VO Pro: The Business of Voice Over and Voice Acting
Voiceover Business Strategies That Work
The VO Pro Podcast is the go-to show for voice actors who want to grow their voiceover business without relying on casting sites or waiting for agents to hand them work. Hosted by voice actor and business coach Paul Schmidt, this podcast delivers no-fluff, tactical advice on how to market your voiceover services, attract high-quality clients, and build a profitable VO business in a world of AI-generated voices and shifting industry standards.
You’ll learn practical voiceover marketing tips, how to master direct marketing for voice actors, build a solid client base, and use tools like email outreach, SEO, and strategic positioning to stand out. We cover how to price your work, optimize your VO website, and navigate topics like AI and voiceover with clarity and confidence.
Each week, we bring you insights and strategies from Paul, and interviews with working voice actors, coaches, casting directors, and experts who understand the business of voiceover from the inside out.
If you're a freelance voice actor looking to take control of your career and actually get booked, this is the podcast for you.
Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Audible, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, SoundCloud, Deezer, Podcast Addict, Castbox, and RSS, and wherever you get your podcasts.
You’ll also find helpful information including my free Move Touch Inspire newsletter for voice actors at https://VOPro.pro/mti
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Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom
Episodes
201 episodes
Accountability Is NOT What You Think: Coach Amanda McKinney
Today we chat with Amazon Best Selling Author and Accountability Coach, Amanda McKinney about the importance of accountability and goal-setting for entrepreneurs. She defines accountability as taking ownership of one's actions, regardle...
8 CRUCIAL Questions BEFORE You Go Full Time in Voice Over
The decision to go full time in voice over or not may be the biggest decision you make in your career, and often one not easily made. There are so many things to think about and consider. It can be super confusing, overwhelming, and deflating –...
Emma O'Neill: Homeless Student, Yoga Guru, Top Voice Actor
In our chat today, Emma and I talk about her journey into voiceover, from discovering the industry to joining an agency and building her business. She also discusses her experience of being homeless and living in different countries, wh...
The Beginner’s SIMPLE Guide to Voice Over Training
You’re brand new to voice over and you think you want to become a voice actor. So how do you get started? Your first real step will be to start training, but in order to do that, you need to understand the various types of voice over tr...
4 Ways to Look Like a BEGINNER Voice Actor – DON’T DO THIS!
In the world of voice over, if you want to stand out like a sore thumb and look like a beginner there are a multitude of ways to do that. In today’s video, I’m going to give you 4 ways to look like a voice over newbie so that you can un...
From $5 a Holler to KILLING IT with AUTHENTICITY: Troy Holden
In this conversation, we chat with voice actor, Troy Holden. We talk about Troy's background, growing up in Nashville, and the influence of transplants on the Southern accent. Troy shares how he got into voiceover and his journey to bec...
Voices CEO UNANNOUNCED Pop-in at VO Atlanta: FIREWORKS ENSUE
There was a surprise, stealthy, mystery guest this year at VO Atlanta, and fireworks ensued! There I was, on stage in the main ballroom at VO Atlanta, getting ready to take my seat on The Famous Online Casting Panel. J. Michael Collins,...
How to Set PROPER PRO Rates by KNOWING Your Worth
Not all voice actors know how to set proper rates. Fewer still know what proper rates are. Even fewer quote them consistently. Very few voice actors not only know and quote proper rates consistently, but they also know their worth. <...
What Voice Actors Can Learn from Photographers: Freelancer Series
Voice actors and photographers have more in common as freelancers than you think, especially regarding marketing. Jeanine McLeod, a successful children's photographer and host of the Fully Booked Photographer podcast, shares insights on ...
Lisa Biggs: The Unravelling of a Voice Over Reputation
The following post appeared December 21st, 2023 on the VOcation Facebook Group: “Hey everyone. I didn’t want to have to make this post, but I’m trying to look out for others. There is a demo producer and coach who specializes in Children...
Dervla Trainor: P2P Auditioning a HUSTLE. Marketing EASIER!
The lovely and talented Dervla Trainor, a successful voice actor and creator of the VO Kickstart program, joins the podcast to discuss her journey in the voiceover industry. Derv shares her experience transitioning from pay-to-play site...
5 BIG CHANGES to LinkedIn in 2024: What VOs NEED to Know
LinkedIn has a ton of big changes coming in 2024 and if you’re not up to date, you could be missing huge opportunities and getting left behind. LinkedIn is bringing a massive change to Creator Mode, a dedicated Services section, search filters,...
TikTok VO Maven Mandy Fisher: Social Media Made Me ANGRY
Mandy Fisher, known as @astoriaredhead on TikTok, shares her voiceover journey and insights into the industry. She started as a child actor and transitioned into voiceover work, focusing on commercials and e-learning. We talk about importance o...
How To Get a Voice Over AGENT: 3 BIG Questions, 3 Big Answers
I got a message last week from one of our VO Pro members who says, “I have a topic that could go down a BIG rabbit hole! For all us newbies out here...When is it time to look for an agent?” What milestones should you have met or be meeting to f...
Toby Ricketts: "It's NEVER Been Harder” To Be a Voice Actor!
My guest today is not just a highly experienced voice actor of over 20 years. He is also the head of Gravy for the Brain Oceania and runs his own voice acting academy in New Zealand. Please welcome to the podcast, Toby Ricketts. Toby Ric...
7 Voice Over Audition Red Flags – RUN, DON’T WALK AWAY
Auditions are the lifeblood of any voice actor. They are the main way we compete and win work in our business. Assuming you’re properly trained and competitive, the more auditions you do, the more work you will ultimately book. That’s a...
3 HARD FACTS for Freelancers & Voice Actors - Straight Truth
If I asked 100 voice actors to tell me what they do for a living, how many do you think would use the word freelance? Probably zero. The truth is, if you’re a voice actor, you are a freelancer. What does that mean? First, it means you a...
J Michael Collins: "P2Ps Are in DECLINE" - Full Interview
In our chat with J. Michael Collins, he emphasizes the importance of using voiceover sites wisely and not overspending on memberships. He also highlights the significance of having a strong marketing game and reaching out to clients on a regula...
Voice Over CONFERENCES 2024 – Downloadable Calendar
Last year we started our Voice Over Conference Calendar here on the channel and it was a hit. I got a lot of feedback, comments on the video last year, and the video and downloadable conference calendar were both well received. So we’re ...
Jim Cooper: Cancer, Caregiving, and Voice Over
Today, my guest is audiobook narrator, voice actor, and author, Jim Cooper.
Jen Greenfield Takes Her Moonshot. Routinely.
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 moons...
8 Strategies To Vet Reputable Coaching & Demo Production
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 repu...
Linda Bruno: "You Have To Be HUNGRY"
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 "craplo...
Wanna GROW Your Voice Over Business? CUT the CRAP!
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 psyc...
Jamie Muffett: "I had impotent rage."
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....
