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Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... I Love Explainer Videos! I did my first explainer video back in 2006/2007 when I wasn't even aware of what it was exactly. I had done several of them before, categorizing them as either commercials or corporate narration, but I wasn't certain. It wasn't until 2012 that I noticed the term "explainer" popping up in casting notices. Curious, I asked my webmaster to research explainers and find out which male voice actors marketed themselves as explainer video narrators. At the time, only one male voice actor was doing so. Looking back, I had narrated 35 explainer videos before 2012 without realizing they were explainers. To remedy this, I had a page on my website built dedicated to explainer videos, collected contacts from explainer video production companies, and executed a social media and marketing blitz around explainer videos. As a result, I went from narrating six explainer videos in 2011 to over 90 just a couple of years later. Explainers In 2023 While the market for explainer video narrators has become oversaturated, I still enjoy doing them. Explainer videos are relatively short, relatively quick, and the pay is good for the amount of work required. For more information on what explainer videos are, how to market yourself, narration techniques, and rate structure, check out my "Explainers Explained" video available at the VO Strategist Shop. Keep Going - Watch this Next: Explainers Explained Want to be an Explainer voice? Videos are everywhere, and Tom breaks things down, giving you an idea of what you’ll need to be successful within this booming genre. Learn explainer narration technique + how to find work and what to charge… Upcoming Events & Appearances Here's what I've got going on in the next few months - register to attend and add your voice to the mix! Looking for help navigating the voice over industry? Check in and Stay on Track... Don't know where to start? Let's chat. Grab 15 minutes free - let's see what your business needs... He's the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. Tom Dheere is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, Tom produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Anne Ganguzza knows corporate voice over - and will help yours improve! If you are in search of a voiceover coach to help you with your corporate narration, recording & delivery skills, and audition practice, Anne Ganguzza is the perfect choice for you! Anne has a great experience of working one-on-one with students via ipDTL, and organizes dynamic group events at www.VOPeeps.com. Anne is also the host of the VO BOSS Podcast, where she interviews industry voices and shares narration tips and tricks. Work with Anne here: Use code VOSTRATEGIST for a discount on your demo with Anne! Why do I recommend Anne? Anne is a working voice actor and that matters! She has worked on countless projects including corporate and industrial narration, e-learning and online learning tutorials, voicemail, IVR, on-hold messaging, and various government & educational promotional videos. Anne is entrenched in the voiceover industry as a performer which means she knows what it takes to be a modern, effective working voice actor. If you are seeking expert corporate narration coaching, Anne is the perfect person to work with! Anne offers: Book individual corporate narration lessons with targeted focus Record professional demos strategically branded toward today's market The VO Boss Podcast with new episodes every Tuesday Want more voice over guidance & advice? Let's talk. Grab 15 minutes free - let's see what your business needs... He's the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. Tom Dheere is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, Tom produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... The democratization of the voice-over industry The voice-over industry has revolutionized over the years, allowing more people than ever before to become voice actors. With the ability to build a home recording studio, audition for projects, and even book projects from home, the opportunities are endless. In the past, those living in non-major metropolitan areas had little to no chance of becoming a voice actor, but now, anyone can thrive in the industry regardless of location. The key is to do your research and explore the various ways to make it happen. "Don't think small. Don't devalue yourself just because you don't live in New York or LA" - Tom Think Outside the Box In the world of voice acting, creating opportunities can be challenging. Rather than relying solely on traditional methods like finding an agent and attending auditions, it's important to think outside the box. Investing in quality training, doing diligent research, building a home recording studio, and creating a website are all crucial steps to becoming an effective voice actor in the 21st century. Ultimately, success in this field requires hard work and dedication, but with the right tools and mindset, anyone can achieve their goals. Takeaways: Find out what's going on in your backyard Market to local businesses If you want to do eLearning, market to local schools Keep Going - Watch this Next: Smaller VO Market Mastery Do you live somewhere other than New York or Los Angeles? Learn how to steer your voiceover business toward success