The VOHeroes Podcast
Episodes
277 episodes
13285: Two. Not Three.
Hey there, hero!Simon Sinek recently reminded me of a story I’d heard for years: two, not three.Ben Prober, a successful shoe salesman, found that fewer choices made the decision about which shoes to buy easier.In the 1950s...
13284: Q&A: Should You Actually Say The N-Word When Narrating?
Hey there, hero!The question comes up often, and it shows up in various forms. This time, a client wrote this:“David…I cannot believe that in today’s cultural environment, that there are authors who expect me to say the n-w...
13283: The One Question You Can Ask That Just Might Make Someone Love You
Hey there, hero!Everybody loves baseball. And the language of baseball is part of cultures around the world.And over the course of time, I’ve settled on one question when I’m trying to serve a client, a peer, an affiliate, a famil...
13282: Do Not Fear Rejection. Instead, Fear Regret.
Hey there, hero!The title of this podcast episode comes from the words of author Michelle Rozen (not Rozer, as I misspoke at the beginning of the podcast), who wrote The 6%, a book on high achievers.And when I heard it, it st...
13281: Remove Distractions So Your Audience Sees Only You
Hey there, hero!Wow. That’s dark.A BTS look at my updated audition background, and why I chose to simplify my look.(I’ll likely be back to the bricks next episode.)But why the severe change? Because I look for any di...
13280: Channel Your Inner “Superstar Server”
Hey there, hero!The perfect server not only gives you great service……they are actually nowhere to be found when they aren’t needed.Ever notice that?It’s an art and skill to know when you’re needed and when you’re not...
13279: What’s Your Marketing Mashup?
Hey there, hero!A marketing mashup…what the heck is that?It’s what I call those quick little phrases that give someone a clear idea of your creative essence: who you are, how you sound, what kind of characters you play…that sort o...
13278: Open Loops Are Everywhere
Hey there, hero!The concept of open loops has come up so much in the last few weeks for me that I wanted to revisit an episode from 2019 that explained open loops and how powerful they can be for you.Writers use open loops to crea...
13277: Casey Brown Says “Know Your Worth. Ask For It.”
Hey there, hero!In another episode, I threaten you with harsh words if I ever catch you minimizing yourself.And it’s not just in how you describe yourself, it’s specifically about how you set your fees.And, of course, there...
13276: If I Ever Catch You Saying This, We Will Have Words
Hey there, hero!I was at a party a couple of years ago, and someone in our group was asked, “What do you do?”In Los Angeles, it’s rare that the answer to that question isn’t “I’m an actor.”In this case, the woman answered w...
13275: The Swedish Concept Of Lagom Might Be Just Right For You
Hey there, hero!Lagom is not “just OK.” It’s not “good enough for government work.”It’s actually a cultural concept in Sweden that is really useful in lots of different ways.In a nutshell, it means “not too much, not too li...
13274: But Sometimes Winners DO Quit
Hey there, hero!You’ve likely heard many times in life the pithy quote, “Winners never quit!”(And sometimes, the additional converse of “Quitters never win!”)Yeah. You can safely ignore that.This episode is all about...
13273: Left-brained? Right-brained? Relax. You’re Likely Both.
Hey there, hero!If you’re at all like me, I’ve often wondered if I’m the odd man out. A left-brained person in a right-brained body.See, I’m a creative…but I’m also proudly analytical and organized.I hear you. “Freak!” Yep....
13272: How Do You Feel When A Friend Gets The Gig?
Hey there, hero!What is your reaction when you see someone you know on TV?When a colleague pops up on the screen in a movie?When you hear that familiar voice in a spot?When you see the byline, and it’s not you, but s...
13271: Should You Run Your Creative Career Through A Company Or As An Individual?
Hey there, hero!Actors, voice talent and writers often face the question of whether they should run their creative practice as an individual, being paid as an employee, or as a company, paid via invoicing on a more formal basis.An...
13270: Why You Might Be Insulted By My Coaching
Hey there, hero!I ran across a quote by psychiatrist Thomas Szasz that called out a huge difference in how feedback/criticism/adjustments land with kids…as opposed to how that can land with adults.And it comes down to what he call...
13269: Maya Angelou Dropped A Powerful #1 Takeaway
Hey there, hero!Short and sweet: six words that might make your day a bit more impactful, and give you a bit more moxie and courage to do what we do as professional performers.(I ask my students at the end of each of our live work...
13268: That Job You Didn't Get Still Has Immense Value
Hey there, hero!So……you didn't get the gig.They went with someone else.You're disappointed, and that's understandable. But what are you missing from the experience?It can be a lot of valuable information and f...
13267: You Can't Edit A Blank Page
Hey there, hero!As you sit there at the moment of creation...With a blank page...Nothing yet recorded for an audition...A blinking cursor...Not even a countdown to begin recording, or an unclicked record butto...
13266: My Guaranteed 100% Accurate Predictions For The Rest Of The Year
Hey there, hero!The pundits are out with their predictions for this year.I have my predictions as well, and I guarantee you that mine are right and theirs are wrong.And there's joy in what I'm predicting.I think you'...
13265: Talking To Yourself: Crazy? Or Crazy Smart?
Hey there, hero!If you find yourself talking to yourself when you're by yourself......that's not only OK, it's a mark of genius.That's what the Internet says, and I'm going with them on this.I don't want you to feel ...
13264: Instead Of Looking Back (Or Ahead), Do This Instead
Hey there, hero!This is the final episode of the podcast for the year.And as I recorded this episode, I was wading through my inbox, which is currently filling up with listicles of The Best XXXXXX Of The Year, or Our Predictions F...
13263: What’s More Valuable: Being Smart Or Being Reliable?
Hey there, hero!There’s a lot of value in having workable expertise, value in having expertise that’s exceptional, and it’s something I think most of us strive to acquire.There’s also a lot of value in being dependable, being reli...
13262: Be Like Miss Johnson: Write Your Own Textbook
Hey there, hero!Space mathematician Katherine Johnson said, about the new strategies, tactics and calculation being created for the moon landing, “There were no textbooks, so we had to write one.”Ever faced something brand new in ...
13261: Have You Limited Your Circle Of Competence?
Hey there, hero!You’ve met people in our business who’ve been trained to say yes to everything.When asked what they are best at, they never say never. They say yes to anything. They can play any role, voice any character, write in...