Episode 193: How to Nail Your Elevator Pitch and Show Up Confidently on Camera w/ Kim Rittberg
In this episode of the Gloria Chou PR Podcast, I sit down with Kim Rittberg—award-winning TV producer, media expert, and video coach—to talk about how small business owners can finally show up confidently on camera without sounding robotic or overly rehearsed.
Kim has produced for Us Weekly, Netflix, and launched video units for major media outlets, but she swears by one thing: anyone can be good on camera with the right mindset, skill set, and practice. If you’ve ever frozen up during a Reel, dreaded pitching yourself on video, or wondered what to say in your elevator pitch—this episode is for you.
Mindset Shifts to Overcome Camera Shyness
Kim debunks the myth that only extroverts or TV-ready personalities can be confident on camera. Her framework helps you shift from “supermodel mode” (focused on appearance) to “teacher mode” (focused on message)—so you stop worrying about how you look and start focusing on what you’re saying.
Her 4S Framework to Shine on Video
You’ll learn Kim’s powerful 4S method:
✅ Soothe your nervous system through breathwork
✅ Strengthen your voice and posture
✅ Get Silly to shake off stiffness
✅ Smile to connect instantly with your audience
The ABCs of a Killer Elevator Pitch
Gloria and Kim break down the A-B-C method for crafting an unforgettable pitch:
Accomplishments: What makes you credible?
Business: What do you actually do (in plain English)?
Confidence: Say it like you mean it—then practice it until it flows.
Kim’s Top Tools and Resources
✅ Freebie: 10 Tips to Make Amazing Videos
✅ $37 On-Camera Challenge: Get confident fast with low-stakes practice
✅ Podcast: The Exit Interview with Kim Rittberg
Final Takeaway
Confidence isn’t reserved for celebrities or influencers—it’s built. If you want more visibility, clients, and impact, learning how to own your voice on camera is non-negotiable. You don’t need a fancy setup or a viral script—just clarity, practice, and your authentic self.
Listen now and start showing up like the expert you already are.
Resources Mentioned:
Join the PR Secrets Masterclass
Join the Small Biz PR Pros Facebook Group
DM the word “PITCH” to us on Instagram to get a pitching freebie https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr
Connect with Gloria Chou on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriaychou
Join Gloria Chou's PR Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/428633254951941
Connect with Kim Rittberg:
Free Video Tips Download: https://kimrittberg.com/tips
(“10 Tips to Make Amazing Videos” + bonus “Go from Camera Shy to Camera Shine”)
$37 On-Camera Challenge: https://kimrittberg.com
(Scroll to find the 7-day video challenge)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimrittberg
Podcast: The Exit Interview with Kim Rittberg: https://kimrittberg.com/podcast
Additional Resources:
Listen On Your Favorite Podcast Platform
Join the PR Secret Masterclass
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TRANsCRIPT
00:00:00 Gloria: What's up, small business heroes? Welcome back to Small Business PR, where we make PR and marketing super accessible for the everyday small business owner. Today, I have my friend Kim Rittberg, and she is here because she is an award-winning TV producer. She did the first TV unit for Us Weekly. She's been on all the red carpets, interviewed celebrities, VIPs, and everything that you need to know about confidence and being on camera, this episode will deliver. So I know a lot of us, it's really hard to talk on camera, especially if we wanna show up as business owners. And today, we're gonna talk about not only how you can feel confident, but how do you deliver your elevator pitch in a very concise way so that people immediately can remember you and want to work with you. So thank you for coming on the show.
00:00:40 Kim: Thank you for having me. Excited to be here.
00:00:42 Gloria: So you have a wealth of experience with TV, and I'm sure that a lot of people when they meet you, they just say, that Kim, she's so confident. She's so natural on and off the camera. Do you think a part of that, you were born with it, or is it through all the years of experience?
