The Great Voice Podcast

Susan Berkley
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Performing Arts
  • Updated Weekly

The Great Voice podcast is a valuable way for you to grow your voice over performance skills by listening in as voice over expert Susan Berkley coaches members of The Great Voice community. You’ll come away from each episode with actionable tips and techniques to use in all your auditions and recording sessions. It’s like having a free voice over training library on your smart phone to enjoy anywhere you go!

  1. Character, Connection, and the Rise of Audio Drama

    Jun 5

    Character, Connection, and the Rise of Audio Drama

    In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice student Anna Kunkin and industry guest Brady Flanagan.  Anna Kunkin is a bilingual medical interpreter whose years helping Spanish-speaking patients navigate doctors’ appointments and immigration interviews have given her a deep sense of empathy and connection. After growing up partly in Mexico and becoming fluent in Spanish, Anna found a career where advocacy and communication come together. Brady Flanagan is a voice actor, writer, director and sound engineer based out of Salt Lake City. He is the founder of the Voice Support Community on Discord as well as the creator of the audio drama Rogue Life. Brady and Susan discuss the booming world of audio dramas and why the format has exploded in recent years.  Tune in as Susan coaches Anna through a commercial read where they work on developing a clear point of view by speaking to one specific person and creating a believable world behind the script. And learn how podcasts are helping fuel a new generation of scripted audio entertainment built around immersive sound, full casts, music, and storytelling “for the ears.” Hosted - Susan Berkley Producer - Salena Metreger  Music by Darrin Fossella  Show Opener by Tanya Wade This episode is sponsored by Full Compass and Less Annoying CRM. Great Voice and Full Compass have partnered to provide great quality equipment at the best prices. Visit GreatVoiceGear.com to see Great Voice Company exclusive kits. Take advantage of an exclusive deal for Great Voice Podcast Listeners on a CRM designed for voiceover businesses. Go to https://greatvoice.com/crm to learn more.  Join the Voice Support Community on discord: https://discord.gg/amEcdfEJCR

    34 min
  2. One Story at a Time: Building an Audiobook Career

    May 22

    One Story at a Time: Building an Audiobook Career

    In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice students Nan Charters and Andrew Smith, two audiobook lovers who found their way behind the mic after very different careers. First, you’ll meet Nan Charters. A former publishing professional and legal assistant whose love of books, language, and reading aloud eventually led her to voiceover. Encouraged for years by people complimenting her voice while lecturing at church, Nan finally took the leap during COVID and immersed herself in Great Voice training and certification. Next, you’ll hear retired IT professional Andrew Smith, who turned a longtime interest in broadcasting and voice work into a growing audiobook career. Andrew shares how one audiobook led to another, including return authors and a new trilogy project, all recorded from a shared home studio with his wife, who is also a narrator.  Tune in to hear Susan coach Nan on the power of contrast—using a subtle sense of foreboding beneath bright, beautiful imagery to create intrigue and draw listeners deeper into the story. And then Susan works with Andrew on slowing down his delivery and visualizing the scene, helping the imagery come into sharper focus and making the performance more vivid and immersive. Chapters 06:31 Building Character and Story for Audiobook Auditions 12:43 Refining Performance and Tone 24:46 Life as an Audiobook Narrator 30:25 Exploring Character Depth in Narration Hosted - Susan Berkley Producer - Salena Metreger  Music by Darrin Fossella  Show Opener by Tanya Wade This episode is sponsored by Full Compass and Less Annoying CRM. Great Voice and Full Compass have partnered to provide great quality equipment at the best prices. Visit GreatVoiceGear.com to see Great Voice Company exclusive kits. Take advantage of an exclusive deal for Great Voice Podcast Listeners on a CRM designed for voiceover businesses. Go to https://greatvoice.com/crm to learn more.

