I opened my South by Southwest (SXSW) session with a confession: I have a video from over a decade ago where I am impersonating Ron Burgundy from “Anchorman.” Stiff delivery, robotic cadence, completely inauthentic. Did I say video? I’ll clarify and say this was footage broadcast on the local news during my stint as a local TV news reporter. I thought that’s what “being on camera” was supposed to look like. I was wrong.
Today I speak on stages across the country, host a podcast, and coach founders and executives on how to show up confidently on video. The transformation wasn’t magic—it was mindset, skillset, and repetition. And it’s available to anyone willing to do the work.
I get asked constantly, “What’s the key to being better on camera?” Or “How can I not be cringey on camera?” Here’s my answer.
Redefine Cringe
Let’s redefine this. Cringe is a feeling of awkwardness, toward yourself or others. Maybe you see yourself on video and you shudder. You’re cringing at yourself. But cringiness isn’t a trait, it’s a state of mind:
1. Being cringey is being inauthentic. Like me impersonating Ron Burgundy. The key is to work on becoming more comfortable with training and commitment.
2. Worrying that you’ll be cringey is a self-limiting belief. This is the biggest issue I’ve seen from my 20 years in media and coaching founders, CEOs, and authors to appear on TV, on podcasts, and on social media.
Hiding From the Camera Is Hiding From Clients
The biggest mistake professionals make isn’t a bad lighting setup or a cluttered background. It’s not showing up at all.
When you avoid video, you are actively hiding from potential clients, collaborators, and opportunities. Visibility creates credibility. I’ve watched clients double their income, land speaking gigs, attract inbound client calls, and get book deals, all because they committed to showing up on camera. One client, a healthcare consultant, went from off-camera consultant to moderating national conferences and closing three new clients after we built a video and podcast series around her expertise. Another, an executive coach, started getting inbound client calls and podcast invitations after we crystallized her professional point of view on camera.
Confidence leads to visibility. Visibility leads to career growth. Career growth leads to freedom. That equation doesn’t work if you’re hiding.
The Real Reason You’re Avoiding It (It’s Not What You Think)
You’re not afraid of the camera. You’re afraid of being seen.
I had a client who told me for six months she was “too busy” to make videos. She was posting about Netflix and vacations the whole time. A year later, still no video. That’s not laziness. That’s fear, and fear is sneaky. It disguises itself as busyness, perfectionism, and imposter syndrome.
Maybe you’re afraid of judgment. Maybe you’re afraid of failing. Maybe you feel unqualified. Here’s the truth: The judgment you’re terrified of exists almost entirely in your own head. People are busy. They’re not sitting around waiting to critique your LinkedIn video. They’re dealing with their own to-do lists.
Write down your why before you do anything else. More clients. More income. More visibility. A more flexible career. Your motivation needs to be stronger than your fear—because the fear doesn’t go away. You film through the fear.
Ditch Supermodel Mode. Enter Teacher Mode
Here’s the mental shift that changes everything: Forget about what you think people are saying about you; focus on what you are teaching.
Most people go on camera in what I call “supermodel mode”—hyper-aware of how they look, imagining the mean girl from high school watching, convinced everyone is judging them. This is the source of cringe. You can feel it when you watch someone in that mode, and you can feel it when you’re in it yourself.
Teacher mode is the antidote. When you’re focused on the person you’re trying to help—what they need to know, what problem you can solve for them—you stop obsessing over yourself. The camera becomes a conduit, not a mirror. That shift is where charisma lives.
Bring Dinner Party Energy
Being confident on camera is not a performance skill. It’s a transfer skill. I recently taught this to a group as they prepared to moderate conferences and it was a major unlock.
You already know how to be engaging, warm, and interesting. You do it at dinner parties. You do it when you’re telling a story to a friend. The task is not to become a different person on camera—it’s to bring that same energy to the camera.
You Can’t Mantra Your Way to Success
Here’s what nobody wants to hear: Mindset alone won’t fix this.
Confidence on camera requires three things working together—mindset, skillset, and repetition. You need all three. Affirmations without practice are just wishful thinking. The first five videos you make will probably be uncomfortable. The first 10, a bit better. That’s normal. That’s the process. The goal isn’t perfection on the first take; it’s showing up enough times that your body stops treating the camera like a lion attack.
Start with these basics: Prepare your content so you’re not winging it; find a quiet spot where your brain can actually settle; and control your physical state—breathe, loosen up, and smile.
You’re not cringey, you’re just overthinking. Now hit record.
