Stephanie talks to Zehra Fazal, an accomplished animation, video game, and commercial actor. Zehra gives great insight into the animation industry as she talks about residuals, auditions, and more. They also talk about the importance of thinking of yourself as a business and making sure to have a cushion of income to allow you to do more of the types of genres you love.

Instagram and Twitter: @ZehraFazal

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3469812/

Zehra's Website: https://www.zehrafazal.com/

Chuck Duran Demos: https://demosthatrock.com/

Jake Bazel: https://www.jakebazel.com/

Deb Sperling's MITTM Episode: https://www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast-episodes/debra-sperling

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Milena Tinoco, an accomplished billingual voice actor who has been working to build her business over the last 10 years using tools like great training and positive mindset. Milena works in commercials, medical narration (she's also a registered nurse!), corporate narration, and more. They also talk about the specificities of being a bilingual English / Spanish voice actor.

Milena's Website: https://MilenaVoiceover.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milenavoiceover/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milenavoiceover/

Central FL VO Exchange: www.facebook.com/groups/centralfloridavohub/

(For working VO Pros living in Central FL) 

Actor's Connection: https://www.actorsconnection.com/

Coaches Mentioned: Anne Ganguzza, Dave Walsh, J. Michael Collins

Milena's Mom's Clown Website: https://ooopsy.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@OoopsyTV

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Making it to the Mic is back for Season 4! On this podcast, host Stephanie Pam Roberts interviews voice actors about their journeys - how they made it to the mic and what steps they took to create the careers they have now.

Inspired by NAVA's "State of VO Survey," Season 4 features voice actors who have made at least 6 figures in voice over income alone for the last several years.

NAVA's 2024 State of VO Survey: https://navavoices.org/voiceover-survey-2024/

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to David Cui Cui, an engineer turned voice actor who loves doing character work, especially for video games. They talk about how his experience as an avid video game player helps him, the importance of doing what's best for you, and how to better support people of color in the industry.

Website: cuicuivo.com

Instagram: @cuicuivo

Twitter: @CuiCui48

Edge Studio: https://edgestudio.com

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Bo Martin, Jr. a voice actor based in North Carolina, about his slow but steady journey into the voice over industry. They talk about the importance of an accountability group and the value of having great customer service with your clients.

Bo's Website: https://boknowsvo.com

Bo's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BoKnowsVoiceOvers

Bo's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bomartinjr

Bo's Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok: @boknowsvo

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Zania Sala, a bilingual voice actor who works in commercial and corporate narration and is the on air promo voice of the Hispanic network, UniMás. They talk about what it's like to be the voice of a network - the volume of work, different styles needed, self direction, and always being on call as well as how being a singer helps in VO.

Zania's Website: zania.net 

Zania's Instagram: @zaniavox 

Zania's LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaniasala/

Marc Scott's Classes: https://marcscottcoaching.com/shop/

VOPreneur Podcast: https://vopreneur.com

VO Boss Podcast: https://www.voboss.com

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Allegra Verlezza (they/them), a voice actor who works in commercials, explainers, eLearning, politicals, PSAs, audiobooks and more. Allegra is non-binary and shares openly about their experiences in the voice over industry and how we might continue to grow and expand our inclusion of non-binary people. See the resources below if you'd like to learn more!

Supporting Transgender & Gender Non-Conforming Diverse Gender Voiceover Artists - Allegra wrote this: https://www.bluewavevoiceover.com/diverse-gender-voiceover-artists/

The Trevor Project Resource Center: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/

GLAAD Article: https://www.glaad.org/amp/beginners-guide-being-ally-to-trans-people?gclid=CjwKCAjw-8qVBhANEiwAfjXLrqNB6cnlNWyWtRsM7lrKkZECeSnPZFhBGwXRc2ISt4txj1ccx0DC7xoC2isQAvD_BwE

GLAAD Article: https://www.glaad.org/transgender/allies

10 Ways to Step Up to Be an Ally: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/about-us/news/10-ways-step-ally-non-binary-people

Allegra's Website: www.allegraverlezza.com

Allegra's Instagram: www.instagram.com/allegraverlezza

Shut Up and Talk Classes: https://www.shutupandtalk.com/classes/

Frank Verderosa: https://www.frankverderosa.com/book-online

Frank's Episode of this podcast: https://www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast/s2-ep-1-frank-verderosa

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Jonathan Tilley, a voice actor, marketing, branding, and social media expert. They talk about Jonathan's experiences as an American voice actor living abroad as well as how he got into teaching fellow voice actors about marketing and some social media ideas and best practices.

