Episode 43

full
Published on:

14th Sep 2026

When the Camera Shows What's On The Inside - Conversation with Tommy Collier

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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Transcript
Erica Voell:

You know when you get family photos taken and everyone

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looks their absolute best, and

that photographer really captured

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the essence of your family, your

partner, and most importantly, you.

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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.

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We're so focused on helping other

people, being all the things to our

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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.

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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.

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I sit in front of the camera and do it.

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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.

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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

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sometimes the mirror is more- True

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forgiving than…

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So it depends on what you're doing.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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Erica Voell: Yeah, and depending on

if it's cloudy or, like- Right … if

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the light's changed or we change

its light in the background.

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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.

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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.

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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

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… Erica Voell: it would've

been all different.

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Tommy Collier: Yeah.

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Erica Voell: So I'm really curious about

when you start working with somebody…

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Sorry, allergy season is really rampant

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Tommy Collier: right now.

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I'm ha- I'm going through

it over here, too.

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Erica Voell: And it

rained, and so, like, ugh.

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So I'm really curious, like, when you

first start to work with somebody on

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those audits- Yeah … like, what do

you see in them that you know, like,

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the camera is going to bring out?

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'Cause I know that you s- you said

something, some things to me, and

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

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

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

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Tommy Collier: Mm-hmm.

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

what you can see in them that they can't

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s- maybe see in themselves, and that

helps you then help create the space.

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Yeah.

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Does that make sense?

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Tommy Collier: Yeah, it does.

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I want…

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I, if you remember, I wanna

come back and hear what those

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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

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Erica Voell: were.

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Tommy Collier: Oh, okay.

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Okay.

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I have a transcript somewhere.

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We'll look.

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But anyway- … um, what do I

see in people when I f- um…

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

like- I've done so much of this

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work, and human design-wise,

it's also pretty prevalent too.

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Like, I'm, I have a really,

really sharp eye, okay?

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So- Mm-hmm … I am picking up on kind

of a multi-layered, multi-dimensional

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level many, many things at once.

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

looking at the visuals, I'm looking

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at the lighting, I'm looking at the

background, I'm looking at the camera,

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I'm looking at the camera quality,

I'm looking at the camera height,

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I'm looking at the sound quality.

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Like, I'm looking at all these things

at once, and evaluating them very, very

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quickly, and kind of, uh, understanding…

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

know that I have words for this.

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There's just something about the way

that my brain operates at this point

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that I know immediately what they need,

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

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Mm-hmm.

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And if I come on and am, like, surprised

or someone, um, you know, occasionally…

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Like, like most people, um, the

camera tends to make you look

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worse than you do in person, okay?

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Um, even a good camera, like even the

good cameras that we're on now, set

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wrong can make you look worse than a

bad webcam, but webcams almost always,

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like, people, make people look worse

than they, than they are, right?

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So I know that.

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:

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

night in bed, it was:

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

or April of:

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

:

00:54:36,291 --> 00:54:38,491

that is a, that's a spiritual experience.

:

00:54:38,491 --> 00:54:43,931

That's like a, that's a soul,

you know, reaching experience.

:

00:54:44,071 --> 00:54:44,471

Erica Voell: Yeah.

:

00:54:44,481 --> 00:54:45,991

I, I- And one thing-

:

00:54:46,001 --> 00:54:46,021

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

:

00:54:46,201 --> 00:54:46,561

Go ahead.

:

00:54:46,611 --> 00:54:50,031

Erica Voell: One thing that I, that was

such a huge thing for me is I remember

:

00:54:50,031 --> 00:54:54,361

the first time I got professional

photos taken for my business, and my mom

:

00:54:54,361 --> 00:54:57,071

was like, "She captured you so well."

:

00:54:57,471 --> 00:54:57,491

Mm-hmm.

:

00:54:57,501 --> 00:54:59,361

"Like that's the Erica I know."

:

00:54:59,381 --> 00:55:06,309

And like that was h- a sort of a

huge boost for me for my mom to say

:

00:55:06,309 --> 00:55:11,169

that, 'cause my mom was the one who

I- she was really critical of me.

:

00:55:11,329 --> 00:55:11,609

Tommy Collier: Mm-hmm.

:

00:55:11,609 --> 00:55:14,159

Erica Voell: My, the women

in my family were critical of

:

00:55:14,459 --> 00:55:16,309

themselves for generations.

:

00:55:16,309 --> 00:55:19,839

Like, that's, I'm breaking

that pr- that pattern, really

:

00:55:19,839 --> 00:55:21,099

trying to break that pattern.

:

00:55:21,429 --> 00:55:25,059

Um, but then when I sent them our

before and after pictures, like,

:

00:55:25,059 --> 00:55:29,789

m- my dad was like, "Wow, kiddo,

that looks awe- that looks great."

:

00:55:29,839 --> 00:55:30,929

Like, to get those…

:

00:55:31,499 --> 00:55:35,259

And you know, my mom said

the same thing, like, "They

:

00:55:35,259 --> 00:55:36,789

really, he really captured you."

:

00:55:36,789 --> 00:55:41,079

And I was like, "Yeah, I bought the

stuff, but the camera just cha- like, the

:

00:55:41,079 --> 00:55:44,019

camera did what we see in the photos."

:

00:55:44,069 --> 00:55:44,829

Tommy Collier: Yeah, yeah.

:

00:55:44,829 --> 00:55:46,989

Erica Voell: And now I get

to do it on video every day.

:

00:55:47,279 --> 00:55:47,549

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

:

00:55:47,549 --> 00:55:48,009

Erica Voell: Yeah.

:

00:55:48,009 --> 00:55:48,689

Tommy Collier: So cool.

