Written By: Chelsea & Cynthia

Where should I invest my time and money as an aspiring actor?

We recently polled our Broadway Vocal Coach community to learn what their dreams are and what challenges they face when it comes to reaching their goals.

The #1 challenge we heard from professional and aspiring professional actors: not enough money for lessons, classes, new headshots, etc. And the second: not enough industry know-how, and not knowing where to begin.

If you’re a professional or aspiring professional singing actor wondering where to invest your time and money for the greatest impact in your life and career, then you’re in the right place!

Lets break down how to make smart choices with your resources so you can feel like you’re headed in the right direction.

In a previous episode, we talked about the things you need for a breakthrough and two were confidence and support. So let’s work the problem backwards - if you’re wondering where to invest your time and money, what would it take for you to feel confident and supported?

What will it take for you to feel confident?

• Get clear on what you need: Take the time to pinpoint what's working well, and what isn't, to decipher what is is you truly need and seek that proper support. 
• Develop an authentic feedback loop: As an actor, it's easy to feel like we're alone in a bubble, consumed by solo self-tapes without anyone in the room to gauge our performance off of. Develop yourself a team or person who can offer those suggestions, support and encouragement to maximize your improvement.  

What will it take for you to feel supported?

• Effective coaching: The best way to save some money with coaching costs - find someone who operates as a hybrid voice teacher and vocal coach! These mentors will be able to help you improve in your vocal technique, while growing in your performance abilities all at the same time. 
• Avoid the common time wasters in a voice lesson: Looking for repertoire, getting a plunk track, and excessive warmups can all be elements of a lesson that take away from the time you could be singing and improving (which is what you're paying for!). Express to your mentor your desire to focus on singing while in your lessons, and work hard to find someone who agrees and prioritizes your needs!

The bottom line is this, to save money while pursuing your acting career, you must take the time to discover what you NEED and hold true to that. Discover the mentors who will work hard to only focus on those needs, so what you are paying for genuinely pays off. Don't be afraid to be picky - when it comes to your money, time and career, you deserve to search for that perfect fit! 

Beyond discovering your needs and what it takes for you to feel confident and supported, we also have a few practical tips for saving money in the industry. 

A few practical time & money spending tips:

1. Invest in great songs that will give you 90% of what you need! Don't waste your time learning 10 songs that don't serve a purpose for you. 

2. Invest your time into producing quality self tapes and content during slow seasons, so you aren't scrambling when it's busy. 

3. Learn all the shows and roles you want to go in for! You'll then be ready and confident when that audition presents itself.

4. Get in class. Dance, voice, or performance - whatever it is that feels like is holding you back from performing at the level you want to be. Be willing to invest time (and $$) to honing in on that skill and growing your abilities, so that you feel confident when the time comes to use it!

5. Know the difference between an experience and training. (Especially for young aspiring artists!) The reality is, opportunities like community theatre are designed for the experience, rather than offering in depth and dedicated training. There is beauty in experience, but be intentional in investing your time and money in genuine training to expand on your skills. 

Learning where to invest your time and money as an aspiring actor can easily be one of the most frustrating parts of the industry. But we hope that these quick tips offer you some guidance on where to begin! 

If you're interested in diving deeper into this topic, or exploring other interesting musical theatre conversations - check out the Broadway Vocal Coach podcast! Or check us out on Instagram, and get involved in the conversation! 

And if you’re ready to get expert mentorship and ongoing training, then you’re invited to join us inside the BVC membership. Book a free consult with us - we can’t wait to hear your story and help you take the next step in your career.