At Temy, we love diving into stories of bold innovation and relentless entrepreneurial spirit—and this week’s guest embodies both. In our latest Bright Founders Talk episode, we sat down with Jay Lohman, the founder and CEO of Voice Sonic Labs, to uncover his fascinating journey through the evolving landscape of voice technology.

Jay’s entrepreneurial roots stretch back to 2007, when he launched a pioneering on-hold marketing company that would go on to serve over 12,000 clients globally. But when the market shifted, Jay didn’t just adapt—he reinvented, entering the voice AI space long before it was cool. From launching a successful text-to-speech mobile app to developing cutting-edge lip-sync technology, his team has been pushing boundaries with every iteration.

In this candid conversation, Jay shares the highs and lows of startup life, what keeps him energized after 18 years in business, and why he believes the next leap in AI-powered voice and video is just around the corner. With their new product, VSL, set to launch soon, Voice Sonic Labs is poised to redefine how we interact with synthetic media. Join us as we explore the story behind the vision, the voice, and the venture that’s changing the soundscape of tomorrow.

From Rock Star Sabbatical to Voice AI Pioneer: How Jay Reinvented His Tech Journey

Jay didn’t exactly plan on diving into voice AI—it sort of found him. After years running a niche on-hold marketing business that served giants like Panasonic and Audi, he sold the company, took a year off to “live like a rock star,” and then got bored. Naturally, that boredom turned into building a text-to-speech mobile app… before text-to-speech was even trending. The app hit 100,000 downloads with 80,000 paid users—no small feat. But then came the curveball: TikTok and Meta dropped their own built-in TTS features, which basically bulldozed the market. “It kicked us up the ass,” Jay says with a laugh, “and we had to pivot—fast.”

So they pivoted. Jay and his team went back to the drawing board and rebuilt the tech into a web application, launching two new products—VoiceAir and DubAir. But that was just the warm-up. Now they’re about to launch VSL, a full integration of both platforms powered by their own proprietary lip-sync model. It’s not just smarter tech—it’s an entirely new layer of realism for voiceovers and dubbed video content. And the best part? It’s already getting glowing feedback from early users. “It’s crazy at the moment,” Jay says, clearly buzzing with energy. “The feedback we’ve been getting over the past six months has been nothing but positive.”

But success doesn’t happen in isolation. Jay credits his “Avengers-like” team for keeping the engine running and the vision sharp. Despite nearly two decades in entrepreneurship, he’s not slowing down. “Some days I ask myself, should I just go work for someone? But honestly, I don’t like working for people.” At 48, he says he feels just as strong, focused, and excited as he did at the start of his journey—except now, he’s got the battle scars and wisdom to make smarter moves. If voice AI really is the future, Jay Lohman’s already living in it.

“We’re Not Here to Impress—We’re Here to Deliver”: How Jay and VSL Are Quietly Reshaping Voice Tech

Forget the idea that VSL is for everyone. Jay is crystal clear about who they’re building for—and spoiler alert, it’s not casual users dabbling in voiceovers. “Our ICPs are production houses, creative agencies, and e-learning companies,” he explains. These are high-stakes, high-budget players currently burning time and money on traditional dubbing and translation methods. VSL’s edge? It slashes costs by up to 80% and delivery times by 90%. And when they showed off their lip-syncing magic to a Japanese agency recently, the response was disbelief: “They were like, there’s no way this is real. I’m like—yeah, we’ve got it.”

What really sets Jay’s team apart isn’t just tech—it’s restraint. Instead of piling on flashy features, they stripped it all back. After learning that 96% of their users only cared about one core function—text-to-speech—they rebuilt their product with clarity and focus. Jay describes it with a perfect metaphor: “We bake the cake. You add the icing.” The result? A tool that delivers powerful, production-ready output without the clutter. Even major players are lagging behind what VSL is quietly accomplishing.

Jay’s leadership style has evolved too. He laughs about being the “fantasy guy” once, the one who wanted to go big, fast, and loud. But those days are over. “Now,” he says, “we’ll silently make a massive, seismic change.” Backed by a team that dares to tell him “no,” Jay is steering Voice Sonic Labs toward something bigger than hype—real transformation. With AI voice tech disrupting industries from media to entertainment, Jay sees a future where studios fully embrace AI dubbing, and VSL is already laying the groundwork.

“Move With the Tech or Get Left Behind”: Jay on Accuracy, Adaptability & AI’s Inevitable Future

Jay will be the first to admit—he’s no technical wizard. But when it comes to building a product that works, he knows where the magic happens: in data, in precision, and in focus. While much of the voice AI market is bragging about supporting 100+ languages, Voice Sonic Labs is doing the opposite. “We’re not chasing numbers—we’re chasing accuracy,” Jay says. With 30 carefully optimized languages, their system is already hitting 98.5% accuracy, which, in this space, is almost unheard of. Why so high? Because instead of spreading thin, they feed their models curated data, and build for reliability, not marketing hype. And with a market valued at $60 billion and climbing, there’s no room for fluff.

The most exciting twist? VSL’s use cases keep evolving—sometimes in ways Jay and his team never expected. From e-learning platforms to creative studios, and now even live-stream dubbing, the possibilities are multiplying. Imagine running a live podcast in English, and your Mandarin-speaking audience hears it in real-time—with less than one second of delay. That’s not future tech anymore. It’s being built right now. “We're learning on the job,” Jay admits, but it's clear they're miles ahead of the curve.

Of course, with every innovation comes controversy. Jay’s had voice artists accuse him of killing the craft—but he sees it differently. “We’re not replacing voice artists. We’re giving them a second life.” Whether it's helping veterans clone their voices or creating accessibility for those who lose the ability to speak, his vision is inclusive, not destructive. As for the future? In five years, Jay hopes to be sipping a mojito on a beach while VSL powers the next generation of film and media. And honestly, at the pace they're moving—he just might earn that hammock.

“It’s Not About the Money”: Jay on Ethics, Grit, and Building with Purpose in Voice AI

For Jay, building tech isn’t just about growth or hype—it’s about responsibility. In a world where voice AI can easily be misused, he’s drawing a firm line in the sand. If a client crosses it? They’re out—no matter how much they’re paying. “Voice is a powerful tool when used the right way,” he says, and his team backs that with strict policies, real-time platform monitoring, and an unwavering commitment to transparency. In an era of deepfakes and blurred digital boundaries, Jay’s message is refreshingly simple: integrity first, always.

But success, in his eyes, isn’t about ARR or how many logos are on the pitch deck. It's about making something people actually love using—and being proud of how you got there. “We don’t need thousands of clients to hit our goals,” Jay explains. “What we need is to keep evolving the product and make sure every single client knows how important they are to us.” That mindset trickles into everything, from the team culture to the way they treat a small client with the same care as a Fortune 500 one. It’s not just scalable—it’s sustainable.

And when it comes to advice for future founders, Jay doesn’t sugarcoat it. “The last 12 months have been the toughest of my 18-year journey,” he admits. But he’s still standing—and more energized than ever. His secret? The three D’s: Drive, Determination, and Desire. Combine that with passion, brutal honesty from the people around you, and the ability to get up even when life knocks you flat, and you've got a real shot. “Don’t do it for money. Do it because you believe in it,” he says. And if you ever feel lost along the way? Jay’s just a LinkedIn message away, ready to help the next dreamer find their path.