Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting

On this episode of The Mike Lenz VO Podcast, I chat with bestselling author Grace Worthington, whose sweet romance novels are as heartwarming as they are hilarious. I had the pleasure of co-narrating a 4 book Renovation Romance series for Grace and we had so much fun talking about that process! We explore her creative journey from the musical theatre stage to the world of romantic fiction—and how she brings characters to life with humor, wit, and emotional authenticity. Grace Worthington eats, breathes, and geeks out over sweet romcoms. So it's no surprise she believes that laughter and love are a cure-all for just about everything in life. After a stint in musical theatre (where she often played comedic roles), Grace now writes novels full of witty banter, lovable characters, and small-town charm. Her inspirations include ‘80s and ‘90s romcoms, beachside towns, and her own family's delightful chaos. We also discuss: Her transition from actress to author The behind-the-scenes of how we collaborated to bring her  Renovation Romance series into audiobook form How she approaches tone, pacing, and voice in her stories Why being “willing to be bad at something in the beginning” is key to finding your creative voice Whether you're a narrator, author, or creative entrepreneur, this episode is packed with wisdom, heart, and lots of laughter. Check out more episodes over at: https://mikelenzvopodcast.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link:  https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw  

On this special solo episode of The Mike Lenz VO Podcast, Mike takes a moment to reflect on some incredible milestones in his voiceover journey — including narrating over 300 audiobooks and surpassing 200,000 podcast downloads. He shares insights on the vital role that networking, conferences, and coaching have played in his growth, and why staying connected and coachable continues to make all the difference. With heartfelt gratitude, Mike also opens up about what it means to use his God-given gift to communicate through the spoken word — both as a voice actor and audiobook narrator. Whether you're just starting out or a seasoned creative, this episode is a reminder of the power of community, perseverance, and purpose. You'll hear about: Reaching 300+ audiobooks and 200K podcast downloads Why conferences and networking matter more than ever The impact great coaches have had on Mike's journey Embracing your unique gifts and using them with intention Thank you for being part of the journey! Check out more episodes over at: https://mikelenzvopodcast.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link:  https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw  

On this episode of The Mike Lenz VO Podcast, I'm joined by Carmen Seantel, an emerging audiobook narrator whose warm, soothing, and expressive voice is already making an impact in the industry. Carmen is passionate about bringing stories to life and believes in the power of audiobooks to create a safe and accessible space for all readers. We'll dive into her early journey in narration, from working with top coaches and immersing herself in ACX.com to attending the Audiobook Publishers Association Conference—where she overcame social anxiety to network with colleagues, publishers, and producers. Carmen shares her experiences navigating the industry, the lessons she's learned along the way, and how her personal background brings authenticity to her performances. If you're just starting out in audiobook narration or looking for inspiration on breaking into the industry, this episode is packed with insights and encouragement. Tune in for a candid and inspiring conversation with Carmen Seantel! Check out more episodes over at: https://mikelenzvopodcast.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link:  https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw  

In this episode of the Mike Lenz VO Podcast, we sit down with Donovan Corneetz, the talented voice behind The Today Show, as well as a leading force in promo work and radio imaging. With years of experience, Donovan has become a go-to voice for high-profile commercial, promo, and television projects, showcasing his unmatched versatility. Whether he's delivering the perfect radio imaging sound or bringing fresh energy to national promos, Donovan's ability to transform his voice makes him one of the most sought-after talents in the industry. In this conversation, Donovan shares his journey, his approach to voiceover work, and how he's mastered the art of adapting his voice to fit various styles, from the caring dad to the energetic party guy. Tune in for an inside look at what it's like to be the voice behind major brands and television programs, with invaluable insights for anyone looking to thrive in the voiceover world. Check out more episodes over at: https://mikelenzvopodcast.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link:  https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw

On this episode, I have an amazing conversation with Izzy Tugman, a dynamic voice actor celebrated for her impressive versatility across audiobooks, animation, video games, commercial, and corporate narration. Beyond her professional achievements, Izzy opens up about some of the personal struggles she's faced along her journey and how they've shaped her perspective on life and work. We explore her newfound faith and how it has brought renewed purpose and direction to her life. Izzy also shares how practices like yoga and meditation have become essential tools for cultivating peace, inner calm, and resilience—both personally and professionally. From her insights into building a sustainable VO career to her honest reflections on growth and self-discovery, this conversation is filled with inspiration, practical advice, and heartfelt moments. Whether you're an aspiring voice actor, a seasoned professional, or simply seeking motivation to navigate your creative path, you'll find valuable lessons in this episode. Don't miss this powerful and uplifting conversation! Follow Izzy Tugman: https://izzyvoice.com/ Check out more episodes over at: https://mikelenzvopodcast.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link:  https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw    

Welcome back to the Mike Lenz VO Podcast! Today, we're thrilled to have Samantha Boyer with us, an inspiring artist and content creator who brings a touch of storytelling magic and nostalgia to her work. Samantha's journey began with childhood influences like Mr. Rogers and Bob Ross, sparking her passion for creating inviting, imaginative worlds. Over the years, she has transformed this passion into a full-time creative career and built Haven Hollow—a fictional, cozy escape designed to re-energize the soul and rest the heart, offering others a place to find peace and inspiration. In this episode, Samantha invites us into her creative process and shares how she balances the soulful, artistic side of her work with the realities of running a creative business. From finding inspiration to managing the demands of content creation, Samantha's story is both motivating and heartwarming. So grab a cup of tea, settle in, and join us for a cozy, inspiring conversation with Samantha Boyer as we step into Haven Hollow together.   Voice 123 15% Discount Code link:  https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw

