Who do YOU talk to when you need help?

Hi! I’m Michelle, the Member Happiness Director at ARG. I’m also….

An almost-certified yogi,

A DIY enthusiast/power tool newbie,

and a working actor.

Let’s talk about support. From my wrists when I throw all my body weight on them. From the home improvement store employees while I frantically ask about power saws. From our amazing artist community throughout our wild acting journeys.

I work to make sure everyone in our Acting Resource Guru community and The Table family are happy, heard, and helped. I feel such RELIEF when I’m supported, and try to make sure our actors feel the same way.

In fact, I think proper support is one of the most invaluable things an actor can have in their arsenal, and also one of the things we most often overlook. So let’s talk about ways actors can find support and THRIVE.

Accountability buddies: This is a STAPLE of our online community, The Table. The idea is simple: find someone, ideally a fellow actor, with your same approach to work and set a regular time to meet and discuss each others’ goals, with optional little check-ins along the way. When you meet, you can either celebrate wins or have a like-minded and supportive individual to help troubleshoot roadblocks.

It is such a game changer to have a person like this in your corner, and it is empowering to BE that person for someone else!

Coaches: I don’t know everything. No one does! The sooner we accept that, the sooner we can accept help and move forward faster. I’ve seen firsthand through The Table how having coaches in your corner to give you perspective and help you through curveballs makes actors feel more confident and assured. The less time we spend making our heads spin over questions, the more time we can spend on our art. It’s that simple. Whether your coach is for marketing (like The Table), acting technique, health, fitness, or mindset, don’t underestimate the power of investing.

PRO TIP: Is a coach out of your budget? Consider swapping skills if you’re good at something they need! i.e. cooking, clerical work, yoga, etc… you can get creative and ask.

When we stay open to learning and connecting both within and beyond our acting community, it’s incredible what can happen. Here are a few fun anecdotes of career support I’ve found through my communities:

• After countless “good morning” chats on my way into the office, the desk guard at my old day job found out I was an actor and got me a great meeting with his talent manager friend. Sometimes support comes from the most unexpected, non-actory places! Full lives -> full actors.
• Once, I booked a straight-offer role and, though the scenes seemed fairly uncomplicated, I decided to book a quick coaching session anyway. On set, the director complimented my “nice find” on a line – a delivery choice I’d only found thanks to that quick last-minute coaching.
• A while ago, my actor buddy generously referred me to her agent, whom I ended up signing with. Later, I offered her a push with her manager search. Now, we’re both fully repped, constantly comparing industry notes, and currently helping each other prep and celebrate the TV roles we both booked this month 🙂
  For me, cultivating a vibrant community only enriches any individual successes, and encourages me to grow even more. I hope this empowers you to strengthen your circle as well!

Thank you for reading, and I invite you to comment below and let me know how you find support as an actor – the more creative the better!

May you court a fort of support,

Michelle