You know when you get family photos taken and the photographer really captures the essence of everyone, including you? That’s close to what happened when I started working with Tommy Collier on my camera setup this summer, except it happened live, on video, in a corner of my office.

Tommy and I talk about what it’s like when the person you feel like on the inside finally shows up in how you look on camera.

This is the final Summer of Self-Love conversation.

🎥 Watch the Conversation on Substack

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You know when you get family photos taken and everyone

2

looks their absolute best, and

that photographer really captured

3

the essence of your family, your

partner, and most importantly, you.

4

I think a lot of times as women in

midlife, we don't like the way we look

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in photos until someone sees something in

us that maybe we can't see in ourselves.

6

We're so focused on helping other

people, being all the things to our

7

family, taking care of the kids,

working at our jobs, that we can't

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see the beauty that others see in us.

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What we often see in the bathroom mirror

is so different than that beautiful

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photo that the photographer got of

you, the real you that you feel inside.

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Hi, I'm Erica Voell, and I want to

welcome you to the Unfolding podcast.

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I'm a human design guide for women in

midlife, and my work is all about helping

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you connect the dots with how you are

designed so you can see the whole picture

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of yourself and your relationships,

and understand why your partner needs

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a few days to make a decision when

you knew almost instantly, or why

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you keep overthinking and replaying

the same conversation in your mind.

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It's all connected.

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My clients often tell me, "This

makes so much sense, and I see that

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there is nothing wrong with me."

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Today's episode is a conversation that

I had with Tommy Collier on Substack.

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He has tons of awards and amazing

credits to his resume, and his

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work now is so transformational.

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He's working with people and helping

them look good on camera, and

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there is something else that comes

through in his work that's more

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than just looking good on camera.

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I personally worked with Tommy on my

on-camera setup in my office, which

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is a corner of the space that I'm in.

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What I did not expect when our

work started together was that the

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coach I felt on the inside would

start to show up on camera on the

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outside, the one that shows up in the

professional photos I've had taken.

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It's also a huge boost of confidence

when I showed up as a podcast guest.

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I felt like I belonged there.

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I deserved to be there.

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The whole process has been such a

mind-blowing experience, and the magic is

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I did not need a huge setup or a studio.

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I can't wait for you to

listen to this episode.

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Tommy is such a fun and warm person.

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There's just something about him

that comes through, and if you

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watch this video, you will see it.

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I will link the episode in the show notes.

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But it also comes through in his voice.

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You're gonna hear me gush about him

and our work together, but you're

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also gonna hear Tommy talk about the

people he's worked with and the things

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that he sees come through on camera

that so often the people that are

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behind the camera might not even see.

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So let's get to the episode.

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Well, welcome everyone to

another conversation about

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the Summer of Self Love.

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We're closing it out as the season

is winding down, and today we

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have a super special conversation.

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All summer we've been talking about

to women in midlife, and now we're

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gonna talk about to Tommy Collier.

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And I'm so excited to talk to

Tommy because Tommy and I worked

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together this summer, and I started

to see a part of me on camera that

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I didn't even know could be there.

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And so we're gonna talk today

about bringing your whole

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true self out on camera.

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So Tommy writes the Designed,

Aligned, and Primed Substack.

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So Tommy, welcome.

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I'm so excited to talk to you today.

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Tommy Collier: Hi, Erica.

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Oh my gosh, I am so

excited to be here too.

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Thanks for inviting me.

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Erica Voell: And I realize

I don't have myself I

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Tommy Collier: am so

excited to be here too.

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Thanks for- You don't have what?

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Erica Voell: I just…

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Okay.

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I got…

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We're good.

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Tommy Collier: Oh, you're good now?

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Okay.

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We're

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Erica Voell: good.

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Tommy Collier: We're good.

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Erica Voell: Okay.

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So- All right … I wanna hear about

how you got into this work because,

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like, the transformation that I've

seen you has, that has happened

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with on camera has just been…

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I thought, "Oh, it'll be cool.

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I'll get a new camera maybe.

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Like, we'll get a new background,"

but I didn't realize what

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would change inside so much.

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Right.

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So I wanna know, like, your story and

what brought you into doing this work.

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Um, and I…

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Somewhere you'd mentioned about being

younger and feeling awkward on camera,

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and I would love to hear about this.

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Tommy Collier: Okay.

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I'll, I'll try to give us, like, the

sh- the abridged version here- … and,

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like, interrupt me if we need to move on.

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But, um, yeah, so I guess where it

really s- it really started, well, I…

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So I've always been, like, a- Um, a nerd

tech kind of kid, like, when I was young

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or whatever, and when I, you know, was

thinking about what I wanted to do with

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the rest of my life, you know, post high

school, I decided to go to film school.

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Um, wanted to be, like, a filmmaker

or producer, something like that.

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I didn't really even know that much

about it, but I went to film school.

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I went to, uh, the Art Institute and

got a degree in video production.

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So that started the, you know, my,

uh, behind-the-scenes, um, career.

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Okay, so I- Mm-hmm … I never, ever saw

myself as a in front of the camera person.

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Um, that dream got squashed, like,

in high school by the bullies, okay?

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So, so, uh, yeah, so just went happily

into behind-the-scenes work and had a,

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you know, good career in that, you know,

early phase of adulthood, um, doing

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lots of, you know, behind-the-scenes,

behind-the-camera types of things.

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I've worked in, uh, local

news, television, film,

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um, uh, independent film.

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Uh, run, have run my own, uh, production

company for 20 years, something like that.

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Um, so lots and lots and lots of

behind-the-scenes stuff, okay?

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Um, where I started to get in touch with

the effect that my camera can have on

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another, on another person internally,

um, it actually, I, I, that was my first

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Substack article that I wrote, about

a lady named Carolyn, who I- Mm-hmm

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took this picture of in 2010.

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Can you see this?

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There we go.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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So this was, like, the first time I

did a photo shoot for someone that

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wasn't, like, a commercial corporate

thing, um, and where it was about her,

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like, stepping into a new era, a new

identity of life, and she wanted to

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have a photograph to mark that moment.

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And so she hired me to take that picture

of her, and that was, like, the first

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time that I ever understood what, what

the power of the camera can be to help

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someone make some kind of an internal

shift, 'cause she was in a kind of

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a, a transitional period at the time.

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S- you know, stopped doing her

business, um, moving into a new,

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like, ki- like a new era, like I said.

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And we took that picture, and she

didn't see it when, the day we took it.

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She didn't see it until I took her a

framed copy just like this, and I put

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a- Mm-hmm … little sticky note on it.

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'Cause I mean, I just, I thought, "Oh my

God, this is, like, the coolest picture.

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Like, if I was her, I

would love this photo."

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And I put this sticky note on it

that said, "Hey, when in doubt,

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Carolyn, look at this picture

and ask, 'What would she do?'"

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And that had this giant impact on her.

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In fact, when I started my Substack

earlier this, uh, this year, I

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reached out to her 'cause I knew

I wanted that, this to be my first

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article, and this was 16 years ago.

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And she told me on the phone, I

just cold called her, she said, "Do

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you know I look at that photograph

every day, and that sticky note- Mm

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you know, has made, made…

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you know, helped me get

through, like, a lot of life."

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You know, she lost her husband a

few years ago, all kinds of stuff.

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So reflecting back on it,

that's where that started.

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Now, then I went into a whole era of

career where I became a specialist

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in the field of headshot photography

specifically, and that's where I, um,

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first kind of- Began learning from,

uh, in a mentorship environment.

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So I, I found- Mm-hmm … a man by

the name of Peter Hurley, who's the

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greatest headshot photographer in the

world, out of New York, and he had a,

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a community called The Headshot Crew.

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And I was looking to expand my business

and go more specialized into headshots

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at the time, and I ran across his

work and I was like, oh my gosh, this

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is what I want my work to look like.

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You know, can I learn from this guy?

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Oh yeah, he's got a, he's

got a, he's got a program.

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I can get into that.

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Never had done any kind of

mentoring or anything before.

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But I went, went in there and just

ate it up and became, like, his

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most successful student at the

time, uh, for quite a few years.

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And he was the one that started to

really teach me at a deeper level,

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and with a lot of intention, how

much the camera can have an, an, an

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effect on a person internally as well.

