We were lucky to catch up with Suzanne Wynn recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Suzanne thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’ve love to hear an interesting investment story – what was one of the best or worst investments you’ve made? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)

In 2012, I was starting my 7th year in radio and I was thrilled. I was co-hosting a morning show with a locally owned company that had been in business for over 40 years and I was doing sales with them, too, which is something I had avoided. Still, I found myself in a meeting one day asking myself how far I could go with that company. As mornings are typically most highly-coveted of on air dayparts, what was left for me? I realized it would either be sales manager or general manager. Neither of which I wanted. So I set my mind to learn all I could and get to a bigger market – preferably Atlanta or Birmingham
So far, neither of those has worked out. But I did meet a coworker turned friend turned supporter who asked if I’d ever done “voiceover.” I had but only a little here and there and it was mostly radio clients.
As it turned out, there was this whole other industry that blended so well with radio and paid so much more! (Ha!)
On that friends suggestion, I booked my first trip to VO Atlanta and went that spring. Completely falling in love with everyone I met and everything I learned. THIS was IT for me!
So I booked a couple coaching session and made a demo. As it turns out, that was the first, dumbest thing I’d ever do in voiceover. I wasn’t ready. But I didn’t know it and neither did the coach. Well if he did, he didn’t tell me.
It’s a predatory industry although full of the nicest folks in the world.
I wish I had coached more and with other people. I wish I had created a demo with some of my radio work and started there. I wish I had learned what radio voice was and that I have it and that it’s not the way anymore.
You really do have to jump in somewhere and when you’re excited, that waiting part gets super hard. But WAIT! And listen.
I spent years tying to overcome a bad demo. I didn’t get much agency representation with it and I don’t think I’ve ever booked work directly from it. I’m certain it cost me more than it ever made me.

Suzanne, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

At the end of the day, I’m a service provider. You don’t NEED me but I can certainly help you with your business. I’m a voiceover artist. A real, live human voice that will help you and/or your brand connect with the people you’re trying to reach. I do commercials, e-learning, explainer and narration. Radio and radio imaging. Pretty much anything that needs a voice, I’m in.
I came into the industry about 20 years ago, slowly, from radio. I went full time VO in 2019 just a new months before Covid wrecked everything. But I work from home, full time, in a professional booth with clear, clean sound and no background noises or weird sounds or dogs barking.
Recently, I’ve been talking more about my copywriting and audio engineering skills, since I have awards for both. I was also recently nominated for a One Voice Award for my voiceover work – which, incidentally, was for a commercial I wrote, voice and produced. So I’m one-stop-shopping now. I can help you write a great script for a commercial or social media or as an explainer style. Then can voice it and put it to music and add sound effects.
The world has more options than ever and so you want to stand out. You want to find YOUR people. And I can help with that.
I think the fact that I offer all those things in one is one of the things that sets me a part but also its my own personal style. I’m as professional and talented and reliable as they come but I’m also a lot of fun to work with. That’s actually a promise I make to clients – you’ll laugh while we’re together. I have a smart mouth and a kind heart and I know how to use both.
Currently, I’m most proud of myself for taking the leap from radio to voiceover and for not giving up no matter how hard it’s been. I know what I can do, I know I’m good at it and I know there’s a need. I may never get rich doing it but I love working for myself doing things I enjoy.
I want you to know that radio isn’t dead but it’s changed a lot. But it can still benefit you. I want you to know that garbage audio is garbage audio. And most of all, I want you to know that the best stuff will always come from humans. I don’t care how perfect AI is, will be or could be. You wanna help humanity? But from humans.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Without a doubt, word of mouth. Well, word of mouth and social media combined. Two of my best ever referrals have come from other voice artists whom I’ve never even met in person! One had a client who wanted someone to help them write, voice and produce commercials for their client. She considers herself an actress first and foremost and didn’t want to be bothered with the rest. So, since we knew each other online she sent it my way. That client quickly become one of my most favorite ever. He loves everything I do and is a big supporter of mine. He also pays really well and actually increased what I’ve billed before. THOSE are the people you want in life!
Another time, it was simply a political matter. A friend had a friend with an addiction problem and wasn’t comfortable doing a political commercial for legalizing marijuana. So she sent them to me.
For that matter, I had a client who needed a new male voice so I sent them a friends demo. The next week he booked a BIG project with them and was so thrilled, he sent me a cut. I’d never ask for that.
You just never know where the next client will come from but I’ve found that the best come from people who know and like you. So you really need to understand the Golden Rule but also be yourself. And never be afraid to give it to someone else if you don’t feel suited to a project. It always comes back.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Being able to create something for this world that wasn’t there before, even just minutes ago.

From an early age, my folks read Shel Silverstein books/poems to me and one of the ones that really stuck me was “Put Something In”

“Put Something In”

Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-grumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance
‘Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain’t been there before.

Only I wish he’d added write a script for a new product and add some music and sound effects to help someone sell their product.
I also love being able to work when it works for me. If I’m awake at 2:30am thinking about a project I can go work on it and not have to worry about a 6:30 am alarm. I think too much structure is bad for a a creative mind. To a point, you can force creativity but you have to have the time to play to make it all work.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.SuzanneWynnVO.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzannewynn_vo/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannewynnvo/