There’s a lot of pressure to show up online in a certain way, especially when you’re starting out. So many voices telling you how to do it, what you need, what you should look like. But the truth is, your presence becomes powerful the moment it becomes yours. And that’s exactly what this conversation with Lou Kozlevcar reminded me of.
Lou is a digital marketing consultant who supports established businesses with paid advertising, but this conversation went far beyond strategy. We explored authenticity, mental health, visibility fears, and the courage it takes to show up as yourself. From the messy beginnings to the steady growth, this is about what it really looks like to find your voice and take up space online.
EPISODE 85: Listen using the player below, or click the links to your fave platform to subscribe and listen over there:
Let It Be Messy in the Beginning
So often we wait for things to be perfect before we begin. But when you’re starting out, perfection is not the goal, presence is.
Lou shared how important it is to just start, even if you don’t have a budget, a brand, or a professional photoshoot. The key is to use what you already have. Start with your phone. Use your own voice. Show your face if and when you feel ready. Because something is always better than nothing. And you don’t get to the polished version of yourself without moving through the early, wobbly versions too.
I remember how anxious I felt when I started putting myself out there. I’d been raised to be seen and not heard. Tall poppy syndrome was real. So the idea of showing my face and saying “this is me” felt huge. But the more I did it, the more it felt like a reclamation. And looking back now, I can see how each imperfect post built the confidence I have today.
Showing Up Before You Feel Ready
Waiting to feel fully ready often keeps us stuck. But confidence grows in the doing. It builds as you stretch your comfort zone and keep showing up anyway.
- You don’t need a perfect brand before you share your work, start where you are.
- Your first videos, posts, or photos might feel awkward, but that’s part of the journey.
- The more you practise, the more your real voice comes through, and that’s what people connect to.
I still share my very first Facebook Live from time to time, just to remind others that we all start somewhere. It was monotone, stiff, and so different from how I show up now, but it’s also part of the story. And if you follow anyone online, you’ll see the same pattern. Everyone grows into their presence. No one starts off polished.
Using Practice as a Pathway to Confidence
Lou reminded me that repetition matters. It’s like learning to ride a bike, you might wobble at first, but over time it becomes second nature. Lou talked about how their hobby slowly became a business. And because they allowed themselves to practise without pressure, they were able to find her rhythm before turning it into something bigger.
This is a permission slip to practise. To experiment. To post things that don’t land. To try again. That’s how you find your message. That’s how your audience finds you.
Even when it comes to paid ads, which Lou supports clients with, they recommend starting by reviewing what has worked organically. The content that already gets engagement, clicks, or saves? That’s often the seed of a great ad. Strategy comes later. First comes presence.
Building Confidence Through Consistency
So many of us think we need to have everything figured out before we start marketing. But what Lou shared so clearly is that marketing is simply visibility. It’s showing up consistently in ways that feel true for you. That might be text-based posts. It might be videos. It might be photos of your workspace, your tools, or something that represents your brand.
- If you’re not ready to show your face, let your words do the work for you.
- If videos feel awkward, start with short clips, or even voiceovers with images.
- You’re allowed to choose the medium that feels best, but the message still needs to be real.
Lou also spoke about the importance of branding, but in a grounded, accessible way. Branding doesn’t mean a polished logo and a perfect colour palette. It can be as simple as using consistent language and tones. It’s about making sure people know when it’s you, and feel connected to that.
Ads Can Be Aligned. If You’re Ready
Lou’s work focuses on helping already successful businesses grow with ads. But even here, the heart of it is clarity and readiness. If your message isn’t clear, or your website doesn’t align with your values, no ad in the world can make it land.
Lou encourages people to:
- Get clear on their core messaging before investing in paid advertising.
- Track which organic posts perform well, those insights are gold.
- Let their audience meet them online through multiple touchpoints before trying to convert.
And when the time comes to run ads, it’s not about doing what everyone else is doing. It’s about crafting a custom strategy that matches your values, your audience, and your goals. That’s what turns ads from a gamble into a long-term investment.
Final Reflections
The biggest takeaway from this conversation? You get to grow into visibility. You don’t have to be the expert today. You just have to begin. And when you do, you’ll start to meet the people who are looking for you, not the polished version, but the real one.
Whether it’s through organic posts, lives, interviews, or one-on-one connection, authentic presence will always go further than performance. You can build a business that reflects who you are. You can market yourself without feeling fake. And when the time is right, you can scale in a way that still feels like you.
*All links are current at time of publishing. Social Media Links for Lou Kozlevcar:
