Dream of pursuing a career in the arts or entertainment? Successful Disney host and voiceover actress Stacey J. Aswad shares her advice

I love the arts. In my book I even mention that if I had unlimited talent and could do anything in the world I would be Belle in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway. Alas, even my car seems to politely tell me that I don’t have career-worthy singing talent (which is why I write instead ;)).

However, some people think working in the entertainment business, or in any creative field, requires talent alone. You either have it or you don’t, right? Well, not quite.

Working in the arts or entertainment is much more competitive than the typical business world, and you must have a certain level of talent to even begin to compete. However – talent alone is not enough. In short, you have to have grit.

If you’ve ever been through the demoralizing process of trying to find a job, you know exactly what I mean. Most people have to go through that self-esteem-crushing job-hunting experience every few years at the most. People in the entertainment business have to go through it daily. It’s called auditioning.

This is why I’ve always been in awe of people who work in entertainment, not only because I love watching movies, listening to music, going to the theater, etc., but because I’m also amazed at what these people endure to make it. The celebrities we know by name get plenty of credit for their work, but for every one of them there are thousands of other people making our world a more beautiful, fun, and interesting place with their artistic talent.

I recently got to interview one of those amazing people, a dynamic actress whom I admire greatly – Stacey J. Aswad.

Before I met her face-to-face, Stacey was a core part of my yearly Disney vacation. She hosts the ‘Must Do Disney’ show on her own channel that plays 24/7 in the Walt Disney World Resort. It’s playing practically 24/7 in my hotel room when I’m there on vacation because I love it so much.

Stacey’s career spans far beyond her role with Disney, though. You’ve probably even seen one of her commercials or heard her voice without even knowing it. You can listen to her reel of voice over acting to see if you recognize her (you’ll also be amazed at her incredible versatility as a voiceover actress).

I recently got to talk with Stacey and asked her to share her advice for students who are thinking about pursuing a career in the entertainment business. Her advice is incredible, and applies to anyone pursuing any kind of creative, artistic, entrepreneurial, or non-traditional career.

Stacey grew up in upstate New York and danced most of her high school life: “I didn’t do a lot of parties and I wasn’t in a clique. I was pretty much dancing 6 days a week.”

Her dedication led to her acceptance to Juilliard. “I was able to do what I loved and be creative, but it also gave me an education,” Stacey said of her choice to go to college for dance.

That education helped Stacey develop the grit and dedication that has led to her success in the entertainment business: “When I was at Juilliard it wasn’t like I walked around saying ‘I’m great I’m at Juilliard.’ You didn’t have that kind of inflation because you had to keep working to stay in. My Freshman class at Juilliard started with I think 28 people. By the end of four years, I think there were only 16 who graduated.” Stacey was one of them.

Going to college for the arts taught Stacey how to manage her time, motivate herself, discipline herself, and collaborate with others effectively. But more than anything else, Stacey says the experience helped her handle rejection: “Juilliard taught me how to handle all kinds of criticism, both the constructive and the not so constructive.”

The petite Stacey spread her arms out as wide as they could go and laughed as she told me if her skin were actually as thick as it has had to be her body would take up the whole screen on my Skype.

So how do you develop that thick skin? When you talk to Stacey, she is about the nicest person you’ll ever meet. She doesn’t appear to be hardened or to have the kind of outward “toughness” or coldness you might think you’d have to develop to withstand such daily blows. However, Stacey has developed something crucial – mental toughness.

“I tell myself that at the end of the day, someone can choose to give you a job or not, but they cannot take away anything from you that truly matters. They can’t take away my self-esteem, my talent, my hope, my faith, my family.”

Stacey is the perfect mix of optimism and reality, a crucial recipe for success. She believes anything is possible, but she is also intelligently aware of the industry around her. When she graduated from Juilliard she became a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor: “I knew I wanted to dance but I knew I wouldn’t just come right out and get into a company.

“Having creative ability is important, but it won’t always lead to a job. You are the CEO of your own company, and you have to decide if you’re approaching your talent as a hobby or career. If you approach it like a business, there are infinite possibilities.”

