In this episode we speak with Andy Field, a Voice Actor or what you might refer to as a Voiceover Artist. Yes, Andy is that guy! The guy you hear in commercials, e-learning courses, documentaries, telephone systems, TV promos, radio ads, and more. His voice is everywhere and you’ve likely heard him before, as he’s worked for such companies as Nike, Toyota, Walmart, The History Channel, Mercedez-Benz, and other brand names. And, if you’re a fan of video games, you may know him as the voice of HandUnit, the handheld computer guide, in the wildly popular Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise of games. When I told my kids that I interviewed the Five Nights at Freddy’s voice they thought I was cool for the first time ever.

I don’t know about you but when listening to a commercial, I’ve always wondered, “How do I get that job?”. Well, Andy’s story is as unique as you would think. For 17 years he was a teacher in Mississippi. He also drove Uber, ran a tutoring business, was an EMT for a time, and was an infantry officer in the US Army Reserve for 32 years. But it was a simple event that brought him to his true calling of Voice Acting. One day at home in 2013, he was mimicking the football announcer from Ole Miss when his wife said, “You could be an announcer guy!” Never afraid of a side hustle, Andy took that comment to heart and began researching voice acting. He slowly built up his body of work, doing everything from Zombie sounds to positive affirmations and eventually growing into larger, higher paying projects. By 2017, Andy was earning enough that he was able to leave his teaching job and become a full-time voice actor. He now has his own professional studio at home and is in the top 1-2% of earners in the voice over industry.

Andy’s story is an inspiration, as it shows that if you aren’t living the life you desire, you can go out and make your own dreams come true. Listen in to hear Andy’s career arc and some fascinating stories from his work as a voice actor.

Website: www.thedreamvocation.com

Master Class (Identify and Achieve Your Dream Vocation): www.thedreamvocation.com/online-course/

In this episode we speak with Nathan Klassen, a former rodeo bull rider and full metal jouster and current horseshoer or what is known as a farrier. That’s a hell of a career! Where do we begin?

When Nathan was a kid, he dreamed of being a football player or a bull rider. So, in his young teenage years he did both! But as he grew older and saw his potential in football, he put away his spurs for a bit so that he could focus on earning a college football scholarship. He successfully did so, but after two years playing ball in college Nathan got sick and decided to hang up his cleats and put the spurs back on.

He dove head first back into bull riding and centered his entire life around it. From his workouts to the types of jobs he took, it was all built around allowing him to spend as much time on the bull as possible. For years, he rode the rodeo circuit and had enough success in a few of those years that he could be a full-time bull rider. Also during this time, Nathan got involved in a reality show called Full Metal Jousting, which as Nathan says, “wasn’t dinner theater jousting or the medieval times show”. This was full-on armor and real jousting sticks. In fact, it was so real that Nathan nearly lost his eye, tore his pectoral muscle, and suffered a compound fracture of his vertebrae! In the end, after years on the rodeo circuit, father time caught up to Nathan like it does all of us. With a worn down body and a child and responsibilities at home, Nathan decided to hang up the spurs for good.

But, he didn’t give up his love for the cowboy way of life. To continue following his passions and also earning money for his young family, Nathan went to farrier school. Now, this probably isn’t the career for me but Nathan absolutely loves it. He travels around the Oklahoma area taking care of horses, donkeys, and mules by trimming their hooves and placing shoes on them. He does this so that he can keep the animals healthy and make for a more comfortable life.

As Nathan says, “If you pursue the stuff you really enjoy good things do happen”. From bull riding to jousting to working with animals, Nathan is a testament to following what you love. Listen in to this incredibly cool story!

Website: www.thedreamvocation.com

Master Class (Identify and Achieve Your Dream Vocation): www.thedreamvocation.com/online-course/

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thedreamvocation

In this episode we speak with Jim Negrych, former professional baseball player and current professional baseball scout for the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

I grew up playing baseball with Jimmy and it was clear from an early age that he was levels above the rest of us. But he didn’t rest on that talent alone. Jimmy worked his tail off as a youth player in the Buffalo, NY area to the point that he earned a college scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh. At the college level his talent and hard work continued to pay off, as he was named an All-American twice and eventually drafted in the 6th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates. At the professional level, Jimmy took to some old school, no-nonsense coaching and leveled up the hard work even more, earning success as a multiple-time all-star teams and being named the Pirates Minor League Player of the Year in 2008.

After his baseball career, Jimmy could have taken his career in a variety of different ways but decided that he wanted to continue following his passion for baseball. He became a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals organization where he now scouts baseball players in the Northeast region of the United States. By following his dreams, Jimmy gets to be around the game of baseball that he loves and not only identify the next stars, but also mentor young players.

Listen in to hear Jimmy’s story about a love for baseball and a career centered around that love.

Website: www.thedreamvocation.com

Online Master Class: https://thedreamvocation.com/online-course/

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thedreamvocation