:

00:55:49,059 --> 00:55:52,599

Erica Voell: So I know we're a part of

Julie Ciardi's world, and we talk about-

:

00:55:52,659 --> 00:55:53,459

Yeah … human design all the time.

:

00:55:53,459 --> 00:55:56,819

So I'm curious, like, how does

human design factor into your work?

:

00:55:56,819 --> 00:56:02,179

Like, either as a manifestor in how

you work, or when you're working- Yeah

:

00:56:02,179 --> 00:56:02,679

with someone.

:

00:56:02,899 --> 00:56:03,179

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

:

00:56:03,639 --> 00:56:10,489

I would say for, for, for now, um, it

is more of a factor for myself in this

:

00:56:10,489 --> 00:56:16,499

work than it is with, um, with, with

clients y- yet, but I am working on

:

00:56:16,509 --> 00:56:18,539

some ways to bring it more in deeply.

:

00:56:18,539 --> 00:56:20,709

I mean, I look at everyone's

human design first.

:

00:56:21,189 --> 00:56:25,119

I mean, when I'm, when I'm deciding

whether or not to, um, you know,

:

00:56:25,139 --> 00:56:28,259

offer my service to someone, I want to

know if they have emotional authority

:

00:56:28,259 --> 00:56:31,909

or not so that I'm not trying to,

you know, help them make a decision

:

00:56:31,909 --> 00:56:33,279

quickly if they're not designed to.

:

00:56:33,279 --> 00:56:36,449

So that's- Mm-hmm … that's like my

baseline for, you know, for everything.

:

00:56:36,839 --> 00:56:43,529

Um, but I am also looking at it, you know,

I, um- Like if I'm finding it difficult

:

00:56:43,539 --> 00:56:48,069

to, to communicate or connect, or there's

something that's not quite smooth,

:

00:56:48,699 --> 00:56:52,289

I may look at their design a little

closer and be like, "Why could that be?"

:

00:56:52,289 --> 00:56:54,059

Or like, what, you know,

h- how can we- Mm-hmm

:

00:56:54,389 --> 00:56:57,219

you know, help, you know, how can

I use the Human Design part to

:

00:56:57,229 --> 00:57:01,449

communicate better or, or, um,

you know, navigate differently?

:

00:57:01,449 --> 00:57:05,319

Because this is a little bit of

a, of an interesting thing, right?

:

00:57:05,319 --> 00:57:09,719

Because this work is, you know, at this

point, I'm, it's all virtual, right?

:

00:57:09,729 --> 00:57:13,849

So I used to do it all in person, and I

thought that would, you know, that's a

:

00:57:13,849 --> 00:57:15,729

lot, and that is a lot to do it in person.

:

00:57:15,729 --> 00:57:16,809

I love doing it in person.

:

00:57:17,199 --> 00:57:19,419

But I'm like, "I bet I could

do it virtually," and figured

:

00:57:19,419 --> 00:57:20,449

out how I can do it virtually.

:

00:57:20,719 --> 00:57:23,369

But you know, I mean, 'cause and you don't

know till you know, but you've been there.

:

00:57:23,569 --> 00:57:29,929

Like sitting on Zoom and using somebody

else's hands on the other side of Zoom

:

00:57:30,159 --> 00:57:32,829

to do something on your behalf- Mm-hmm

:

00:57:32,839 --> 00:57:35,459

can be a tricky thing to navigate.

:

00:57:35,509 --> 00:57:38,879

And I think- Yeah … that's part

of what, that's like, I think it's

:

00:57:38,879 --> 00:57:41,319

like a, I don't know what it is

about me, but that's something I

:

00:57:41,329 --> 00:57:43,019

have the ability to do pretty well.

:

00:57:43,019 --> 00:57:46,529

But every now and then, I have a

communication issue with someone, and

:

00:57:46,529 --> 00:57:48,519

it, and it, it breaks down, right?

:

00:57:48,599 --> 00:57:48,609

Mm.

:

00:57:48,609 --> 00:57:51,299

So I might look at their design

to see like, you know, what's

:

00:57:51,299 --> 00:57:53,969

happening there or what's happening

in the transit today maybe.

:

00:57:54,439 --> 00:57:56,909

Um, so that's that, uh, for that part.

:

00:57:56,909 --> 00:58:01,609

But for my s- for myself, so I'm a

Manifestor Initiator, and learning

:

00:58:01,609 --> 00:58:05,669

about Human Design, um, that's been

the, I think the biggest thing for

:

00:58:05,669 --> 00:58:10,909

me is learning that the, my, my

type and that I'm not, you know, I'm

:

00:58:10,909 --> 00:58:12,849

different than 90% of the population.

:

00:58:13,289 --> 00:58:19,459

And I really love being that Initiator,

and I feel like that's what this work is.

:

00:58:19,509 --> 00:58:26,809

It is, it is, you know, I would say, you

know, statistically it's 70% Generators

:

00:58:26,809 --> 00:58:28,779

that I'm working with in this, in this.

:

00:58:29,039 --> 00:58:34,319

So to, um, give them a ton of things

to respond to and questions to answer

:

00:58:34,319 --> 00:58:38,559

and choices to make and, you know,

kind of initiating them into their next

:

00:58:38,569 --> 00:58:40,769

level of- Mm-hmm … life and success.

:

00:58:40,979 --> 00:58:45,509

In fact, I have my, um, I just had

to take it down for some reason.

:

00:58:45,559 --> 00:58:46,189

Where is it?

:

00:58:46,349 --> 00:58:49,119

I wanna read, I wanna read

you what's on my goal card.

:

00:58:49,729 --> 00:58:51,579

So um-

:

00:58:54,455 --> 00:58:58,355

'Cause I updated it since I, you know,

the human design, I- it's, my, my goal

:

00:58:58,355 --> 00:59:02,215

is, "I'm so happy and grateful now that

I am a multimillion-dollar Manifestor,

:

00:59:02,215 --> 00:59:05,905

earning 2 million a year through

multiple sources on a continuous basis.

:

00:59:06,305 --> 00:59:10,665

Abundance flows to and through me with

ease, love, and perfect alignment as I

:

00:59:10,715 --> 00:59:15,295

joyfully serve, uplift, and transform

lives both directly and through

:

00:59:15,295 --> 00:59:19,225

the purpose-driven entrepreneurs

I empower and initiate into new

:

00:59:19,225 --> 00:59:21,035

levels of impact and success."

:

00:59:21,435 --> 00:59:26,965

So I love- Ooh … initiating someone-

Yeah … into their next level.

:

00:59:27,255 --> 00:59:32,245

And this glam cam, you know, work is

currently my favorite way of doing

:

00:59:32,245 --> 00:59:34,975

that because it is so initiating.

:

00:59:35,005 --> 00:59:35,415

Haven't you-

:

00:59:35,415 --> 00:59:35,825

Erica Voell: Yeah

:

00:59:35,875 --> 00:59:36,265

… Tommy Collier: found that?

:

00:59:36,265 --> 00:59:36,575

Yes.

:

00:59:36,575 --> 00:59:37,035

Erica Voell: Yes.

:

00:59:37,105 --> 00:59:37,515

Yeah.

:

00:59:37,525 --> 00:59:43,045

And what was so cool, like, as you were

talking about people's designs, um,

:

00:59:43,075 --> 00:59:46,165

one of my fears is the fear of success.

:

00:59:46,415 --> 00:59:46,435

Mm-hmm.

:

00:59:46,485 --> 00:59:52,545

And I think that a lot of times I was

just like, "Well, you know, I'm not-

:

00:59:54,825 --> 00:59:58,295

I don't wanna do too much because

I don't wanna be too seen.

:

00:59:58,715 --> 00:59:59,035

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

:

00:59:59,485 --> 01:00:02,595

Erica Voell: And this shifted that.

:

01:00:02,795 --> 01:00:03,495

Like-

:

01:00:03,645 --> 01:00:04,155

Tommy Collier: Mm.

:

01:00:04,155 --> 01:00:04,495

Now she's ready

:

01:00:04,495 --> 01:00:09,955

… Erica Voell: I need, I need to

be seen, and als- like, I have,

:

01:00:10,035 --> 01:00:13,055

I have, like, 12 of the 20 fears.

:

01:00:14,325 --> 01:00:14,735

Tommy Collier: Do you?

:

01:00:15,175 --> 01:00:15,475

Erica Voell: Yes.

:

01:00:16,115 --> 01:00:17,975

Um, but, like…

:

01:00:18,105 --> 01:00:21,845

And there, there's one that's all about

fear of rejection, and so, like, there's

:

01:00:21,845 --> 01:00:25,145

a lot of that up in the camera stuff.

:

01:00:25,205 --> 01:00:29,765

And, like, when I was on a podcast

yesterday, it was the first time I was

:

01:00:29,765 --> 01:00:36,275

on a podcast with a stranger, and oh my

gosh, I have to tell you, like, I saw my-

:

01:00:36,275 --> 01:00:39,265

It was like, oh, yeah … I saw myself

on camera, and I saw myself next to

:

01:00:39,265 --> 01:00:46,045

her, and I was like, "We are on the same

playing field, and I am gonna kick this…

:

01:00:46,175 --> 01:00:47,285

Like, this is gonna be great."

:

01:00:47,315 --> 01:00:51,295

And I think it was probably the best

podcast episode I have ever recorded.

:

01:00:51,705 --> 01:00:53,245

I got to geek out about human design.

:

01:00:53,245 --> 01:00:56,375

I got to talk about human design,

just from a very high level.

:

01:00:56,385 --> 01:00:57,075

But, like…

:

01:00:57,585 --> 01:01:00,885

And I pulled up her chart, and

we were talking about it, and

:

01:01:00,905 --> 01:01:04,325

then afterwards, we were talking

for like 20 minutes afterwards,

:

01:01:04,325 --> 01:01:05,805

and she's like, "I'm so curious.

:

01:01:05,865 --> 01:01:08,205

Oh my gosh, I need to go

look at my husband's chart.

:

01:01:08,215 --> 01:01:09,545

I need to go look at my kids' charts."

:

01:01:09,555 --> 01:01:09,565

Mm.

:

01:01:09,575 --> 01:01:11,305

And I was like, "We can talk."

:

01:01:11,885 --> 01:01:15,955

But- Yeah … seeing myself

sitting next to her o- on the Zoom

:

01:01:15,965 --> 01:01:18,455

screen, it was like, oh, okay.

:

01:01:18,455 --> 01:01:18,545

How

:

01:01:18,545 --> 01:01:19,415

Tommy Collier: did she look?

:

01:01:20,845 --> 01:01:23,575

Erica Voell: She looked pretty good,

but I was also gonna be like, "I

:

01:01:23,575 --> 01:01:24,685

have somebody you need to talk to."

:

01:01:24,685 --> 01:01:27,485

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

:

01:01:27,485 --> 01:01:27,705

Erica Voell: Yeah.

:

01:01:27,725 --> 01:01:29,065

Tommy Collier: So did you feel like…

:

01:01:29,175 --> 01:01:33,685

So when you said, "We're on the same

playing field," um, did you mean visually,

:

01:01:33,685 --> 01:01:40,187

or like you felt like you were, like,

like- Worthy of being in that room?

