Video

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Getting through it: 3 ways to manage your emotions on-camera or on-stage

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My friend cried on the phone with me as he rehearsed his remarks that he was going to deliver at his father’s funeral later that week. His heart was broken and his words stumbled and eeked out from behind a growing lump in his throat. His pain was so palpable, I wanted to reach through the phone to wipe away the tears welling up in his eyes.

“How am I going to do this,” he asked. “I don’t want to turn into a blubbering mess up there, Andrea. But, I owe at least this much to my father.”

“Don’t go up there alone,” I replied...

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When ya' got nothin', do somethin'!

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This weekend, I tallied up how much money I’ve saved these last few years by creating my own business videos, instead of hiring a pro crew to make them for me. Would you believe it: $25k?!! Um, that’s a lot of cash, money, moula, dolla bills, ya’ll! (And learning this got me all sorts of excited again for my upcoming Creating DIY Business Videos You LOVE program in March.)

It got me thinking about the many times in my career when I had to “spin gold from straw”, that is – make something awesome happen when I had little to no resources available to me. It seems I’ve employed this trick many times...and here's how you can, too.

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What your shirt color says about you to an audience

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Picture it: You’re getting ready for an event where you have the opportunity to speak. You open your closet and find the most perfect outfit to wear for the occasion. What do you choose?

A black suit?

A red dress?

Whenever you have a chance to be seen on stage or on-camera, remember that colors go a long way in stimulating and engaging your audience. Our minds associate certain colors with certain characteristics. For example:  

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{VIDEO} Get on camera; Get more confident

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When was the last time you saw yourself in a video or photo? So often we avoid being in the spotlight because, well, we just don't like seeing ourselves. And, I get that! When I first went on-camera for my business, I hated what I saw. I wanted to run and hide and never get on camera again.

Still, seeing myself on-camera did two very important things for me...two things that completely changed my mindset and my business. Most of my clients ask me how to get more confident on stage or on-camera or in the boardroom. Well, here's part of the answer...

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{VIDEO} Get it all done...with a little fun

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Yesterday, I was rattling off my long list of “to-do’s” to a friend and she quickly asked me a very important question that got me seriously thinking about how I could get more out of my time. More “me” time, more “happy” time…while still getting it all done.

Here are 3 awesome “time tricks” you can do now to get more “happy” time for yourself.

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60-seconds to perfect social media videos

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I’m a big fan of keeping things as simple as possible while still getting awesome results. I keep my grilled cheese sandwiches basic (yum), I don’t over-decorate my Christmas tree (clean-up is a breeze) and I gave up on crafting and scrapbooking a long time ago (precious time reclaimed).

It’s no wonder, then, that I offer you this little gem: 60 seconds to shooting a perfect social media video. I call it SLAM and it's a proven formula for making social content videos that really work.

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How I beat my camera shyness

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Despite the fact that I’ve been in hundreds of videos throughout the course of my career, I still don’t love seeing myself on camera. And I know I’m not alone in this. How many times have you shied away from being photographed or interviewed for something simply because you always think you look terrible on camera? We picture ourselves looking our absolute worst and completely recoil from the opportunity to do something really brave and worthy…which is to allow others to see us. Learning how to bravely be on camera has literally brought thousands of dollars of income to my business. Here's what I learned along the way...

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Let there be light!

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Light means everything for a high quality business video. The lens on your camera - whether it’s your smartphone camera or a professional-grade camera - is just like the lens of your eye. When it’s bright, you see better; when it’s dark, your eye struggles. Your camera lens will pick up on greater detail and give you a better image if you shoot in an area with great light.

If you don’t have the budget or space for professional lights, there are still some ways you can improve your light quality right now - without spending a single penny.

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The Real Cost of Professional Video for Your Business

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I’m gonna do my dear friends and colleagues who work in the professional video production industry a solid right now and throw down some truth: professionally-produced video is amazing because it’s a damn art form that requires skill, equipment, talent and creativity - which is why...ahem...it ain’t cheap!

There, I said it and here’s why you might be glad I did: shopping around for professionally-produced business videos when you have less than a $5,000 budget is a gross misuse of your time AND most often an insult to the pros you’re soliciting.

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How to Answer Awkward Holiday Questions

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There is no rule that you need to have your life figured out by every November. If your marital, job, financial or kid status - or your waistline - makes other people uncomfortable, that's their issue, not yours. It seems like every year (as I pour myself another glass of wine), I dread some of the awkward family and friend conversations that always seem to sneak up around the holidays.

Because I know that you - and I - will be dealing with this, we made this little video to help you out on how to respond. So, gather 'round, my friends, and find your place - and voice - at the table.

xoxo