Leah Arscott

Rising Above a Voiceover Creative Slump

February 6, 2023 by Leah Arscott

Do you work in a creative industry and tend to feel pressure to be innovative? Are you an on-camera talent or voice actor having trouble booking work because you are in a creative slump? Well, I have good news for you. We have all been there, so here are some exciting and diverse tactics to get out of your voiceover creative slump.

To have the ability and luxury of working in a creative field is something many people dream of. This may be because they need help finding a creative job that provides financial stability. I never had the luxury of working in a creative industry for the first half of my life, although I tried to be innovative in my administrative jobs. My supervisors knew I had a creative knack and tried their best to accommodate me, but most of my previous jobs have been pushing paper.

Inspiring Change in Your Voiceover Creative Slump

If your job requires creative thinking, consider yourself lucky and grateful. To be creative is a skill that many need to possess. Most of us live a very routine life, generally doing the same tasks daily, and while some are ok with that, some are not. Although many like routine, others prefer to use their five senses to see, hear, smell, taste, or touch new and exciting things. Isn’t that what life is all about?

Trying New Creative Tactics

Although working in a creative industry allows you to enjoy your work by thinking outside the box, sometimes, we can find ourselves in a rut. We may have used our best ideas and cannot think of more. Authors often call this writer’s block. Experiencing a creative block is normal, and there are tactics to use to break this cycle. They can recharge your creative juices and encourage overall happiness and fulfillment in your career.

Get Out of Your Regular Routine

This is the simplest way to get out of a creative slump. It could be as simple as changing the order in which you do your daily routine. Once you’ve changed your brain, you may experience a new and creative thought or idea.

Stop Grinding Away in a Voiceover Creative Slump

You won’t have the luxury of completely walking away from your current position; that isn’t what we mean here. Sometimes you need to step away from a situation temporality, even for just a few minutes, to see things differently. You could turn off your computer for an hour, go for lunch, take a walk, or chat with a co-worker. This could be all you need for your creativity to return.

Brainstorm & Collaborate

Trying various forms of brainstorming is an excellent way to get out of a creative slump. Different methods include mind mapping, star bursting, rapid ideation, role-storming, or word association. There are many ways to release new brainstorming techniques, which could lead to creative thinking. My favorite method of brainstorming is to do so with other peers, as they could pull out various ideas and thoughts that could lead your team down a beautiful road of creative thinking.

Rest and Rejuvenate

Similar to point two, get some rest. Rest will allow the brain to be in default mode. In this restful state, your brain becomes more flexible and novel. Experts think this is then when the creative lightbulb moments occur. It helps to switch on your divergent thinking. Meditation is also an excellent way to open the brain to think more creatively. Connecting to nature is a beautiful way to truly rest, which helps the brain come to a sense of calmness, allowing for more innovative thinking.

Travel or Review Past Trips

Travel is a beautiful way to get out of a creative slump. The world is diverse and full of various people, ages, cultures, and attitudes. Many ideas will occur once you leave your town, city, country, or continent. For example, many of us enjoy eating chicken. How many ways can we prepare chicken, three or four if we like to cook? If you were to vacation to another country, you would no doubt learn another 3-4 ways to prepare the same chicken. I have traveled to 29 countries to date, and during my younger days, I spent quite a bit traveling throughout Europe and the Caribbean.

I saw many exciting cultures, tasted many interesting foods, learned amazing dances, and met the most incredible people. I didn’t realize it then, but I was able to tap into so many resources that would help me later in my voiceover career. I picked up on different accents, which enabled me to audition. I can connect with my clients regarding their country and culture when interacting with them. I can think of creative ways to ad-lib in my auditions because I understand the target market of their country. I also know their culture’s business etiquette because I’ve interacted with their residents. These skills are invaluable, and I didn’t realize it then. I can’t speak enough about how important those years of travel were to my voiceover business.

