Acting for a Living Podcast
Career strategies for actors who want to make a sustainable living
Overview
Acting for a Living Podcast is dedicated to helping actors build financially sustainable careers in the entertainment industry. It covers topics like budgeting, marketing yourself, diversifying income streams, and building a long-term brand.
The show features interviews with actors, agents, managers, and industry professionals who share concrete strategies for career growth. Episodes are concise and actionable, focusing on steps listeners can implement immediately.
How It Works
Perfect for actors who recognize that talent alone is not enough and want to treat their careers like a business. The financial and marketing advice fills a gap that most acting education ignores.
Free on all podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
Who Uses It
Recommended for actors who want to approach their careers with a business mindset. The practical financial guidance is especially helpful for actors navigating the feast-or-famine income cycle. The podcast recognizes that most acting training programs focus almost exclusively on craft while ignoring the business skills that determine whether talented actors can actually sustain their careers financially. Acting for a Living fills this gap with content that treats the acting career as a business that requires marketing, financial planning, strategic decision-making, and brand development — not just artistic talent. For actors who have been told to focus only on the art and trust that the business will take care of itself, this podcast provides a healthy corrective that acknowledges the reality that even the most talented actors need business skills to survive and thrive in the industry.
Pricing & Plans
Acting for a Living Podcast is completely free on all major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. There is no premium tier, subscription requirement, or paywall for any content. The show's hosts may occasionally reference their own coaching or consulting services, but the podcast itself provides substantial value without requiring any paid engagement. The episodes are typically concise and focused, making them easy to fit into busy schedules, and the actionable format means listeners can implement advice immediately rather than needing to consume large volumes of content before seeing practical application. For actors on limited budgets who need business and financial guidance, the podcast provides free access to knowledge that might otherwise require hiring a business coach or financial advisor.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
The podcast's greatest strength is its unique focus on the intersection of acting and business, treating your career as an enterprise that requires the same strategic thinking, financial discipline, and marketing savvy as any small business. Episodes on budgeting for irregular income provide specific systems for managing the feast-or-famine financial cycle that defines most acting careers, including strategies for tax withholding, emergency fund building, and retirement planning that are tailored to the performing arts profession. The show's marketing-focused episodes help actors think strategically about their personal brand, online presence, and professional positioning in ways that complement rather than replace their artistic identity. Guest interviews with agents, managers, and industry professionals who discuss what makes actors easy to work with from a business perspective provide valuable insight into how professionalism and business competence affect your career trajectory.
What Could Be Better
The podcast's business-centric approach means it provides minimal coverage of acting craft, technique, and artistic development — actors need to supplement it with shows and training that address the creative side of the profession. The show's advice, while generally sound, sometimes leans heavily into marketing and branding terminology that can feel forced when applied to an artistic profession, potentially creating tension between authentic artistic expression and strategic self-promotion. Some episodes can feel generic, offering business advice that applies to any freelancer rather than specific guidance tailored to the unique challenges of the acting profession. The podcast's production values are modest, and the show's distribution and visibility are limited compared to more established acting podcasts. The financial advice, while practical, does not replace consultation with a tax professional or financial advisor who specializes in entertainment industry income.
Our Recommendation
Actors who recognize that business skills are essential to sustaining a creative career should subscribe to Acting for a Living for its focused, practical approach to the financial and marketing dimensions of the acting profession. The show is particularly valuable for actors who are talented performers but struggle with the business side — marketing themselves effectively, managing money during slow periods, and making strategic career decisions based on data rather than emotion. Pair this podcast with craft-focused shows to maintain balanced development of both your artistic and business capabilities. If you already have strong financial literacy and marketing skills from a previous career or education, some episodes may feel introductory, and you may benefit more from podcasts focused on industry-specific strategy.
Pro Tips
Implement the podcast's financial advice by setting up a dedicated business account for your acting income, establishing a regular savings habit for taxes and emergencies, and creating a monthly budget that accounts for the irregular nature of performing income — these foundational financial practices provide the stability that allows you to make career decisions from a position of strength rather than desperation. Apply the show's marketing concepts to your professional materials — headshots, resume, website, social media — evaluating whether your current presentation strategically positions you for the types of roles you want to book. Track your income, expenses, and bookings as the podcast recommends, creating a data-driven picture of your career progress that helps you identify patterns and make informed decisions about where to invest your time and resources. When the podcast discusses building multiple income streams, honestly evaluate which additional revenue sources — teaching, coaching, voiceover, commercial work, content creation — align with your skills and career goals while providing financial stability. Remember that the ultimate goal of developing business skills is not to become a business person who acts, but to become an actor whose business competence supports and sustains a long creative career.