    38 min
  3. Raising the Stakes: Turning Reads into Real Performances

    May 8

    Raising the Stakes: Turning Reads into Real Performances

    In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice students David Peterson and Omar Masoodi.   David Peterson turned a recent layoff into an opportunity to pursue his long-standing interest in voice acting and character work. Growing his skills with The Great Voice Company and putting himself out there on the pay-to-play sites, David wants to bring his unique voice to animation, video games, elearning and more.   Omar Masoodi is a special education teacher of 35 years and longtime public address announcer with a natural love of storytelling. With experience in radio and a growing presence on Voices.com, Omar shares how consistent daily auditions are already leading to paid work.    Listen in as Susan coaches David through an audiobook scene, focusing on “raising the stakes.” And with Omar, Susan shows how adding specificity can help bring vague copy to life. But stay tuned, because a special bonus interview where Omar talks about his recent successes on the pay-to-play sites and what he’s learned about scams and how to avoid them.   Chapters 05:47 Audiobook Narration Techniques 16:59 Exploring Corporate Voiceover Scripts 25:51 Creating Authentic Connections in Voice Over 34:09 Navigating Pay-to-Play Platforms Hosted - Susan Berkley Producer - Salena Metreger  Music by Darrin Fossella  Show Opener by Tanya Wade This episode is sponsored by Full Compass and Less Annoying CRM. Great Voice and Full Compass have partnered to provide great quality equipment at the best prices. Visit GreatVoiceGear.com to see Great Voice Company exclusive kits. Take advantage of an exclusive deal for Great Voice Podcast Listeners on a CRM designed for voiceover businesses. Go to https://greatvoice.com/crm to learn more.

    45 min
  4. A Pinch of Tech, A Dash of Sound, and the Art of Voiceover

    Apr 24

    A Pinch of Tech, A Dash of Sound, and the Art of Voiceover

    In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice student Chef Pam and co-founder and creator of SourceConnect Rebekah Wilson.   Chef Pam is a cook and content creator with a thriving YouTube channel, "Cooking at Pam's Place." She started to create a visual reference for her children, but over time, her love for cooking and sharing her culinary adventures evolved into a full-fledged online presence. Pam wants to bring her personality to voiceover and is working with the Great Voice Company to do just that.    Rebekah Wilson, Source Elements CEO and co-founder, has spent 20 years building a tool that allows remote collaboration in sound engineering, voice acting, video editing and more. Susan and Rebekah discuss how important SourceConnect has been for the voiceover industry as well as a breakdown of SourceConnect, their plans, and their training program.   Listen as Susan helps Pam infuse her knowledge of cooking into creating a delicious Subway commercial and then learn all about how Rebekah Wilson built SourceConnect to help voice over artists and creatives all over the world work together seamlessly.    Special deal for Great Voice Podcast listeners - save when you sign up for SourceConnect by emailing welcome@source-elements.com with code greatvoice26 and unlock exclusive discounts just for listening!   Chapters 10:06 - Enriching scripts with sensory language and imagery 11:14 - Improving pacing for dynamic voiceover delivery 16:51 - Introduction to Source Connect and its industry impact 28:52 - Using Source Connect as a marketing and networking tool 30:48 - Special discount offer for listeners

    38 min
  5. Building Buzz: Branding, Books, and Breakthrough

    Apr 10

    Building Buzz: Branding, Books, and Breakthrough

    In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice talent Susie Hackel, a former reading specialist who transformed her lifelong love of storytelling into a flourishing voiceover career. After walking away from voiceover decades ago (back in the cassette demo days!), Susie restarted in 2020 with The Great Voice Company and today she’s narrated dozens of children’s audiobooks, booked indie games and animation, built steady momentum on Fiverr and the pay-to-plays, and recently signed with Stewart Talent. Susie shares how she landed her dream children’s narration work, built a strong LinkedIn presence, and branded herself as “Bee Your Voice.”  Then, listen in as Susan works Susie through a commercial script, uncovering the emotional journey of the spot and elevating the performance beat by beat.   Chapters 05:40 Fiverr experience and building her portfolio 08:23 Most successful projects and direct marketing 11:31 LinkedIn strategy and networking tips 36:03 Overcoming imposter syndrome and enjoying success Hosted - Susan Berkley Producer - Salena Metreger  Music by Darrin Fossella  Show Opener by Tanya Wade This episode is sponsored by Full Compass and Less Annoying CRM. Great Voice and Full Compass have partnered to provide great quality equipment at the best prices. Visit GreatVoiceGear.com to see Great Voice Company exclusive kits. Take advantage of an exclusive deal for Great Voice Podcast Listeners on a CRM designed for voiceover businesses. Go to https://greatvoice.com/crm to learn more.

    39 min
  6. Unlocking Voiceover Success: Insights and Techniques

    Mar 27

    Unlocking Voiceover Success: Insights and Techniques

    In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice students Steven Tanner and Mike Shivley (Shy-vlee), two men stepping into voiceover from very different paths.   Steven shares why he sees e-learning as his starting point and how leaning into his natural Midwestern sound could open doors. Susan coaches him on one of the biggest lessons for new talent: why the microphone “eats energy” and how becoming an enhanced version of yourself can transform a read.   Then Susan sits down with Mike, whose career spans Navy service, direct mail sales, and years as an audio engineer in television studios and live sports. They explore the surprising connection between selling through print and selling through voice before Mike steps up to the mic with a carefully prepared Applebee’s script.   Listen as Susan explores script reading techniques, the importance of energy in delivery, and insights into auditions.    Chapters 08:48 Enhancing Energy and Delivery 12:01 Understanding Voiceover Auditions 21:01 Creating a Delicious Read for Commercials Hosted - Susan Berkley Producer - Salena Metreger  Music by Darrin Fossella  Show Opener by Tanya Wade This episode is sponsored by Full Compass and Less Annoying CRM. Great Voice and Full Compass have partnered to provide great quality equipment at the best prices. Visit GreatVoiceGear.com to see Great Voice Company exclusive kits. Take advantage of an exclusive deal for Great Voice Podcast Listeners on a CRM designed for voiceover businesses. Go to https://greatvoice.com/crm to learn more.