Marisa Blake is a Latina Actor, Voiceover Artist and Musician. You can find her on screen in Netflix's Florida Man, DC's Swamp Thing and Spectrums Original Long Slow Exhale. She haswon multiple awards for her audiobook narrations, including a 2023 Audible's Best of for Dykesto Watch out For, featuring Jane Lynch ,Carrie Brownstein, and Roberta Colindrez, an AudioFile's Best Audiobooks of The Year 2020 for We Are Not From Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez and an Earphones Award for Arianna Davis' What Would Frida Do. Marisa was recently nominated for a 2023 Audie Award for her work in Across A Hundred Mountains by Reyna Grande. She takes pride in, and has immense gratitude for the opportunity to voice Latine Literature. She is currently the Spanish Voice for Kohls in the US, and one of the regularSpanish voices for Sherwin Williams in the US and recently did a bilingual campaign for Frito-Lay. Marisa voices everything from promos to E-learning, commercials to IVR, and even somevideo games and animation! She voices the promos for her local new station and you can alsofind her performing with local bands behind the microphone, the cajon or the drum kit. She isa proud Mama to three of the coolest dudes on the planet. To read the full transcriot of this episode and to listen to other episodes, head over to miklenzvopodcast.com, and please leave a rating and review wherever you listen to this podcast! 

A graduate of Johns Hopkins University, Cris Dukehart is an Audie Nominee and Earphones Award Winner, and has recorded over 300 audiobooks across multiple genres. On this episode we talk about Cris's journey into the VO and audiobook world, and her amazing journey from a little cottage in Pennsylvania to her mountaintop house in the Caribbean.  https://www.crisdukehart.com/   Voice 123 15% Discount Code link:  https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6     

Jamie Muffett is a voice actor, podcast producer, audio engineer and educator who divides his time between New York City and Philadelphia, PA.  He's worked with some of the worlds biggest companies, production studios, and games developers. He work primarily from his own studio in Bucks County, PA, and studios in NYC and Philly.  Past and current clients include: Google, Starbucks, Warner Brothers, Lucas Film, LEGO, Porsche, Mercedes, Ubisoft, Samsung, McDonald's, NBC, EA Sports, ESPN, Marriott Hotels, Amazon, Etihad Airways, FIFA, Disney, IKEA, National Geographic Channel... Jamie has lectured on voiceover at Syracuse University, He's a Backstage Magazine 'Expert',  he hosts the 'VO School Podcast' and he holds a monthly VO workshop at his studio in Philadelphia. He is also co-chair of VOcation Conference held in New York City every September. Jamie's website is https://www.jamiemuffett.com/   Voice 123 15% Discount Code link:  https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6  

Chris Johnson is a professional Voice Actor, based in Los Angeles.  He has voiced a wide range of projects over the years including commercials, corporate videos, eLearning modules, video games, audiobooks, narration and many more.   Chris has also been the lead singer and songwriter for many projects including the band Starch Monkey, Between the Sun and the upcoming project entitled Pharaoh's Kitchen.  He is the recipient of the 2020 "Male Emerging Artist" award from ISSA (Independent Singer-Songwriters Association).  You can learn more about Chris and contact him through his website at:  http://www.vocalcj.com

On this episode I take a deep dive into the voiceover industry and the impact artificial intelligence (AI) is having on our industry, with VO veteran Tom Dheere.  As a New York-based voice actor with over 20 years of experience, Tom Dheere has narrated thousands of projects for hundreds of clients in over a dozen countries. Tom's experience as a corporate trainer as well as a voice talent makes him uniquely qualified to help both aspiring and veteran voice talents navigate the voiceover industry. He specializes in marketing and business consultations as well as diagnostics, strategy sessions, and mentorships. As a classically trained theater actor, Tom received his Bachelor of Fine arts in Acting/Directing from Montclair State University. His training continued at the National Shakespeare Conservatory where I studied Shakespeare, Chekov, ballet, and more. ​After NSC Tom was trained as a voice actor by Hope Noah, Dan Duckworth of Voiceovers Unlimited, and has taken numerous voiceover classes at many conferences. ​Tom started coaching in 2011 with Edge Studio as the Business and Money 201 and Marketing 201 instructor. In 2012 he began private coaching as The VO Strategist. Since then Tom has worked with hundreds of students in both one-on-one sessions and public speaking engagements.   Voice 123 15% Discount Code link:  https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6      

Based in Richmond, Virginia, Paige Reisenfeld is a classically trained soprano and stage actor turned SAG-AFTRA audiobook narrator. Perhaps she should have paid attention to the signs, as she was voted “Best Reader” in kindergarten, a clear portent of things to come. Her voice has been described as deep, full, melodic, and sensual. She has been complimented on her “great tone and inflection”, as well as her ability to perform male and female voices and various accents. This allows her to switch between genres easily and she has narrated thrillers, romance, historical fiction, fantasy, literary fiction, and nonfiction. On the rare occasion she is not in her soundbooth, she plays cooperative board games (competitive ones are not allowed in the house), gardens, lifts weights, and spends time with her three cats and partner, fueled by all things cheese and coffee. https://paigevoice.com/   Voice 123 15% Discount Code link:  https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6

