[0:39] But if your sound is off, people will bounce,
[0:42] Welcome to the Confident Live Marketing Podcast with Ian Anderson Gray. Helping you level up your impact, authority, and profits through the power of confident live video. Optimize your mindset and communication. And increase your confidence in front of the camera. Get confident with the tech and gear. And get confident with the content and marketing. Together, we can go live!
[1:12] Ian: Hello, welcome to the Confidential Live Marketing Podcast. I'm Ian Anderson Gray, and in this episode, we're going again, Behind the scenes with a special guest looking at their studio, what they've got in terms of the tech, how they got it, set it up, how they got started. I'm very excited because I met my first guest, my guest today, I think three months ago at the uplift live conference, which is all about LinkedIn.
[1:36] And she was speaking there all about how to use LinkedIn live. it's Gillian Whitney, who is. A live stream strategist and coach who makes live video easy peasy or video easy peasy. She hosts a weekly LinkedIn live show. And is the author of two books as a digital nomad. Gillian is a citizen of four countries, but contrary to any rumors, she's not a spy.
[2:01] that's what she says. welcome to the show, Gillian. How are you doing?
[2:05] Gillian: I'm doing great. I'm so excited to be here.
[2:09] Ian: it's great to have you. I was very excited to meet you in person in Birmingham, in the UK, at the Uplift Live conference. And I was really taken by your talk because you just make the whole idea of video and live video in particular.
[2:25] Easy peasy
[2:25] peasy because for so many people even today, even though live video has been around for ages It still is a very scary thing for people.
[2:34] I want to ask you though the four countries What are those four countries that you are a citizen of because quite a number
[2:40] Gillian: I
[2:40] Gillian: know. So I was born in Canada. I am a British born abroad because both my parents are from England. I am a United States naturalized citizen and I'm also an Israeli. So those are my four citizenships and I have the passports to prove it.
[3:00] Ian: Awesome. obviously you do a lot of shuffling. I've, heard about that and you're currently in the US I think in, is it Las Vegas, is that where you are now?
[3:10] Gillian: Actually, this week I'm in Phoenix, so I'm always, where am I this week? So my business is based in Las Vegas, but I'm always on the go. So when people say, what's your home studio? I go, I don't have a home because I live in corporate apartments and we go from basically city to city and we travel all across the United States.
[3:34] So my studio is in a suitcase.
[3:39] Ian: this is going to make this show really interesting because often we talk about going behind the scenes of a studio and we assume that studio is Like a static, but for you, your studio moves around with you has to be, moving around. So before we get onto your studio, I would love to know a little bit more about you.
[3:57] I obviously I talked about your little bit from your bio, but what's your background? And, I was going to ask what makes your studio set up unique. We've already talked about the fact that it has to be mobile, but, any more thoughts on that before we get into the detail.
[4:12] Gillian: so what makes my studio unique or a bit about my background,
[4:16] which
[4:16] Ian: a bit about your background and then, yeah, let's, I'll be, a better, I'll be a better interviewer. I will ask you one question at a time. Let's talk about briefly about your history of how you got into what you're doing today. Okay.
[4:28] Gillian: Okay, so I'll give you the quick version. So by my very nature, I am a tech writer who became a computer trainer and I love teaching people how to do things. And I think because I have that tech background, I've always wanted to say, Simplify the tech down. So I got into online marketing and I found that out of everything that you can do with online marketing video is the easiest thing to leapfrog you to the top of the Google search results.
[4:59] Cause that's what we all want to be. We want to be found. We want to be visible. And. So I leaned into video, especially LinkedIn video, and I got very good at it, but I found it was still complicated. And meanwhile, I got access to LinkedIn Live early, and I started going live, and I actually found that going live is easier than recorded video.
[5:25] that's what I'm all about now. The easiest way to do video, and in my opinion, it's by doing a live.
[5:32] Ian: it's weird, isn't it? Why should going live be easier? But I, went down the same, way. And I'm interested to know why you think that, but. Because for me, I'm a recovering perfectionist, so I kept on re recording, I'd get it wrong, I'd stumble over my words, and then I'd have to press stop, start again, and I'd never get anything done, whereas with live, it's like the perfect antidote to perfectionism, because the thing is, you're going to get it wrong, you're going to stumble over your words.
[6:01] I've already messed up today in asking you too many questions at once. And it, it doesn't matter. And I feel it's only now after years and years of doing live video that I actually feel confident enough to do what we're doing now, which is actually pre recording this. and if we make mistakes, just say, look, it's all right.
