If the thought of getting in front of a camera and filming a video fills you with terror, you’re not alone. But the process of making a video doesn’t have to be scary—and, in fact, video might just be the key to your success.
That’s the philosophy of Keri Murphy, an international speaker, media expert and business mentor. Through her company, Inspired Living, Murphy helps entrepreneurs get comfortable being on camera—and, just as importantly, she teaches them how to leverage the power of video to grow their brands.
“If you have a product or service and you are trying to find clients online, you have to be using video,” she says. Adding that if you don’t use video, “You’re going to become obsolete. This is the way of the world.… It’s vital.”
Murphy’s On-Camera Roots
As a little girl growing up in Portland, Oregon, Murphy always wanted to be in front of the camera. After lots of begging, her mother agreed to sign her up for local modeling and acting classes when she was 11. Murphy spent her teens doing commercials and independent films, with a goal of someday becoming a supermodel or Mary Hart on Entertainment Tonight, she says.
In her 20s, she launched an interior design business, then bought and grew a talent agency. But even as she branched out into entrepreneurship, she never forgot her video roots. “I was still on camera all the time, promoting my business and doing lifestyle segments with the local morning show,” she says. “I was in New York doing fashion week segments.”
Then, the 2008 recession hit, and Murphy lost everything. It was devastating, but the experience taught her an important lesson—one that she still carries with her today. “The business is an extension of me, but it’s not all that I am,” she says.
Murphy moved to Los Angeles to work in television hosting, but after a few years, she felt unfulfilled. She remembers feeling called to do something big with her life, but at the time, she didn’t yet know what that was. After a period of personal development, traveling and soul-searching, she realized she wanted to help people get more comfortable expressing themselves.
Building Online Communities and Movements
With that goal in mind, she launched Inspired Living in 2011. Since then, she’s interviewed hundreds of celebrities and successful entrepreneurs on ILTV, the company’s media channel. In addition, Murphy teaches entrepreneurs how to use video to reach new clients and grow their businesses.
She offers programs for entrepreneurs who are at various stages in their video journey, but one of the most popular is an immersive, two-day training and video shoot in Los Angeles. Participants hone their messages, work on their body language and practice being in front of the camera. Then, Murphy brings in celebrity hair and makeup artists, brand photographers and other experts for a video shoot. Participants go home with videos they can use on their websites, in email newsletters, on social media and wherever else they want to make an impact.
Murphy works with a wide array of individuals, from fitness trainers and plastic surgeons to executive coaches and real estate agents. To succeed in their businesses, entrepreneurs must first establish themselves as a trusted resource and an authority in their field, says Murphy. They must also create an emotional connection with their ideal clients. Video is the best way to achieve both of those goals, no matter what industry they’re in.
Some of her clients are using video as an advertising and marketing tool, but most want to master the medium so they can build online communities and movements. They’re developing online courses and building out YouTube channels but also growing their audiences so they can achieve even bigger dreams, like writing books, securing speaking engagements, starting product lines or establishing brand partnerships.
“Everything really depends on your audience right now,” Murphy says. “It’s not like back in the day when networks would come scout someone and develop you. If you do have big dreams of writing a book or speaking on big stages or whatever it may be, now you need to come packaged and ready.”
Overcoming Fears Around Video
Many entrepreneurs—especially women—come to Murphy with a lot of nerves and anxiety around being on camera. But she helps them overcome those fears by reminding them that how they look is not nearly as important as what they’re saying and how they’re saying it. Confidence and credibility are key. “Video is not about you,” she says. “You’re just a conduit to a message.… Overall, if you show up as a credible source with a solution, I really don’t care what you look like.”
She also encourages entrepreneurs to act as if they’re only talking to one person—their ideal client—rather than every single person on the internet. And, in Murphy’s training sessions and video shoots, everything is unscripted because, she says, “You can’t be in your head and your heart at the same time, and video is all from your heart.”
Above all else, Murphy advises entrepreneurs to focus on what sets them apart from everyone else and refine their messaging accordingly. Then, she encourages them to dive right in to the wonderful world of video. “Embrace the fact that you know enough, that you have something valuable to share,” she says. “The more you let fear stand in the way of you showing up, the harder it’s going to be.”
Tips for Mastering Video
Start Now
Many entrepreneurs think they need to be ready to take a big step forward or try something new, like video. But, as Murphy likes to say: “Ready is a decision, not a destination.” Stop thinking and start doing, she recommends.
Skip the Trends
You might be tempted to record and post a video that follows the latest silly TikTok trend. But Murphy says your time is better spent producing videos that share consistent messaging over time. “Good content never dies,” she says. “Stop chasing trends and start making great content.”
Pick One Platform
Between LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and more, too many entrepreneurs get caught up in questions around which platforms they should be using. Just choose one—the one your ideal clients are using—and don’t worry about the rest, Murphy says. “Your ideal client is not on every platform, and not every platform needs you on it,” she says.
This article originally appeared in the September/October 2025 issue of SUCCESS magazine. Photo courtesy of Keri Murphy.