Jonathan's Website: https://www.jonathantilley.com

My Content Calendar IG Course: https://www.mycontentcalendar.com

League of List Builders Email Marketing Course: https://www.leagueoflistbuilders.com

Jonathan's Podcast: https://www.jonathantilley.com/podcast

Jonathan's IG Accounts: @jonathantilleydotcom or @mycontentcalendar_ or @leagueoflistbuilders 

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Erikka J., a voice actor who works in commercials, corporate narration, video games, and more! Erikka shares her thoughts on her work in politicals, how she balances work and family, and on the shift towards a more inclusive VO industry.

Erikka's Website: erikkaj.com

All Erikka's Socials: @misserikkaj 

eVocation VO Conference: https://www.vocationconference.com

VO School Podcast: http://www.voschoolpodcast.com

(Maria's political episode is #54)

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Anna Garduno, a voice actor and voice over teacher. They talk extensively about the techniques and ideas Anna teaches in her class for both commercials and animation and they cover demos as well. This episode is chock full of amazing info so definitely have something handy to take notes!

Anna's Website: www.voiceforward.com

Anna's FB page: https://www.facebook.com/VoiceForward

Anna's Acting Class: https://larrymoss.org

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Dave Droxler, a character voice actor who specializes in creature and animal voices. Dave discusses this side of voice over and animation and we also talk about what it was like to work on a series through the pandemic and the importance of being professional and easy to work with.

Dave's Website: http://www.davedroxler.com

The Long and the Short of It Episode mentioned: https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/15-sonder

Jen Waldman Studio: https://www.jws.community

Pete Shepherd: https://humanperiscope.com

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Sophia Cruz, a bilingual voice actor and coach. Sophia works in commercials, eLearning, and audio description which we discuss in detail. They also talk about setting healthy boundaries for yourself in this business.

Sophia's Website: https://www.sophiacruzvo.com

Winning in Voice Over Website: https://www.winninginvoiceover.com

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to audiobook narrator Tim Campbell. Tim is an Audie, Voice Arts, Independent Audiobook, and Audiofile Earphones Award-winning narrator of over 900 audiobooks. They talk about the ins and outs of royalty share, time management and more.

Tim's Website: www.timcampbell.me

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Tim Heller, a voice actor who works in commercials, animation, and more! Tim also loves to be creative on social media and we talk about putting yourself out there, how he creates characters, and his voice over course.

Tim's Website: www.TimHellerVO.com

Tim's Voice Over Course: https://timhellervo.com/store/category/course

All Social: @TimHellerVO

Discord and OpenSea: VoiceOverGuy

Other Episodes Mentioned: S1E1 Maria Pendolino and S2E5 Andrew Keltz

Other Podcast Mentioned: Talkin' Tunes with Rob Paulsen

Tom Aglio (Direct Marketing): https://www.tomaglio.com/coaching

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Debra Sperling, a renowned voice actor and voice over coach. She's voiced everything from national commercials to in show narrations and countless promos. She's also a passionate teacher and her class, "Authenticity in Voice Over" helps students discover their unique, authentic voice and bring it to the mic.

Debra's Website: https://www.debrasperling.com/about

Debra's Class: https://www.debrasperling.com/coachingteaching

Instagram: @DebraSperlingVO

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Rachel Slotky, a voice actor and casting director who works a lot in dubbing. They talk about what dubbing is and some of the current issues surrounding rates and fair pay as well as what she looks for when casting this genre.

