Wow. Two Years? It’s been 2 years since I’ve sat down and journaled what has happened in my life. In some aspects, nothing has changed. But in other ways, everything has.
I promise, I won’t be spending this whole post speaking in riddles. Let’s start with the actionable items to update.
I left the Legal Service company and became an Engagement Marketing Manager for a non-profit for a year. Worked myself practically sick (successfully raised a lot of money though!) and then changed non-profits, still working as a Marketing Manager.
As it turns out, I’m actually really great at Marketing, with an established company anyway. However, it did not bring me joy and I found myself thinking very poignantly that I was working so hard to save up for a retirement I did not want. At the rate I was going, I didn’t want to live to be 65 to enjoy free-time. What’s the point?
So, with one last “Come to Jesus” moment, I (with the support and help of my sister) decided to try once again to make Voice Over a full-time job. This time, using what I learned and not being so close-minded to what opportunities may await me. I gave myself an ultimatum: I have two years to see if I can make this career viable. If it shows promise, I’ll keep pushing. But if it goes nowhere, then I’m fully retiring from voiceover and seeking out Plan B. (Client Success Manager, a job in which I did take pride in. There’s a certification I can take that would make me more appealing to hiring prospects. Yes, I really do think of everything!)
Simply put, I just can’t take it. It’s like being in love with someone who suffers a debilitating addiction. As painful as it is, it’s sometimes healthier to just cut them off. I can’t keep putting myself through the ‘what ifs’ and regretting every audition I’m unable to submit because my day-job comes first. I’m exhausted from spending every free moment I have on the “hustle” to make something stick. I’m not thriving, I’m just barely surviving, so to speak.
And that’s the ugly, honest, truth. No sugar coating, no “Toxic Positivity” for you. The passion that burns like a fire in my soul can be deadly; no two ways about it.
But this isn’t a depressing post; au contraire!
However, I fully intend to ‘bury the lede’, so let’s take a step back and update some of the lesser news items…
I unfortunately still suffer from a bit of nerve damage in my cheek. Specifically, the lower right jaw. It’s lessened but my lip still tickles when I touch my jawline so… things are still not how they had been. Even still, I don’t regret the procedure. The pain I endured from the wisdom teeth was torturous at times and the fear of my jaw breaking certainly did not help me sleep at night.
I scheduled my last episode of my Podcast – 3 seasons, 100 episodes (technically a bit over but I read 100 stories) for November 26th and I’m so proud of myself for sticking with it. I kept that up, taking a year hiatus, even when I literally didn’t have the time. It was a passion project for sure and one I would happily bring back… with the right arrangement. I would need backing of some sort; I simply cannot do it solo with everything else going on.
I now have a separate Craft & Storytelling YouTube Channel as well as a slow-but-steadily growing Gaming Channel. I spent a lot of time at the beginning of 2022 on my Craft channel but I’ve now come to realize it needs to take a back seat while I focus on some other avenues first.
Which brings me to the exciting news…. For real this time….
I am Now a Full-Time Voice Over Artist.
Indeed, it has happened! I made the switch February of 2022 and I won a client – WeHear FM – for which I narrate a few audiobook chapters daily (Mon – Fri). I have two other long-term, on-going clients who book me spontaneously throughout each month. I now make the same as if I worked full-time at minimum wage (which in Georgia is $7.25). But hey – it’s a start, right!?
I had a few other clients that were going to be long-term but I had to cut them loose; know your worth, is all I’ll say to that.
However, most excitedly: I worked again with David Rosenthal at the Global Voice Acting Academy and had a Commercial Demo and a Narration Demo produced! I would share them now but I’m waiting for my NEW BRANDING to be completed! At which point, I will launch the demos in video-format for easier sharing on social media. If you can’t wait to listen to them, they are already live on my website: www.carifavole.com
I’ve also just completed an 8 week Improv course with Dad’s Garage and I joined the cast of Am I Alive? an Audio drama podcast, which has been amazing fun.
I am continuing to work with David on my Marketing Strategy and trying to get new agents who specialize in Character Work specifically (but also an agent who is a bit more engaged with my career and supportive of my success – but that’s for another post!)
I cannot promise that I will post monthly but I do hope to be more active on my blog. For additional Voiceover stories, I do recommend my Psypris YouTube Channel, as quite a few of my story times will definitely focus on voiceover.
For now, I hope you will take a look around at my re-vamped Blog page; it’s more of a website now, which is super cool! Until next time, Stay Crazy!