2021 was a good year. And honestly, it makes me very happy to be able to say that given the ongoing dumpster fire that seems to permeate everything happening in the US. I had a few “goals” for 2021 – but honestly, they weren’t very good goals. They were more ideas than anything (even though I did acknowledge that when I made them). However, I did succeed in many ways. I got my first corporate clients in 2021. I learned that I can be successful – as long as I put in the work. And that’s given me a fantastic foundation for starting 2022.

This year, though, I’m getting serious with my goals. These are measurable, actionable goals with a deadline. Because as Marc Scott recently said, “A goal without a deadline is just a wish.”

Here’s my ultimate dream: Go full-time as a voice actor. That won’t be achieved in a year, so it’s a 5-year goal. This year’s goals will all help me get closer to that outcome.

Goal #1: Book 10 new clients through direct marketing (by Dec 31st).

Direct marketing is my absolute top struggle. It’s so easy to rely on P2P sites for auditions and hope that a job comes my way. It works – sometimes. But it’s a numbers game. Direct marketing is what I really need to figure out this year.

Goal #2: Book coaching sessions with Anne Ganguzza and get a new e-Learning Demo (by June 1st).

Anne Ganguzza is consistently the recommended coach for e-Learning. And e-Learning is really where I think I shine. My current e-Learning demo is good, but I can do better.

Goal #3: Completely revamp my website (by March 31st).

My website is pretty. But it’s not really functional. It doesn’t tell anyone what my unique value proposition is. It doesn’t tell you why you should book me to do your voiceover project. My husband and I have been talking about this for months – and now it’s time to stop talking and start doing!

Goal #4: Increase my social media reach – 500 followers on IG (by Dec 31st).

I just started my IG account and as of today, I have 19 followers. I want to grow that reach to 500 followers by the end of this year. That means I have to plan content, engage with others, and have a consistent presence on the platform.

Goal #5: Invest in myself. Take Uncle Roy’s life-changing Adobe Audition Course (by June 1st).

I do all of my recording and editing in Adobe Audition, and I get by. But I’m pretty sure I make it harder on myself than it needs to be. And by all accounts, Uncle Roy’s courses are life-changing. So why wouldn’t I make that investment?

Goal #6: Triple my income in 2022 (by Dec 31st).

Yes, that says triple. I made $4,000 from VO in 2021. I’d like to step that up to at least $12,000 in 2022.

Strategy

For each of these goals, I have smaller tasks to complete to help me get there. Saving money, creating a content calendar, copywriting, finishing the modules of the Voiceover Marketing Playbook, etc. If I don’t chunk out the goals, I won’t meet them. And that’s really my final goal of the year: be consistent and meet my goals.

Happy New Year, y’all!

Four years ago, I decided to finally watch the Battlestar Galactica reboot. I know, right? What the heck took me so long?

Once I got started, I took to Facebook to share my thoughts (not a live-tweet, but a live…book?) in a rolling commentary and found that folks were utterly delighted in my reactions to a show that was already much beloved. Those interactions gave me the final boost I needed to start my own podcast – Pop Culturally Deprived. A show dedicated to watching cult hits and classics for the first time. And I was shocked to discover that this shy introvert loved the sound of my own voice when I would edit and listen to the episodes. 

I loved using my voice to tell a story. I found that my podcasts (yes, plural) gave me a platform, and I quickly became passionate about using my voice to tell stories. Which, in turn, made me passionate about becoming a voice actor.

My voiceover journey is atypical; I don’t have any formal acting training. What I do have is sheer determination and an infinite online world of resources and opportunities that have helped me learn and grow. I started on Reddit. I’m not sure how many voice actors can say that, actually. 🤔An author was sourcing narrators for his first audiobook – he was looking for a collection of narrators to each read a chapter of his anthology, and I was selected! It was my very first voice acting job, and it paid a whopping $15. I loved every minute of it. The following year, John asked me to be the sole narrator of his next book.

When I was Googling for resources, I found websites like Behind the Voice Actors and Casting Call Club. I spent a lot of time auditioning on CCC – even landing a few (unpaid) roles – before I took my first official class. CCC’s VA 101. After that, I was officially smitten with voice acting – and the rest is history.