00:00:55 Kim: I love that question. I will say when I started my business in 2019, 2020, I was absolutely robotic and awkward on camera because just like everyone else, I was rusty. And I am definitely a person who's extroverted, so I'm not a shy person. But I believe deeply, not just my personal beliefs, but professionally, every single person can be good on camera. I do not at all think that there is some special sauce that some of us get. Like there's a pixie dust that gets sprinkled on some people and not on others.
00:01:26 Kim: In fact, I am literally an expert in TV and video. I guest lecture at Syracuse University. I have a 30,000 foot view. And actually the industry, TV, media, digital media, social media, it used to be that only a certain type of person, look a certain way, talk a certain way, could be on camera. It's totally different now. If you think about the people you listen to in podcasts, the people you follow on social media, they are not all like models or celebrities. It's a lot of real people who are passionate and engaging.
00:01:55 Kim: And so I think we, in our own heads, still think that we have to be this picture of this anchor that we used to watch on TV when we were kids, or maybe it's this movie star that we love. And if we can't be like one of those two people, we shouldn't be out there. We're not good. I just don't believe that. Not just my personal beliefs, professionally. I see people day in and day out who are just passionate, knowledgeable, regular people getting clients from social media, giving TED Talks, launching podcasts, and honestly running thriving businesses because they've stopped just saying only some people can be good on camera.
00:02:27 Gloria: I love what you said because here at what we do, it's all about creating access. And I really don't believe that we get people to buy from us just based on authority alone. I think now we're not looking to buy from people who are kind of sitting on their thrones. We want people who can connect with us authentically, and I think that's great because the barrier has been lowered. Anyone can just turn on a TikTok or an Instagram and start speaking to camera and connect with audiences. So I love what you said. It's not about the podium, the authority, the leader, but how can you be authentic and confident?
00:02:55 Gloria: Can you talk to me a little bit more about that? Because I think a lot of times people think, I need all the letters attached to my name, or I need to have done extensive research before I go on camera, or I needed to practice the script 30,000,000,000 times. And you're saying, well, actually, no. You actually just need to be more natural.
00:03:09 Kim: Yeah. I'd love to step back and say every single person has some element of imposter syndrome. Sometimes it's one percent and sometimes it’s ramped up to 100%. But if you're not in some way an expert in your field or if you're not actually capable of doing your job, you shouldn't have your business. So I think you have to step back and say, I run my business because I know what I'm doing. So sometimes we let the self-doubt claw into us, and that's just very damaging. It's okay to say I don't feel confident every day, or that project didn't go so great, or that client wasn't happy. That's okay. Those are moments.
00:03:39 Kim: But big picture, if you're running a business, a product business, or a service business, you know what you're doing. You have experience. You have client wins. And of course, I love when I'm saying this, but I have little, like, Kim's been featured in Fast Company and Business Insider. I know that I say this from this place of, like I launched the video unit of Us Weekly and I worked at Netflix. And that's true. And I make sure to say that every single time because every piece of credibility you do have, you should use. But if you don't have the, like, been featured in New York Times or been on the Today Show, most people don't have that. That's okay. You don't need that to get clients, but you do need to be credible. No one's gonna trust you investing their money with you if they don't believe in you, but they have to like you. So I think we need to remember they need to like you and they need to trust you. And how you build that is by really owning who you are.
0:04:26 Kim: I have this funny thing. Like, for me, when I was younger and I was in corporate media, I feel like I was, like pantsuit Kim. Like I felt like I had to be wearing some sort of, like, Ann Taylor buttoned up… this is a long time ago, Ann Taylor, but Ann Taylor loft buttoned up suit. And now that I run my own business, I wear a magenta jumpsuit to a conference because that's actually Kim, and that's the person people wanna work with. And so I have clients all over the country who come to me, and they're like, I don't feel like I'm knowledgeable or I know I'm an expert, but when I show up on camera, I don't have ideas or I feel I'm not as good as that person.
