This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Victoria Carroll, a US-based professional voice actor who built a full-time career with the freelance service platform Fiverr.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Fiverr. Victoria Carroll.
What was your day job (or other sources of income) when you started your job? side hustle?
I lived overseas in the Czech Republic and worked as an actress and director before doing voiceover work, but my income was always low (and sporadic), so I mostly supplemented it by teaching preschool. I did all kinds of things before I became a full-time freelancer, though – I was one Disney princesspromotional model for brands, I gave English lessons to Czech students…you name it!
When you started yours side hustleand where did you find the inspiration for it?
I joined Fiverr, which is a platform for freelancers of all kinds, in 2018, which I totally credit for my current career. I had just completed my first major voice acting and motion capture project for a video game (Kingdom Come: Deliverance) that was becoming quite popular and creating a ton of buzz, but I still lived pay check. A friend suggested I pursue voice more seriously and told me they had just hired a voice actor through the site. I was very excited to give it an independent shot. The prospect of being able to work from anywhere in the world and create my own schedule – especially in my field, which required a lot of flexibility for auditions and shooting schedules – was really exciting.
What were some of the first steps you took to get yours side hustle from the ground?
My first step was to set up a professional home recording studio. I bought a nice microphone and soundproofing equipment. From there, I did research on what clients were looking for in a recording artist and how to best set up my profile Fiverr. This included creating videos and audio reels of my work, writing a good bio, and figuring out how to best communicate the details of the project to meet the client's needs.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during your build? side hustleand how did you navigate them?
I poured everything into building my career independent worker, that is, I often worked seven days a week. Sometimes my days are as long as 14 hours – and most of those hours are spent in a small, dark recording studio at home. I also worked on holidays and although I saw success with all the time and effort I put in, I definitely made it burned. After about a year or so of bending over backwards to accommodate dozens of clients a day, I started setting clearer boundaries about when and where I was available and for what price. I have a rule about not working on Sundays now – and I try to avoid weekends in general if I can. I have also set stricter requirements for the types of projects I am willing to undertake and for what fees.
How long did it take you to see consistent monthly income? How much did the side hustle earn?
I hardly saw any income for the first six months. Then, I started earning around $1000-$2000 a month on average and it slowly went up from there. By my second full year on Fiverr, I had made around $70,000 – the most I had ever made… ever!
What do growth and revenue look like now?
Since I started, I have been fortunate enough to double my monthly income every year. via Fiverr alone, I am currently able to pull in about $250,000 a year.
You've turned your Fiverr job into a full-time business. What do you like most about this career?
I think time is our most precious and valuable resource, so have it FREEDOM making my own schedule is my favorite thing about this career. I never did well with jobs that required me to show up at the same place every day for several hours a day. Fiverr is incredible from a time saving prospect because your catalog of past work is displayed on the site, along with thousands of honest reviews from previous clients to build trust, so you're not wasting time auditioning for jobs or looking for gigs – the work comes to you. It's fun to wake up every day and see what new jobs I'll get; keeps things fresh. It's also nice not having a boss to answer to! I am fully responsible for how my business operates.
Last year, I was able to finance and complete my first feature film (a documentary about a shaman due out this year), which included traveling to Peru to shoot, edit and post-produce the project. I got married too AND pregnant – all the while working “full time”!
So, as a filmmaker and a new mother, my freedom is absolutely priceless.
What is your advice to others hoping to get started successfully? side hustle Theirs?
Be prepared to sacrifice a lot time and effort at first to establish yourself. When I talk to other freelancers about how they got started, they usually say the same thing. I don't think there is a shortcut to this. At first I worked long hours with little pay. But I've been able to pay off my dues, build a great portfolio, and build good, long-term relationships with brands and companies. If you make that investment by building a portfolio and customer base in the beginning, it will be rewarded when you are established.