On this episode, I talk with award-winning author Landon Beach about his career, and about his recent book Narrator, which is narrated by the amazing Scott Brick.  Landon was born and raised in Michigan but now lives in the Sunshine State with his wife, two children, and their golden retriever. He previously served as a Naval Officer and was an educator for fifteen years before becoming a full-time writer.  He is also the award-winning author of Huron Breeze, which was named Mystery of the Year for 2022 by bestthrillers.com.   Here's a brief synopsis of Narrator: By the time playwright and actor Shawn Frost had won 2 Tony Awards by his late twenties, he was seen as a theater prodigy—a meteoric rise that the performing arts community had not witnessed in almost a hundred years. His work? Shakespearean in scope, character, and popularity—boundless and beautiful. His own character? Flawed. And in a place like New York City, where failings get magnified, Shawn Frost finds that, even from the heights of artistic sublimity, no one is insulated from the demons that have caused the best of entertainers to fall from grace. After surviving an accident that almost costs him his life, Shawn leaves NYC and the theater for the quiet, picturesque Pacific cliffs of Carmel-by-the-Sea and starts a new life as an audiobook narrator. As he rises through the ranks, narrating bestseller after bestseller, Shawn Frost once again flirts with artistic immortality. But. As his limitless skills emerge in the exploding arena of voice arts, so do his flaws. Then, he experiences every audiobook narrator's worst fear: He is kidnapped by two obsessed fans, determined to make Shawn perform their novel… Or was he? Don't miss this one-of-a-kind psychological thriller from #1 Bestselling Author Landon Beach. https://landonbeachbooks.com/

Mike Cooper is a British voice talent who swapped big city life in London for log cabin life in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Mike is recognisable from his many years on air with the BBC World Service, and as the narrator of countless television documentaries and a growing library of audiobooks. A disruptive influence in school, Mike's first break in narration came at age six, when his teacher realised he could tell the afternoon story better than her (and she could get a nap by way of a bonus!) When he's not in his home studio, you'll find him enjoying hobby farm life and tending to some charming pet goats, three horses - including a delightful mini horse called Annie - and a growing hobby farm menagerie... https://www.mikecoopervoiceover.com/ To check out other episodes, head over to mikelenzvopodcast.com! 

Danielle Harris is a voice actor from Atlanta, Ga. Originally born and raised in Indiana, she has had an interest and intrigue with voiceover since her early teenage years. It wasn't until she was in her early twenties that she sought out to attempt to get voice acting training around 2012, then again in 2018, both times unfortunately being sidetracked by life and her work in government. Danielle worked as a 911 dispatcher, radio operator for 8 years then was promoted to  Supervisor and Training coordinator over Emergency Communications for the last 5 years before she ultimately made up her mind to end her 13 year career to pursue her passion in voiceover full time. She has since worked with brand names such as Canva, Microsoft, Walmart, Sonos, Michelob Ultra, Dollar General and more.   In between vo life and work, she spends all her time with her 2 year old daughter Arrow, husband Adam and their dog Knuckles and cat Loki.   

With a home studio, Mandy Fisher has the ability to tell your story, your way. Equipment includes: Source Connect/ipDTL Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Rode NT1 Neumann U87 MacBook Pro Whether it's an explainer video, a narration, or a simple tagline, Mandy is your go-to voice. Not sure what you want? No problem. She can provide you with several quality options. Have a strong vision? Great! Mandy can take direction and bring your project to life. https://www.mandyofish.com/   Voice 123 15% Discount Code link:  https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6

Brad Hyland was born on April 1 st , 2016.  Well, not really- but that's what he'll say is when he really started living! That's the day he started full-time as a voice actor… after quitting a first career that spanned 35 years. His first formal VO training actually started nearly thirty years ago...working hard on all aspects of business with one-on-one coaching and master classes.   He spent two decades dabbling in standup comedy and movie extra work, as well as honing his pipes as front man for a rock & blues band for eight years.  That love of performing is now satisfied daily as an actively booking voiceover talent, coach and mentor.   Brad works from his home studio near Washington DC, serving customers all over the world. He can tackle just about any assignment with his versatile voice and ability to take direction. Some of his favorite work includes being the voice of Santa for the Elf on the Shelf, Narrating films for Crazy Horse Monument and Craters Of The Moon national parks, and booking multiple character voices for video games. The core of his business however, is commercial, corporate & film narration, as well as explainers and voice messaging of all kinds. He is a multiple OneVoice award winner and a 2021 SOVAS nominee for Best Best TV narration.  He loves keeping in touch with the voiceover community and has begun to share his expertise by mentoring and coaching others in the industry with his tips for auditioning, booking and connecting. https://www.americanvoicepower.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link:  https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6

Roșie Okumura is an LA based voice actor, musician, and YouTuber.  Rosie uses her voice acting and musical skills to prank call internet and phone scammers!  Having already developed a growing career as a voice actor, Rosie's life careened off course when her Mother was scammed out of $2,000.  Determined to get her mom's money back, Rosie started investigating the dark world of online scammers, posting her first "revenge phone call" video on YouTube.   Now, a million subscribers later, Rosie is one of the internet's most popular influencers, advocating for scam victims, and embarrassing the people behind these crimes in hilarious ways.  Rosie is known for her impression of Apple's "SIRI" and Britney Spears! https://www.rosieokumura.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link:  https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6

This episode is filled with resources for you to move your career forward.  I provide an update on how 2021 was in my VO world, and discuss having a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset as we move into 2022.  I also talk about the importance of creating a team around yourself to help elevate you to the next level, understanding the system your operating in (voice-over, social media, casting sites, tech) and making the most of the people and courses that will help shorten your learning curve.  Links: https://vosuccess.com/ https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/ https://www.v123pros.com/ https://votechguru.com/ https://voice123.com/#how-to-search https://www.tawnyvoice.com/  