[6:17] We're going to keep going. What are your thoughts on that?
[6:19] Heh.
[6:21] Gillian: the same thing. It's when we, pick up our phone and we start trying to record using our phone, we do take after take And then all of a sudden you've got 50, 50 phone, videos. And you're like, I don't even know which ones are good. I don't even want to do it anymore.
[6:40] And usually you end up doing no video, but when you go live, you just. Hit the go live button. You just say live is forgiving my audience. That's what's important. And knowing your audience is on the other side of the camera, it makes you left less self conscious and it makes you just allows you to be a real human being.
[7:01] And in these days of AI, it's important to be a real human being.
[7:05] Ian: I
[7:06] I couldn't agree more. And I think actually we might've seen a bit of a, people using live video less in the last maybe two years. But I think like you, that I think we're going to get more of it because people want people and with AI, I think we're going to see that a lot more, love what you said.
[7:24] It's all about, it's all about the people. It's about the people watching. And sometimes I think we can get. Almost a little bit, not self obsessed, but we're so worried about everything going wrong that we look inwards instead of actually at the people watching. And I think live video can take you out of yourself.
[7:39] We could talk about this forever, but I do want to get dive into your studio set up. So let's do that. And, tell us about your audio and your microphone. Why did you choose what you've got? and tell us why, why you went for that. Silence.
[8:10] Gillian: bag. with feet. So it's a little bit bigger than a carry on bag. So everything has to fit in the suitcase and the Yeti comes in a nice box and it's protected and it's always giving me good sound.
[8:22] So I'm happy with my Yeti and I can plug my microphone into it and, sorry, my, my headphones into it so that I can hear and speak all at the same time.
[8:35] Ian: Yeah, and I think the Blue Yeti is great because it's USB. So you don't have to have any fancy mixers or audio interfaces. You can plug it straight in and it's quite rugged as well. it's quite a beefy little thing. it's not even, I wouldn't say it's little.
[8:48] It's quite beefy, but it's still portable. It's quite heavy. But, you've got it and you've got it. You'd not get it right up close like my microphone, but you don't have it out of shot either. It's I think, and I think that's maybe why sometimes the Yeti gets a bad rap because people try and they almost put it at the other end of the room and they expect good quality.
[9:07] So you've obviously spent a bit of time getting the right, set up for it. Have you got any tips on if people have a blue Yeti on how to use it in a, in the best way? Okay.
[9:18] Gillian: you have to get it close to you. So that's one thing and it has to be in the shot. So don't try and put it to the side cause you're not going to do it. And always talk into the front of the big blue Yeti and not the top. So that's one thing that's really important. And make sure that you know on the back, you dial into the one that looks like a peanut because that's the one that's going to pick up just the front sound.
[9:42] Ian: Really great advice there. Yeah. And so every microphone is different with the microphone I've got. I'm speaking, I speak into the end of it, but all microphones are different. So blue Yeti, yeah, it's the side of the front bit front bits of it. So that's cool. Blue Yeti. camera, cause I have to say, like you were saying to me before we started, is my, does it look okay?
[10:04] And I thought, wow, it looks amazing. You've got amazing backdrop. your camera looks great. Tell us a little bit more about your camera and why you chose what you've got.
[10:25] Gillian: higher
[10:26] Gillian: than a regular webcam. And I wanted to do that because I use stream yard and I only stream at seven 20 P because I can't always know that I'm going to be in a place that can handle 1080 because I'm traveling.
[10:40] I have to just okay. I hope that the internet's going to be good enough. I always have a wired connection of course. So I'm finding that going at seven 20 P for me and my guests is the best way. Logitech Brio has the best frame rate to go at a seven 20 P.
[10:56] Ian: That's really interesting. And this is Peace. The, Brio, I think I'm all right in saying, can you can go up to 4k if you want, but if you're going to stream to LinkedIn and I haven't looked at this for ages, maybe, you're, you can correct me on this, but I think the max you used to be able to stream to LinkedIn was seven 20 anyway.
[11:13] So if you're going to go live to
[11:15] Gillian: I think you can do, I think you can do 1080. I
[11:18] Ian: so they've upgraded. Okay. but I think
[11:22] if you,
[11:22] If it's a 1080p and you can go live at 1080p, but if your connection is all over the place, that's not going to help anyone.
[11:32] Gillian 1 on 2024-06-25 at 15.39.34: No.