in smaller markets. Tom shares marketing strategies and tips for finding work outside of the typical big-city VO hustle… Upcoming Events & Appearances Here's what I've got going on in the next few months - register to attend and add your voice to the mix! Looking for help navigating the voice over industry? Check in and Stay on Track... Don't know where to start? Let's chat. Grab 15 minutes free - let's see what your business needs... He's the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. Tom Dheere is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, Tom produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... Catch the Replay We answered questions like... What is Telephony? How do bilingual voice actors find work? What are our thoughts on AI? and much more! About Liz Liz is a full-time French/English voice actor who specializes in Telephony, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), and Message On Hold (MOH) voiceovers. Prominent clients include Staples, Intuit, and Pandora. She has decades of experience and is an active contributor to the voiceover community via CineTech, SAG-AFTRA, and other organizations. Connect with Liz http://www.hireliz.com Keep Going - Watch this Next: Smaller VO Market Mastery Do you live somewhere other than New York or Los Angeles? Learn how to steer your voiceover business toward success in smaller markets. Tom shares marketing strategies and tips for finding work outside of the typical big-city VO hustle... Up Next - Bring your Questions! Thriving in the VO Community Monday June 19th @2PM ET YouTube Live Event VOS Gear Club I've been using the audio technica ATH-M50x headphones for over three years now and I love them! They have a snug fit, travel well (collapsible with its own leather bag), and replacements parts are easy to find online. And they don't break the bank! Grab Studio Gear As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. He's the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. Tom Dheere is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, Tom produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... The Voiceover Industry is Weird! The world of voice-over has undergone a dramatic transformation in the past few decades. What was once a stable industry with limited genres and voice actors has now become a chaotic and unpredictable world, thanks to the advent of social media and online casting. "I lost sight of what the voice-over industry is. What it is, is ever-changing" - Tom How to get a hold of yourself... Starting a voiceover business can be challenging, especially when you're not sure what's going on in the industry. It's easy to feel frustrated, disappointed, and concerned. However, it's important to understand that the voiceover industry is ever-changing. As someone who decided to become a voice actor in the 90's and has since overhauled their business, I can attest to the importance of staying current and adapting to changes. While it may be tough at times, remember that there are a few things that remain constant and can help guide you through the ups and downs of the industry. Takeaways: Keep your eyes open and your ear to the ground Learn how to adapt to the changes in the voiceover Project Management is everything! Keep Going - Watch this Next: Mastering Project Management Having a hard time juggling your voiceover projects? If you’re struggling to get all your VO ducks in a row, Tom can help. Learn great tips for managing client expectations, effective communication, booth etiquette, billing, and more… Upcoming Events & Appearances Here's what I've got going on in the next few months - register to attend and add your voice to the mix! Looking for help navigating the voice over industry? Check in and Stay on Track... Don't know where to start? Let's chat. Grab 15 minutes free - let's see what your business needs... He's the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. Tom Dheere is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, Tom produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... Catch the Replay We answered questions like... How do you choose which social media platform to use? How can you be authentic on social media? What social media pitfalls should you avoid? and much more! About Carin Carin Gilfry is an experienced voice actor who voiced thousands of commercials, instructional videos, IVR systems, eLearning programs, documentaries, and video games, and narrated and produced over 100 audiobooks. She works primarily from her professional home studio in Southern California (www.GilfryStudios.com). Her past and current clients include FedEx, Volkswagen, Citibank, Duncan Hines, Aspercreme, Quaker, Clairol, CVS, Zulily.com, Neutrogena, Benjamin Moore, GrubHub, Jakks Pacific Toys, Little Tikes, Play Doh, Denny’s, Shutterfly, Audible.com, Quell, and many more. Check out here voiceover website at: https://www.caringilfry.com/ Keep Going - Watch this Next: Mastering Project Management Having a hard time juggling your voiceover projects? If you’re struggling to get all your VO ducks in a row, Tom can help. Learn great tips for managing client expectations, effective communication, booth etiquette, billing, and more… Up Next - Bring your Questions! Telephony and Bilingual Voiceovers with Liz de Nesnera YouTube Live Event Looking for help navigating the voice over industry? Check in and Stay on