Anne Cloud has been writing her own story for a long time: from moving to New York days after college graduation (without a plan) to buying an old school bus on a whim with a hope of converting it into a tiny home on wheels. She has gone her own way in her voice over career as well. Striking out with a vengeance into the genres that interest her most and actively seeking out the people who could help her achieve her goals.   Anne lives in a 200 foot skoolie with her husband and three small kids and traveled full time for nearly two years, pulling a cargo trailer decked out with a broadcast quality remote studio along with them. This set up allows Anne to work full-time as a Voice Actor from wherever they happen to land. Anne has had the opportunity to train with incredible coaches and friends, and work with dream clients like The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Kia Worldwide, and Khan Academy Kids.  Living and traveling in a converted school bus with her husband and three wild monkeys, this versatile and colorful voice talent enjoys the flexibility her sweet gypsy lifestyle gives her to work anytime, day or night. Whether she's winding up a mountain in her tiny home on wheels, rambling through the desert, or parked at her North Carolina farm, Sweet Gypsy VO is always ready to go. https://annecloudvoiceover.com/

Growing up on the outskirts of Memphis, Tennessee in a large extended family, Roy Worley learned the art of storytelling from his grandpa, Paw Neely who instilled a strong sense of family, hard work, and a love for Christ.  As an extrovert, Roy loves being around people, talking and laughing over a strong cup of coffee.  These days Roy and his wife Rebecca call the Chicago area home. ​ After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Education, Roy felt God's calling upon him to commit full time to preaching and teaching the Word of God and entered Mid America Baptist Theological Seminary in his hometown of Memphis where he earned a Master of Divinity degree.  Over the years he has served as both a pastor and foreign missionary.  He and his wife were privileged to live in Chile for six years where they shared the Lord's message in Spanish (yep, he's fluent), helping Chilean Christians learn how to study the Bible for themselves and how to share their faith with whomever was interested. ​ Now, when not working as a full time voice actor, Roy is the Pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church where he has the privilege of teaching the Bible, supporting his fellowship with love and kindness, and ministering to those who are hurting. ​ His warm, clear, baritone voice can be heard narrating videos, directing people in phone messages and narrating audiobooks (non-fiction, fiction, western  novels and kids books).  ​ Roy is honored to call companies and organizations like Tiffany & Co, Firestone, Pizza Hut and Wounded Warriors his voice over clients and publishers like HarperCollins and Macmillan have tapped into his deep baritone well for audiobook narration as well! ​ When not recording, Roy enjoys lifting weights, expanding his creativity by spending time outside in his large backyard planning his spring vegetable garden and creating beautiful landscapes of vibrant flowers, shrubs and trees. He also loves to imagine he's on his own DIY home improvement show, refinishing and repurposing old furniture and remodeling his own home, embarking on what he calls his “fifty year remodeling plan”, which his wife promptly gifts him with a loving roll of her eyes. ​ While Roy has travelled widely and lived in several different countries, his warm southern charm and ubiquitous sense of humor are still his faithful companions.  

Founder and CEO of the 501(c)(3) Nonprofit "Imagination Videobooks," Richard is known as "The Storybook Wizard." He is a top Audible narrator who helps authors give their books a voice. His team has produced hundreds of audiobooks, including Richard's own award-winning book, "The Author's Guide to Audiobook Creation." Children's Accessible Videobooks Creator - samples at https://imaginationvideobooks.org - Benjamin Franklin National Gold Medal Award in Audiobook Nonfiction for producing, directing, and co-narrating "Football Flyboy" by Lisa Reinicke. Independent Book Publishers Association. - Five-time EVVY Gold Award Winning Audiobook Narrator and Producer at Audiobook Revolution, http://audiobookrevolution.com/ - Author of Global eBook Gold Medal Award in Writing/Publishing for "The Author's Guide to Audiobook Creation" http://bit.ly/audiobookcreation - Produced best-sellers including "​Auschwitz #34207"​ and "Shot Down" - Audible Approved Narrator (Top 10%) Veteran Network, New York, Chicago and Washington DC Radio News Anchor and Correspondent

Recording voice-over projects daily since 2006, Natasha Marchewkahas grown her business exponentially through referrals from happy clients throughout North America and around the globe. From Electrolux to ZipRecruiter to Adventures By Disney, clients continue to return to her product and service worthy of their most important business projects. https://natashamarchewka.com/ Katherine Tole is a voice actor specializing in video games, narration, commercials, eLearning and animation.  Katherine has been an avid video gamer since she was a kid and understands what gamers are looking for in their characters. From grunting to spell casting, she has decades of experience listening to the characters that came before her. https://katherinetole.com/ Natasha and Katherine have created a fantastic course on how to maximize your Voice 123 profile.  I've taken their course and it's worked amazingly well for me! Here's the link to their course: https://v123.katherinetole.com/    

You’ve heard Jessica Taylor on television, on the web and on the radio for projects large and small. She has a range from youthful cool to polished sophistication. A touch of vocal texture adds depth and realness to her vocal imprint. She shines when it comes to taking direction, and has a sixth sense for understanding what it is people want. Her keen intuition and gut instincts fuel her creative process, and she's ready to take risks to get the read right. Jessica books projects that ask for vocal qualities and deliveries similar to the sounds of celebrities like Kristen Bell, Rashida Jones, Tina Fey, Anna Kendrick, Scarlett Johansson, Emma Stone, and Jennifer Lawrence. Jessica lives a mostly joyful life with her husband, three sons and five hens in Boulder, Colorado. She's a Mom, wife, sister, daughter, an avid cook, knitter, hiker, reader, traveler, homeopathy nerd and consumer of art in any form. https://www.jessicavo.com/

JULIE WILSON is Senior Manager of Digital Production Platforms and an award-winning executive producer at Penguin Random House Audio. She started her career at Random House in 2007 and has produced over a thousand audiobooks for adults and kids, including several graphic novel adaptations. Her recent production credits include working with Alicia Keys, Ben Folds, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Ruth Reichl, Willie Nelson, and The Tiny Chef. She is also the co-creator of AhabTalent.com, a global online casting platform for voiceover. She is a native New Yorker and an avid urban gardener, and she holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Creative Writing from Colby College. 

