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Voice Coaches Radio #563 – Claudine Is Talking the Wolk
Voice coaches radio everything voiceover cool to just jump right on in sure. All right. Well, let's let's do it then Well, welcome to a brand new episode of voice coaches radio Here, you know as we're entering a brand new year Which is just insane to me to think about that because it's it's just about to happen but um, I'm joined today by Claudine and I need students to know about you and the stuff that you've been up to because you did take the program.
You were just boosting my ego a second ago as we were starting here. And, uh, you know, you've already been up and running and getting some work and having some fun. And I know just when you popped on this morning, like, clearly very excited. So, like, let's just start with this, like, give some background about you.
And what got you to want to even do any of this stuff in the first place? Yeah, I'm, I'm, uh, interesting that I kind of put my hands on a whole bunch of things and see where they, where they land. I was a Kind of a stay at home mom who did a part time accounting gig to keep the bills paid and as my kids got older I realized that accounting wasn't something that I really enjoyed doing anymore and I you know kind of had the luxury to think about what I wanted to do and, uh, but at that time when I, I was doing some part time accounting work, I decided to write this book called It Gets Easier and Other Lies We Tell New Mothers because I felt that motherhood was so hard and a shock to me kind of, I really thought it would be easy.
Ha ha. And it was so difficult. So I, I, I go, my gosh, I, I need to get some information and I put it out there to every mother that I came in touch with, as you know. Marissa, I am not shy. Right. Got all kinds of information. I thought I got to share this with other people because the information really did help.
So I had this book, I wrote it, couldn't find a publisher. Created a publishing company, published it myself. And then I, an agent decided that she could sell it to a publisher, wrote three more chapters, she sold it to a publisher, got it published. Um, traditionally. And, uh, and then that was great. I thought, okay, I had a little success with that book.
That was terrific. And then I did some book marketing, enjoyed that. And then I kind of went back to the accounting and. Um, but during that time that the book was selling, I was marketing the book and one of the things that I did was I was a radio interview and I thought, Oh, this is fun. I actually got down to go down to Philadelphia and 1060 studios and, um, actually, you know, see how that all goes and KYW radio and loved it.
And then I'll tell you this too, just for people that don't understand, like. And the way radio works like Philly is a huge market like that's market like that's in the top 15, I believe. So, like, that's a big deal to get on a radio station and a market that size to, you know, basically sell yourself a bit, you know, and then what you've been doing and then and your book and I'm sure that was.
Not only a lot of fun for you, but then it was also pretty exciting for the book, too. It really was and and I was very persistent and um, so so it worked out but I really loved I really loved the radio So I you know, I was thinking about things a couple years ago. I said, oh, you know what? I really do think i'd like to get back into radio.
So I I got with a local Radio station WDVR radio in Surgeonsville, New Jersey, and they are not for profit, but full service radio station 50 hosts. They all volunteer every kind of music you can imagine, and I thought, you know what I'm going to, I want to try a talk show. So I started to do that and, and again, cold, you know, I didn't know what I was doing, but I really enjoyed it.
And then I thought, Hey, you know, I might want to actually get some training on what I should be doing and how I should be doing this. Yeah. And yeah, I got the email saying that they were, uh, Voice Coaches was offering this, um, course. It was like, you know, 25. We'll, we'll, we'll actually listen to your voice and we will tell you if this is for you or not for you.
And I thought this is perfect for me. This will help me make my decision. Nice. Nice. Yeah. And then, and then we had you here and, you know, you got matched up with me, uh, which was, you know, just. The smartest decision anybody could have made for somebody that's already playing radio, right? Like, you know, it's like, you know, my background heavily in radio and I've had students that have been like, well, what does that have to do with voiceover?
But, you know, I mean, you, you witnessed it firsthand as to how, how overlapping it all is, it's the same skills. You need the same stuff. I mean, you know, I always joke, it's like, I, I started at this radio school and it's like the first things they taught me, it was like, Hey, talk to your best friend and don't forget to smile.
Like, you know, it's like, those are the. The key elements of any of this voice work that we do, you know, because it's like you got to be you and you got to be at least sort of happy or at least bright, um, you know, to be engaging and all that, but everybody's a little different with how they work with all that stuff.
