It has been a HOT MINUTE since Iāve shown you my office setup.Ā
Not only am I in a whole new locationā¦
But Iāve got new tech, new gear, new faves and new must-haves to make working from home on a computer all day everyday⦠WAY MORE ENJOYABLE.
PLUS, Iām sharing all of my EASY and CHEAP tips to help you instantly elevate how you show up on Zoom Calls ā so you can look more professional and like you actually have your shit together… even if you secretly donāt.Ā
Hey, Posse! Whatās up? Itās Alex.
Something I get asked about quite a bit is my office and tech setupā¦
I always think itās funny that people want to hear this stuff from me, because itās not like an expert.
But it HAS been a while since Iāve given you a little tour of my home officeā¦
So here it is!
BUT ā keep in mind that Iāve been working from home for over 16 YEARS.Ā
AND I also record YouTube videos inside my office ā which means my tech needs are WAY more intense than someone who just wants to look professional on a Zoom call.
Iāve had lots of time to slowly build and cultivate this space into what it is today.
It didnāt happen overnight and you certainly donāt have to go out and BUY the stuff I have in order to create a functional office.
In fact, my first office and studio was my kitchen table. So if youāre just starting out on your work from homeā¦
Or youāve been working from home for a while but really want to stop showing up to Zoom calls with your dirty kitchen countertops or bed in the backgroundā¦
(Hey, weāve all been there!)
Then Iāve got 4 EASY and CHEAP steps that will help you instantly appear WAY more professional on Zoom callsā¦.
Because letās be honest, now in 2025, zoom calls are a big part of your personal brand and how you show up onlineā¦
And you want to make a great impression, especially when youāre speaking to clients, being interviewed on a podcast or networking with potential referrers!Ā
But before we get into it ā if youāre new to the crew ā welcome!
On my website, youāll find hundreds of tutorials covering all things modern marketing, copywriting, freelancing, and entrepreneurship!
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Tip # 1: Lighting
I truly believe that having great lighting is ALMOST all you need to look professional on calls.
Ugly yellow overhead lighting with a ceiling fan running is NOT the vibe.
Natural lighting is always going to be better than artificial, plus itās free!
So if you can take your Zoom Calls in front of a window ā do it!Ā Now while natural lighting is GREAT…
It can also be a little intense and create harsh shadows if itās a super bright & sunny day, so the EASIEST hack is to hang a white sheet over the window.
Something thin that will diffuse the light and help you avoid overexposure without completely blocking out the light altogether.
I used a sheet as my lighting setup for the first few months of my YouTube channel if you can believe it ā nothing but a white sheet over a window.Ā Or you can use a softbox lighting kit like this one.
Now if you don’t have access to natural light, I highly recommend a little ring light.Ā
Something like this lighting kit which attaches straight to your laptop and is super light and portable that you can move anywhere.Ā
There are so many affordable lighting options out there and it can make SUCH a big difference that you really shouldnāt skip this step.
Just make sure that if you wear glasses, youāre not getting a crazy reflection because that can be realllllly distracting and blow your good light cover.
Alright, the next tipsā¦
Tip # 2. Clean Background
Alright, Iām just going to say itā¦Ā I hate virtual backgrounds.Ā
I mean, I totally understand why people use them ā because they donāt want people to see all the dirty dishes on the kitchen counter or their kids smacking each other in the background.
And YES ā I agree that a virtual background is better than meeting with a potential client with your dirty laundry literally hanging out behind youā¦
Iāve seen some that are OK BUT most virtual backgrounds are pretty glitchy and cheesy and I donāt know. They just scream unprofessional to me. Is it just me?Ā
Like, everyone knows your living room doesnāt look like this⦠and that youāre not dialing in from the middle of a mountain lake, in a spaceship or floating above the Golden Gate Bridge.Ā
I know they can be fun and theyāre totally fine for internal calls but, in my opinion, if you want to appear professional on client calls or sales calls then you NEED to be sitting in front of a CLEAN and professional background.
Now Iām not saying you need to go out and invest hundreds of dollars to create some epic wall of bookshelves to go behind youā¦
Or have a WILD wall like I do āā this is a YouTube studio and WAY more extra than what you need for a professional Zoom callā¦
Simply, tidy up the room behind youā¦
Blur your background a bit, which is a simple setting on Zoom.
Or better yet, just sit in front of a plain wall with a plant or something.Ā
This is so much better than a bed behind youā¦
Honestly, the only time thatās ok is if youāre in a hotel room.
According to researchers at Durham University in the U.K. Zoom backgrounds highly impact othersā perception of you.
The researchers asked 167 participants to rate the trustworthiness of 72 different pictures of men and women with various different Zoom backgrounds: home, blurred home, bookcase, plants, blank, and ānoveltyā (basically a cheesy virtual Zoom background image).
Here are the key findings:
- The researchers found backgrounds with books or plants scored the highest for trustworthiness, followed by a blurred background and a blank wall.Ā
- The regular living room and a novelty background did the least well.
Now, if a clean background behind you just isnāt an option, even if itās slightly blurredā¦
Then going with a virtual background is totally fineā¦
BUT I would highly recommend investing in something like this. Itās a portable green screen that attaches right to your chair.
