Loneliness. Doubt. Knowledge gaps. Distraction. Overwhelm. Rejection.

Voice actors battle these struggles every day and oftentimes they lead to unfocused action, wasted resources, poor decision-making, and feelings of overwhelm (or VO-verwhelm).

Without the right support and resources, it's no wonder why so many voice actors and audiobook narrators burn out before achieving their dreams.

VO-verwhelm is a real thing, and today we’re going to talk about what it is, and how to recognize the feelings of overwhelm, reduce stress, and simplify your VO life.

Here are 7 strategies to tame the overwhelm beast:
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One of the biggest objections I hear from voice actors is I don’t want to be spammy in my email marketing. And I get what people are saying here, and they’re right. They don’t want to be perceived as sending irrelevant, salesy, sleazy messages to poorly targeted, or not targeted at all, people. In other words, if they reach out to prospects, they want that to be a quality engagement and I 110% support that philosophy.

BUT there’s another kind of spam. And it’s this second kind that you may be sending and not even know it. It’s unintentional spam. It’s messaging that you’ve taken the time to craft, taken the time to target your prospects, taken the time to try to do all the things right, and yet it’s not even making it to your prospect’s inbox, because the ESPs, the email service providers are marking it as spam and culling it from the system before you’ve ever had the chance to say Hello.

Today, we’re gonna break down email deliverability, and at the end, we’re gonna give you resources to give yourself the best chance of getting that email delivered safely and soundly.
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There’s ONE thing, one hack, one great secret to growing your VO business. And this one thing is so powerful, it works for not only growing your VO business, but it works for improving your physical fitness, your mental fitness, your emotional intelligence, your relationships. It’s the difference between setting goals and achieving them, between a dream and reality.

And it’s so simple to understand, that any 6th grader can get it, and so obvious, that when I say it you will kick yourself, because you know it’s true.

So, what is this cheat code to all good things? 
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Today, we're talking about the importance of using contracts for voice actors and outline the benefits and protections they offer. This episode emphasizes the need for clear expectations, protection of rights, payment security, scope management, liability limitations, professionalism, and dispute resolution. 

While formal contracts are generally recommended, I also mention situations where email communication may be acceptable as a substitute, such as for informal or small-scale projects with trusted clients or established working relationships. 

However, the acceptance and validity of using email as a substitute may vary depending on jurisdiction and I advise seeking legal advice. 

We wrap up by providing resources, including a book on voiceover legal matters, an AI and Synthetic Voices rider for contract addendum, a recommended entertainment lawyer, and a link to my own policies page for setting clear expectations.
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The NAVA AI/Synthetic Voices Rider: https://navavoices.org/synth-ai/ai-voice-actor-resources/#nava-synth-ai-rider

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Even the most talented freelance creatives…. voice actors, video producers, writers, graphic designers, developers, social media strategists, etc… run into common customer objections that can get in the way of or even completely derail closing deals and booking gigs. 

Today, I’m going to help you do just that. We’ll will explore some common customer objections and provide some valuable strategies to address them so that you can close more deals.
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Tim Friedlander, president of NAVA, the National Association of Voice Actors, discusses the recent victory in which Voices dot com amended their terms of service to address the use of voice actors in AI voices. Tim credits community efforts and demonstrates the power of collective action. 

The fAIr Voices Campaign, focused on ethical AI use, consent, compensation, and control, has been launched. The major voiceover-specific platforms have signed the fAIr Voices pledge, but legislation is needed to protect voice actors from tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Apple. 

NAVA has engaged with politicians and presented before the Copyright Office. The concern extends beyond voice actors to public safety, as synthesized voices can be misused. The pledge is open to corporations, and NAVA plans to reach out to production and video game companies. While progress has been made, further steps are necessary to ensure ethical and fair treatment of voice actors.

https://navavoices.org/synth-ai/

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Over the next five years, one in four jobs is expected to undergo significant changes due to AI, digitization, green energy, and supply chain modifications. While AI may not pose an immediate threat, slow economic growth, supply shortages, and inflation are currently more concerning for job stability. 

The future of earning income is uncertain, with a shift towards freelancing and self-employment, reflecting the growing $1.5 trillion global freelance market. Variable income is becoming the norm, especially for voice actors who need to adapt to changing genres affected by AI. 

Genres like fiction audiobooks, commercials, audio dramas, imaging, promo, documentary, and in-show narration rely on human acting skills and are less likely to be impacted. On the other hand, telephony, audio description, non-fiction audiobooks, compliance-driven training, back titles, encyclopedic, and data-driven content face potential decimation by AI and voice cloning. 

This technological shift also means the gap between established and new voice talent will widen, as AI takes over lower-level tasks previously handled by beginners. To stay in the game, aspiring voice actors should consider additional income streams and offer adjacent services, such as copywriting, proofreading, audio production, video editing, or photography. Developing digital products can also provide unlimited inventory for sale. 

Those freelancing alongside full-time employment should explore smart automation, AI, and current tools to optimize time and scale their side business. Building direct client relationships becomes crucial for voice actors to reduce dependence on casting sites and maximize profits. It's essential to adapt to the changing landscape, where the days of steady paychecks, employer loyalty, and pensions are diminishing. 

However, taking control of one's business, time, and income can be immensely rewarding, offering lifestyle flexibility and the freedom to choose preferred projects and work with like-minded individuals.

The Infinite Game, by Simon Sinek: https://amzn.to/3BcmKVt

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David Ciccerelli and Voices have finally launched their AI product called unshockingly, Voices dot ai. It’s here kids. It’s like the lump of coal you’ve been waiting to get in your stocking for years now. Except Santa-relli has been telling you all along what a good little girl you are. And somehow the whole time you knew the coal car was gonna be backing up with a big black nugget with your name on it.

It's here. Let’s break it down.

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ChatGPT. AI. Text-To-Speech. Speech-To-Speech. Are the digital boogeymen here to decimate our business and take our lunch money? Today, we’ll look specifically at ChatGPT and AI in the larger sense… apps like Revoicer, Respeecher, and Speechelo… and make some sense out of all the hype and fear in the voice acting community.

With the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning, a lot of us are starting to wonder whether that’s enough to keep us relevant moving forward. 

Enter ChatGPT, an AI language model that has been getting a ton of buzz and striking fear into the hearts of some voice actors. 

But what is it, and how does it fit into the world of voice acting?
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How working on Fivver, etc. can damage your career: https://globalvoiceacademy.com/why-i-dont-worry-about-fiverr-anymore/

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