VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

JBarrett · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 1:45 pm Post subject: How much stress?

I've found some earlier threads where folks have talked about how the stress of having your own job is different from the typical 9-5 job stress, but I still want to pick folks brains a bit more if that's all right.

As I write this, I'm in the middle of an admittedly rare situation where I find myself working on three projects at once (animating on one, supervising two others). It's only gonna last into Tuesday of next week, at which point our family heads off on a trip for the rest of the week. I just hope I last long enough to start the drive. I'm sitting here thinking about all the work I must face between now and Tuesday afternoon, and it's literally giving me headaches. If I had some confidence that I could survive right now doing voiceover alone, I'd give notice in a heartbeat. There are still aspects of the work that I enjoy, but I'm starting to question how much I really enjoy it, and whether I'm really happy even dealing with the mostly-known stresses of individual animation assignments. Combine that with my growing dislike of the daily commute, and my desire to be home more with my family, and this job I've (supposedly) loved so much for the past six years is starting to look more and more questionable...and that alone is freaking me out!

When managing a personal voiceover business, are there ever long stretches of time where you're pressured by a single project? What about the pressures of finding the next gig? Does that ever last for days? Is it a constant, nagging stress, or does it come and go? Any insights that can be shared would be MOST appreciated.
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Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 3:40 pm Post subject:

The stresses come. The stresses go. If I focus too much on the hard fact that I live gig to gig to gig, I get taccachardia, or nearly so. I go through jags where I am not worthy, or feel like that. I go through periods where my mind says "f#*k it and them and all--I am the Queen" and mostly I just plod along trying to hone mad skillz and stay focused.
Then there's a day like yesterday. My friend insisted on throwing a party for another friend and so I had a couple of assignments, like making the cake (LOVE to bake cakes. Mmmm cakes.) and soup, a mainstay on the menu. PLUS, a day's work at home, dealing with dogs and self, etc etc. When she told me who was bringing what, like bread and wine (not to get religious here) because "she works" and "she works" I wanted to scream. When I arrived at the party about an hour late since the cake was in the oven for an hour and I was finishing up the soup recipe, she was immediately on me to get the gift (a most lovely Adirondack chair) out of the car and to do this and that and another thing, I about ran AWAY! When she asked me if she was being a pain and bossy, I said" Yes, you are. I'm working as hard as anyone else, trying to be timely and get everything done on top of all else and I just got here and I've got more things in the car and if you could just wait one minute and while you're at it, pour me a glass of wine for feck's sake...." that felt good. When I the spoke with another friend at the party about her work as a physician's assistant at a facility for terminally ill patients (3 of hers died this week), she lovingly said to me "It's a lot easier sometimes to just go to work and know you'll collect a paycheck."
The biggest advantage at this precise moment? The three dogs are sleeping at my feet and I'm going to rouse them so we can waltz right out the door and go for a walk. I've been at this gosh darn fetchin' computer all day. My boss is driving me crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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mcm · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 6:03 pm Post subject:

Good question. Every job has its potential stresses, I guess it's how you handle the stress that matters. The biggest challenge that probably faces you at this looming crossroads is how long you can survive if you quit your steady job now and don't have much income for a while. It takes time to establish any new business and as Drew always says, "as soon as you switch off the microphone you're unemployed".

I had it pretty good working at the local college where my commute was one mile through the woods on a bicycle. I started doing VO while working there and last spring was faced with the prospect of a double work load because my course enrollment shot way up. I knew I would be a basket case trying to do that and VO and I chose VO. But I also have a husband with a job and regular paycheck. We do struggle but it gets better all the time. I guess the biggest stress for me is when I have VO work arrive in the evening or weekends and the family is all here, because my recording boothie is quiet but isn't sound proof. Some day I hope to solve that problem. That is something for you to think about depending on the noise level at your place. If it's at all possible for you to start out with a sound-proof recording space that will make life much easier.

Good luck.

todd ellis · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 7:05 pm Post subject:

Hoo-BOY! did you ask this question on the wrong day ... or maybe the right day.

I have been full time in this "eat what you kill" world of VO for almost 5 years - some years better than others. This year started out pretty good - cemented some long-term relationships that would finally pull me out of the "having a job" category and into the "having a business" range. The problem with landing big - constant jobs is that you have to deliver ... big ... and constantly. That's great, though. It's busy and I'd rather be busy than be able to tell you what happened on "Saved By The Bell" today. Ya see - Zach got this great idea about ... never mind. Anyway - I got a huge kick in the groin today when a $1,700/month client pulled out. Budget cuts - company going under blah, blah, blah ... WHAT ABOUT TODD??? But, there's always another deal on the burner ... somewhere - and I'd rather have this job on a bad day than any other job on a good day.
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asnively · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 7:21 pm Post subject:

I'M VERY STRESSED OUT TODAY! Angry

Voice over emergency? You've had this trade show on your calendar for how long now?
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LaurenLee · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 8:59 pm Post subject:

OH Amy! Can't help but laugh when I get those. I used to stress out big time and bend over backwards to try to help them out. Why it took so long for the light bulb to come on I'll never know -- slow learner, I guess.

