Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joshua Alexander. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Joshua, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?
I LOVE being an entrepreneur and a freelancer. I love that fact that it’s MINE, and no one else’s….that I rise or fall on my own merits, and am not dependent on anyone else’s success for my own. Yes, there are benefits and some might say security from being a W-2 employee at a given company. Conversely, as a business owner you need to find your own health insurance, for example. But I am a self-starter, very goal-driven, and totally independence-seeking. “I work alone,” said the Lone Ranger, and the Lone Ranger is me. You might call it a bit of a control-freak syndrome, but I’m in charge of my own destiny, and therefore I can’t place blame on anyone for my failures…but I can also not credit someone else for my successes, because they come from me. I’m entirely responsible for hitting my own goals and for ensuring my own success. I wouldn’t have it any other way. So I have no desire to return to the 9-5. The 12-12 suits this self-starter just fine. :-) The truth of the matter is that the last job I had, the owner was very schizophrenic and suspicious of his own employees, and he left a voice mail that I will never forget, blaming me, his most faithful and diligent employee, for his computers being down on a snow day…I was working remotely, and he thought I had logged into his computers and was sabotaging his operations. That angry, accusatory voice mail basically encouraged me to do my own thing and never rely on an employer again.
Joshua, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My voiceover artist roots began at a marketing company in Seattle, where I sold PSAs to businesses, and voiced those spots on the radio. I remember saying “this is pretty cool,” and the rest was history, because I found my calling.
I strive for utter perfection…I audition like a beast…I market like crazy…and I am intrinsically and fundamentally grateful when I am chosen to voice a job; and I resound that gratitude to my clients and others. I provide no hassle, fair market rate voiceovers that are professional and broadcast-quality.
Truth be told, I’m actually a former traveling singer/speaker/performer, and have received airplay on KCMS 105.3FM in Seattle. I love my wife and two boys, and love Jesus. I live a life of deep gratitude and joy, because I’m content and found my calling. I’m a big fan of Superman, in case that wasn’t clear already. Oh yeah…and I’m deathly afraid of spiders. No really. Deathly. Don’t judge me.
I have done radio broadcasting, PSAs, and video production incorporating voice acting work in a career serving clients all over the world. I’ve also done jingles and used to be a singer. I have a storied career from the comfort of my home, and I truly love
what I do. I live to serve, because being chosen is very important to me. I audition like a beast, and the numbers show it.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
In my early days, I wish I knew more about fair market rates, and the GVAA Rate Guide at www.gvaarateguide.com. It’s a plumbline; it helps all of us know what to charge for any particular genre of voiceover, for any usage, for any length of time, etc.. It’s helpful if we all toe the line so that the rates stay the same among ALL of us, and none of us have to shoot from the hip. I also wish I had found my “money voice” sooner: the voice that, frankly, brings me the most money. It’s an anthemic sort of gravelly voice, and I get to use it a lot.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
My mantra is “Your focus determines your reality.” If you’re doing too many things GOOD, you should stop and focus on the 1 or 2 things you can do BEST, and make them your focus. My focus is voiceovers. At the time I started, I was doing voiceovers AND video transfer AND videography AND video production AND video duplication…but I really should have just stuck with voiceovers, because I do them well, and I am 100% focused on them alone. They fund our life! They provide bread on the table and MUCH more. I’m so grateful. Your focus truly does determine your reality.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.supervoiceover.com
- Linkedin: www.joshylinked.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@supervoiceovers
Image Credits
Mike Wilson, Nowhereman Photos