[11:33] Gillian: So that's why I bring it down to seven 20. It's much more reliable.
[11:37] Ian: yeah, that's cool. So that's the Brio. And the great thing about that is, again, it's portable. So that's really helpful. so lighting, lighting looks great where you are. Tell us a bit about what you do there.
[11:50] Gillian: just a standard ring light. it's a send sign ring light and it just folds up into a small little box and fits into the suitcase as well. So nothing fancy, no three point lighting here, one light and it's a ring light. And I also have a backup bulb just in case.
[12:12] Ian: Yeah. You know what is, it's really important to talk about the backups because when things, go wrong, for example, Not wanting to say anything horrible, but what, if your, microphone stopped working or your, camera, have you got any kind of like backup plans when it comes to this kind of thing?
[12:31] Oh,
[12:41] Gillian: also can back up as either an internet hotspot or it can serve as a webcam as well. I have a lavalier mic and I think it's called a Boya, which is a really good wired, wired in lavalier like.
[12:57] With the longest cord in history. It's like amazing. So I have that as well. I have two computers because you just never know when your computer is going to go. And I have two, ring light bulbs as well. And I always have lots of lamps nearby in a pinch too. So I have two of everything because if you don't have two of everything, you could have nothing.
[13:21] Ian: It's such a good point. and that, yeah, that, lovely. And Mike, I think it's called the B Y M one, if it's the same one I'm thinking about, and it's got this really, long cable, but yeah, the camera thing is I've had problems with this camera that I'm using at the moment that it keeps switching off.
[13:37] I think it's to do with the heating, the overheats. So at the moment I'm fiddling around with, you Trying to get other cameras. I've, I'm playing around with this little one here, which is, I think Ops Spott or OBS bots. And, but you know what? Your phone, you mentioned your phone, the phone cameras these days are amazing.
[13:55] So having that as a either use your main camera as a backup is so good. So that's really helpful advice. because we, don't want stress on our lives, do we? So if we have a backup, it's good
[14:08] Gillian: No,
[14:09] Ian: that's, lighting. Let's talk about computer. You mentioned you've got, two computers. You only obviously use one at the same, time.
[14:17] I do know some people that kind of have these ridiculously complicated setups where they're using multiple computers, but it's just one computer at a time. Tell us a bit about your computer, your computers and any other kind of devices that you use with those. Okay. Okay.
[14:34] Gillian: maybe two years old and I use this for all my work. So I just use it as my standard work computer. I also use it as my live computer, but I have the other MacBook Pro that I had before this, which is maybe four years old, which is stripped. It has nothing on it except it's all set up with the latest version of Chrome.
[14:56] It has StreamYard ready to go so I can log into StreamYard and it's just clean and neat and nothing is on it and they make sure that it's always updated because if I need to use it in a pinch, I don't want to be doing any kind of like Mac OS updates or something like that. So I found it is good to have that second computer handy.
[15:20] Ian: yeah, definitely. and this is the concern that I have my, my, so I'm using a Mac mini and then one Mac mini. Which is great. But my MacBook pro is starting to get a little bit old now and starts to start sticking to the fans start to wear a little bit when you load up any software. So always good to have a backup.
[15:40] Now you mentioned you StreamYard is your live streaming software, which is great piece of software. It's actually works in the browser, doesn't it? So you don't even have to download any extra software. Tell us a little bit about why you use StreamYard, why you like it so much. And is, are there any other kind of.
[15:55] Bits of software that you use, together with that, I'm thinking maybe here for any repurposing side of things, what do you tend to use? Hello,
[16:04] Gillian: I, I love StreamYard. I use StreamYard from the get go. It was the very first live stream tool that I used and literally I found it and I went, Oh my gosh, this is so easy. Why would I want to use anything else? So I stuck with StreamYard and I've been live streaming for three years now. What I like about StreamYard is you can customize it.
[16:24] I like that you can use it from a browser. So that when I was over in the UK for Uplift Live, I stayed on for six weeks. I was able to actually live stream from my phone and I was live streaming from train stations and all sorts of different places, which is not something I would ever recommend anybody do first day.
[16:43] It's a second day skill to live stream, and it's not quite as reliable as a computer, but StreamYard allowed me to do that, that I could be mobile and stream Just from a phone.
[16:54] Ian: Yeah, it's, amazing. And it's so easy yet they've, kept it easy, but they have added lots of extra features. And so for one of the things I really love about StreamYard from a repurposing point of view is, so it actually can record. The video of your guest on, their end. So if you have any connection issues, you've got that.