A multiple Audie Award winner, Odyssey Award winner, multiple Earphones Award winner, and multiple Voice Arts Award winner, P.J. Ochlan's work behind the microphone began in 1987 as a young voice actor with many commercials and promos. Since then he has lent his diverse talents to virtually every voiceover genre. Most notably, he is a widely acclaimed and record-setting audiobook narrator with hundreds of fiction and non-fiction titles to his credit. P.J.'s voice work is enhanced by his mastery of accents, distinctive characters and versatility, as well as his proficiency with English, French, Italian, German and Mandarin. He is also the founder of Dr. Dialect and co-founder of the Deyan Institute of Voice Artistry.

SEAN PRATT HAS been a working professional actor in theatre, film, TV and voice-overs for over 30 years. He holds a BFA in Acting from Santa Fe University, NM. He has narrated over 1,000+ audiobooks….and counting!  He has been an audiobook narrator for 22 years (aka – Lloyd James), recording over 1000+ Audio Books in almost every genre. He narrates for such companies as Blackstone Audiobooks, Tantor Media, Gildan Audio, Harper Collins, Penguin Random House, and Christian Audio.

On this episode I chat with Laya Hoffman!  Laya's voice is genuine yet unique, culturally flexible and confidently warm - a fun, fresh female voice that makes an impact for your project and cuts through to your audience! Delivering broadcast quality sound with ease, on budget and under deadline for 20 years. As a full time voice-over actress, Laya helps companies grow revenue, deepen brand awareness and cultivate identity by connecting with customers through the power of Voice. Her passion is bringing your story to life, and making it sound like you heard it in your head - easily and efficiently. Laya presents a warm, relatable tone in a wide variety of styles, that is as versatile as it is timeless for a range of voice-over services. Specializing in commercials, promos, corporate narration, explainers, e-learning, animation, IVR, telephony, live announce and more. Clients such as Google, Honda, AAA, Four Seasons, Accenture, Coca-Cola, HP and hundreds more have selected Laya's voice for its national sound and culturally flexible tones. Yet, they keep coming back for her holistic, full-service approach, direct-ability, attention to detail and synergistic studio style. With a unique professional resume that includes club DJ, on-air radio host and senior marketing executive among its titles, Laya brings an instinctive ear, for cadence, tone and tempo as well as a true understanding of business outcomes, acumen, client relations, deadlines and current trends to her voice work.

Charlie Lovett was born in Winston-Salem, NC in 1962 and grew up as the child of a book-collecting English professor. He spent his summers in the rural North Carolina mountains and felt an early affinity for the countryside. He was educated at Summit School, Woodberry Forest School (Virginia), and Davidson College (NC) and in 1984 went into the antiquarian book business with his first wife, Stephanie. About the same time he began to seriously collect books and other materials relating to Lewis Carroll, author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Lovett now has a large collection of Carrollian rare books and artifacts, including Carroll’s 1888 typewriter and one of six privately owned copies of the first edition of Alice in Wonderland. Lovett has written or edited nine books about Lewis Carroll, including Lewis Carroll: Formed by Faith, the first full length study of Carroll’s religious life (UVA Press, 2021). He has served as the president of the Lewis Carroll Society of North America, as editor of the London based Lewis Carroll Review, and has lectured on Carroll in the US and Europe at the Smithsonian Institution, Harvard University, UCLA, Oxford University, and elsewhere. In 1997 Lovett received an MFA in Writing from Vermont College (now Vermont College of Fine Arts). During his work on this degree he researched and wrote Love, Ruth, a book about his mother, Ruth Candler Lovett, who died when he was two years old. Maya Angelou called the book “tender, sensitive, and true.” After completing his MFA, Lovett lived with his wife Janice and daughter Jordan in England for six months, becoming closely connected to the village of Kingham, Oxfordshire. Ten years later, he and his wife purchased the cottage they had rented in 1997 and renovated it. They now spend about 6–8 week a year in Kingham, and have traveled extensively throughout the UK. His experiences in England are the basis for several of his novels. For eleven years, beginning in 2001, Lovett served as Writer-in-Residence at Summit School in Winston-Salem, NC. He wrote plays for elementary and middle school students, nineteen of which have been published, including, Twinderella, which was chosen from over 750 entries as winner of the Shubert Fendrich Playwriting Award. His plays have been seen in over 5000 productions in all fifty states and more than 20 foreign countries. Lovett often makes author visits to schools to see productions, talk with students, and hold master classes. Lovett’s break-through as a fiction writer came when he combined two of his passions—rare books and the English countryside—to write the Shakespearean mystery The Bookman’s Tale (Viking/Penguin, 2013), a New York Times bestseller and Barnes and Noble Recommends selection which has been translated into several foreign languages. Parade Magazine called the book “[A] delightful tale of love and bibliophilia.” His next novel, First Impressions (Viking/Penguin, 2014) was another literary adventure, this one starring Jane Austen. People Magazine called it “a delightful novel that weaves together a modern love story and a literary mystery involving Jane Austen.” In 2015 Lovett curated a major exhibition called Alice Live! at the New York Public Library for Performing Arts at Lincoln Center and wrote the introduction to the new Penguin Books edition of Alice in Wonderland. 2015 also saw the publication of his Christmas book, The Further Adventures of Ebenezer Scrooge (Viking/Penguin) which USA Today called “[a] clever, merry, and, yes, convincingly Dickensian reimagining of this Victorian tale.” Lovett’s  novel The Lost Book of the Grail (Viking/Penguin, 2017) is set in an English cathedral library, reaches through centuries of English history, and tells the story of bibliophile and Holy Grail enthusiast Arthur Prescott as he works to uncover a secret about the cathedral’s history. Bustle called it “The one book every bibliophile needs to read.” Lovett’s most recent novel, Escaping Dreamland (Blackstone, 2020), is a book about four authors in New York City. Much of the book is set in the early 20th century, and explores not just historic New York, but the lives of three young people writing series books for children (think The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew). The book is an homage to the books of our childhood, to New York City, and above all to love and friendship. Lovett’s middle grade adventure, The Book of the Seven Spells (Month 9, 2021), about four children who discover a magical library, will come out in the spring and he is currently working on the second volume in that series. When not visiting his cottage in Kingham, Charlie Lovett lives in Winston-Salem with his wife Janice. They have two grown children, Jordan and Jimmy.

