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10 ways to get your act together Jo Kelly Coaches People To Be Great Actors - Online

May 4, 2024

Jo Kelly isn't your average acting teacher.

Actually, she doesn't use the word "teacher" in any way "I am not teaching people how to act" she says. "I help people not act."

Through experiential exercises, Jo coaches mainly actors and artists of all kinds, as well as non-artist "seekers" about how they can achieve inner freedom and to become the most authentic versions of themselves. In this way, actors will stop acting and become being. "I prefer to think of myself as an acupuncturist more than a coach, because I assist people in coming back to their authentic self, and become reborn," she explains.

She believes that the success of an actor lies in their satisfaction and the ability in committing themselves fully to the character they play. "When your character is protected in full, the story and the public is affected," she explains.

With her distinctive style of teaching performers she helps them to tap in to their childhood imagination, fascination and fun. What does this mean? They provide authentic, lively and authentic performances.

In 2016, Jo transitioned from in-person coaching to develop an online-based business through . Since that time, she's created three consecutive experiences and served over 8,000 people. Their students have experienced incredible success since working with Jo and they have been able to land roles in some of the biggest studios in the game like Netflix, HBO, Disney, Showtime, ABC Studios and many others.

Here's how she built an online enterprise in the field she's passionate about:

Skip ahead:

She conducted her own research

Jo took a different route to becoming an actor.

Born in Belgium, she got her MBA and then specialized in human resource management and the psychology of systems. In the following years, she was involved in corporate coaching. "The workplace never seemed like my cup of tea," she shares. "I chose to quit everything and move to Paris, and start over ."

One of the reasons she decided to start over was to try her hand at acting. She fell in over. She was dedicated, diligent, and put all of her money and time in learning to become the very best actress she could be.

Despite her commitment to her craft She says that she was an excellent actress but not a great actor. As with many actors, she had stage fright. "Most of my actors were suffering from similar issues," she says. "We had all been very passionate, however when it was our turn to perform, we were afraid ."

She was interested in the factors that prevented her, and other actors from becoming great actors. "My interest turned into an obsession," the actress says. "I would like to understand the reason actors who are committed and devoted shrink when it's time to act ."

For the next several years, she researched why so many actors felt restricted. Her study led to the conclusion that when kids play, they're free. Whereas when adults play the same way, they've been deprived of their independence due to societal conditioning. "When I discovered that I spent the rest of my life helping actors overcome their stereotypes so that they could show up and be themselves and have that youthful energy they had previously," explains Jo.

She began as a coach

Jo's experience-based research prompted her to investigate various techniques for somatic healing that she later tried with other clients through private and group coaching sessions in the beginning of 2000. After a few years the business was named To Be Or Not To Act.

Soon, she realized that those she coached were lacking responsibility. "No matter how devoted those I worked with were, they weren't able to show up everyday. Although we would meet three times a week but there was no accountability in-between sessions. It was common for people to drop the ball without a problem if they were not with me," Jo says. Jo.

The idea was that online classes would help people to remain consistent in the way they practice. She refers to her online classes to be "journeys," and the one she first guides students on includes The Reset: From Resistance to Freedom, which she created in 2014. "I created The Reset so that I could hold people's hands through a 33-day journey," she explains.
 "Since the site is online, users can access it in their own way and manage their own schedule."

It's Jo's belief that we have a natural nature, but societal conditioning asks us to act as we think, feel, and act a certain way. According to her, the goal of The Reset is for people to move through daily somatic exercises to help them get rid of the conditioned and return to their instinctual nature. Every day during The Reset, Jo offers recordings of exercises. Additionally, she offers two Q&A sessions as well as two hours of working in groups via pods and a second semi-Q&A in which Jo answers frequently asked questions on a private Facebook group.

Being able to adjust the timing of the online experience lets Jo's participants take the sessions at any point at any time, whether they get up, prior to when they go to bed and whenever they find spare time throughout the day. "The greatest thing is that they can make them fit into their lives," she explains.

She created an online company which allowed her to live a more flexible life style

When Jo first launched her own online Reset adventure, she was running every day a session available on her website. A couple of years later, she switched to after being recommended to Reset through her trainer. "You guys know exactly what you're doing and I don't," she says with a smile.

After moving into the coaching online space Jo's lifestyle has changed. In the moment of the interview, she was calling from the hospital, where she was with her daughter. "Eight years ago my daughter was born with a genetic spectra this means she requires hospital treatment every month," she explains.

" enables me to be mother and be in charge of my family while also keeping a business running--even while I'm in the hospital as my daughter receives her monthly transfusions," she adds. "Working online lets me care for my child in the way I would like to, and also be at in her home all the time for her. I can be able to travel in the event of hospitalization, and yet have a career I'm passionate about without it being stressful ."

Her subsequent travels were her own creations.

Once people complete The Reset, they have the option to go into the three-month course known as The Aimful Actor. The Purposeful Actor journey is a 3-hour class for 12 weeks. "The students in this class are more on their own when it comes to responsibility and proving themselves. They still have some practices to do everyday and they shouldn't be relying on me to accomplish it; they have to find their own motivation, which is what the purpose." Jo shares.