00:04:58 Kim: You just come there knowing that you know what you know. You don't have to know more. You don't have to be competing with the number one person in your field. You have to be confident that you can help your clients, which you are. And then we work together to actually let out your authentic personality. So we all feel a little bit uncomfortable. I'm here to totally be honest. When you turn that red light on on the camera, everyone feels something. It changes us. It's okay. It's okay to say, when the camera goes on, I don't feel that comfortable. That's okay. You're not an actor. So it's acknowledging that that's something that we're gonna work through.
00:05:31 Gloria: So good. So walk me through your process of how do we actually feel confident so that people can actually do something that's rooted in, like, a practice and not just, like, how I'm feeling today. What is your framework?
00:05:41 Kim: Sure. So when we start out on video, we are in supermodel mode. And I call it that because we think that there's a spotlight on us and that there's a room of people watching us, looking at our face, inspecting our voice and our outfit. I cannot tell you. I've had famous people, regular people come to me and say, do you see this thing on my cheek right here? I'm like, no one notices that. No one notices that, but everyone feels that way. Everybody has something that they're self conscious about, so you're in good company.
00:06:07 Kim: However, you have to escape supermodel mode and shift into teacher mode. So teacher mode is like a teacher is teaching a class. They're not thinking about their outfit. They're not worried about their hair. They're only focused on their lesson plan. So you have to focus so much on your message that you stop thinking, oh, is my mole on my cheek visible? Oh, is everyone noticing that my eye does this weird thing sometimes? Just focus on the message, and that will get you out of supermodel mode. That will get you out of insecurity mode. That will get you out of the self-doubt. So escape supermodel mode and get into teacher mode.
00:06:43 Gloria: That is so good. That's so good. I'm gonna take notes on that. I think so often, we get distracted from what we're here to say because the lights and everything and how I look. But you're right. It's really about the words and the energy and how you communicate. It's so funny. One of my best performing podcasts, I look like a mess. I didn't have time and my hair was… I had, like, a stain on my sweatshirt. I thought I looked awful. I almost told the podcast host, can you actually rerecord? And she's like, oh, people loved it. People thought it was so amazing. And all I could see was the stain on my sweatshirt. So I love what you said. Okay. So that's the first one. Any other tips for us?
00:07:14 Kim: Yeah. So I think there's a three part thing. So it's mindset, skill set, repetition. So to be on camera and to really rock it on video, mindset. The mindset is the get out of supermodel mode, get into teacher mode. You have to say, I'm here. My message matters. And when the negative voices are coming up, you have to counter that with a brag book or a piece of paper reminding you that you're great. And if you're feeling super low on yourself, get that cheer squad. I used to call my brother or my mom before moments, and I'm like, I'm feeling really like I suck. Help me. And just get that person who's gonna be like, Gloria, you're awesome. You got this.
00:07:49 Kim: So use a brag book. So write down the things that you've done. Print up emails you've gotten from clients or former bosses that told you you did a great job. So look at those things when you're feeling low, when imposter syndrome's kicking in, call that person that's gonna boost you up. Get that friend. You're gonna say, I need a boost. Get that thing that's gonna counter that imposter syndrome. But big picture mindset. We're in teacher mode. We're escaping supermodel mode. You are an expert. You deserve to be here. Mindset. Overall mindset shift.
00:08:17 Kim: Skillset. Now we're building the tools to actually be on camera. You have to build those tools. Even if you listen to this podcast, you have to start exercising. If you wanna lose weight or you wanna get strong or healthy, you have to go to the gym every day, every third day, whatever. Same thing with being on camera. You have to get that repetition in. You have to get that skill set. And then lastly, you have to get that repetition in.
00:08:39 Kim: So in terms of the skills that I have more tactical, practical things that I can recommend, but it's mindset, believing you have to do it. It's important to you. It's important to your business. Skillset, actually learning the tools, the breathing tools, where to look, how to speak, and then the repetition. You have to practice at least a few times a week. If you learn with me, you take my online course about how to get confident on camera. You watch it once, you do it, you're feeling great for a week. You don't go on camera for four months, you're rusty. It's like everything else. So you have to really build in that repetition and accountability.
