Pay it back by paying it forward

I’ve said it before in this blog, but I’ll say it again, there really is no competition in VO. Either you’re right for as gig, or your not. And I love that.

It leads to a wonderful sense of community within this business that I don’t think exists in any other. Those of us that work at our VO dream everyday know this and live it. How?

By helping each other out whenever we can.

I’ll take this past Tuesday as an example.

I get an email from a client who was looking to have a script translated and recorded into French.
So I gave them the name of a wonderful French translator I trust implicitly, Guylaine Laperriere.

Now, my client was going to submit my voice (thank you!) but they also said their client was leaning toward booking a male talent for this particular job so they needed a French male sample as well. So, I gave them the name of a French male talent I also trust. Full disclosure: he’s my brother André, but that’s really beside the point. He’s a male French talent and that’s what they asked for.

So what happens?

Guylaine booked the translation gig.
André booked the VO gig.

And what did I get from this?….think before you answer….
.
.
.
I got a very happy client who remembers that I helped them out.
And I have two friends who got work they may not have gotten otherwise!

My father used to tell me: “When someone does you a favor, you may not be able to pay them back directly, but you can do it indirectly by helping someone else who asks you for help.” And this was WAY before the move Pay It Forward came out!

As an example, this week alone I was forwarded a lead from non-other than the wonderful Bob Souer, and got amazing advice from DB Cooper, Kara Edwards, Moe Egan and Pat Fraley.

I have been on the receiving end of so many favors from VO friends & colleagues that I consider it essential to return those favors by helping out those that I can.

Call it Karma, call it the right thing to do, call it the whatever you want, but to me it just makes me smile!

When is YOUR New Year?

Well...here we go again!

A brand new calendar year! (What's the alternative right?)

Is this a fresh start for you? Or just another day....

For me, frankly, it's a little of both.

When I was a kid, summer started at my best friend's birthday the first week of July and ended with my birthday the last week of August.

The New Year was always symbolized by September's start of the new school year. I loved getting all the new notebooks, and pens and backpacks, not to mention all the new books! I have always been an avid reader and I loved cracking open all those brand new books...except the Math ones...but that's another story! ;-)

January 1st just brought the end of the Christmas vacation break!

Through the years I have marked other milestone dates that brought new beginnings of sorts:

- October 19th: the day I got married
- April 10th: when me moved into our house
- November 17th: when my mother had her stroke - which started a whole new way of life for all of us
- May 24th: when I got "downsized" and was released to follow my dreams.

Yes, January 1st is the day I put up the new calendar and look back at how close I came to my calendar year financial goals. But it's less about "resolutions" for me, as it is about filing and organizing paperwork for taxes!

That's not to say that it's not a fresh start of sorts, but for me, other dates hold more meaning.

Whatever January 1st and the new year mean to you, I do hope this calendar year brings new hope and renewal to the world.

I hope it brings you health, happiness and prosperity!

And may 2009 be whatever you wish it to be...and more!