Episode 109 · August 29, 2023
Cody Mayo: Actor, Entrepreneur, Coach and Dad
with Cody Mayo, Actor, Entrepreneur, Coach and Dad
42 min
Cody Mayo: Actor, Entrepreneur, Coach and Dad
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In this episode
In this episode I sit down with Cody Mayo — actor, entrepreneur, coach, and dad — and I loved getting to know the many roles he's built his life around. Cody grew up in a small town outside Dallas-Fort Worth, fell in love with storytelling after seeing a circus as a kid, and became one of just 12 men accepted nationally into a long-standing Oklahoma acting program. From there he loaded up a U-Haul, moved to LA, and started swinging the bat the moment opportunity came his way.
We talk about what it really takes to take the leap: doing the legwork, believing in yourself, and holding two hands in two worlds — the optimist who dreams the future and the realist who keeps you grounded in the numbers. Cody is refreshingly honest that positivity doesn't come naturally to him; it's a daily discipline. And I love how he reframes success: your win isn't tied to the paycheck or the final result — it's tied to whether you showed up and brought your full self. That mindset carried him through 80 auditions for one job, through the lonely early nights of opening a speakeasy that's now one of the most successful bars in Studio City, and into parenting.
After fostering babies during the pandemic and welcoming a third child, Cody and his wife moved to Tulsa to be near her family. In 2022 he opened his acting studio, now Cody Mayo Studios, on Historic Studio Row — with a mission to bring the front lines of LA to Tulsa. We get into his programs for adults, high schoolers, and young actors, his public speaking intensives, and his podcast On My Way with Cody Mayo. Whether or not you've ever wanted to act, there's so much here about using your God-given gifts and talents and finding the courage to keep going.
Key takeaways
- Take the leap — but do the legwork first. Cody moved to LA with little money, but he was prepared and ready to 'swing the bat' when the break came. We all get breaks; the question is whether we're ready.
- Optimism is a discipline, not a personality trait. Cody calls himself a realist by nature and builds his optimism through mindfulness, meditation, and daily practice. If it doesn't come naturally to you, you can still learn it.
- Keep one hand in both worlds. The future you want to build lives on the optimistic side, but staying grounded in the realistic side — the facts and numbers — keeps you out of dreamland.
- Separate your win from the outcome. As a working-class actor you might book only 10 of 100 auditions. Tie your celebration to showing up and giving your full self, not to the paycheck or the final result.
- Write down practical goals AND the action steps to bring them to life. Cody is 'obsessed' with turning something on paper into a real thing — strategize, plan, then execute.
- Negative comments stick like Velcro; positive ones need time to take hold. A psychology study found the brain holds negative thoughts instantly but needs focused attention (about 15 seconds) to absorb the positive. Give the good feedback space to land.
- Get your information from people 'drinking the water right now.' Cody brings in working directors, writers, and improv artists so Tulsa actors learn from current industry voices, not just secondhand knowledge.
“We all get breaks. They all come our way. It's just a matter of whether or not we're ready to swing the bat when the break comes.”
“The smile is on my face because those muscles have been through a lot of work that weren't smiling.”
“Your win is not tied to the paycheck and your win is not tied to the end goal. The win is tied to how you performed in that moment. Did you show up? Did you bring your full self?”
“I'm obsessed with the idea of writing something down on paper and then turning it into a real thing.”
“I'm committed to bringing the front lines of LA to Tulsa.”
Resources mentioned
About Cody
Actor, Entrepreneur, Coach and Dad
Cody Mayo grew up in a small town outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area and was one of just 12 men accepted nationally into a longtime Oklahoma acting program. He built an acting career in Los Angeles while co-founding a 1930s-style speakeasy that became one of Studio City's most successful bars. After fostering babies during the pandemic and raising three kids, he and his wife moved to Tulsa to be near family. In 2022 he opened his acting studio — now Cody Mayo Studios on Historic Studio Row — to bring the front lines of LA training to Tulsa, offering programs for adults, high schoolers, and young actors, plus public speaking intensives. He also hosts the podcast On My Way with Cody Mayo.
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