking or with whom you're speaking. You're creating it for the end user. I mean, we're creating a video here and we're not. We're not creating it for you or me. We're creating it for the audience, and so keeping their perspective in mind is important as well.

Speaker 1: 30:25

That's a good point and I've never thought about that. If you kind of take the pressure off yourself to how I look and versus what I have to share the value, that really changes your whole mindset, I would think.

Speaker 2: 30:38

Yeah, when you yeah, when you are able to put the rest of the stuff on the back burner and you're really able to focus on the audience, all that other stuff begins to naturally elevate. There are some skills and in order to gain confidence, which comes after competence, there are some basic things that everybody needs to know. But once you can sort of run that stuff on autopilot and you're able to put the audience first, then that stuff, like I said, begins to grow naturally.

Speaker 1: 31:08

Well, you've been a blessing in disguise. There's a ton more stuff, like she said on LinkedIn, listeners go there, watch the videos. But I want to jump ship a little bit and talk on the business side, because the show is called Small Business Pivot. So I'm curious. We always like to know how someone started, how they got where they are, some pivots they made along the way, things like that. So wherever you'd like to start maybe how you got into business, what it was like, things you do differently, things like that.

Speaker 2: 31:36

Oh my gosh, how long do you have?

Speaker 1: 31:38

Exactly this is the part I really love.

Speaker 2: 31:40

Oh my gosh, how long do you have Exactly? This is the part I really love. Oh my gosh, so many mistakes. So when I left the news industry, here's how. Here's how all of this started.

Speaker 2: 31:53

When I left the news industry, I assumed that I would go into PR and news people go into PR or spokesperson work or video production work that's like generally the three paths. And I assumed PR. And so I was networking with people because I didn't really know what that industry looked like from the inside. You know, do I want to work for an agency? Do I want to work for in-house somewhere? Do I want to? What sort of industries do I want to work with? That sort of stuff? And I was networking. I was having a conversation with a woman who does PR and communications for a huge law firm, a multinational law firm, but they're headquartered in New York City and she said you're crazy, you have this skill set that you have cultivated over 20 years and people will pay you to teach them how to do it and and and understand the media and communicate well on camera. And I was like, well, yeah, you're right and honest to God, that was about as much thought as went into starting the business.

Speaker 1: 32:59

I went home that day.

Speaker 2: 33:00

Yeah Well, I don't know about that. But I went home that day and told my husband I'm going to start a business and he was like come again.

Speaker 1: 33:11

No, no, paycheck what?

Speaker 2: 33:13

You don't know how to balance a checkbook. But that's not true, I do, I just don't do it, um, and so that, like I said, that was really the extent that I, that I put in terms of thought into doing this, and then, of course, began the work of of all the things that you think you need to do as a business owner, like setting up. Obviously you got to set up an LLC or whatever it's going to be, but you know, doing a website and getting a logo and all that other stuff, I I spent lots of time and money doing that in the beginning, when I didn't even have an offer yet, Um, when I didn't know what I was, you know, I hired this incredibly expensive business coach and one that has I still have some entrepreneurial trauma around and I have pivoted a number of times. When I first started, I was teaching public speaking, I was coaching on public speaking. Then the pandemic hit and I realized that while I do coach on public speaking, really my academic and my practical experiences focused on being in front of the camera, so that made more sense and I've dabbled in.

Speaker 2: 34:36

You know, I did some video production, I do voiceover work, I've done some, you know, on camera, hosting and that sort of thing, and all of these things required changes and reinventing the wheel Every time I worked with a client. Finally, finally and honestly this is just recently I've finally honed my niche and what it is that I do to help people, and that has been a game changer, but it's what I should have done, you know, five years ago, which doesn't mean that I wouldn't have made any changes between then and now. I probably would have. I think I don't know a single business owner, in fact, who hasn't done some sort of pivot in some kind of way, um, and sometimes it's pretty major, but I have, I have had to. I've had to do a number of pivots, some of them because I't know what I was doing, some of them because I went down a wrong path, and some of them because I just did things in the wrong order, for example, hiring a marketing agency when I had nothing to sell.

Speaker 1: 35:39

Well, don't feel alone, because that's all of us. When I started mine back in the 90s, that's the first thing I did, and when clients come to us, so we do business coaching. That's one of our services. When they come to us as a kind of startup, I say you don't need a coach, you need sales. Go sell. You make X amount of sales. Then come back to us. You got to sell, sell, you got to have revenue first. So for all those new startups, or even some of those that are a year too old, if you're still trying to do your own marketing, go sell so you. If you're still trying to do your own marketing, go sell so you can hire somebody to do that.

Speaker 2: 36:11

Yeah, absolutely 100%.

Speaker 1: 36:12

That's key I wish I would have talked to you five years ago. Well see, there's no time like the present right.

Speaker 2: 36:19

No, that's true. Better late than never.

Speaker 1: 36:21

So you've pivoted along the way. Any tips that you would give on how you made those iterations, those transitions? Was it just out of desperation, like I got to do something different, or was it something that was like an aha moment?

Speaker 2: 36:36

I guess actually, you know, desperation resonates a little more clearly with me, but I suppose there were some aha moments as well. An aha moment was wow, we're in the pandemic and you're, you talk on camera. Duh Um. But even then I didn't capitalize on it in the way that I should have, because I didn't know what I was doing. I really didn't. So there's two things and you taught, you touched on one, which is selling.