And itās awesome because, with this, you solve the āglitchyā issue and your virtual background will stay stationary. You simply turn on the āgreen screenā setting in Zoom and upload your virtual background.
MUCH BETTER!
And when youāre not on calls, you can just fold this green screen right up and put it away.
And did you know that you can upload your OWN IMAGE for the virtual background?
You donāt have to use the terrible ones Zoom provides!
You can just google āvirtual zoom background images freeā and a whole bunch of options will pop up.
But pick something simple and not distracting, like profesh bookshelves or aĀ Ā Ā
Cozy libraryā¦
Or better yetā¦. A clean wall. Maybe with a plant if you want to get wild lol.
So many options you can choose from that will look way better than the cheesy ones Zoom provides!
Alright, my next tip should be obviousā¦
Tip # 3. Audio Check
I cannot tell you how many times Iāve been on calls where a personās terrible audio or extremely loud background noise has completely ruined a call.
Look, I GET that working at a busy cafe as a freelancer is a āvibeā.
But if youāre going to be on a call with a client or potential client ā you want to put your best foot forward and appear professionalā¦
Sitting in a busy and noisy cafe is not the place to beā¦Ā
You should always be in a quiet spot that has little to no interruptions.
Your mic should muted when youāre not speakingā¦
Honestly, just those tips alone can make a world of differenceā¦
But if you really want to be extra and up your Zoom Call game, get yourself a wired microphoneā¦
Or if you donāt want to deal with the wires, a good Bluetooth mic.
Again, this doesnāt have to be EXPENSIVE or fancy stuff in order to be effective.
Amazon has so many options for under $50!
Alright, and the last tip is a free oneā¦
Tip #4: Camera Angle
It is just not flattering to have a camera angled up at your double chin⦠I mean, no one wants to see those boogers!Ā
And the top-down camera angles are just as weird, making you look like some sort of adult baby, and no one wants to look at the top of your head.
Or ā THE WORST ā is when you use multiple monitors and your camera is connected to a different monitor than where your eyes are and the entire call your client is staring at the side of your face.
You want your camera to be EYE LEVEL. Directly in front of you.Ā Ā
This tip is soooo simple and not only does it make you look INSTANTLY more professional… but it allows you to connect better with whomever youāre speaking to because you are looking at them.
Sure ā you could buy a laptop stand to elevate your camera, and they arenāt very expensiveā¦Ā
Which honestly is also a BACK SAVER when youāve spent almost 2 decades working online like me.
But you could save your money and do it the old-fashioned wayā¦
By stacking up a bunch of books until your camera is at eye level.Ā
And thatās really ALL you need to show up looking suppppppper professional you guysā¦
Good lighting, a clean background, audio under control, and a decent camera at eye level. (Like this Canon Camera!)Ā
ALL of these things can be FREE if you get creativeā¦
Shout out to this Mom who figured IT OUT for a CNN Interview! Haha. Sheās got the window in front of her, a somewhat clean background (Iād remove the blank on the futon), laptop at eye levelā¦. BOOM nailed it.
And even if you bought all the things I shared, youād still be spending just about $100.
In my opinion, thatās an investment thatās WELL WORTH IT.
Especially when youāre taking calls with clients and potential customers ā where you really want to put your best foot forward.
Copy Posse Office Gear (Amazon Affiliate Links) š
If youāre interested in checking out any of the items I talked about, click the links here:
š”Lighting:
Clip-On Ring Light For Laptop/Monitor: https://amzn.to/3QGndXD
Aputure MC Pro Camera Light: https://amzn.to/3XhhGL0
Aputure MT Mini Tube Light: https://amzn.to/3EScmHD
Softbox Lighting Kit: https://amzn.to/4ihsj8v
šøCamera + Teleprompter:
Canon EOS R SLR Camera: https://amzn.to/3CW5yZ7
Logitech Brio PRO X 4K Webcam: https://amzn.to/3EVQifd
The Padcaster Parrot Teleprompter Kit: https://amzn.to/43gqVyP
Remote Control for NEEWER Teleprompter App: https://amzn.to/3QzlQKt
šļøAudio:
Wired Mic for Laptop: https://amzn.to/4kioemi
Bluetooth Mic for Laptop/Mobile: https://amzn.to/4byx2kp
RĆDECaster Pro II Mixer: https://amzn.to/4besrnd
Shure SM7B Microphone: https://amzn.to/4iikmjL
Shure by Gator Articulating Desktop Mic Boom Arm: https://amzn.to/41xuKhS
š©š»āš»Desk:
Aluminum Laptop Stand: https://amzn.to/4igNdok
Height Adjustable Electric Standing Desk: https://amzn.to/4hV944Z
Under Desk Cable Management Tray: https://amzn.to/41wdeuf
Green Screen Chair: https://amzn.to/3D9ir20
šļøOther:
Foldable Walking Pad: https://amzn.to/43erOrI
Bose QuietComfort 45 Bluetooth Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones: https://amzn.to/41gXha5
I hope you found this helpful.Ā Comment below and let me know what you want next!
Until next time, Iām Alex. Ciao for now!