During the episode Rachel mentions usage and to clarify, in animation contracts initial usage is also known as "initial exhibition" and is included in the session fee, any use or distribution beyond that is handled with residual payments. In the conversation, she uses the term "usage" in reference to anything beyond initial exhibition since it is a term that more listeners may be familiar with working in commercial VO. Most nonunion animation contracts are structured as a full buyout.

Rachel's Website: https://www.rachelslotky.com

Socials: @RachelSlotky on Twitter and Instagram

GVAA Rate Guide: https://globalvoiceacademy.com/gvaa-rate-guide-2/

A good link/resource is the Coalition of Dubbing Actors website, specifically this is the link to the "standards" page which has great info! https://codaunite.com/industry-standards/

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Welcome to Making It To The Mic! I'm kicking off Season 3 with this official trailer.

Everyone has to start somewhere right? In voice over, there are so many places to start and paths to travel down. On this podcast I interview a variety of voice actors from different backgrounds about how they got their start. We focus on what it was like in the early days of their career, how they found their way in the voice over industry, and what steps they took to create the careers they have now.

Hosted by Stephanie Pam Roberts, a musical theatre actress turned voice actor who made it to the mic over 10 years ago. Stephanie built her career from the ground up working mostly from her home studio with jobs she booked on her own. Since then she’s grown her business and has voiced everything from national commercials to corporate projects to kids apps, and more!

Don't forget to follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

Stephanie talks to David Toback, fellow voice actor and creator of the amazing resource the GVAA Rate Guide. This rate guide has become the gold standard for non union rates and should be bookmarked and referenced often! David shares the story of how the rate guide came to be, how to use it, and his thoughts on rates and negotiation in general.

GVAA Rate Guide: https://globalvoiceacademy.com/gvaa-rate-guide-2/

David's Socials: @davidtoback

David's Website: www.davidtoback.com

David's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidtoback

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Robert Graham, a manager who just started his own company called LG Talent Management. They talk about how things have changed when it comes to the role of a manager and how he's looking to bring change in the form of a positive work environment in his office and a positive and open relationship with his clients.

Robert's Website: https://www.lgtalentmanagement.com

Robert's Instagram: @lgtalentmanagement and @_robertgraham

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Paula Gammon Wilson, Owner/Director of Pepsqually VO and Sound Design, Inc. She is an award-winning Voice Over Performance Director, Casting Director, and Producer primarily focused on children's content. Stephanie and Paula take a deep dive into how to make your character auditions stand out, what it's like to work in dubbing internationally, and what she looks for in her actors.

 -Paula's Website: https://www.pepsqually.com

- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pepsqually-VO-and-Sound-Design-1006880152697846

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Andrea Beane, co-founder and owner of the talent agency AB2. Andrea and her partner Angelina run all aspects of the agency and strive to be the agents they wish they had had. Stephanie and Andrea talk about script analysis, finding authenticity in your reads, finding human connection in the business and more.

Angelina's Episode: https://www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast/season-2-episode-3-angelina-bruno

AB2 Website: http://ab2talent.com

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Andrew Keltz, a speech language pathologist who specializes in voice and upper airway disorders. They discuss the importance of vocal health in general, when to seek help and who to see if you feel something is off, simple tips for staying healthy, and much more.

Eboni's episode from Season 1: https://www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast/episode-12-eboni-fondren

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Saul Blinkoff - Disney animator, producer, voice director, inspirational speaker, and podcast host! Saul shares the incredible story of his journey to becoming a Disney animator and they also talk about what it's like to be in the booth with some voice over greats.

Saul's Website: saulblinkoff.com

Saul's Instagram: @saul.blinkoff

Saul Blinkoff on FB and Clubhouse

Saul's Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-of-awesome/id1546988218

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Jessica Taylor, a voice actor with over 10 years of experience based in Colorado. Jessica works in all aspects of VO except for animation, video games, and audiobooks. They talk about the ups and downs of the business, maintaining client relationships, and how voice over allows Jessica to be an involved parent.

