Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Trevor O'Hare, Voice Actor and Career Coach of Trevor O'Hare Productions, located in Orlando, FL, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am in the business of voiceover, primarily. My customers are businesses of all kinds that require professional voiceover audio for their advertisements, explainer videos, e-learning, or training courses, basically anything that needs a voice! In addition to my voiceover work, I coach other voice talents on the business and marketing side of the voiceover industry. My coaching, found at www.votrainer.com, includes courses that I've developed, one-on-one coaching sessions, as well as demo production.
Tell us about yourself
I first began my journey with voiceover work in late 2019. However, I have experience working with audio that spans over 22 years. My first love was music, and I played guitar in bands, put out records, went on tour, and all that. However, music didn't pay the bills, so I had a day job in education for a little over a decade that was my primary focus. While working in education, I started to explore freelancing on the side to earn some extra money. At first, it was with music, writing jingles, and songs for sync. But then, I looked around at all my music gear and thought to myself, "what else can I do with this stuff to make some money?"
I then realized that having microphones readily available to me, as well as a recording space, meant that I could do some voiceover work. While the decision felt insignificant at the time, it would quickly change my life for the better. The work started pouring in, and after 15 months of freelancing, I quit my day job and started to pursue voice acting full-time. Sometimes you have to grow where you're planted, right?
When it comes to motivation, initially, my desire in all this was to have a little extra spending money and pay off some debt. Motivations can change, though, and mine definitely have. Since I began my freelancing journey, my wife and I purchased a home and had a son, and now everything I do is motivated by my love for my family. This work allows me to spend more time with my wife and son than I ever could have done with my old-day job, and I'm extremely thankful for that.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
When it comes to my business, I'm pretty proud of the speed at which it has grown. It was very intense at times, and I was burning the candle at both ends in the beginning. However, I think the short-term sacrifice was worth it, as I have more free time than ever.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The hardest thing that comes with being a business owner is the number of roles you have to take on. This mainly pertains to solopreneurs like myself or those of you who are just starting your business. In my industry, you're not only the voiceover talent; you're also the marketing department, sales, customer service, accounting, and any other role you can imagine. This gives you an incredible amount of freedom and control over your business, but it comes with immense responsibility and risk. I've found that betting on yourself usually pays off, though.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Take a look at the skills you already have, and think about how you could turn those skills into something profitable. Sometimes you have to pivot as I did with music and voiceover.
- Don't just look at the short term. What is your industry going to look like in ten years? 20% of new businesses fail in the first two years, according to the BLS, and 45% fail during the first five years. Only 25% of businesses make it past a decade. Pay attention to industry trends and long-term threats to your business.
- Don't be afraid to learn something new. That new skill could lead to more opportunities in life to succeed.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.trevorohare.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trevorohareVO
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trevor_ohare/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorohare/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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