From developing a fitness and nutrition program for the Youth Performing Arts school in Kentucky to producing a global web show for the voiceover industry, Stacey is constantly working on the possibilities.

Stacey’s realistic-optimism also helped her succeed as an actress. She knew she wouldn’t just move to LA and “make it,” so before she moved to LA she got her real estate license and built up enough income to last her two years: “When I moved to LA I was able to become completely focused and take classes, go to workshops, network, and audition without having to worry about getting a job right away.

“I saw friends who were so exhausted from waitressing and didn’t have time to take classes, network, or audition.” Stacey’s strategy paid off, and within seven months she had booked two national commercials for Time Warner Cable.

Some people think all you need is a pretty face, supernatural talent, or a “lucky break” to make it in the entertainment business. But Stacey proves that hard work and constant learning are just as necessary to succeed in the entertainment industry, if not more so.

And education, she says, is a great place to start: “I’m a huge fan of education, in traditional forms and just knowledge in general. It gives you the freedom to make choices.

“There’s something to be said for the space between high school and the real world, that space in the middle where you can explore, dream, learn, and focus on becoming brilliant at what you do.”

Stacey also credits college for helping her make it in her career: “At Juilliard I worked with people I never would have met just walking into auditions with a number pinned to me.” Those networking relationships are invaluable, and college is a great place to start building those relationships, as many colleges with creative programs hire people with real-world experience and connections.

So whether you dream of pursuing a career in the entertainment business, the arts, entrepreneurship, or any kind of non-traditional path, Stacey had some great advice to share:

• “You need to know yourself. Are you someone who sees the abundance of a situation or the lack of a situation? The way you frame things will determine how you’re wired and how you’ll handle the inevitable rejection.

• “Let go of the expectations of what you think you should do or what you think should happen. Just be present to what is happening, and be absolutely determined to bring very best to your situation.

• “Journal. I’ve been a big journaler my whole life. When I moved to LA I’d write about who I met and what I booked so I could look every single day at what I did. It’s a great way to keep perspective when you feel like there’s nothing happening. It’s also a great place to vent, consider where you want to go, and keep yourself accountable. When you write stuff on paper it spurs you into action.

• “Channel your excuses into something positive. We can make excuses for our whole life, ‘I don’t have a supportive family, I don’t have the money, I don’t have the right this or that….’ But at some point you need to decide what you want, and take all that energy you’re putting into why this ‘can’t work,’ and channel it into all the reasons why it could work. Then you can say ‘let me at least see if this is possible.’ I think you could be really surprised by what happens. There isn’t a dream that is too big. Just go for it.”

You can subscribe to Stacey’s free web show on the VO Buzz Weekly show website, see her incredible reel on her website, or enjoy her hosting of ‘Must Do Disney’ at any Walt Disney World Resort hotel. You can also keep up with Stacey on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube! Thanks Stacey!! :)

How to create your personal brand Pt.1

This week I am doing a workshop on personal branding at the Pearson Leadership Summit in New York and it inspired me to do a series on personal branding for you. 

Personal branding is is not a new concept, and there are a ton of great books out there. 

But I wanted to share with you my specific take and give you a template to help you to start to think about your personal brand.

In short, personal branding is vital in college and when it comes time for you to get that first job out of college. A personal brand will help you:

• Write winning scholarship essays
• Stand out when applying for scholarships and leadership positions in college
• Stand out when applying for jobs
• Network and build relationships with others more easily
• Narrow down your job search and career path
• Be memorable in interviews and ultimately get jobs

A personal brand is essentially a purposeful way of thinking about who you are and what you have to contribute. It is memorable. It stands out. It tells people who you are without you having to say it directly. And ultimately, your personal brand is defined by what you do (not your job necessarily, but your actions and involvement). 

The good news is that you are in control of your personal brand. You create it. Though that can sometimes be harder than it sounds. 

So this week I'm going to offer you up the template I created to start thinking about and building your personal brand. It includes your:

• Origin story
• Core values
• Core skills
• Core community
• Defined contribution

First off, think of your favorite brand. What is their story? How did the company start? What are the values they have that you identify with? What is unique about their product or service? Who is their primary customer? What do they add to your life? 

