Hi Reader,
Over the past few years we’ve all become masters of the digital stage.
Home studio tech has become more accessible than ever and with tools like Ecamm Live our Zoom calls, Keynotes and live streams have been transformed. We’ve built an entirely new way to teach, coach, and connect.
The power of that can’t be overstated. You can reach a global audience from your desk, create impact without travel, and show up authentically with little more investment than the cost of a business suit!
And yet, there’s a part of me that’s always missed something.
Before I ever hit “Go Live,” I was used to standing on real stages. Lights, sound, movement, rhythm... the ability to use space itself to tell a story. To walk stage right when talking about the past, to pivot stage left for the future, to leave ideas hanging on a screen while moving somewhere new. It’s an entirely different language.
While I love the control that comes from sitting at my desk (Stream Decks at my fingertips), there was still a pull to bring some of that stage energy back. To blend the freedom of movement with the intimacy of live video.
That’s what led me to build the Main Stage, a new studio space designed to feel more like an event venue than a home office.
This is where I ran The Freedom Formula a few weeks ago, and it was my first chance to test what a “real stage for a digital world” could look like.
From the viewer’s side it felt simple, but behind the curtain was a small orchestra of tech:
- A 65-inch horizontal screen stage right and a 55-inch vertical screen stage left
- A bank of monitors out of shot to track chat, Zoom participants and queued-up content for the on stage screens
- Three Macs controlling the screens, graphics, stream and Zoom.
- Five Stream Deck pedals underfoot for hands-free control
- Two Stream Deck XLs for further control
- A Dell touchscreen monitor for direct control of Ecamm, Zoom participants and live adjustments.
Despite all of that, this was still a one-man show built on the same live-production principles I teach every day. Whether you’re managing three instances of Keynote across multiple screens or simply toggling between your camera and slides, it’s the same mindset: thinking like a live producer, anticipating what the viewer sees, and crafting the experience in real time.
The feedback from the event was exactly what I’d hoped for: people said it felt like they were attending a live show, not watching another Zoom session.
It wasn’t flawless; there were plenty of “learning opportunities” along the way. But it proved something important: the Digital Stage keeps evolving.
Each step forward, whether that’s better lighting, a new camera angle, or in this case an entire Main Stage, opens up new ways to connect with people right from home.
The bigger lesson
You don’t need a Main Stage to create presence. What matters is how you design space, even the virtual kind.
You’re probably sick of me talking about the VALUE Formula, where V is for Visuals, but this is exactly what I'm talking about: Visuals encompass everything that appears on screen.
More than just lighting your face well or proper framing using the rule of thirds, it’s about how we use the rest of our “screen real estate” (yes, I hate that term too).
Every element in frame, be it in the background or on-screen graphics, becomes an extension of you and it supports your message, deepens trust, and shapes how people feel when they’re with you online.
That’s the heart of it: video is the new business suit. It’s how we show up in the modern business world.
Now, while my main stage setup may have cost slightly more than a tailored jacket (ahem), it certainly cost less than hiring a hotel conference room for a weekend!
The point isn’t the gear, though, it’s the mindset: Treating video as your stage, however big or small that stage might be.
And no, this doesn’t mean I’m giving up my desk studio. Far from it. That space is still where I’ll create most of my tutorials, record course content, and run coaching calls. It’s where I can focus, teach, and connect up close.
The Main Stage, on the other hand, is for the big moments—the live events, workshops, and webinars where I want to recreate that sense of being in the room together. Both spaces serve the same mission: to make online experiences feel intentional, professional, and human.
In my live stream this week, I’ll be sharing a full Main Stage Studio Tour, showing exactly how it all works in practice. You’ll find it in the Content Spotlight below.
And if you want to see how The Freedom Formula event was put together, from Planning and Promotion to Preparation and Production, I’ll be running a workshop about it next week. You’ll also get replay access to the event itself (tech teething troubles and all). Details are toward the end of this newsletter.
Remember, you already have a stage. The question is just how intentionally you use it.
If you’ve ever wondered how to make your presence on camera feel a little more natural, more engaging, or more you, that’s exactly what I love helping people with.
Whether you’re building a keynote, running a virtual event, or just trying to look less like a hostage on Zoom, you can craft an experience that represents the best of you and your message and I’d love to help you do that.
Just hit reply and let’s chat. Talk soon, Alec.