Track... He's the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. Tom Dheere is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, Tom produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... Why do people who enter the voiceover industry not understand it? The voice-over industry is often misunderstood and misconceived by newcomers. Many people who enter this industry have preconceived notions about what it means to be a business, particularly a voice-over business. However, these ideas do not align with the reality of the industry. Additionally, some individuals are hesitant to be considered a business, but being a voice-over artist requires knowledge of taxes, invoicing, negotiating rates, marketing, and content writing, among other things. These skills directly impact decision making and effectiveness as a voice actor. "The key to making effective decisions in the voice-over business is to have accurate systems of thought." - Tom How can you understand what it means to run a voiceover business? The key to making effective decisions in the voice-over business is to have accurate systems of thought. Collecting accurate information from experienced voice actors, genre coaches, demo producers, and marketing & branding experts can help you understand the industry and develop your business as both an artist and a person. An effective voice-over business anyway is a combination of how you think and how you execute. How you think about yourself, the voiceover industry, and your relationship to it will have a direct influence on how you execute. Keep Going - Watch this Next: Think Like a Voiceover Business Don’t know where to start or whose advice to take? Learn how to develop your decision-making skills, weed through distractions, and find strategies and solutions that work for YOU, based on where you are in your career. Don’t just do what someone else says worked for them - find your own answers… Upcoming Events & Appearances Here's what I've got going on in the next few months - register to attend and add your voice to the mix! Need help? Work with me. Book time with Tom and get your VO business together! He's the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. Tom Dheere is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, Tom produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... Don't Fear Tax Time Tax season is here and I know you're excited about it. Yesterday, my wife and I had our appointment with our CPA to prepare our taxes and let me tell you, if you get nothing else out of this, know that the key to success when it comes to filing your taxes is to be prepared. Imagine that. Well, not even imagine. Do this. You should prepare all year for tax season. Have systems in place that keep you organized. This will ensure that as you're taking care of your daily tasks, you’re also tracking your income & expenses. "Being prepared is the most important thing to do when it comes to taxes." - Tom Track your Cash Flow When it comes to revenue tracking, I use a cash flow tracking spreadsheet. By using this, I've got a pretty good idea of exactly how many 1099 and how many W-2s to expect. 1099 vs. W2 A 1099 is non-employment compensation. That's the one that most of us get at the end of the year from our voice over clients. All United States clients should send you a 1099 f you earn $600 or more. If it's international client, they're not going to send you a 1099. A W-2 is employment compensation. If you have a gig where there is tax withholding involved , they're going to send you a W-2. Sometimes they have to hire you to get you into their payroll system, which often means there is withholding. In this case, you should get a W-2 at the end of the year. Hire a Professional There are lots of ways to learn on your own, but the best way to ensure your taxes are done properly is to involve a living, breathing CPA. If you're a voice actor, you can just always just figure it out on your own. Make sure that you report all your income & expenses properly so you can, hopefully, get as much money back as possible without breaking the law. Keep Going - Watch this Next: Make Taxes Less Taxing Nervous about tax time? Don’t be! I'll takes you through the basics of understanding incorporation, how to prepare for your CPA, what you can and can’t write off, plus tips & tricks to help you track your revenue and expenses throughout the year to make tax day easier… Upcoming Events & Appearances Here's what I've got going on in the next few months - register to attend and add your voice to the mix! Grab Studio Gear As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Need help? Work with me. Book time with Tom and get your VO business together! He's the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. Tom Dheere is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, Tom produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... Catch the Replay We answered questions like... How does someone who wants to move into Audio Description take steps in that direction? What is the best D.I.Y ways of training yourself as a Audio Describer? Is there a lot of editing of scripts involved in Audio Description?? Kelly, how did you get into voice acting for toys and games? and much more! About Kelly Kelly Brennan is a professional voice actor, specializing in Commercials, Audio Description, eLearning, Corporate Narration, and Animation. Her