:

01:01:40,317 --> 01:01:41,997

Erica Voell: Worthy of being in that room.

:

01:01:41,997 --> 01:01:42,017

Yeah.

:

01:01:42,167 --> 01:01:42,557

Tommy Collier: Okay.

:

01:01:42,557 --> 01:01:42,737

I love that.

:

01:01:42,737 --> 01:01:42,797

Yes.

:

01:01:42,797 --> 01:01:42,997

I love

:

01:01:42,997 --> 01:01:43,197

Erica Voell: that.

:

01:01:43,667 --> 01:01:47,407

I mean, she's had her podcast, she

reached out to me on Substack, but it

:

01:01:47,407 --> 01:01:53,267

was such a cool experience that, like,

I'm not just showing up as somebody-

:

01:01:53,467 --> 01:01:53,697

Tommy Collier: Yeah

:

01:01:53,707 --> 01:01:53,867

like,

:

01:01:53,967 --> 01:01:58,317

Erica Voell: I can, I can be and sound

and look like the expert that I feel like.

:

01:01:58,707 --> 01:02:02,067

Tommy Collier: And do you

feel like the, your setup held

:

01:02:02,067 --> 01:02:03,787

you in that a little bit too?

:

01:02:03,787 --> 01:02:09,527

Like, like, the odds are, like,

probably, like, 9 times out of 10,

:

01:02:09,527 --> 01:02:13,177

you're gonna be the best-looking-

Mm-hmm … setup in an interview, right?

:

01:02:13,177 --> 01:02:13,437

Yeah.

:

01:02:13,437 --> 01:02:13,457

Yeah.

:

01:02:13,507 --> 01:02:17,517

So whether you feeling any, any

kind of self-doubt about the person

:

01:02:17,517 --> 01:02:20,457

that you're talking to and what

their level is or whatever, you're

:

01:02:20,457 --> 01:02:22,067

gonna be looking better than them.

:

01:02:22,387 --> 01:02:22,467

Yes.

:

01:02:22,637 --> 01:02:25,260

Like, not a lot, not that it's a

comparison, but you know what I mean?

:

01:02:25,260 --> 01:02:28,417

Like, does that, did that support

you at all in that, I'm curious?

:

01:02:28,457 --> 01:02:28,847

Like,

:

01:02:30,277 --> 01:02:31,017

Erica Voell: like- Yeah.

:

01:02:31,487 --> 01:02:33,017

I, I, I, I think so.

:

01:02:33,037 --> 01:02:33,517

Yes.

:

01:02:33,517 --> 01:02:33,577

Yeah.

:

01:02:33,577 --> 01:02:38,957

'Cause I, 'cause when I'm feeling a

little bit untethered, like- Mm-hmm … I

:

01:02:38,957 --> 01:02:43,917

just look at my crystals back here,

and I just watch those, or I see, like,

:

01:02:44,147 --> 01:02:48,062

how my earrings look on the camera,

I, 'cause I have these- And that

:

01:02:48,062 --> 01:02:50,247

Tommy Collier: they're not, and that

they're not being cut out and, and put-

:

01:02:50,247 --> 01:02:50,687

Erica Voell: Yes

:

01:02:50,937 --> 01:02:51,577

Tommy Collier: and put back in.

:

01:02:52,167 --> 01:02:54,957

Erica Voell: But I have these wooden

ones that I wear a lot- Yeah … that

:

01:02:54,957 --> 01:02:57,307

are, like, the flower of something.

:

01:02:57,337 --> 01:02:58,617

I can't remember what it's called.

:

01:02:58,647 --> 01:03:03,527

But, um, it, they're very '70s

looking, but I just love them so much.

:

01:03:03,587 --> 01:03:07,807

And they, so I, I could,

like, ground myself.

:

01:03:07,807 --> 01:03:13,077

But Tommy, this crystal that you

found is just, like, that is my

:

01:03:13,077 --> 01:03:17,847

anchor when I'm feeling a little

untethered, and it's just like, just

:

01:03:17,957 --> 01:03:23,017

go down the rainbow and see, like,

look at all of those, focus on those.

:

01:03:23,427 --> 01:03:26,447

And a lot of times I still hide

myself because I wanna focus on

:

01:03:26,517 --> 01:03:30,247

the person- Mm-hmm … I'm talking

to and not me and my earrings.

:

01:03:30,277 --> 01:03:34,257

But, you know, when you're on Substack,

sometimes, sometimes you can't hide that.

:

01:03:34,587 --> 01:03:35,857

Um, I'm glad we're on Zoom.

:

01:03:35,857 --> 01:03:36,687

That's helping me.

:

01:03:37,007 --> 01:03:42,427

But, um, yeah, it was, it's, I felt like

I was on the level playing field that way.

:

01:03:42,707 --> 01:03:42,727

Yeah.

:

01:03:42,727 --> 01:03:47,095

But also, and I've told you this-

If you're on a Substack Live with

:

01:03:47,095 --> 01:03:52,545

me now, like be- we got on 15

minutes before, and everybody, I'm

:

01:03:52,545 --> 01:03:54,865

like, "Can you adjust your camera?"

:

01:03:54,895 --> 01:03:56,185

Tommy Collier: Erica's

doing on-camera audits now.

:

01:03:56,465 --> 01:03:56,535

Yes.

:

01:03:57,945 --> 01:04:00,335

Erica Voell: Maybe move your

light over here a little bit

:

01:04:00,335 --> 01:04:02,005

because you're a little shadowy.

:

01:04:02,045 --> 01:04:08,865

Like, everybody who I was on

with, um, in, starting in August.

