Go For It! What's Stopping You?

Today I had a client in my studio who is a video shooter, editor. TV personality, former newsman. He has wanted to do vo for decades. He is. Fantastic talent. I've had so many over the years who knew inside they could do this but something stopped them. What? Could be self-doubt. Could be negative voices of influence. Could be fear of failure. Could be lack of knowledge about the business. One common comment from newcomers is: "But the competition is so great." I respond, "SO WHAT?" Try hairdressing or dancing or opening a carpet store or clothing store or being a dentist. What else is new?" The Mary Kay Corporation says to its new salespeople, "don't fear competition. Everyone has SKIN." You have skin too! Get a THICK SKIN. Roll with it. Persevere. Go for it. Be not afraid.
All best
Bettye Zoller
www.voicesvoices.com

Determination or Just a Dream?

Voice Overs and my recording studio and life go on...some happy some sad moments when dear friends pass or other life happenings. I am watching the black and white classic movie, "Sunset Blvd." with the late and always amazing Gloria Swanson. William Holden stars. He always was a fav of mine and in the film, "Picnic," took my breath away. I've loved him for decades. well, I'm rambling...so what do I want to write my blog about today? Let me see...

Today I had a client in my recording studio and she kept finding fault with herself. Classic case of self-doubt and insecurity about her abilities. I call that, in my students, "the imposter syndrome." Self-doubt comes from not feeling comfortable in one's own skin, not being sure one should be doing something. Self-doubt can end with abandoning plans, one's dreams, goals, because the person began to doubt so strongly his or her direction. Don't let that happen to you at the beginning of a new endeavor be it a business or a love affair. Yes, voice overs are a business. But they also should be a love affair. They should be something you want to do more than anything else and you should be determined. I guess that's what I want to say here: Determination. Do you have it? You need it.

A good friend in radio, a man who was very wealthy from his broadcasting endeavors, once told me this: "If someone tells you they are THINKING about doing something, starting a new business, learning a new skill or trade, tell them they probably never will amount to anything. That's because if a person wants, with a burning desire, to do something, accomplish something, he isn't just THINKING about doing it. He is DETERMINED."

See what that means? Be determined. Focus. And find your bliss. If it's not meant for you, you'll drop out. Many have. It's not all fun. It's not all joy. It's hard work. It's not glamorous. Oh no. It's sweaty and scary and wonderful.

Bettye Zoller
www.voicesvoices.com

Who Do You Miss and Why?

People affect us all of our lives good and bad. The good ones we grow to respect, love, admire, revere, treasure. Who do you miss in your life? I miss so many people...family, teachers, friends, helpers, neighbors, business associates. It'salways there in the back of my mind and pops up at the strangest times, often when I see a movie or read a book or talk with a friend who reminds me of them or how much I miss them. Longing and largess and pining, and straining for them.But they are gone, gone gone. What to do? "Think about other things," people counsel me. "You can't bring them back so don't pine for them." "They live on in your memory." Well, memory is not GOOD ENOUGH. I want them here, now, in my life like they USED TO BE. Get it? But that doesn't matter cause they are, in fact, GONE GONE GONE.

Missing folks you love or admire is part of life so enjoy and treasure the ones around you while you have them. That's my advice.
Blessings
Bettye Zoller

Voice Overs Can Be Weird and You Should Know

I grow increasingly tired of people who complain about lack of career success in voice overs. I began in this business as a studio singer and voice over performer with a four month old son and a husband (later we divorced) who seldom worked. The money from studios saved our lives. My mother often bought me groceries and paid my gas bill. I freed my parents from all that. Then later, studio money sent children to private schools, expensive colleges, built on our house, took expensive world vacations, so much more, all on monies earned from recording work. My parents, God bless them and He does and did,would have been so proud had they lived until now. But they know looking at me from somewhere across the veil.

You must keep trying. Do it for the ones you love and especially yourself!

Well, you can do it too. You have to promote yourself, get to know people who can hire you, get your name out in the world, on the internet, and have people who LIKE YOU. That's first. People want to work with people THEY LIKE. Ask any job consultant. They will say the same.

Today I downloaded and printed an article about this subject. It is entitled, "Find Success With Hard Work." Bravo. Yes. Right on. And tonight on TV I'm watching the masterful movie, "Julie and Julia." Yes, both women were so strong and kept on and did not give up. You can do it too.

Onward. Upward. Let this be your motto. Best of luck and hugs to you all.
Bettye Zoller
http://www.voicesvoices.com

Thank You New Orleans

The big easy. People are laid back. Things move more slowly. No concern about time. Relax. Lay back. My two day seminar there was sold out and the attendees were really wonderful people and talents. I made new friends. Thank you New Orleans. It was somewhat difficult for me to adjust to the New Orleans tempo but I did it. The food was marvelous. The last day there, in a hard tropical rain, we stumbled into a shack, a little cafe, only to discover the food was fantastic. Soft shelled crab, oysters, shrimp, gorgeous fish, absolutely delicious. I ate standing up, watching the rain outside, eating on a paper plate the best meal I ever had in this great city.

One day, the students went to lunch together and arrived back at the seminar 45 minutes late. Lunch lasted one hour and 45 minutes. Wow. Well, the students missed one entire segment of the day I had planned for them. The city tempo, it seems, invades everyone's body in New Orleans. Yes, I was upset. The next day, everyone returned from lunch on time.

Eating dinner at the famous Antoines was fantastic too. Fantastic prices as well, but we expected that. After dinner, we were taken on a special tour of the entire building, even the secret passage used during the civil war! Photos all over the walls of famous people dating back to the 1800s. And then, we met the grandaughter of the Antoine's founder! She was most gracious. She signed menus for us. We'll frame them in our kitchen. I have a menu from antoines when oysters were $2.40 PER DOZEN. It's framed in our kitchen.

As I write this, it is the Fourth of July. BarBQ awaits. Happy Holiday!

Summer memories

The smells of summer remind me of many things: Quiet summer afternoons with my Aunt Frances walking quiet streets in Joplin MO, my grandmother's front porch in Kansas City, and swinging in the porch swing in the dark until the adults made me stop ("Stop that! The noise let's people know we're here on the porch. If we're quiet, we can watch the neighbors on our street without their knowing!" Without internet and with only about three TV channels that stopped broadcasting about ten p.m., the front porch brigade sat there nightly as entertainment (and it was!). I slept with the big window open, listening to night sounds and sometimes raising up in bed to peer down at the street below in the wee hours of the morning. Once in a while, I'd see a couple kiss, returning from a date. Sometimes I heard arguments in the night. What fun. And always, the moon above and the sounds of insects. I love Kansas City. I always will.

Summer is the Time For Growing

I love summer seminars. I love summer book reading. I love summer just sitting around and thinking and then, wandering out into our back garden admiring the lovely flowers and letting the warm breezes waft over me. And the word "waft" is a summertime word and I love that word the most! Here is a photo of our back garden this summer. Wonderful.