Get Some Fresh Air & Exercise

Exercising is a wonderful way to boost creativity. Scientists believe that exercising can help boost endorphins which increase blood flow and can help to produce a happiness boost which helps fuel original or abstract thoughts. When I audition 20-30x a day, I repeat my methods, and my energy starts to fade. When this occurs, I turn off my computer, put on my shoes, and head for a 20-30 min walk. Upon arriving home, I feel awake and happier, with a sense of accomplishment. I jump back in my booth feeling confident, which always leads to a better, more realistic performance.

Do Something Inspirational to Rise Above a Voiceover Creative Slump

This one may seem obvious but try your hand at a creative activity. As a voice actor, I take coaching sessions with a class to hear other voice actors’ skills. You could take up painting, dancing, photography, cooking, singing, creative writing, gardening, or interior design; the list is endless. There are so many diverse activities one can do that will no doubt spark some creative synapsis in the brain.

It’s completely normal to fall into a creative slump at times, especially if we regularly work in a field that requires new and exciting ideas. If you fall into one of those modes, refer to the list above to help break the cycle and get you back to your unique, authentic creative self!

Benefits of Being a Voiceover Entrepreneur

February 4, 2023 by Leah Arscott

Have you dreamed of starting your own business but need to know how to start it? Are you afraid of all the pitfalls that may come from getting started? Let’s discuss why it’s great to own a business and be a voiceover entrepreneur.

Searching for Opportunities

If you were to tell me ten years ago that I would be a business owner and an entrepreneur, I would have never believed you. Being a small business owner was never my life plan, and the idea seemed overwhelming, confusing, and scary. I have always worked with reputable companies such as Sears, Guess, Allstate, Oracle, and the Canadian Government.

I tried to seek jobs at larger companies because they had paid training, paid time off, benefits, pensions, etc. Although working with a large company has its perks, life has an exciting way of shaking things up. I always appreciated working for a large company and loved the camaraderie with my co-workers, the paid vacation time, and the stability. I never considered running my own business, but now that I am on the flip side, I see some great benefits to working for myself.

At one of my previous places of employment, a co-worker decided to quit her stable job and move to another company. My co-workers were shocked and awed that she would ever consider leaving, and there was quite a bit of chatter behind the scenes about her decision. Even I got caught up wondering why she would leave such a stable job. During that time, my friend at work said, “Leah, you know there is life outside these walls, right?” Many people who don’t work here lead very normal, happy, successful lives. This may not be the best place to work.” Those words fell on deaf ears back then but ring true now.

Becoming a Serious Voiceover Entrepreneur

When I started in voiceover, it was just a side hustle for me with no real intention of turning it into a full-time gig. To my surprise, after a lot of hard work, it has turned into a very stable career. As someone who loves financial stability, betting on myself was scary, and I mean terrifying. I was laid off from my job during the Covid 19 pandemic, and my best option was to make voiceover work. After trusting the process, all worked out very well, and I have come to have a whole new appreciation for being my own boss.

In my previous work life, I would wake up early and didn’t get the recommended hours of sleep each night. I often found myself stressed with the week’s priorities, always watching the clock to ensure I arrived on time, took breaks and lunches, and never left early. My weekly 1:1’s were full of anxiety, not to mention all the office politics. The staff was friendly, and it was mostly a positive work environment.

The Benefits of Being a Voiceover Entrepreneur

The benefits of being a voiceover entrepreneur have been incredible. Although nothing in life is perfect, being an entrepreneur is worth the challenges. My favorite things about working for myself include the following:

Making my own schedule: This is my favorite thing about working for myself. You absolutely can NOT put a price on time, and making my schedule brings me joy daily. I don’t take this for granted. I can wake up when I want, work when I want, take days off when I want, and plan a vacation anytime. I don’t feel guilty when I want to sleep in. I listen to my body and perform better because I am rested and ready to do my best.

Work from anywhere, anytime: The beauty of voiceover in the digital age is that most artists can work from home. How amazing is that? In the golden age of voiceover, you had to live near a large urban city and travel to the studio to audition and record work. We need a professional home studio and good WIFI, and we can work from anywhere. I recently heard a success story of a voice actor who retro-fitted her van and works from all over the continental US. How amazing is that? One of my dreams would be to spend winters in Aruba. I’d have a studio in my home in Canada and a studio there. I’ll have to manifest that one.

