We recently connected with Linda Glick and have shared our conversation below.

Linda, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I had the ‘Theatre Bug’ in me since I was quite young. I got the leads in camp and school productions, drama club, etc.
Though well-meaning, my parents were not supportive of me choosing a life in Show Business. When I interviewed for Skidmore College, though I wanted to major in Drama and Theatre, my mother forbid it. I wound up majoring in French and Spanish and minoring in Drama. But I did make the highly prestigeous Sonnetteers.
When I returned to the city, I needed money to fund voice and acting lessons. So, I became a teacher of French and Spanish at the same JR HS I attended as a teen. Felt as if I never left.
During this time, I took as many lessons as I could afford in acting and singing.
One afternoon, I was called to sub for a celebrated and wonderful singer, Rita Dimitri…who sang in several languages.
I also would sing in French and Spanish. Though I was so scared to try and fill her shoes, I did. And a miracle happened.
I did my 2 sets, got standing ovations at both and 2 gentlemen from London approached me and asked who I was.
“I am a schoolteacher from Queens,” I said.
“No more, you’re not!” …their answer. In the following days, they put up backing; enough for me to pay for my music charts, gowns, coaching. Within a month, I was booked in Suriname and Rainbow and Stars (NYC).
I quit my ‘day job’ and never once looked back.
Subsequently my career moved into TV, Film and Theatre. I am deeply grateful and regret nothing.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

As a child, I was shy and a bit of a loner. I was a good student and surprisingly to me, held offices in Elementary, JHS and HS.
No siblings. I always leaned in to the arts and felt as if I could breathe easier and fantasize, use my imagination easiliy if I was called upon to act or sing. My dad was an artist but turned his attention into building an advertising agency.
The other kids looked up to me; I wore that role somewhat uneasily.
Fast forward to Skidmore College and Columbia University, where I got my Masters’ in French and French Education.
As mentioned earlier, I wanted to major in Theatre but did not have my parents’ support and so I minored in Drama.

I worked my tail off after classess and on the weekends, taking classes in voice, acting, movement, etc. Started to go to Cabarets and Open Mikes in the city to see what was going on. Though I continued to teach, now I had started to appear at these rooms: Reno Sweeney, the Duplex, 88’s, and many more including Feinstein’s 54Below.
I was booked internationally: Curacao, Bangkok, Surinam, London, amongst others.
Then, I got into TV, Theatre and Film. I played Nancy Pelosi (HBO): “Too Big to Fail”, Mrs. Brice (Funny Girl) in 2 Regional productions, appeared in THE BLACKLIST…just to name a few special roles.

I wanted to give back as well and founded my business: OPTIMIZE YOUR VOICE about 4 years ago. I decided to use my speaking skills and the many years in the Business to help others reach their vocal potential. To that end, I wrote an Ebook Workbook,
also called OPTIMIZE YOUR VOICE, with exercises, tips and tools to address vocal challenges. I love the coaching part of my life too because I know how important it is to master one’s voice and the career gains that come with this.
I coach mostly on Zoom privately and in groups as well as occasionally in a client’s office for the team.
I feel it is such a natural progression for me to coach Voice and Singing to Corporates as well as Creatives.

The problems I solve for clients are individual challenges, such as improving one’s resonance, diction, pacing. As well as eliminating filler words or uptalk. We work also on mindsets to gain confidence and clarity. I also coach for upcoming auditions, interviews, pitches.

I feel that what sets me apart is my empathy and intuition at getting quickly to addres the vocal issues that are holding back my client or student. It’s more than just a practical, logical approach because so much emotion is involved with the voice.

I am most proud of the many success stories from my clients and students. How much more proud they are and confident of their voice after working together. A lawyer who wanted desperately to lower his range. We did that. A head nurse with a similar issue, but who wanted to show more authority as she felt she was being overlooked and disrespected. We did that.
A terrific voice student who began with me as a dancer and finally got to audition for a Broadway musical…and got the job!

I would love potential clients and followers to WANT to master their voices so they have a better shot at a better career. People DO judge you when they hear you speak. I would love to help Corporate men and women advance in their careers, have more confidence in their abilities to persuade and inform others.

Check my posts on LinkedIn and FB…Reach out to me: [email protected]

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, being a creative artist means to think outside of the box and stretch my limits. It means to honor a new, untried- before skill or way of addressing something. It’s my way of giving back and being a messenger…allowing observers, audiences, listeners to go on their own journey through what and how I am expressing. It’s the scary and exhilirating component of stretching my limits.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I am passionate about the voice, learning all I can and helping as many followers/clients discover their full vocal potential. To find the joy in Public Speaking, become confident in delivering Presentations, lead others with clarity and innovation…these are part iof my mission.
Also, to birth singers who love to perform and build on their individuality and intrinsic talent.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lindaglick.com and. www.OptimizeYourVoice.training
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/lindajglick/?l=en
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/linda.glick.12/
• Linkedin: https://LinkedIn.com/in/lindajglick

Image Credits

Anthony Robert Grasso