Instagram: @jessicavodotcom

LinkedIn: @jtaylorvo

Website: http://www.jessicavo.com

Tina Morasco's Online Course: https://www.tinamorascocoaching.com/voiceoverlibrary

Natasha Marchewka: https://natashamarchewka.com/

Thom Pinto: https://www.thompinto.com/copy-of-styles

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Angelina Bruno, co-founder and owner of the talent agency AB2. Angelina and her partner Andrea aim to be the agents they wish they had. They talk about the actor/agent relationship, what she looks for when submitting talent to the casting director or client, and how specificity in your reads is the key to authenticity.

AB2 Website: http://ab2talent.com

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie chats with Diakeim Lyles, an experienced casting director who also teaches and coaches voice over. Diakeim loves collaborating with actors to help them get their best reads and his positive energy and encouragement are infectious! We also talk about current trends in the industry and imposter syndrome when starting something new.

Diakeim's Website (audition coaching is here): https://www.dlylescast.com 

Instagram: @diakeimlyles

Linked In: linkedin.com/in/diakeim-l-71573573

Actor's Connection (to check out his classes): https://www.actorsconnection.com/classes/category/vo

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

In the first episode of Season 2, Stephanie talks to Frank Verderosa, an expert audio engineer. They cover everything from home studio basics, to equipment, to editing, how to be an asset to the engineer on a directed session, and much more!

Frank's Website: https://www.frankverderosa.com

Work with Frank: https://www.frankverderosa.com/book-online

Find him on Facebook, Clubhouse, and Instagram

Vocal Booth To Go for products: https://www.vocalboothtogo.com

Favorite blogs: https://www.frankverderosa.com/single-post/2020-microphone-shootout

https://www.frankverderosa.com/single-post/gear-up-for-the-holidays-part-1-the-big-items

https://www.frankverderosa.com/single-post/gear-up-for-the-holidays-part-2-the-smaller-items

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie wraps up Season 1 with her Top 5 Takeaways. Over the course of 15 episodes, these things came up numerous times and felt important to highlight.

Making It To The Mic Website: www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Jeremy Levy, a long time friend and voice actor who works in commercials, promos, and animation. He's the voice of Bumblebee in Trasformers: Cyberverse. We talk about finding confidence for self directed reads at home, what it's like to have fans, and what he learned from a shaky start to his voice over career.

Jeremy's website: jeremy-levy.com

Jeremy's first mic: sE 2200

Jeremy's current mic: Sennheiser MKH 416

Jeremy's other home studio equipment: Focusrite Scarlett Solo, Solid State Logic SSL2

Jen Sukup's Class: https://www.shutupandtalk.com/coaching/jen-sukup/

Making It To The Mic Website: www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Sheli Baez, a bilingual voice actor who works in both the English and Spanish markets in commercials, children's media, eLearning, and more! They talk about how those markets are similar and how they differ as well as the importance of having hobbies outside of voice over.

Sheli's Website: www.shelibaez.com

Instagram: @SheliBaez

Twitter: @ShelibaezVO

TikTok: @shelibaez

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/shelibaez

Paul Liberti’s Class (check Actor's Connection): https://www.actorsconnection.com/classes/category/vo/

VANYC: https://www.voiceactorsnyc.com

Lisa Biggs: https://www.lisabiggs.com

Vocal Booth To Go: https://www.vocalboothtogo.com

Sheli’s first mic: Rhode NT1A

Sheli’s mic now: TLM 103

Interfaces: Apollo Quad 8, Solid State Logic SS2+

Sweetwater (for gear): https://www.sweetwater.com

Making It To The Mic Website: https://www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Carin Gilfry, a well known voice actor whose work can be heard in commercials, corporate videos, audiobooks, eLearning, and more. Carin is also the co-founder of the eVocation Conference, which focuses solely on the business side of voice over and she recently conducted comprehensive survey of over 1200 voice actors, the results of which will be published soon.

