The Great Voice Podcast

In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice student Cris Cassell and E. Curtis Johnson. Cris Cassell, a trained actor, director, and acting teacher whose career has taken her from theater stages to the classroom at the Academy of Art University. Already working in e-learning and preparing an audiobook demo, Cris shares why voiceover appeals to her as a performer who loves creating entire worlds wi...

In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice student Claudett Sanders and Larry Chain. Claudett Sanders, a preschool supervisor and lead teacher from Sacramento, spends her days reading stories to three-, four-, and five-year-olds. With retirement on the horizon, Claudett is looking to turn her love of reading into a fulfilling voiceover career.  Larry Chain has spent more than 30 years building re...

In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice student Anna Kunkin and industry guest Brady Flanagan.  Anna Kunkin is a bilingual medical interpreter whose years helping Spanish-speaking patients navigate doctors’ appointments and immigration interviews have given her a deep sense of empathy and connection. After growing up partly in Mexico and becoming fluent in Spanish, Anna found a career where ad...

In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice students Nan Charters and Andrew Smith, two audiobook lovers who found their way behind the mic after very different careers. First, you’ll meet Nan Charters. A former publishing professional and legal assistant whose love of books, language, and reading aloud eventually led her to voiceover. Encouraged for years by people complimenting her voice while l...

In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice students David Peterson and Omar Masoodi.   David Peterson turned a recent layoff into an opportunity to pursue his long-standing interest in voice acting and character work. Growing his skills with The Great Voice Company and putting himself out there on the pay-to-play sites, David wants to bring his unique voice to animation, video games, elearning an...

In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice student Chef Pam and co-founder and creator of SourceConnect Rebekah Wilson.   Chef Pam is a cook and content creator with a thriving YouTube channel, "Cooking at Pam's Place." She started to create a visual reference for her children, but over time, her love for cooking and sharing her culinary adventures evolved into a full-fledged online presence. Pam...

In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice talent Susie Hackel, a former reading specialist who transformed her lifelong love of storytelling into a flourishing voiceover career. After walking away from voiceover decades ago (back in the cassette demo days!), Susie restarted in 2020 with The Great Voice Company and today she’s narrated dozens of children’s audiobooks, booked indie games and anima...

In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice students Steven Tanner and Mike Shivley (Shy-vlee), two men stepping into voiceover from very different paths.   Steven shares why he sees e-learning as his starting point and how leaning into his natural Midwestern sound could open doors. Susan coaches him on one of the biggest lessons for new talent: why the microphone “eats energy” and how becoming an...

In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice students and audiobook narrators John Bejarano and Terri Dien, two professionals building exciting audiobook careers alongside their full-time work.   Susan kicks things off with John Bejarano, who shares how a second try at voiceover, thanks to the support of Great Voice training and encouragement from fellow student Terri, led to multiple audiobooks no...

In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice students Rebecca Cherry and Tanya Wade.    Rebecca Cherry, MD is a pediatric gastroenterologist with a fascinating specialty: using clinical hypnosis to help patients of all ages manage conditions like irritable bowel syndrome. Rebecca shares how the power of the voice can literally change the way the nervous system responds by helping people learn, heal...

In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice student Don Bly and Full Compass representative and voice artist Nick Marzock.  Susan kicks off the episode with Great Voice Community member Don Bly. Don shares his journey from radio and a 30-year career in online retail to discovering voiceover through a simple Facebook ad. He talks about the wholehearted support of his wife that helped him take the l...

In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice students Stan Read and Morrie Barembaum.   Stan Read is a seasoned performer with deep roots in music, including time as a backup singer for Harry Belafonte! These days, he’s adding to his entertainment portfolio with voiceovers. He even developed a passion project: writing and voicing heartfelt letters to his grandson. In his coaching session with Susan...

In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice students Randy Boyum and Kathy Bruins. Randy Boyum has spent over 35 years in corporate video production as a production manager and behind the lens as a camera operator for live events. Along the way, he launched a second creative outlet in clay animation. Now, he’s inspired to do voiceover work and maybe even narrate his own book! Kathy Bruins is an aw...

