Let us guess: you didn’t start your business because you wanted your face plastered across Instagram, TikTok or LinkedIn, right?
But here’s the thing – your face is your brand. In today’s digital-first world, people want to buy from people, not faceless logos, not stock images and definitely not bland AI avatars.
At Meerkat Creative, Chief Meerkat Anna Shepherd has been on this exact journey. At first, she said it felt awkward, but over time, she realised that stepping in front of the camera was one of the most powerful tools a business owner can use to grow trust, loyalty and genuine connection with their audience.
So, let’s break down why it matters and how you can start showing up without feeling like you’re auditioning for reality TV.
Why Stepping In Front of the Camera Matters
Scroll through your feed for two seconds and tell us what catches your attention. Spoiler alert: it’s probably not the glossy ad with a tagline that sounds like it was cooked up by 12 executives in a boardroom.
It’s that messy, real, slightly chaotic video of a business owner just chatting to their phone while balancing a coffee in one hand.
According to Anna, talking to your selfie camera is actually probably one of the more intimate ways you can communicate with your customers.
“Sometimes those short phone videos where the director of the company is literally just talking through their phone outperform the bigger-scale productions because it’s so real, it’s so raw and it’s so authentic,” she said.
And that’s the magic. Selfie videos feel like FaceTime. They slice through the AI noise and they build trust because customers can see the real human behind the brand.
The Awkward Stage (aka, Everyone’s First Video)
Let’s get this out of the way: your first video will probably be awful. You’ll record 27 takes, hate them all and finally post the one where you only look slightly weird.
But that’s exactly how everyone starts. Even us.
“As you grow as a business owner, you kind of start to realize that you need to do these things. You need people to recognise who you are. You need people to connect to you. And it’s the same thing I tell my clients,” Anna said.
See? Even people who spend their lives behind cameras have to push through the awkwardness. And the more you do it, the easier it gets. Eventually, you’ll stop worrying about your double chin or whether your background plant looks dead and start focusing on your story.
Getting Started: Your Phone Is Enough
Here’s a myth we want to bust right now: you don’t need a studio, a ring light or a $5,000 setup to get going. You already have everything you need in your pocket.
Anna’s hot tip? Just start with your phone. “It’s one of the most intimate ways you can communicate with your customers,” she said.
And honestly? That intimacy is what works. Customers don’t need you to look like a news anchor. They want you to look like you.
Quick-start hacks:
- Face a window for natural light (instant glow-up).
- Keep it short, 30–60 seconds is plenty.
- Share small stories: a quick tip, behind-the-scenes, or just a “hey, here’s what we’re working on”
- Don’t overthink it. Messy > perfect.
Digital Identity = Personal Identity
Here’s the big one: in 2025, your personal identity and digital identity are joined at the hip. Customers want to know who’s behind the brand.
Anna’s come to terms with the fact her face has to be “splashed all over the internet”, accepting that’s just a part of business.
“It’s how people connect to you,” she said.
It might feel confronting, but it’s also powerful. Because every time you show up, you give your audience another reason to connect with you and those connections are priceless.
Ready to Step In?
So if you’ve been avoiding the camera, consider this your official Meerkat nudge: grab your phone, hit record, and just start. Don’t wait for perfect. Don’t wait until you “look the part”.
Just show up.
Because when you share your face, your voice and your authentic self – even with awkward pauses and nervous laughs – you’re giving your customers exactly what they want: a real human to connect with.
And in a world drowning in AI sludge, real beats perfect every single time.
