Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ann Lucente. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ann, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Oh my gosh! For as long as I can remember! Being asked this question brings back so many memories. I was always drawn to the arts – both visual and performing. The problem was that I was painfully shy! I remember when I was younger, I would not speak to anyone in school, including the teacher. That all changed when I met my best friend, Maureen, in the 4th grade. She helped me come out of my shell!

I auditioned for all the roles in school plays and took art classes as well. I dreamed of being an actress! I think my starring role was when I played Tigger and she played Christopher Robin! That makes me laugh thinking about it. We were awful! But it was fun and we laughed through it all. We are still best friends to this day!

In my early teens I was serious about making a career out of acting. However, the opportunities were not what they are today. There was no one to ask! It wasn’t easy to find connections or find acting classes. I was young and my parents were not very supportive of this idea! But I never lost my passion for it. At the time, Henry Winkler was just becoming famous in his role as Fonzie on the hit series, Happy Days. So I wrote to him and asked for advice. And he wrote back – more than once! I couldn’t believe it! He gave me invaluable advice and I will forever be grateful because that kept my dream alive inside of me. Eventually I had to put it on the backburner for a while.

Fast forward many years later, two of my daughters got the acting bug! While taking them to auditions, my dream was reignited and, as they say, the rest is history! That was the beginning of a very fun journey!

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.

I was born and raised in the Bronx, NY. I come from a very large Italian family. My mom was one of 12 and my dad was one of 8! I have many, many cousins and we are all close! Family is everything to me! Family get-togethers were always a party; filled with music, dancing, and lots of food! In my family we have musicians, singers, dancers, visual artists, and photographers!

I guess my creative juices started flowing from young because of them. Years later, I began to pursue on-camera work. I started with background acting. Although I knew this was not where I wanted to stay, this was the perfect opportunity to learn, to network with other actors and meet producers and casting directors. I started booking principal roles in commercials, industrials, and movies.

One day someone was talking about voice acting. I was intrigued by it and took an “introduction to voice acting” workshop. The first time I stepped into the booth and stood behind the microphone, I fell in love! I can’t explain it – but I felt it. The journey began – not necessarily as quickly as I wanted because there were things I needed to learn. I had to learn how to edit. I needed a good coach. I had to set up a working “booth” for myself, which was my closet for a long time. I’m happy to say that I moved on to a 5’x7’ room that is fully equipped and with professional sound. But that took a while. My genres include corporate narration, commercial, eLearning, and animation.

With my love for on-camera and voiceover work, I started doing random motivational video clips. These were just a couple of minutes long and I would post whenever I was inspired. Someone said to me, “Hey, you should start a podcast.” I had no idea what was involved in starting a podcast. I listened to many and have wonderful podcasters on my “favorites” list. But I had no idea where to start. So, it went to my favorite spot – my backburner. I like that backburner. Things are not forgotten, but just not for now.

I’m excited to say in May of 2023, it came together. I now produce and co-host a podcast called “Time To Elevate”. It’s all about pursuing your dreams through the obstacles and elevating each other along the way. It’s about life! There’s more of a story behind the start of this, but you’ll have to listen to the pilot 

Something I bring to every project is an outgoing personality and positive attitude – a long way from the shy little girl I started out as. I can attribute this to the people in my life and the experiences along the way. My dad always told me, “Take one day at a time, kid. You can do anything in this world by using your brains and imagination.”

Over the years I’ve learned to take one step at a time; sometimes one minute at a time! To not jump ahead too quickly. Every step is important and leads to the next. What I am most proud of is my ability to pivot when needed while keeping a positive attitude as much as possible. Life has its twists & turns and when you least expect it, you are in a different place than you planned to be. I’ve learned that laughter is definitely the best medicine, being kind is underrated and the most important things along this journey are the people – my family, my friends, and those I meet along the way.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Yes! I have many but I can pick out three of my favorite books! One of my first entrepreneurial experiences was becoming a Mary Kay Beauty Consultant. I am still one today, 22 years! This company was one of the most positive influences not only in my business, but in my life. Three of my favorite books that were recommended to me are “The Dream Giver”, by Bruce Wilkinson, “Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting” by Lynn Grabhorn, and “The Secret”, by Rhonda Byrne. These have a common theme about pursuing your dreams while keeping a strong faith, manifesting your life, and using the law of attraction.

There is a never-ending resource out there of inspirational books and videos! If there is one piece of advice I can give, it would be to listen and/or watch something every day. It truly makes a difference!

Have you ever had to pivot?

I have pivoted for as long as I can remember. Long before I even heard the word “pivot”. I married and moved out of the Bronx. Pivot. We had a baby and I wanted to stay home with him, so I started a medical transcription business. We had two more babies – twins! Huge Pivot. I fell in love with Mary Kay products and became a Mary Kay Sales Director earning cars along the way. We got divorced. Difficult Pivot. I needed a steady income, so I got a full-time job that I ended up loving. That was where my passion for acting was rejuvenated. I’ve learned that although some pivots are not always easy, they take you to the next step of the journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.annlucente.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annlucente/ and https://www.instagram.com/timetoelevate21/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annlucente/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/LucenteAnn
• Other: Time To Elevate Podcast link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/TimeToElevate

Image Credits
Jacqui May Photography Jon-Paul Photography