#25 - Dan Bennett: Giving Yourself Permission to Be Great

In this in-depth conversation, I talk with Dan Bennett, video expert and founder of Hot Sauce Studio, about the psychology of camera confidence (and why your gear only makes up 5% of your success on camera), sharing your expertise with the world, and navigating the insecurities and uncertainties of entrepreneurship. We explore how fear, authenticity, and personal development intersect with being on camera, building a business, and finding your voice as a creator, and share insights into overcoming creative blocks.

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ABOUT DAN BENNETT:

Dan Bennett helps remarkable people look and sound great on camera. After years working with corporate clients, he shifted his focus to helping entrepreneurs and professionals build camera confidence and create effective video content. His company is currently rebranding as Hot Sauce Studio. Dan emphasizes making video simple (though not necessarily easy) and focuses on the psychological aspects of camera confidence.

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CONNECT WITH DAN:

Website: danhaslinks.com

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KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• The psychological barriers to camera confidence and how to overcome them

• Dan's "85% rule" - how most of video success is giving yourself permission to be great

• The "Four Horsemen of Fear": fear of failure, fear of ridicule, fear of uncertainty, and fear of success

• How video acts as "the ultimate mirror" that forces creators to confront themselves

• The importance of authenticity versus creating a persona

• Both hosts' personal journeys from difficult backgrounds to entrepreneurial success

• Craftsmanship and taking pride in your work, whatever that work may be

• The power of tactical vulnerability in building audience connection

• How entrepreneurs often face their biggest personal growth challenges through building businesses

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TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro

02:57 The Tech Debt Problem

10:51 Why Authenticity Beats Perfection

17:51 The Psychology of Camera Confidence

24:38 The Four Horsemen of Fear

30:32 Growing Up Poor and Becoming a First-Generation Entrepreneur

46:15 Dan’s 85% Rule for Winning on Camera

50:57 Why Video is the Ultimate Mirror

54:11 Navigating Imposter Syndrome

1:14:38 The Lost Art of Craftsmanship

1:33:30 Tactical Vulnerability

1:51:27 The Lazy Authenticity Method

1:59:45 Final Thoughts

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SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://coreywilkspsyd.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coreywilkspsyd

Substack: https://substack.com/@coreywilkspsyd

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreywilkspsyd/

Twitter: https://x.com/CoreyWilksPsyD

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coreywilkspsyd/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/coreywilkspsyd.bsky.social

Disclaimers: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. Nothing here constitutes personal or professional consultation, treatment, diagnosis, or creates a professional-client relationship.