But, um, you know, it definitely correlates and overlaps and all those things. So, so, all right, well, the next steps here, you go through this program. And, you know, we, you go ahead, you do the demo, we send you on your way. Now, when did you do the demo? Remind me. Oh gosh. Uh, it was before the summer. So I, I want to say.
Was that long ago already? Yeah. Yeah. Holy crap. I feel like I just talked to you. I know. I know. Because I think I, I got the final, um, yeah, right before the summer, I want to say. Okay. And from there, what were your steps? Like, what did you do? What's been happening? Fill us in. Yes. So, um, I have to say, like, when you take the class, um, Marissa was so forthcoming with her experience and willing to answer my myriad of questions, you know, because I had a lot of questions and I really wanted to do well and I really wanted to, to learn and all of the, the tools that she was willing to share with me, I used.
Yeah. And I, listen, I don't sugar coat anything like, you know, because there's too many people that want to think that. You know, they finish and it's like, all right, well, the stuff's just me handed to them now. And it's like, no, just because you have a demo, like I listened to what I'm saying. Like I've been hustling since single digits and that sounds ridiculous, but it's not a joke.
Like I, everything that I've ever done, I've put that, the legwork, you know, under it. And if you don't do that, like, what do you expect to have happened? You know, you have to do this. You have to be your own best advocate, otherwise, you know, you just run in place. Yes. And I'm still, I'm still learning. Um, but in this, in this case, what happened was, um, you know, I just kind of had a minute to think and I thought, wow, I already have a book.
I think it would make a great audio book, even though it was published in 2009. So I went back to the publisher and I said, listen, here's, here's a deal for you. I just took voice coach classes. Um, and I think, uh, I can do this and I'd love to narrate my own book and I actually waived a fee to do it, but I thought, you know, this is a good, good for them.
Good for me. And I get experience and now I have an audio book under my belt, not to mention it's my own book, which is really cool. Um, but as an aside, you know, I hadn't read the book myself since 2009 and it's a book about taking care of babies. So I was a little. Worried, but as I was reading it, as we were recording and I did record in a studio, I didn't do it at my home.
They hired a studio and I went to the studio and I, and I did it over a two day period, which, oh my gosh, we can talk about that. But , the whole, wow, the whole, um, the whole thing was done. Um, oh shoot. I forgot my train of thought. Um. Oh, the baby book. So I thought, oh gosh, I hope this stuff is still relevant.
Well, again, you know, the way timing works, I have a grandson who was born in August. Oh, congratulations. Thank you. As I was reading, I'm thinking, oh my goodness. Thank goodness. goodness, it's still relevant because taking care of babies, just the essence of it does not change. I mean, gadgets change, the gadgets change, but you know, it's the same.
It's the rocking, it's the holding, it's the, you know, watching, trying to get them on a schedule. It's all the same. So that was, that was a relief. Um, but. Yeah, I mean it worked out, it worked out really well and, um, I'm thrilled with it. And it was, it was definitely a bucket list item for me. And I would never have had the, um, confidence to come forward to the publisher had I not had the voice, the voice coaches training.
Yeah. Yeah. I can understand that. I mean, cause it's like, you know, you, I think, you know, even when you go and you do the demo itself, it's like. When you start realizing like, oh, wait, that's that's all I had to do. Like, oh, this is I can do this. Like, it's a nice confidence boost. It just in that demo session.
And then when you get the final product and you hear it, um, so it's good that, yeah, it's definitely good that you had all that because I'm sure that you could have, you know, suggested the audio book in the 1st place without the education, but the education under your belt gives you the, you know, the wherewithal of understanding, like, I am making the right choices.
Now, this recording session, um, you know, these. Yeah. These all happen a little differently depending on how, how it's done. I can understand why if, you know, the publisher is hiring a studio, they're going to want it done relatively quickly. Um, you know, because they don't want to have the added expense on that.
Um, so how many hours over the course of two days? Yeah. And again, you, Marissa, you briefed me on this, that this, this is how it could happen and what to expect. And that, that was worth its weight in gold to me. It was two, it was a two day period. They were five hour sessions. I thought I was going to die. I mean, it's the kind of thing where it's, it's, it's, um, you train, right?
