I meet a lot of actors who spend a ton of time researching. They scour the interwebs to find out the who’s who and the what’s what of all things entertainment. But really, how well informed do you need to be? And when does research take away from doing your actions and reaching your goals?

I bet that when you decided to become an actor, it wasn’t because you thought you could add more of the same old thing to the acting world. It was because you wanted to share your unique gifts and viewpoints with an audience just waiting for you to shine, right? No one looks exactly the same. If we did, the world would be a pretty creepy place. The great thing about you is that YOU are unique. You have special talents that only you can bring to the table that have nothing to do with the color of your hair or the size of your favorite pair of jeans. The trick is allowing your outer self to embrace your inner self along with all the distinct and remarkable things you have to offer.

With the merger of the SAG + AFTRA in 2012, there are now more than 150,000 actors represented by the mega-union. In addition, there are more than 49,000 stage actors and stage managers in the Actor’s Equity Association. Not counted in these totals are performers in Las Vegas showrooms, comedy clubs, dance reviews and theme parks, who are members of the American Guild of Variety Artists, and the countless non-union performers. Suffice to say, there is extraordinary competition out there for anyone in the performing arts, but there are jobs to be found – and some of them are lucrative. The vast majority of these jobs will contribute to an actor’s modest living. A small sliver of them will offer exposure critical in leap-frogging an actor’s career forward to much better, larger opportunities. In truth, an actor is always one job away from gaining significant career momentum.

I strongly encourage actors to be public with their goals, so here I go walking the talk… My goal is to transform the shape of the entertainment industry. Sound big? It is, and it’s just the kind of thinking I want my students to embrace. Watch the video to hear my vision for how more empowered actors could lead to a more vibrant and innovative industry. What’s your long term vision? Tell me in the comments.

Curious about what goes in on my programs? Or why group coaching can be so effective? In this video I’ll give you a quick outline of my signature programs: The Actor’s Business Blueprint, The Actor’s Business Breakthrough, and The Thriving Artist Circle. I’m so proud of these programs because they’re designed to transform an actor’s business, and I’ve purposefully created different options so that actors on any budget can work with me to move their career forward.

There are some industry experts who disapprove of some of the things that I teach. That’s ok with me; it just means that I’m rocking the boat a bit by challenging conventional wisdom. My students find that conventional wisdom only gets them so far, and that’s why I stay on the cutting edge of the industry. What do you think: play it safe or stay on the cutting edge? Watch the video to get my take.

I am fortunate to work with well-trained actors. Sadly, even the best training programs often neglect to arm actors with the nuts and bolts required to accelerate their careers. So I fill in the gaps. To get the success they desire, actors need education, support, inspiration, and effective tools for the business side of the industry. What do you wish you had known about the biz early in your career?

I wrote my book, The Tao of Show Business, so actors could narrow the gap between their art and the business of their art. The Tao is all about enjoying your life as you grow your career. Why not revel in the the process just as much as you revel in the paydays? What’s one thing you could do to bring more Tao to your career?

Artists, and actors especially, are able to excel at their craft because their impulses and gut feelings are close to the surface and accessible. It’s my work to help actors bring the strength of that intuition to their business. Watch the video to find out why my students get the credit for their career victories, not my formulas or strategies for success. What’s one concrete change you can make that will put you more in charge of your own career?

Just a quick bite of what you can expect when we work together. Warning: I don’t hold back! You get it all…but you get it in actionable doses so you can keep moving forward. I bring support and tangible steps for your career so you can achieve more than you ever thought was possible.