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Susan Berkley, founder of the Great Voice Company, shares powerful voice over performance tips you can use right away, as she coaches a voice over beginner from The Great Voice community and helps them improve almost instantly! She also does fascinating deep-dive interviews with members of Team Great Voice, and extracts tactics, tools and techniques you can use to improve your voice over practice and your life.
Episodes
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Passion for voiceover can come from unexpected paths—just ask Mike Copeland and Linzi Lynn.
Mike’s journey has taken him from submarines to sheriff’s offices, with a passion for technology guiding him every step of the way. Now, he’s channeling that experience into voiceover, blending precision with personality to create compelling reads.
For Linzi Lynn, the spotlight has always called. From gracing the London Palladium stage to painting in the South of France, creativity runs through her veins. Voiceover is her latest artistic outlet—bringing characters and stories to life with her rich, expressive voice.
Listen in as Susan Berkley chats with Mike and Linzi about their diverse backgrounds, the art of voiceover, and the techniques of bringing scripts to life. Discover how the friendly authoritative tone is essential for e-learning projects, and learn how building characters and scenes can elevate your audiobook performance.
Chapters
- 06:09 Mike Copeland’s Military Background
- 10:48 The importance of the friendly authoritative tone in E-learning
- 19:48 Linzi Lynn’s Performance Background
- 24:11 Creating Scenes to drive performance
- 35:33 Linzi Reflects on the Great Voice Company
Hosted - Susan Berkley
Producer - Salena Metreger
Music by Darrin Fossella
Show Opener by Daron Macke
This episode is sponsored by Less Annoying CRM. Go to https://greatvoice.com/crm for an exclusive deal for the Great Voice Podcast listeners.
To sign up for the Show Notes and be notified when a new episode posts go to: GreatVoicePodcast.com
Wednesday Feb 12, 2025
Wednesday Feb 12, 2025
Retirement doesn’t have to mean slowing down—it can be the perfect time to launch a brand-new career. Just ask Robert Weible and Nita Drakatos.
Robert spent decades as an aerospace test engineer, making sure aircraft components could withstand extreme conditions. But ever since high school, people told him he had a great voice. Now, as he approaches retirement, he’s putting that voice to work. He’s diving into this new adventure, exploring how voiceovers can supplement his retirement—and maybe even help him retire a little sooner.
Then there’s Nita Drakatos. With a background in ethics and compliance, she spent years ensuring employees followed the right path. Along the way, she created e-learning content and corporate communications, unknowingly building the foundation for her future in voiceover. Now, five years into her journey, she’s proving that retirement is just the beginning of a whole new career.
Listen in as Susan and Nita discuss how Nita used the four ways to launch her VO career—through personal connections, freelancing, auditioning, and pay-to-play platforms.
Chapters
03:51 Bob’s Transition to Voiceover in Retirement
13:10 How to add interest and "deliciousness" to all your reads
33:19 Nita Explains How She Used Networking to Find Voiceover Jobs
38:02 The good, the bad and the ugly of VO freelance platforms
46:21 Nita Shares the important Lessons she Learned from Audiobook Projects
Hosted - Susan Berkley
Producer - Salena Metreger
Music by Darrin Fossella
Show Opener by Daron Macke
This episode is sponsored by Less Annoying CRM. Go to https://greatvoice.com/crm for an exclusive deal for the Great Voice Podcast listeners.
To sign up for the Show Notes and be notified when a new episode posts go to: GreatVoicePodcast.com
Thursday Jan 23, 2025
Thursday Jan 23, 2025
Farrah Evans spent 21 years as a nurse, but deep down, she always knew she wanted something else. With her late husband’s encouragement still on her mind, and her retirement from nursing, she took the leap into voiceover, and you know what? She’s already rocking it in audiobook narration! Listen to Farrah talk about blending her medical background with her voiceover aspirations and how Susan Berkley helps her craft the right tone for medical narration
And then there’s Todd Colvin. He’s an air traffic controller and a former Air Force Combat Controller with a steady, commanding voice to match. But it was his son who inspired him to take a leap into voiceover. Todd’s calm, authoritative delivery is perfect for e-learning scripts, and with Susan’s guidance, he’s learning how to blend friendly warmth with authority. Oh, and thanks to his security clearances? Military e-learning might just be his next big niche.
This final episode of Season 1 isn’t just about voiceover—it’s about discovering who you are, embracing your unique experiences, and finding the courage to create something new.