    33 min
  7. Day Jobs and Audiobooks: Two Narrators at Work

    Mar 13

    Day Jobs and Audiobooks: Two Narrators at Work

    In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice students and audiobook narrators John Bejarano and Terri Dien, two professionals building exciting audiobook careers alongside their full-time work.   Susan kicks things off with John Bejarano, who shares how a second try at voiceover, thanks to the support of Great Voice training and encouragement from fellow student Terri, led to multiple audiobooks now available on Audible. John talks about narrating epic sci-fi and fantasy titles, including Echoes of the Fallen World and the Smoke series, and the challenge of keeping dozens of characters consistent across long-form storytelling. Susan then coaches John through an audiobook audition, showing how raising the stakes and letting the narrator “know more than the characters” can add depth, drama, and intrigue.   Next, Susan sits down with instructional designer, chef instructor, and audiobook narrator Terri Dien. Terri shares how earning her Home Studio Masterclass certification gave her the confidence to jump into ACX auditions and how just seven auditions in, she landed her first two audiobook offers. With eight audiobooks completed and a ninth in progress, Terri discusses workflow, momentum, and why audiobook narration fits naturally with teaching and storytelling.   Listen as Susan helps elevate audiobook auditions with stronger intention and higher stakes and hear how John and Terri are building fulfilling voiceover careers one book at a time.    Chapters 06:04 Balancing Voiceover with a Day Job 11:46 Character Development and Storytelling 14:57 Raising the Stakes 30:01 Workflow in Audiobook Narration 39:00 Advice for New Audiobook Narrators Hosted - Susan Berkley Producer - Salena Metreger  Music by Darrin Fossella  Show Opener by Tanya Wade This episode is sponsored by Full Compass and Less Annoying CRM. Great Voice and Full Compass have partnered to provide great quality equipment at the best prices. Visit GreatVoiceGear.com to see Great Voice Company exclusive kits. Take advantage of an exclusive deal for Great Voice Podcast Listeners on a CRM designed for voiceover businesses. Go to https://greatvoice.com/crm to learn more.

    46 min
  8. Mind, Medicine, and the Mic:Two Powerful Paths to the Mic

    Feb 13

    Mind, Medicine, and the Mic:Two Powerful Paths to the Mic

    In today’s episode, you’ll meet Great Voice students Rebecca Cherry and Tanya Wade.    Rebecca Cherry, MD is a pediatric gastroenterologist with a fascinating specialty: using clinical hypnosis to help patients of all ages manage conditions like irritable bowel syndrome. Rebecca shares how the power of the voice can literally change the way the nervous system responds by helping people learn, heal, and self-regulate more effectively. A lifelong lover of reading aloud and learning, she’s exploring voiceover as a fun, flexible sideline that fits beautifully alongside her medical practice.   Tanya Wade wears many hats: senior director of clinical operations at a community mental health center in Chicago, practicing therapist, and voiceover artist for Season 3 of The Great Voice Podcast show opener. With roots in acting, spoken word, and a lifelong love of voices, Tanya found her way back to performance through voiceover. She shares her powerful personal journey, including meeting her biological mother for the first time and discovering a shared vocal connection, and how creativity and voiceover have become an essential outlet alongside her meaningful work in mental health.   Listen in as Susan gives performance techniques for medical narration, audiobooks, and the nuances of commercial voiceover work.  Chapters 08:02 The Intersection of Medicine and Voiceover 11:50 Voiceover Performance: Medical Narration 22:07 Exploring Audiobook Narration 32:45 Bringing energy to Commercials 41:10 Learning to Act for Commercials

    44 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Great Voice podcast is a valuable way for you to grow your voice over performance skills by listening in as voice over expert Susan Berkley coaches members of The Great Voice community. You’ll come away from each episode with actionable tips and techniques to use in all your auditions and recording sessions. It’s like having a free voice over training library on your smart phone to enjoy anywhere you go!

Information

  • Creator
    Susan Berkley
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Great Voice Podcast

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