How much can you know about yourself if you've never been in a fight? If you've seen Fight Club, you know the line. Tyler Durden would argue, not much. And while I'm not suggesting anyone go start an underground brawl to level up their content, there is a real skill hiding in that idea, especially if you want to start a vlog. I don't want to encourage anyone to become an angry, fighting jerk as a way to get good on camera. But there’s something here. The Conversation Before the Conversation...

In the fall of 2013, less than a year after I started my video production company, CLEAVER, I took an idea to the Chicago Startup Weekend for Education and pitched it. The idea was simple, at least on paper: a livestreaming coworking space for creatives. People could stream their work in real time and get automatically paired with others doing the same thing, so working alone didn't have to feel so alone. At the time, the idea of livestreaming your work felt a little crazy. But I was lucky....

Stepping in front of a lens makes almost every business leader nervous at first. It's a natural reaction. Recording video is a specific skill that requires practice and development, much like public speaking was the mandatory professional skill a decade ago. Why Camera Anxiety Is Normal When the camera rolls, most professionals experience a spike in self consciousness. Facing a cold lens without immediate audience feedback can feel unnatural. Yet building a strong video presence is one of...