Tag: Training

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5 Must Subscribe Podcasts For The VOpreneur

How you spend your “spare time” is a really good indicator of your success trajectory. If you’re reading books, blogs, articles and listening to podcasts instead of sitting around watching TV and playing video games for hours a day, as an example, you’re on a solid trajectory, in my opinion.

Listening to podcasts has become one of my favorite “hobbies” in the last year or two.

When I’m driving in my truck… podcasts (unless the Red Sox are playing, of course!)

When I’m riding my bike… podcasts.

When I’m on the treadmill… podcasts.

When I go for a walk… podcasts.

All of that time each day can total up to a couple hours. Guess what… you can learn a ton in a couple hours. Do it a few days a week and you’re in even better shape!

The question, then, becomes, which podcasts should I listen to?

My answer might surprise you.

You might be surprised to find that none of the podcasts on this list are voice over related podcasts. Just to be clear, I have nothing against VO podcasts at all. There are some really great ones out there. In fact, I’ve had the privilege of being interviewed for a few of them. That said, they’re often the obvious choices. That is to say, the first ones people turn to.

I’m going to give you some options to expand your horizons. All of these podcast choices are designed to help you become a better VOpreneur!

Add These Podcasts To Your List

Building a StoryBrand – Subscribe Here
Don is one of my favorite authors. I’ve also traveled to Nashville to attend the StoryBrand Live Workshop. This is, hands down, one of my favorite business/marketing/entrepreneurship podcasts. If you only choose one from this list, it’s the one I’d recommend most.

Online Marketing Made Easy – Subscribe Here
This is the podcast I’ve been listening to the longest, and I give Amy full credit for inspiring me to launch my first course a few years ago, Blueprint to Voice Over Success. Everything I learned about how to create it and release it, for the most part, came from this podcast. She’s a brilliant online marketer and interviews fantastic guests regularly. Plenty of great tips for social media in this one as well.

Tony Robbins Podcast – Subscribe Here
Tony doesn’t post a podcast as often as the above two folks. That said, whenever he does, it’s typically filled with gold! You’ll always walk away inspired, motivated and challenged to take some kind of action that’s going to positively impact your life and business. As a side note, if you haven’t watched his Netflix documentary I’m Not Your Guru yet… make it a priority!

Entreleadership – Subscribe Here
From the folks at Dave Ramsey comes a brilliant podcast for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs filled with interviews from brilliant entrepreneurs. In other words, if you want to get better to running a business, get this podcast on your list. You’re going to learn something every week. No joke!

Mind Your Business Podcast – Subscribe Here
Mindset matters, and James Wedmore teaches this from an entrepreneurial perspective. I’ll be straight with you. Sometimes this show is a little “out there” for me. But I love that it challenges me to think differently. To evaluate my beliefs on certain things. To consider fresh perspectives. Your attitude is going to have a PROFOUND impact on every aspect of your business. From auditions to recording to marketing. This podcast will help you get it right.

Check out these 5 Must-Subscribe Podcasts if you want to become a better #vopreneur
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Always Be Learning New Things

Let me be straight with you. I enjoy watching some TV as much as the next guy. Sometimes I come down on it, but only because it can be a HUGE time-sucking vampire, and we don’t even realize it. How many times have you plopped down on the couch, turned on Netflix and suddenly lost six hours?

If you even took back one of those hours to listen to a podcast it would change your business.

The other thing about podcasts is they’re so accessible. I mean, if you’re going to be in your vehicle anyway, why not?!

Heck, I’ll even throw on my headphones and listen to a podcast while I’m mowing my lawn… that’s 45 minutes of learning time right there while I’m doing a task that needs to get done.

There are so many ways to invest in your learning that don’t cost you a dime.

These five podcasts are a really great place to start!

Got any other ones you’d suggest? I’d love to hear about them. Leave them in the comments are send me an email. I’m always looking out for great new shows to listen to!