:

01:04:08,875 --> 01:04:12,745

Like, somebody even moved into a

different room because I was like,

:

01:04:12,765 --> 01:04:14,465

"I'm not, I'm not feeling this.

:

01:04:14,465 --> 01:04:16,095

You've got sunlight coming in here.

:

01:04:16,095 --> 01:04:16,735

It's weird.

:

01:04:16,735 --> 01:04:19,075

It's, it's taking the

dist- it's distracting."

:

01:04:19,515 --> 01:04:24,585

And so you've upleveled me

into the I want, uh, I want

:

01:04:24,595 --> 01:04:26,455

my guest to look their best.

:

01:04:26,455 --> 01:04:26,875

Yeah.

:

01:04:27,795 --> 01:04:29,485

Because I want them to, I want…

:

01:04:29,485 --> 01:04:31,115

And that, and the fee-

No, you want your show

:

01:04:31,115 --> 01:04:31,545

Tommy Collier: to look good.

:

01:04:31,585 --> 01:04:32,305

You want them to feel

:

01:04:32,305 --> 01:04:32,875

Erica Voell: good.

:

01:04:32,875 --> 01:04:33,135

Yes.

:

01:04:33,135 --> 01:04:33,695

Tommy Collier: You want

everything to be good.

:

01:04:33,695 --> 01:04:34,235

Yeah, I love

:

01:04:34,235 --> 01:04:34,265

Erica Voell: that.

:

01:04:34,265 --> 01:04:34,685

Yes.

:

01:04:35,125 --> 01:04:35,145

Tommy Collier: I love

:

01:04:35,145 --> 01:04:35,154

Erica Voell: that.

:

01:04:35,154 --> 01:04:36,935

And I, and I, they've…

:

01:04:37,265 --> 01:04:43,767

Uh, the feedback I've gotten from people

from the, um- As I've been asking people

:

01:04:43,767 --> 01:04:47,167

for feedback, like, "What was it like

to be part of this project with me?"

:

01:04:47,857 --> 01:04:50,217

They were all like, "You

made me feel so comfortable."

:

01:04:50,217 --> 01:04:53,337

And a c- one of them said,

"Thank you for making me…

:

01:04:53,477 --> 01:04:56,077

Like, helping me adjust my camera,

'cause I looked really good."

:

01:04:56,227 --> 01:04:56,297

Mm.

:

01:04:56,297 --> 01:04:57,547

And I was like, "Yes.

:

01:04:57,547 --> 01:04:57,937

Yes."

:

01:04:58,317 --> 01:04:59,387

Tommy Collier: That is so cool.

:

01:04:59,437 --> 01:04:59,637

I

:

01:04:59,637 --> 01:05:00,027

Erica Voell: love that.

:

01:05:00,027 --> 01:05:00,797

It was so cool.

:

01:05:00,846 --> 01:05:01,377

Yeah.

:

01:05:01,487 --> 01:05:02,487

Tommy Collier: Oh, I'm so proud of you.

:

01:05:02,497 --> 01:05:03,227

That's so great.

:

01:05:05,257 --> 01:05:07,377

Erica Voell: So anything else…

:

01:05:07,537 --> 01:05:08,667

I don't have any…

:

01:05:08,717 --> 01:05:13,467

I'm out of questions, but anything else

you wanna share that, like, about this- I

:

01:05:13,467 --> 01:05:13,987

Tommy Collier: mean,

:

01:05:13,997 --> 01:05:15,846

Erica Voell: well- … about

working with everybody?

:

01:05:15,937 --> 01:05:19,767

Tommy Collier: Your series here

is Summer of Self Love, right?

:

01:05:19,767 --> 01:05:19,797

Mm-hmm.

:

01:05:19,797 --> 01:05:21,727

And that's what the

conversation has been about.

:

01:05:22,167 --> 01:05:26,387

And, I mean, I think you're probably,

if you're here listening to this, you

:

01:05:26,387 --> 01:05:31,957

hear how what we're talking about here

is very connected to self-love, right?

:

01:05:31,957 --> 01:05:35,057

And confidence and all of those kinds

of c- all those kinds of things.

:

01:05:35,057 --> 01:05:42,167

So, um, I'm actually, um, overdue

to record my next episode for my,

:

01:05:42,596 --> 01:05:46,407

uh, series that's, that's on, on my

Substack where I'm teaching all of this.

:

01:05:46,677 --> 01:05:48,777

The next episode is the self-love episode.

:

01:05:48,787 --> 01:05:51,897

So that's gonna be coming-

Oh … out in, hopefully next week.

:

01:05:52,197 --> 01:05:55,846

Um, 'cause there is a whole, like you're,

you're m- maybe g- kind of gathering here.

:

01:05:56,267 --> 01:05:58,247

There's a whole layer

of self-love in this.

:

01:05:58,387 --> 01:06:05,587

Um, and sometimes, like, I've seen, uh,

people that, you know, really did have a

:

01:06:05,587 --> 01:06:11,367

self-love issue, and this really started

to turn that around very, very quickly.

:

01:06:11,427 --> 01:06:14,427

A lot quicker than years and

years and years of personal

:

01:06:14,427 --> 01:06:16,057

development grinding has done, too.

:

01:06:16,067 --> 01:06:16,417

Mm-hmm.

:

01:06:16,427 --> 01:06:17,827

So it's really cool.

:

01:06:17,837 --> 01:06:23,137

Like, if you're having, um, if you are

having an issue with, you know, that,

:

01:06:23,657 --> 01:06:29,877

that area of, you know, with yourself,

and it's keeping you from being visible

:

01:06:29,877 --> 01:06:34,687

or being ready to be visible or whatever,

whether you're working with me or someone

:

01:06:34,687 --> 01:06:38,457

else, but doing this kind of thing,

getting yourself looking good on camera,

:

01:06:38,497 --> 01:06:42,627

is literally teleporting your future self

onto the screen in front of you today.

