By Robyn Larson, Spectrio Creative Consultant
When asked what her entrance music would be if she could have it, Suzette Hechler smiles mischievously and doesn’t miss a beat: “Let’s Get This Party Started”. As one of Spectrio’s most talented and versatile voice talents, you’d think she was born with a gift for gab…but that wasn’t always the case.
“Believe it or not, as a child, I was incredibly shy. I rarely spoke at all. In high school, I found myself and my voice… and haven’t shut-up since.” Lucky for us too! Incredibly professional, spunky, fun, full of energy and with a quick draw wit so fast that it would make Clint Eastwood envious, Suzette has been a treasured part of the Spectrio voicing team since December 2009.
Suzette’s journey to the microphone began in Lincoln, Nebraska. “In college, I was a part-time receptionist for a radio station in Lincoln. The program director told me I should be behind a mic instead of a desk. So, I started helping the on-air guys with a ticket exchange and ‘Suzette the Phone Fox’ was born…which grew into my first full time on-air position as ‘The Fox that Rocks.’” (No, she’s not kidding.)
In 2003, Suzette left the radio station while pregnant with her second child. “Morning radio and morning sickness do not mix…so I left radio to be a full-time mom.” But the lure of the microphone kept nagging at her. “I loved being a mom but I missed my career. So, I started doing radio and TV commercial voicing from home for some friends and former clients. Then, I got a few more clients…and suddenly had my own voice-over business. Eventually, I hooked up with the fine people at Spectrio. They make me laugh, they make me cry, they complete me. I truly love my job and everyone I work with.”
She also gets a kick out of randomly hearing herself when put on hold. “Last year, I called a business and I answered. Now, that’s interesting! I was listening so intently to the message and judging my delivery that I forgot what I was doing and had to press pound to have myself repeat my choices.”
When not voicing, Suzette stays busy working out at the gym and taking care of a busy household that includes her husband, 2 sons, a dog, cat, guinea pig, and a sandcrab. A college football nut, she’s a huge Huskers fanatic. “I married a Texan…so there were some pretty tense moments when the Huskers were in the Big 12. Now we’ve moved on to the Big 10 and things go much more smoothly…at least in my house. “
What does she love most about being a voice talent? “Everything. I love the variety of scripts and being able to change my delivery for each client. I love being able to work out of my home. And if I ever need a good laugh, I have an enormous outtakes file that would make an English professor cry.”
See why we’ve named Suzette our Voice of Choice, by taking a listen to her demo here.