These are the questions you'll want to answer for every scholarship committee, job application, and interview. 

For part 1 of this series, I want you to think about your origin story. To start, write down the top 10 things that have happened in your life that you feel have really defined who you are today. 

Then, narrow that down to the top 5 that weave together to tell a story about what you do now and what you hope to do in your future. 

This is the key to writing scholarship essays. While you will rarely tell many personal stories in an interview, they are the bread and butter of winning scholarship money. And these key moments in your life may just shed a little light on your career search.

The question you will want to be able to answer in an interview however, is: "So tell me a little bit about yourself."

Having key moments, accomplishments, and stories that define who you are and relate to the theme of your personal brand will make you memorable. 

More on personal branding coming soon!

How to find a job at a start-up company after college

Have you ever thought about working at a start-up company as your first job out of college? While in some ways they can be risky, they can also provide incredible learning experiences, and are often hiring. 

I recently talked with Annie Favreau, Managing Editor for Inside Jobs, about her first job working for this student-focused start up. 

Annie started college at Seattle University in 2006. “I grew up doing theater and dance, but when I got to college I knew I didn’t want to do that as a career."

"I thought about what I loved to do. I loved reading books, but not a lot of jobs allow you to just read books."

So Annie thought maybe she could be a book reviewer. "I started looking into writing careers and applied for an internship with a magazine. I didn't have much writing experience, and there was this voice in my head that said I wasn't qualified. But I’m so glad I didn’t listen to it - I got the internship! 

Annie got the internship and contributed articles and blog pieces on theater, dance, and fashion for Seattle Metropolitan Magazine. "I was a French major and everyone else was a journalism major. I think they were interested in me because I wasn’t coming from this very traditional background. It taught me that you don’t have to worry so much if you don’t have everything you think employers are looking for, because sometimes you just don’t know what they’re looking for."

Annie loved working for the magazine but realized it wasn't exactly what she wanted to do. As the internship came to a close, Annie started exploring other options: "I started talking to everyone I knew, even some people I didn’t know."

This is an important strategy.

Through her many conversations, an opportunity began to surface:"An editor gave me the name of this guy named Todd Edebohls who was running a start-up company called Inside Jobs. I didn’t know anything about it, just that it was about finding your career. But the idea of helping people figure out their careers really grabbed my attention, because I was trying to figure out mine. So I sent out my resume."

In July 2011 Annie was brought on as an Outreach Coordinator for Inside Jobs, working with social media and building relationships. "I know I was extremely lucky, being in the right place and the right time."

Preparation of course, is also key. But Annie reminds us that who you know, and how much outreach you do in your own personal career will have a huge impact on your job opportunities. 

Annie loves working for a start-up as her first job: "It's been a total blessing because you get exposed to so many different kinds of work. Everyone here does a lot of stuff, outside the normal bounds of a job title, which I love -  it’s really dynamic. It’s never the same thing day to day, and it's taught me how to be flexible and comfortable working with change. You get to take on projects that might be outside of your comfort zone and it pushes you.”

So I asked Annie a few more questions to get her advice for any of you thinking about working for a start-up one day:

What advice do you have for students looking to find a job in a start-up company? 

"Start-ups are actively looking for people a lot of the time, as they are trying to grow and develop out. There's often a lot of hiring going on. Try and tap into any online start-up communities; some have their own email lists with job opportunities."

"Another way to hear about new start-ups is to read the newspaper and watch the local news. When start-ups are founded they often get local press coverage."

YouTern.com is also a great place to find internships at start-up companies. 

Getting a job at a start-up can sometimes be a big risk; what advice do you have for knowing if the job will be able to pay the bills?  

"This can definitely be hard because when you go to the start-up website it can be difficult to vet. Start-ups are are really about the people who work at them. I like to research who is actually leading this whole project. Look at their LinkedIn profile, their own website. See if the people in charge have a good track record. That will be more telling than anything else."

The founder of Inside Jobs Todd Edebohls was previously the Business Development Director of Amazon.com for eight years and an Ivy-League grad. Annie did her homework. 

