The VOHeroes Podcast

Hey there, hero! We live and work in a world of art, and self-expression, and artistic choices. We also live and work in a world of writers, producers, directors, and casting people. This video is meant to be a bit blunt: you need to hear this, and know that if you think any differently about where you are in the ecosystem, it might be hurting your chances at success. Watch the video. Remember tha...

Hey there, hero! Some decisions are easier than others. If you have several options, that may or may not be an easier decision that when you have just two options. And no matter how many options you have, even if it's just two, it may not be clear as to which of those options is the best...or if there even is a clear, best option. I've got one of those "one weird tricks" that m...

Hey there, hero! We "feed" ourselves in many different ways...certainly our bodies with food, our souls with social connection and many times, our brains with knowledge. In fact, depending upon how you learn things, discovery of new concepts and ways of working might really satisfy you in ways that other options don't. We can be logical, step by step, or organic and open to random o...

Hey there, hero! In everyone's pursuit of excellence, the training we receive is initially handled as a series of discrete steps. Do this, then that, before you do this or only after than and so on. The dependencies of one step upon another need to be identified and practiced. But one day... ...you realize that those steps have blended into a smooth and clean process where your execution isn&...

Hey there, hero! In a recent episode, we talked about patience. About allowing a partner to speak. About listening "louder." And I got some requests for suggestions on what to do instead of jumping in with "feedback" or "advice" or "support." I've got three things that will make you so popular as a conversationalist, you'll need to hire someone to...

Hey there, hero! Tom Peters is one of my mentors. (He likely doesn't know or care about this fact, but it's true nonetheless.) His lessons on how to run your business on a high level started for me a long time ago, but remain some of the most powerful guidance I've received. He answers the question "How long before the average person simply must interrupt the person they are sp...

Hey there, hero! One of my OG VO2GoGo Pros has some words for you if you're trying to figure out how to succeed as a performer: "Notice what doors are open, and then walk through them." When I hear a phrase like that, I immediately want to hear more. Sarah Beth Goer grabbed the performer/entrepreneur bull by the horns and is riding it into the future. You can catch up with her at ht...

Hey there, hero! I'll admit it. I got sucked in. It started slow, and built over time. It affected my productivity, my sleep, my health. That's the bad news. The good news is, I finally decided to do something about it. And I did. I deleted 128 apps, mostly games, from my phone. And at times, especially when I'm about to go to sleep, it's hard to not go back to the App Store, a...

Hey there, hero! A few years ago, Facebook did something that changed how you got notified via email when someone posted something, replied to something, added a comment and more. And what they did didn't help you and me out one bit. They went from a full quoting of the content of what they were notifying you about, to just a few opening words. It was done to increase engagement on the FB pla...

Hey there, hero! My buddy Tim Friedlander always seems to be figuring out how to do one thing: making life easier for voice talent. He figured out how to give you a weekly VO workout. He figured out how to help you convert non-union work to union work. And now, he's out to figure out how to help you stay safe with your rates and with health insurance coverage...even if you're not in a un...

Hey there, hero! I'm sure that wherever you grew up, there were various names of local points of interest that had very local names. And you know the right way to say them. But people who aren't from around there? Not so much. But you can only be familiar with a few areas and their peculiar place names - even if you are a military brat and moved around a lot. So how do you handle unfamil...

Hey there, hero! In a recent episode, during my drive to make us all more awesome performers, I forgot a key element in a baby's daily life. The management regrets the error, and the employee involved will be given mandatory training and increased play time. Does adding the element of play help? Is it something lacking in your daily to-do list? Let me know in the comments below. REQUEST: Plea...

Hey there, hero! For as supportive a community that we as actors and voice talent often have in person, online communities can be filled with trolls. They are arrogant, opinionated, insulting, and love to provoke normal, law-abiding citizens. (Been to a Facebook audiobook narrator group lately?) I've often wondered what the best way is to deal with these fools, and have also been listening la...

Hey there, hero! How many times have you heard the phrase "Just take a few little baby steps at a time, and you'll be fine."? I have a question: have you ever actually witnessed what happens when a baby takes a few steps?? It's the subject of a tweet that pretty much says it all - and is useful to us all as we learn new skills and start new chapters in our lives. After you hear...

Hey there, hero! Like clockwork, I can count on questions from my students and clients about whether or not they should upgrade to a new version of their computer's operating system. Especially when Apple or Microsoft are urging them constantly to upgrade to a new version of their computer's operating system. Like many things, it depends. But this one is a bit easier to decide than other...

Hey there, hero! I usually run all of my private VO coaching calls on Zoom with both of our cameras turned off. That way, I can save bandwidth to get clearer audio. But sometimes, I'll hear something odd about the sound I'm listening to, and I then ask my clients how their gear is set up. And sometimes, it's so weird that I'll ask them to fire up their cameras so I can see how...

Hey there, hero! What does it feel like to you when I ask about how you approach casting people...as people? Are you able to look at them as anything other than your barrier to entry? Your speed bump on the way to a job? Your closed door to a booking opportunity? Or can you look at them as a peer, a partner...a friendly face in a sea of uncertainty? I have some thoughts for you on how to lessen th...

Hey there, hero! I was reading a post on Facebook the other day, where a voice talent was really puzzled why she wasn't continuously successful at VO. She had a couple of years where she was showered with work, and then for the last 8 months or so, she can't get arrested. And her question was, based on her past performance, what had she done wrong to make this happen. And it reminded me...

Hey there, hero! When doing pickups, your final product has to sound completely natural, as if that's how you recorded it in the first place. And sometimes, breaths can be a bit confusing. Do you edit around them? Do you include them? Do you leave them out? Do they get doubled by mistake? I have a one-word solution: "Left." And I'll show you a demo in Audacity so you can make t...

Hey there, hero! If you're paying any attention to social media, you see the word "agency" being batted about, and it might be confusing as you see it: "She exerted her own personal agency when she became part of the Great Resignation and told her employer she was quitting." OK... In our world, the word "agency" means two very different things: a working environm...

Hey there, hero! We're in the midst of a series of free lessons right now, teaching people how to zero in on the best information around to help them add audiobooks to their performance skills, with the ACX Master Class. (You can watch them all at https://acxmasterclass.com/join - they are all free!) We let people know they can ask questions about audiobooks, ACX, narration, and...the tech. A...

Hey there, hero! In a recent group Zoom session with other actors, one of them dropped a bit of knowledge she'd learned from a college professor, a behavioral psychologist. His teaching was around how gamblers are not only hooked on the chance of winning, but are also given the feeling of hope even when they lose. I did some research on it, and found this article by the BBC: https://www.bbc.c...

Hey there, hero! I've often shared my definition of success: do more of what works, and less of what doesn't. But there are a couple of things that are hidden in that short phrase. One of them is being willing to test your assumptions, accept the results, and then let go of those things you see aren't working. But are you willing to do that? Are you willing to say that something isn...

Hey there, hero! When making any purchase, it's easy (and common) to ignore the value of something, especially when the price is a bit alarming...in either direction (too high or seemingly too low). I found an easy way to think about it, and it's a key phrase I use when I'm considering purchasing something (or pricing something I'm selling). How do you think about the value of...

Hey there, hero! I was given a great gift the other day: clear confirmation that I'm a genius. No, really. And from a legendary sports writer! Sports Illustrated's Andy Benoit is quoted as saying: “Most geniuses—especially those who lead others—prosper not by deconstructing intricate complexities but by exploiting unrecognized simplicities.” How does that apply to me? Watch or listen to...