In the last three weeks the sessions have been so steady that I've had to explain to clients that I wouldn't be able to get to their project until such-and-such a day/time -- and ya know, not one of them said, "that's too bad: I'll get someone else."

JB: "When managing a personal voiceover business, are there ever long stretches of time where you're pressured by a single project?" -- absolutely, but I don't find that a bad thing -- just absorption in the project at hand. "What about the pressures of finding the next gig? Does that ever last for days?" -- I found out early on that if I was stressed out about finding the next gig ("I REALLY need this job...") I'd handle the inquiry or audition horribly. "Is it a constant, nagging stress, or does it come and go?" -- comes and goes. But I do believe that the stress of running your VO biz is tougher to deal with if you're also trying to hold down a day job at the same time. For me, the pressure of conflicting demands is the biggest stressor of all.

I used to hate it when wiser folks told me I had to embrace the process, not stress about it, before I'd be able to succeed in this biz, but they were right. It took many many years though, before I had enough of a track record to believe in myself. (I've been doing VO in some form or another for 30 years -- went full-time freelance in '93 and never looked back.)

Hope this helps...
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KaraEdwards · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:28 pm Post subject:

All jobs have stress- but when you work from home the stress seems somehow...less!

When I have a week (like next week) that is filled to the brim with work, I will plan the rest of my time (evenings, weekends) to be calm and stress-free. For example, we were invited to a concert tonight, but turned it down to rest, not be in a smoke-filled place, and hang out on the VO-BB! I also found a substitute teacher for my volunteer ESL class at the church on Wednesday in order to rest my voice between gigs. It's all about time management. Don't be afraid to say 'no'!

On days that I find myself staring at my inbox wondering when a job will come through- I make myself go outside and tend to the garden, or paint, or scrapbook- anything to feel like I am accomplishing something. Go throw the ball around with the dog, and when you come back- something new will have arrived!

The work will be there when you need it, you just have to have faith.

Finally, put together a nice savings account for those months that might be a little tight!
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JBarrett · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:46 pm Post subject:

THANK YOU all for the wonderful insights and comments. They're helping a lot! Granted, I feel a lot better now that I've actually survived day one of Animation Chaos, and I realize that some of my "I'm so stressed I could quit right now!" feelings were probably a bit rash. Still, this is all great food for thought as I try to decide if/when I do want to take the leap away from a day job and try flying solo, and how to prepare myself for the associated pains.

To those who were/are also having a stressful day today, my heart goes out to you for a speedy recovery!
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Drew · Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:59 am Post subject:

There's no greater feeling than the moment you finish the day's work and you're gonna bill out more than what you made in a week at the "real" job. It's worthy of a double Bourbon and soda in celebration. Then you look in your appoinment book and see blanks for the next two days. It's worthy of another double Bourbon and soda to take the edge off the stress.
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Doc · Guest

Amy,

Years ago at one of the many radio stations I worked, an engineer had a sign hanging on his office door. I'll never forget it. The sign read:

"POOR PLANNING ON YOUR PART DOESN'T CONSTITUTE AN EMERGENCY ON MY PART"

asnively · Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:03 pm Post subject:

Thanks Lauren and Doc!

Trouble is.... I am a VO ho.
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Hart · Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:20 pm Post subject:

Doc · Guest

Brian,

Deirdre · Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:38 pm Post subject:

Amy-- you do levy an "emergency" surcharge, yes? The "I need it now!!" people should pay an extra 50 to 100% of a normal job.

No kidding.

Re: stress:
I have so much on my plate as a simple fact of life that I have come to realize that I have only about 4 hours in any given day in which to do creative stuff. If someone is screaming in my ear about a project they need pronto, that means that my personal development stuff gets shoved to the back burner. It has been like that for the last 6 months and now the stuff on the rear burner is finally shoving back. I have a new client who wants a spectacular IVR new-build job done and they were talkinbg about recording 3 hours a day, but I think my written proposal will specify 2. (especially since they want to direct EVERY SINGLE SESSION). I have a feeling I am going to have to edit all this stuff because their proprietary software may not work on Macs.
So. . .

I simply need a couple of totally unencumbered hours in which to work on stuff that furthers my damned career.
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LaurenLee · Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 7:44 pm Post subject:

Hey Amy -- if I were twenty years younger I'd re-work my image and use the "VO ho" tagline. Made me bark with laughter! What an unforgetable marketing tool that would be!

I totally agree with DB re surcharging for rush jobs -- in fact, quality clients seem to expect it. And like DB, I'm so occupied with the day-to-day that the pro-active stuff slides -- in my case, my website and demos are woefully out-of-date. I keep planning to get to them when the work slows down... but it doesn't.

In the meantime, I'll just keep riding the ride of a lifetime and marvelling at my blessings.
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