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Why I’m Going To WoVOCon 2

Who wouldn’t love to spend a couple days in Las Vegas? Especially if you’re a Canadian. In Southern Ontario. Where there’s currently a Freezing Rain Warning in effect. And the temps have barely climbed above the freezing point in, oh, say, five or six months!

Yeah. Vegas sounds pretty awesome right about now.

I’ve wanted to make the trek to WoVOCon 2 ever since I first heard about it. There was one big thing holding me back. The exchange rate. Now is not a great time to be a Canadian traveling to the U.S, at a cost of about $0.25 on the dollar!

So I put if off. “Maybe next year,” I told myself. All the while, still wanting to be able to attend.

To Go Or Not To Go…

WoVOCon 2 Las Vegas 2015Sunday night I didn’t sleep hardly a wink. All I could think about was the impending deadline for conference registration. I also couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling in my gut that going was the right thing to do.

Monday night I returned home from a training session at the fire hall and immediately sat down with my Macbook. I started shopping for flights. I was looking for the best possible deal I could find on the hotel (Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa). I was calculating currency conversions, pricing out travel insurance, and guesstimating how much cash I’d need for the weekend.

Then I registered for WoVOCon 2 (with less than an hour to spare). As soon as I did… I felt total peace. I knew I had made the right decision. Everything else, from here on out, I believed, will sort itself out. One way or another.

The Pieces Fall Into Place

Things immediately began to sort themselves out.

First up… as I was preparing to enter my credit card to pay the conference fee, I received a PayPal deposit (in USD) from a client. That payment covered more than half the registration, which saved me a bunch on exchange for the remaining balance. Awesome!

As it turned out, I was able to redeem Aeroplan miles I’ve been saving for a couple years. Sure, I’m taking some less than stellar red eye flights, and making connections at half the airports in America… but that only adds to the excitement of the adventure! Plus… thanks to those miles, I’m flying First Class! Total cost… $38!!

Next up was the hotel. Thanks to a rather timely promotion from Hotels.com (whom I’ve happily used for years), I was able to score a sweet deal on a great room and it was in Canadian funds. No exchange required! Approximate savings on room and exchange… $150.

Sometimes God is waiting for us to take the first step. Once we do, He blesses our socks off! Click to Tweet

Why I’m Going To WoVOCon 2

invest in learningThere are two pieces of advice I preach consistently.

  1. Surround yourself with like-minded people who will support your dream and build you up.
  2. Investments in yourself, your business and your future always produce extraordinary ROI.

Those two pieces of advice were the deciding factor in my final decision. Call it practicing what I preach!

The idea of spending a couple of days surrounded by voice over professionals that are all trying to learn and build and grow their businesses excites me.

Having the opportunity to learn from some of the most talented and respected people in our industry fires me up.

Where There’s A Will

I’m just like you… I’ve got a voice over dream. I want to continue to grow my business. I want to succeed. I’ve got big goals and great hope for a prosperous and abundant future.

It would’ve been easy for me to justify skipping out. As I already mentioned, the exchange rate alone right now is a great excuse! Thing is, you don’t build a dream on excuses. You build a dream on actions. Part of the entrepreneurial spirit is taking a problem and finding a solution.

That’s what I did. I didn’t make excuses. I found a way to get my butt to Vegas! With a decision, a little creative thinking, and a whole lot of favour from God, this trip is happening.

What is it you want to do? What goal? What dream?

What’s holding you back? What excuses are you feeding yourself? What obstacles are you allowing to hold yourself back?

I’m living proof that when you cast all of that aside and open up the door for the impossible, it’s not too long before you’re pointed in a direction that makes it possible.

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Finding A Good Voice Over Coach

In last weeks video tip I discussed the value of coaching. Having had the opportunity to work with some really great producers during my nearly two decades in broadcasting, I know what a difference a good coach can make!

This week the World-Voices Twitter Chat was on the subject of Predatory Coaches and Demo Mills. It was a very enlightening chat filled with plenty of valuable information.