Unlimited earning and learning potential: Working for myself has taught me much about business and other fantastic life skills. I only learned what was tailored to my role in other jobs, but now I am competent in the following:

Accounting
Collections
Forecasting
Marketing
Search engine optimization (SEO)
Lead generation
Customer service
Audio editing and recording
Acting
Improv
On-camera auditions
eLearning
IVR
Commercial acting
Leadership
Problem-solving
Communication
Media production
Social media marketing
And much more!

It would not be easy to learn all those skills in one position. I’m only five years into my business, and I can’t wait to see what other skills I will add as my voiceover business grows.

Answering only to myself: At my old jobs, I had to ask permission and get approval for days off, vacation time, or even taking a break. Now, I am the boss and accountable, and there is a lot of freedom in that.

Creative freedom: I can be as creative as I wish in my voiceover roles. In my line of work, creativity is vital and encouraged. I try to be as diverse as possible with the jobs I audition for daily. There is always room to play, laugh, have fun, and give as much energy as possible.

No glass ceiling: Working for myself, my opportunity to earn an income is up to me. It is directly related to how much time and effort I put into this. A significant amount of time in the audio booth is required to be successful at voiceover, so if I want to succeed, I have to work hard daily.

Start Your Journey as a Voiceover Entrepreneur

If you’re interested in learning more about working for yourself and being an entrepreneur, ask any of your friends or family about their experience. LinkedIn has some great courses to give you the encouragement you need to get started.

Is Voiceover a Good Side Hustle?

February 4, 2023 by Leah Arscott

So you’ve heard about this job or career called “voice over,” and you’re curious to learn more about it. You may know a little already because you know someone who does voiceover as a side hustle, and you’re interested in getting into it yourself. There are more voice actors than ever before. Because of the amount of work available today, producing quality content is essential. Perhaps it’s because we live in a very digital world, and working from home is appealing. More people than ever are getting into the world of VO.

It Starts With Voiceover as a Side Hustle

As a diverse, millennial, and contemporary voice actor, I got started in VO because I heard it was a good side hustle. It was the summer of 2018, and I had already worked at my Canadian government job for nine years. I had good roles at my place of work, but ultimately most of the positions were administrative. It paid the bills, but it wasn’t the most exciting job.

I pushed around papers and made a lot of spreadsheets, and after a while, most of what I was doing became mundane. I had begun to notice that many of my friends were picking up side hustles to make a little extra cash in their spare time. One friend had a side hustle as a model, another made beautiful cakes, another did eyelashes, and another micro-blading for eyebrows.

Before the Side Hustle Job

I was sitting at work one day completely bored and took out a pen and made a long list of potential side hustles. One that was interesting was teaching English to international students. And that was the one I chose. So, for two months in the summer of 2018, I taught English to Japanese students online. It was great. I enjoyed teaching English, and the students I met were very friendly. I even got to teach English to some famous Japanese soccer players. Although I enjoyed what I did, the money could have been better. After two months, I realized I’d rather be outside in the summer than sit in front of my computer.

So back to the drawing board! The following week I was at work again, sitting at my desk, downtrodden about my failed side hustle, and my phone beeped. A message had come in. My best friend Natasha Thompson said, “Hey, Girl, I heard of a cool side hustle. It’s voiceover, and you can do it from home. Here’s a website with more information; it’s voices.com.” And that was the text that changed my life – although I didn’t know it then.

“Voice over. Hmm. that does sound interesting.” I thought.

Research, Planning, and Preparation

I stumbled upon a commercial demo of a voice actress on YouTube 1-2 years prior as I was studying for college one day. Listening to her demo, I thought, “Wow, she is so talented. How could I ever do something like that?” But that was just a fleeting thought, and after a few minutes of imagining life as a voice actor, it seemed too overwhelming, and I went back to studying.

