#197 From Open Mic Dabbler To Booked and Paid Pro

#197 From Open Mic Dabbler To Booked and Paid Pro

From Inside The Audition by Joey Freddy Larsen

November 22, 2025 · 57 min · Season 5 · Episode 197

About this episode

Joey Freddy Larsen shares insights on transitioning from unpaid performances to a paid career in comedy and performing arts.

Ep 197 – From Open Mic Dabbler To Paid Pro What if you could turn your late night open mics and bar shows into a real career on stage and on screen, without going broke, burning out, or killing the joy that made you start in the first place? In this solo episode of Inside the Audition , I answer 6 raw, honest questions from one of my clients who wants to go full time in comedy. I walk through what I actually did, what I would do differently now, and how you can use the same principles whether you are a comedian, actor, or any performer who wants to get paid for what you love. If you feel stuck between "I love this" and "how do I make money from this," this one is for you. In this episode, I share: How I went from unpaid open mics to higher paying gigs The real steps that moved me from "I will perform for beer and wings" to corporates, keynotes, and paid shows, plus the stuff I would skip if I was starting again today. Craft vs cash, and why they are not the same game How to think about getting really good at what you do, and separately, how to think about making money from it, so you stop confusing the two and beating yourself up. How to handle the money roller coaster without…

Topics covered

  • comedy
  • performing arts
  • career development

Keywords

  • open mic
  • paid gigs
  • career in comedy
  • performer

Mentioned in this episode

Places: States, US

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