We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Aaron Golematis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Aaron , appreciate you joining us today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

1. I would have been quicker to join communities. 2. Would not have spent as much money on gear.
3. would have spent less time with “Takers” (people who take more than they give, in business relationships with no intention of doing more)

Aaron , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

AaronGTV Interview

I have been a voiceover artist and actor for over 25 years. some of my clients include. Ford Motor Company, Sony, Hungry Howies, Flagstar Bank, The MOBII app

My dad used to work as a janitor/custodian at a mega church in Detroit (Bethesda Missionary Temple). On Sundays he would volunteer in the sound and cassette tape reproduction ministry. so he would always be cleaning/repairing old reel-to-reel recorders and tape decks and such. so my sister and I would of course make fake radio shows and silly skits for my parents to listen to. so i have always been comfortable around audio equipment.

I was somewhat underwhelming as a child… Although I had an affinity for music and acting (makebelieve) I was very shy. So my grandparents paid for a summer acting class at “Trinity House Theatre” in Novi Michigan.

I would later try my hand at puppets and create voices on the spot to impress family and friends

Later in my teen years
I started out doing (Un credited) sound effect collections indirectly for a company called “Sound-Ideas.com”
There I learned about Microphones and sound editing software.

Though I never considered myself a voiceover artist, I would do voice overs all the time and just edit them together with what I had learned from gathering sound effects.

I later transitioned away from sound effects, and started doing music. In a band I created called “Omni-” (aka TheOmniBand or TheOmniBand.com) That lead to Video, photography, and (you guessed it) more voiceover work.

I would later do a mini tour in europe with a mega church Detroit world Outreach (or DWO)

Started working in their Media department. All the while continuing to do voiceover work to supplement my income…

The whole time “NOT” considering myself to be a “Voiceover Artist”.

I have always loved people, and I have always loved learning new things.
As a result… In my life’s journey I have made friends in the industry.
And until recently my voiceover work has been by word of mouth alone.

In 2020 I started on Fiverr.com right before the world shut down from COVID 19.
I had avoided Fiverr in the past because I never really thought of it as a viable resource.

But if i’m completely honest, Fiverr is how my wife and i made it through the Pandemic financially.

I would say the best things we offer as AaronGTV.com are “Experience… Relatability… and Flexibility . I’ve worked on so many kinds of projects… many from concept to competition. Whether your budget is Hollywood, corporate, or shoestring. You’re definitely not going to surprise us.

If you have a “voiceover need”, we offer our very best ASAP! We care about your projects, and are looking for long term business relationships.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

The long and short of it is… i kept trying to “Do it all” and even though I had some skills, I got to the point where the people that could afford me, i didn’t like working with… and the people i wanted to work with couldn’t afford me…

This was a disaster…

On top of that, I found myself constantly working with Non proffits… lol
The whole time, trying to be a rockstar (Facepalm)

It all changed when I heard a podcast Joe Rogan was talking to his friend Brendan Schaub about changing his dream… it was a really tough episode… Rogan tells Schaub that basically, he does not have what it takes to be what he is trying to be… but that he already had the skill set to be something much greater… and in doing so, have a life that is better than he could possibly imagine…

I know this sounds like a simple thing… but this realization CHANGED MY ENTIRE LIFE… it was like the weight of this one conversation washed through all of the memories of my life, and i saw it from another perspective. I was trying to be something that I was not… But what I could be, was far greater.

I became a voiceover artist… I started doing impressions… I built myself a studio and focused all of my efforts.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

Ok so i had just decided to do voiceover full time, but here’s the thing, this was a new direction for me, I had put all of my eggs in the basket of my previous job, and i had been out of the game for a while. So i called everyone in my phone and told them that i was doing voiceovers full time now. And that if they were doing video or knew anyone who needed VOs that they needed me ASAP!… Nothing happened… lol I made a Fiverr gig. And put up examples of my work… Nothing… Reached out to the agencies that i had worked with in the past! Surely they would be happy to see that i was now available…. Nope… Deadzone all the way lol

People would keep me in mind, but no one had anything yet.

So i was talking to my wife, and she said, “Do you have your reel up?” (me) yes… that is the first thing i did.
(Wife) Well how can they not want your voice?!?!?!
(me) because no one is even listening to it… I am getting lost in the sea of everyone else. I need a Gimmick a “Purple Cow” (if you will)
To them I’m just another fat guy doing Voiceovers and Morgan freeman impressions. nobody cares… now If YOU were doing VOs like Morgan Freeman…
(Wife) well why don’t you put a picture of me up there instead… (Me) well i’ll tell you wh… Dratt… that’s an awesome idea actually… (Facepalm)

SooOOo our first successful gigs were of My wifes vocal impression of Morgan Freeman…
This gave us the momentum I needed to start doing voiceovers full time.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.AaronGTV.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aarongtv/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AaronGTV/
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/aaron-golematis-4b788310
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AaronGTV
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AaronGTV
• Other: www.TheOmniBand.com

Image Credits
Image Credit: Aaron Golematis of AaronGTV.com