Carin's Website: www.caringilfry.com

eVocation's Website: www.VOcationConference.com

Voice Actors of NYC: https://www.voiceactorsnyc.com

Making It To The Mic Website: www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast 

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Eboni Fondren, a voice actor and singer based in Kansas City. Like many voice actors, Eboni was used to recording her jobs in person and recently set up her home studio. She tells us about one of her first VO jobs, which was a really neat niche in the industry and we also talk about the importance of vocal health.

Eboni's Instagram: @jzzylady

Eboni's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ebonifondrenmusic/

Eboni’s Home Studio Equipment: Mic - AudioTechnica AT 4040, Interface - Motu M2, DAW - ProTools

Lili Torre’s (the mutual friend who introduced Eboni and I) podcast The Dreaded Question: https://www.lilitorre.com/question-asker-1

Resources about vocal health/vocal injury:

Jenna Pastuszek’s Blog About Vocal Injury: https://www.innovativevoicestudio.com/blogpost/silence-the-shame

The Visceral Voice Podcast talks with an amazing panel of professional singers about vocal injury: https://www.kimberlydoreenburns.com/thevisceralvoicepodcast/episode/4d6b7336/broadway-panel-vocal-injury-and-recovery

Making It To The Mic Website: www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Joanna Carpenter, a musical theatre actress who had been doing voice over before the pandemic and created a home studio during this time. Joanna talks about the importance of embracing learning new things like the tech/engineering side and being a team player.

Joanna's Website: www.joannacarpenter.com

Joanna's Instagram: @thejoannac

Joanna's Clubhouse: @joannacarpenter 

Joanna's Mic: Rhode NT1A

Rate Guide mentioned: https://globalvoiceacademy.com/gvaa-rate-guide-2/

Making It To The Mic Website: www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to George Washington III, a voice actor who has performed across many genres including commercials, eLearning, promo, and more. We also have an important conversation about representation and diversity in the industry and George generously shares his perspective as a Black voice actor.

VO Atlanta: https://vms.swoogo.com/voa21/

George’s First Mic: AudioTechnica 2020 

George’s Booth: Studiobricks 1+

George’s Mics Now: MXL VO1A, Sennheiser 416, Neumann TLM103, Sennheiser 416 sound alike (less money) - AudioTechnica 875R

George Whittam: http://www.georgethe.tech

Blue Wave Voice Over: https://www.bluewavevoiceover.com

Making It To The Mic Website: www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Daisy Hobbs, a musical theatre performer turned voice actor. Daisy is also a mama to 2 young kids and a writer. She can be heard in all sectors of media, but focuses on nailing her reads for major national commercials and trusting her strong performance background.

Daisy's Website: www.voicebydaisy.com

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Marisa Dargahi, a voice actor and voice acting coach who has worked in commercials, corporate videos, and more. Marisa also spent some time behind the mic as a casting director and offers valuable insights into that side of the business.

Marisa’s Website: marisavoiceovers.com

Marisa’s Instagram: @marisadargahi      

Marisa’s Twitter: @marisavoiceover      

Coach with Roger Becker: https://www.actingbusinessbootcamp.com/voiceovers

Marisa’s Mic: audio-technica 4040

Making It To The Mic Website: www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Andrew Lander, a transplant from the corporate world who does commercials, corporate narration, eLearning and more. Andrew started his career last year and learned about VO not only from working hard with coaches and taking classes but also from podcasts. We talk about navigating doing VO while still having a full time job, marketing ideas, and the value of a business plan.

Andrew’s website: andrewlandervo.com

Andrew’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewlander

Andrew’s Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/andrewlandervo/

Clubhouse: @andrewlander

Carrie Olsen: https://carrieolsenvo.com

Edge Studio script library: https://edgestudio.com/vo-resource-center/

Vocal Booth To Go: https://www.vocalboothtogo.com

GVAA Rate Guide: https://www.globalvoiceacademy.com/gvaa-rate-guide-2/

Stephanie talks to Joey Schaljo, a voice actor who does commercials, eLearning, corporate narration, medical narration, and live announce. We talk about what it’s like to announce the New York City Marathon, creative marketing ideas, and how much she loves spreadsheets!

