The VO Life

Branding matters, buit don't rush it.  You want to be specific... but not too specific as to lose business because of your "wrds" in your branding! I'm no expert, but I'll mention some names that can help you WHEN you are ready.  There's no rush! Branding can take time!

MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION and a $50 answer... MAYBE!!  Depends.... and here is why on todays podcast!  I have been in ROUGH SHAPE this week. Severe sore throat, congestin and just run down... but I NEVER told any of my clients. WHY NOT?  Give a listen as to when and when NOT to tell them you are struggling!

Honored to be able to talk to Carin about SAG-AFTRA and why she chose to go FICOR, explore more about e-Vocation and Vocation coming soon, learn more about NAVA and the current strike, and just allow you to hear what a solid business person and giving person she is.  A VO veteran and known in the community for giving back Carin has voice thousands of jobs from commercials to video games and corpor...

I try to watch the trends and I am definitely a data guy. In 2020 there was an advertised path into VO that worked fairly well for me and FANTASTICALLY for some... you learned and trained, you got on FIverr and made some side money to pay for your training... etc. It is still being "taught" and pushed HOWEVER I truly believe things have changed and that is not the path it once was.   I get into wh...

Dedication and passion and talent.  Vanessa has built a large TikTok following as she is developing her skills in animation and commercial VO.  Her story is one of education, persistance and passion about her characters and how she applies herself.  With a backbround in speech, she has applied the competetive nature of those contests and delved into training to grow her move into a soon-to-be full...

My longest sole episode but so much information about my first three years, and I may have lost it talking about my wife and thank God for editing! But you'll know how I feel... This episode is very transparent in how I got here, what I made, what I did.  The VO world is tough.  The curvey that is posted makes me positive I have done a few things right... gotten ahead of the curve... but it is sti...

The "authentic" or conversational (not announcery as they say often or polished) can be the most difficult to lock into. Why?  And how do you "FIX" it?  Todays short reminds us that we had coaching for a reason... not to just drop $200.

This week I am joined by multi-talented VO Jim McCarthy who has a vewry cool podcast for Entrepreneurs called "Whats Your Problem" and as he calls it he also "spins lots of plates" from VO to Podcast Production to Car Wash Lighting... join us or conversations that go everywhere and get to know Jim.

MOCK AUDITION 2 is in the books and after 21 pros and 17 rookies submitted we have a winner in each and also an "honorable mention" that we felt needed to be heard.  All 3 are played in the podcast and names announced but you have to listen to find out! This was a great teaching/learning moment for us all and let ne say IT WORE ME OUT.... we wanted to be thorough and fair... and make it HELP those...

Today Troy has Alden and Jake over from "It's Another VO Podcast" to talk about the new podcast and why you need BOTH the Life and this one! Get to know the guys and make plans to follow both podcasts and get a ton of information... good and otherwise... as these three full time voice actors hold each other accountable and share their journeys.

When you worked a real job SOMEONE held you accountable.  Why shouldn't that be the case NOW??  Let's get short about accountability in this FINAL Casual Short....or shorts.... or whatever....

I have 3 podcasts.... why?  What good is a podcast, and why do I do them?  Here's your answers....

I thought VO was a side hustle... well it is for some but some of us that do VO full time also do some other things to keep the wheels turning!  What things can you do???

There is a difference but BOTH can be a really good thing!

Episode numbers DO NOT matter and we don't care.... but we skip to 112 with the AMAZING Alice Everdeen who a few years ago embarked on a dual journey to not only beccome a successful Voice Actor using Fiverr for a springboard but also to live "on the road" in a converted school bus.  Just a month or so ago I toured the BEAST while at VO Atlanta where she was a dual presenter and we finally met in...

Failure Syndrome? Is it a thing?  "I'm not good enough" becomes "I am a total failure" ??  Let's talk about it....

It's part of lifes cycle.... and this week as we lost our treasured "Sammy Doo" it made me reflect on "learning" in new environments.  Sammy had to come to a farm and learn the other animals, the neighbors, but then as we added "Gracie" he showed her the ropes.  Like when we get a new job, we learn and maybe one day WE are training the new hires.  VO is a little different, but you also have a lear...

This week its 2 "PODDIES" talking shop as I am joined by the VO Coffee Shop host Andrew Morrison of Atlanta, GA.  Shop talk? Probably... but join us to learn more about his journey in VO and more about him as a person!

THE GOOD NEWS IS LOUISE PORTER SENT IN A GREAT NEW INTRO!!  And I laid that FUNKY MUSIC right on it and I really liked it.  So thankful for all of you who help me... Jake Sanders, Charles Bain, Dana Ramoni (Morgan Freeman), Louise Porter, Liz Atherton, James Brown and Rudy Abell.  YOU GUYS ROCK and I appreciate youall so much.  I love having the variety to use each week and its always a HARD decis...

This week we are talking THE SIMPLICITY OF YOUR AUDIO with Don Baarns who has a deep background in music and audio and he explains how we need to "set it and forget it" and stop over-complicating things and learn to TRUST the systems in place once they are set and stop over thinking... which after moving to my new studio last week... PERFECT TIMING!!!!  Learn about his approach and why he feels St...

The VO Community is just the best... right?  And this guy is one of my favorites!  Brad Hyland came from the corporate world to chase a dream he'd had since childhood and has for seven years been a full time VO and now is launching his coaching (website coming soon).  Brad has been very successful and teaches how to reach the authentic, real you... which is key to most reads that are desired today...

When you talk marketing for VO you have to know about Marc Scott .  The "Original VOPreneur" , Marc has established a sound marketing course for VO's and has had tested and tried his solutions and applied them for several years.  A successful VO in the "non-glamorous" world, Marc talks about his experiences in losing his radio job and being mad enough to make it in his own business!  Marc is an am...

THANK YOU for allowing me to be a part of your VO LIFE !  This is a quick thank you for allowing me to deliver 100 episodes and here is to 100 more!!!   

VO Atlanta 2023 .... thank you Anna Collins for taking over our SUPERBOWL EVENT and making it truly a year to remember.  Today we have snippets from many attendees who came for the first, second or ninth time and their feedback on the changes, excitement and every other emotion that was VO Atlanta .  Thanks JMC for the intro an Creators & Guests Troy Holden - Host d to all of you who sent me a...

Some weeks it seems common sense escapes people and they forget where the lines are. This week it's a reminder to set some boundaries in your VO Life and remember basic respect, ethics and general business sense and remind you to give total respect to EVERY coach in this industry or to ANYONE who is trying to help you. Not being a jerk, but it's time to jerk a knot in some people....