On this episode I share some thoughts on Systems Thinking and hiow the VO industry is really a Complex System (and what that means for you!)  I also talk about my VO course available over at vosuccess.com and some of the changes that are coming in the New Year. I also touch on the importance of creating authentic relationships and growing your network and the importance that my faith has played in my journey.  Lots of great stuff this episode!!    

Val Kelly is a bilingual, French/English Voice Actress. Val started her voice-over career in 1999 after being told her whole life how "cute" her voice is and that she should do something with it... and so she did....!! Val has been actively booking Voice-over work for years now and had her commercial demo produced by Emmy award winning sound designer, recording engineer and producer "Uncle Roy" Yokelson. Val is currently working on her animation & animal sounds demos. Val's specialty is in voicing characters for cartoons, talking toys, apps, videogames, children's e-learning, radio & tv commercials and short films. Her clients include "Hasbro toys", "Hungry Howie's Pizza Place", "Essence Cartoons", "Roam and Wander", "Mymoonah", "The Foreign Candy Company", "Theory Films", independent YouTube videos and many more. Val is the hostess of her own podcast called "Live with Squacky". It's a unique and lively, interview style show that dives into the worlds of voice acting and entertainment. Click here to listen and subscribe so you never miss an episode! In addition to being a Voice actress, Val is the Owner/President/CEO/Executive Producer of Mid-Atlantic Voiceover, LLC. Val is in charge of running all aspects of the company and is the Executive Producer for the Mid-Atlantic Voiceover "Get Inspired" Conference as well as the Mini MAVO online conference that take place in November. The Mini MAVO2020 Conference will take place on November 6-8, 2020 online. Check out the latest news on the conference and all upcoming events at www.midatlanticvo.com. 

Jim Seybert has been telling stories for more than sixty years. As a young boy he would dictate stories, telling his parents to "write this down." Fast-forward to the present, and Jim lends his clear, confident voice to some of the most interesting stories of the day: military histories, political commentary, true crime, heroic memoirs, and great fiction. When he is not recording in his studio on California's pristine Central Coast, he walks quietly along trails in the Sierra Nevada, cooks gourmet meals for friends, and watches films with his wife Rhonda and their Chihuahua, Lucy.

Edoardo Ballerini is a two time winner of the Audiobook Publishers Association’s Best Male Narrator Audie Award (2013, Beautiful Ruins, by Jess Walter; 2019, Watchers by Dean Koontz). He has recorded nearly 300 titles, from classic works by Tolstoy, Dante, Kafka, Whitman and Camus, to best-sellers by James Patterson and David Baldacci, and spiritual titles by The Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hahn. On screen, Ballerini is best known for his role as junkie "Corky Caporale" on The Sopranos (HBO) and as the star chef in the indie classic Dinner Rush. He has appeared in over 50 films and tv shows, including a series regular role in the critically acclaimed Quarry, (Cinemax)  and recurring roles in Boardwalk Empire (HBO), 24 (Fox) and Elementary (CBS). Ballerini's work as a narrator has garnered international attention. Articles on his work and career have appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian (UK), Aftenposten (Norway) and MediaPost (US), among others. In 2019 he recorded Robert Alter’s translation of The Hebrew Bible in its entirety. In 2020 he added Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace to his growing list of titles. He is also a two time winner of the Society of Voice Arts Award, and was recently named a “Golden Voice” by AudioFile Magazine, an honorific bestowed to only 30 narrators in the magazine’s 19 year history. Other authors Edoardo has voiced include Tom Wolfe, Eve Ensler, Italo Calvino, Carson McCullers, Jay McInerney, Stendhal, Stephen Greenblatt, Jeffrey Deaver, Danielle Steel, Chuck Palahniuk, Louis L’Amour, Adriana Trigiani, Isabel Allende, Stieg Larsson, James Salter, Paul Theroux and Jodi Picoult. Besides narrating audiobooks, Edoardo  is also a regular contributor to Audm, where he voices articles for The New York Times, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Atlantic Monthly, The London Review of Books, and many other publications. He is a graduate of Wesleyan University and lives in New York. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/05/13/magazine/audiobooks-edoardo-ballerini.html https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/03/books/audiobook-narrators-diversity.html

Sarah is a fan favorite for her sweetly husky voice and her passion for creating a unique audio adventure every time. She has brought over 100 books to life in audio. Providing full narration and production services from her Midwestern home studio, American actress Sarah Puckett provides a clear and passionate read that engages listeners. Sarah is professionally trained in narration acting, production, and audio engineering, blending these elements together to create a unique listening experience that draws the listener deeper into the story.

Kabir Singh is a professional voice actor and street poet for hire. His voice is perfect for connecting with young, urban audiences as well as the African-American community. Kabir is available to provide outstanding voice over services for commercials in the sports, electronics and motivation advertising sectors and much more. Clients include Nike, Pandora, Microsoft, T-Mobile, Nintendo, and the NBA.