Annie also says a good culture-fit in a start-up is important: "Because start-ups are so small, its important to ask yourself – do I fit in? Because you will be working really closely with your whole team."

Today, Annie is the Managing Editor for Inside Jobs: “I’m in charge of a team of writers who produce content for the website. For example, all of the job descriptions come from my group."

I'm a huge personal fan of InsideJobs.com. They have over 15,000 job profiles with job descriptions, videos, colleges nearby with corresponding majors, and the best personality traits for each position. I really love their "Explore Jobs For" categories (on the left-hand column of the homepage). Categories range from "Law and Order Fans" to "Social Media Ninjas." I love it. 

You can also check them out on Facebook. 

Finding yourself in your first job out of college: interview with 20-nothings blogger

Jessie Rosen writes the incredibly entertaining and helpful 20-nothings blog – meant to “remind you that you're not alone, you're (probably) not crazy, and (chances are) you're going to make it out of this alive.”

Jessie started her blog in 2007, and she writes all about how to make it through this confusing time called your 20’s. A big part of what makes our 20’s so daunting is trying to find our place in the professional world, so I interviewed Jessie to get her take on finding your first job out of college.

She had some great advice to share.

Jessie entered Boston College in 2001: “I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life.” 

So Jessie tried a lot of different classes to figure out what she liked. She found herself really enjoying working on TV and on the campus newspaper, and decided to be a communications major. “Some people asked me why I didn’t go into a specific TV, writing, or film program, but I needed college to find myself and needed an atmosphere that offered me a lot of options.”

Jessie embraced the idea of exploration.

“College is a special place in that the community, activity, and participation, and all of that energy to do something is very much a part of the culture. At my school especially, it seemed like everyone around was doing something or starting something. It was incredibly motivating, and that made me feel there was nothing I couldn't do.”

While not every college culture has the buzz of creation and activity in the air, it only takes one student to light that fire on a campus. And it is indeed contagious.

While in college, Jessie jumped right in and practiced her writing skills by starting websites like pregameboston.com.

But when she graduated she was met – like many post-grads – with unemployment. “I didn't get a full time job for 8 months after college and lived with my parents; I wasn’t expecting marketplace to be that hard.”

Jessie did an unpaid internship for a while and tried out a number of small side-opportunities: “I think I seemed really uncertain about what I wanted in interviews. I wanted to do so many things, but I eventually realized you just need to pick something and then use it to find out what you do and do not like.”

So Jessie picked something and got a job as the assistant to the CEO for TheKnot.com, and then moved up to marketing coordinator after six months. She learned so much in this first job: “I got a great education in web entertainment and how to interest readers and how to make things entertaining online. It was a very smart company and smart CEO, and I really learned a lot.”

During this time Jessie also found out she really enjoyed writing. Once she realized her passion for writing, she contacted Boston College alumni who were writers through her career center in order to learn more. Soon after, she started the 20-nothings blog.

Jessie has become a guiding (and entertaining) light for 20-somethings around the world who read her blog. I asked her what advice she could share with you that she wished someone would have shared with her before graduating college:

“I wish someone would have told me not to be so stressed out about getting my first job. It’s important to be prepared and make a living, but don’t worry so much. Do anything that interests you. Nanny in New York. Serve in Peru. Our society puts so much pressure on how much money you will make or how cool your job sounds.”

“Take life as it comes, and just pick something. Six months after your first job you will be a different person. It’s okay not to like your first job and it’s okay to change direction completely. I was so frustrated that I couldn’t figure it out and thought what is wrong with me. The reality is it’s a very hard thing to figure out, and the less pressure you put on yourself the better.”

In short – keep exploring. Engage deeply wherever you are. And realize that when you graduate college, the learning has just begun.

Today Jessie is a producer of branded entertainment for Generate where she works on digital, TV, and interactive concepts and campaigns.

Jessie loves being in the creative space, and continues honing her own writing and creative skills on her blog.

You can also follow Jessie on Twitter.

Taking bold chances to get your dream job

I recently interviewed Jacquee Polak-Wahler, the Director of Internal Communications for Disney, where she has worked after extensive experience as a television anchor and as Disney's media spokesperson. 

