We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mikey O’connor a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Mikey, 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

As a voice actor and owner of my own business, MikeyOTheVoice.com, I have spent a great deal of time finding my footing in this industry. I moved to LA in 2017 to pursue my dream of being a voice actor for cartoons and video games. I didn’t know anybody in the VO community but managed to link up with folks in the world of film/ television. It helped me build a steady enough life for me to stick around LA, but did not grant me the time I needed to build my own business in voiceover. In 2020, you may remember the world came to a grinding halt. Productions shut down and the well of opportunity dried up in film/ television…but not for voiceover. As a matter of fact, VO picked up where every other medium fell off. Animation began to boom as the rise of the ‘home studio’ became ever more present. Classes switched to an online format where you could learn from industry veterans. All of a sudden, access to my dreams found itself readily available, so long as I was willing to invest in myself a little bit.

This was a terrifying thought. Having no job and little savings, I was hesitant to spend on classes and gear. I had a bachelor’s degree in acting. Why should I spend more money on acting classes? I have a microphone that works okay, why bother upgrading what I can bootleg, Jeri-rig? This right here, is the thing I wish I had done sooner. Invest. In. Yourself. Right away. I spent too many years hanging my resume out to dry, hoping some amazing opportunity would see it and think of me for their next big thing. I allowed myself to get comfortable with my previous experiences and hoped something better would come to me. I was not investing in my growth, rather I was nurturing my own shortcomings.

Taking classes allowed me to understand this. Discussions with masters of the craft and fellow colleagues opened my eyes to a whole side of being a professional actor. The business owner side. Recognizing yourself as a business so you may understand what assets you need to invest in, in order to grow. The more I broke it down the more I realized how vital this element is to the success of an actor. I continued to train. Learning more about the craft as well as being a business owner and soon enough, opportunities began to blossom. I found myself in a cartoon which granted me union eligibility, I’ve landed and am currently working with two agents, and I am regularly heard in ad-breaks on Spotify (apologies for the interruptions, listeners),

Through doubt, fear and comfortability, your will power to achieve a task must ring louder than the prior. I spent years waiting for opportunity, but it was not until I truly invested in my time and myself that I was able to sow the seeds for success. Don’t get swept up like some dirt. Stay vigilant and never stop growing.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Mikey. I am a SAG-E Voice Talent and business owner in Los Angeles. I started up MikeyOTheVoice.com back in 2017 right before moving to LA.

I grew up in NY, and after graduating from SUNY New Paltz with a degree in acting, began to pursue opportunities on the stage. I worked hard and was very fortunate to find myself performing on stages across the country.

On one of these productions, I was asked to record the VO for the opening curtain speech for our show. I couldn’t believe how at home I felt in that booth in front of the microphone. I could have played for hours but we had a dress rehearsal to get back to. After 6 months of performances, I was home and still itching for more time in in front of the mic in the studio. Another stroke of luck, a colleague of mine had a home studio nearby my house and invited me by to tinker around. He showed me the ropes and I was hooked. I built my website, not as an actor’s page, but as a voice actor’s page. I felt like I was finally moving towards my dream as a performer, being a cartoon character.

After years of figuring out how to crack into this difficult industry, a steady stream of classes with reputable folks opened doors for me, which have led me to here. I have been in cartoons alongside some of my favorite Voice Actors growing up and am an eligible Union member now because of it. I am grateful for the two agents I have who tirelessly send me leads for job opportunities. I have a home studio I am proud of. It is refreshing to look back and see how my opportunities have grow over the years, but I am not going to allow comfortability to take hold. I know there is still much more in store for, @MikeyOTheVoice .

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

There’ are three things I would say that have helped build my reputation within the voiceover market.

Number one has been classes with reputable folks. In our classes we have a chance to meet and perform for directors, agents, fellow VA’s and the likes. These face to face opportunities are a great place to showcase your talents and ask questions to help grow your business.

Number 2 is being active in the community. Attend the events as they come around. Meet everybody and learn from their experiences, as you may never know whose story can open doors for you.

Number 3: social media engagement. While it is more important to be a good community participant, it’s hard to prove without snapping a pic for the gram. Social media posts with proper tagging of events and individuals can lead to a lot of engagement where people will be discussing your brand. Make sure what you post is genuine, but please make sure to watch what you say. A lot of opportunities have been lost for people who can’t control their temper or opinions online.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Being an actor., the earlier you can unlearn the notion that “talent is everything”, the sooner you will get out of your own way. Acting is a craft, but it is also a business. Without treating it as such, you will wallow in talent as you won’t know what to do with it. You may be lucky to have your talent noticed and used here and there, but without a plan and proper execution your talent will never get the exposure it deserves. Always lead with your self as you grow your network and allow the talent to shine after the relationships have been forged.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://MikeyOTheVoice.com
• Instagram: @mikeyothevoice
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mikeyothevoice?mibextid=JRoKGi
• Linkedin: https://LinkedIn.com/mikeyothevoice
• Twitter: @mikeyothevoice

Image Credits

Kevin Moore