The cold, hard truth is, there are a ton con-men out there. I know the term sounds strong, but let’s be honest. What else do you call someone who promises the moon, takes all your money and delivers nothing of value? Con-men, if I’m being entirely frank, might actually be a mild term!

Finding A Good Voice Over Coach

Knowing there are so many bad coaches out there, where does one turn to find a good one? An honest one? A coach that will actually help you develop your voice over skills?

I put this question out to a large group of professional voice actors recently in a Facebook group. The suggestions and recommendations began to pour in rather quickly.

Let me be upfront with you in saying that I have not personally worked with most of these individuals in a coaching capacity. However, based on the number of recommendations that were given, and from whom these recommendations came, I feel confident listing their names on my blog.

Voice Over Coaches To Consider

stamp of approvalNancy Wolfson – Unquestionably the most recommended name.

Pat Fraley – I had the opportunity to attend a workshop lead by Pat. He’s brilliant!

Marc Cashman – His resume speaks for itself!

Terry Daniel – He produces an incredible amount of content. He knows his stuff! .

Roy B Yokelson – Roy’s name has come to me repeatedly as a trusted coach.

September Day Carter – Highly recommended for those new to voice over.

This list is by no means intended to be a comprehensive list of voice over coaches. However, these are definitely some of the most recommended names that I’ve received in my attempts to compile a list. They’ll provide you with a solid starting point, and they’ll steer you well clear of predatory coaches.

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Why I Recommend Voice Over Coaching Every Time

On a near weekly basis, I receive emails and notes from people who are looking to “break in” to the voice over business. They come to me looking for advice.

The truth is, most of them are coming to me looking for easy answers to fast track them to fame and riches and glory.

I have none of those.

Every single voice over rookie that comes to me receives the exact same advice, “invest in a coach.”

“But I want to buy a fancy microphone.”

“But I want to build my studio.”

“But I’m shopping for an agent.”

Again, I tell them, “invest in a coach.” The end.

Why I Recommend Coaching Every Time

trainingFor the next six weeks, two nights a week for three hours each night, I’m taking a recertification course for Emergency Medical Responder. This is part of my training as a firefighter. I have to re-certify every three years.

Show of hands… if you call 911 for a medical emergency of any kind, from a serious vehicle collision to chest pains, who wants the first responders arriving on scene to be well trained?

I see you all have your hands up.

Now, who wants to call 911 and have a well meaning individual who “always wanted to be an emergency worker” but has zero training to arrive on scene?

I see all your hands went down.

Why do people assume voice over is any different?

People spend years in schooling to become lawyers and doctors and electricians and teachers. People take continual training to be firefighters and heavy equipment operators and web developers.

But for some reason, so many people assume that with zero training or experience whatsoever, they can buy a microphone and call themselves a professional voice actor.

Why is that?

If You Want The Dream Invest In It

Personal-Development-Coaching1I get the voice over dream. I really do. My voice over dream started when I was a kid!

Believe it or not, I want you to succeed! If you come to me for advice and genuinely want to build a career in voice over, I want to see that happen for you.

But the first thing I’m going to tell you is invest in some coaching.

Who knows, after a couple sessions a coach may say you’ve got a natural ability and you’ll be well on your way. Or maybe it’ll take a little longer to develop your skill and craft.

Either way, if voice over is truly your dream, isn’t it worth the investment?

There is no short cut to success. Not in this industry or any other. If you want to achieve it, you’ve got to put the effort in.

After you’ve read this, if you’re still looking for advice or want some recommendations for coaches, drop me a line. I’d be happy to help you out.

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I’ve Met Your Competition

Golden graph chartThere’s no question the voice over business is a competitive one. I do this full-time. I believe I do a great job for my clients. I’m grateful for the success I’ve already achieved and for the success I know is in my future.

But I struggle.

It’s hard. There are thousands upon thousands of other very talented people with microphones and computers and studios and voices.

My competition.

Your competition. Continue reading I’ve Met Your Competition