It's training. Like you would train for anything else. And I didn't. You had said to me that yes, your voice can kind of go on you and yes, you need to take care of your voice and you need, you know, to bring the apples to absorb the extra moisture in your mouth and like all those things, but I, I didn't really understand until I went through it, but, you know, I would get to a point at the end of those five hours and I, I would, I would be worried in my head.
I don't think another thing's going to come out of my mouth. It was kind of a weird feeling. It's pure exhaustion after a while. I mean, listen, people hear it with me. I mean, if you go back to my initial podcast episodes, when Josh was still a part of the podcast, like, I mean, I struggled hard when I first started a voice coaches because I went from, you know, consistent work, 15, 16 years, we get into lockdown.
I did nothing really for like a solid year of consistent work, you know? So like my voice. That muscle, that tool was, was, you know, underutilized and, you know, lost some of its consistency. And then, you know, I, I worked a very heavy overnight shift at lows that just made me exhausted that had me lose my voice just from pure exhaustion.
And then, and then I started here and I went from barely talking to six hours of teaching a day. To doing stuff on top of it and, and, you know, healing from a concussion at the same time and like my, I would get to Friday morning, do a podcast with Josh and I'm like, no, I can't help it. And it still happens.
But now it's like. After almost two years of that, you know, I've definitely conditioned myself. I know what helps I work out all the time. So it's like, I'm working out and getting the blood flowing and the muscles working. And, you know, it's like, I know me, I keep the allergy pill in my body. I'm constantly drinking water.
I'm trying to get enough rest, but I can, you know, I can feel it right now. It feels like somebody is pressing against, you know, my, my esophagus. And it's really, it's been a problem. It's one of those problems that is going to get a little easier come the new year. Um, but it's. It's overuse now. Now it's complete overuse.
Um, and, and I know that. And like, I, I've witnessed it since about like Thanksgiving and I'm like, okay, my body's telling me I got to slow down a little bit. So I'm going to, but. It's just, um, you got to pay attention to those things and like, you know, you best, I told you that, right? Like, you know, you best.
So, you know, you just have to keep paying attention and listening to what your body's telling you. But yeah, training, you know, you think about all these athletes that go and they train for a marathon all year to get to where they are. It's like you have to constantly be in training and practice so you can work up and condition all the muscles that are involved in this.
Yes, and, and everything that, that you guys taught, the clothes to wear, I mean, you think when I went through it the first time, I'm like, Oh, come on, this can't be important. Oh my gosh, was it important because it was, you know, scratchy and that was coming up. Yes. Yes. And, you know, being comfortable how you stand and having a little, a pencil with you to take notes and like you just, all those tips really, it made such a big difference.
Um, but yeah, it was fun though. I mean, and that was, you know, you have to decide whether this is something that you want to do as a career. I think it is for me. I enjoyed it. I had so much fun. And it was, you know, when we did the demo together, Marissa, you, you were in my ear and it was the same studio, by the way, that I recorded the demo.
Yes, because it just happens to be your satellite studio in Pennsylvania, sweet, sweet Creek studio. And so he was also picked up. Uh, to do the audio book, which was great. So then I had him in my ear, which also makes a huge difference. And, um, and it was, it was really fun. It was funny. The one day when I left after the five hour session, he said, you know, um, John, he said, just don't talk for the rest of the night.
Yeah, and it's so it's such a simple thing in terms of training in terms of keeping you being able to do it the next day vocal rest is hard, right? Yes. I mean, I got to the point where in my other work, I was using the microphone button in order to, you know, Um, give texts and give, you know, emails and stuff.
And I'm like, I can't do that. I actually have to type. Oh my gosh. You know, I have to save my voice. But anyway, it, it really was, it was a great, for me, a great opportunity to see if it's something that, that brought me joy. And it really did. Good. So what is next year in 2023? Like, what, what do you, what's your plan?
I'm I'm I'm sent, I did sign up with ACX on Amazon. Um, I'm trying to get additional jobs and, uh, I have the demo, uh, website that's provided in the course as part of my ClaudineWalk. com website. Uh, I also do, um. Book marketing. So I'm using what I've learned in a sub stack that I that I write, um, in video and audio and I do a podcast myself.