voice is versatile & engaging, and her delivery is charismatic and conversational. Connect with Kelly >> Keep Going - Watch this Next: Genre Exploration Are you new to the industry and want to learn more about the various genres within VO? Maybe you’re a veteran performer looking to branch out? I discuss genres within voice over, give performance tips, basic rate structures + general marketing strategies for each. Up Next - Bring your Questions! Tax Season AMA with Rob Sciglimpaglia YouTube Live Event Looking for help navigating the voice over industry? Check in and Stay on Track... He's the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. Tom Dheere is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, Tom produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... I'm a Work-from-Home Expert Working from home. I like it…but I have to like it. I'm a voice actor! And if you don’t like working from home, it’s time to figure out how to navigate it. I've been working from home since 2006. That’s over 17 years. The pandemic forever changed how voice actors work. Before 2020, a lot of us would we would record from home a percentage of the time. Pre-COVID, I was recording from home about 2/3 of the time and the other 1/3 of the time I was going to local studios. Once COVID hit, I was recording from home 100% of the time. In late 2020, studios here in Manhattan started to open back up and I started going back to some of them. I haven't acted with a fellow voice actor live in a studio in almost three years, which breaks my heart. "Any voice actor who's entering the industry now is going to be working from home pretty much the all the time." - Tom The Reality of Working from Home Any voice actor who's entering the industry now is going to be working from home pretty much the all the time. This means that you're home all day, five days a week. You are your boss and the person who creates the structure of your day, week, month, and year as a business. A 9-to-5 gives you tasks to do, a job description, delegates breaks, tells you when to clock in & clock out, when to go on vacations and all that stuff. Breaking up with your 9-to-5 Once you starting working from home full time, all that's out the window. This transition can be rough for a lot of people who weren’t trained to have that level of prioritization, focus, self-discipline, and time management on their own. Other people thrive under the freedom. And some crumble because they find themselves doomscrolling on Instagram at 2pm or watching reruns of Reba, wondering what the hell happened to their productive day. Learning to Plan & Prioritize You have to learn to prioritize. This means knowing how much time should to spend on any given task. Auditioning, booking, invoicing, marketing, goal setting. The best way to do this is to have a plan. It shouldn't be a minute to minute plan because those are almost impossible to stick to. This should be an overall structure of what you’re doing for the upcoming day, week, quarter, and year. Have a plan, write it down, stick to it, and understand when you need to take breaks. Figuring out when you are creatively & vocally at your best will inform this plan. Observe yourself. Take notes on when you're feeling groggy vs. enthused, when you're sounding hoarse vs. when you can hit those high notes or low notes. Once you have an idea of when those pockets of time are, set up your working from home habits around them. Keep Going - Watch this Next: Make Working from Home Work Struggling to run your business from home? Managing the day-to-day operations of a successful voiceover career can be rough. Tom offers solutions and advice about the critical aspects like invoicing, email communication, and keeping track of marketing efforts… Upcoming Events & Appearances Here's what I've got going on in the next few months - register to attend and add your voice to the mix! Grab Studio Gear As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Need help? Work with me. Book time with Tom and get your VO business together! He's the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. Tom Dheere is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, Tom produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

There are many fabulous agents & managers out there who nurture your career and truly advocate for both the voice actors on their roster and the voiceover industry in general. They demand industry rates and fair terms and fight tooth & nail to get them. However, lately I’ve seen quite a few posts on social media about the pickle that a lot of voice actors are in. They get casting notices from their agents and the terms are terrible. I'm talking about low paying gigs with in-perpetuity usage, unlimited cut-downs, and crippling exclusivity. Yes, there are voice actors willing to accept these shabby rates & terms (which is a big problem) but why are some agents agreeing to these terms in the first place? Is it a form of market correction? Are commercials just not worth as much as they used to be? I do think a contributing factor is some of the “Voicebank/Voice Casting Hub” generation of agents. They don't truly represent you or nurture your career. All they do is flip as many auditions as they can by sending them out to as many voice actors as possible and hope one of them books it. It’s a numbers game for them and usage be damned. TIP OF THE WEEK Ask