:

01:06:43,017 --> 01:06:48,315

And that will start to change,

and I've seen it- Most of the

:

01:06:48,315 --> 01:06:49,865

time it changes very fast.

:

01:06:49,875 --> 01:06:51,475

So- Mm-hmm … it's super cool.

:

01:06:51,615 --> 01:06:56,825

So I guess just, um, check out my,

my page, um, and subscribe 'cause

:

01:06:56,825 --> 01:07:00,515

the, this next part is c- part

seven of the eight part series.

:

01:07:00,585 --> 01:07:01,835

That's the self-love episode.

:

01:07:01,875 --> 01:07:02,945

It will be completely free.

:

01:07:02,945 --> 01:07:04,045

So, um-

:

01:07:04,135 --> 01:07:04,432

Erica Voell: Oh, I

:

01:07:04,432 --> 01:07:04,607

Tommy Collier: love that

:

01:07:04,607 --> 01:07:05,445

yeah, that's coming next week.

:

01:07:05,445 --> 01:07:06,975

So interesting timing, Erica.

:

01:07:06,975 --> 01:07:08,945

I love how this- Yeah … has

shaken, shaken out.

:

01:07:09,595 --> 01:07:12,535

Erica Voell: So if you are not in

Tommy's Green Room, like, seriously,

:

01:07:12,654 --> 01:07:17,154

I have … We, we worked together and

then all the videos started to come

:

01:07:17,154 --> 01:07:21,895

out, and I was like, "Oh, that's why

we're doing … That's why …" Like,

:

01:07:21,904 --> 01:07:26,325

you helped me work through things on

our hour and a half, two hour sessions.

:

01:07:26,365 --> 01:07:32,305

But the, what I love about the Green

Room is it's explaining why things are.

:

01:07:32,625 --> 01:07:36,615

And I, my favorite one is still

the microphone one, because I

:

01:07:36,654 --> 01:07:39,685

listen to it in my car on the

way to IKEA to buy more plants.

:

01:07:41,425 --> 01:07:43,865

And I just was like, "Oh, my gosh."

:

01:07:43,885 --> 01:07:48,135

And now I can't n- I can't

deal with the, the earbuds.

:

01:07:48,135 --> 01:07:48,145

Mm-hmm.

:

01:07:48,145 --> 01:07:48,715

The Air- AirPods

:

01:07:51,365 --> 01:07:51,475

in- Yeah

:

01:07:51,615 --> 01:07:58,473

the microphone just, I, I, it's so

Once you start to see, like, the good

:

01:07:58,473 --> 01:08:01,283

stuff, you can't un- h- you can't hear-

:

01:08:01,623 --> 01:08:01,803

Tommy Collier: Yeah

:

01:08:01,813 --> 01:08:03,233

… Erica Voell: you can't

un-hear what you can't hear.

:

01:08:03,283 --> 01:08:03,503

It's-

:

01:08:03,613 --> 01:08:03,783

Tommy Collier: Yeah

:

01:08:04,003 --> 01:08:05,373

… Erica Voell: it's so fascinating to me.

:

01:08:05,373 --> 01:08:06,083

Tommy Collier: It is.

:

01:08:06,083 --> 01:08:09,263

And, and i- and if you stick with

that long enough, like, that's a

:

01:08:09,263 --> 01:08:11,043

good thing in my book, you know?

:

01:08:11,493 --> 01:08:14,253

You're- 'cause you've just

raised your standards- Mm-hmm

:

01:08:14,253 --> 01:08:18,452

for yourself and for other people,

and that will start to show in

:

01:08:18,452 --> 01:08:20,002

your bank account, I promise.

:

01:08:20,263 --> 01:08:20,683

Erica Voell: Yeah.

:

01:08:20,933 --> 01:08:21,332

Yeah.

:

01:08:21,332 --> 01:08:21,723

Yeah.

:

01:08:21,723 --> 01:08:21,952

Tommy Collier: Yeah.

:

01:08:22,073 --> 01:08:25,303

Erica Voell: So I just wanna

tell you, Tommy, thank you.

:

01:08:25,403 --> 01:08:28,923

Oh my gosh, thank you so much for- My

pleasure … helping me see myself in

:

01:08:28,923 --> 01:08:34,603

a totally new way, and I am so excited

about the things that I have going on.

:

01:08:34,653 --> 01:08:37,363

I am doing my second self-love workshop.

:

01:08:37,473 --> 01:08:40,563

It is two weeks from today on

September 24th, and it is called-

:

01:08:40,563 --> 01:08:42,553

Oh, yay … Perfectly Designed.

:

01:08:43,023 --> 01:08:49,483

And so it is the f- s- last in the Summer

of Self-Love series, but it is just

:

01:08:49,483 --> 01:08:56,023

the beginning, I feel like, of really

starting to connect the dots and helping

:

01:08:56,042 --> 01:09:01,733

you connect the dots as a person in s-

mid-life or a woman in mid-life, um,

:

01:09:01,823 --> 01:09:07,962

because the, really the dots about how

your, why your partner might need three

:

01:09:07,962 --> 01:09:11,843

days, or yourself, to, to make three days

to make a decision, or why your kid needs

:

01:09:11,853 --> 01:09:17,263

sleep in the middle of the day, or why

you are over-thinking and replaying the

:

01:09:17,263 --> 01:09:19,673

conversations in your mind overnight.

