Career ACTivate

I have been very lucky to have found Jona’s course when I did. It has saved me from making time-​consuming mistakes that many actors make at the beginning of their careers and feel that it has really allowed me to hit the ground running. Brian is a great coach and he is great at recognizing each actor’s individual circumstances and tailoring his coaching for different needs.
The amazing people I have met through the group have been a great support throughout my time in the program. Honestly, the value of the program depends on how much you are willing to commit and put in the hard work. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. I am starting to see the great results from what I learnt from the program and look forward to great things ahead. Thanks Jona!

My career is YEARS ahead of where it would be because of Career ACTivate! If you are serious about making a long lasting career as an actor, Career Activate is more than worth it!
First of all, I’d like to say that I have worked in commercial casting & have worked for theatrical producers in NYC. I am not some «young» uninformed actor and I have still learned SO MUCH about the business and how to get ahead.
Within 3 months of working with my coach (who is not Jona, but he is AMAZING & so is she!), I signed with a great commercial agent and within 3 more months I was offered representation by 3 different management companies and got to choose who I wanted to sign with! I also know my brand, have an awesome website, have great commercial & theatrical headshots, a strong reel that I’m proud of, have created real relationships with TOP casting directors and producers, and have an amazing group of supportive actor friends.
The year long program teaches you everything you need to know! They teach how to network (and you lose the icky feeling that word usually brings up), how to pitch yourself for roles, how to get an agent/​manager, how to up-​level if you already have reps, how to build your relationship w/​your current reps & casting offices, how to brand and market yourself, about social media and how to use it to your advantage, and so much more. They also teach you TONS of insider tips/​tactics and also ways to use technology to support you — info that my non-​acting corporate world friends have been blown away by!
They personally work with you to determine what your goals are, what you need assistance with and what will work best for you! You meet with your coach in person and via phone. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in a situation where I needed to talk something out with my coach and they’ve made themselves available that day to problem solve. It’s great because your coach is so in the know about the biz that they can give you insight as to things like what agents they think you would personally click with, what casting directors often call people in from workshops, local hire, SAG rules, what classes look best on a resume in your city, etc.
I have also made AMAZING FRIENDS from being a part of Career ACTivate. There is a network of people that support you and whom you can count on. If you need a last min audition reader or whatever — it’s a community of giving actors that you can rely on.
The information I’ve received and the relationships I’ve cultivated is truly priceless to me.

If I could I would no star but 1 star will have to do, I completely agree with Lindsay A. review and assessment of Jona Xiao. Lindsay, however, was smart and could see through the BS at the free seminar I on the other hand payed $ 397 to attend the day long «marketing» seminar at which point it came to my realization Career Activate is a complete and utter SCAM! Funny how she opens her seminars about being scammed as a child and now she is doing the exact same thing!
Here is how the scam works:
Yes she does offer a few great tools to help you in the industry, yes she does provide you with lunch but that is her rapport building tool to get you to trust her. Then she slams you with her ongoing training network, they come in three packages starting at $ 7000-​$ 10,000! What she offers is a personal career councilor (one of her struggling actors that too don’t have a clue how to become a successful working actor) whom will have telephone conversations with you to guide you in your acting career and help with writing emails to industry folk.
But wait there is more! She will tell you «this isn’t right for everyone» and I got the sense that she targets people to join her ‘network’ that can only help advance her career. So not only am I paying her an absurd amount of money but she would like to take advantage of a skill I might have and not pay me for it! Delirious!
More over she will tell you her Private Acting Coach as she puts it «let’s call him Paul» she pays him $ 3000/​month for coaching to make you believe her year long network is worth the amount! Stop lying to people Jona I have the same private coach as you real name: Chris G. charges only $ 70−80/hr so are you trying to tell me you see him more than once a day?
Notice how all her 5 star reviews were back in 2013… People like myself and Lindsay will continue to speak out. FYI I have changed my name to protect myself, hoping anyone who is serious about their career will read this first and then find out for yourself if you don’t believe!

If you’re serious about working as an actor, do check out Career Activate.
Unlike engineering, med school or other professions, in acting it’s sometimes hard to find the
«right way to do it» and succeed professionally.
Jona has been doing this for many years and what she teaches through her programs is extremely helpful.
I’ve been engaged in the Elite Program and have been having awesome results. Got representation (both manager and agent), lots of auditions and a better understanding of the business, thanks to the great and consistent feedback provided by the program coaches.

I’ve known Jona for several years. I think the reviews speak for themselves. Jona is honest, she works extremely hard for her customers and everyone I speak to about her program goes bananas raving about her. I’ve had a few 1 on 1 conversations (phone and in person) with Jona and I can hear the passion in her voice when she’s talking about helping actors. I can speak from first hand experience. She’s a rarity in this industry and any actor that invests the time in her program will surely see amazing results.

