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Success Takes More Than Talent:
You Need 'Type A' Business Traits 
 
By Jennifer Vaughn
Voice Actor
 
Talent doesn't take the front seat in any successful business. A successful business requires a savvy business person who is knowledgeable in all the elements required to make a business profitable.
 
That includes:
  • a strong work infrastructure built by you,
  • marketing,
  • sales,
  • promotion,
  • branding,
  • networking,
  • advertising,
  • negotiating,
  • customer service,
  • recording keeping, and
  • bookkeeping.
You also have to be a bean counter at first, then hire someone when you start making the money.
 
If you don't know the first thing about bookkeeping, you are not going to understand the numbers to discuss strategy in your business, which is required to hit your numbers each and every day, week, month, and year.
 
MORE THAN TALENT
 
The very same thing with sales. If you are not the ultimate salesperson and you think your work speaks for itself, you are sorely mistaken.
 
If your thought is, "I'm just a talent, I don't get involved in that" - then expect to have issues with the IRS ... expect to have issues with "down" years, and expect to not be a consistently thriving business.
 
You would be lacking the responsibility of working your business into a constant state of evolution.
 
Do you think Oprah, Warren Buffet and The Donald would be the icons of our time if they just thought their "talent" was key to success? Nada!
 
'TYPE A' TRAITS
 
And let's not forget these Type A personality traits that are almost a necessity to make a business successful: 
  • quick study,
  • flexible,
  • self motivated,
  • ambitious,
  • goal oriented,
  • work ethic or work-a-holic mentality,
  • overly competitive,
  • creative thinker,
  • multi-tasker,
  • strong/deep desire to achieve,
  • firm demeanor (you're not seen as a pushover).
All these traits play into making headway into success. Without them - ingrained in you as person, rather than learned - the ability to achieve is even farther away.
 
WHAT LUCK?
 
The other side of the coin is "luck" - but being successful with "luck" is like winning the lottery. Odds are against you.
 
Sure, it happens, but it's a one-in-a-million chance.
 
Now I know I sound hard-nosed and grumpy, but I come from the school of hard knocks. In the past, I fell down a lot more than I succeeded.
 
The point is, I immediately got right back up and aggressively pursued with fervor the task at hand until I perfected it and got it right.
 
Do you have that same attitude? If not, adopt it.
 
ABOUT JENNIFER ...
 
Jennifer Vaughn has been a full-time voice talent since the early 1990s, entering the field through radio and concert promotions. Most well known for national and international radio and TV imaging and branding, she also voices many industrials, military and medical e-learning projects, and children’s audiobooks. With home studios in Florida and Colorado, plus interests in other businesses, she asks, “Who says you have to stick to one thing? I’d get on board! Gotta be a mover and a shaker.”
 
 
 
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Comments (1)
Pearl Hewitt
1/26/2010 at 12:45 AM
Hey Jenifer,
Thanks for the article! It is just what I needed to hear. You don't sound hard-nosed and grumpy at all!! You sound REALISTIC! The VO industry is very competitive and the work will not just fall in your lap! You have to be a go-getter and use every ounce of energy you have to integrate ALL the above traits into your daily working life.

This is NOT a 9-5 easy job! It's an every waking hour, stay on your toes and stay busy kind of job. You might be able to go to work in your pajamas but it doesn't mean you can relax and sleep on the job!!! Great article. Thanks again!
Pearl

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