In Episode 02, I talked about coaches and how they have helped me. Without help, I would not be where I am today. This episode is not a how-to lesson on getting started in voiceover. I’m just sharing my story.

My first motorcycle was a Honda Shadow VLX. Now, I drive a BMW C400X scooter.

I took the Basic Rider Course through the Ohio Department of Public Safety. Some call it the “Motorcycle Ohio Program.” motorcycle.ohio.gov

I like structured programming that is organized into bite-sized chunks, experienced teachers, hands-on training, and peer support. Facebook Groups and accountability buddies are helpful.

For anyone making a career transition or learning a new skill, keep an eye on what is working and what is not. Have clear goals, and recognize when something isn’t a good fit. The right coach can really help, and it’s ok to revisit missed opportunities at a later time.

My first business coach was Sandra Wharton at the Women’s Economic Opportunity Center at the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center in Ft. Wayne, IN. I found her on the Small Business Administration’s website in June 2017.

I starting working with Marty and Jack from the Northwest Ohio Chapter of SCORE in April 2018. SCORE stands for Service Corps of Retired Executives. To learn more about the Northwest Ohio Chapter of SCORE, visit northwestohio.score.org.

I trained with a voiceover coach named Nancy Wolfson January-November 2018. To learn more about Nancy, visit braintracksaudio.com.

Jonah Rosenthal at the Global Voice Acting Academy (GVAA) helped me set up my Blue Yeti USB microphone. His Audacity webinar helped me learn how to record, edit, and produce MP3 files. David Rosenthal taught the group medical and technical narration class I took through GVAA. To learn more about GVAA, visit globalvoiceacademy.com.

To learn about Hillary Huber, visit hillaryhuber.com.

To learn more about Jeffrey Kafer, visit audiobookmentor.com.

Sean Pratt is my non-fiction audiobook narration coach. To learn more about Sean Pratt, visit seanprattpresents.com and check out his YouTube video, “So…You want to be an audiobook narrator?” https://youtu.be/NPzPi-_0Xi8

I met Dr. Erin L. Albert at the Medipreneurs Conference in April 2019. To learn more about Dr. Erin L. Albert, visit about.me/erinalbert.

Dave Jackson is my Podcasting Coach. To learn more about Dave Jackson and the School of Podcasting, visit schoolofpodcasting.com.

Joe Brookhouse got me started with Studio One. To learn more about Joe, visit voicework.me.

Don Baarns is my audio engineering coach. His webinars are titled, “Studio One Jumpstart,” “Studio One Advanced,” and “RX Jumpstart.” He runs Facebook Groups for Studio One and RX. To learn more about Don, visit redbaarnsaudio.com.

As, I transition from pharmacist to voice actor, I like to find people I trust and listen to them. I’m human, though, and I do make mistakes.

Beware the illusory truth effect (“validity effect,” “truth effect,” or the “reiteration effect”). People believe false information to be correct after repeated exposure. I like evidence-based decisions. When learning something new, find experts. Do research. Don’t make major purchases or decisions without thinking them through. It’s not a race. I’m 2.5 years into my journey, and I’m still not where I want to be.

To learn more about the Cleveland International Motorcycle Show, visit https://motorcycleshows.com/cleveland.