VO Pro: The Business of Voice Over and Voice Acting

My guest today can probably best be described as a force.

When she's in the room, you know it. She is a successful voice actor. She helps people with branding and Linkedin and networking. And most impressively, she is what I call a moonshot taker.

Please welcome to the podcast, my dear friend and work wife, Naked Jen Greenfield.

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GVAA Rate Guide: http://vorateguide.com

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There are currently at the time we’re filming this, allegations against a specific voiceover coach and demo producer.

The concerning part of these allegations is that they’re being made against someone who at one time had a sterling reputation in the voiceover business. They are a highly accomplished voice actor and were for years a trusted coach.

That’s scary stuff. And it’s nightmare fuel for newer and even more experienced voice actors when it comes to vetting reputable coaches. 

Who do you trust? How do you know? Better yet, how do you find out?

Today, I’m going to give you 8 Strategies and a process to help you vet coaches, demo producers, really service providers, so that you can minimize the chances of being taken by dishonest, shiesty people.
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A starter list of reputable VO Facebook groups:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/756101365897795
https://www.facebook.com/groups/533192523873076
https://www.facebook.com/groups/101048829970372
https://www.facebook.com/groups/vocationconference
https://www.facebook.com/groups/globalvoiceovertalent
https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom
https://www.facebook.com/VOSchoolPodcast

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The VO Freedom Master Plan: https://paulschmidtpro.com/vo-freedom-master-plan

The VO Pro Community: https://vopro.app
Use code You15Tube for 15% your subscription for life.

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

The VO Pro Shop: https://paulschmidtpro.com/pro-shop

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

GVAA Rate Guide: http://vorateguide.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.): 

Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO
Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ
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For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-pa

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Linda Bruno has been doing voiceover for a hot minute. Since the '90s. She started out with big, big dreams and made it all happen. She's voiced national campaigns for AT&T, been the voice of Disney Junior for Southeast Asia, and made a "crapload of money," over the course of her more than 30 year career.

I got the chance to chat with her at length about her start, and about how things have changed, gotten better, and gotten worse. Linda loves this business and it shines through in every word. She's now an accomplished coach and helps budding voice actors hone their skills and navigate the business.

This is our chat with Linda Bruno.

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SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@paulschmidtpro?sub_confirmation=1

The VO Freedom Master Plan: https://paulschmidtpro.com/vo-freedom-master-plan

The VO Pro Community: https://vopro.app
Use code You15Tube for 15% your subscription for life.

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

The VO Pro Shop: https://paulschmidtpro.com/pro-shop

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

GVAA Rate Guide: http://vorateguide.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.):
Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO
Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-paulschmidtpro

Way Better than Linktree: https://pillar.io/referral/paulschmidtpro

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This time of year, early January, everybody’s all fired up about their New Year’s resolutions. I hate them. But, I understand them. 

Typically, New Year’s resolutions involve setting goals, broken down into added behaviors. It’s the psychology of achieving more through doing more, and I myself have subscribed to it for a very long time.

But what we don’t talk about is the fact that we all have only 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week. But every year we add all these new behaviors to those days and weeks that are already crammed full of existing behaviors, and by Valentine’s Day that brand new treadmill in the den is now a drying rack for clothes.

And if you’ve been around on the planet long enough and been through enough of these cycles of "set the goal, set the behavior, fail to execute the behavior consistently, give up on the goal," it takes a toll on your self-esteem and the message you eventually drive home to yourself is “I can’t really change my life.”
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SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@paulschmidtpro?sub_confirmation=1

The VO Freedom Master Plan: https://paulschmidtpro.com/vo-freedom-master-plan

The VO Pro Community: https://vopro.app
Use code You15Tube for 15% your subscription for life.

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

The VO Pro Shop: https://paulschmidtpro.com/pro-shop

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

GVAA Rate Guide: http://vorateguide.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.): 

Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO
Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-paulschmidtpro

Way Better than Linktree: https://pillar.io/referral/paulschmidtpro

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Jamie Muffett is one of the smartest people in voice-over. The British expat is an audio engineer, voice actor, coach, conference organizer, and podcaster and that combination of roles gives him a unique and nuanced perspective on our business. 

In this episode, we learn a little about Jamie as a person and how his voice over story could be called "Coming To America." We talk about his disdain for video courses, his impotent rage, and why he started the VO SChool Podcast, the VOcation Conference and eVOcation, The VO Breakfast Show with Carin Gilfry, and more.

This is our chat with Jamie Muffett.

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SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@paulschmidtpro?sub_confirmation=1

The VO Freedom Master Plan: https://paulschmidtpro.com/vo-freedom-master-plan

The VO Pro Community: https://vopro.app
Use code You15Tube for 15% your subscription for life.

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

The VO Pro Shop: https://paulschmidtpro.com/pro-shop

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

GVAA Rate Guide: http://vorateguide.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.): 

Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO 
Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-paulschmidtpro

Way Better than Linktree: https://pillar.io/referral/paulschmidtpro

Send us Fan Mail

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Agent. Actor. Casting Director. Demo Producer. You name it and Tina Morasco has done it and done it all at the highest levels. We've been friends for a couple of years and even I didn't know the depth and breadth of her experience and how that makes her uniquely qualified to be both the Head of Casting at Sound and Fury and the best commercial VO coach I've ever been around.

In our chat, Tina briefly tells her own story, gives me her theory on why 2023 was a slower year in voice over, and why (dear god, why) final spots are so different from the specs we audition to.

If you don't know Tina, I can honestly say your life is worse off for it. She is not only one of the top pros in our business, but one of the top of the top (of the top) people.

This is our interview with Tina Morasco.