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You know, there's something about

cameras that a lot of us humans

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are very averse to, you know?

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Mm-hmm.

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Like, we, you know, we all grew up in,

in elementary school, picture day, right?

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Where they slap you down.

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They s- they t- they take

your picture and you move on.

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You know, it's like mugshots, basically.

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Can we say that, right?

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And, and, and that, those

are usually never great.

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Like, we have several poor experiences

in front of the camera, usually

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before- Mm-hmm … we ever have a

great one, if we ever have a great one.

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And we see a lot of bad pictures

of ourself too, and so we all

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kind of quietly decide, like,

I'm not photogenic, you know, the

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camera's not my friend, whatever.

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And so for a lot of years, my work has

been around changing people's relationship

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with the camera, um, which, uh, involves

basically getting the camera out of the

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way, um, distracting people from the

camera while they're in front of it-

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Mm-hmm … making them feel great and like

they're having a party and they're hanging

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out with a really great friend, and I'm

just showing them a really great time.

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And the photos that we take are a

byproduct of the experience I provided

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for them, which is always very uplifting

and affirming and, you know, elevating.

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You know, it feels good to be, you

know, shone a spotlight on and have

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a, you know, a glam team around

you doing your makeup and your hair

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and being in a cool environment

and being really taken care of.

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And, like, that's an experience

that elevates everyone, and that's

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not all that different from what

we've done with, with you, you know?

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Mm-hmm.

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My work, my current work now.

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You know, it's different, it's a

different format, but it's the same thing.

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And so I have just really- through

all of this, come to this realization.

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You know, we talk about in, like,

personal development, uh, circles and,

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and, you know, thought leadership and

stuff that you have to change the inside.

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Um, you know, you go inside and

change what's g- what's, you know,

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what's not right or what you wanna

improve on the inside, and then those

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results get to show on the outside.

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Well, I have found this little, this

work that I do is actually kind of a

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hack around that, where if you actually

go and make a really beautiful, um,

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external change first with a, in a, in a

camera sort of environment situation- Mm

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… that can lead to a very rapid internal

transformation because you're finally

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seeing who you've been wanting to become,

you know, doing that internal work.

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You're seeing her on the screen in

front of you in real time today.

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And- Yes … and, and it's like she

reaches through the screen and pulls

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you forward into the future fast.

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Erica Voell: Yes.

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Oh my gosh, that is so, such a

perfect example of w- how it felt.

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Like, I, you know, I've

been in this space where…

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I mean, I moved into

this room, I painted it.

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I've told this story o- on my,

um, Substack article that I wrote

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about our experience together.

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Like, it is this beautiful light

pink room, and then I turned

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on the camera and it was gray.

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Right.

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And I was like, "Seriously?"

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This was supposed to be my upgrade

from a really dark, gray, boring room

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where I had picture frames on the

wall that, like, felt like I had a

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point coming out of my head sometimes.

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But it just was so…

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I see myself, the videos from the Substack

lives from that, and I'm like, I can

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just see in my face how different I

felt from even being in the d- the gray

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room to the pink room, and the pink room

looking more gray than the gray room.

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Tommy Collier: Yeah.

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Erica Voell: And I, I just can't…

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It, I real- I'll never forget

the f- the day that we, like,

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y- worked with, on the camera.

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You had my husband adjusting

it, and we put the first lens on

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and I was like, I was trying to

hold back tears 'cause it was…

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It's true.

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And I, but I was always like, I felt

like this one coach, but I could never

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portray it except in my still photos.

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And s- Mm-hmm … I, and I agree.

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And so many w- midlife

women I know are like

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realizing that they don't

get a picture of themselves.

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And my husband has very, very few

photos of his mom growing up because

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she was always the one taking the

photos, and when there's a family

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shot, she did not wanna be in them.

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And even when my daughter was born,

she did not want pictures of her-

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Tommy Collier: Yeah

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… Erica Voell: in the pictures.

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Yeah.

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And I'm like, "I don't wanna be that way."

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Tommy Collier: Right.

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Erica Voell: But I also know that,

like when I, when I've had a photo

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shoot, that the really good ones are

the ones that are like, "That is me.

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That's me on the outside."

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Tommy Collier: Yes.

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Yes, where, where something about the

photo, uh, you know, is communicating

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more about who you are on the inside-

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Erica Voell: Mm-hmm

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… Tommy Collier: in that external

view than, than the, the, you know,

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the photo that you don't like.

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Erica Voell: Yeah.

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Tommy Collier: You know?

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Yeah.

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Erica Voell: Now, not only if I could

take this camera- … and the screen

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and it be in my bathroom every day.

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Tommy Collier: Well, hey, I, uh, so I wear

a little makeup when I'm on camera 'cause

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I come from the TV world, and I happen

to be a pretty good makeup artist myself.

259

So I do my makeup sitting

in front of the camera.

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Ah.

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I don't wanna look at myself in

the mirror while I'm doing that.

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That's not helpful.

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Yeah.

264

I sit in front of the camera and do it.

265

So just saying, you could do that too.

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Erica Voell: Okay.

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So everybody who's joined us,

that is the tip for the day.

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Yeah.

269

Do your makeup in front of the

camera and not in your bathroom.

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Tommy Collier: Uh, but it's gotta

be a pretty good camera, 'cause

271

sometimes the mirror is more- True

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forgiving than…

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So it depends on what you're doing.

274

But if you got a great setup like

we do here- Yeah … then, yeah,

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you wanna be in front of that.

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Erica Voell: Yeah.

277

Well, I just wanna say welcome

Eli and Allison and Shamika

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and Tina and Kat and Judy.

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And Judy said, um, what a difference

it was for having Tommy set up her

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camera and doing an incredible job.

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Um, yeah, I just- Hi,

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Tommy Collier: Judy

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… Erica Voell: this, this

experience, I can't even…

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I had to write an article about it

because I had so many people DM'ing

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me, like, "What camera did you get?"

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And I was like, "Don't, don't

ask me what camera it is.

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I can tell you, but it's,

it's not gonna look the same."

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Yeah.

289

Those, the number of settings we

did- Over and over and over, and

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Tommy Collier: then I don't know

if you remember before we did that

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reading in any of my stuff, that

it's, like, literally 100 settings.

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Now you- Uh-huh … now, now you,

you've experienced that, right?

293

Erica Voell: Yeah, and depending on

if it's cloudy or, like- Right … if

294

the light's changed or we change

its light in the background.

295

Yeah.

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Yeah.

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Tommy Collier: I wish it could just

be as simple as, hey, just go buy

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this one camera and you are set.

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Yeah.

300

It is so not about any one

particular piece of equipment.

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Or even if you have the

equipment, what do you do with it?

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Erica Voell: Yeah.

303

Well, I would have…

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And I would've set it up too high.

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I would've-

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Tommy Collier: Yeah

307

… Erica Voell: it would've

been all different.

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Tommy Collier: Yeah.

309

Erica Voell: So I'm really curious about

when you start working with somebody…

310

Sorry, allergy season is really rampant

311

Tommy Collier: right now.

312

I'm ha- I'm going through

it over here, too.

313

Erica Voell: And it

rained, and so, like, ugh.

314

So I'm really curious, like, when you

first start to work with somebody on

315

those audits- Yeah … like, what do

you see in them that you know, like,

316

the camera is going to bring out?

317

'Cause I know that you s- you said

something, some things to me, and

318

you were like, "We're gonna do this,

and we're gonna do that," and I was

319

like, "Okay, just tell me what to do."

320

Tommy Collier: Mm-hmm.

321

Erica Voell: But I'm just curious, like,

what you can see in them that they can't

322

s- maybe see in themselves, and that

helps you then help create the space.

323

Yeah.

324

Does that make sense?

325

Tommy Collier: Yeah, it does.

326

I want…

327

I, if you remember, I wanna

come back and hear what those

328

things were that I said to you.

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Erica Voell: I don't even

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Tommy Collier: remember what they

331

Erica Voell: were.

332

Tommy Collier: Oh, okay.

333

Okay.

334

I have a transcript somewhere.

335

We'll look.

336

But anyway- … um, what do I

see in people when I f- um…

337

Well, so I'm, I'm very, um,

like- I've done so much of this

338

work, and human design-wise,

it's also pretty prevalent too.

