Thank you Steve Jobs

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on." - Steve Jobs, 1955-2011.

I am an actor.

There are a million jobs I could do that would likely pay me way more than I make now. A thousand places I could work that would let me clock out at 5pm, or take lunch hours during an actual lunch time, or leave me alone on the weekend, or provide me with full benefits.

Yet...I choose to be an actor.

Why?

Because Steve Jobs let me know that it's ok to make a living doing what I love. Steve showed us all that you can have an idea, an idea that maybe no one else understands. You can start a company in your garage, work hard, use your knowledge and your talent...and change the world.

As I type this blog on my iMac, with my iPad, my iPhone, and my Macbook nearby, I can honestly say that Steve Jobs changed my life.

But it isn't his inventions or his ideas or these gadgets that have touched me most. It's his words.

His inspiration is his true legacy.

Thank you Steve Jobs. Thank you for being you, so that it would be ok for me to be me.

Sometimes it's the Busiest Months that can be the Scariest

In voice over, there are traditionally a few months each year that are expected to be slow. January-February, June-July, and sometimes December. However, this isn't the rule, and 2011 has proven to me that anything is possible!

So far this year, my January and February were fantastic! April, normally a great month, was awful for me. June and July were two of the best months of my career, while September fell quite flat.

You just never know! A few weeks ago, I was having a discussion with a producer friend of mine, and he mentioned something that really hit home with me. He said that when he has a really busy, high earning month- that's when he's the most nervous!

Why?

During a really busy month (like my July for example), you are so focused on getting all of the work done, meeting every deadline, making your clients happy, getting those invoices sent, etc- that you stop doing all of those proactive things for your business (like marketing, auditioning, answering e-mails, etc). You simply don't have the time! And while you won't feel the effects of that immediately, you will feel those effects a month or two later.

The same thing happens when something in life takes your focus away from your work for a period of time. It's a month or two later when you really feel the pinch.

Seeing for myself how a crazy busy summer led into a slower start to fall, I've decided to set a new goal. The busier I am, the more effort I will make to set aside a period of time every day to do something proactive for my business. It's easy to do when things are slow, but it's even more vital when things are hopping! Even if it's just an hour or two on the weekend, it's imperative I don't ever become over-confident when the work pours in and neglect marketing my services to future clients.

An Anniversary...and a Thank You

Five years ago today I made the decision to leave my job in morning radio and pursue a full-time career as a voice actor. I'll never forget those first few months, I was so full of confidence and determination. I had been acting my entire adult life and I believed this new chapter would be as simple as 'tell them I'm full-time and watch them flock to hire me!'

Oh...those first few months. Those eye-opening, life-changing first few months...

Nothing has been as simple as I originally predicted. But in those first few months I could have never imagined how I would grow, learn, transform, and ultimately find in myself a business savvy and strength I never knew existed.

Year one I stumbled. I had so much to learn about marketing, finances, networking, promoting, technology, vocal trends, etc, etc. Year two I was a bit wiser but still had a long way to go. Year three found me moving to a new city (and a new studio) as did years four and five. I've been through great personal change that has given me a new found confidence in myself and my abilities as an actor. And one of the greatest things I've learned is that with each year that passes, I will continue to grow in ways I can only imagine.

What I know today that I did not know in those first few months, is that this career is a journey...it's a lifestyle. It isn't just a job. Five years later and my eyes still light up every time I talk about the work I'm so fortunate to do. Which is especially cool when I realize I did my first paid voice over 15 years ago!! This is my calling and I realize how lucky I am to be able to share this with anyone that listens to the radio, surfs the web, watches TV, sits through a business presentation, or gets put on hold. Perhaps it's my voice you hear...or one of my many voice actor friends.

Which brings me to the point of this blog: Thank you. Thank you to each and every coach, colleague, client, editor, engineer, director, casting person, scheduler, accountant, manager, owner, ad exec, web designer, and creator that I have had the great fortune to work with and get to know these past years. I've made friendships that will last my lifetime and learned more from each of you than I can express.

This has been the most rewarding journey of my life...and I can't wait to see what the next five years have in store!!