:

01:09:19,683 --> 01:09:25,663

So like I don't know if you all remember,

d- I, I still love these, when you

:

01:09:25,663 --> 01:09:28,813

would get a pic- get one of those

books, those dot-to-dot books, and you

:

01:09:28,813 --> 01:09:32,073

would like do the dots one, two, three,

four, and it was like you would start

:

01:09:32,073 --> 01:09:33,702

to see the whole picture of yourself.

:

01:09:34,202 --> 01:09:38,323

That's what we're doing with the

connecting the dots, and I want

:

01:09:38,332 --> 01:09:42,103

people to, women especially, to

start to connect those dots so

:

01:09:42,103 --> 01:09:45,113

they can see the whole picture of

themselves and their relationships.

:

01:09:45,122 --> 01:09:49,523

So that's what we're gonna

be doing in my paid Substack.

:

01:09:49,573 --> 01:09:51,613

Right now it's called Unfolding by Design.

:

01:09:52,372 --> 01:09:57,202

I think it might need an upgrade, just

like the camera work … an upgrade.

:

01:09:57,223 --> 01:10:00,103

Tommy Collier: We're all, we're

all, you know, at, n- no, uh, no,

:

01:10:00,103 --> 01:10:01,623

no problem with an evolution, right?

:

01:10:01,873 --> 01:10:02,353

Erica Voell: Yes.

:

01:10:02,383 --> 01:10:02,403

Mm-hmm.

:

01:10:02,553 --> 01:10:09,343

So but I have gotten in the idea that w-

we're going to be looking into the centers

:

01:10:09,743 --> 01:10:11,523

in the fall and talking- That's cool

:

01:10:11,523 --> 01:10:14,993

about relationships, so it's gonna be

a, it's gonna be a really cool thing.

:

01:10:15,003 --> 01:10:16,623

And you've given me the idea, Tommy.

:

01:10:16,943 --> 01:10:17,043

Okay.

:

01:10:17,073 --> 01:10:20,833

I heard you talking on Tuesday,

and I was like ding, ding, ding.

:

01:10:21,063 --> 01:10:25,443

We're gonna go through all of the centers

and how it impacts our relationships.

:

01:10:25,452 --> 01:10:26,193

So- Ah,

:

01:10:26,353 --> 01:10:26,663

Tommy Collier: beautiful

:

01:10:26,663 --> 01:10:29,043

… Erica Voell: we're gonna … I'm,

I'm so excited about it.

:

01:10:29,253 --> 01:10:31,813

Tommy Collier: And you said

your next workshop is when?

:

01:10:32,452 --> 01:10:36,463

Erica Voell: Next, uh, two weeks

from today, Thursday, September 24th,

:

01:10:36,483 --> 01:10:38,813

and it's at 1:00 PM Central Time.

:

01:10:39,043 --> 01:10:41,533

Tommy Collier: And is that

in your, in your paid tier?

:

01:10:42,219 --> 01:10:43,839

Erica Voell: It is in my paid tier.

:

01:10:43,999 --> 01:10:44,189

Tommy Collier: Awesome.

:

01:10:44,239 --> 01:10:47,169

Erica Voell: Um, if you are a free

subscriber, you'll get the first

:

01:10:47,169 --> 01:10:51,499

about 10 minutes of it to watch on the

replay, but if you are not in the paid

:

01:10:51,499 --> 01:10:56,789

tier, I would invite you to upgrade

so that you can join us for that live.

:

01:10:57,119 --> 01:11:01,679

And, um, all you have to do is

go to erikavoell.com/connect

:

01:11:01,929 --> 01:11:06,489

and you'll find it, and, or on Substack,

just click on the upgrade to paid.

:

01:11:06,959 --> 01:11:07,269

Tommy Collier: Perfect.

:

01:11:07,489 --> 01:11:07,509

So.

:

01:11:07,519 --> 01:11:08,189

That's awesome.

:

01:11:08,649 --> 01:11:12,619

Um, and if you're watching this

from my neck of the woods and this

:

01:11:12,619 --> 01:11:16,729

is your first time meeting Erica, I

hope you have seen that she is a gem

:

01:11:16,799 --> 01:11:18,429

and you wanna follow her, for sure.

:

01:11:18,429 --> 01:11:21,669

Whether you get in to the paid

tier or not, uh, definitely hit

:

01:11:21,679 --> 01:11:24,859

sub- smash that subscribe button

on her free page for sure, 'cause

:

01:11:24,859 --> 01:11:27,309

she is delicious and wonderful.

:

01:11:27,339 --> 01:11:31,759

And, um, all of her conversations that

she's been having, like this one, are

:

01:11:31,759 --> 01:11:34,989

totally worth going back and replaying-

Mm-hmm … 'cause they're so good.

:

01:11:35,629 --> 01:11:37,639

And her, and her last workshop

was really good too- Yeah

:

01:11:38,549 --> 01:11:40,679

which I bet is in your,

in your, um, replay.

:

01:11:40,679 --> 01:11:41,079

It's in my

:

01:11:41,079 --> 01:11:41,449

Erica Voell: paid-

:

01:11:41,449 --> 01:11:41,689

Tommy Collier: Yeah

:

01:11:41,689 --> 01:11:43,899

… Erica Voell: yeah, and the,

what's cool about the one we're

:

01:11:43,899 --> 01:11:45,549

gonna be doing is we're gonna…

:

01:11:45,599 --> 01:11:52,249

I have come up with, I have identified

the 10 parts, uh, or 15 parts of

:

01:11:52,249 --> 01:11:55,409

human design that are related to

self-love- Mm … and I'm going to be

:

01:11:55,409 --> 01:11:57,619

revealing all of those at the workshop.

:

01:11:57,629 --> 01:11:58,009

So.