339

Like, I'm, I have a really,

really sharp eye, okay?

340

So- Mm-hmm … I am picking up on kind

of a multi-layered, multi-dimensional

341

level many, many things at once.

342

So I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm looking at, I'm

looking at the visuals, I'm looking

343

at the lighting, I'm looking at the

background, I'm looking at the camera,

344

I'm looking at the camera quality,

I'm looking at the camera height,

345

I'm looking at the sound quality.

346

Like, I'm looking at all these things

at once, and evaluating them very, very

347

quickly, and kind of, uh, understanding…

348

Like, I don't thin- I don't

know that I have words for this.

349

There's just something about the way

that my brain operates at this point

350

that I know immediately what they need,

what's gonna work, what's not gonna work.

351

Mm-hmm.

352

And if I come on and am, like, surprised

or someone, um, you know, occasionally…

353

Like, like most people, um, the

camera tends to make you look

354

worse than you do in person, okay?

355

Um, even a good camera, like even the

good cameras that we're on now, set

356

wrong can make you look worse than a

bad webcam, but webcams almost always,

357

like, people, make people look worse

than they, than they are, right?

358

So I know that.

359

Um, but sometimes I'm like, you know,

someone's really, like, in the dark or

360

just the camera's awful or whatever,

and I'm, like, looking for how am I

361

gonna make this person look good, okay?

362

Mm-hmm.

363

Um, but what I have learned, and

something that Peter Hurley, my h-

364

um, headshot photography mentor taught

me, and it's so true, um, I have

365

never, in all the people that I have

photographed, uh, filmed, worked with,

366

which is, I don't know, pro- f- 5,000

people at this point maybe, somewhere,

367

you know, from m- maybe more, but f-

I have never met a single person where

368

I could not find beauty in their face.

369

Erica Voell: Mm.

370

Tommy Collier: Okay?

371

So a lot of people say,

"I'm not photogenic."

372

Erica Voell: Mm-hmm

373

… Tommy Collier: there is no such

thing as an unphotogenic person.

374

There is only a person who has not

been photographed on their good side

375

or with the right lighting or whatever.

376

Every single human face has beauty in it.

377

It's just a matter of finding

what angles, what lighting, what

378

colors, what background, you

know, is going to support them.

379

So I don't know if I'm answering

your question, but I'm- No, you are.

380

Yeah … I'm immediately

looking for and recognizing

381

where are areas of opportunity?

382

Where is the beauty?

383

Where can I pull out, you know,

where can I spotlight what's working

384

and maybe diminish what's not?

385

You know, where can I light up the

good side and maybe put a little

386

shadow on the not so good side?

387

Mm-hmm.

388

Um, or where can we do, you know, a

color that helps someone look, you know,

389

more however they wanna look, you know?

390

So I don't know.

391

Does that answer it?

392

Erica Voell: Yeah.

393

Yeah.

394

Cool.

395

I, and, and I, I'm, I'm, I'm

getting chills because I'm

396

just, like, I, I, I remember…

397

I'll never forget what you said to, to me.

398

"Erica, we can, y- we can do all

the stuff in the background, but,

399

uh, you're, it's never gonna look

good unless you get a new camera."

400

And I was like, uh, you probably

remember this, I was so resistant.

401

And I was like, "No, I'm

not getting a new camera.

402

I can't afford it.

403

I can't afford it."

404

And then, then I was like,

something told me, I…

405

You sent me the list, and I, as a good

person with an emotional authority,

406

I slept on it for three days.

407

Tommy Collier: Yes.

408

Erica Voell: And I'll never forget one

409

and I was like, "You're signing.

410

Just do this.

411

Just order the damn camera.

412

Just order the damn camera."

413

And I'll never forget, I hit order, and I

put my phone down in the, I put it in the

414

bathroom, and I went to bed that night.

415

And I was like, "I did it," and

I had no feelings of regret.

416

Normally, when I make a big purchase,

it's just like, "What have I done?

417

Oh my God- Hmm … how

am I gonna pay for this?"

418

Like, there was none of that.

419

It was like- Why?

420

Because you hadn't even- … so

calming … you hadn't even seen it yet.

421

Tommy Collier: Why-

422

I, well- So why do you think that was?

423

Erica Voell: Well, the dollar amount

was- … like freaking me out.

424

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

425

Erica Voell: But then I got, and like

I got the box, and you know, it got…

426

It, th- there was drama around that in

getting delivered to the wrong house.

427

Right.

428

But once I got it, and once we s- we

plugged it in, and I was like, "Okay."

429

Tommy Collier: But did you have

feel- any feelings of regret or

430

like whatever before you saw it?

431

Like, between when you hit order and

when we actually, you know, set it up?

432

Erica Voell: No.

433

No.

434

Really?

435

It like comp- after I hit the

order and like put my phone away,

436

I had so much calm, and I even

wrote about this in my journal.

437

Like, I have never felt so calm

about a big purchase except for like

438

signing, you know, like my house.

439

How could you be so

440

Tommy Collier: calm?

441

Erica Voell: Because I had been so

in my head, and when I listen to

442

my body as a good Generator- Yes

443

like, it was there.

444

Tommy Collier: Okay.

445

Erica Voell: I had been hearing

it all along, but I was just so

446

in my head of, "What am I doing?"

447

Yeah.

448

"This is crazy."

449

But now I see the results and, like,

I sent it off to my mom, and then

450

d- when we were meeting today, I was

like, "I need to use this picture

451

because this is so beautiful."

452

Like, I, this is me.

453

Yeah.

454

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

455

Yeah.

456

Erica Voell: Yeah.

457

Tommy Collier: So I love this because…

458

Well, I, I love this and it's

difficult, uh, in terms of- helping

459

people understand this work because

it's like I have not figured out how

460

to communicate this to someone in

a way that they can understand it.

461

I don't know that-

Mm-hmm … it's possible.

462

You just do not know until you

know, unless you've been in front

463

of a professional camera before.

464

Like, if you've seen yourself on a

professional camera- Mm … in other

465

ways, and you're like, "Oh, I…"

466

You know, most people don't have

cells of recognition for that.

467

Yeah.

468

Most people have never even

been in the same room with a

469

camera like this, you know?

470

Uh-huh.

471

So I'm, I'm…

472

I don't know why I'm saying

that, but it's just I'm, I'm…

473

I think you're, I think you're gonna help

me figure out how to say the words better.

474

How to comm- or this

conversation is going to.

475

So anyway.

476

Erica Voell: I think I'm thinking of

it as like, like I wrote on a s- on

477

sub- a Substack note, like you get the

professional photos taken, you get the

478

headshots taken, but nobody ever says if

you're gonna be on camera all the time,

479

"Are you going to get a good camera?

480

Are you going to work with somebody

who's going to help you look as good?"

481

'Cause we have all of these…

482

We can have all the, you know,

beautiful photos for our website, but

483

nobody really looks at our website.

484

But that's what we're, we're relying

on to be who we think we are.

485

I mean, who we…

486

to present ourselves.

487

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

488

Erica Voell: But every day, I

mean, I'm, I've been on this

489

camera four times this week.

490

Yeah.

491

Yeah.

492

And I was on a podcast yesterday,

and I was just like, I could

493

see myself and I was like, "Yes.

494

Yes."

495

Yeah.

496

Like- Yeah … I was talking about human

design, and I was not just the person in

497

the gray room with the r- lots of reverb.

498

Tommy Collier: Yep.

499

Yeah, and I loved that point when you

made it about the, you know, everyone's

500

kind of used to getting, you know,

investing in a photo shoot once or

501

twice a year or something if you're in

business and needing photography, right?

502

Um, like that's kind

of, that's not unusual.

503

This is unusual though.

504

Um, but like when you do those photo

shoots, it's like how fast, you know,

505

especially when you're in the, the field

of growth and development, like- Mm-hmm

506

that photo shoot is not you for very long.

507

You know?

508

Like those photos go out of

style real fast, you know?

509

This background and what you've said here

is gonna carry, carry you for a long time

510

because you're showing up live in it.

511

N- and that's not to say you might

evolve the background over time as you

512

change too, you know, and whatever.

513

Mm-hmm.

514

But like the, the camera itself,

you know, um, like yeah, and, and

515

especially when you look at like, you

know, what does a photo shoot cost?