Cindy Kay moved 11 times before the age of 5, grew up in a multilingual/bicultural family, and came to audiobooks from teaching. A narrator with a home studio in Salt Lake City, Cindy Kay is Chinese-Thai-American and has titles with The Audio Flow, Bee, Blackstone, Highbridge, PRH, Recorded Books, Simon & Schuster, and Tantor. She's most recently been working in Literary Fiction, Nonfiction, Erotica, and Thriller.

Join Mike Lenz as he spends time with his good friend and VO colleague Tom Mailey.  Tom is no stranger to the entertainment and communication world, having started in theater at a young age and then moving into radio, television, and a career in public relations.  Tom is relatively new to the VO industry, having started about 2 years ago.  Tom discussed the challenges and successes he's had in the early stages of his VO career. 

Do you know your "why?"  On this episode I update you on my journey in the VO world and cover some topics that are critically important to focus on in your journey: 1.  Understanding your "why." 2.  Having perseverance. 3.  Not falling into the comparison trap. 4.  Defining what success means for you. Enjoy!

Jocqueline Protho is the Founder of The Audio Flow and Three One Six Audio - an audiobook production and publishing company serving indie authors. She has always loved audiobooks and with over 20 years of experience in talent acquisition, it was only a matter of time before she combined both of her passions. Jocqueline prides herself in helping indie authors bring their stories to life with a new way to do audio that is making its mark in the industry.

Marguerite Gavin (Shannon Parks) has been a professional audiobook narrator for over twenty years with over 500+ titles, numerous Audie nominations and Earphones awards, and a devoted fan following. She has been described as a “genre-defining narrator” by Audible.com; having a “sonorous voice, rich and full of emotion”and as having the “coveted ability to disappear as the narrator, letting the story take the limelight it deserves”in Audiofile Magazine.  Her narration spans nearly every genre from mystery, science fiction and fantasy; romance; and children’s fiction to a huge variety of nonfiction and documentary work. She is also a seasoned theater veteran, acting and directing in hundreds of productions. As a highly respected acting teacher, she was on the graduate acting faculty at Catholic University of America; directed children of all ages in Shakespeare for many years; and now coaches narrators in the art of acting the audiobook.  She is the lucky mom of two (almost grown -up!) children. Marguerite is blessed to live at the Delaware seashore where she can usually be found in her recording studio; at the theater or frolicking in the ocean.  Proud member of SAG/AFTRA/AEA

On this episode I provide an update on my journey. I discuss the voiceover consulting I'm now doing as well as provide a discount on my friend Tim Tippet's Audition Ready Audio Course. I also talk about my journey into the audiobook narration world and how and why my audiobook work has increased dramatically. Lots of fun stuff on this episode. Here are some links: Voice Over Consulting - https://mikelenzvoice.com/consulting/ Audition Ready Audio Course - https://votechguru.thinkific.com/courses/audition-ready-audio-course?ref=6e5f9e

Laila Berzins is a Voice Arts Awards nominated LA Based American voice actor with a decade of experience, comedian, and songwriter extraordinaire, providing a wide variety of accents and delivery styles. Her deep & resonant voice works well with Commercial, Corporate and Promo reads, while Laila's experience and personality in Animation and Video games will leave you with VIBRANT audio and a smile on your face! Broadcast Quality Vocal Booth, Source Connect, IdPTL, Phone Patch Capabilities, happy to work under tight deadlines and with various time zones. A big kid at heart, Laila has oodles of fun with every project she joyfully undertakes. She works in numerous cartoons for clients like Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, YouTube and Funimation, in games like God of War 4, Final Fantasy Explorers, World of Warcraft,  Star Trek Online, State of Decay 2, Atlus Fenrir for Sega, and Smite.  She also lent her voice to various narrations for Microsoft, Lyft, Nike, Motorola, Weight Watchers, Toyota, and Intel, and commercials for Target, SoCal Gas, Google, Nature Valley, and Hidden Figures. ​LA Based female voiceover artist Laila Berzins vocals are warm, smooth, silky, young, seductive and professional. Her numerous male/female character voices range from young to old, and sweet to sassy. Musically she is a natural Alto, with both the upper resonances of a younger woman, and the diction and lower range of a more mature woman. ​  

Growing up, I was always the entertainment in the family. I could be found recording radio programs (just to hear the announcer) or making voices and sounds with my mouth. After a while, my mother would get a little fed up with all the noise, and yell, "Tony, quit exploding all over the house!"  Deep down I know she loved all those sounds I made...pew pew... Fast forward through high school and working overnight at a "traditional country", AM radio station (yeah that's a thing). Afterward, I moved on to college where I interned for promotions at Radio Disney, Providence. Promotions was fun, and that's where I discovered the pure, raw energy of live events. For 15 years, I worked up the ranks in the live event industry with my core being a creative director, producer, and show director. I produced shows all over the US, Puerto Rico, Asia, and Europe. The entire time working in production, one thing always stuck with me...voice over work.   Being a voice talent never left me. Whether I was being cast for commercials, a video narration; or even being a live announcer in the Georgia Dome! I recorded in studios while on the road, or MacGyver'd a studio in my hotel room. Now, as a full time voice talent, I get to be part of brands like Pedigree, UPS, GQ Magazine, Deloitte, and many more! This is what I was built to do. I'm fortunate to be that final piece for a production team; adding the "voice" to all their hard work. Let's connect! Drop me a line and let's put a voice to your project (see what I did there with "voice"? It's a pun.) Project credits: Walmart, Liberty Mutual, Subway, Comcast, Marriott, Cox, Intel, Suzuki, Yellow Tail, MetroPCS, Pearle Vision, and Stonyfield Organic. Specialties: voice acting, voiceovers, live event, live announcing, show production, theme development, radio, explainer videos, elearning, video production, audio production, product launch, brand launch, technical director, producer, creative direction, presentations. 

