Everyday VOpreneur® Podcast

Episode: "A Career That Lasts: Joe Cipriano on Longevity, Legacy"

Host: Marc Scott

Guest: Joe Cipriano

Date: January 15, 2026

Overview

In this special episode, Marc Scott welcomes legendary promo voice actor Joe Cipriano to discuss two interwoven themes: longevity and legacy in the world of voiceover—and in life. Their conversation goes deep into balancing a long-running creative career with family, evolving with the shifting industry landscape, and the power of relationships, mindset, and continual self-improvement. Along the way, Joe provides candid insights, shares stories both personal and professional, and offers advice for VOpreneurs striving to build sustainable, fulfilling careers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Marriage, Family & Work-Life Balance

• Joe and Ann: Partnership Behind the Career

  • Joe credits much of his career—and personal stability—to his wife Ann’s understanding and support.
  • [03:15] Joe: “I’ve known Ann for most of my life…Last year celebrated 50th anniversary of our first date.”
  • Their mutual backgrounds in radio/broadcasting helped Ann understand the unpredictable and demanding nature of VO work.
  • The couple’s dynamic: supporting each other during “bad days” and recognizing that career deadlines often mean changing plans last minute.

• Working VO Around Family Life

  • [13:50] Joe describes orchestrating his Hollywood promo schedule around his children’s school and family dinners. He shaped his work routine to never miss breakfast, drop-offs, pickups, or dinner.
  • [17:30] Joe: “It was unbelievable luck… I never really told the people at Fox that I’m doing this. It was my agents that had to deal with it.”

• The Role of the Right Partner

  • Marc and Joe agree (with humorous anecdotes) that understanding partners—who get the “crazy” of the VO lifestyle—are essential for success and sanity.
  • [07:48] Marc: “Having the right person in your corner…it can be one of the biggest contributing factors to whether or not you succeed in this industry.”

2. Evolution of the Industry: Then vs. Now

• From Studio-Hopping to Remote Recording

  • In the ‘80s and ‘90s, promos were done in-person at various Hollywood studios—creating a community feel and face-to-face working relationships.
    • [23:30] Joe: “You’d see Don LaFontaine three, four times a day…there was a lot of sit-around time in the lobby, telling stories and hanging out.”
  • The advent of ISDN (early ‘90s) and, later, Source Connect/software changed everything, leading to more isolation but also more flexibility—and new challenges in relationship-building.

• Building & Maintaining Relationships Remotely

  • [29:02] Joe recounts working for years with Food Network via ISDN, only meeting producers face-to-face after years of collaboration.
  • Relationship-building requires more effort in today’s remote, “faceless” work but remains as vital as ever.

3. The Hustle Never Stops: Longevity in VO

• Marketing & Opportunity-Seeking at Every Level

  • Joe debunks the myth that he never had to hustle for work—even as a network mainstay, he constantly looked for opportunities.
  • [30:47] Marc: “If you want to get to the top of the mountain and stay at the top of the mountain, you hustle … Maybe how you hustle looks different, but that concept was universal.”
  • Joe read trades, followed industry changes, passed leads to his agents, and kept an eye on upcoming trends.

• Diversifying & Riding Out the Peaks and Valleys

  • [36:49] Joe: “I call it the roller coaster. I had a lot of incredible highs and heartbreaking crushing blows way into my career…”
  • On losing a major gig (e.g., CBS) and losing over half his income, Joe explains:
    • Diversification is key: having multiple genres/streams reduces the pain of losing one.
    • [39:00] “You’ve got to diversify so that when you do lose something, it doesn’t hurt as much.”

• Mindset, Positivity & Resilience

  • [41:30] Joe: “Positivity and a great attitude and an excitement for life and … what you’re doing means something…It is what keeps you focused and interesting.”
  • Seeing hardship (such as friends affected by a devastating fire) reframes what truly matters and motivates Joe to keep moving forward with hope and energy.

4. Relevancy & Continual Self-Improvement

• Never Stop Learning; Coaching Keeps You Sharp

  • [46:11] Joe discusses his (sometimes reluctant) journey toward coaching—how it challenged him to articulate instinctive knowledge and gave back to the community.
  • He continues to work with coaches himself: “It keeps you relevant, it allows you to share, and it inspires you for your own career, not just your coaching career.”