00:09:10 Gloria: I love it. So you talked really quickly. Are there any nitty gritty tips you can give us about breathing and your body language and where to look?
00:09:18 Kim: Yeah. So there's a couple of things. I like to do the four S's. So four S's is, basically, right before you go on camera. Well, first of all, always prepare a little bit. So preparation is gonna make you feel so much more confident. So you don't need a whole script, but I wouldn't just pop on your camera and just start talking. That's really gonna be harder. So what I do with my clients in video boot camp class is I give them a prompt. So I might say to Gloria, Gloria, tell me about something that you're excited about this week in your work. So you're gonna say, okay. Here's something, then think about it. And then as you're about to go on camera, that's the thing you're gonna say. So practice it in your head for a second. So get that message prepped.
00:09:52 Kim: Then right before you're going on camera, soothe. So you're gonna breathe. You're gonna do at least a 2-count. Even when sometimes you don't feel nervous, you might be like, I don't feel nervous, your body is sending messages that you are nervous. So your body is like a cave person, like, oh, there's a lion in this room. Get out of here. And you're gonna feel your heart beating.
00:10:17 Kim: I gave a TEDx talk recently. I felt super, super comfortable. I'll tell you, right before I went on stage, my heart, I could hear it. I could literally hear my heart beating. That's how nervous my body was because it knew this is a big moment, even though I was prepared. So you have to override your body's biological signals by breathing. So that's soothe. You can meditate. You can breathe, whatever you use. But I think breathing is like the fastest, cheapest, easiest way to take control of your body. Continue that breathing right until you're about to go on camera.
00:10:48 Kim: Another S, this is really fun, strong body and voice. So you're gonna put your shoulders back and you're gonna make your voice stronger. So if we're talking to a friend, maybe we're like this. It's kind of casual. When we're on camera, we're getting that stronger voice. We're not yelling, but we're strengthening our voice, and we're putting our shoulders back. So S is soothe, S is strong body and voice. The next one is silly. So right before, especially if you get nervous, I want you to think of something that makes you laugh. So, Gloria, what's something that makes you laugh?
00:11:18 Gloria: Oh, my husband being clumsy.
00:11:19 Your husband being clumsy. So Gloria is gonna envision her husband dropping the yogurt on the floor, and then as he's mopping it up, he falls on the wet yogurt. And that's gonna make her laugh, and it's just gonna take off the stress and the sting of, oh my God. You're watching me on camera. So silly is another one. One thing that you can do, you can envision something that you're really liking, that's making you laugh, that's funny, or you can do a tongue twister, even doing a light tongue twister. She sells seashells…
00:11:44 Gloria: Sally sells seashells on the sea shore.
00:11:45 Kim: I can't even do it. But it makes you laugh because it just loosens up your mouth. It loosens up your body. The very last thing, smile. Right before you go on camera, unless you're running a funeral home, smile. Those things we're talking about are not that serious. And when we start a video and we're not smiling, we sound very serious. So welcome people in, start with a smile. And again, your body's loose and it's feeling good from before. So the last step is smile. So soothe, strong body and voice, get silly, smile.
00:12:13 Gloria: Oh, this is so good, Kim. I hope for all of you listening, you're taking notes because this is golden. These are actionable tips that we can use today, and I love that you distilled it down for us. That's so funny. I imagine my husband literally probably have done that before.
00:12:27 Kim: I do the same thing. I have a thing that I envision because I do a lot of public speaking. So now I'm doing keynotes, and it's great. My body is still terrified every time before I go on stage, even if I'm super practiced and super experienced. So I have to use these things. I envision something that cracks me up. I smile. I go out there and I'm like, hey, everybody. Even though I literally thought I was gonna wet my pants a minute before. That's normal. Your body is just telling you bananas, bananas, get scared.