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YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@paulschmidtpro?sub_confirmation=1

The VO Freedom Master Plan: https://paulschmidtpro.com/vo-freedom-master-plan

The VO Pro Community: https://vopro.app
Use code You15Tube for 15% your subscription for life.

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

The VO Pro Shop: https://paulschmidtpro.com/pro-shop

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

GVAA Rate Guide: http://vorateguide.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.): 

Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO
Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-paulschmidtpro

Way Better than Linktree: https://pillar.io/referral/paulschmidtpro

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

If you’re like most voice actors, you feel an immense amount of pressure to constantly post content on social media, hoping to use that as a strategy for business development and that takes a ton of time, effort, sweat, and stress.

You’ve got to plan it, conceive it, design it, produce it, and schedule it. Omg, no wonder you’re stressed out about it.

But here’s the thing: you’re probably going to all that trouble for almost nothing in return in terms of revenue produced because of it. The fact is almost every voice actor I know is all over social media, and most voice actors still struggle to build their business. So, what gives?

Here’s what gives: Content marketing on social media sucks as an effective business development strategy for voice actors.

And today we’re going to talk about why that is, why you’re wasting a ton of time, what social media IS good for, and how to properly use it to your advantage.

So here are the Top 5 Biggest Social Media Mistakes Made by Voice Actors.
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▶️ Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/Jf-1qe6jyh8?si=EkNd7M3Q-3HB3W6d

SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@paulschmidtpro?sub_confirmation=1

The VO Freedom Master Plan: https://paulschmidtpro.com/vo-freedom-master-plan

The VO Pro Community: https://vopro.app
Use code You15Tube for 15% your subscription for life.

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

The VO Pro Shop: https://paulschmidtpro.com/pro-shop

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

GVAA Rate Guide: http://vorateguide.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.): 

Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO
Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-paulschmidtpro

Way Better than Linktree: https://pillar.io/referral/paulschmidtpro

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Today, we talk with voice actor Craig Williams. He's a British expat living and working in Houston, TX. Craig has been in voice over for 7 years and brings a unique perspective to the industry because of his upbringing, Scottish heritage, experience as an electrical engineer and club DJ.

In today's episode, we chat about all of that, why he's been in way too many helicopters, the coach that changed his VO career, and why our accountability calls have led to the success both of us have had in our own careers.

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The VO Freedom Master Plan: https://paulschmidtpro.com/vo-freedom-master-plan

The VO Pro Community: https://vopro.app 
Use code You15Tube for 15% your subscription for life.

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

The VO Pro Shop: https://paulschmidtpro.com/pro-shop

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

GVAA Rate Guide: http://vorateguide.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.): 

Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO 
Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-paulschmidtpro

Way Better than Linktree: https://pillar.io/referral/paulschmidtpro

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

You have a choice. Keep doing what you’ve been doing and keep getting what you’ve been getting, or decide you’re done with excuses, done with kidding yourself, and done with half-assing your VO career and your life.

I said it in last week’s episode there are two kinds of people: those who make excuses and those who make it happen. And the fact of the matter is, you can’t make it happen without a plan.

Decide now. You’re either gonna rock the coming year, or it’s gonna rock you. 

The fact is, you already know without me having to ask you if you executed this year or not. If you kept the promises you made to yourself or not. If you were consistent or not.

Doing the same things next year that you did this year only makes sense if you made significant progress this year. If you didn’t, and you’ve decided you’re done making excuses and you’re going to make it happen, then listen up.

Today, I’m going to give you a 6-point plan – a framework for killing it in the coming year.
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▶️ Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/mR1wCMAe5tI?si=BxpFxTtZzT5klmtk

SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@paulschmidtpro?sub_confirmation=1

The VO Freedom Master Plan: https://paulschmidtpro.com/vo-freedom-master-plan

The VO Pro Community: https://vopro.app
Use code You15Tube for 15% your subscription for life.

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

The VO Pro Shop: https://paulschmidtpro.com/pro-shop

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

GVAA Rate Guide: http://vorateguide.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.): 

Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO
Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-paulschmidtpro

Way Better than Linktree: https://pillar.io/referral/paulschmidtpro

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

If you’re a professional voice actor or audiobook narrator, your job is to stay in the game as long as possible. Voiceover is not a long game. It’s an infinite game.

Author Simon Sinek says that in finite games, like football or chess, the players are known, the rules are fixed, and the endpoint is clear. The winners and losers are easily identified. In infinite games, like business or voiceover or life itself, the players come and go, the rules are changeable, and there is no defined endpoint.

In VO, the players come and go all the time. Every day people come into and get out of this business. The rules of voice over change all the time… this audition wants natural and authentic, this one wants classic announcer, the next wants something offbeat and quirky, and on and on. And of course in voice over and in business there is no defined endpoint. That’s why so often you hear it referred to as a journey. There is no destination.

Again, your number one job if you’re a pro VO: stay in the game.

So, what are the biggest threats to you staying in the game? Well, that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about today. Here are The 6 Reasons You’ll Quit Voice Over.
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SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@paulschmidtpro?sub_confirmation=1

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Use code You15Tube for 15% your subscription for life.

The Infinite Game, by Simon Sinek: https://amzn.to/3sOaWZd
It Takes What It Takes, by Trevor Moawad: https://amzn.to/3Rlhojy
Everything Is Figureoutable, by Marie Forleo: https://amzn.to/46F87aB

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

The VO Pro Shop: https://paulschmidtpro.com/pro-shop

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

GVAA Rate Guide: http://vorateguide.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.): 

Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO 
Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-paulschmidtpro

Way Better than Linktree: https://pillar.io/referr

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show