After seeing Natasha’s text, I went to the website she mentioned, with hundreds of freelancers highlighting their voiceover skills, and I was instantly intrigued. That evening, I raced home to tell my husband, and he advised me not to rush into anything but to take my time and research, as a job like this requires a commitment of money and time.

Turning Voiceover as a Side Hustle Into a Career

And he was right. Every year I was always getting into something new that would cost money and time. So between July and November of 2018, I took my time and learned everything I could about the voiceover industry. I researched how to get started, how much it would cost, what goals to set, and whether I should try this as a side hustle or a full-time gig.

By the fall of 2018, I was still very interested in voiceover and did some planning. We decided to wait until Black Friday to purchase equipment. We went to the music store for a microphone, music stand, and a pre-amp. I also ordered studio foam and a moving blanket on Amazon for sound insulation. I had also contacted voices.com to purchase their annual Premium membership, which was on sale.

We went home, set up the equipment (well, my husband did; I am not techy at all), and I tried my hand at my first audition. I had no idea what I was doing, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. I’ve mentioned before that if I could make my career all over again, I would have gotten coaching before jumping in head first auditioning. Instead, I explored how far I could take this with zero experience.

Eventually, it worked out for me, and I booked my first job one week later for a great company, and slowly but surely, things picked up.

Are You Interested in Voiceover as a Side Hustle?

Voice Over can be a great side hustle, but some factors must be met to succeed. Voiceover today is highly competitive, with many experienced actors booking regular work. They are skilled, have a coach, and incredible state-of-the-art studios. They have professional demos, direct marketing in place with optimized websites, and long lists of clients who are very happy with their work. So, the opportunities are there, but you only get what you put in.

When I started in VO, I was only on one pay and play platform; voices.com. I auditioned about 15-20 times a day and booked about 5-6 jobs a month for approximately $1000 USD. Those were my statistics. I had no professional demos or coaching, but I did fully complete a profile on voices.com so clients could find me quickly on their platforms. I would come home for lunch each day, do 5-6 auditions, and then do more after work. The additional income helped with the bills and funded the vacations we had lined up throughout the year.

The Jump to Full-Time Voiceover Talent

Deciding to make voiceover a full-time gig is what changed my business. I was laid off from work during COVID, and I had no choice but to make it work. That was when I had to put the pedal to the metal and dig deep to proceed with all the tactics at my disposal. I hired a professional coach, acquired a commercial demo, built a website, and created a marketing plan. The same month I received my commercial demo, everything changed monumentally. I saw a significant difference in my income within four weeks. I couldn’t believe it. That demo changed everything. It told my potential customers that I am a “committed professional voice actor,” Finally, potential clients took me seriously.

The Reality of a Side Hustle

I went from part-time to full-time millennial voice actor in a year and a half. That is a relatively quick trajectory from what I understand from other voice actors, but I trusted the process and believed it would work. Many successful voice actors only do it part-time and still hold a day job as a lawyer, doctor, or government official. They may want to keep voiceover as a side hustle so they can play and be creative without the pressure of earning.

It’s your choice. I started it intentionally as a side hustle with no desire to take it full-time until I had no choice. Plus, I enjoyed what I was doing and found it addictive. There’s always another opportunity coming your way: a new audition or a new client. If you don’t get this job, no problem, be consistent with your efforts, and another opportunity will come to your inbox soon. It’s always a fantastic feeling when you book a job!

How to Jump Start Your Voiceover Career

If you want to be successful, I recommend researching and planning with maximum effort. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting your time and money. Here are the items you’ll need to get set up!

Set up your studio to sound as professional as possible
Get professional coaching
Have a professional demo made with a reputable producer
Sign up on pay-to-play websites
Get a website (voiceactorwebsites are the best loaded with SEO)
Participate in direct marketing
Audition, Audition, Audition for diverse jobs

This list can be daunting for most. Each month I have inquiries from friends or family on how to get started in voiceover. I tell them what to do and remind them to set small goals, and success will come. Your ability to be diverse will get you where you want to be.

Voiceover can be an outstanding side hustle if you do it right. Just take your time to get set up, trust in the process, and you can do it!