00:12:52 Kim: So one thing I love about these tools though is it's not just for on-camera. We all live in this world where we think, oh, it's all about social media and video. But the truth is, I come from TV. I was a journalist for many, many years. It's all about how you're using your message and your communication skills in every way. So when we talk about repetition, so I said earlier mindset, skillset, repetition. So mindset, know that you should be out there, skills that build the tools, repetition. You can get speaking practice anywhere.
00:13:20 Kim: So I'm gonna give you an example. Years ago, my son was graduating from nursery school. I knew I was gonna thank his teachers. This is not a high pressure situation. However, I'll be speaking in front of 10 people. Use that situation to practice my breathing before I speak, prepare my message before I'm speaking. So use everyday situations to build up your skills. So I have clients that basically have been using these on camera skills to be more confident, show up more on camera. Literally, one person brought in a client that exact same week that she started showing up on camera. So it can happen really quickly.
00:13:52 Kim: But that level of leveling up your speaking skills can be for so many things. It helps you in a networking event. It helps you if you're speaking at a seminar. It levels up everything. So communication is really one of those core skills that we forget that it really is a core skill. And so it helps you. It will help you with your messaging. It will help you with your elevator pitch. It will help you being on a panel. So it's not just about social video. So if you're like, I'm not feeling amazing about being on video. Maybe I'll only do it every so often. Once you own your voice and your message, it will level up all parts of your business and your personal life, because you're gonna feel good. You're gonna be like, I just feel confident now. I don't think I hear the imposter syndrome as much anymore. Maybe it only comes in 5 times out of 10 instead of 10 times out of 10. That's a win.
00:14:36 Gloria: I love what you said about elevator pitch because we're always chipping away at it. Even now, years into my business, I'm still refining it. And it's so important because it's the one thing that people remember you by. Do you have any quick tips on people's elevator pitches?
00:14:49 Kim: Yes. So an elevator pitch, first of all, should be super short. Thirty seconds, maybe sixty seconds if you have a really long resume. But we're talking short, short, short. Obviously, I think we all understand, but an elevator pitch is you walk into the elevator, you turn to your right, and you realize, oh my god. My dream client is here. Or, oh my god. This is the producer for the Today Show, and I really wanna get on the Today Show. And you have just the elevator to tell them who you are, why you're awesome, and get them to say, yes. Let's talk on the phone. I accept your pitch.
00:15:18 Kim: So an elevator pitch is, at the core, you selling yourself in a really short, amazing, and concise way. So A, B, C. These are the three tenets of an elevator pitch that you need. And some people are like, oh, Kim, but you do video. I'm like, no, no, no. You can't even make video til you really understand who you are and you have a really solid message about what makes you unique and special. I used to get thousands of pitches when I was a TV producer. Every single day, my inbox flooded with pitches. It's really hard for people to stand out, but you need to make sure you are very clear, but are also very compelling.
00:15:53 Kim: I used to receive so many elevator pitches. I still receive them for my podcast, for people who wanna be on the podcast, but the core of a great elevator pitch has those elements. So A, B, C. A, your accomplishments. You absolutely must have that in there. I have had people pitch me when I was in TV and also on the podcast, and then I'll read about them and see, oh, that you went to Harvard. Why was that not in your pitch? If you went to Harvard, you better tell me that you went to Harvard or you should get that $100,000 back, $200,000 back.
00:16:22 Kim: Accomplishments can be anything that really sets you apart. That could be features you've gotten in, national press, local press. That can be your degrees. That could be your certificates. That can be a really great client win. So some people just starting out may say, oh, I don't really have a lot of press, or I didn't really get featured in Forbes. Like, what do I do? Start small. You can start with some local press. That's still totally great and credible. Have companies that you worked with. So if you've done any work for recognizable brands, big, big companies, or even if it's not big, companies that people know. That's sort of a stamp of approval on you. So, again, the accomplishments can be press. They could be certificates. They could be companies you worked at, and they can be client wins.