Jacquee got her first on-air media job by walking up to a stranger at a baseball game. And you can too. 

Huh? Let me explain. 

Jacquee is the first in her family to go to college and worked at a Chrysler assembly plant building cars during her college summers to help cover expenses. When Jacquee graduated college with a degree in communications, she landed a job doing radio, TV, and print media for two stock brokers. "I was producing a television program at the time and thought if I could produce, why not try reporting!”

So Jacquee began to build her resume to try to move towards an on-air job. 

Not too long after Jacquee made this decision to pursue a new job, she was attending a Cubs game in downtown Chicago for fun. But something caught her attention: "I saw a videographer who was working with a reporter covering the game, and I decided to walk up to him and ask for help."

This seems like a very basic statement, a very basic choice. But it is a huge choice. A huge moment. And it is the boldness to take risks and take advantage of opportunities, wherever you see them, that makes all the difference. It's also about being focused enough on your goal to be able to be aware of opportunities everywhere you go. 

Jacquee approached the videographer and told him she was interested in getting into TV and asked his advice on what she should do. And like most people whom you genuinely ask for advice, he was happy to help.

He had a friend at a cable station in Indiana who was hiring and gave Jacquee his  contact information. 

"I took his information and contacted this person. To be safe, I made sure it was a legitimate cable station, I made an appointment and had my mom drive me there. Sure enough it was legitimate, and I ended up getting a job there - my first official on-air job."

Eventually there was a really big job opening for Chicago's first 24-hour news station. "I landed the interview because of my relationships with the station in Indiana;I was never guaranteed a job, only got an interview. I was very new and green in the TV profession; all the work I had done was always on tape,  and had never been live." 

"When I had the interview I could sense there was an interest but they were a little concerned about my ability to deliver on a live shot. Over the course of three months I had to keep my name front of mind. There were hundreds of people looking for these jobs - a lot of motivated people just like me. I wondered, how was I going to set myself apart? 

Jacquee's mom had a bold idea (for the times): "My mom said 'send them a fax;' at the time the fax machine was a pretty big deal. My mom said just once per week send a note on the fax that you are very interested that you can do the job. I thought ‘mom that’s ridiculous.' But then I decided to do it. Once a week I wrote a simple note, telling them I was very interested and that I know I can do this. My interview was in May; I got the job in October."

"The first day when the news director brought everyone together and was welcoming us and telling us everyone’s story and where we all came from, and when he got to me he said: 'I hired Jacquee because she sent me a fax once per week.' Of course today sending a fax is laughable, but at the time it was a very cutting edge tool and for me it was very effective! Always think of creative ways to leverage the newest technology that is available, and leverage in a way that makes sense."

I had to ask Jacquee what motivated her to take those bold chances, like walking up to a stranger at a Cubs game and sending a fax each week: "You have to be comfortable realizing that you are going to get a lot of 'no’s.' You just have to keep at it! At some point, you are going to get a yes. I’m thankful for all the nos I had along the way to get to the right place. It’s really about having the confidence in yourself to make the ask and put yourself out there. It’s not easy; I haven’t always been perfectly confident in myself, but you just do it! The more you take those chances, the more you realize hey it’s not that bad! 

Jacquee's final advice: "Find the mentors in your life that you trust and you value and ask for help. Its about taking personal ownership and control. No matter where you are in life or what you are doing, when you’re interacting with people you are always in a potential to build a relationship and expand your network."

"So whenever you’re attending any event or out with your friends - no matter what public setting you’re in - there is an opportunity to build your network. Engage with a waiter, a manager at your current part-time job, or even someone standing near you at the gas station; you can't minimize any opportunity because you never know who is around you. Take advantage every opportunity to be around people, because the people you know help you advance your life personally and professionally."

And when it comes to approaching those people: "obviously do it in a way that isn’t overbearing. Find the right ways to engage with people, which is so critical to success. Be genuine."

While it may seem terrifying to engage with strangers, you don't really have to do a lot of talking. You just have to have the courage and motivation to genuinely ask for advice - and then you just have to listen.

