Today we’d like to introduce you to Marissa Allen.
Hi Marissa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have been passionate about visual storytelling from a young age. I hosted my first tv show at age 15 for the Pinellas County School Board and won a Telly Award. Then I continued to do on-camera work as a spokesperson, delivering short commercial-like videos for brands and businesses.
At the same time, I went on to study behind-the-camera and received my BA from USF in Broadcast Production. In college, I fell in love with a live-studio environment. That lead to me ending up at HSN. Once I was out of college, I accepted a full-time position there. That lasted about eight months. I used to work in the studios and imagine how I would present if I were the one on-camera. Finally I realized, as much as I loved production, I was on the wrong side of the camera.
While I was comfortable on-camera, I wasn’t confident about the skill I learned. I felt the need to hide it. I was comfortable presenting through video, but not with people watching me. It was a fear of being seen that kept me stuck. All of this lead to me working at a job where I felt like I wasn’t utilizing my skillset. I felt like I was called to do something greater, meant for something more, yet trapped in a 9-5.
That lead to me creating my business, Camera Brave. The core mission of Camera Brave is to teach others how to create stunning videos and build their confidence on-camera. My mission to become Camera Brave myself began over a year ago. I was able to completely re-frame my mindset and confront my fear of being seen and begin the journey of building my own confidence. Now I coach others to do the same.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Making the pivot from behind-the-scenes to publicly being on-camera absolutely terrified me. I was so worried about what my friends, family, peers, and former professors would think if I didn’t utilize the degree I earned in a standard 9-5 way. I had to learn that they weren’t who I was building my business for. I was building it for entrepreneurs with a powerful message that needed direction in learning to tell it.
Another struggle is battling with my own confidence. People see what I do, they see me show up on-camera, and they label me as confident. The truth is that I am constantly working on myself. I expect myself to be brave and have the courage to keep going when the confidence isn’t there. This is a practice I teach to my coaching clients. Start with courage, then allow it to grow into confidence.
The transition to an entrepreneur has also been quite difficult. I think a common misconception is that there’s a “right time” to start creating something of your own. There is definitely no ‘right time’. I think people use that an excuse to hide from the potential they have. In reality, I think people are afraid that they actually have everything they need right now.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Camera Brave offers Video Marketing Coaching and Services for entrepreneurs. We teach entrepreneurs how to take stunning video and feel confident on-camera, using what they already have.
We teach people how to build their confidence on-camera through 3 different aspects: mindset, technique, and strategy. Most people get stuck on the mindset component, so we have a series of resources to help them find the courage to get started.
The first is a The Camera Brave Show, a weekly Podcast that teaches others how to tell their story through video. Each week, I share topics that will help business owners frame their mindset to focus on their messaging and teach them how to craft their camera presence. We dig deep into pillars like confidence, energy, and authenticity and how they can help others build deeper connections with their audience.
We also have an online monthly coaching group called The Camera Brave Club. Inside this group, I coach a community of entrepreneurs how to take videos that grow their businesses. This group contains hours of trainings, teaching members on topics like Instagram Reels, Zoom, YouTube and Podcasts.
In the fall, we offer a 6-week digital course called Camera Brave Academy. This is a great starting place for someone who hasn’t taken much video before. We walk through cultivating a message mindset, video techniques to help your story stand-out and build confidence through taking one video at a time.
We also post tons of Video Tips at Camera Brave on Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok.
How do you define success?
I define personal success as living a life that brings me freedom and happiness.
I define success in my business as doing something I’m passionate about that has the ability to change the lives of others. I feel deeply fulfilled in watching my clients learn a skill that’s grown their business. I see success as the ability to continue growing and impacting more people, allowing them to expand their growth and impact.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@camerabrave.com
- Website: www.camerabraveclub.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/camera.brave
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/camerabrave
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZGQF4RaUSq9_OnkvM7B3AA
- Other: podcast.camerabrave.com
Image Credits
Deanna Salt Media
