If you missed Part One of this series, click HERE to catch up!
Here are a few more things I wish someone had told me before I started my voiceover career—and some of the misconceptions I hear from people entering the industry today.
Nobody Told Me That My Home Studio Comes Before My Demo
One of the biggest mistakes I see new talent make is putting all their focus (and budget) into producing a demo before they’re ready to record professionally from home.
If your goal is to send your demo to agents or audition from casting sites, your home studio needs to be ready first. If an opportunity comes along tomorrow, you want to be able to deliver broadcast-quality audio immediately.
And if you need help with that, book time with Dan Friedman. He’ll help you get everything set up quickly and efficiently. Just click HERE.
Nobody Told Me I’d Have to Be My Own Accounting, Marketing, Admin, Social Media, and Sales Departments
When I left radio to pursue voiceover full-time, this was probably the biggest surprise.
At the radio station, we had an accounting department, a sales team, an administrative staff, and a marketing department.
Suddenly…all of those jobs became mine.
At first, it felt impossible.
Instead of trying to master everything overnight, I focused on getting just a little better each year. Looking back, that mindset made all the difference.
Nobody Told Me That an Agent Doesn’t Guarantee Bookings
Getting an agent is exciting—but it isn’t the finish line.
With some of my agents, it took nearly a year before I booked my first job. My New York agent still sends me great opportunities, but bookings are much less frequent than people might assume.
An agent gives you access to opportunities.
Your job is to keep improving until those opportunities turn into bookings.
Nobody Told Me That Not Everyone Should Critique My Demo
This lesson applies far beyond voiceover.
If you’re asking someone for feedback on something they’ve never experienced themselves, chances are they won’t be able to give you meaningful advice.
I wouldn’t ask someone who’s never run a business how to scale one.
Likewise, your demo should be evaluated by people who understand today’s voiceover market—not simply people who know and love you.
Nobody Told Me That I Could Live Almost Anywhere and Have a Voice Over Career
People often ask if they need to move to Los Angeles or New York to succeed.
The truth?
Most of my directed sessions begin with the client asking, “So…where are you located?”
They usually have no idea.
If your goal is networking, conferences, workshops, and industry events can often accomplish that without uprooting your life.
There are exceptions—particularly in genres like animation, anime, and video games, where being in a production hub can create additional opportunities—but for most commercial voice actors, a great studio and reliable internet connection matter far more than your ZIP code.
Nobody Told Me That Union Status Would Be Such an Important Career Decision
Whether to join SAG-AFTRA is one of the biggest decisions a voice actor can make.
The reality is that today, a significant percentage of voiceover opportunities are still non-union. That means joining the union can affect the types of jobs you’re eligible to audition for, especially if your primary goal is building a full-time income through voiceover.
That doesn’t mean joining SAG-AFTRA is the wrong choice—it simply means it’s a decision that deserves careful thought based on your goals, the genres you pursue, and where you are in your career.
For voice actors who want to support advocacy efforts regardless of union status, I’m also a big fan of NAVA (National Association of Voice Actors). They continue to do incredible work protecting voice actors’ rights, advocating for ethical AI practices, providing educational resources, and building a stronger future for our industry.
The best career decisions are informed ones.
Those are a few more things I wish someone had told me when I started.
What would you add to the list? We’d love to hear your “Nobody Told Me…” moments—reply to this email and let us know. Maybe we’ll feature some of your responses in a future newsletter!
