87% more people use video conferencing today than 2 years ago.
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87% more people use video conferencing today than 2 years ago. 〰️
Do you feel uncomfortable on camera? Not sure you're set up right or know the technology well enough?
We get it!
As more and more businesses have moved to fully remote or hybrid working options, though, it’s become clear that working on camera is not going away.
This may be an exciting evolution for some, but it can be a brutal, even triggering, pain point for those who don’t feel confident about how they look or perform on camera.
On the Job/getting the job
How you present yourself on camera for work matters. Way beyond what you’re wearing, “executive presence” is a multi-faceted beast that we get into with specifics and examples.
Interviewing for jobs? Expect 5+ rounds of virtual interviews before you ever shake hands with anyone. There is just too much at stake for you not to be absolutely confident on camera.
Professional Challenges
How do I look professional?
How do I sound confident?
How do I still manage to be present with coworkers, even though I’m online?
“I feel as if my presentation skills have gone up a notch and I look and feel better in front of my clients.”
- Craig S. - Milly Valley, CA
THIS CLASS IS FOR YOU IF:
You’re looking to increase your executive presence online
You’re permanently working from home (or hybrid) and need presentation training
You are looking for a job and want to perform well in multiple interview rounds
You haven’t had professional assessment done on your camera and audio setup
Nerves stop you from confidently participating in meetings
Online meeting etiquette is confusing
You aren’t confident with the technology
This class ALSO may be for someone in your family - especially if you have someone who may be a generation above you and is still holding the camera up to their mouth to talk or just doesn’t get it. We can help make those FaceTime calls much easier!
For a student in your life who is graduating high school or college and needs to learn the proper technique for interviewing for jobs or grad school.
THIS CLASS IF FOR YOUR TEAM IF:
People are grooming themselves during meetings as if they were alone
Members are burnt-out or fatigued
Individuals aren’t representing themselves or the company professionally with clients
Sales targets are being missed
We can run a targeted class just for your team! e-mail us here.
“I teach a class online and had been thinking about ways to improve my presentation style.
Taking this class was such a good thing to do! Both Stefanie and Tara have a wealth of experience and information that make this class great — and they give many valuable pointers for gaining confidence and presenting online.”
- Vicky B, San Francisco, CA
Fact: Gaining camera confidence is the #1 thing you can do to assure a positive position professionally and personally right now.
At home
Families found a whole new opportunity for connecting with one another via Zoom during the pandemic. Now on the other side now of emergency lockdowns, many relatives have found they quite enjoy the opportunity to connect more regularly. It’s clear, though, that the initial opportunity didn’t come with a handbook explaining some basic “How to…” info.
Communication Challenges
How to find the controls…
How to position the camera to be seen well…
How to make adjustments to look your best…
“I love my new Zoom hacks that I learned in class!”
- Kamaljit B., San Francisco, CA
is your camera off during Zoom meetings?
Whatever your reason might be, when you have your camera off, you become less effective.
With your camera on, though, you have the opportunity to be seen and heard in a way that may even be more advantageous to you than if you were actually in person.
Is it:
Exhaustion: Zoom fatigue is real. We get it. We’ve got some great solutions for making it easier on you.
Appearance: People used to think that being on camera meant needing to look like a news anchor or a movie star. Not so! Being on camera is so common now that all you need are a few simple steps we can share to look quickly polished.
Tech: You may think you have it all together because you’ve been on camera for 2 years already, but no. It’s only that no one’s ever told you that they couldn’t hear you well. (Or see you well.) We’ll help you get set up and apply a few simple tools so that you look like you know what you’re doing.
“Gain Confidence ON Zoom was an incredible learning opportunity!
I am a recent college graduate and was thrown into Zoom classes at the start of the pandemic, but I am confident that if I had this knowledge before then, I would’ve been more engaged and inclined to participate in my classes.
Stefanie and Tara not only taught me valuable technical skills but their exercises instilled confidence in me. I highly recommend this class for everyone, even if you already know the basics of Zoom.” - Edna T., Merced, CA
Fact: Appearing on camera builds trust between you and your clients, your colleagues, and your family.
Wouldn’t It Be Great if…
…you felt confident enough with the technology and set up of Zoom that every moment of prep wasn’t stressful?
…you could relieve your nerves about appearing on camera with some simple warm up exercises?
…you appeared online as confident and put together as when you’re in person?
Gain Confidence on Zoom:
Feel, Perform, and Look Better on Camera Than You Ever Thought Possible
You’ll Learn
The psychology of being on camera
How to cope with nerves
Proper camera, screen, and lighting placement
Tech tweaks - both specific to Zoom and for all platforms
In this overview course, hosts Stefanie and Tara will introduce the structure, mindset, and tech of being an effective communicator in your online meetings with real time activities to implement as we go along. Setting yourself up correctly and overcoming nerves to appear at ease and confident is necessary on any platform (Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, etc.) and for any reason you are meeting online.
Can’t make it live? All classes are recorded with links sent out to all shortly after.
Who are we?
Tara Blau Smollen
Tara Blau Smollen is an award-winning actor, director, and theater professor. She holds an MFA in acting from the National Theater Conservatory in Denver and has worked extensively both Off-Broadway and in regional theater across the U.S. As a professor, she has taught at numerous colleges in the Bay Area including SF State, Contra Costa, and Los Medanos.
During the pandemic she saw a need to support creatives, coaches and individuals with learning how to present themselves with more authenticity, when speaking online, so she set up her own coaching business, TBS Coaching. Her client list includes, actors working on MFA auditions, organizations working on immigrant rights and policy at the state level, the health care industry, working with indigenous women on finding their voices and prepping clients for online interviews with Fortune 500 companies.
Stefanie Small
Producer, writer, and publicist Stefanie Small has worked a lifetime in the arts – both in front of the cameras, on the stage, and behind the scenes. She is currently retained by clients for strategy, web, and media development that is accessible, engaging, and in support of their communications strategies.
As a professional, Stefanie spent years as a content creator for an educational nonprofit, as a podcast producer for multiple entities, and kept a roster of independent clients that she supported in (re)launching their businesses.
Prior to those years, Stefanie was a sought after publicist in the Bay Area’s performing arts market, working first for the premier arts presenter of the West Coast, Cal Performances at UC Berkeley, then with the boutique PR firm CBPR.
For custom 1:1 corporate and educational classes, please email us directly here.