Ingeniously Genuine

I was out just a little bit ago and saw a bumper sticker that kinda stuck with me. It read "Smile...it confuses people".

My first reaction was a little chuckle because it reminded me of a quote from one of my favorite TV shows, NBC's The Office. There's a classic line delivered by the character Kelly Kapoor (played by Mindy Kaling) that went something like "He's so complicated. Who says exactly what's on their mind?"

The more I got to thinking about this, the more I realized that we, as people, have a tendency to over analyze and over think every situation we're in. We've become so accustomed to the idea that people are going to double talk us, cheat us, stab us in the back, or use us that we often times DO get confused when we see that smile.

We live in a world were Business, especially at the corporate level, is assumed to have an agenda to take advantage of anyone and everyone. So, what can we, as Independents, and small business Entrepreneurs do about it?

I know that my own personal solution is to learn a little lesson from those quotes up above. Smile and mean it and always say what I mean. Treating our connections, clients, customers, friends, family, neighbors, and the security guard at the grocery store with the friendliness and respect that they are due is the best, and surest way to build trust and respect from others.

That's my opinion anyway and I think my plan of action too. I do pretty well being my genuine self. Give it a shot!

Being the best you can be, OR Supporting your industry not devaluing it.

One thing that's been a major stumbling block in the Audio/Multi-Media industry in recent times is a huge influx of amateur talent that has started to devalue the industry as a whole. This is being seen in Voiceover, Content creation, Audio, Video, and just about any other creative field.

Why is this, and what does it really mean? Well, here's my take. Right or wrong.

Deep down, we're all creative beings. At our very core, we're all artists, musicians, writers, poets, and visionaries. Some of us just recognize this while others stifle it as, what I've been told time and time again, childishness and pursuits of selfishness rather than beneficial skills.

So, in a down economy, like we've been experiencing and when it's hard to keep a job, let alone find a new one, it becomes more tantalizing for us to start looking for creative ways to make money. We've seen a flood of this in the Voiceover industry in particular. People get wind of someone who makes a good comfortable living doing voice work and think "How hard can that be, you just talk into a microphone, right?".

What's the problem with that, you ask? Well, nothing, as long as they take the time to research the industry, build quality demos, get to know the equipment they need to be using and how to properly use it, learn some basic editing skills, and hone their voice delivery to match the expectations of the industry. That's not what normally happens though.

The norm has become the amateurs who pop up on lead sites and start bidding $25 for a voicemail message or IVR. Now, I'm not saying that rates should stay constant, or even consistently GROW, but there needs to be a connect with companies looking for voice talent that you're not going to get the same product from a $25 talent as you are a professional voice artist. Conversely, you're not going to land a professional talent for $25.

What is the difference you ask? Isn't it all just voice to microphone to computer? Nope, sorry, but it's not. The professional has invested money in quality equipment, to maximize sound and minimize noise. The professional is going to converse with the client about delivery, inflection, pace, and format. The professional is going to provide finished, edited, and enhanced product. The professional is going to guarantee his/her work and still be there when it's time for updates and enhancements. The professional has an overhead, as we do this as a business and not just a weeknight hobby.

As a professional, I feel it's my duty to encourage everyone who has an interest in a specific industry to study that industry. Get to know it, and learn to value it and put your best foot forward. Yep, there will always be a market for cheap, but keep in mind that if you undervalue your work, your clients will undervalue you. It's a guarantee.

Be the best you can be and charge what you're worth, not what you think you can get.

A Time for Growth

A time for growth. Yep, personal, financial, and business. Now that I've got a grasp of what's held me back over the years and I've taken a good hard look at where it is that I want to go, I've decided that it's time to jump feet first into the mix.

It's a really good feeling when you finally realize just how good you are a what you do. Conceited? Not a bit. I fully understand that I'm still very much a student of my Art and have so much that I can learn, and so many great Artists that I can learn from. I don't take anything for granted. It never hurts to have a healthy sense of accomplishment in what you're capable of though.

I'm finally in a head space where I feel like I can move forward in my career and with my business. I know what I want and I'm making up for lost time in figuring out how to get it. I mean, come on, we're never too old to stop learning, right? We're never far enough ahead of the game to take a break and let the rest of our industry catch up. I'm finally starting to grasp the concept of working smarter instead of working harder.

It is time for growth. It's time to be what it is that I've always wanted to be. It is time to realize that I'm capable of it and I'm deserving of it. It's never too late to start growing.

My True North OR Follow the Compass, Dummy!

So, last time I talked about how, with the aid of my wonderful new Anti-Anxiety med, I've rediscovered my focus, drive, and ambition. Such a great thing, right? Yep, it was, but I quickly discovered that now I don't know what direction I'm going. Ain't that a kicker?

One thing about not having my direction in place has been that it's been way too easy for me to follow tangents. To jet off on a high speed chase after something that seemed like a good idea, whether it would benefit me in the long run or not. Focusing in on one little facet of the diamond that is me instead of stepping back and appreciating all the little things that combine to make me who I am.

It's kept me from really knowing who I am. For way too long now.

Even my time spent in meditation hasn't really shown me the big picture, the way it should have. Why, because even in the one place where it's supposed to be easiest to find yourself, I was still hiding. Hiding my self, not just from the world but, well, from myself. Too scared and too accommodating to really delve into my own desires for my future. Too empathetic to put myself first in my own life.

Now that I've got a clearer picture of where I'm at, it's time for me to really decide where I'm going. It's time for me to take a long hard look at my inner compass and trust that it won't get me lost.

Finding my voice

In my last post I talked about my Anxiety problem and how it had manifested itself into a roadblock in my career, but I didn't go into any real details. I thought I'd talk about that a little bit. Why not, it's my blog, right?

My Anxiety was a result of growing up in an often stressful, and certainly chaotic environment. I felt that my best way of coping was to just be as accommodating and quiet as I could be. Often times, denying my own desires and ambitions, to "keep the peace". As I grew up, it showed itself in an unwillingness and even fear of pursuing ambitions or goals for fear of rocking the boat, or bothering someone, or even being denied what it was that I wanted. Better not to try than to try and fail, right? Well, let's just say that that lead to a very unfulfilled life.

There's nothing like having a crippling panic attack in the middle of an intimate acoustic set in a small coffee house, or having to ingest enough beer to be able to even step on the stage that it ended up causing conflicts with other band members.

Worse yet is not knowing WHY. Not knowing what the cause is or if it's just a personality quirk or if you're just really an asshole and you never noticed it before. It's always easiest to blame others for it though. "I couldn't hear the monitors", "The lead singer is just a dick!", "I was just nervous", or a host of other such nonsense.

It also breeds indecision. I've spent years second guessing every thing I've ever done. Is my voice good enough to do lead vocals? Am I really a good enough guitarist to pull off this part live? Should I play punk or should I try to be the next Foo Fighters? Always questioning, always trying to figure out what others expected of me, always looking for why.

It's funny that a little 20mg pill, once a day, has completely changed my life. I no longer have fear and I no longer doubt, and most importantly, I no longer care what others expect of me. I have my focus and I have my drive. I have my ambition and I have my voice, and goddammit, I'm going to use them.

Anxiety and Depression are not things to play around with. If you feel that you suffer from either of these life destroying conditions, please seek help. Tell the people who love you and let them help you help yourself. Your life depends on it.