516

You know?

517

Yeah.

518

It's like a few hundred

dollars at least or something.

519

Mm-hmm.

520

For like a few hundred more, you can

do the photo shoot yourself every day.

521

Erica Voell: Yeah.

522

Yeah, I know.

523

I've like, I want, I'm gonna ask

you for the photo 'cause I'm like,

524

"That's what I want to be presenting

when I send it off to podcasts."

525

'Cause- Oh,

526

Tommy Collier: sure

527

… Erica Voell: that's-

528

Tommy Collier: You mean your after photo?

529

Erica Voell: My after photo.

530

Oh, yeah.

531

Yes.

532

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

533

Erica Voell: Yes.

534

Tommy Collier: Well, you should take

another one today before we get off,

535

'cause I love what you're wearing.

536

Erica Voell: Okay.

537

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

538

Erica Voell: Um, so and one of the

things that I was so worried about

539

that I, 'cause y- you were like,

"Send me pictures of your room."

540

And I know a lot of people- Mm-hmm

… are like, "Oh, I ha- I don't have

541

a place to set up all the stuff."

542

I have to tell you, for, uh, those of

you watching, I have a sewing machine

543

like right over here in the corner,

because I was sewing this weekend.

544

So like all I need- And what's

545

Tommy Collier: under you?

546

Erica Voell: What's under me?

547

Tommy Collier: Yeah

548

Erica Voell: A, the, the-

549

Tommy Collier: Treadmill?

550

Erica Voell: Huh?

551

Tommy Collier: Isn't there a

treadmill under there, too?

552

Erica Voell: Oh, there's

a treadmill under my feet.

553

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

554

And like, and a chair there.

555

My

556

Erica Voell: walking pad.

557

Tommy Collier: And then- Like

you have a very multi-use room.

558

Erica Voell: And then we've

got the yoga mat over here.

559

Yeah, it's…

560

But it's…

561

I thought I would have to have a

big s- you know, a studio, and I,

562

when, when I saw Julie, I was like,

"She's got her whole room set up."

563

But you don't.

564

Like, I, what's been amazing is

that my desk can be multifunctional.

565

I can move my things around,

and I've got tape on my desk so

566

I know exactly where I put it.

567

Yeah.

568

And so it's, that was what was so

fascinating to me is like- Yeah … you

569

worked with me in a way that was like,

"Oh, okay, your room's multifunctional.

570

We'll focus on these things."

571

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

572

Yeah, you just need a corner, you know?

573

You're, you're literally just

designing for whatever this

574

rectangle here sees, right?

575

So if you're not- Mm-hmm … if you're

not, like in my room, like I'm against

576

a wall and I got a whole room behind

me, so I got a big rectangle to fill.

577

But if you're kind of up against

a wall or in a corner, then you

578

don't have as much to, to design.

579

So it can be like the corner

of a, of a, you know, kitchen

580

even or, you know, whatever.

581

You usually don't need that much space.

582

Erica Voell: Mm-hmm.

583

Yeah, and y- yesterday you

were on live with, uh, Lisa

584

Zimmerman and Charlotte Web, and-

585

Tommy Collier: Yeah

586

… Erica Voell: you've done both of them.

587

You've worked with both of them, and-

588

Tommy Collier: Mm-hmm

589

… Erica Voell: I thought it was so funny.

590

Lisa's like, "It

transformed my whole room."

591

And I was like, "Well, my

corner has been transformed."

592

But this is the corner that you see

from the hallway, so this is the corner

593

my husband sees from the bedroom.

594

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

595

Erica Voell: And I just, I love walking

by this space, and I just like come

596

in and I'm like, "My peacock is here."

597

Yeah.

598

Tommy Collier: Yeah, it's

your little sanctuary.

599

"My little heron's

600

Erica Voell: over here."

601

Yes.

602

Tommy Collier: Yes.

603

And

604

Erica Voell: you're like- And I

have a hummingbird on the window.

605

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

606

Like not only do you get to show

up and look like this for your

607

people, but you get to hang out

in that beautiful space all day.

608

That's so cool.

609

Yeah.

610

Erica Voell: Yeah.

611

Now I wanna figure out the rest of

the room 'cause I'm like, "I want it

612

to be- Yeah … the sanctuary- Coming

… 'cause it's not been decorated Yeah.

613

So I would love to know what…

614

So we, we talked about like what

you see, but what are some of

615

the transformations that you've

started to see happen on camera?

616

Not just in front of the camera, but

like the person that you see 'cause-

617

Tommy Collier: Oh

618

… Erica Voell: a small thing on, even on an

audit can be big 'cause I've seen those

619

before and afters that you've posted on

Substack, and I'm like, "Oh, my gosh."

620

Mm-hmm.

621

Gina looked this way, and I met with

her before, and then I saw that picture

622

of her and I was like, "Oh, my gosh,

that's s- she looked so different."

623

Yeah.

624

And I could see it in, I just

could see it in her whole body.

625

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

626

Um, I'm gonna tell you that, and then

I forgot I wanted to circle back around

627

what I, what we started talking about

where- this work, I wanna tell you how

628

I started to be on camera, 'cause I

think this will be a cool story- Yes

629

and help people too.

630

But, um, yeah, so as far as that,

um, it's really interesting.

631

So it's taken me a little while

to, like, arrive at this place of

632

understanding who my people are.

633

Mm-hmm.

634

But who I have found out that my

people are, of which you are one,

635

and Lisa was one, and Charlotte

is one, and J- Ju- you know, Judy

636

here, and, um, they're mostly women.

637

Like, nine out of…

638

nine and a half out of 10 are, are, are

women, and most of them are maybe not,

639

let's not say, like, not tech savvy.

640

They're not, not…

641

They're not…

642

What am I trying to say?

643

They're not necessarily, like, at

war with technology- Mm-hmm … but

644

they are not comfortable in this

realm of technology, at least.

645

Um, and Frankly, they don't

even know that it's possible.

646

Erica Voell: Mm.

647

Tommy Collier: Like, like you buy,

you buy your, you buy a new laptop,

648

and it has a camera built in, so you

don't think about using a different

649

one 'cause why wouldn't you use the one

that came with it- … when that laptop

650

webcam costs $8 to make, you know?

651

Oh, gosh.

652

Like, so, so we just don't…

653

People just don't think

about this as being possible.

654

And you know what the truth is?

655

I didn't either for a long time,

and I am a freaking producer.

656

So like when I, um…

657

So my like, biggest claim to fame,

if you will, is I was Bob Proctor's

658

creative director for the last four

years of his legendary life and career.

659

And I wasn't doing, um, any of this

kind of stuff on, on, on camera.

660

Um, it didn't, it didn't

start until COVID, really.

661

You know?

662

It was- Mm-hmm … um, um, the on- like,

like online, on Zoom kind of thing.

663

Obviously, you know, no one knew

what Zoom was before COVID, right?

664

So COVID happens, and we go, we

go online, and everything went

665

online, and I, um, I got…

666

Bob kind of pulled me onto the virtual

stage with him during that time,

667

and I was rocking a crappy webcam

for I think at least a good year and

668

a half before I ever thought like,

"Well, we're not going anywhere.

669

We're all locked down, and now

the business is completely online.

670

We are not going back to in-person events.

671

Why do I have these professional cameras

over here in the corner in the bag?

672

Why don't I get these out and figure

out how to hook them up to my laptop

673

and actually see if I can make myself

look halfway decent on camera when

674

I'm split screen with Bob Proctor,

who's broadcasting from his television

675

studio looking amazing, and I'm

on this crappy webcam over here?"

676

Mm-hmm.

677

So I like, didn't even think about the

possibility of converting a professional

678

camera into a webcam myself either.

679

I don't think you really do

unless you're like, a YouTuber.

680

I think YouTubers get, get exposed

to that, you know, and go that way.

681

But if you haven't done like

the, the YouTube thing, then

682

I just don't think it…

683

It doesn't occur to you.

684

Erica Voell: And- But I've seen some

YouTubers that are still really crappy.

685

Tommy Collier: Oh, it's true.

686

That is true.

687

But I think like, that's the one area

of the internet that like, people

688

are- Yeah … you know, it's pretty

common to be on a, you know, a, a

689

professional camera, you know, on there.