Joey’s website: www.agirlnamedjoey.com

Instagram: @agirlnamedjoey

Edge Studio: https://edgestudio.com

Joey’s booth: http://studiobricks.com

ProTools (recording software / DAW): https://www.avid.com/pro-tools

Audacity (recording software / DAW): https://www.audacityteam.org

Voice123: https://voice123.com

Randy Thomas class: https://www.randythomasvo.com/voiceover-coaching/

Stephanie talks to Lindsay Sheppard, a voice actor who works across genres in animation, dubbing, eLearning, commercials and more. We talk about animation techniques, being a mom in the industry, and some insider tips about submitting to agents.  

Lindsay’s Website: http://bubblegumvoice.com

Coaching: http://lonestarvo.com

Twitter: @LSheppardVO

Instagram: @Lindsaysheppardvo

TikTok: @bubblegumvoice

Pumpkin Reports (animated show that Lindsay and I both voice characters in): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo9UvK0FqC1B_lu11zQzfAQ

Lindsay’s first mic: Rode NT1-A

Lindsay’s booth: https://www.gretchken.com

Jordan Reynolds (who made Lindsay’s demo): https://www.jordanreynolds.com

Stephanie’s first booth: https://www.instagram.com/p/B7t510hpbt1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Making It To The Mic Website: www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Christopher “Zippy” Kaufman, a voice actor who works in commercials, corporate narration, eLearning, explainers, and more. He’s also an improv-er and sketch comedian as well. Stephanie and Zippy talk about everything from self direction to self doubt, the "conversational read," home recording sessions, and how leaving what he thought was his dream job led him to find his dream career of voice over.  

Zippy’s Website: https://ckzippy.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ckzippy/

Twitter: @zippykaufman

Instagram: @zippykaufman

Clubhouse: @zippykaufman

Westside Comedy Theatre: https://www.westsidecomedy.com

Making It To The Mic Website: www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Cherie B. Tay, a Broadway stage manager turned voice actor. Cherie started her voice over career a few years ago but really dug in once the pandemic hit in March of 2020 and theatre shut down. Since then she has hit the ground running and has become a valuable member of the voice over community working in genres like commercial, eLearning, animation, narration, IVR, and more. Her viral “stage manager calls" video was a huge hit and she also participated in the TikTok musical Ratatouille.

To donate to the Actors Fund: https://actorsfund.org

Cherie’s Website: https://www.cheriebtayvo.com

Social Media: @cheriebtay on all platforms and @cherieb.tay on TikTok

Cherie’s DIY Booth How-To: https://www.cheriebtayvo.com/blog/cheriebooth2020

Cherie’s Mic: Synco D2

Edge Studio: https://edgestudio.com

eVocation Business of Voice Over Conference: https://www.vocationconference.com 

Frank Verderosa (sound engineer who Cherie consulted with): https://www.frankverderosa.com

Making It To The Mic Website: www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Michael Crouch, an experienced audiobook narrator who has also worked in commercials, promo, and anime. He gives us a peek into his process as an audiobook narrator and tells us how he puts his acting training to use.

Michael’s Website: http://www.michaellockwoodcrouch.com

Twitter: @HelloMLC

Insta: @HelloMLC

Pay 2 Play site that Michael joined: https://voice123.com

Audio book class: http://www.paulalanruben.com

Michael’s microphones: Neumann TLM 102, Rode NTG3, AKG C414

Making It To The Mic Website: www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Jamie Muffett, an experienced voice actor who works in commercials, corporate narration, video games, and more. Jamie comes from an audio engineer / music background and he shares valuable information about home studios and editing audio. We also get a peek into what it’s like to work in the video game and MoCap industries. 