On this episode I talk with voice actor, composer and audio engineer Tim Tippets about his Audition Ready Audio Course. I took Tim's course and worked with him one-on-one on my Effects Stack and was blown away by the improvement in the quality of my audio! The Audition Ready Audio Course takes the mystery out of the technical aspect of voice-over that many of us struggle with. With a straightforward teaching approach Tim makes complex topics easy to understand and better yet, easy to apply. I was so impressed I entered into an Affiliate partnership with Tim and on this episode we share with you a special promotion exclusive to my podcast listeners that will get you a significant discount on his course. Listen all the way through the podcast to get your special discount promo code and then go to mikelenzvopodcast.com and click on the Audition Ready Audio Course link under the Sponsors section on my home page to access the course and enter the code. This course is one of the best investments I've ever made in my career and it will help you no matter where you are in your journey. Enjoy this episode and don't forget to take advantage of our special promotion!

Maria Pendolino is an award-winning voiceover artist. A professional working actor for more than fifteen years, Maria’s style is natural, friendly, relatable and sassy. Trained in musical theatre, film, television and voice, Maria’s conversational delivery is youthful and on-trend – perfect to represent and speak to Millennials and Generation X. Maria specializes in commercials for TV, radio and the web, e-Learning and corporate narration, explainer videos, promos, in-show narration, character voices for animation, telephone systems, radio imaging and more. A two-time award winner, Maria received the 2017 Voice Arts Award for Best Voiceover in the e-Learning category and the 2018 Voice Arts Award for Best Voiceover in the Consumer Sales Video (Explainer) category. Maria’s professional home studio, based in Buffalo, New York, is equipped with state of the art audio equipment and offers remote connectivity options including Phone Patch, Source Connect, ipDTL and ISDN. She is a proud member of the Buffalo-Niagara Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), the Buffalo chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF) and World-Voices (WoVO).

On this episode Mike provides an update on his journey.  May has been a busy month of traveling and Mike discusses some of the lessons he learned, the importance of being diverse in your work, making sure you provide yourself with some down time to allow yourself to get in touch with your true purpose.  Mike also talks about his short film - The Good Life - which will begin filming this summer! Links: Go Fund Me Page for The Good Life Short Film: https://www.facebook.com/thegoodlifefilmshort/?modal=admin_todo_tour Facebook Page for The Good Life - Short Film:  https://www.gofundme.com/the-good-life-short-film  

Emily Pick's voice is described as SOUND APPROACHABLE, WARM, HIP, FRIENDLY, SEXY, INTELLIGENT, BELIEVABLE. Emily's career has included Commercial, eLearning & education, announcer, podcasts, character, accents & dialects, animation, tourism, documentary. Emily has a full home studio with live director/producer patch in capability. Raw files or finished audio delivered quickly and cleanly.

Wow!!  So hard to believe we made it to 100 episodes.  I'm so thankful for my amazing guests and for all of you who listen to my podcast! On this special Episode 100, I asked my guests to come back and share a short clip of advice.  Over 50 former guests responded, sharing incredible knowledge and insight. This episode is loaded with so much inspiration and information, you'll want to write these knowledge bombs down!! Thanks again for listening and here's to 100 more episodes!  Mike mikelenzvoice.com  

Jenn Meyer is a proud Second City graduate, and professional full-time Los Angeles based voiceover artist who has lent her voice to A-List clients such as Disney, Mattel, Google, Red Robin and much more. From animation studios to big brand ad agencies and internal marketing campaigns, Jenn’s Voice has been sweeping across the nation. Most recently Jenn attended Faffcon “the voiceover unconference” in North Carolina where she taught Improv to voiceover artists. Currently, you can hear Jenn as the promo and trailer voice for Barbie’s new movies Dreamtopia “Festival of Fun” and Barbie “Dolphin Magic.” When Jenn is not behind the Microphone in her booth – you can find her behind the Microphone at various Karaoke venues in L.A. or jamming with friends on her Ukulele. To learn more about Jenn and her latest voiceover news you can visit her website at www.JennMeyerVO.com.

Join Mike on this episode where he updates listeners on his journey into on-camera commercial work.  Mike also discusses several important lessons and insights he's learned over the last 6 months and shares some scriptures that provide touchstones for Mike as he moves forward on his journey in faith!  

On this episode Mike inteviews writer, producer and voice actor Dustin Rubin. Dustin is a Voice Actor Providing VO for Commercials, TV, Radio, Narration, Audiobooks, Animation, Video Games, PSAs, E-Learning, Documentary, Corporate, Explainer Videos, Telephony, Explainer Videos, Non Profit, Promos & Trailers. Member of SAG-AFTRA Member of World-Voices.Org (WoVO) Member of Trailer Voice Artists Recent Work:  Promo: Campaign for "TKO Total Knock Out with Kevin Hart" on CBS  Sketch: The Late Late Show with James Corden (various) Commercials (TV) Clorox, T-Mobile, Wisconsin Cheese; (Radio) Reliant Energy Animation - Nathan's Kingdom (feature)  Video Games - Telltale's "The Wolf Among Us"​ (ongoing) PSA - California Science Center Audiobooks - "My True Love Gave to Me"​, "The Watch"​, "Running the Books: The Accidental Adventures of a Prison Librarian"​, "It's Not Just Who You Know"​. All from Random House TV Narration - "I Forgive You" on GMC For more info and samples, please visit dustinrubin.com