• Being Directed is Growth

  • [49:37] Marc shares a recent directed session where he learned a new approach, reminding both that being open to feedback leads to creative improvements—even for veterans.

5. Legacy, Giving Back, and Inspiring the Next Generation

• On Legacy

  • [51:42] Joe: “I don’t think about it. I’m happy to share my experiences…I love doing that.”
    • The greatest joy: sharing with family and seeing his grandchildren recognize his work (even if just as “Papa's a famous voice”).
  • The Lifetime Achievement Award—most meaningful because his family was there.

• Coaching as a Part of Legacy

  • Joe’s Promo Masterclass leverages one-on-one asynchronous coaching to help more talent, more deeply, than conference workshops allow.
  • [68:33] Joe: “The masterclass is 20 spots…they’re reading on all 20 spots multiple times with direction in between each read. That’s exciting to me.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

About Marriage & Partnership

• [03:15] Joe: "I've known Ann for most of my life…Last year celebrated 50th anniversary of our first date. Wow."
• [05:36] Joe: "I know there are times when you're not feeling like smiling, and it's okay to be like that with me. And that was a big deal…”
• [07:48] Marc: “Having the right person in your corner…it can be one of the biggest contributing factors to whether or not you succeed in this industry.”

About Hustle and Longevity

• [30:48] Marc: “You were hustling the whole entire time. And I was like, holy, man. It doesn't really matter what level of the game you are at. If you want to get to the top of the mountain and stay…you hustle.”
• [31:50] Joe: “Most of the talent knew nothing about the business and relied on their agents…But…I'm a different person… I always felt I had to work twice as hard, three times as hard to keep this going."
• [39:00] Joe: “You've got to diversify so that when you do lose something, it doesn't hurt as much, you know, because you have so much going out there.”

About Mindset and Resilience

• [41:30] Joe: “Positivity and a great attitude and an excitement for life and…what you're doing means something and it is what keeps you focused and interesting…Being around somebody who's positive makes you feel good.”

About Coaching and Legacy

• [46:11] Joe: “I really struggled with coaching because I wasn't sure I was a very good director…But I pushed through it. And I learned from watching others.”
• [68:47] Joe: “The masterclass is 20 spots, they're reading on all 20 spots multiple times with direction in between…That’s exciting to me.”

On Family and Motivation

• [54:01] Joe: “My kids know and my grandkids know that there’s something special about papa. And, you know, my granddaughter…she will mimic it right away. And…I hear that she tells her friends, yeah, my papa is famous.”

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:15 | Joe recounts 50 years with Ann—importance of partnership in a VO career | | 13:50 | Balancing the demands of high-level promo work with being a present parent | | 23:30 | Golden age of in-studio work: building relationships in-person, impact of ISDN and remote tech | | 30:48 | The universality of hustle in VO—no matter your “level” | | 36:49 | The “roller coaster” of career highs and lows; necessity of diversification | | 41:30 | Mindset and positivity as tools for resilience | | 46:11 | Lifelong coaching and learning; growing as both artist and mentor | | 51:42 | Thoughts on legacy, family, and meaning beyond industry accolades | | 68:33 | The Promo Masterclass: structuring meaningful coaching online |

Takeaways for VOpreneurs

• Relationships matter—with family, colleagues, and clients. Nurture them intentionally, even as the industry evolves.
• Build a career, not just a gig string. Diversify your skillset and client base to sustain through the “roller coaster.”
• Marketing and hustle never stop. Stay curious, spot new opportunities, and be proactive—even (or especially) if you think you’ve “made it.”
• Prioritize what matters. Joe’s example underscores that it is possible to craft a fulfilling career and show up for your family.
• Stay positive and keep learning. Mindset makes longevity possible. Constantly seek feedback, embrace coaching, and pay it forward.
• Legacy isn’t just credits or awards. It’s the impact you have on those around you—family, community, and the next generation.

Connect with Joe Cipriano

• Website: joecipriano.com
• Promo Masterclass: promomasterclass.com
• Instagram: @joeciprianovo

“Positivity, never giving up and always staying focused actually helps with the success. And it also helps keep you as someone who comes into a room smiling, I mean, and it’s genuine. All of that comes together.”
— Joe Cipriano [44:30]

Summary prepared to reflect the original conversational tone and depth of the episode. For more episodes and resources, visit vopreneur.com.