690

But even then, I think mostly

they're not, they're not recording

691

through their computer as a webcam.

692

They're recording on the camera and

then editing it and posting it later.

693

Mm-hmm.

694

Whatever.

695

Um, so- I forgot where we were going.

696

Erica Voell: Where you…

697

So what…

698

Okay, so you're talking about Bob, and you

got onto ca- on camera during the COVID.

699

So, like, what made you-

700

Tommy Collier: Oh, no, we were

talking about the transformations.

701

That was your question.

702

But, uh,

703

Erica Voell: but go back

for a second though.

704

Okay.

705

Like-

706

Tommy Collier: Okay

707

… Erica Voell: 'cause

I've seen vid- I saw…

708

'Cause I, I watched you on, uh…

709

There was one week where I was

having a really shitty week- … and

710

I was like, "I just need…"

711

You'd been talking about Bob.

712

Bob kept coming up in random places.

713

Julie was talking about him on,

um, the daily frequency that she

714

does, and something was just, like,

telling me to go watch th- Yeah

715

so I, I watched something, and you

popped up, and I was like, "Wait, is

716

that the same room that Tommy is in?"

717

And then I started to put it

together, and I was like, you were

718

in the same room, but there was,

like, your big window was over here.

719

So what brought you to not just

doing, like- Yeah … putting

720

yourself on camera, but like- Yeah

721

setting up yourself and- I

will- … putting yourself on camera?

722

Yeah.

723

Tommy Collier: I will tell you.

724

So- My role for Bob as his creative

director, I was in charge of, um,

725

producing all of, you know, his media and,

and I produced the live events as well.

726

So it was a very, very,

very behind the scenes role.

727

When COVID started and we all went on

lockdown and the whole business went

728

online and on virtual, we had a big

in-person event scheduled in LA, I

729

think it was for, it was either March

730

after lockdown happened, so obviously

we weren't gonna be able to do this.

731

Fortunately, Bob had the foresight

to build his amazing studio in his

732

backyard, and w- we were already

equipped to do a whole, you know,

733

a whole, a whole production, a

whole live stream production.

734

Um, which is interesting that he

had that studio because it really

735

didn't get used the way that it

really got used once COVID started.

736

So it was so- Mm … so wise of him

to, like, go that route because most

737

people when we went on, you know,

lockdown, they're getting on their

738

laptops and their crappy webcams, right?

739

And that's where that

became acceptable, I think.

740

Yeah.

741

I think that, that became the norm- Mm-hmm

… because that's what everyone had to do.

742

But Bob had his studio, and

it could be operated remotely.

743

And we also had Zoom, and I became

instantly, like, a Zoom expert because

744

I, someone had to be and it was me.

745

But then we had, so we had this big

Science of Getting Rich event coming

746

up, and we took it online and said,

"Okay, we're gonna do this online."

747

And this is, like, a big, you know,

three and a half day, full day

748

event, um, that we're now gonna try

to figure out how to do virtually.

749

We had done, you know, hour long

things and whatever before, like

750

webinars, but never, like, a

full three and a half day event.

751

We had, you know, um, uh, Bob's,

uh, business partner at the time,

752

like, she couldn't do it live for

some reason, so we had to pre-record

753

a bunch of it and edit things.

754

We, it was like a whole production.

755

And Bob called me one day, like,

I wanna say maybe, like, a week

756

or two before it, and he said, "I

just wanna run something by you.

757

I feel like this thing is big enough

and complex enough that we need, like,

758

a quarterback who's going to be…"

759

That was the word he used, and I

don't even know what, I don't, I

760

don't know what a quarterback's

role is 'cause sports, ugh.

761

But, um, he said, "We need a, I need

a quarterback, someone who can decide,

762

like, you know, where the ball's gonna go

and, and can, you know, transition in and

763

out of our, like, different segments."

764

And I was like, "I agree.

765

We totally need that.

766

We need, like, an emcee, like a host or

whatever," which had kind of previously

767

been another, um, person in the company

who kind of did that sort of from a

768

introduction standpoint, but- Mm-hmm

769

not like a, not like a host.

770

And I was like, "Well,

who's that gonna be?"

771

And he was like, "Well, I

think it should be you."

772

And I was like

773

What?

774

Like, and of course you

don't question Bob Proctor.

775

Um, when Bob tells you he sees that

you have the ability to do something,

776

you just say, "Okay, Bob," and

you hang up and you say, "Thanks."

777

Right?

778

So I didn't, I didn't…

779

I was like, "Oh, okay, I can do that?"

780

You know, and inside I'm like

pooping my pants, you know?

781

Like, I'm…

782

Like, after that I was just like,

"Okay, I'm gonna have to be on camera in

783

front of like 10,000 people in a week."

784

Um- Okay.

785

Okay.

786

I'll just do it scared, right?

787

Mm-hmm.

788

Fortunately, I, like I said, I think

my career leading up to that had

789

sort of prepared me, and I always

in the back of my mind had kind of

790

always wanted to be in front of the

camera more than behind the scenes.

791

But like I said, the bullies

squashed that out of me pretty young.

792

Mm-hmm.

793

So it was sort of like, "Oh.

794

Oh, this might be like my moment to

like, you know, actually live out this

795

fantasy a little bit of like, you know,

being like a frontman or something."

796

And I fricking fell in love with it.

797

I can believe

798

Erica Voell: it.

799

I

800

Tommy Collier: absolutely fell in love

with it during that event, and it stuck.

801

So I continued to be kind of like an MC

transition guy, um, 'cause I'm- I'm also

802

the one pushing a lot of the buttons

during the show, so it makes sense-

803

Mm-hmm … you know, in a lot of ways for

that to be the same like person that's

804

also, you know, deciding what's up next

and- and fixing, you know, problems

805

as they occur and things like that.

806

So it was actually really

awesome, and I look back…

807

That's on YouTube, by the way, if

you ever wanted to go watch it.

808

It's the Science of

Getting Rich livestream.

809

You can see- you can see

what it- what it looked like.

810

Um, but, um, I, you know, I watch

that back now and it's pretty cringey.

811

I remember I was on this crappy webcam.

812

I h- I- I jury-rigged something.

813

I like took a screenshot of my background

and then took it into Photoshop

814

and blurred it so that I could set

it as a virtual background so that

815

I could look like this, you know?

816

But, like, that was before

virtual backgrounds were-

817

were kind of like a thing.

818

Um, and I'm like trying to make

things work, and it worked okay.

819

And that was- this was before I, um, had

a- a teleprompter, and so I had written

820

out myself little lines to transition

and taped them into two strips above and

821

below my camera lens on my webcam so that

I could, you know, do that part of it.

822

And I'm like sitting over here in

between segments taping up the next

823

script and And it was, um, it was really

rough, but it was also really fun.

824

And I was like, "Okay, I love this.

825

How can I make this better and easier?"

826

Mm.

827

"How can I feel better about how I look?"

828

And that's where this really began.

829

And then I got on a camera like this.

830

Um, the first one was not as good,

but it was like a start, and I

831

started to really like how I looked.

832

And I started to get people asking

me how- how to, you know, do this as

833

well, and that's really where this

work that I'm doing now, um, was born.

834

Ooh.

835

So

836

Erica Voell: yeah.

837

Oh my gosh.

838

I- I have to say, like, after you

talked to us in Julie's World about

839

the don't do the virtual backgrounds-

Yeah … like I had been fighting with

840

Zoom 'cause I was- I al- I love having,

you know, earrings that you can see.

841

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

842

Erica Voell: And, and I…

843

It always bugged me that, like, my

earrings would disappear- Mm-hmm

844

or come in and out of focus

on Zoom, and I was like, "Why?

845

Why?"

846

And then you talked about the

virtual background, and I was…

847

And then the next day, I was on a

call with somebody, and like, they

848

were wearing a green shirt, and

every so often they would disappear.

849

Disappear.

850

Tommy Collier: And I

851

Erica Voell: was like- Just become

852

Tommy Collier: a floating head, yeah.

853

Erica Voell: please get rid- I mean, it

was, it was one of those things that,

854

like, I think so many of us have taken

this virtual background, it's like, okay.