Took Jona’s Career ACTivate Weekend Bootcamp class and did a follow up 1 on 1 consultation. Jona is a ninja. She is very knowledgeable, quick, insightful, and able to come up with unique strategies for an actor based on their goals and skill sets. You want Career ACTivate on your side.

Jona was simply remarkable! Honestly, this is not just a simple review because Jona probably might have impacted my life overall.
What’s so great about her is that she communicates so well, and she’s always really personable that when I first met her, she was able to build a connection straight from the get-​go. After hearing through her networking session and how to connect with other professionals and individuals, I started to test out some of the advice she gave, and boy did it work wonders.
As a business student, I’ve been surrounded with networking tactics within my business school and I’ve been surrounding myself in networking events for more than 2 years, yet when I first applied Jona’s techniques, I found myself connecting with high-​profile professionals at ease and even getting an invitation for a job offer! Boy was I surprised!
So it’s not the obvious techniques that you hear about or able to just simply search through the Internet for. They’re hard-​skills that really puts you above and beyond to build a connection with strangers from the beginning and I couldn’t thank Jona more for that.
Her great sense of humor and positive attitude are really bonuses that comes above that. She’s so friendly and exudes positive energy that it’s so hard not to smile when speaking with her.
Trust me. She’s great. Any hesitation, any doubts, just try it out!

I think Jona Xiao is an ambitious woman, but I would like to warn new actors about spending money on «marketing» services. I recently took her free seminar and was not impressed by the high pressure sales tactics or so called «2000 value» of her services.
I’m really tired of services like these claiming to help actors when all they are really doing is repackaging recycled information. Go to a bookstore and check out Self Management for Actors. That will give you everything you need for $ 30.

I’m so glad I found Career ACTivate! I highly recommend doing a private if you can’t make it to one of the workshops or webinars. If you are like me and always on a budget worrying about you the best way to spend your money; it is to invest in yourself always. You can’t go wrong with Jona and Brian they really know what they are talking about because they’ve done it; and they are still doing it. Most importantly they have also been where you are today; wondering if this a scam or not.(about other programs). Trust me it is not!
If that doesn’t get you to try it out, they are really really nice!

Just did Jona’s Bootcamp and man oh man was it good for me!
There are so many «duh» moments that came from this workshop– just little tweaks here and there, that once Jona explained them, made me realize how easy they were for my to implement and was shocked I’d never thought to do it.
From figuring out your type to acting as your own CEO, Career ACTivate knows the ins and out of the business, and gets you to understand jut how business oriented you need to be!
Is it expensive? Yes. Absolutely. But it’s an investment in you, and a worthwhile one.
So next time you hear about one of these workshops– DO NOT make an excuse. Just go.

I am currently taking Jona’s Career ACTivate’s Networking Program and my mind feels like it has been opened to so many new and awesome possibilities. This information is not just so useful for your Acting career but in life! NO JOKE!
I feel like she really helps you get in the best frame of mind to be brave, creative and a good person!
PS– using her techniques I just signed with a great VO Agent.
Life’s too short, what are you waiting for?

Dude, if it’s one person that can keep me out of trouble, it’s Xiao (I call her by her last name). She’s pretty awesome. With one of her workshops she managed to activate some of my goals and energize me more than all the coffee in Columbia ever could. Now I’m spending my energy into creative endeavors, rather than destructive ones.
I highly recommend taking any of her foundation workshops. She’ll set your life on the right track. She’s the real deal. I’m recommending her to all my actor friends. She’s one of the rare few that has perfect ratings on Unilocal

YOU MUST SIGN UP FOR THIS WORKSHOP!
I wish I came across anything close to Career ACTivate years ago. Everything from the JONA, resources she provides, to the atmosphere in class are extremely motivating. It’s like you’re surrounded by people that are serious about the business. They are motivated and most of all they are willing to help.
I have taken many classes throughout the years and I feel like this one really changed my approach on my career and even my personal life. I recommend this workshop to everyone!

I freaking LOVE Jona!
If you consider yourself an actor and are risking it all for this business then you better be in the KNOW. Many actors are so caught up in the art of it, that they forget that acting is first and foremost a business. Jona’s class reminds you of that and teaches you ways to make your business more efficient. I’m so grateful for all the knowledge I have gained from her classes. I am a very skeptical person naturally, so I was at first thinking, «Okay, why don’t I save the money and just google stuff» but I’m so glad I didn’t because she tells you things you can’t google and saves you SO MUCH time!
As we know TIME = MONEY and after taking this class I’d say agents and producers are now more likely to look at me and think MONEY! Hahaha also did I mention she is adorable?!

I have been to the first 2 classes of her 6 week program so far and am highly impressed. This is exactly what I needed.
I take acting class and improv classes– which are very very important, but there was a lot missing. I was not networking because I did not feel I knew how. Now I do, Jona’s class taught me so many different methods and ways of meeting people, contacting people and keeping in touch with those in the industry.
I also have learned so much about how to get those auditions I want without depending on my agent. Jona gives so many helpful tools that I doubt other teachers offer or even know about.
I can’t say enough about how awesome the classes are and how fun, enthusiastic and knowledgable Jona is. I am soooooo looking forward to class 3 – 6 and working with her in the future.
I find her classes to be worth more then gold — especially if you apply all she teaches!