So I'm using all the skills there, but I really would like to get more jobs. And the other thing is to just to kind of follow up with what you already have. So just just as an example of what I did here. I asked the publisher, can I do this? They said yes. Right. So I do it. Then I do it. Then I go back to voice coaches and say, Hey, here's kind of what I did and here I am talking to you.
Right. Yeah, exactly. It's important. You gotta, you gotta make sure people know what you're doing. You know, you gotta make sure that you open up that mouth so it can get you, you know, where you want to be. Um, you know, it's the best advice that I can ever give anybody, you know, because You know, people ask me all the time, like, how do you get the radio work that you're doing?
18 years of building relationships. Everything I'm doing currently came to me. And I, I don't say that lightly because it was a lot of work to get to that point. Um, you know, now I'm going to be in the new year trying to put my own legwork in to get more, you know, but I haven't had time. So it's like, I'm thankful for what has come to me, but it was, it's been a lot of hard work for years and I make it look easy, but it's not, it's not easy.
You know, when things start to look easy for somebody, it's because the hustle has already been there. Uh, and, and you can't wrap that around their head. Sometimes they just see easy and they think it's going to be easy for them. Like, oh, I can do that. Yeah. But you don't have the skill yet and you haven't put the work in and make the skill, and then you haven't put the legwork in to get the jobs.
Like the first job, let alone the second or third or fourth or fifth, you know, and it's like, yeah, it looks easy, but you don't see what's happening when you're not watching, um, you know, and that's what you have to take into consideration. Um, you know, because. Nothing in life is easy. If it were, then there would be no use for any kind of stress.
Induc, like stress, stress, preventing medications. , let's face it, , you know, anxiety wouldn't exist. Uh, , it's so true and I, I would say, you know, like you said, networking. I mean, I know it sounds kind of cliche in old fashioned these days, but you really, you know, whether you're publishing a book or trying to get an agent, it's the same.
way. It's been always in that way. It still works. The networking and also ask the power of what's that quote by the hockey player? You know, you increase your chances tremendously if you actually take a shot. So, yeah, I mean, yeah, it's like you miss 90 percent of the shots you don't take 100 percent of the shots you don't take.
Um, but yeah, I mean, if the worst somebody can say is no. Right. Exactly. Exactly. And keep me in mind. Keep me in mind. Hey, this is, you know, and I realize you can't use me right now, but you just never know and I want to make sure you have this. Or do you know anybody else who might? Right. When I, when I lost my, um, job in 2019 for radio, my contract came to an end.
They didn't, um, resign. And it was really because they got rid of the position. I was doing nights in, in Boston and, uh, I don't know. They've got a lot of sports teams that all play at night. Uh, I get it. But, um, The first thing I did was I put a demo together, and next thing I did, from there, was I went to this list, uh, for radio, of, and, that is completely, uh, wrong now, because of lockdown and everything, because nobody is working in the same positions anymore these days, um, but, there was like a Rolodex, basically, on this website, of, Different bosses in different cities and I went through and I found every city that I thought maybe I'd want to be in and I emailed every single person now.
Did I hear back from everybody? No, but I heard back from quite a bit. And the most common thing was like, we don't have anything right now, but man, you're good. And I'm going to, you know, keep you in mind. And like, because I did that, I did get an interview actually in Pittsburgh. I was there. They flew me in.
I, I had the interview, they hired, they wanted to hire me right on the spot and I didn't want to go to Pittsburgh. That's what I realized when I was there. Um, but that was. That was a position that wasn't even advertised. Yep. That's why you do that. That is why you go ahead and you introduce yourself to people and you make those relationships because you never know what's happening around, around you or what's about to happen.
You know, so those things are very important. The networking is very important. Um, tell us again, what is the name of this book so people can go ahead and they can find it and they can listen. Yes, it's called It Gets Easier and Other Lies. We tell new mothers anywhere you listen to your audio books and you get them, it is being sold right now.
That's awesome. That's awesome. Well, listen, I wish you so much luck in 2023. You don't need it. You just need to go ahead and keep hustling like you've been doing. Um, and anytime that we can be of help, like, you know, already, it's just an email or a phone call to voice coaches and we got you for life. All right.
Outstanding. Thank you so much. You're so welcome. Thanks for being a part of the podcast. And guess what? We're going to be in a brand new year. Come next episode. And another interview is going to be coming too, along with many, many new episodes right here for Voice Coaches Radio. Have a great holiday.
