We were lucky to catch up with Sheli Baez recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sheli , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
As that famous quote says, “With great risk often comes great reward” and I can confidently say that every risk I’ve taken in life has rewarded me greatly. In 2017, after years of doing voiceover gigs here and there, I took the biggest risk of my career when I decided to put all of my efforts into growing my business. However, all of my risk taking is paired with endless amounts of research to back up the decision I make. So, my first few years were spent taking acting classes, learning techniques and finding mentors in the industry that could guide me in the right direction. Little did I know that the years I spent preparing and training would help catapult my career in 2020 as all the studios closed and voiceover was flooded with new voice actors starting their journey. In the sea of new talent, my learned skills became the reason bookings increased and I was able to take my career further than I’ve ever dreamt. Moral of the story: Before you leap off that cliff into the unknown, make sure you research everything you can about the cliff (and pack a parachute!)
Sheli , 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?
Hi, My name is Sheli Baez and I am a professional Bilingual Voice Actor based out of New York City. I started my career in 2008 and have since worked with clients such as Kroger, Colgate, Chase Bank, Spotify and more. Many assume that I get “paid to talk” which is partially true. However, as a small business owner, I also serve as the HR, Accounting, Marketing, Production and Operations departments of my one-woman company. Most of the magic is created from my pro-standard home studio which allows me to work with clients around the globe. My biggest superpower is the ability to fluently speak Spanish and English due to being a 2nd Generation Dominican American born in NYC. Thanks to my abuela, I was encouraged to speak Spanish and English simultaneously so my accent is non existent while speaking in either language. I’m practically a BOGO (Buy One Get One) of voiceover services.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
In an industry saturated with talent, it takes some creativity and introspection to figure out what makes you the best person for the job. It is just like any other service based career in that good customer service is key to repeat clients and often, new voiceover talent goes into the industry with hopes of becoming the next Bart Simpson but don’t realize that the world of voiceover is so much bigger than that. I focus my voiceover services on corporate trainings, commercials, and children’s educational apps which are all vastly different but, my work ethic is the same: treat the client respectfully, provide an excellent service with quick turn around and make their job as easy as possible. It seems to work well because I’m fortunate to earn a living solely with my voiceover.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Some of my best clients have been a result of a peer referral. Creating genuine business relationships are the key to getting leads. People can see right thru a ‘networking’ relationship where one person has a hidden agenda to get something from you. Be kind, be authentic and trust that the business will come at the perfect timing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shelibaez.com
- Instagram: @shelibaez