Podcast Summary: A VO's Journey – Ep. 274: Fail Early And Fail Often In Voice Over

Podcast: A VO's Journey: Voiceover and more voice over
Host: Anthony Pica
Episode: 274 – "Fail Early And Fail Often In Voice Over"
Date: May 31, 2024

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the philosophy of "fail fast, fail often" and how embracing failure as a natural and necessary part of the journey can accelerate success in the voiceover industry. Host Anthony Pica draws from his background in acting, directing, teaching, and business to encourage new and experienced voice actors to reframe their relationship with failure, especially in the context of auditions and business growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Search for the "Silver Bullet" (03:00)

• Everyone searches for the one perfect solution:
  Many new voiceover artists (and entrepreneurs generally) want to find the shortcut or magic answer that guarantees success.

  • “We're always looking for the silver bullet. The answer. What is the right path to take?...And a lot of times by doing that, I believe we skip over a big opportunity to get ourselves out there and fail.” (03:24)

• Efficiency vs. Opportunity:
  While it's natural to try to be efficient given busy schedules, avoiding failure can actually limit opportunities for true growth.

2. Redefining "Failure" (05:30)

• Failure as Data, Not Defeat:
  Failure isn’t about being wrong; it's simply about experimenting and not getting the outcome you wanted. Each "failure" is a data point.

  • “Failing has that connotation that we've made a mistake, we've done something wrong...but if we take that fail idea away and we say...Attempting something and not producing the desired outcome.” (06:50)

• Voiceover Example:
  Not being hired for a job after an audition is just one possible outcome among many—inevitable on the path to finding what works.

3. The Statistics of Success (09:40)

• Success is a numbers game:
  There are countless variables outside your control (timing, the client’s mood, fit, etc.), so persistence and high volume of attempts are essential.

  • “We have to use statistics, numbers, attempts, right? To have the desired outcome, to get the voiceover work.” (10:32)

• Auditioning as the clearest example:
  Each audition is a clear attempt: the client is actively seeking talent, but many factors impact the outcome.

4. The Audition Process and The Imposter Syndrome (12:00)

• Emotional toll:
  Voice actors often pour significant time and effort (30–60 minutes per audition) and get no feedback, triggering self-doubt and frustration.

  • “You sent that off and you wait and the inevitable happens. Nothing. Not only nothing, but you don't even hear back…” (14:41)
  • “The little imposters on our shoulders pop out. You're an imposter, right? You shouldn't be doing this. You're no good at this.” (15:16)

• Decision point:
  After rejection (or more often, silence), artists face a choice: do more auditions, or stop and overanalyze what went wrong.

5. "Pebbles in the Ocean" Analogy (17:00)

• Persistence despite the odds:
  Submitting auditions feels like throwing pebbles into an unseen bucket in a vast ocean—most will miss, but persistence increases your chances.

  • “The more pebbles I threw out there, I knew eventually, with the more pebbles I throw, I have a lot better chance of getting work. But I'm going to fail a bunch.” (18:06)

• Baseball analogy:
  Barry Bonds’ Hall of Fame career required striking out 7 out of 10 times—a relatable ratio. In VO, it may take 100 auditions for a breakthrough client.

  • “If you audition 100 times and that one job you get could be a client that ends up working with you for the rest of your life...” (20:21)

6. Why "Failing" is Hard: School Conditioning (22:00)

• Educational system programs us to avoid failure:
  Traditional schooling penalizes failure, treating it as a final outcome rather than an ongoing process.

  • “I think a lot of reasons why it's a mess is because of school...you study, you take a test, you either pass or fail, you pass or fail. And once you fail, it's done…” (23:45)

• Changing the mindset:
  In business, failure is part of the process—more attempts, even unsuccessful ones, lead to more learning.

7. Every Path is Unique (27:50)

• No single right way:
  Each voice actor’s journey is different, even if some universal strategies exist. Comparing yourself to others (e.g., "Joe’s success") is unhelpful.

  • “Each one of their paths was slightly different though... It's still going to be your path.” (28:38)

• Healthy self-focus and celebrating others:
  It's natural to be self-centered in wanting your own success, but also healthy to celebrate the success of peers.

8. The Challenge of the Unknown Step (32:00)

• Uncertainty about the next move:
  Many don’t know what to try next, but often this is resistance masking itself—usually, you do know, but it's something you’re avoiding.
  • “A lot of times people don't know what the next step is. But I will challenge you on this. I often think that the majority of us, we do know what the next step is. Our brains tell us we don't want to do the next step because...we have to learn something.” (33:28)

9. Increasing Speed and Volume (36:00)

• Audition more, audition faster:
  Spending 30–60 minutes per audition limits opportunities; speed is crucial for higher volume and improvement.

  • “I would rather you take 7 minutes, 5, 7, 10 minutes max to do an audition and send it and submit it, whether you feel like it's the perfect audition...Because this is not just about you winning that particular audition. It's about you getting better at this. It's about you getting faster, more concise.” (37:44)

• Let go of perfectionism:
  Quick, consistent action trumps slow, perfectionist approaches for beginners—speed builds competency and resilience.

10. The Necessary Union of Failure and Success (45:50)

• Failing invites success:
  You can't have one without the other; avoiding failure also means avoiding success.
  • “Failing is the other linchpin of success. If success was here and failure was here, and the only way...they've got to come together. There's got to be failure...avoiding failure means you're avoiding success and vice versa.” (47:00)
  • “If you court one, you're going to court the other. But if you don't court one, she ain't gonna dance with you...Let's end it on that one. I like that one.” (48:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Fail fast, fail often. I love it. It's a catchy phrase and it's going to make sense here in a second.” (06:21)
• “So much of what we do here...we are, like, it feels as if we're throwing, you know, pebbles into an ocean, hoping...that it drops into this little bucket that we can't even see.” (17:15)
• “Avoiding failure means you're avoiding success and vice versa, right?” (47:12)
• “You have to put yourself out there as much as you can, throwing as many of those pebbles out there, auditioning as much as you can...you might hate auditioning, I know I don't enjoy it very much.” (30:10)

Recommended Action Steps

• Reframe failure: See each “loss” or silence as essential data and growth.
• Increase your audition output: Apply volume and speed over perfection, especially early on.
• Adjust your mindset: Accept that success is built on persistent, purposeful action despite discomfort.
• Stop comparing: Your path is your own; use others’ success for inspiration, not discouragement.
• Keep going: Embrace the motto—fail early and fail often—to steadily inch closer to lasting success.

Key Timestamps

• 03:00: The search for the "silver bullet" in VO business
• 06:20: Redefining "failure" and why it’s not a negative
• 09:40: The stats and variables in getting hired
• 12:00: Emotional toll & imposter syndrome after auditions
• 17:00: "Pebbles in the ocean" analogy—persistence pays
• 22:00: School as the root of "don’t fail" programming
• 27:50: There is no single path to success
• 32:00: Facing the unknown and overcoming resistance
• 36:00: Auditioning more efficiently, letting go of perfectionism
• 45:50: The union of failure and success—one always accompanies the other

Host’s Closing Words:
“Remember, fail fast, fail often.” (49:06)

This episode offers both practical and philosophical advice for voice actors at every level who want to build resilience and see long-term results, guiding listeners to see every audition (and every "failure") as a crucial stepping stone on their unique journey.