Have a great time celebrating the new year and stay safe. I'll talk to you soon. Visit voicecoaches. com.
You were just boosting my ego a second ago as we were starting here. And, uh, you know, you've already been up and running and getting some work and having some fun. And I know just when you popped on this morning, like, clearly very excited. So, like, let's just start with this, like, give some background about you.
And what got you to want to even do any of this stuff in the first place? Yeah, I'm, I'm, uh, interesting that I kind of put my hands on a whole bunch of things and see where they, where they land. I was a Kind of a stay at home mom who did a part time accounting gig to keep the bills paid and as my kids got older I realized that accounting wasn't something that I really enjoyed doing anymore and I you know kind of had the luxury to think about what I wanted to do and, uh, but at that time when I, I was doing some part time accounting work, I decided to write this book called It Gets Easier and Other Lies We Tell New Mothers because I felt that motherhood was so hard and a shock to me kind of, I really thought it would be easy.
Ha ha. And it was so difficult. So I, I, I go, my gosh, I, I need to get some information and I put it out there to every mother that I came in touch with, as you know. Marissa, I am not shy. Right. Got all kinds of information. I thought I got to share this with other people because the information really did help.
So I had this book, I wrote it, couldn't find a publisher. Created a publishing company, published it myself. And then I, an agent decided that she could sell it to a publisher, wrote three more chapters, she sold it to a publisher, got it published. Um, traditionally. And, uh, and then that was great. I thought, okay, I had a little success with that book.
That was terrific. And then I did some book marketing, enjoyed that. And then I kind of went back to the accounting and. Um, but during that time that the book was selling, I was marketing the book and one of the things that I did was I was a radio interview and I thought, Oh, this is fun. I actually got down to go down to Philadelphia and 1060 studios and, um, actually, you know, see how that all goes and KYW radio and loved it.
And then I'll tell you this too, just for people that don't understand, like. And the way radio works like Philly is a huge market like that's market like that's in the top 15, I believe. So, like, that's a big deal to get on a radio station and a market that size to, you know, basically sell yourself a bit, you know, and then what you've been doing and then and your book and I'm sure that was.
Not only a lot of fun for you, but then it was also pretty exciting for the book, too. It really was and and I was very persistent and um, so so it worked out but I really loved I really loved the radio So I you know, I was thinking about things a couple years ago. I said, oh, you know what? I really do think i'd like to get back into radio.
So I I got with a local Radio station WDVR radio in Surgeonsville, New Jersey, and they are not for profit, but full service radio station 50 hosts. They all volunteer every kind of music you can imagine, and I thought, you know what I'm going to, I want to try a talk show. So I started to do that and, and again, cold, you know, I didn't know what I was doing, but I really enjoyed it.
And then I thought, Hey, you know, I might want to actually get some training on what I should be doing and how I should be doing this. Yeah. And yeah, I got the email saying that they were, uh, Voice Coaches was offering this, um, course. It was like, you know, 25. We'll, we'll, we'll actually listen to your voice and we will tell you if this is for you or not for you.
And I thought this is perfect for me. This will help me make my decision. Nice. Nice. Yeah. And then, and then we had you here and, you know, you got matched up with me, uh, which was, you know, just. The smartest decision anybody could have made for somebody that's already playing radio, right? Like, you know, it's like, you know, my background heavily in radio and I've had students that have been like, well, what does that have to do with voiceover?
But, you know, I mean, you, you witnessed it firsthand as to how, how overlapping it all is, it's the same skills. You need the same stuff. I mean, you know, I always joke, it's like, I, I started at this radio school and it's like the first things they taught me, it was like, Hey, talk to your best friend and don't forget to smile.
Like, you know, it's like, those are the. The key elements of any of this voice work that we do, you know, because it's like you got to be you and you got to be at least sort of happy or at least bright, um, you know, to be engaging and all that, but everybody's a little different with how they work with all that stuff.
But, um, you know, it definitely correlates and overlaps and all those things. So, so, all right, well, the next steps here, you go through this program. And, you know, we, you go ahead, you do the demo, we send you on your way. Now, when did you do the demo? Remind me. Oh gosh. Uh, it was before the summer. So I, I want to say.
