Podcast Summary: “Kickstart Your Voice Over Career: From Planning to Action”

A VO’s Journey with Anthony Pica

Episode 271 | May 20, 2024

Episode Overview

In this episode, Anthony Pica dives into the crucial topic of transforming plans into purposeful actions for voiceover talent at any career stage. He emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries on the planning process, defines actionable starting points for newcomers, and counters mindset pitfalls that stall progress. Listeners get tangible steps and motivational insights whether they're starting or rekindling their VO journey.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Trap of Endless Planning

• Main Idea: Planning is vital, but too much leads to stagnation.
  • “The planning process is vital to our success. We need to plan. However…it is more evident to me than ever before that we have to give ourselves boundaries, limits.” (04:00)
• Common Mistake: Many voice actors don’t set a concrete start or launch date, leaving themselves in a perpetual waiting phase.
  • “You’re in this constant state of flux…well, I’m not ready yet. I’m almost there…but there’s always something else that comes up.” (05:04)

2. The Power of Taking Action

• Action vs. Reaction: Success isn’t random—it's about consistent actions that build over time.
  • “If we don’t take action, nothing will happen.” (07:42)
  • Quote: “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” — Walt Disney (07:05)
  • Movie Reference: From Braveheart:

    “Do you know what happens if we don’t go?”
    “What?”
    “Nothing. Nothing will happen.” (07:32)

• Principle: Every action—even a small, imperfect one—creates a reaction and potential progress.
  • “Planting seeds of action…through the nurturing of those seeds and time, it grows. You don’t even see a lot of it sometimes…which is where most people quit and give up because they’re not seeing anything.” (09:50)

3. Specific, Actionable Steps to Jumpstart Your Voiceover Career

Anthony shares a “one path to results,” distilled from his personal experience and mentoring:

• Get a Professional Headshot
  • Can be DIY with a cellphone, but must look professional (good background, visibility from chest up, not a selfie). (12:00)
• Create Basic Demos
  • Essential from the very beginning and continually improved as you grow. (13:10)
• Seek Out Voice Coaching
  • Foundation for continual skill improvement. (13:30)
• Start Auditioning (Even Before Everything's 'Perfect')
  • Use sites like ACX.com to audition for audiobooks—possible with simple equipment.
  • Anthony started with a $40 microphone:
    • “I had a $40 microphone and I got work…wasn’t very high-paying work…But the point is, I got started, I was taking action every night.” (14:05)
  • Hidden Benefit: “You are getting better. Every time you do something, you are getting a little bit better at it…a little more confident.” (15:03)
• Expand to Multiple Platforms
  • Examples: Fiverr, Upwork, Bunny Studios, Voice123, Voices.com, Voquent, PeoplePerHour.
  • “The more sites you join…the more opportunities you have…one job from each of 20 sites is 20 jobs in a month.” (20:28)
• Constantly Learn, Tweak, and Try Again
  • “If you try something out and it doesn’t work, something did happen. You learned that didn’t work. That is important.” (18:00)

4. Managing the Comparison Game & Mindset

• Resist Comparing Your Progress to Others
  • Social media posts about overnight success can be misleading and demotivating.
    • “You’re going to see people post things that seem to defy what should be…That is not reality…A month, two months, six months, a year…that’s not sustainability.” (21:55–23:10)
  • Anthony presses the importance of focusing on one’s own journey:
    • “Your journey is unique. You can get help…but comparing it to other people and then saying ‘something’s wrong with me’…No, no. We are taking our journey and…figuring out what we need to do ourselves.” (24:40)
• What Is the Real Goal?
  • Success isn’t about making money for its own sake.
    • “Money is not the goal. Money is the means in which we…reach our goal. If you had all the money you wanted, what would you do? Money itself is not what the goal is. The goal is to have the ability to do XYZ, to live a certain way…” (26:00)

5. Adapting When Actions Aren’t Producing Desired Results

• Pivot Instead of Stopping
  • “If you’ve taken a bunch of [actions] and you’re not seeing results, that is a reaction. That means…the actions…they’re not producing what it is you’re trying to get right now…that is a result. That means you’ve got to do…a different action.” (27:46)
• Use Results as Feedback
  • Example: If your demos aren't working, audit your exposure (“Am I getting seen?”) or try new script approaches.
  • “Just because you’re not getting the results you want doesn’t mean you’re not getting results. Please don’t forget that. Use the results to make informed decisions to take more action. Whatever you do, don’t stop.” (28:55)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “You cannot judge your success or failure based off of someone else's own journey. You cannot. Your journey is unique.” (24:00)
• “We have to always remember that taking the actions, right? We need to stop talking about it. Take actions. …Action, action, action.” (27:25)
• “There is no success without the conflict either. There has to be conflict because if there is not conflict, there is no success.” (18:44)

Key Timestamps

| Time | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------| | 00:53 | Main topic intro: “stop talking, start doing…” | | 04:00 | Problem: The trap of endless planning | | 07:05 | “Quit talking and begin doing.” (Walt Disney Quote) | | 07:32 | Braveheart anecdote | | 09:50 | Planting seeds of action analogy | | 11:54 | Start taking action: actionable path outline | | 14:05 | Anthony’s own start: $40 mic & ACX | | 15:03 | The overlooked benefit: you’re getting better | | 20:28 | “More sites = more opportunities” | | 21:55 | Social media comparison trap | | 24:40 | Each VO journey is unique | | 27:46 | If your action isn’t working, try another approach | | 28:55 | “Use the results to make informed decisions…” |

Conclusion

Anthony Pica’s message is clear: Don’t let the search for perfection or the achievements of others stall your progress. Set limits on planning. Take action, adapt as you learn, and trust that each step—even the failures—moves you forward in your voiceover career. Remember, the journey is unique to you:

“Whatever you do, don’t stop.” (29:29)