00:17:04 Kim: So let's say you're really starting out and you don't really have much to say in terms of accomplishments. I would say where your background is, how you learn to do what you do, and maybe one or two client win, how you transformed a person. If you're a health coach or a fitness coach or a career coach, you can say, oh, I helped one client get from X to Y, or I have helped dozens or hundreds of people do X. So that can be an accomplishment. So A, accomplishment.
00:17:28 Kim: B, business. This is gonna sound obvious, but you need to make it crystal clear what you do. So we are in the era where people really love to talk about transformation. I help you become the best version of you. Amazing. Are you a dentist who whitens my teeth? Are you a career coach? Are you a holistic health coach? I need to know exactly what you do. So that's another part of the elevator pitch that has to really be very, very clear.
00:17:53 Kim: And then the last C, especially if it's a verbal pitch, confidence. You have to practice this 20 times, 50 times, 100 times until it feels like you could say it in your sleep. When someone says, what do you do? It shouldn't be… and I've done this. I'm also, by the way, guilty as charged. You don't wanna be like, well, it's kind of hard to explain. No. No. No. No. No. Get that elevator pitch. Write it out. Practice it. Practice it. Practice it. See if it feels good. Try it out at an elevator pitch. Try it out at a networking event. Try it out on your mom, your cousin, your colleague. Say it til it feels good.
00:18:23 Kim: The other thing you can sometimes do is something creative. So it's like a creative coat hanger. So, actually, I'll give you my elevator pitch. So the ending is like a little fun hook. So my elevator pitch would be Hi, everyone. I am Kim Rittberg. I am a video coach and public speaking coach. I bring twenty years of media experience at places like Netflix and Us Weekly where I launched the first ever video unit. I'm now a keynote speaker. I've been featured in Business Insider and Fast Company, and I love helping professionals become thought leaders through video and podcasts, helping them grow their visibility and their revenue. And then that little end part I might say, “and I also speak Spanish” or, “and I did improv and I also speak Spanish, but not at the same time.” So it depends.
00:19:03 Kim: Like, sometimes people feel awkward. Giving the elevator pitch, it could feel really full on or really braggy. So I like the idea of sometimes softening it with a little joke at the end, and then you can lighten it up. But some would say you don't wanna distract away from what you just told them. So A, B, C: accomplishment, business, and confidence.
00:19:20 Gloria: Oh, so good. You've given us so much in this episode. We're definitely gonna have to come back and revisit this because these are things that people need to be doing right now, not tomorrow, but right now in their business. So how can people find out more about you?
00:19:32 Kim: Sure. So I have some really great freebies. I have 10 Tips to Make Amazing Videos and a bonus one, Go from Camera Shy to Camera Shine. You can grab that at kimrittberg.com/tips. Drop me a hello on Instagram. I am very, very friendly. If you're really looking to get on camera, I have a really, really cheapy $37 seven day on camera challenge. So if you're like, oh, it's been on my to do list to get on camera for a long time, not doing it. That's what you need, and those will all be linked out. I also have a podcast called The Exit Interview with Kim Rittberg, which Gloria is on, and it features self employed people who are finding success and balance in their life.
00:20:04 Gloria: Thank you so much, Kim.
00:20:05 Kim: Thank you.
00:20:08 Gloria: Hey, Small Business Hero. Did you know that you can get featured for free on outlets like Forbes, The New York Times, Marie Claire, PopSugar, and so many more even if you are not yet launched or if you don't have any connection? That's right. That's why I invite you to watch my PR Secrets Masterclass where I reveal the exact methods thousands of bootstrapping small businesses use to hack their own PR and go from unknown to being a credible and sought after industry expert.
00:20:36 Gloria: Now if you wanna land your first press feature, get on a podcast, secure a VIP speaking gig, or just reach out to that very intimidating editor, this class will show you exactly how to do it. It. Register now at gloriachoupr.com/masterclass. That's gloriachou, C-H-O-U pr.com/masterclass so you can get featured in thirty days without spending a penny on ads or agencies. Best of all, this is completely free, so get in there and let's get you featured.