Was that long ago already? Yeah. Yeah. Holy crap. I feel like I just talked to you. I know. I know. Because I think I, I got the final, um, yeah, right before the summer, I want to say. Okay. And from there, what were your steps? Like, what did you do? What's been happening? Fill us in. Yes. So, um, I have to say, like, when you take the class, um, Marissa was so forthcoming with her experience and willing to answer my myriad of questions, you know, because I had a lot of questions and I really wanted to do well and I really wanted to, to learn and all of the, the tools that she was willing to share with me, I used.
Yeah. And I, listen, I don't sugar coat anything like, you know, because there's too many people that want to think that. You know, they finish and it's like, all right, well, the stuff's just me handed to them now. And it's like, no, just because you have a demo, like I listened to what I'm saying. Like I've been hustling since single digits and that sounds ridiculous, but it's not a joke.
Like I, everything that I've ever done, I've put that, the legwork, you know, under it. And if you don't do that, like, what do you expect to have happened? You know, you have to do this. You have to be your own best advocate, otherwise, you know, you just run in place. Yes. And I'm still, I'm still learning. Um, but in this, in this case, what happened was, um, you know, I just kind of had a minute to think and I thought, wow, I already have a book.
I think it would make a great audio book, even though it was published in 2009. So I went back to the publisher and I said, listen, here's, here's a deal for you. I just took voice coach classes. Um, and I think, uh, I can do this and I'd love to narrate my own book and I actually waived a fee to do it, but I thought, you know, this is a good, good for them.
Good for me. And I get experience and now I have an audio book under my belt, not to mention it's my own book, which is really cool. Um, but as an aside, you know, I hadn't read the book myself since 2009 and it's a book about taking care of babies. So I was a little. Worried, but as I was reading it, as we were recording and I did record in a studio, I didn't do it at my home.
They hired a studio and I went to the studio and I, and I did it over a two day period, which, oh my gosh, we can talk about that. But , the whole, wow, the whole, um, the whole thing was done. Um, oh shoot. I forgot my train of thought. Um. Oh, the baby book. So I thought, oh gosh, I hope this stuff is still relevant.
Well, again, you know, the way timing works, I have a grandson who was born in August. Oh, congratulations. Thank you. As I was reading, I'm thinking, oh my goodness. Thank goodness. goodness, it's still relevant because taking care of babies, just the essence of it does not change. I mean, gadgets change, the gadgets change, but you know, it's the same.
It's the rocking, it's the holding, it's the, you know, watching, trying to get them on a schedule. It's all the same. So that was, that was a relief. Um, but. Yeah, I mean it worked out, it worked out really well and, um, I'm thrilled with it. And it was, it was definitely a bucket list item for me. And I would never have had the, um, confidence to come forward to the publisher had I not had the voice, the voice coaches training.
Yeah. Yeah. I can understand that. I mean, cause it's like, you know, you, I think, you know, even when you go and you do the demo itself, it's like. When you start realizing like, oh, wait, that's that's all I had to do. Like, oh, this is I can do this. Like, it's a nice confidence boost. It just in that demo session.
And then when you get the final product and you hear it, um, so it's good that, yeah, it's definitely good that you had all that because I'm sure that you could have, you know, suggested the audio book in the 1st place without the education, but the education under your belt gives you the, you know, the wherewithal of understanding, like, I am making the right choices.
Now, this recording session, um, you know, these. Yeah. These all happen a little differently depending on how, how it's done. I can understand why if, you know, the publisher is hiring a studio, they're going to want it done relatively quickly. Um, you know, because they don't want to have the added expense on that.
Um, so how many hours over the course of two days? Yeah. And again, you, Marissa, you briefed me on this, that this, this is how it could happen and what to expect. And that, that was worth its weight in gold to me. It was two, it was a two day period. They were five hour sessions. I thought I was going to die. I mean, it's the kind of thing where it's, it's, it's, um, you train, right?
It's training. Like you would train for anything else. And I didn't. You had said to me that yes, your voice can kind of go on you and yes, you need to take care of your voice and you need, you know, to bring the apples to absorb the extra moisture in your mouth and like all those things, but I, I didn't really understand until I went through it, but, you know, I would get to a point at the end of those five hours and I, I would, I would be worried in my head.