yourself: What kind of agent represents you? When you were initially interviewed by your agent, did you ask these agent-vetting questions I posted awhile back? Or did you even know or care because you were so excited at the prospect of having an agent? Always be prepared to walk away from both the gig and the agent if they don't align with your values and the values necessary to uphold the integrity of the voiceover industry. We are all responsible for the integrity of the voiceover industry. Do your part! NEWS AND NOTES Thursday, August 12th @8PM ET: Time Management. In this one-hour Edge Studio webinar, this class will give students a game plan of how to best utilize their day and where you need to focus your time as a voice talent. Saturday, August 14th @5PM ET: Be a Practical Voice Actor. In this Voice Actor Studio webinar, you will learn how to develop your decision-making skills so you can move your voiceover business in the direction you want it to go. You’ll also learn to determine what questions you need to ask yourself and how to find the right answers in order to be the voiceover artist and business you truly want to be. Wednesday, August 18th @8PM ET: Tracking Your Stuff. In this 90-minute "VO How-To" webinar, we will discuss how to effectively and efficiently track your clients, your Cash Flow, and your invoices. This webinar will be recorded so if you can't attend you can still sign up and get a copy of the video. Thursday, August 26th @8PM ET: Brand Yourself. In this one-hour Edge Studio webinar, students will be given insights on how to brand yourself as a voice over talent in order to get the right kind of attention and grow your business. HAPPY HAPPYS Happy Ice Cream Sandwich Day and Assistance Dog Day! QUOTE OF THE WEEK Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 20 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Backstage, an entertainment industry magazine and casting site, just acquired the online casting site Voice123. Here's an article making the announcement. Here's a take on the acquisition from voice actor, demo producer, and thought leader J. Michael Collins. DISCLOSURE (and fun to share) I have subscribed to Backstage over the years, auditioned for projects on it, and have been featured in an article. TIP OF THE WEEK What does Backstage buying Voice123 mean for the voiceover industry in general and online casting sites in particular? Will Voice123 and all of the other platforms that Backstage has & will acquire turn into one big site that a Silicon Valley powerhouse will eventually absorb like JMC theorized? Maybe. Will Backstage use Voice123's massive database of audio files and get into the AI game? That would potentially take away work from thousands of actors (which I assume goes against their mission) so I doubt it but I can't speak for whomever may acquire Voice123 or Backstage in the future. FYI here is a Voice123 article about their take on AI. But what does that mean for us voice actors? Should we join Backstage and/or Voice123? Quit them? I do think that Backstage will market to their massive database of stage, film, and TV actors so even more people may flock to the voiceover industry. This may continue the trend of more competition and lower rates so keep that in mind. It's not something you can control but it is something you can be proactive about. Keep training, keep learning, keep growing. Understand the new reality of the voiceover industry and what may lie just beyond the horizon. Harness the power of Direct Marketing while it's still viable. You need to determine which course of action aligns with your business model and your value system. The reality of the voiceover industry continues to evolve. You have to evolve with it or risk being left behind! NEWS AND NOTES Wednesday, September 15th @8PM ET: The VO How-To webinar: "Explainers Explained". What is an Explainer Video? How do you narrate one? Where do you get the work? These and many other questions will be answered in this online workshop! If you can't attend the night of the event, the webinar will be recorded so you can watch the video at your convenience. Thursday, September 16th @8PM ET: The Edge Studio Business and Money 201 webinar "Cost/Benefit Analysis". This class will give students an understanding of how to analyze their voice over business, figure out where their voiceover work came from, and how to read metrics. Sunday, September 19th @12PM ET: The VoiceBox Business & Marketing Seminar. I will be one of four speakers/panelists talking about all things voiceover business & marketing. Click here to check out this online event. Saturday, September 25th @8PM ET: The Voice Actor Studio webinar "Set Goals and Build a Business Plan". Now is the perfect time to create your voiceover business plan and set your goals for the next week, month, quarter, and year. In this online workshop, I will walk you through how to determine what success can look like for you and how to make it happen. Thursday, September 30th @8PM ET: The Edge Studio Marketing 201 webinar "The Sales Funnel". In this class, students will explore the concept of the “Sales Funnel,” and how it can yield more paying clients in the long run if used properly. HAPPY HAPPYS Happy Chocolate Milkshake Day and Fortune Cookie Day! QUOTE OF THE WEEK Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 20 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.