The VOHeroes Podcast

Hey there, hero!

If you're as big a fan of language, expression, narration and audiobooks as I am, and if you care about proper usage and what is required to do your own public domain audiobook narration, this is the episode for you.

I had a chance to spend some time with Mignon Fogarty, discussing all that and more.

Enjoy this visit with one of my heroes, Grammar Girl.

If you're a writ...

Hey there, hero!

Ever been in the situation where you have an abundance of great choices?

An embarrassment of riches when it comes to solutions, any one of which would be great?

Does it stop you from making a decision on which to choose?

I mean, how often do you have a bunch of options...that are all good?

Here's a hall pass for choosing any one of them that would work out for you.<...

Hey there, hero!

Knowing your brand is essential, but once we determine the boundaries of our brand we might mistakenly misuse that knowledge.

In this episode, I'm going to give you two examples around opportunities and your brand.

Your brand can be your first filter, but then...I have a secret weapon for you. And it depends who is asking - if you're searching, or if someone is searching for you...

Hey there, hero!

Does the world these days tend to make you angry? I know there are aspects of our existence that piss me off.

And I want to delete those things. Don't you?

James Clear helped set me straight. You know, the guy who wrote Atomic Habits?

He got me again this week with something in his newsletter.

Once you hear it (I repeat it, it's so good!), let me know your thou...

Hey there, hero!

The consideration you make for a single role in an on-camera or stage opportunity and the many many characters you might play in an audiobook...

...means your personal brand is likely going to be less of a discriminator.

You're not auditioning for that one character.

You're auditioning for the entire cast.

Once you let that marinate...does that help? Or does th...

Hey there, hero!

My grandfather was a funny, smart cookie. He wasn't a performer, rather my grandfather was a plumber.

I'm not really shocked anymore at how many lessons I learned from him, even though he was a tradesman, about how to execute my occupation and run my business.

One of the basic rules he lived by was to be damn sure he had a measure of a job before he executed the plumbing needed....

Hey there, hero!

Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody fails at things. All. The. Time.

Instead of being solely embarrassed about it, and fearful that failure might become the norm, why not make light of your mistakes?

Even...celebrate them?

You'll hear what I did in this episode.

Sound familiar? How did you handle it? Let me know in the comments below.

REQUEST: Please join t...

Hey there, hero!

We may not have control over what happens to us in life.

Sometimes, it's our doing.

Sometimes, life happens with no input from us.

And although we might not be the cause of some event in our life, there is one thing that we can control: how we react to it.

And I'm telling you, your choices on how to react are far more numerous than you think.

And being...

Hey there, hero!

This one is worth listening to without the distraction of video. Wear headphones or earbuds, seat them properly and listen.

And, I'm gonna warn you. I tear up a bit in this podcast episode.

Because of the power of human breathing.

How breaths are used run the gamut from comedic to tragic to frantic to romantic.

And I'm on a mission to give you a permanent permi...

Hey there, hero!

It's a pretty simple question, but we might fly right by it because we see it as a huge issue.

We face things all the time that have the potential of being an issue...

...but it might be worth taking a moment and determining whether it's actually real or not.

When you're worried about something...take a moment and survey whether you're worried about nothing. I...

Hey there, hero!

We hear the phrase "game changer" all the time. And we take for granted that it's a major shift that leads to a victory.

Is that always what it means? And is it always huge, monumental or unexpected?

I'd love to know how you define a game-changing moment or development or shift.

Can you even recognize it? When you haven't experienced the effects of this &...

Hey there, hero!

The rest of that quote (from Helen Keller) is really important to know.

Life in general, and our chosen path in life (being an artist) specifically, has some twists and turns in store for us.

Some unexpected stops, some uphill climbs and some out of control skids.

Some bends in the road.

Unless...you are watching, vigilant and prepared.

I wonder how you handle t...

Hey there, hero!

Taking care of ourselves is paramount - as actors, voice talent, writers and other creatives, we don't have an office infirmary and an in-person support community when we are in need of self-care.

And one area where your personal mental and physical health can be threatened is when you choose to disagree with someone's point of view...especially in online communication.

The anon...

Hey there, hero!

I feel like I'm a weird artist. When I'm designing a performance, I work toward something that I can rely on, in a character, in business, in life, and then, if I can, lathering, rinsing and repeating.

And I feel like I'm in the minority - I see most other artists achieving great performances, and then instead of repeating those performances, immediately trying to change it up.
...

Hey there, hero!

When trying to understand a problem or challenge, while getting to the root of the problem and then on to the solution, we often ask "Why is this happening?"

Great question. It's worth getting an answer, and one way to do that is to use a process that some call "about five WHYs" - asking "why?" over and over.

Begin with the general question and describe ...

Hey there, hero!

We continue with the second of two episodes hearing from NAVA's Carin Gilfry, and in this installment, she gets a bit more personal about her own decisions when it comes to AI, and in particular why she decided to take the plunge...

...and arrange to have her voice modeled for future AI and synthetic use.

You might be surprised that a talent would not only consider doing this, but fo...

Hey there, hero!

One of my fave people in VO is NAVA's Carin Gilfry, and in this first of a two part series, she shares with us how NAVA (the National Association of Voice Actors at navavoices.org) is working on behalf of all voice actors and lots of different areas: DEI, representation, insurance and more.

Including...AI and synthetic voices.

If you want to know what the NAVA group is up to and how ...

Hey there, hero!

Do you find the random irregularity and odd, weird opportunities that are the bulk of our business...annoying?

Does the lack of a regular, traditional 40-hour work week make you...irritated?

I want to help you be at peace with this - and help you with a bit of advice on how to help set up your performer life so that you're prepared for these opportunities.

Because the opport...

Hey there, hero!

Clara Tristan is an excellent host and a wise woman.

She casually dropped that phrase...when you create something, you automatically serve others...with me when I appeared on her podcast.

And it so resonated with me, and hopefully for you - specifically because of the type of business we're in.

I mean, you can doubt your level of experience and accomplishment, and look at yo...