Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Susan Hohman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Susan, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I don’t just play a Unicorn, I am a Unicorn. I sound young. I grew up being very different from the crowd because of my voice. While perhaps it was cute in Elementary school, it became a thorn in my side as I got older. I think my first job at KFC is really why I do voiceover, although I didn’t know it then. My boss put me on drive thru duty just to hear the people crack up. Fast forward to 2018 and I go through a Burger King Drive thru myself. As happens often, as I order, they giggle. Pretty much, then and there I decided that I needed to do something positive with my voice and turn this negative that I struggled with for many years into something that made me happy. It’s working. Besides a Voice Artist, I am also a Fine Artist. I sell my Art frequently at Art Festivals. One of the most rewarding parts about being an artist for me is hearing how my Art touches people, really whether they buy it or not. This is everything. It inspires me to keep going. Just this year I had a client who purchased a piece 6 years ago come to my booth just to tell me how much they still love their artwork and how much it means to them. Flash forward to visiting my coach, mentor and friend, Katie Leigh, a very accomplished Voice Over Actor, at a Comic Con type event where she was signing autographs, etc. I watched in awe as fan, after fan came up to her. They weren’t actually just wanting autographs etc like they were for the other stars there. Her fans couldn’t wait to tell her how they were blessed by her work over the years, how her shows got them through tough times. I know that feeling from my Art business. That did it for me. I’ve set myself goals to work on projects that encourage and bless people as well.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Since diving into the Voiceover world, I’ve found I actually like working in a few different genres. While my everyday voice is high pitched, through all the training I’ve had, I’ve developed a nice range. This allows me to do the kids E-Learning, video games, Toys and Apps but also Commercial and Narration worlds which I am enjoying. Animation is probably my sweet spot right now. I am very enthusiastic and love to go all in and character work is perfect for that. One of my continuing projects is still one of my favorites. It’s a series of YouTube video stories called Honey Bee Acres. I get to do 2 – 5 completely adorable characters for each episode I am on which is fun for me. Future goals include narrating tours for museums and integrating my Art with my VO more. My family is a great support system for me. I have twin boys who are super creative in their own right and are really great to practice with and get feedback from. My great husband deals with the crazy schedule that comes along with adding this career but he’s always been my biggest cheerleader.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Perseverance, Training, Networking All those silly stories about “Make 100 Grand in your PJs” and “easy side hustle” are not exactly really how it works. It takes a heck of a lot of work and time… precious precious time. You have to be willing to stick it out for awhile because you aren’t going to master the skills overnight. It take a lot of perseverance through the lean times.
Training is essential, perhaps I should have said it first. You know the guy who does Porky Pig? Well I do too, guess what, he still trains. VO is not something that you take a few courses, pop out a demo and suddenly you are ready to go. There are so many components to this business.. including all the business model parts as well. I coach regularly and look for opportunities to learn about things I struggle with like Direct Marketing and such. I will say that one positive that has come out of the pandemic is the Zoom Workshop model. It’s so convenient now to train with experts all over the country.
I just returned from my first “in person” VO Conference called the Mid Atlantic Voice Over Conference (MAVO) held in Herndon VA. What a fantastic place to network. I am not an extrovert but I did meet so many amazing people and extended my circle greatly. I’ve seen firsthand how those casual contacts can just morph into amazing opportunities. Voiceover people are a rare breed. I don’t think there is a sense of competing with each other. You will find that if one VO finds they aren’t right for an audition, they will suggest a friend or two who they think might be and so on. Even if you are shy, ease into it. I’m not where I want to be yet but I sure am better at it then I was. Networking is crucial and works.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Of course I am always looking for opportunities. I work with casting directors, audio and video producers, etc but I know many people need voiceovers for other things as well. I am excited to say I have some Elf jobs to send out! If you know anyone looking for a fun friendly very memorable voice for their project, I’d love to talk to them. I have a professionally treated booth and use a Neumann TLM102mic with a SSL2 interface and record with Adobe Audition. I am also Source Connect certified if anyone is looking to direct a session. You can listen to my demos and find out more about me on my website www.susanhohmanvoiceart.com and you can email me at susan@susanhohmanvoiceart.com . You can find me on Instagram and LinkedIn as well. My website for my Art is www.susanhohmanfineart.com. I show in several galleries and do Art Festivals during the summer in Eastern Pennsylvania. Come out and see me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.susanhohmanvoiceart.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/susanhohmanvoiceart
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/susanhohmanvoiceover
- Twitter: @hohman_art
- Youtube: Susan Hohman Voice Art