[17:15] it's record separate videos. So we can record my video and my guest's video. So again, for repurposing side of things is good, but it's just really simple. You just, you give your guests a link and it's all, you're all good to go. So I want to go on to about, your. Your workspace and personalization. So this is something I'm always interested in because I think we, we all want to create a studio space that is uniquely ours that may be for, two reasons, really this, I think this can help foster creativity.
[17:49] But also productivity, but this is pretty, I'm particularly interested in your setup because it changes all the time. and so for example, your backdrop and your lighting, I know you have a light, but the lighting will change around you and the space. Maybe sometimes you have a very big space.
[18:07] Sometimes you have a very small space. so tell us a little about that and how you make your, the studio space that you're in uniquely yours. Yeah. Yeah.
[18:45] Gillian: it to whatever eye level you need it to be. So that is key. The second thing is my backdrop behind me. I wanted to have a consistent look for all my live streams because I go live every single week.
[18:59] And I never know what's going to be behind me. Is it going to be pictures or a plain white wall, or maybe it's going to be a window? I don't know. So what I did was I bought a,
[19:11] Gillian: backdrop and I just put it up with painter tape, that blue painter tape. And I just walk into an apartment, I unroll it and I stick it up with my blue painter tape.
[19:23] And then when I'm done, I roll it back up into the tube and off we go.
[19:28] Ian: And that's, it's, so cool because it looks real, and it's nice and bright. it adds a little bit of, I don't know, there is some, something fun about it as well. And in terms of like your personality and how you, do you, think it's important to have a background that, Mirrors your, or mirrors your personality a little bit.
[19:51] What would
[19:51] Gillian: Oh, I'm and I'm an, I'm a big book nut. I love books. So when I saw this one, it resonated for me to see all the different books and pictures. And when I actually had a house several years ago, I had tons of bookcases all over my house. So that's a, This resonated for me, but you can find, photo photography backdrops that are a window and plants and, doors leading to I don't know, a beautiful blue sea in the background.
[20:26] You can find one that meets your personality. You could get one that would maybe just be a red brick wall because you're just like a cool person that wants a red brick wall. So you can do whatever you want. There's so many different kinds out there and you just find the one that gives you that consistent look.
[20:43] And this was it for me.
[20:46] Ian: Do you know what? I think that's a really great tip because I'll be honest with you in setting up my background, I. it's been a journey. It's been like, like I was always, I was really conscious of like my old house where I like a white wall.
[21:04] And
[21:04] and then so I used a green screen and that didn't go well.
[21:08] And then this one has taken ages to because I was overthinking it. what, why not just get a photo background that you have. And then you don't, you can find one that kind of is, matches what you, want, that's fun and engaging. And it's just really easy and you're not overthinking it.
[21:25] So I think that's, a great tip for people. don't overthink things. Just stop because at the end of the day, if you, overthink it, you're not going live and you're not communicating with your audience. So get rid of all that overthinking.
[21:40] Gillian: Yes. And I even have a, I even have a backup. I bought two of these. So I have a backup and I took a photograph of this and I have it in stream yard as a virtual background. So if I ever got stuck somewhere, I could flip it up as a virtual background, but I don't do well with the virtual background cause I have curly hair, curly haired people don't do well.
[22:03] I'm, I No, we look weird.
[22:05] Ian: yeah, but you've got that as a backup. I think that's brilliant. I love the fact that you've thought about everything because we, again, it's coming back to that. We don't want that stress on that anxiety analysis. So you've got all those backups. When you press go live, that things might go wrong, but if they do go wrong, you've got a backup plan and I'm sure you've got backup plans or backup plans as well.
[22:27] Let's talk about when things do go wrong. Challenges. And so have there been any hurdles that you've encountered when setting up your studio? Maybe share some of those things.
[22:38] Gillian: of course, that's, why I had to get all the backups because I think one time I went live and I tested, I always test everything a half an hour before I go live just to make sure everything is all set up. Then I'll walk away and have a cup of coffee and I'm an introvert, so
[22:55] Ian: Okay.
[23:09] Gillian: I had enough to go live and it looked ridiculous. Like literally we took the lamp shades off so that we could get as much light as possible, but you have to be flexible like that.
[23:19] And that's when I said, okay, let's do it. Point taken. I need a second ring light. So those things happen. I even have a backup Internet so we have a different Internet because every corporate apartment has a Internet connection and I can wire in which is really good, but I also use a separate network which is T Mobile and I literally carry this around because I could be in an apartment that doesn't have good internet or the internet could go out.
