Showing Up Confidently On Camera with Liz Klebba

She is an image consultant with Closet Play Image. And Liz, I'm excited. I know we've been chatting recently and I wanted to bring you on because you are the person who can give some advice to all of us, frankly, on how we can really put our best foot forward and show up confidently on camera because that's really what it's really all about, right?

Yeah, yeah. Thank you so much for inviting me today, Sheryl. Yeah, the virtual world and even in the real world, I mean, there is some crossover between how you want to appear IRL and how you want to appear virtually. Um, but there are some distinctions there as well that are important.

Okay, so I want you to— and this is going to be a real quick live here, but I really wanted to bring you on because as you've been doing the challenge, and now you just finished the 30-Day Go Live Challenge, and I'm watching your style, watching the colors, and what you really did through the course of that challenge was so inspiring to me, which made me actually want to put this teal color on today. Um, but give us some real com— like some real solid tips for those who are watching who are like, I feel like my color game sucks. I don't know what I'm doing style-wise. What are some tips that you have, like 3 top tips from Liz on how solopreneurs especially, or doing everything themselves, can look stylish?

Yeah, and, and that, and that's the trick is because when you're doing it all yourself, there's kind of, uh, there's kind of that battle. It's like, how much, how much time you have and, and where do you invest that time? So I would say that number 1 is wear color. Color makes you more memorable. Studies show, I think it's around 73%, more memorable. So if you have a job interview, if you're showing up, wearing color is powerful. And you have to be a little careful with that because color sends messages. Some are cultural, some are cross-cultural, and really knowing your audience is key there, as it is anytime you're an entrepreneur or solopreneur. So I would say, choose color. Makes you more memorable. Period. End of statement. Like, if that is the number one thing, I would say that. Probably number two: Build your brand around your person rather than trying to make yourself fit into a brand. I see this a lot of times when people are coming to me for personal branding help or they're rebranding, for example. I work with marketing people who work on rebranding. And if you start with you and the colors that make you look healthy and amazing and that make you glow, then half the job is done, right? You're not having to put on extra makeup to show up on camera. You're not having to like go through all those extra hoops to come across as looking healthy and well. Let's see what else. Hmm, that was two. And I would say really key to that color as well is when you find those colors that work for you and you build your brand around those colors, That is key because then you are you 24/7, 365. And that's key for a solopreneur. I mean, how much money do most solopreneurs have to spend on advertising or marketing? You don't. You need to be recognizable literally everywhere you go, whether that's at the grocery store on Saturday morning or at your kid's ball field on Thursday afternoon or at a business meeting on a Monday. Like, you need to have a consistent look across platforms. You need to sort of be showing up the same, and I don't mean wearing a uniform everywhere you go, but having that consistency across platforms makes you memorable. It makes you recognizable, and that's what we all need, particularly as solopreneurs.

I love that.

I guess I would attach to that, like, you know, do you have a signature? Not just your colors, but like, is there a signature, something about you that you wear or you do everywhere you go that's also built into your brand?

So with your brand, and from what I've seen from you, it seems that you have a lot of different colors. Is that the direction that you're going in? And maybe do you do that on purpose because you're an image consultant, and so you're looking at, well, I'm going to integrate a whole bunch of different colors? Is that your strategy?

It, it is a little bit of it. Um, kind of my signature is scarves. You'll almost always see me in a scarf, particularly if I'm showing up intentionally on video or if I'm going to a meeting. I will be wearing a scarf. It's just part of my signature. It tends to be— I eye-catching and starts conversation. That's another little piece too, is when you dress, particularly for introverts, you can dress in a way that will allow your clothing to do some of the heavy lifting for you and open up conversation rather than dressing in a way that shuts people off and turns people away. You can draw people to you by what you wear, which is really important, especially like I said, for introverts who may be less than comfortable going out and talking to people. Um, for me though, in general, you will see that my colors all kind of fall within a family range. There be, you know, you usually won't see me in yellow. Not that I don't love yellow, but it doesn't love me back a whole lot. So there may be little pieces of it, but basically you will see me in this, in a kind of a very narrow range of colors. I love it. You will see me in a lot of blue. You'll see me in blues and greens, peaches, peachy pinks. That tends to be most of what— and grays. That tends to be my, my main color family.

So you were talking about the scarves, and, and now that you say it, I go, oh yeah, you're right, I have seen you wearing this, and that is a signature thing. But I didn't even really realize it until you pointed it out. And people are— I wonder if it— were you always— is this something that you, even before you were an image consultant, something you gravitated to, or is this something that you've done expressly to become your signature?

Uh, it's not an either-or, it's a yes-and. So I've always loved scarves and worn them, you know, for years. But it was, um, and part of my own personal branding really, to be honest, happened by accident. It was incredibly amusing. I went to a conference, uh, 2 and a half years ago I think it was, and there we were at the conference and it was a wonder. I was really enjoying my, you know, getting, just getting seated, getting my stuff, grabbing my belongings, going to sit down, and this woman from across the room yells across the room, she goes, oh my gosh, it's the chick with the door!

And I went Chick with the door.

The chick with the door. So your jacket is the same color as my front door. That's true. And all of my Instagram photos, always everywhere I go, I'm in front of a door. May it not be my door, but even if I travel, there's a door. There's a hotel room door, there's a conference room, there will always be a door. So like when you see my daily photos on Instagram, it's a door. And what do doors mean? Doors mean entry and welcoming. So yes, it's all tied together. Sometimes it happens serendipitously, and then other times it's intentional. So yeah, I don't wear a scarf when it's 99 degrees and 99% humidity, but there will— but I might still have one attached to my bag or somewhere else.

These are great tips, I have to tell you. And, and I, and I love that it really starts with color. I think that is the easiest and most accessible way for a coach, a consultant, an entrepreneur, a small business owner to really start developing a style, you know, whether that's one color or a palette of colors. And I know that's what you specialize in, in helping people kind of figure that part out. I'm excited to know you. I'm glad I know you. You're somebody who, when I think of color, I do think of you, you know. And I think, and now I'm going to be thinking about the scarves, but, um, but I think it's Each individual person needs to figure that stuff out for their— on their own or with someone's help. So Liz, how do people get in touch with you if they want to know more about Closet Play Image?

Okay, well, they can find me on my blog, which is closetplay.biz. That's closetplay.biz. Biz rhymes with Liz, and I'm Liz. Um, or you can find me on most of the other social media platforms: Pinterest, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram at Closet Play Image. At Closet Play Image, generally all one word. So that's the easiest way to find me. You can message me or email me through those platforms. So that's a great way to get a hold of me. I do actually have like a free style discovery call because color is important, but style really starts with personality because your style is your personality shown on the outside, right?

Love that.

Um, and it's such a powerful tool.

It's so powerful, and I think it could transcend from, you know, what you wear on your body to maybe potentially the artwork behind you or your background. Like, there's so much to explore and unpack.

Yes.

And so thank you so much for being here. This is a really a way for me to do pop-up interviews with experts like yourselves and like yourself and others who are going to be coming on on Tuesdays throughout the day and just doing like quick little pop— just these, these tips, you know, tips to help people move forward. So I appreciate you being here, Liz, for this. Thank you so much. Valuable resource for all of us.

Thank much for providing that, Cheryl, and thank you for the opportunity to show today.

Of course, of course. And you'll come back sometime, I'm sure.

I would love to. It'd be a privilege and a pleasure. Awesome. Thank you.