855

And I, when I was working at the library,

like, it was a game to see who could

856

have the craziest background, but it

was so distracting when you couldn't

857

even see the person half the time.

858

Mm,

859

Tommy Collier: yeah.

860

Erica Voell: But then after being

on that, after you talking to us,

861

us about that, and then seeing it in

person, and I was like, "I cannot- I

862

cannot see another virtual background.

863

And I see them on calls every so

often, and I'm like, "Please," like-

864

Tommy Collier: Please turn it off.

865

Erica Voell: Can we just g-

can we just- Yeah … not?

866

Like, I'd rather you be on a blank wall-

867

Tommy Collier: Same

868

Erica Voell: than to have- You know what?

869

… your hands disappearing.

870

Tommy Collier: It's so…

871

Yes, that's my philosophy, too.

872

And I did…

873

My last, like, video that I posted

on Substack, I talked about this.

874

Like, I have seen a lot of

people show up on camera with

875

a virtual background on, okay?

876

And of course, like, my first question

is, "Can you turn that off so I can…"

877

Like, when I'm doing an audit with them.

878

Mm-hmm.

879

Because, you know.

880

Um, and I have never not once

had somebody turn their virtual

881

background off, and I wasn't like,

"Oh my God, that's so much better."

882

Even if the room was a mess or it

was just a blank wall, the virtual

883

background thing just doesn't…

884

It does not work.

885

It does not work.

886

Um, it takes a really specific

situation for it to work well.

887

In fact, the virtual background thing

came from the concept of the green screen.

888

I don't know if you know-

Mm-hmm … how that works, but, like,

889

you know, as, like, a film producer

person like that, I've done, I've

890

done a lot of green screen work.

891

Hollywood does a lot of green

screen work, and the virtual

892

background thing came from there.

893

But you know what?

894

It's really difficult to do a green

screen well, and you need specific

895

lights, and ca- and camera, and- Mm-hmm

… positioning, and all kinds of things.

896

And now we have the software trying

to do a green screen thing without

897

a green screen behind you, and it's

just n- never gonna work great.

898

Yeah.

899

I mean, maybe someday, but…

900

And my philosophy on it, too, is,

um, I wanna see your background

901

because your background should be

communicating something about you and-

902

Mm-hmm … telling more of your story.

903

And yes, you could have a branded,

you know, back- uh, virtual, virtual

904

background that tells more about you.

905

But my feeling with the virtual

background thing is that the virtual

906

background is communicating a message,

maybe very subconsciously, but it is

907

communicating a message to the person

watching that you have something to hide.

908

Yes.

909

You know?

910

You're not, you're not ready

to be fully seen, you know?

911

Mm-hmm.

912

Maybe you're okay with your face

being seen, but, no, I don't want

913

you to see how I live, or I don't

want you to see that I'm in my, you

914

know, kid's nursery or something,

or I'm sitting at my kitchen table.

915

It's not authentic.

916

Erica Voell: Mm-hmm.

917

Tommy Collier: You know?

918

I'd rather see an ugly real background

than an inauthentic, you know, virtual

919

background, even if it was gorgeous.

920

Erica Voell: Yeah.

921

Yeah.

922

I know.

923

I've…

924

There was somebody that I saw recently

that didn't have their virtual background

925

on, and, like, I could see their printer

and their, their- paper guillotine.

926

And I was like, okay So they work,

you know, they're, they're in an

927

office, they're obviously doing

something crafty, and I wanted

928

to say, "What are you cutting?"

929

Tommy Collier: Yeah,

930

Erica Voell: yeah.

931

As opposed to like the vir-

the weird virtual background.

932

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

933

Erica Voell: So getting back to the

transformation that you start to see,

934

like- Yes … I would love to s- when

you get on an audit, um, talk about

935

like the small things that you start to

see with people- Yeah … that, that-

936

Well- … that then becomes big for them.

937

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

938

Like I said, most people just don't

really, at least my people, they

939

just don't really know what the

possibilities are, and because they've

940

just been rolling with the default.

941

Like a lot of people have, like I

said, they just, they have a laptop

942

and they're like, "Oh, the camera

came with the laptop, that's the

943

camera I'm supposed to use, right?"

944

No.

945

Um, not necessarily.

946

Uh, yeah.

947

So I, I, people just, they

haven't thought about it, so they

948

don't know what they don't know.

949

So sometimes a real small

little shift, um, can be huge.

950

So you were talking about Gina, Gina Best.

951

Um, so- Mm-hmm … uh, well just, let's

just talk about her 'cause it was amazing.

952

Um, so she got on and she had her

laptop on her desk, so it was like

953

below her, so their l- the webcam is

looking up her nostrils basically at me.

954

And, you know, I was just doing my

normal thing where I'm sitting there

955

looking at someone's setup and a- and

I actually really liked her background,

956

like her actual background that she had.

957

I'm like, "This is a beautiful wall.

958

We just have to get the camera

somewhere higher so it's not

959

looking up your nose," you know?

960

And it's, you know, and I'm always

telling people, like when I do these

961

audits, I give them scores, one out of

10, for different aspects of their setup.

962

And when it comes to the camera, if

they're on a webcam, it cannot be

963

above a five because webcams are not

designed to make anybody look good.

964

So I'm always quietly kind of just,

you know, telling people that they

965

have to ditch the webcam at some point.

966

Um, but I also had, um, just started

showing people how they could use

967

their, their phone as their, as their

webcam because the- Mm-hmm … the

968

camera on, not on the front, but on

the back of your phone is actually a

969

pretty darn good webcam and most, or a

pretty darn camera, darn good camera.

970

In most cases, the best camera that

you own is the one that's on the

971

back of your phone, and it's light

years better than your, um, webcam.

972

So I said to Gina like, you

know, "I love your background."

973

She already had the light that I

suggested or was about to get it.

974

She already had the mic that I

suggested and was about to get it.

975

It was just the camera.

976

And I was like, "You

have an iPhone, right?

977

You have a Mac.

978

This is easy.

979

Let me show you how to

use that as your camera."

980

And I was like, "We'll see

if she figures that out."

981

Well, like 45 minutes later, she

puts up a Substack post with a before

982

and after picture that she shot

herself- … on her iPhone camera,

983

and she looked like a million bucks

compared to where I- Yeah … where I,

984

like, last left her on the, on the call.

985

So it was like, and she was like,

"Oh my God, I didn't even…

986

Like, what?"

987

Like- … you know?

988

Um, it was so cool.

989

So I love little moments like that when

I can show someone how to do something

990

that doesn't cost me anything, doesn't

cost them anything, and it just like

991

changes their whole perspective of how

they can look on camera because they've

992

been looking at themselves on camera

with the camera looking up their nostril

993

for four years and didn't- Uh-huh

994

and forgot that there

could be a better way.

995

Or never knew, you know?

996

So yeah.

997

Um, sometimes really when I get

on and do these calls, people

998

are like, whether they know about

the possibilities or not, they're

999

actually doing better than they think.

00:46:42,475 --> 00:46:42,485

Mm.

00:46:42,495 --> 00:46:46,835

And they leave the call feeling much

better and more confident because

00:46:46,845 --> 00:46:50,385

they've had a professional confirm that

like actually what you're doing is not

00:46:50,385 --> 00:46:52,165

that bad or is actually really great.

00:46:52,565 --> 00:46:56,205

Like the other day I had an audit

with, um, with someone, and when

00:46:56,205 --> 00:46:59,815

she got on I- I was like, "Well, I

can tell you've been in the green

00:46:59,815 --> 00:47:01,555

room because you look fantastic."

00:47:01,575 --> 00:47:05,035

And she got the highest score I've

ever given to anyone in an audit.

00:47:05,035 --> 00:47:06,705

In fact, she even fooled me.

00:47:07,085 --> 00:47:11,755

I thought she was on her phone camera,

and she was on a webcam, but she did such

00:47:11,755 --> 00:47:16,095

a good job on her lighting and her sound

and her background by herself just- Mm-hmm

00:47:16,155 --> 00:47:17,625

you know, watching some of my videos.

00:47:17,855 --> 00:47:19,315

I was literally like blown away.

00:47:19,315 --> 00:47:20,645

She got like nines from me.

00:47:20,645 --> 00:47:23,015

I'm like, "I don't have

anything to do for you.