Speaker 2: 37:06

I'm not a salesperson, I don't have a sales background. I have a. I have a. I'm a journalist. That's my background. Like the sales and the marketing were the yucky part, like the impure part of that business. You know, as journalists, we we wanted to keep our work separate from sales and marketing, because that's not what we were about. We're about news, and so I had already sort of a distaste in my mouth for that side of things, which made selling incredibly challenging, and I still would say it's one of my biggest challenges. But had I jumped into the ring with both feet the way I tell people to do with getting on video, I would have made much greater strides and it'd be so much further along than where I am now.

Speaker 2: 37:50

The second thing that I has been really long fought for is forgiving myself for all the mistakes that I did make. I I, like many entrepreneurs, like many people, have a tendency to beat myself up. You know, um, I I look at every failure as as a character flaw, at least for myself and um, learning how to forgive myself so that I can let go of those past mistakes and move on and not be traumatized or completely anxiety ridden when I'm making decisions about the future of the business, has been, been, it's been a very difficult place for me to get to. I think I'm sort of almost there. I'm not quite there yet, honestly, but learning to forgive some of those mistakes has, has been key for me as well, and that's only come recently.

Speaker 1: 38:47

That's important to share, because I just have a business owner we started working with. They're in a very, very challenging partnership and they mentioned after our couple of sessions that we've had thus far. She was like I wish I would have found you a long time ago and I said, well, you wouldn't have been ready then.

Speaker 2: 39:07

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 39:07

You know. So I said I always say my greatest lessons learned, or failures or challenges or things I didn't know, then I'm ready to find out kind of how to overcome those and get to the next level. So so how can people best communicate with you? I know that you have video on LinkedIn. Is that the? Is that the social place you're in the most on?

Speaker 2: 39:29

LinkedIn. Is that the social place you're in the most. That is the social place I'm in the most. You will find links there to schedule free strategy calls. There are free resources there. All of my helpful content is there as well. I use LinkedIn way more than I even use my website. I'm on it hours a day. So if you want to get in touch with me, please come to LinkedIn. I'd be happy to connect. And if you have any questions about media or camera presence, schedule some time with me. I'm happy to talk.

Speaker 1: 39:57

Yeah, there is a lot of information on your channels. I know from time to time when I'm on a podcast I'm like, oh, I wish I could have talked about this. Is there anything you want to share that we haven't talked about?

Speaker 2: 40:09

before we sign off you are a great interviewer and a great host. You know, my advice to a client would be here's where you name, like you underscore, three things that you want to talk about, if you don't have anything to add. So I guess I would say my three things are amp up your energy when you're on camera, jump in with both feet and try that 30 and 30 day challenge, because you will see a difference. And that's, that's my final thought.

Speaker 1: 40:38

Those are great. Well, I asked for one more final thought that has nothing to do with your business, but everybody else's. So if you were in a room full of small business owners different sizes, seasons of business, different industries is there anything that's applicable to all of them that you could give some insights to? It could be a quote, a book, something you've learned.

Speaker 2: 41:01

Oh my gosh, A quote I've learned. Oh no, my goodness, I love it. You've got me speechless, which is hard to do some days. I would say that I was in a room full of people and I you know, I was just reading a book this morning and I know what it is it's, You're the Mountain.

Speaker 1: 41:29

That's the book. You are the mountain.

Speaker 2: 41:31

You are, you're the mountain, and I would say that's my quote. And the reason that's my quote is by Brianna Weiss, if you're interested in reading it. It's all about self-sabotage, and I actually did a LinkedIn series on self-sabotage recently, inspired by the book, and the biggest challenges that we often have, the biggest hurdles, the biggest mountains to climb, are ourselves. It is mindset, it is fear, it is all of those things combined. It's wanting to stay comfortable and safe, it's fear of judgment, it's fear in general and imposter syndrome. They all tie back to fear, and so I guess my final quote would be you are the mountain. Everything that you need to succeed is inside you, but the challenges are getting through all of the mental blocks and the and the mindset issues that we have in order to climb that peak.

Speaker 1: 42:29

I'm going to have to watch this over and over and over. That is powerful right there. So mindset, overcoming all that stuff, Imposter syndrome, we all have it. So for those that are out there thinking, am I the only one? No, there's very few that don't. I think what is the you may or may not know? I think in like 70 to 80% of people are actual introverts, Like there's very few extroverts and those that come across as that, inside they're living, they're kind of they have a facade, I guess, or maybe yeah, absolutely they, they.

Speaker 2: 43:03

they are on when they need to be on, but after they're done being on, they're exhausted and they need to go sit by themselves for a little while and re-energize. And it is. It's a huge number. There's much more introverts than there are extroverts, or combinations of the two, and yeah, I'm one of them. I know what it feels like Me too.

Speaker 1: 43:26

Well again, you've been just a pleasure to talk to, full of information. I encourage all of our listeners to go follow you on LinkedIn. I know I do so. We'll talk to you soon.

Speaker 2: 43:38

Absolutely. Thank you, Michael.

Speaker 1: 43:40

My pleasure. Thank you for listening to Small Business Pivots. This podcast is created and produced by my company, boss. Our business is growing yours. Boss, offers flexible business loans with business coaching support. Apply in minutes and get approved and funded in as little as 24 to 48 hours at businessownershipsimplifiedcom. If you're enjoying this podcast, don't forget to hit the subscribe button and share it as well. If you need help growing your business, email me at michael at michaeldmorrisoncom. We'll see you next time on Small Business Pivots.