Jamie’s Website: https://www.jamiemuffettvo.com

eVocation Business of Voice Over Conference: https://www.vocationconference.com 

Jamie’s Podcast: http://www.voschoolpodcast.com

Jamie’s Instagram: @jamiemuffett

Jamie’s Twitter: @JamieMuffettVO

Jamie’s microphone: Rode NTG5

Voice One in San Francisco (where Stephanie took classes and made her demos): https://www.voiceone.com

Making It To The Mic Website: www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

On this episode of Making it to the Mic, Stephanie talks to Maria Pendolino, a successful voice actor who’s been in the business over 10 years. Maria works in many different genres including commercials, corporate narration, eLearning, explainer videos, animation, and more! She’s also a “negotiation queen” and encourages and empowers voice actors to charge what they and their time are worth.

Maria’s Website: https://www.voicebymaria.com

Maria’s Instagram: @mariapendo

Maria’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapendolino/

Maria’s booth: http://studiobricks.com

Microphones Mentioned: AudioTechnica AT2020 (her first mic in the closet), Neumann TLM 103, Sennheiser MKH-416 (mics using now)

Making It To The Mic Website: www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Welcome to Making It To The Mic! This is the trailer episode to let you know what the podcast is about.

Everyone has to start somewhere right? In voice over, there are so many places to start and paths to travel down. On this podcast we interview a variety of voice over artists from different backgrounds about how they got their start. We focus on what it was like in the early days of their career, how they found their way in the voice over industry, and what steps they took to create the careers they have now.  

Hosted by Stephanie Pam Roberts, a musical theatre actress turned voice actor who made it to the mic over 10 years ago. Stephanie built her career from the ground up working mostly from her home studio with jobs she booked on her own. Since then she’s grown her business and has voiced everything from national commercials to corporate projects to kids apps, and more!

If you're excited to hear more from our guests, please subscribe!

Stephanie talks to video game and animation voice actor Zeke Alton. Zeke is a former Navy test pilot and his experience and analytical mind has helped shape his voice over journey. Zeke is a member of SAG-AFTRA and currently on the union negotiating committees for Television, Film, Commercials, Animation, and Video Games.

Zeke's Instagram: @zekealton

SAG-AFTRA Website: https://www.sagaftra.org/

NAVA Website: https://navavoices.org/

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to audiobook narrator Andi Arndt. Andi has recorded over 750 audio books in many different genres. She talks about her methods both in front of the mic and how she runs her business in this informative episode.

Andi's Website: andiarndt.com

Andi's Instagram: @offmicandi

VO Atlanta: https://www.voatlanta.me/

Michael Crouch's episode: https://www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast-episodes/michael-crouch

Narrator.Life: https://narrator.life/

Audio In Color: https://audioincolor.org/

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Danielle Famble, a musical theatre and TV actor turned voice actor who works in commercials, politicals, eLearning, and more. Danielle's career took off in 2020 and she has grown her 6 figure business ever since.

Danielle's Website: https://daniellefamble.com/

Danielle's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dfamble

Danielle's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daniellefamble

Danielle's Email: danielle@daniellefamble.com

Artillery Media: https://artillerymedia.com/

The Branding Babe: https://www.thebrandingbabe.com/

TriBooth: https://tribooth.com/

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Robb, a bilingual voice actor who has over a decade of experience working in several VO genres including commercials and more recently, audio books. Robb's acting background and friendly demeanor has helped him grow and maintain his voice over business.

Abacus Audio: https://www.abacus.nyc/

Robb's Website: RobbMoreiraVO.com

Instagram and X: @robbmoreiravo

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com

Stephanie talks to Gina Scarpa, a voice actor, coach and director. Gina works consistently in genres like commercials, video games, corporate, and more and is passionate about marketing and SEO as ways to grow and sustain her business.

https://navavoices.org/

Marc Scott - VO Marketing - https://www.vopreneur.com/

Maria Pendolino's MITTM Episode: https://www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast-episodes/maria-pendolino

Carin Gilfry's MITTM Episode: https://www.stephaniepamroberts.com/podcast-episodes/carin-gilfry

https://ginascarpa.com/

https://positivevoicesct.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginascarpa/

https://twitter.com/ginascarpa

Making It To The Mic Website: www.makingittothemic.com

Instagram: @stephaniepamrobertsvo

Email: stephanie@stephaniepamroberts.com