[23:50] So I like to have that second internet there as well. And sometimes I'll use speedify and I'll switch to a different internet or sometimes even a hotspot on my phone just using cellular. So those are some of the things that I've had
[24:04] Ian: Yeah,
[24:05] I think that's great. Great tips that I've used Speedify as well, which allows you to combine two or more connections together. I've even got a. A little 4g router, which I can plug a little SIM card in, which is a little bit better than using a phone, but even the phone is really good to, to, to tethering that.
[24:24] So I've only done that when it's been like mission critical stuff, but it's always good to have these backups. So for people, for beginners, people just getting started, what's the one piece of equipment that you'd advise beginners to invest in first? I'm
[24:41] Gillian: It's important to have good quality sound. I have found that people. even if your lighting is not that great and it's really important to at least have some natural sunlight if you don't have a light, but it's the sound people can be forgiving if you look fuzzy or even if you stutter a little bit.
[25:01] But if your sound is off, people will bounce, so make sure you invest in a good quality microphone and where those headphones. It doesn't look like I'm wearing headphones because they're behind me, but I have headphones in so that there's no feedback from me talking into the computer here.
[25:22] Ian: Love
[25:22] it. Oh, yeah. You're saying all the right things. This is what we talk about. Awesome. it is time for the quick fire round. So I'm going to ask you a series of questions. Let's see how many you can answer. There's no right or wrong. It's just opinions and everything. Let's see if I can get the tech working.
[25:40] we're not live, but we are here we go. oh, I didn't actually check this. Hold on. Oh, there we go. the first question is Acoustic panels, aesthetic choice, or acoustic essentials? If you have them on your wall. Do you need them?
[25:58] No. Standing desk or sitting desk? Does it matter?
[26:02] Gillian: no.
[26:03] Ian: What's best, going solo or with guests?
[26:07] Gillian: Either or.
[26:08] Ian: Okay, cool. Webcam or fancy camera?
[26:13] Gillian: Webcam.
[26:14] Ian: Awesome. sitting
[26:16] or standing when you go live?
[26:18] Gillian: Sitting.
[26:19] Ian: Okay.
[26:21] Come on, next one. It's not clicking. Mac or PC?
[26:26] Gillian: Oh Mac.
[26:28] Ian: Ring lights good or bad?
[26:30] Gillian: Good.
[26:32] Ian: Headphones, yay or nay? You've already answered that, really.
[26:35] Gillian: Yay. Times two.
[26:38] Ian: Okay. When you're working background music, mood setter or distraction
[26:42] Gillian: Oh, distraction.
[26:43] Ian: and teleprompter.
[26:45] Yes or no.
[26:46] Gillian: No.
[26:49] Ian: Wow. I think that's 10. You did really well. You might have actually, you might have leapt into the lead with that one. You were very good. You answered them quickly. I will find out where you are in the leaderboard, but thank you, Gillian. It's been awesome to have you on the show. I can't wait to have you back.
[27:03] We're going to be, have you about to talk about confidence, communication, your journey with that. But how can people find out more about you, where can they connect with you, and tell us about your new book?
[27:13] Gillian: Ooh. Okay. you can find me on LinkedIn. That's my jam. That's where I can be found. I love it. Just look for Gillian Whitney. Video easy peasy is my handle. And I just did a new book called LinkedIn Live Guest Mastery. Oh, I'm not talented at this. And it is about building your brand and attracting more clients as a LinkedIn live guest.
[27:41] And I highly recommend that for people because it's the easy peasy way to get started with live video. Just be a guest.
[27:49] Ian: Yeah. And I, you know what I think being a guest for any live shows or being on podcasts, it's great because you don't have to worry about any of the tech. You just turn up. Obviously you got to know what you're talking about, but apart from that, it's great. Thank you so much, Julian. It's been great to have you in the show.
[28:05] It's awesome. Can't wait to have you back on, but that is, yeah, we're out of time. Thank you so much for plugging us into your ears and for watching. And, until next time, I encourage you to level up your impact authority and profits through the power of confident live video. See you soon. Bye.
[28:22] Thanks for listening to the Confident Live Marketing Podcast with Ian Anderson Gray. Make sure you subscribe at iag.me/podcast so you can continue to level up your impact, authority and profits through the power of live video. And until next time, Toodle