The Great Voice podcast is a valuable way for you to grow your voice over performance skills by listening in as voice over expert Susan Berkley coaches members of the The Great Voice community.  You’ll come away from each episode with actionable tips and techniques to use in all your auditions and recording sessions.  It’s like having a free voice over training library on your smart phone to enjoy...

In today’s episode, you’ll meet VO dubbing artist Vanessa Garcia and Great Voice student Clay Browne. Vanessa Garcia is a 20+ year litigation paralegal, who found the voice over community during the pandemic. She used lockdown to train, network and grow her voiceover skills. Now Vanessa is an emerging live dubbing artist who has recorded VO projects for Netflix! They talk about opportunities as a...

In today’s episode, you’ll meet emerging voice talent Michael Whalen and industry guest Stacy Berro. Michael shares his journey from a career in the Air Force and the North Carolina Department of Transportation to becoming an audiobook narrator in retirement. He’s doing extremely well and  has recorded 37 books to date! Because Michael also wants to do medical narrations, listen  and learn as Susa...

In today’s episode, you’ll meet emerging voice talents Garrett Holcombe and Rob Klein. Garrett, a certified financial planner from Georgia, has already landed VO gigs for a dinner theater trailer and a short documentary. Rob, a longtime High-Performance System Specialist, and community chorus singer, is drawn to audiobooks and the storytelling side of voiceover.  Listen and learn as Susan coaches...

What do a farm and a bold voiceover campaign have in common? Heart, hustle, and the power of being heard. Lisa Roberts (Mimi) found her voice among the animals on her farm—literally. With a natural ability to calm creatures big and small, she’s discovering that same soothing presence translates perfectly behind the mic with the help of The Great Voice Company. Christy Harst, a former college athle...

What does tech and creativity have in common? In the world of voiceover, more than you’d expect! Jim Strunk spent decades selling in the tech industry, building network connectivity, security, and data centers. As a former Private Client with Susan Berkley and The Great Voice Company, he’s taken that same strategic approach to mastering both the craft and business of voiceover. Daron Macke, an IT...

Passion for voiceover can come from unexpected paths—just ask Mike Copeland and Linzi Lynn. Mike’s journey has taken him from submarines to sheriff’s offices, with a passion for technology guiding him every step of the way. Now, he’s channeling that experience into voiceover, blending precision with personality to create compelling reads. For Linzi Lynn, the spotlight has always called. From graci...

Retirement doesn’t have to mean slowing down—it can be the perfect time to launch a brand-new career. Just ask Robert Weible and Nita Drakatos. Robert spent decades as an aerospace test engineer, making sure aircraft components could withstand extreme conditions. But ever since high school, people told him he had a great voice. Now, as he approaches retirement, he’s putting that voice to work. He’...

Farrah Evans spent 21 years as a nurse, but deep down, she always knew she wanted something else. With her late husband’s encouragement still on her mind, and her retirement from nursing, she took the leap into voiceover, and you know what? She’s already rocking it in audiobook narration! Listen to Farrah talk about blending her medical background with her voiceover aspirations and how Susan Berkl...

In this episode of the Great Voice podcast Susan Berkley interviews and coaches two members of the Great Voice Community who are growing their voice over businesses despite the demands of their day jobs.  You’ll meet Lee Riley, an accomplished corporate professional who enjoys narrating audio books in his spare time. Lee takes you on an audio tour of his home studio where he just finished narratin...

In this inspiring episode, Susan Berkley connects with two Great Voice students – Andrea Barbour and Cheri Freund. Andrea, a sales agent with a passion for ministry, shares how Susan’s impactful teaching sparked her own voiceover pursuits. Cheri, a digital artist and caregiver, discusses her experience in Susan’s training programs and the powerful transition from the art and music industries to a...

How I Built This: Susan Berkley reveals the intimate details of how (and why) she built the Great Voice Company, an iconic voice over training brand. Plus, meet emerging voice talent Debbie Smith and get inspired by  her journey from nurse to narrator! In this episode of The Great Voice Podcast, host Susan Berkley interviews Debbie Smith, who brings her healthcare background to the mic. Their conv...