:

01:11:58,009 --> 01:11:58,649

Tommy Collier: That's awesome.

:

01:11:58,649 --> 01:12:01,299

Erica Voell: Like how the inner critic

talks to us, what it feels like in

:

01:12:01,299 --> 01:12:06,739

our bodies, and then a loving reframe

so that we can stop this, like,

:

01:12:07,109 --> 01:12:09,359

constant beating up of ourselves.

:

01:12:09,769 --> 01:12:10,089

Tommy Collier: Mm.

:

01:12:10,419 --> 01:12:11,189

So important.

:

01:12:11,379 --> 01:12:11,759

Erica Voell: Yeah.

:

01:12:11,769 --> 01:12:12,159

Tommy Collier: Love it.

:

01:12:12,199 --> 01:12:12,369

Erica Voell: Yeah.

:

01:12:12,629 --> 01:12:13,839

Tommy Collier: Well,

Erica, thank you so much.

:

01:12:13,839 --> 01:12:14,719

This has been so fun.

:

01:12:14,719 --> 01:12:17,969

I feel like I, I would just be

on here for four hours with you-

:

01:12:17,969 --> 01:12:19,179

if you, if you asked me to.

:

01:12:19,509 --> 01:12:19,549

I know.

:

01:12:20,579 --> 01:12:20,879

Erica Voell: I know.

:

01:12:20,889 --> 01:12:23,229

When I sent you the questions and

you were like, "We'll be on for four

:

01:12:23,229 --> 01:12:27,219

hours," I was like, "Probably, and

I'm gonna have to watch the time."

:

01:12:29,818 --> 01:12:34,068

Well, Tommy, thank you so much, and thank

you for all the work we've done together.

:

01:12:34,068 --> 01:12:36,199

And I know it's not gonna

end, but, um- My pleasure

:

01:12:36,199 --> 01:12:36,568

yeah.

:

01:12:36,609 --> 01:12:42,159

I think, I, for those of you who

need an upgrade on your, on your s-

:

01:12:42,169 --> 01:12:44,539

whole setup, like, talk to Tommy.

:

01:12:44,779 --> 01:12:46,969

It will totally- Thank

you … transform things for you.

:

01:12:47,299 --> 01:12:47,899

Tommy Collier: Thank you.

:

01:12:47,979 --> 01:12:48,809

I appreciate that.

:

01:12:48,809 --> 01:12:49,079

Yeah.

:

01:12:49,079 --> 01:12:49,409

Yeah.

:

01:12:49,469 --> 01:12:54,289

If you, the best place to meet me to

talk about that is inside my green room.

:

01:12:54,359 --> 01:12:55,209

So it's thegreenroom.group

:

01:12:55,289 --> 01:12:58,619

has the short link to go there,

and, um, there's lots of cool

:

01:12:58,619 --> 01:12:59,539

things happening in there.

:

01:12:59,549 --> 01:12:59,568

Mm-hmm.

:

01:12:59,579 --> 01:13:05,049

Our next on-camera, um, live clinic

is, uh, a week from Friday, the 18th.

:

01:13:05,379 --> 01:13:09,879

Um, it's where you can come on and I

help you start fixing your setup live

:

01:13:09,969 --> 01:13:12,239

in front of you, in front of the group,

and everyone learns from everyone

:

01:13:12,239 --> 01:13:13,709

else's fixes, so it's really cool.

:

01:13:13,879 --> 01:13:15,109

Erica Voell: It's so cool to watch.

:

01:13:15,199 --> 01:13:15,219

Yeah.

:

01:13:15,229 --> 01:13:15,999

So cool to watch.

:

01:13:15,999 --> 01:13:16,169

Yeah.

:

01:13:16,249 --> 01:13:16,669

Okay.

:

01:13:17,059 --> 01:13:18,359

Well, thank you, Tommy.

:

01:13:18,369 --> 01:13:19,369

Thank you, everyone.

:

01:13:19,379 --> 01:13:21,839

It's so great t- to ta- to see everybody.

:

01:13:21,889 --> 01:13:25,289

And those of you on the

replay, thank you for watching.

:

01:13:26,269 --> 01:13:26,869

We'll see you all soon.

:

01:13:27,019 --> 01:13:27,259

Bye.

:

01:13:27,539 --> 01:13:28,049

Tommy Collier: Bye.

Show artwork for Unfolding: Letters from the Middle of Becoming

About the Podcast

Unfolding: Letters from the Middle of Becoming
What if midlife wasn't a crisis — but an invitation?

The Unfolding Podcast is a space where we explore what it looks like to really trust yourself, say no without guilt, and live your life like it actually belongs to you.

Hosted by Erica Voell, Decision Mentor and Inner-Trust Guide, this show is for women in midlife who are done living by the "shoulds" and second guessing themselves.

If you've taken every personality test, followed the recommended path, and still can't shake the feeling that you've been spending your whole life trying to fit in – when what you really wanted was to belong – you're in the right place.

You'll hear stories, insights, and tools rooted in Human Design, coaching, and real life. Not to tell you what to do, but to help you really hear yourself.

About your host

Profile picture for Erica Voell

Erica Voell

Erica Voell is a Decision Mentor and Inner Trust Guide. She works with women in midlife to help them untangle from the life patterns of shape-shifting and keeping everyone else happy, claim how they are uniquely designed to make decisions, and understand their unique strengths.

Her clients are women who have taken every personality test, followed the recommended path, and still can't shake the feeling that they've been spending their whole lives trying to fit in — when what they really wanted was to belong.

Using Human Design as a lens, together they clear the noise of conditioning so their no feels powerful and their yes feels true, and they can move forward without self-doubt, guilt, and pressure to prove anything.