Moving close to L.A. is providing me with amazing opportunities that will continue be revealed with time. This Saturday, January 23rd, I’m attending the 200th episode taping of VO Buzz Weekly. This event will have Voiceover “All-Stars” attending – actors and industry professionals.

I’m kinda freaking out…Not only because I have not yet driven down the I-5 into the city by myself (AND need to squeeze into Spanx), but because I’ll be faced with a theatre full of people who do what I do daily and yet, have absolutely no idea who I am.

Initially, I consciously decided that I would pass on attending because of the risk involved for me. Sharing what I deem as risks are even too personal for me to reveal, but it’s along the lines of finally stepping up to the plate and being afraid of failure, falling on my face as I step up to the plate…or possibly even being blacklisted from my own industry when they find out what I have or haven’t done.

You see, there is a stigma about being “just a person who does voiceovers” vs. a “Voice-Over ACTOR”. I’ve been a “person who does voiceovers” from home for exactly ten years. I’ve voiced THOUSANDS of commercials and business narration jobs for HUNDREDS of clients, working tirelessly over a hot microphone… But, I have rarely given myself the credit for being a bona fide actor and I can tell you that nary a voice actor would call me one either. For you to be a “success” in this industry, there are certain criteria such as having an agent, being unionized, and recording National spots. I have none of those, except having recorded a National spot three months ago. Still I have worked. A lot. And, I’ve created a life for myself that is extremely fulfilling.

Will I be looked down upon? Well, who cares really. I would certainly recover from that.

Will I be invisible? Possibly. Being a fly on the wall, is really what I’m hoping for anyway.

Here’s why I SHOULD go:

…to know the players in my industry and to begin to make appearances at industry functions to open various doors for myself…

It’s thanks to Randy Thomas that I’m going, actually. I was honored to meet the first lady of voice-overs by Skype last week and she supported me in making the effort.

Every blog I write, includes some risk-taking on my part, whether it be through the language I use, the personal information I share, or even how I choose to present myself with a certain photo or voice recording.

If I didn’t take risks, I certainly wouldn’t have the business I have today and would not have accomplished nearly as much. Whether I can “label” myself this or that is really irrelevant. I need to take my life in my own hands.