My Dream Voice Over Jobs

January 26, 2023 by Leah Arscott

Many voice actors want to get into the business for various reasons. For some, it’s the idea of having a sustainable business where you only answer to yourself and make your own schedule. While all actors love that benefit, many also have a dream voice over job they would love to snag.

Many voice actors were introduced to the field by various Saturday morning cartoons. They were mesmerized by incredibly dynamic characters who perfected their voices each year and couldn’t imagine their lives without these crazy personalities. This was the case for accomplished Canadian voice actor Eric Bauza. His obsession with all things Loony Toons led him to perfect the voicing of each character which eventually got him hired by top-tier Toronto and Los Angeles agents. He became the official voice of Bugs Bunny and later scored himself an Emmy award! What a career!

Goals Lead to Success

Not every voice actor had Eric’s luck, but we work year after year to achieve the slightest amount of success. Regardless of our trajectory in the voice over world, we can all agree it’s vital to have goals! Setting annual goals allows us to achieve success and have fun in the process (see the last blog about how to goal set). Now that we understand what we want to achieve, we must have specific projects we want to accomplish in our business.

If you’re a casting director, perhaps one dream job would be to cast on a project nominated for an Emmy or Oscar. If you’re a Film Director, maybe a goal would be to work on a project with top-tier actors or in an exotic destination.

Be Transparent About Your Aspirations

Many voice-over coaches and mentors have advised us to consider which dream projects we would love to work on. Visualization and manifestation are significant factors in accomplishing your goals. It took me quite a while to identify my dream voice over roles or projects. Let’s outline them in detail and see if any of them come true in years to come.

Dream Job #1 Commercial Voiceover

My first dream job is to book a national television commercial! Any voice actor knows that the bread and butter of the industry are television commercials. Typically, they pay the most for the least amount of work. Any voice actor getting started gets coached in the commercial genre before any others. The commercial demo is the equivalent of earning your MBA. With that demo in hand, you can perform auditions for big commercial projects. This demo is usually required to book a top-tier agent in New York or Los Angeles.

Dream Job #2 is Brand Voiceover

My second dream job would be cast as the official voice of a brand. Companies like Allstate, Geico, Kia, and Tangerine all choose brand voices that are unique, recognizable, and consistent. The voice of a brand doesn’t necessarily mean guaranteed work indefinitely, but it can last for six months to three years on average.

Having one voice for your brand establishes a recognizable identity, creates consistency, and helps you to stand out. There is a ton of information and statistics about why a brand voice is valuable to a business, and it’s a worthy goal for a professional. Performing as the band voice of a non-profit would be ideal, or anywhere my voice can help to make a difference.

Documentary Narration is Voice Over Dream Job #3

My third dream job would be to narrate a documentary on a major station. I have always been a fan of documentaries. I’m not an avid reader, but when I do, I reach for a non-fiction book over a fiction one. I have always enjoyed learning about a topic or a period in history; a documentary is a great way to do that.

Media like the History Channel, PBS, Netflix, and Amazon are all good options for channels that contain hundreds of documentary topics. Next time you watch a documentary listen to the voice and notice how it never takes over the message but perfectly balances it with the intrigue of storytelling.

Reality TV is Voice Over Dream Job #4

My fourth choice is similar to number three; to narrate a reality TV show. HGTV and the Discovery Channel are great examples of TV narration. I have been a fan of shows like Caribbean Life and Beachfront Bargain Hunters for many years, and the voice over style helps add intrigue and excitement to the show. Other reality tv shows, such as American Idol, The Voice, or Love Island, also use an actor to help narrate the story.

Voice Over Dream Job #5 is Character & Animation

I would love to work on more character projects. Some of my favorite projects were animation or character jobs, with other voice actors joining in the session. Playing characters is so much fun, and the creativity level is through the roof. If the other actors are there with you, the energy is unmatched. Listening to other voices is a dose of inspiration that can last for weeks.

