Most people think communication is just talking. Susan Siravo proved otherwise.

Susan is a former television reporter and anchor who spent roughly a decade in local news as a general assignment reporter — covering crime stories, water main breaks, political hearings, whatever the day brought. She later became a public information officer for a water and flood protection agency in California, transitioned into corporate communications and social media for a regional bank, and eventually built a media and communication coaching practice. She joined me on Lens of Hopefulness to break down what it really means to communicate effectively on camera — and along the way, I made some discoveries about myself

Journalism Taught Her More Than She Expected

Susan traced her path back to where it started: a genuine love of storytelling.

“I was always attracted to the field of news and journalism. Since I was a kid, I loved watching the news and the idea of storytelling.”

That love turned into a career, but the most enlightening part came when she crossed to the other side of the camera. After years of interviewing people as a reporter, she became a spokesperson for a public agency — and discovered something humbling.

“One of the hardest parts of it was being the person who speaks to the media. I thought that would be so easy because I had been in the media for so long interviewing people and I know what makes a good interview and all that. But then when the camera was on me and then I was supposed to be articulate and succinct — that was very hard. And so now when I work with clients, I know what they’re going through.”

That experience is why her coaching connects. She’s not teaching from theory. She learned it the hard way herself.

The Pandemic Changed Everything

When COVID hit and the world moved to Zoom, Susan saw a problem most people didn’t even have language for yet. Professionals who were competent, knowledgeable, and credible in person suddenly looked and sounded uncertain on screen. Teachers were trying to reach kindergarteners through a webcam for the first time. Executives were running town halls from kitchen tables.

“So many people had no idea how to communicate well on Zoom with a webcam in front of them. It started out with me helping people with the look and feel of how they presented themselves. And then the next part was to be able to help them understand how to speak to the camera effectively.”

The challenge she identified goes deeper than just logistics. When you’re speaking to a live audience, you get feedback — nods, laughter, visible engagement. On camera, none of that is available to you.

“It’s so different when you are speaking to a camera. You’re just looking at the lens. There’s nobody laughing, there’s nobody smiling at you, there’s nobody nodding — but yet you have to give the same performance as if you are seeing all of this in front of a live audience.”

That gap between what feels natural and what the camera requires is exactly what she trains people to close.

Camera Presence Became a Business Skill

I shared a story about a financial consultant my wife and I interviewed on Zoom during the pandemic. He was highly recommended. He never looked at the camera — he was positioned in the corner of the screen, looking up at something off-screen — and despite his credentials, we didn’t hire him. We couldn’t get past what we were seeing.

Susan wasn’t surprised.

“If you’re selling some sort of service and you have potential clients, they’re looking for reasons not to hire you. So you want to remove all of those. And if you can show up on camera, you’re looking at the camera, you look professional, your background looks organized, you look like you know what you’re talking about — at least that’s a good start.”

She also made a point I hadn’t fully thought through: the camera has to be at eye level. Not on a desk looking up at you, not tilted down. Eye level — so the person watching feels like they’re in a conversation, not looking up at a ceiling or down at a head.

And the background matters. Not because it has to be perfect, but because every element sends a signal. “It’s just a matter of making sure that it’s the right message that you want to share and that you’re deliberate about it.”

The Four-Week and Eight-Week Programs

Susan’s coaching isn’t structured as a one-day seminar. She offers four-week and eight-week programs — one hour per week with assignments in between. Clients record videos on their phones, upload them, and she reviews and gives feedback.

“I have found that working with people over the course of four weeks or eight weeks, that’s when they make the most progress because they have an opportunity to apply what they’ve learned week to week to week.”

The intensive one-day model doesn’t stick. I know this from personal experience with self-improvement seminars — you walk out energized, and two days later you’re back to the same habits. The weekly cadence Susan uses builds accountability and repetition, which is how behavior actually changes.

When she begins working with a new client, she starts by reviewing whatever video footage exists — YouTube clips, media interviews, internal recordings. And she starts the assessment with strengths, not weaknesses.

“I start with what are the positives that I see, because I always see right off the bat — what are you doing well? Are you connecting with the camera? Do you show empathy? Do you show intelligence and expertise? Do you have a nice voice? Do you have a sense of humor? Is there a warmth feeling about you? So all of the attributes that I think are really positive, that’s what I start with, because I want people to start working with me feeling good, that I recognize what they bring to the table that’s special.”

The Psychology Behind Rambling

One of the most useful moments in our conversation came when we got into why people ramble. I own this problem. I’ve asked long questions on this show and watched guests go fifteen minutes on a single point.

Susan’s explanation went straight to the root. When you’re in front of a live audience and people are nodding, you get positive feedback. So you keep going. You make the point again. And again. “It takes discipline to make your point and then stop talking.”

She also put a name to the psychology: it’s a validation issue. The speaker wants to feel heard, so they re-emphasize the same point as a way of seeking confirmation that the audience understood and agreed. The result is an audience that checked out three minutes ago.

The PSR framework she teaches — Problem, Solution, Result — is a direct counter to this. State the problem, describe the solution, share the result. It structures communication so there’s a clear destination, and you arrive there without detours.

Energy Moves Through the Screen

Near the end of our conversation, Susan made a point that I think applies far beyond media training.

“When you’re in person, you get energy from someone. You can feel their energy. You see you bump into someone at the grocery store you haven’t seen in a while — is that person positive energy or is it negative? Are they feeling down? Are they excited about something? It’s like you can feel that before you’ve even spoken to them oftentimes.”

That same dynamic happens on camera.

“If you aren’t showing enthusiasm or showing up with a level of energy, why would the buyer on the other side be excited about it or enthusiastic about it if you’re not? So you have to have that level of energy to get people to buy into it as well.”

She also teaches a technique I’ve used myself in acting: when speaking to a camera, picture one specific person on the other side of the lens.

“I give that advice to picture one person that you’re speaking to when you’re looking at the lens of a camera, because it’s hard to deliver the information in a way that is compelling. If you’re just looking at a camera, you just kind of feel blank, right?”

The person you picture should be specific to the context — the donor who can fund the nonprofit, the manager who can approve the budget, the customer who most needs what you’re offering. That specificity changes everything about how you come across.

Where to Find Susan

Susan is most active on LinkedIn, where she posts tips and engages with her audience. Her full resource library — including videos on body language, the PSR method, and on-camera confidence — is available at susansiravo.com. She also noted she’s considering offering a standalone one-hour session for people who want a quick setup review before a podcast appearance or media interview — camera, lighting, microphone, and basic delivery coaching in a single call.

“Really, communicating on camera has become something that everyone in business needs to learn how to do effectively.”

After this conversation, I’d be hard-pressed to argue otherwise.

Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, and YouTube.

Find Susan here: susansiravo.com

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