Mary Catherine Jones – 58
Owner and Executive Producer at The Audiobook Experience at Voice Over Vermont
About me
Mary Catherine Jones is the Owner and Executive Producer at The Audiobook Experience at Voice Over Vermont, an award winning boutique audiobook recording and production studio. She delights in working with authors to bring their stories into the world, either using their voices or finding the perfect narrator for their audiobook.
What do you do and why do you do it?
All my life I have been drawn to and guided by story. It is how we learn to broaden our horizons and increase our understanding beyond the small footprint that we physically inhabit. When I can help authors reach those broader audiences by creating the spoken word versions of their stories, I am simultaneously increasing my knowledge as I share theirs with the world.
What changed for you after age 50?
After my children were pretty much grown and flown, I wanted to find a new outlet for my creativity and entrepreneurship. It was a long launch, but I feel like I’ve hit my stride!
What would you tell the 20 or 30-year-old YOU?
Chill out – you’ll be fine.
What do you think you’ll tell yourself in retrospect at the end of your life?
Ha ha – probably the same as above (I still stress myself out!)
What impact do you think increased visibility can have on your business?
More awareness of my business means more authors I can work with which equals more joy!
Who or what inspires you and why?
My mom is never far from my mind as I work on building my business. She was a divorced mother of 4 in the 70s and a serial entrepreneur. I saw her build businesses, and I watched her as they failed (she had a little office supply company that was doing well until… Staples came along!). In her final years she had a go at real estate – and that had really started to work for her. Then, she died suddenly at the age of 62. I think of the tremendous pressure she was under and how she literally never gave up. In my industry (as in many), the threat of AI looms larger each year – but I know that evolving and changing is ever the name of the game (thanks to my mom). As I get closer to the age she was at her death, I feel like I carry her with me and that she is celebrating my successes and telling me not to sweat the small stuff!