Jo also offers Q&A sessions during the Purposeful Actor Journey and every three weeks. Once people have completed that Purpose journey and are ready, they can opt to enroll in a membership named BAMF Actors In Action, that stands for Bad-Ass Mother F***king Actors In Action. "I started this program because individuals who completed both of the journeys would like to continue practicing on this pathway," she says.

The membership program has been operating for four years, and it offers a content-based monthly session as well as group activities through weekly pods, a weekly Q&A with Jo as well as a 6-hour summit every three months. "The membership allows people to determine what they'll do to go out into the world, accomplish what they're supposed to do, get connected with industry professionals, write their own content and improve their game," she explains.

She coached performers of all types

According to Jo she believes that the majority of her clients in her journeys are actors. But there are other types of artists, including dancers, writers storytellers, and singers, as well regular people who "want to move through their physical limitations," such as mothers and professional athletes like pro-athletes, TV hosts, and therapy professionals. "Freedom is a concern to anyone who wants to be fully expressed," she says.

As the trips are provided in English, they attract people from all over the world. "We get people from every continent, however the majority of people are from America, Europe, and Australia," she shares.

Most of her audience is in the 20-50 age bracket. She also has some people who are in the third phase of their lives, and it's not uncommon for her to welcome those in their 70s and 80s into her journeys.

The client let her do all the talking

In terms of marketing her journeys, Jo says the word is spread through the word of mouth.

The homepage on her site, she's included an online testimonial reel. This provides proof of social status and increases the credibility of the work she does. Additionally, visitors to the website can sign up for her newsletter via her site. In order to collect email addresses, she provides two workshops for free to attract leads: Stop Trying To Be A Great Actor To Give You A Chance At Being Great and The Instinctive Actor. In addition to helping aid in collecting her readers' information, but they also provide individuals a chance to experience coaching style.

Also, she posts to her Instagram page, which has more than 10,500 followers--and gets external press by being interviewed on people's blogs, podcasts, and in magazines.

She picked a value-for-money price

Jo is determined to keep her trips cost-effective for everyone, as actors typically earn a fluctuating salary. "If you attended an acting class once per week, it would cost you between $300 to $400. Mostly, you sit watching other actors perform scene and occasionally, you get a turn," she says.

"These online journeys are a much cheaper alternative," continues Jo. "The benefits of our travels are 10x what we sell to customers. ."

The Reset is priced below $1,000 USD. Purposeful Actor cost $1250 USD, and the membership is $270 USD a month.

She stayed in her zone of the greatest genius

Even though she is the chief executive officer at To Be Or Not To Act, Jo is firm in wanting to only spend more time with her inner excellence, which is coaching and making content. Jo doesn't think she's tech-savvy and prefers to remain "in the flow" doing what she does best. "The rest of the tasks that run a business, aren't my forte because it's not my area of genius," she explains.

Jo says her success is due by hiring a coach from early on. As she was ready to create evergreen journeys, she took a risk and bought a $20K course to learn how to do so. "It was a big stretch which meant I had to take on a loan of half the funds. However, I'm happy that I was able to do it," she shares.

She believes that it's possible that anyone can create a successful online course business. But she cautions that this isn't an easy task.

"It requires dedication and perseverance It's also important to be really passionate about what you're working on. In my case, this is all I've ever done since changing jobs in my 20s, and it's all I'll ever accomplish. The passion for it is the reason that, when I'm faced with a challenge, I stick with it ."

Her creation was born from her heart.

She suggests online creators be honest about the difficult work they'll have to invest in building a successful online business--and recommends that they do so only when the subject they're teaching is one that's close to their hearts.

"The risk now is when you go on social media, everybody is a coach and everyone will tell you how easy it is to make millions of dollars in just a couple of minutes but that's not the case," says Jo. "It is true that if something is that is dear to you, you can reach people who are bigger than your neighborhood. But it takes legwork, and that includes falling down and then getting up. The process involves coaching and investing your time and cash until the structure is built ."

Just like Jo When you create your business with passion this will give you the determination to keep going despite the tough times.

"An online company isn't merely the opportunity to work for profits. It has to be built out of your soul, from what you're meant to be doing. Otherwise you will drop the ball as it'll appear too heavy." she shares.

"If you're really serious and you're determined, you'll have the confidence to tackle the challenges. If you're in the market for a quick money grab, you won't be able to take them on. I suggest you apply what is very dear to you. It is essential to perform at the highest level in what you do because there's a high level of competition. You must be able to trust the work you do ."

Her integrity was maintained with her work

If asked about the trending in online courses that we could be seeing in 2024 Jo believes that there will continue to be an excess of online programs. She believes that the major differentiator between the "McDonald's" courses as well as the "gourmet" courses will be the ones that have been designed by a professional with integrity.

"When there's an abundance of stuff, there'll be two types of online work. There'll be McDonald's kind of courses. Then there'll be reliable, gourmet courses. Everybody will have plans to achieve this or that with your life that won't come out of a genuine source There will be those who have been going at this for years," she says.

To create an exquisite gourmet dining experience, her recommendation is to return to your heart.

"There is an incredible opportunity to anyone with a firm foot in their heart wanting to give back," she continues. "The individuals who need the services you can provide will be able to find you ."

"I'm happy that it allows us to bond as human beings in the things that matter to us. It's incredible."