Experiencing Big-City Collaboration is Dream Job #6

Lastly, I would like to travel to a big city like New York or Los Angeles and be in-studio for a great voice over project. From 2020 and beyond, working from home is practical, yet getting out of my space and into a studio is an exciting idea. This business can be very technical, and most of my communication is digital. But good old-fashioned meeting in person, human-to-human contact is vitally important for creating genuine connections. Making real connections with other voice actors and clients is vital to a happy and sustainable business for me.

What’s Your Ideal Voice Over Gig?

Reflecting and reviewing what you want is an excellent way to stay motivated and engaged and keep you on track to achieve your goals. So, this week, sit down, think about what you want to work on, and let me know. We’re more likely to achieve our goals when we share them, so let me know!

Setting Your Voiceover Goals

January 10, 2023 by Leah Arscott

We just entered a new year! Many find the start of a new year a good time to set voiceover goals. If you fall into this group, there’s no better time to start. With 365 days to make a difference, now is the time to start. Although setting annual goals are exciting, you also need commitment. The sad reality is 43% of people who start their plan in January expect to fail by the beginning of February. Almost one in four give up within the first week, and only 9% complete their annual goals.

Why is this so? Why are so many people failing at their goals? One reason could be that people lack confidence and have a poor perception of themselves. It also could be because the goals they set are unrealistic. Perhaps they fear negative thinking, failure, or a lack of patience. As a diverse millennial voice actor, I have to set goals in my business each year to achieve any success. Let’s discuss some of the strategies I’ve used and detail goal setting and how to get results.

What is Goal Setting?

Goal setting is the process of identifying something unique that you want to achieve. Goals can cover various areas of life, with personal, financial, career, and health being some of the most popular categories.

Many go through life without goals and need a clear direction or purpose. They may base their decisions on their heart, head, or gut, and nothing is wrong with making decisions based on these feelings. However, studies have proven that setting goals leads to higher performance and is healthy for one’s psyche as it gives one direction, purpose, and personal fulfillment, which can lead to a happy, contented life.

You can often tell the people who have set clear goals versus those who have not. The years can go by quickly, and without setting goals, you can become lost, depressed, and resentful for not making better decisions when you had your time, energy, and youth. That being said, even if you don’t have that advantage, everyone can create clear goals at any stage to help them succeed in their desired path.

How to Set Voiceover Goals

There are many different ways to set goals. Most will say they want to exercise more, make more money or spend extra time with family and friends. These goals are great, but details need to outline how to achieve them and when. The most researched and successful way to set your goals is to use the SMARTER method. The SMARTER approach stands for:

S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Achievable
R – Relevant
T – Time Bound
E – Evaluate
R – Reward

Below you’ll see the categories in more detail and how to use them in your goal setting.

S – Be Specific. Outline what you want to achieve. The more detail, the better. If your goal is health-related, try, “I want to have toned abs” or “I want to improve my cardiovascular ability.”

M – Measurable. Ensure your goal can be measured. How will you track progress and know once it has been achieved? If your goal is to write content for your website, instead of saying, “I want to write more content this year,” try, “I want to write two articles per month for my website this year.” If your goal is for work, instead of writing, “I want to be better at planning my work week.” Try writing, “I will spend 1 hour a day planning my business.”

A – Achievable. Ensure your goal is attainable. It would be wonderful to make a goal to go to outer space. But without the right education, ability, and resources, that goal would not be attainable for most people. Running a 42 km marathon would also be a dream goal, but without the physical ability, time and resources, it is merely a pipe dream. If your goal is to increase sales, an attainable goal could be “I have worked in sales now for three years with little to no experience, I know the basics, and I want to increase my knowledge by taking courses.”

R – Relevant. The likelihood of reaching your goal can be attained if you want to make this goal happen. The R stands for Relevant. Do you truly desire this goal? What’s the point of making a goal if you don’t want it? It will be harder to reach a goal if your heart isn’t in it. Make surer this goal is relevant to your job function or personal desires. Before setting your SMARTER goals, understand if this goal will help you overall. If so, go ahead and start setting it.