I don't think another thing's going to come out of my mouth. It was kind of a weird feeling. It's pure exhaustion after a while. I mean, listen, people hear it with me. I mean, if you go back to my initial podcast episodes, when Josh was still a part of the podcast, like, I mean, I struggled hard when I first started a voice coaches because I went from, you know, consistent work, 15, 16 years, we get into lockdown.
I did nothing really for like a solid year of consistent work, you know? So like my voice. That muscle, that tool was, was, you know, underutilized and, you know, lost some of its consistency. And then, you know, I, I worked a very heavy overnight shift at lows that just made me exhausted that had me lose my voice just from pure exhaustion.
And then, and then I started here and I went from barely talking to six hours of teaching a day. To doing stuff on top of it and, and, you know, healing from a concussion at the same time and like my, I would get to Friday morning, do a podcast with Josh and I'm like, no, I can't help it. And it still happens.
But now it's like. After almost two years of that, you know, I've definitely conditioned myself. I know what helps I work out all the time. So it's like, I'm working out and getting the blood flowing and the muscles working. And, you know, it's like, I know me, I keep the allergy pill in my body. I'm constantly drinking water.
I'm trying to get enough rest, but I can, you know, I can feel it right now. It feels like somebody is pressing against, you know, my, my esophagus. And it's really, it's been a problem. It's one of those problems that is going to get a little easier come the new year. Um, but it's. It's overuse now. Now it's complete overuse.
Um, and, and I know that. And like, I, I've witnessed it since about like Thanksgiving and I'm like, okay, my body's telling me I got to slow down a little bit. So I'm going to, but. It's just, um, you got to pay attention to those things and like, you know, you best, I told you that, right? Like, you know, you best.
So, you know, you just have to keep paying attention and listening to what your body's telling you. But yeah, training, you know, you think about all these athletes that go and they train for a marathon all year to get to where they are. It's like you have to constantly be in training and practice so you can work up and condition all the muscles that are involved in this.
Yes, and, and everything that, that you guys taught, the clothes to wear, I mean, you think when I went through it the first time, I'm like, Oh, come on, this can't be important. Oh my gosh, was it important because it was, you know, scratchy and that was coming up. Yes. Yes. And, you know, being comfortable how you stand and having a little, a pencil with you to take notes and like you just, all those tips really, it made such a big difference.
Um, but yeah, it was fun though. I mean, and that was, you know, you have to decide whether this is something that you want to do as a career. I think it is for me. I enjoyed it. I had so much fun. And it was, you know, when we did the demo together, Marissa, you, you were in my ear and it was the same studio, by the way, that I recorded the demo.
Yes, because it just happens to be your satellite studio in Pennsylvania, sweet, sweet Creek studio. And so he was also picked up. Uh, to do the audio book, which was great. So then I had him in my ear, which also makes a huge difference. And, um, and it was, it was really fun. It was funny. The one day when I left after the five hour session, he said, you know, um, John, he said, just don't talk for the rest of the night.
Yeah, and it's so it's such a simple thing in terms of training in terms of keeping you being able to do it the next day vocal rest is hard, right? Yes. I mean, I got to the point where in my other work, I was using the microphone button in order to, you know, Um, give texts and give, you know, emails and stuff.
And I'm like, I can't do that. I actually have to type. Oh my gosh. You know, I have to save my voice. But anyway, it, it really was, it was a great, for me, a great opportunity to see if it's something that, that brought me joy. And it really did. Good. So what is next year in 2023? Like, what, what do you, what's your plan?
I'm I'm I'm sent, I did sign up with ACX on Amazon. Um, I'm trying to get additional jobs and, uh, I have the demo, uh, website that's provided in the course as part of my ClaudineWalk. com website. Uh, I also do, um. Book marketing. So I'm using what I've learned in a sub stack that I that I write, um, in video and audio and I do a podcast myself.
So I'm using all the skills there, but I really would like to get more jobs. And the other thing is to just to kind of follow up with what you already have. So just just as an example of what I did here. I asked the publisher, can I do this? They said yes. Right. So I do it. Then I do it. Then I go back to voice coaches and say, Hey, here's kind of what I did and here I am talking to you.
