The other day, I was cleaning out my storage unit and I stumbled upon a pile of cassette tapes. All of them were my very first voice over demo that I produced way back in 1995.

As I held one of them in my hand, I realized that this piece of plastic is a relic. It also dawned on me that this year marks my 30th anniversary as a freelance voice actor.

Thirty years?! Wow.

It feels like both a lifetime and the blink of an eye all at once. I’ve gone from booking studio time by the hour to editing mp3 auditions on my laptop from a hotel room closet. The technology has changed, trends have come and gone, but the core principles of building a lasting freelance voice over career? Timeless.

I’m not gonna give you a step-by-step "how-to," I’m saving that for a workshop I’m teaching for the Freelancers Union on September 16, but share some hard-won wisdom that only time (and LOTS of failures) can teach.

These are the five lessons as a freelance voice actor that stuck with me.

1. Technology Serves the Talent, Not the Other Way Around.

I’ve seen people spend a fortune on the "perfect" microphone or the latest preamp, convinced it's the key to success. And while quality equipment is a necessity, it comes secondary to your talent. The gear doesn't interpret the script. The DAW doesn’t make a character believable or a narration compelling.

You do.

Your brain, your life experience, and your acting craft are the tools that matter most. The technology is just there to capture them. Never forget that clients hire you, not your microphone.

2. You Aren't Just a Voice Actor; You Are the CEO of You, Inc.

For the first few years, I thought my job was to be a good voice actor. I was wrong.

My job was to be a good business owner where the product/service is me, a voice actor. Your artistic skill is the product or service, but your business is what sells it.

Over 30 years, I’ve seen incredibly talented people leave voice acting because they neglected the business side of the industry. Learning how to market consistently, how to negotiate fairly, how to manage your finances for the feast-and-famine cycles, and how to treat every client with impeccable professionalism—that is what builds an effective freelance career with decades of staying power.

3. The Long Game Beats the Short Game, Every Time.

As a freelancer, you're constantly presented with choices. Do you take the low-paying but “easy” gig? Do you jump on a new, unproven trend?

My experience has taught me this: develop meaningful relationships, and don’t chase gigs or fads.

One client who trusts you, enjoys working with you, and comes back to you for years is worth more than a hundred one-off gigs. Your reputation for being reliable, professional, and a pleasure to work with is your single greatest marketing asset.

Think of your freelancer career in terms of years and decades, not days and weeks.

4. Adapt or Become a Fossil.

The voice I have today is not the voice I had at 25. The market today isn’t the market of 1995, either, or even 2015 for that matter. If I hadn't been willing to adapt, I would have become a relic just like that pile of cassette tapes.

Adaptation is twofold.

First, you must adapt to your own instrument as it matures. The youthful roles I once booked have been replaced by more authoritative, nuanced work that I now love.

Second, you must adapt to the industry. The explosion of Explainer videos, digital audiobooks, and podcasts created new worlds of work that didn't exist early in my career. Be a lifelong learner. Train in new genres. Keep getting coached up. Stay curious. Relevance equals effectiveness.

5. It Was Never a Solo Act.

The image of the freelancer as a lone wolf is a myth. And it’s a dangerous one.

Every significant breakthrough, every tough period I survived, and every bit of crucial advice I received came from the voiceover community.

• The mentor who told me my rates were too low.
• The peer group that listened to my audition and gave me honest feedback.
• The friend who passed my name along for a job. FYI if I had a nickel for every time I booked a gig because a fellow voice actor, my so-called “competition”, recommended me, I’d be rich!

You cannot do this alone. Invest time in building genuine relationships with your fellow freelancers. Celebrate their wins, support them in their struggles, and share what you know. Your community is your greatest asset.

Thirty years has taught me that a career isn't a single destination. It's a journey of constant learning and small, consistent efforts that compound over time.