00:47:23,025 --> 00:47:24,955

Like you're- you have done it yourself.

00:47:24,995 --> 00:47:26,095

It looks amazing."

00:47:26,135 --> 00:47:26,515

You know?

00:47:26,715 --> 00:47:26,855

Oh, my gosh.

00:47:26,855 --> 00:47:30,085

Could always get higher, but

it was like she did awesome.

00:47:30,115 --> 00:47:32,643

And- and I gave her, you know, a few

little tips or whatever and- Yeah

00:47:32,643 --> 00:47:34,965

you know, she could get on

a- the- the camera system.

00:47:34,965 --> 00:47:36,785

But- but it was like it was so cool.

00:47:36,785 --> 00:47:42,015

So but she came on feeling like, like

she was like giving herself a 5 out

00:47:42,015 --> 00:47:46,435

of 10, and when I told her- Mm … she

was a nine out of 10, you know, and

00:47:46,435 --> 00:47:49,405

in talking to her I got to understand

that's one of her things, you know,

00:47:49,405 --> 00:47:51,215

she's very self-critical and all this.

00:47:51,555 --> 00:47:51,715

Mm-hmm.

00:47:51,715 --> 00:47:55,925

So I know that I helped her by just

confirming and like affirming that

00:47:55,925 --> 00:48:00,045

like she's already looks fantastic,

like the best I've ever seen anybody

00:48:00,045 --> 00:48:01,905

look on a webcam, quite honestly.

00:48:02,505 --> 00:48:02,845

Um- Oh,

00:48:02,845 --> 00:48:03,065

Erica Voell: my gosh

00:48:03,065 --> 00:48:04,655

… Tommy Collier: so- so

that was really cool too.

00:48:04,675 --> 00:48:06,245

Sometimes it's not

about changing anything.

00:48:06,245 --> 00:48:09,085

It's about, you know, just

confirming what- Mm-hmm

00:48:09,085 --> 00:48:11,705

you know, someone's already doing

that's working well for them.

00:48:12,185 --> 00:48:12,495

Erica Voell: Yeah.

00:48:12,495 --> 00:48:14,365

And I was gonna ask you like what…

00:48:14,495 --> 00:48:17,985

H- has anybody said, "I'll be your

toughest case," and- Oh … like were they

00:48:17,985 --> 00:48:19,835

completely blown away by what happened?

00:48:19,875 --> 00:48:20,595

Tommy Collier: Oh, my gosh.

00:48:21,065 --> 00:48:25,085

Um, has anyone said that to

me in this, in this work?

00:48:26,605 --> 00:48:27,785

Erica Voell: Like, "Good luck."

00:48:27,795 --> 00:48:27,815

Yeah.

00:48:27,905 --> 00:48:29,755

"I don't know if you can

make me look any g- better."

00:48:29,765 --> 00:48:30,085

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

00:48:30,355 --> 00:48:33,675

No, I think in this work it's, um-

00:48:35,775 --> 00:48:40,695

that, that sort of issue doesn't come

up for some reason, but it always comes

00:48:40,695 --> 00:48:42,435

up when I'm taking someone's picture.

00:48:42,465 --> 00:48:43,765

Like a headshot session.

00:48:44,015 --> 00:48:44,105

Mm-hmm.

00:48:44,135 --> 00:48:47,575

I would say, like, 7 out of 10 people

will be like, "I don't know if you can

00:48:47,575 --> 00:48:51,395

make this l- this looking good," or,

you know, "I hope you're, I hope you're

00:48:51,745 --> 00:48:54,745

well-rested 'cause I'm gonna give you a

run for your money," or like, "I don't

00:48:54,745 --> 00:48:56,075

think you can do anything with this."

00:48:56,075 --> 00:48:59,295

Like, I've heard that over and over

and over and over and over again.

00:48:59,295 --> 00:48:59,765

Yes.

00:49:00,075 --> 00:49:03,935

And it's like, I'm like, uh, you

know, I kinda just let it fly by

00:49:03,975 --> 00:49:05,885

and then, you know, it's gone.

00:49:05,895 --> 00:49:07,035

We squash it really fast.

00:49:09,265 --> 00:49:12,925

Erica Voell: Oh my gosh, 'cause I, I,

I … When we, we got on, I was like,

00:49:13,295 --> 00:49:17,085

yeah, this is gonna be an interest-

until we s- until I s- agreed to

00:49:17,085 --> 00:49:18,035

work with you and did like- Mm-hmm

00:49:18,035 --> 00:49:19,985

do the background, I

was like, just tell…

00:49:20,155 --> 00:49:22,425

I'll- tell me what color to paint my room.

00:49:22,425 --> 00:49:22,465

Mm-hmm.

00:49:22,465 --> 00:49:25,385

I think that's the other thing that

I noticed- Yeah … in the comments,

00:49:25,385 --> 00:49:28,005

is people are like, "Oh, I'm gonna

paint my room blue now because it

00:49:28,005 --> 00:49:29,555

looks so good on that other person."

00:49:29,945 --> 00:49:31,415

Mm-hmm.

00:49:31,415 --> 00:49:31,445

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

00:49:31,445 --> 00:49:33,535

Erica Voell: And when you

said, "You don't need to paint

00:49:33,535 --> 00:49:35,405

your room," I was like, "What?

00:49:35,405 --> 00:49:37,355

What?"

00:49:37,355 --> 00:49:39,355

Tommy Collier: I'm … And I'm so glad

you didn't paint your room, 'cause

00:49:39,355 --> 00:49:41,185

look how beautiful that pink is now.

00:49:41,545 --> 00:49:42,325

Erica Voell: I know.

00:49:42,375 --> 00:49:42,955

I know.

00:49:42,955 --> 00:49:43,085

And-

00:49:43,665 --> 00:49:43,715

Tommy Collier: It's so

00:49:43,715 --> 00:49:46,125

Erica Voell: good … and, but

it also, like, if I had painted

00:49:46,125 --> 00:49:47,405

it the blue that I wanted-

00:49:47,655 --> 00:49:47,975

Tommy Collier: Yeah

00:49:49,915 --> 00:49:53,755

… Erica Voell: excuse me, our peacock

would not be as beautiful as he is.

00:49:53,765 --> 00:49:53,815

Oh,

00:49:53,815 --> 00:49:54,245

Tommy Collier: no.

00:49:54,315 --> 00:49:54,725

Yeah.

00:49:54,815 --> 00:49:56,905

Erica Voell: And I would never

have picked the blue heron.

00:49:56,915 --> 00:50:01,035

And thank goodness that, like,

I went shopping, I got the, the

00:50:01,035 --> 00:50:05,325

peacock, it was in the cart, and

then I remember, I remember, like,

00:50:05,565 --> 00:50:08,375

shopping some more and I was like,

"Oh, there's a blue heron picture.

00:50:08,375 --> 00:50:10,405

That's really cool 'cause

it's my spirit animal."

00:50:10,405 --> 00:50:12,585

And it was like-

Mm-hmm … a pencil drawing.

00:50:12,955 --> 00:50:15,865

And then I walked past this

beauty and I was like, "Ugh."

00:50:16,645 --> 00:50:17,135

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

00:50:17,455 --> 00:50:18,605

Erica Voell: "I need that."

00:50:18,615 --> 00:50:21,865

So now I have my spirit

animal right on my left side.

00:50:21,875 --> 00:50:21,935

Perfect.

00:50:21,985 --> 00:50:28,975

And just, like, it's … I, I just, I,

I … And one of the f- one of the coolest

00:50:28,975 --> 00:50:34,295

things was, like, this is shopping for

me, this is not shopping for the family.

00:50:34,615 --> 00:50:34,865

Tommy Collier: Mm-hmm.

00:50:34,865 --> 00:50:38,595

Erica Voell: And my daughter had

no input on what, what it was.

00:50:38,965 --> 00:50:43,689

But I have to tell you- Some of

the things you recommended for me

00:50:44,219 --> 00:50:45,679

are now going up in her bedroom.

00:50:46,289 --> 00:50:46,709

Tommy Collier: Really?

00:50:46,919 --> 00:50:47,549

That's awesome.

00:50:48,639 --> 00:50:51,079

Erica Voell: Like, she's getting

the moon that you recommended.

