Like so many of us, I don’t love being on camera.
And yet it helps create trust and it’s algorithm friendly - generally a video will be pushed to more people.
Being on camera makes it more likely I will get the things I want, such as making WOW Studio Live a successful TikTok agency or Bloody Bens Bloody Mary Mix being in thousands of pubs (including Young’s!) or building Best Before or just generally doing more fun projects and meeting more fun people along the way.
So, I started doing little videos each week to preview my latest Sunday Service Substack posts.
The first one I was almost too shy to speak and there were quite a few takes.
I think I’ve done like 8 or 9 now and you can sense I’m more confident although I will still do them early in the morning to avoid anyone in the street overhearing me talk to camera as I walk Alfie the dog.
But I’ve realised I find it hard to monologue to camera.
It’s just not a current strength.
That got me thinking, how could I do more on camera?
I realised I’m better in a conversation.
But to set up a weekly conversation or vodcast with a guest would take lots of work and I am short on time.
So how could I find a solution and one that involved the least friction?
And then it occurred to me.
Claude could help.
It could ask me questions about my latest Substack, to get under the skin of whatever I was writing and ask questions that hopefully some readers were pondering or to give the post a bit more depth.
The sort of thing I just can’t seem to access on a monologue to camera.
So here we are.
And yes it feels pretty self indulgent.
Answer AI generated questions about your own post.
And talking to camera still feels cringe.
But what I know from building in public for the last couple of years is that the things you want are on the other side of cringe.
I launched episode 1 last week and it was actually kinda fun and I found myself looking forward to doing this second ep.
So here it is!
Oh and for reference, Claude is asking me about this Sunday Service post,
Also, in the spirit of just doing it and just getting started, I’m ignoring the cold sore I’ve got.
I thought if I waited for the bastard to disappear, I wouldn’t end up doing this… so I decided to crack on, lip mutation and all.
Would love to know what you think of this format and whether it may inspire you to find a way to do more on camera.
Oh, and if you have any questions about the post or anything else, do feel free to drop me a DM or leave a comment and I’ll get back to you.
I’m Ben - living a portfolio career and figuring it out in public, one week at a time.
I believe staying in the game matters more than having it all figured out.
I’ve learned to stack the small wins, protect my energy, and say yes to being in rooms where things happen.
If you’re trying to build a life that feels like yours - without running out of road before it gets good… You’re in the right place. Even on the wobbly days.
