Video for Business Leaders with Chris Schwager

Hosted by Chris Schwager | Ridge Films

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260

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Nov 2026

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About the show

I’ve been in your shoes—unsure where to start, wrestling with gear, second-guessing every take. If you’re creating content for social media, your website, courses, or ads, the Video Confidence Collective Podcast is your weekly guide to mastering DIY Video Production and using Video Marketing to grow your business—without overwhelm, expensive gear, or the endless record-delete-repeat cycle.Hosted by Chris Schwager, founder of Ridge Films and video confidence pioneer, this podcast helps coaches, c

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60 recent

November 11, 202633 min

259: Done Is Better Than None: How a Leadership Coach Got Found on Video

Done is better than none, and the more you show up on camera, the less nerve-racking it gets. Jill Hutchison is an executive and leadership coach in Perth, the founder of Evolve Dynamic, and the person senior leaders call at a promotion, a redundancy or a "what now". Jill went from a website that was years out of date to filming around 50 videos in a couple of hours and publishing 35 of them. She explains why redundancy knocks the confidence of leaders who never had a confidence problem, why judging yourself against everyone else's highlight reel leaves you wanting, and how new clients are now finding her through her videos and through AI tools like ChatGPT. She shares how she batches videos with a change of jacket and reviews them days later, why a room set aside for recording means she's on the minute she walks in, and how turning up to the weekly coaching sessions stops the studio gathering dust. Chris looks at her rebuilt website and why it now works as a place people get to know you, not a brochure. Find Jill at Evolve Dynamic . Want help showing up on camera like the leader you are? Book a call with Chris . Explore the Desktop Studio and Video Coaching . Connect with Chris on LinkedIn .

November 4, 202640 min

258: How a Busy Lawyer Built a Weekly Video Habit

A batch of imperfect videos every week beats one perfect video that never ships. Mark Lazarus is the principal of Lazarus Legal in Bondi Junction, a commercial lawyer who used to run Monster Energy's legal department across Europe. Mark explains why his early phone videos on dog walks kept stalling, how he now turns real client questions into 30 to 50 second scripts with AI, and how each video sits on its own landing page for searches like employee stock option plans and shareholder disputes. He also talks about shooting three videos first take off the cuff on trademarks and IP, and why clients who see him on camera are far easier to win than ones who only get an email. Chris unpacks why knowing your material well enough to drop the script is a skill, how one 30 minute conversation becomes months of clips, and a teleprompter trick for hiding that you're reading. Plus the gym-alarm discipline that keeps Mark showing up every week while running a busy practice. Find Mark at Lazarus Legal . Want help showing up on camera like the leader you are? Book a call with Chris . Explore the Desktop Studio and Video Coaching . Connect with Chris on LinkedIn .

October 15, 202640 min

257: Stop Hiding Behind Your Expertise: How Leaders Get Seen

Your expertise is not what gets you chosen. Being seen is. Janine Jakob, founder of Full Potential Partners and TEDx speaker, explains why the client picks the well-branded leader. Janine spent seven years at Hewlett-Packard before building her own coaching company in China. She and Chris get into why so many leaders hide behind their title and their expertise, how tall poppy syndrome keeps Australians quiet about what they have achieved, and what staying invisible really costs over the next year or two. Then the practical part: why a podcast is a sales and relationship strategy rather than a follower count, what Janine learned running a 31-day live podcast challenge (including the streaming mistake that cost her video quality), and the smallest first step for a leader starting from zero. Chris's take: if polish is the bottleneck, pull out your phone and start documenting. Find Janine at Full Potential Partners . Want help showing up on camera like the leader you are? Book a call with Chris . Explore the Desktop Studio and Video Coaching . Connect with Chris on LinkedIn .

September 29, 20266 min

256: On-Camera Confidence Training for Executives in Australia

On-camera confidence training for executives works by replacing "just relax and be yourself" with an actual method. Chris Schwager breaks down the five signals, body language, speed, tone, energy and cadence, that separate a boardroom-confident executive from one who freezes the second a lens points at them. Confidence in the room and confidence on camera are two different skills, and most executives have only ever had one of them coached. Chris also breaks down the feedback framework behind it: three positives to every correction, specific enough to actually act on, so an executive can go from a stiff first take to a natural one inside a single session. He shares the story of a client, Byron, who once said "death seemed like an easier option than recording these videos" and went on to run his whole business off video using exactly this method. Full write-up, chapters and transcript: https://www.ridgefilms.com.au/blog/on-camera-confidence-training-for-executives-in-australia Book a call: https://www.ridgefilms.com.au/site/contact Desktop Studio: https://www.ridgefilms.com.au/desktop-studio Video Coaching: https://www.ridgefilms.com.au/video-coaching Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisschwagervideoproduction

September 22, 20265 min

255: How to Present on Camera Without a Script

Presenting on camera without a script comes down to a four-question spine, not a memorised page: who you're talking to, the goal, the key message, and where the video lives. Chris Schwager breaks down the cold read method he coaches clients through inside the Video Confidence Collective, the same one that took a client from an ad hoc, ums-and-uhs delivery to something usable, without ever handing him a script to memorise. Three habits carry the delivery once the spine is in place. Smile before a word comes out, because it changes the physiology of the whole thing. Talk faster than feels comfortable, since slow delivery just gives a viewer's brain time to notice every crack. And let full stops bring your voice down and commas lift it back up, instead of flattening every sentence onto the same note. Put those three together and the words stop sounding like they've been read. Full write-up, FAQs and the transcript: https://www.ridgefilms.com.au/blog/how-to-present-on-camera-without-a-script Book a call and we'll work out where to start: https://www.ridgefilms.com.au/site/contact See the Desktop Studio: https://www.ridgefilms.com.au/desktop-studio Video Coaching: https://www.ridgefilms.com.au/video-coaching Follow Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisschwagervideoproduction/

September 18, 202621 min

254: On-Camera Confidence Training: What Actually Works

Real VCC members Jeff and Melinda Shelley on what on-camera confidence training actually looks like, four months into the Desktop Studio and weekly Video Coaching. Melinda's answer to camera fear is blunt: find someone good and let them teach you. Jeff's is about where the attention actually belongs: you're duplicating yourself so people can catch up with you when they're ready, and it's not about you. They also get into how two busy people stay consistent on video without a content calendar (documentary-style, batch it, sort it later), and why familiarity built through video reaches people before you've ever met them, in Chris's own thirty-years-later street recognition story. It's a real look at what actually shifts once video becomes a weekly habit rather than a once-off, for two people who aren't professional communicators by trade.

September 4, 202628 min

253: How to Build Authority as a Business Leader Using Video

Authority is built by being consumed, not announced. Referral specialist Michael Griffiths says a buyer may need up to 20 touch points and 14 hours of your material before they are confident enough to commit. Michael has built seven businesses and sold six, and ran the number one referral marketing podcast on iTunes for five years straight. In this episode he and Chris Schwager work through why 95% of leads are not ready to buy when they arrive, why "just checking in" never moves a stalled deal, and why the decision to hire you is a feeling that your prospect justifies with logic afterwards. The practical half is what it takes to become the obvious choice in a market this noisy, and why video delivers those hours faster than anything else you can make. Plus the follow-up habit that quietly costs deals, and what to send instead. Full write-up, chapters and transcript: How to Build Authority as a Business Leader Using Video Not sure where to start? Book a call with Chris . Desktop Studio , the studio installed for you, one click to record Video Coaching , messaging, performance, tech and implementation every week Michael Griffiths , Leveraged Connections Chris Schwager on LinkedIn

July 14, 202615 min

252: How a Government Consulting Firm Cuts Video Production by 90%

H4 Consulting built a video studio for business training and cut production time from 2 hours to 12 minutes. That wasn't the goal. That was the result. Heather Hukins, Managing Director of H4 Consulting, spent years flying around Australia to deliver structured training for government organisations. When the setup moved to video, the obstacle wasn't her camera confidence it was bin trucks, flight paths, and take after ruined take. In this conversation with Chris Schwager, Heather shares how installing a soundproof booth with a desktop video studio inside their office changed everything: faster content, on-demand training delivery, and a fortnightly video series that keeps H4 visible with senior government executives who don't respond to advertising but do respond to trust.

May 18, 20267 min

251: Live Property Auctions Are Changing Real Estate

Real estate agents rely on the same playbook. Drive to the property. Set up microphones. Deal with wind noise and traffic. Run the auction. Pack up. Drive to the next one. Shane Thompson in regional Victoria runs live property auctions from a desktop studio. Six properties in 40 minutes. No travel. No setup stress. Just professional presence and complete control. Every auction becomes a replay. Every replay builds trust. Buyers see how he handles pressure. Sellers watch how he communicates. Future clients recognise his face. This episode breaks down why live property auctions are becoming a positioning tool, not just an event. When visibility becomes consistent, authority flows naturally. Visibility builds authority. Authority builds trust. Trust drives business. Your studio setup shouldn't be the thing stopping you from showing up consistently. Visit ridgefilms.com.au/desktop-studio to see how simple it can be. Follow Chris Schwager on LinkedIn for weekly insights on video visibility and leadership.

March 18, 20265 min

250: A Smarter Video Content Schedule

Most professionals think a video content schedule means posting consistently on LinkedIn or social media. But that narrow view is exactly why video often feels exhausting and unsustainable. In this episode, Chris Schwager reframes what a video content schedule should actually look like inside a business. Instead of relying on public posting alone, he explains how video can be scheduled throughout the entire client journey including sales conversations, onboarding, client education, and support. When you design a video content schedule around moments you control rather than algorithms you cannot, consistency becomes easier and burnout starts to disappear. You will learn how to move from scattered posting to a structured video marketing system that reduces effort while increasing impact. Ready to stop winging it on video? Book a call and discover how the Complete Video Success System helps professionals show up like the expert they are. Book a Call Desktop Studio – Set up once. Create studio-quality videos with zero tech stress. Video Coaching – Group sessions via the Video Confidence Collective or 1on1 Accelerator Mentorship. Success Stories – See how others are building trust, leads, and authority on camera. Connect with Chris on LinkedIn