00:50:51,419 --> 00:50:54,049

Um- Cool … Tommy picked out

this really cool moon that can

00:50:54,049 --> 00:50:57,299

hold plants, but it's going in her

bedroom that we just repainted.

00:50:57,689 --> 00:50:59,959

And then there were some

plant holders that are, like,

00:50:59,959 --> 00:51:01,249

square that sit on the wall.

00:51:01,259 --> 00:51:01,869

Those are going in- Yeah

00:51:01,869 --> 00:51:02,479

her room.

00:51:02,819 --> 00:51:03,209

So- I

00:51:03,209 --> 00:51:03,629

Tommy Collier: love it

00:51:03,799 --> 00:51:07,239

… Erica Voell: she was not happy

about the boxes that kept arriving.

00:51:07,559 --> 00:51:07,729

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

00:51:07,729 --> 00:51:11,489

Erica Voell: And then one day you were

like, "Hey, Iris, you wanna do this?"

00:51:11,519 --> 00:51:16,859

And to, to get her in on the thing

was so cool- Yeah … to watch.

00:51:16,859 --> 00:51:18,269

Tommy Collier: We got her

buy-in after that, right?

00:51:18,489 --> 00:51:18,979

Erica Voell: Yes.

00:51:18,999 --> 00:51:22,089

'Cause then she's like, "Mom, you could

do this, and you could do that," although

00:51:22,089 --> 00:51:23,819

she was stealing stuff off of the back-

00:51:24,399 --> 00:51:27,839

off the bookcases because she was

punishing me because I took too long the

00:51:27,839 --> 00:51:29,929

other day, and I was like, "Oh my gosh."

00:51:29,979 --> 00:51:33,919

So I pulled out my pictures, and I knew

exactly where everything was, so yeah.

00:51:33,969 --> 00:51:34,209

But- Aw

00:51:34,219 --> 00:51:34,249

… Tommy Collier: but

00:51:35,139 --> 00:51:39,059

Erica Voell: also, like, you

asking my husband to help me I

00:51:39,069 --> 00:51:43,649

think also gave that sense of

like, this is more than just- Yeah

00:51:43,969 --> 00:51:46,579

me buying a nice camera,

and it's gonna be…

00:51:46,629 --> 00:51:50,379

Like- Yeah … I think when he could

start to see the, the, the results

00:51:51,089 --> 00:51:55,191

and started to see the results

with me, I think that was, it s-

00:51:55,191 --> 00:51:56,929

Tommy Collier: Yeah, 'cause

he was pretty skeptical-

00:51:57,509 --> 00:51:57,859

Erica Voell: Yeah

00:51:57,869 --> 00:51:59,199

… Tommy Collier: I think in the

beginning … a little bit.

00:51:59,199 --> 00:52:00,339

How does he feel now, do you think?

00:52:00,409 --> 00:52:00,749

He's like-

00:52:00,809 --> 00:52:02,939

Erica Voell: Oh, he's, he's

been complimenting me, and

00:52:02,949 --> 00:52:04,469

he's like, "It looks so good.

00:52:04,469 --> 00:52:05,449

I love the space."

00:52:05,469 --> 00:52:08,019

Like, he's doing yoga and

meditating in here in the mornings.

00:52:08,049 --> 00:52:08,609

Tommy Collier: Oh, cool.

00:52:09,039 --> 00:52:09,919

Erica Voell: So yeah.

00:52:09,919 --> 00:52:10,091

That's

00:52:10,091 --> 00:52:10,436

Tommy Collier: so good.

00:52:10,436 --> 00:52:11,589

Yeah, it's so interesting.

00:52:11,599 --> 00:52:18,609

Like, yes, we are after this end

result of this picture being, you know,

00:52:18,749 --> 00:52:22,069

better- Mm-hmm … and more expensive

looking, and more trustworthy, and all

00:52:22,069 --> 00:52:26,689

of these things that, like, that is the

end result, right, that I'm selling.

00:52:27,019 --> 00:52:30,099

But there's so many beautiful things

that happen along the way, like

00:52:30,099 --> 00:52:34,299

the internal work, the relationship

building that can, that can be…

00:52:34,639 --> 00:52:39,311

You know, there's like, you

know, it's like- Want to, want

00:52:39,311 --> 00:52:41,031

to get closer to your husband?

00:52:41,631 --> 00:52:44,711

Well, let's build you a glam cam-

… and do it together, 'cause in the

00:52:44,711 --> 00:52:47,111

process you will re-bond, you know?

00:52:47,961 --> 00:52:48,481

Erica Voell: Yeah.

00:52:48,861 --> 00:52:49,291

Yeah.

00:52:49,311 --> 00:52:51,651

I, and I think he's st- I mean, for…

00:52:52,441 --> 00:52:56,031

We've been talking about self-love

all summer, and like there's so much

00:52:56,041 --> 00:53:02,391

internal work that I think that we,

we forget about, like we kn- we know

00:53:02,391 --> 00:53:03,521

when you've done the internal work.

00:53:03,531 --> 00:53:04,371

People can see it.

00:53:04,391 --> 00:53:06,881

People- Mm-hmm … when I was

starting to really get into human

00:53:06,881 --> 00:53:08,421

design and I was really getting…

00:53:09,251 --> 00:53:12,391

When people really noticed it was when

my business was starting to take off,

00:53:13,151 --> 00:53:16,461

and they'd say, "Did you get a haircut?

00:53:16,501 --> 00:53:17,671

You look different."

00:53:17,711 --> 00:53:18,161

Tommy Collier: Mm.

00:53:18,231 --> 00:53:22,171

Erica Voell: But I think that also

like, so because we're, that's coming

00:53:22,171 --> 00:53:28,331

out externally, but also I think

doing the a- the camera work also

00:53:28,331 --> 00:53:32,311

starts to bring some of that out too,

and you're like, "Oh, I look-" Yeah

00:53:32,311 --> 00:53:33,521

"freaking awesome."

00:53:33,641 --> 00:53:33,921

Tommy Collier: Yep.

00:53:34,471 --> 00:53:34,801

Yeah.

00:53:35,051 --> 00:53:35,471

It's…

00:53:35,511 --> 00:53:37,091

I mean, I don't think…

00:53:38,261 --> 00:53:44,301

I mean, maybe there's someone, but I would

say for the most part, you know, 99.999%

00:53:44,301 --> 00:53:46,901

of us, when we know we

look good, we feel good.

00:53:47,291 --> 00:53:47,611

Erica Voell: Yes.

00:53:47,611 --> 00:53:47,631

You

00:53:47,631 --> 00:53:47,681

Tommy Collier: know?

00:53:47,681 --> 00:53:50,001

I don't think there's anyone

out there that truly does not

00:53:50,001 --> 00:53:51,721

care about their, how they look.

00:53:51,731 --> 00:53:51,761

Mm-hmm.

00:53:52,071 --> 00:53:55,641

They may have put it over here and

decided it doesn't matter or been

00:53:55,641 --> 00:53:57,121

told it doesn't matter or whatever.

00:53:57,121 --> 00:54:02,051

But like I've never had anyone where I've

taken a fantastic picture of them and

00:54:02,051 --> 00:54:05,461

they aren't overjoyed by that, you know?

00:54:05,461 --> 00:54:05,491

No.

00:54:05,491 --> 00:54:09,291

Like seeing yourself looking good,

that is, that is a huge deal, right?

00:54:09,291 --> 00:54:15,731

'Cause so much of life and growing up

and relationships and everything, right?

00:54:16,001 --> 00:54:17,801

Tells us the opposite message, right?

00:54:17,801 --> 00:54:19,881

That we're not enough, we're not

good enough, we're not this, we're

00:54:19,881 --> 00:54:21,141

too much that, whatever, right?

00:54:21,241 --> 00:54:21,691

Erica Voell: Mm-hmm.

00:54:21,821 --> 00:54:25,611

Tommy Collier: And to finally be like in

a place where you have changed nothing

00:54:26,021 --> 00:54:29,411

about your body or your whatever, maybe

you have some makeup on, maybe you're

00:54:29,411 --> 00:54:31,881

in front of a great camera, maybe

you're whatever, whatever, whatever.

00:54:31,881 --> 00:54:36,291

But like to see a different, a, a really

great looking version of yourself, like