The only reason I signed up for this three week intensive was because I’d been invited to a UTA party; the idea of socializing with agents rendered me speechless, and pathetically cowering in the corner with my tail between my legs.
I really didn’t know what to expect in the workshop, and I feared that I could be wasting my hard earned money.
I moved here feeling I had strong connections with many actors, a few agents, and two casting directors whom I had studied with at theatre school. I really thought I already had all the resources I could get. I had no clue what I didn’t know. What I knew was JACK SH*#.
Jona was instrumental in my success at a meeting with the Executive VP of Casting at ABC FAMILY. I got the meeting using the tools that she teaches in her workshop. She helped me set goals for the meeting so that I left feeling confident, and with the ball in my court. She pinpointed what areas I needed to research in my preparation; and brought me information that I wouldn’t have been able to find on my own. Also, I went from one audition a week to three or more auditions a week, sometimes three a day. All this without a theatrical agent.
Jona is an energetic force of knowledge. She’s peppy and quirky, but incredibly professional and super no nonsense. She brings all the dots to the front of the class, and then connects them for you one by one. Many times I thought, «Man, I should have known that!»; but most of the time I was just mind blown by the brand new tools she brought to the table. I felt like a kid at Christmas.
She puts the power back in your hands, with step by step guidelines and inspirational mantras. I think what kills a lot of actors is the anxiety of waiting around for something to happen. Jona gives you PLENTY of work to do all on your own. You don’t need to sit around and be the victim of «the business” — she teaches you how to run your own business.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly– she demystifies the people who run the entertainment industry. When I go to this party– I’ll be excited to jump in and have some great conversations. I won’t be in the corner; I’ll know exactly what to say.

I have taken one single day workshop and two 3-​week intensive workshops with Jona and in each workshop I learned new tools. She is amazing!
Jona is the key you were looking for to get you through the door of success. She breaks all the myths you have heard about acting and gives you all the insider tools necessary to create your brand and your business as an ACTOR.
Whether you have been acting for years or are a brand new actor to the industry, Jona gives you insights you may have been missing in order to really take control of your career. She has made me realize my fears and how to get past them in order to truly be the best actress I can be.
Also, she is just a genuinely really and sweet person. She tells it like it is and she is very clear about her intentions. She is honest and has a great energy! I don’t want her workshops to end!

Jona is AMAZING.
Her classes are incredibly helpful. I took her 6-​week course, and I was immediately gaining insights & inspiration to push myself and my career. I have now started a SAG-​AFTRA project to get eligibility into the union. I am making contacts that I would have never thought possible.
Acting is a business that many do not understand how to approach. Jona give you the tools to create a lasting impression. Before I took her class I had no representation, and few auditions. I now have representation and am WORKING as an actor.
Trust me, by the time the 6-​weeks is over — you will be very grateful for how much she changes your career by giving the tools to succeed. Jona is an inspiration and an awesome person.

I love Jona! LOVE LOVE LOVE!
As a brand new actor, found out about her through The Acting Studio at Edgemar in Santa Monica. After going to her «Breaking Into the Industry» seminar, I did a private consultation with Jona. I knew right away how much I could learn from her, so I immediately signed up for her 6-​week course. Not only did I learn things that my private coach had NEVER mentioned, but I received support and confidence to just get out there and break in! Acting is art, but its also a multi-​billion dollar business industry, and Jona gives her students the tools to be savvy while negotiating the crazy world of Hollywood.
Within weeks of working with Jona, I had a full resume, was submitting myself for auditions, and booked a couple of films. Within a couple of months, I was getting tons of auditions, a great amount of callbacks, I booked 2 commercials, several more films, AND did a screen test for the lead in a film by Sony pictures! This was all without representation. You can do all this for yourself! Jona teaches you how.
Its been about 6 months now since I first met Jona, and I’m so grateful I did. She’s funny, sweet, and best of all, KNOWS WHAT SHE’S TALKING ABOUT! I am just beginning my hunt for great representation, and she’s given me the best tips to go about doing that. I have a manager meeting this week with one of the top managerial agencies in LA. I know with the knowledge I gained in Jona’s class I can go in there and rock it!
So listen to everything this woman says, get out there, make the most of the business techniques she teaches, and I promise you won’t be disappointed!

I recently took Jona’s Business of Acting class. This was hands down the most INCREDIBLE class I have taken since moving to LA. The information that she gives in that short amount of time is life changing. That is the only way to put it. She explains in great detail how to make a dream your reality.
Jona is truly a gift to the acting world! She is worth every dime you spend on a class with her and more! Everyone wants to be the best they can be in this industry and this is a great start to getting to there.