We had the good fortune of connecting with Dominique Viard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dominique, do you have a budget? how do you think about personal finances?

Yes, budgeting has become a major part of my lifestyle that has allowed me to invest in my career and pay my bills. I decided a while ago that the “starving artist” lifestyle is not for me.


I took control of my finances by taking budgeting courses by the Budgetnista, Tiffany Aliche, and taking steps to increase my income and cut back unnecessary expenses.
I started applying the wealth philosophy into my life and part of that is understanding that your living expenses (rent/bills) should fall under 25% of your income and that 15% of your income goes into reinvesting in your business (for me that’s my voiceover business). Now, with the economy continuously changing, budgeting can get hard but I always tell people  start with saving 10% of what you earn and putting that into practice to build discipline with your finances.

Once I started managing my funds and readjusting my life to live below my means and make more income, I was able to more intentionally and consistently study my craft and buy the equipment I needed to further my career.
My spending decisions are based on the amount of money I allocate to certain areas of my life, for example if I have a “eating out” fund for the month, once I exhaust those funds, I am no longer eating out for the month.
I have learned it all comes down to knowledge, discipline, and application.
It wasn’t always easy though, there may be a period where you can’t save because you first have to increase your income or catch up on bills or pay off debt and that’s okay. It took me six months to catch up on bills and find a higher paying job.
Stick to your financial plan and continue to invest time into your education so that when the income does increase you can apply what you learned.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Voiceover is a career path I choose, because I truly love the craft. The peace and joy I feel when I get behind the microphone is such an amazing experience.
I currently train in commercial and animation voiceover at Atlanta Voiceover Studio.
I believe what sets me apart is my resilience and my desire to serve others. I have always found a way to learn more and serve first. I do not mind going through the process and doing the work because I know it will pay off.

I’m excited for the, “right now.” Every audition or booking I’m experiencing now is because of the work I put in over the past 2-3 years. It all started with 60 cold connections and messages on LinkedIn to film industry contacts, and I got three seperate responses from Atlanta Voiceover Studio. They decided to take a chance on me and allow me to be an intern. Since then, I have found ways to budget and take classes or barter my skills in exchange for knowledge.
I wouldn’t say it’s easy, but I believe God has connected me to this industry to operate in my purpose. Sometimes that’s saying no to jobs, even if they pay well, because they don’t align with me and my beliefs.
I want the world to know that you are qualified. If you believe that God put you in a certain space, you are qualified to be there.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

My favorite spots in the city are wherever there is good food and a nice dance floor. I love trying new restaurants.
I believe what I would do is take my best friend to some of my staples like Bonefish Grill, Bulla Gastrobar, Playa Bowls, Ton Ton Ramen & Yakitori, Five Daughters Bakery, Papi’s Cuban Grill, and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream.
So a nice mix of sweet and savory places to visit.
And of course, we will go dancing! A great spot is Tongue and Groove, I love that they have Salsa and Bachata classes before the night begins.
Lastly, we may fit in a workout by climbing Stone Mountain, walking the BeltLine, or going horseback riding at Shady Acres HorseFarm.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have so many people that have contributed to my success that I would love to show gratitude towards. Today, I will focus on shouting out the co-owners of Atlanta Voiceover Studio, Mike Stoudt and Heidi Rew.

Mike and Heidi took a chance on me by giving me my first internship while I was in college and they have never stopped investing in me since. Their belief and certainty in my future with voiceover has shifted my thinking from when I first started with them about three years ago.

They showed me what it felt like to be kindly and graciously taken under someone’s wing in the industry and it was such a warm and patient experience.
The beauty in this experience is that Mike and Heidi are truly some of the most generous, compassionate people I know. Even though they are full time VO artists, they still make time to pour into the studio and help put others in position to grow in voiceover by creating courses and providing resources for their students to excel.

I will always be grateful to Mike and Heidi and be a walking billboard for Atlanta Voiceover Studio!

Website: https://www.voicedbydom.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/voicedbydom/?hl=en

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/dominiqueviardvo

Other: Email: dominiqueviardvo@gmail.com

Image Credits
CalvinMauriceMedia

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