T – Time-Bound. Your goals can be attained if you set a time frame attached to them. How long will it take me to achieve this goal, and when can I accomplish it? Be specific on a time frame and state when it will be completed. If you are a creative director and you have a new goal for this year, instead of writing, “I want to manage the creative process for my projects from concept to completion.” You can try writing, “ I want to manage the creative process for my projects from concept to completion within four weeks.”

E – Evaluate. The older method of making smarter goals never included the E and R. It was just SMART goals. The new iteration includes EVALUATE and REWARD. Why? Because the idea of evaluating and rewarding yourself makes a more holistic approach to goal setting, leading to greater success. Evaluation is to check in on your progress frequently. Evaluate how you performed. What can you learn? Evaluate your progress to achieve better success.

R – Reward. At last. You’ve made it to the end of the SMARTER goal lesson. This section is the best part of goal setting. R stands for reward. You did it! You’ve met your goal. Recognize your effort, your collaboration, and the milestones. The steps you have taken deserve recognition. Companies find value in recognizing employees for their hard work. They know it helps maintain morale, keeps employees happy, and motivates them to achieve more future goals.

Keep Your Focus on the Results of Your Voiceover Goals

Think about when and how you will celebrate! Rewards help you to build sustainable habits. By reviewing SMARTER voiceover goals and implementing them in your goal setting this year, I am confident you will make carefully thought-out goals and have a much higher chance of achieving them by year-end.

Happy goal setting!!

How Previous Work Experience Has Helped My VO Business

September 26, 2022 by Leah Arscott

Many factors go into choosing a voiceover talent for your next project. You can evaluate them based on their experience, skills, education, rates, location, studio, voice, and what they offer as part of their business package. As a diverse millennial voice actor, I may have a particular set of skills (channeling my inner Liam Neeson voice here) that may be beneficial for your next project. I have worked full-time for 20 years ( I feel old saying that) and in many different and exciting industries. Looking back at my work experience and voiceover in detail, it’s easy to see how they have led me to my current career.

Business Experience by Working in Insurance

I worked for four years in the field of Insurance for a large well-known company. My two roles were Accounting Clerk and Risk Management Coordinator. I gained knowledge and experience by balancing books, handling checks, making daily deposits, and analyzing policies. Within risk management, I edited the rate books, worked with underwriters, and did some HTML edits on the rates on the company website.

Confidence From the Fields of Sports and Nutrition

In the past, I have always had an affinity for health and fitness. From the age of 13, I used to work out with my dad lifting weights, and I then was one of the only girls in the weights classroom. I also took high school biology and fitness classes, gaining good marks. That passion for fitness propelled me to become a personal trainer by the time school was finished, but my guidance counselor steered me in another direction. He mentioned there was “no money” in personal training and that I should pursue a business career. I took his advice with a heavy heart, but a few years later, I was still left feeling sad and disappointed.

My local gym at the time was having a 12-week weight loss contest. I entered the contest, and once the 12 weeks were complete, I lost 20 lbs and gained a significant amount of muscle. To my surprise, I won the contest, a 2-year free membership, and prizes. This result encouraged me to try a professional on-stage fitness competition. That was and still is one of the hardest things I have ever done. Waking up at 4:00 a.m., heading to the gym for morning fasted cardio, then back to the gym after work was daunting and exhausting. Nevertheless, the principles I learned from that show and the gym competition have stuck with me and given me a strong work ethic.

Sales and Trade Shows for Marketing Experience

From the fitness experience, I was a Sales Rep working for a well-known nutrition company with over 150 stores and gyms to take care of in the Greater Toronto Area. That was an excellent job where I could connect with fitness enthusiasts around the community at stores, gyms, and trade shows. I tried my hand at one more fitness competition a few years later. It was the official EAS Canada Body For Life 12-Week Challenge. This competition was the most prominent of its kind in Canada. I used the same principles I learned from my first competition a few years back. To my surprise, I won this competition as well! I won a red Audi TT convertible, cash, swag, and free products. From that experience, I was a spokesperson for the company sharing my story at competitions and trade shows.