Chapters
- 02:56 Farrah’s Story from Nursing to Voiceover
- 11:47 Susan Berkley Provides Medical Narration Insights
- 15:01 Susan Berkley teaches Voiceover Techniques and Direction
- 18:04 Todd Colvin from the Air Force to Air Traffic Controller to Voiceover
- 26:54 E-Learning and Voiceover Opportunities
- 30:14 Voiceover Script Practice
Hosted - Susan Berkley
Producer - Salena Metreger
Music by Darrin Fossella
Show Opener by Daron Macke
This episode is sponsored by Less Annoying CRM. Go to https://greatvoice.com/crm for an exclusive deal for the Great Voice Podcast listeners.
To sign up for the Show Notes and be notified when a new episode posts go to: GreatVoicePodcast.com
Wednesday Jan 08, 2025
Wednesday Jan 08, 2025
In this episode of the Great Voice podcast Susan Berkley interviews and coaches two members of the Great Voice Community who are growing their voice over businesses despite the demands of their day jobs.
You’ll meet Lee Riley, an accomplished corporate professional who enjoys narrating audio books in his spare time. Lee takes you on an audio tour of his home studio where he just finished narrating his third audio book, despite a crushing work schedule and some really noisy crickets in his backyard! I think you’ll really get a kick out of Lee’s ingenious soundproofing hack.
You’ll also meet Chad Engelbert, who leads a team that produces 60,000 vinyl records every day for major labels like Sony Records and indie labels like Thirty Tigers. Yes, vinyl is still going strong, and Chad gives us a fascinating inside look at this niche corner of the music industry.
As always, each episode is filled with actionable takeaways on how to improve your voice acting skills, as Susan coaches emerging voice talent guests.
Chapters
03:16 Best practices for home studios.
06:20 Exploring Voiceover Techniques
19:42 Transforming Voiceover Reads
23:26 Character-Driven Performance
34:15 E-Learning Script Coaching
45:39 Chad's Home Studio Setup
Hosted - Susan Berkley
Producer - Salena Metreger
Music by Darrin Fossella
Show Opener by Daron Macke
This episode is sponsored by Less Annoying CRM. Go to https://greatvoice.com/crm for an exclusive deal for the Great Voice Podcast listeners.
To sign up for the Show Notes and be notified when a new episode posts go to: GreatVoicePodcast.com
Wednesday Dec 04, 2024
Wednesday Dec 04, 2024
In this inspiring episode, Susan Berkley connects with two Great Voice students – Andrea Barbour and Cheri Freund. Andrea, a sales agent with a passion for ministry, shares how Susan’s impactful teaching sparked her own voiceover pursuits. Cheri, a digital artist and caregiver, discusses her experience in Susan’s training programs and the powerful transition from the art and music industries to a growing passion for voiceover.
Susan first guides Andrea through a heartfelt, personal read. She shows Andrea how connecting the script to someone in your life can help transform the sound. Then Susan works with Cheri on a corporate read and offers insider tips on crafting relatable, conversational performances.
Chapters
02:52 Connecting the script to a real person
06:13 Using Visualization Techniques in Voiceover
09:10 Creating a Backstory for Voiceover
17:45 The nuances of a corporate script
22:13 Character Development in Voiceover
26:03 Final Thoughts and Future Opportunities
Hosted - Susan Berkley
Producer - Salena Metreger
Music by Darrin Fossella
Show Opener by Daron Macke
This episode is sponsored by Less Annoying CRM. Go to https://greatvoice.com/crm for an exclusive deal for the Great Voice Podcast listeners.
To sign up for the Show Notes and be notified when a new episode posts go to: GreatVoicePodcast.com
Wednesday Nov 06, 2024
Wednesday Nov 06, 2024
How I Built This: Susan Berkley reveals the intimate details of how (and why) she built the Great Voice Company, an iconic voice over training brand. Plus, meet emerging voice talent Debbie Smith and get inspired by her journey from nurse to narrator!
In this episode of The Great Voice Podcast, host Susan Berkley interviews Debbie Smith, who brings her healthcare background to the mic. Their conversation unpacks Debbie’s shift from nursing to voiceover with valuable lessons for anyone wanting to pursue Medical Narration VO.
Then Great Voice coach DeBorah Pryor continues her interview with Susan Berkley about how she built the Great Voice Company. Susan Berkley continues. Susan discusses several different voiceover niches, she explores how creativity and work can be surprisingly vital for well-being, and they also discuss the concept of “vocal narcissism” and the teachings of Dr. Norberto Keppe, which shed light on a unique perspective about health and work.
Takeaways:
- Debbie’s story highlights the potential for career transitions post-retirement.