Right. Yeah, exactly. It's important. You gotta, you gotta make sure people know what you're doing. You know, you gotta make sure that you open up that mouth so it can get you, you know, where you want to be. Um, you know, it's the best advice that I can ever give anybody, you know, because You know, people ask me all the time, like, how do you get the radio work that you're doing?
18 years of building relationships. Everything I'm doing currently came to me. And I, I don't say that lightly because it was a lot of work to get to that point. Um, you know, now I'm going to be in the new year trying to put my own legwork in to get more, you know, but I haven't had time. So it's like, I'm thankful for what has come to me, but it was, it's been a lot of hard work for years and I make it look easy, but it's not, it's not easy.
You know, when things start to look easy for somebody, it's because the hustle has already been there. Uh, and, and you can't wrap that around their head. Sometimes they just see easy and they think it's going to be easy for them. Like, oh, I can do that. Yeah. But you don't have the skill yet and you haven't put the work in and make the skill, and then you haven't put the legwork in to get the jobs.
Like the first job, let alone the second or third or fourth or fifth, you know, and it's like, yeah, it looks easy, but you don't see what's happening when you're not watching, um, you know, and that's what you have to take into consideration. Um, you know, because. Nothing in life is easy. If it were, then there would be no use for any kind of stress.
Induc, like stress, stress, preventing medications. , let's face it, , you know, anxiety wouldn't exist. Uh, , it's so true and I, I would say, you know, like you said, networking. I mean, I know it sounds kind of cliche in old fashioned these days, but you really, you know, whether you're publishing a book or trying to get an agent, it's the same.
way. It's been always in that way. It still works. The networking and also ask the power of what's that quote by the hockey player? You know, you increase your chances tremendously if you actually take a shot. So, yeah, I mean, yeah, it's like you miss 90 percent of the shots you don't take 100 percent of the shots you don't take.
Um, but yeah, I mean, if the worst somebody can say is no. Right. Exactly. Exactly. And keep me in mind. Keep me in mind. Hey, this is, you know, and I realize you can't use me right now, but you just never know and I want to make sure you have this. Or do you know anybody else who might? Right. When I, when I lost my, um, job in 2019 for radio, my contract came to an end.
They didn't, um, resign. And it was really because they got rid of the position. I was doing nights in, in Boston and, uh, I don't know. They've got a lot of sports teams that all play at night. Uh, I get it. But, um, The first thing I did was I put a demo together, and next thing I did, from there, was I went to this list, uh, for radio, of, and, that is completely, uh, wrong now, because of lockdown and everything, because nobody is working in the same positions anymore these days, um, but, there was like a Rolodex, basically, on this website, of, Different bosses in different cities and I went through and I found every city that I thought maybe I'd want to be in and I emailed every single person now.
Did I hear back from everybody? No, but I heard back from quite a bit. And the most common thing was like, we don't have anything right now, but man, you're good. And I'm going to, you know, keep you in mind. And like, because I did that, I did get an interview actually in Pittsburgh. I was there. They flew me in.
I, I had the interview, they hired, they wanted to hire me right on the spot and I didn't want to go to Pittsburgh. That's what I realized when I was there. Um, but that was. That was a position that wasn't even advertised. Yep. That's why you do that. That is why you go ahead and you introduce yourself to people and you make those relationships because you never know what's happening around, around you or what's about to happen.
You know, so those things are very important. The networking is very important. Um, tell us again, what is the name of this book so people can go ahead and they can find it and they can listen. Yes, it's called It Gets Easier and Other Lies. We tell new mothers anywhere you listen to your audio books and you get them, it is being sold right now.
That's awesome. That's awesome. Well, listen, I wish you so much luck in 2023. You don't need it. You just need to go ahead and keep hustling like you've been doing. Um, and anytime that we can be of help, like, you know, already, it's just an email or a phone call to voice coaches and we got you for life. All right.
Outstanding. Thank you so much. You're so welcome. Thanks for being a part of the podcast. And guess what? We're going to be in a brand new year. Come next episode. And another interview is going to be coming too, along with many, many new episodes right here for Voice Coaches Radio. Have a great holiday.
Have a great time celebrating the new year and stay safe. I'll talk to you soon. Visit voicecoaches. com.
This week on Voice Coaches Radio, Marissa is joined by former VC student, Claudine Wolk who has been navigating the voice over world and chats about her experience.