The more you seek out strangers who are doing something that fascinate you, the easier it will be to genuinely ask for advice (I share a lot of email formulas and questions to ask when seeking out professional mentors in the third section of my book). 

Jacquee is also the Chairman on the Board for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Central Florida, which is an incredible organization that provides mentors to young children. While it's vital to seek out professional mentors for yourself, it's never too early to "be that mentor for someone else."

First generation community college grad starts YoungFemaleEntrepreneurs.com

As you may already know, I recently became a solo-preneur (full time writer, speaker, and consultant). 

And on that journey I immediately looked online for a community to help me navigate this new office-less and coworker-less world as a young woman especially. 

With the help of Google, I immediately found www.YoungFemaleEntrepreneurs.com. They had a Facebook book club, a Twitter chat, and a TV show!

I was amazed that exactly what I was looking for existed! And it's founder, Jenn Donogh is a community college graduate.

So, naturally, I just had to interview her :)

Jenn graduated high school in 2003 and was the first in her family to go to college. Her parents did not push her at all, but she felt this overarching pressure towards college. She took all of the necessary prep tests and applied to the University of California, Santa Barbara.  

But one day, she just started crying in her room; she was so stressed. Her mom walked in and said: "Do you really want to do this or do you feel like you have to?" It was in that moment Jenn realized she really didn't want to move away and attend a large college. So instead, she enrolled at Bellvue Community College (now called Bellvue College) and won enough scholarships to cover her first two years completely. 

While in community college Jenn joined the Model UN club and fell in love with studying political science. “I just studied what I was interested in.” And that worked really well for Jenn. She loved her classes at BCC, and eventually transferred to earn her BA in Political Science at the University of Washington.

"My transfer experience was effortless. BCC really did a great job of preparing me for everything." 

Jenn finished college a year early and spent some time exploring: "I really liked politics, but had no idea what I wanted to do with politics."

"Isn’t that the hardest question? Actually figuring out what you want to do with your life?"

Jenn got married when she was a junior in college, and after returning from a honeymoon backpacking trip across Europe, she decided to become the Director of Operations for Ovaleye Cloud Services, her parents' web hosting business. The idea had come to her randomly on a paddleboat in Prague, and when her parents casually approached her with the offer, she knew it was what she wanted to do. 

So what about Jenn's political science major? Is your major a "waste" if you don't get a job using your major exactly? Absolutely not. 

"Studying political science gave me an informed worldview, and what I really studied was the idea of bringing people together and working together to create something for the greater whole."

"My major has benefitted me in building a business and building YFE. The college experience teaches you how to sit at a table and talk, debate, and speak intelligently with people. It builds confidence and teaches you how to work with people, something vital in business." 

"I love being able to help create change. It sounds kind of silly, but I really feel like if I were to have gone off into the political route I don’t feel like I would have been able to help as many people as I am now. I have found I love helping people get a website off the ground that helps them create their business fulfill their passions."

Indeed, choosing your major is often separate from choosing your job. Because how would you know you loved helping people build their business websites if you've never tried it before? 

Jenn was so grateful for the opportunity she was given with her parents' business, and started YoungFemaleEnrepreneurs.com as a way to give back, a "passion project." 

Using your free time to develop a side project like this is no easy feat; in addition to her full time job Jenn is also a wife and mother. Jenn is a great example that "I'm too busy" or "I would if I could" or "Maybe one day" are just excuses. It can always be done today if you really want it. 

Jenn's parents were mentors to her, and it is her hope that YFE can provide that same mentorship to other women, free of charge. Jenn doesn't make any money from YFE - it is truly her way of giving back and building community. And I believe she is building online community in one of the most unique ways I've ever seen (i.e. book club, twitter chat, and TV show).  

Jenn's advice for college students? "Take time to figure out what you’re good at and what you’re interested in, and match your interests and strengths when looking for that first job; understand what you’re good at, what you’re passionate about, and what you want out of life. Spend time on yourself, learning about yourself. And with every experience, build confidence."

You can check out Jenn's blog and follow her on Twitter.