- Medical narration spans peer-to-peer and peer-to-patient communication.
- E-learning and other niches in voiceover are seeing significant growth.
- The demand for voiceover surged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Vocal narcissism can be a barrier for voice actors, impacting delivery and relatability.
- Dr. Norberto Keppe emphasizes how work is essential for maintaining health.
- Exploring various niches can open new paths for aspiring voiceover artists.
Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction to Voiceover and Personal Journeys
- 02:50 Exploring Medical Narration and Audio Description
- 09:01 Opportunities in Medical Narration
- 15:02 The Impact of COVID-19 on Voiceover
- 18:10 Understanding Vocal Narcissism
- 24:03 Dr. Norberto Keppe and his teachings on work and health
- 30:13 Advice for Aspiring Voiceover Artists
Hosted - Susan Berkley
Producer - Salena Metreger
Music by Darrin Fossella
Show Opener by Daron Macke
This episode is sponsored by Less Annoying CRM. Go to https://greatvoice.com/crm for an exclusive deal for the Great Voice Podcast listeners.
To sign up for the Show Notes and be notified when a new episode posts go to: GreatVoicePodcast.com
Wednesday Oct 23, 2024
Wednesday Oct 23, 2024
From Attorney to Professional Voice Actor, Plus Susan Berkley shares her surprising ‘back story’ and the inside scoop on how she founded and built The Great Voice Company (Part 1)
In this episode of The Great Voice Podcast, we bring you another inspiring story from one of our students, Joey Masiuk (Ma-SOOK), an attorney who recently sold his law firm and is now beginning his second act as a voice over artist. He discusses his early wins, and the valuable lessons learned from recording his first audiobook. Then, Great Voice coach and journalist DeBorah Pryor interviews Susan Berkley about her fascinating life story, the birth of The Great Voice Company, and her advice for aspiring voice actors.
If you enjoy the Great Voice Podcast, please Like and Comment - It really helps a lot!
Chapters:
- 00:00 Joey Masiuk’s Transition: From Law to Voice Acting
- 08:52 Character Development in Narration
- 14:48 Voice Acting Techniques and The Role of the Narrator
- 26:49 Background of Susan Berkley and The Great Voice Company
- 28:39 The Legacy of a Publishing Family
- 35:29 From Radio to Voiceover: A Career Shift
- 40:44 The Struggles of Transitioning to Voiceover
- 48:43 Marketing: The Key to Voiceover Success
- 52:22 Building a Home Studio for Voiceover Work
Hosted - Susan Berkley
Producer - Salena Metreger
Music by Darrin Fossella
Show Opener by Daron Macke
This episode is sponsored by Less Annoying CRM. Go to https://greatvoice.com/crm for an exclusive deal for the Great Voice Podcast listeners.
To sign up for the Show Notes and be notified when a new episode posts go to: GreatVoicePodcast.com
Wednesday Oct 09, 2024
Wednesday Oct 09, 2024
It’s everywhere now. It seems you can’t escape it. And you have to ask yourself:
Is AI the end of Voiceover as we know it?
On this special bonus episode of the The Great Voice Podcast, Great Voice Coach Joe Smith sits down to interview Susan for a straight talk about AI and her predictions about what it will mean to our voice over future.
Chapters
- 00:00 AI in Voiceover- an overview of where we stand
- 01:28 Susan shares frank predictions about the future of voice over
- 09:54 AI and voice over: is it the end? Or is it a new opportunity to thrive?
- 13:06 Is the human voice as irreplaceable as we hope it will be?
- 18:20 AI's Role in Enhancing Voiceover Work
- 22:33 Collaboration in Voiceover Production
- 30:32 Licensing and Voice Cloning Concerns
- 33:24 Customer Service in Voiceover
- 39:32 Surviving change in the Voiceover Industry and Susan’s vision for the future.
Hosted - Susan Berkley
Producer - Salena Metreger
Music by Darrin Fossella
Show Opener by DeBorah B. Pryor
The Great Voice Podcast
The Great Voice Podcast is brought to you by the team at The Great Voice Company. The Great Voice Company is a voiceover training school that has been in business since 1990, and has trained thousands of voice talent nationwide. With Susan Berkley as the founder and CEO, she has created a team of voiceover professionals, coaches, and audio engineers to help train students to develop their talents and grow to their highest potential. This podcast was Susan's idea and dream. She wanted a way to help students learn more about the transformative journey of voiceover while also giving a look into the Great Voice team and what it is like to work with the coaches and team members.