Benefits of Technology in Work Experience and Voiceover

After selling sports and nutrition products on the road, I was interested in working back in an office environment as I found life on the road exhausting and took a job working for a technology company. I was hired as a Sales Assistant for busy reps who sold computer hardware, software, and professional services. This was a significant role because I got to be the right-hand woman learning about CRMs, Opportunities, Leads, SAAS, and more. I also learned how to run various sales reports, which were crucial to my team’s success. I was also in charge of all the hockey and basketball tickets for our company box at the Air Canada Centre, which is pretty cool!

Practicing Independence Through Government Employment

In 2008 unfortunately, the recession hit, and I was laid off. I spent the next four months traveling Europe, and when I returned in Sept of 2009, I took a job at a local government office. For the next 12 years, I worked here and was able to hone the majority of my business skills. This fostered my entrepreneurial spirit and eventually helped me go out on my own. I started in the Environmental Services Department. I learned much about how our water is used within the community, how it is treated to remove bacteria and viruses, and about the innovative water and wastewater treatment facility that handles these processes.

I then worked in the Community and Health Services Department in the Healthy Living Division. Our division worked on Substance Misuse and Prevention, Sexual Health issues, Senior Services, Elementary and High schools, Healthy Aging, Injury Prevention, Smoking Cessation, and others. I learned much about the efforts to help high-risk populations and witnessed firsthand the daily hard work our 100+ nurses did to better the community. I organized and hosted multiple health conferences with upwards of 500 people.

Community and Human Resources Experience

For about a year, I worked on the Immigration team running the largest immigration conference welcoming newcomers to Canada and getting them work in their desired field as quickly as possible once they’ve arrived. Over the next few years, I worked in the Records Department as a Records Technician, organizing and onboarding the annual summer students. This role taught me about adult education and staff training, and I became familiar with eLearning and the importance of privacy within health records.

Lastly, I worked in the transportation department for five months with various teams, such as HR and Transportation Security. Then the pandemic hit, and they canceled all my current projects and said they would call me when I could return to work.

A Voiceover Career is Launched

This was when I hit the ground running with voice-over, and within months I was on an entirely new career path. Six months later, my work called me back in, and I officially turned them down; the rest, as they say, is history! 🙂

Benefits of Secondary Education to Voiceover Work

Over the years, I have taken many business-related courses that have made a difference in my career, making me more confident and competent in my roles. These courses have included:

Accounting
Marketing
Computers
Public Relations
An honors certificate in Adult Education/Staff Training
Effective Business Writing
Suicide Prevention
Sexual Harassment
WHMIS
Project Mapping

I got experience in eLearning and the exact factors adults need when learning new material. Learning these crucial principles has allowed me to understand the nuances required to succeed in eLearning. I have also sat through a plethora of eLearning courses, some good and some bad, so I know precisely the right voiceover tone to use to help keep employees engaged and compliant.

When I took all these courses, I had not yet considered voice-over a career, but I am sure happy I took them all because the education has helped me in my business. I feel more confident when given scripts regarding the various industries I have worked in. Often, I am familiar with the industry, vocabulary, and goal of the script and feel that I can familiarly relate the information and makes clients happy. By working in many industries, I’ve learned the many acronyms and each one’s everyday speech that the average person may not understand. Because I have a wide range of experience, I can repeat the titles, acronyms, or phrases quickly with confidence.

Biggest Project That Used Work Experience and VO

My most significant project to date has been a Nutrition-based eLearning project of about 50,000 words. The segments were quite technical and mentioned phrases such as oligosaccharides, pantothenic acid, ergogenic acids, carotenoids, and other challenging words. I would have suffered tremendously with this project if I had never worked in the sports nutrition industry. It would have taken me twice the time to read, record and edit because I had to look up each word and understand the meaning. I was grateful I was familiar with the words and phrases, as it made the whole project much easier to complete.

Work History and Voiceover Equals Success

Each day I am still learning how to be a great voice actor and business person. It is no easy task, but I can say that I am grateful for those 18+ years that I have worked in various industries. Now I enjoy learning more about this incredible industry of voice over every day.