Whether you’re an iPhone user or not, you’re familiar with Siri. But did you know the original Siri came from a human voice? Meet this week’s podcast guest, Susan Bennett! Episode #33 of the Wild Business Growth Podcast is HERE (Siri-ously) and features the famous voice actor, who originally made the recordings in 2005 and didn’t know they would become Siri until the assistant was rolled out in 2011! Listen to the episode on iTunes / Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, and your other favorite audio platforms – subscribe and leave a 5-star review if Susan’s voice blew you away!

What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?

Hear how entrepreneurs & innovators unleash creativity to grow bigger and better businesses. Hear from an exciting new guest every single Wednesday morning who’s turning wild ideas into wild growth. Guests include startup founders, product inventors, social media influencers, and much more. Hosted by our digital marketing dude Max Branstetter – that’s me!

Episode #33: Susan Bennett – The Voice of Siri, Famous Voice Actor

Susan Bennett, the Original Voice of Siri, Voice Actor, Speaker, Emcee, and Musician joins the show to share her journey to becoming the famous Apple voice assistant. Susan and I connected over social media and I was blown away by her story. It’s one thing to have your voice heard by millions… It’s a whole other thing to have your voice heard at any moment by hundreds of millions, who carry it in their purse or pocket! Susan is an incredible voice actor, a super talented musician, and a wonderfully fun and inspiring person. This episode covers everything from the recording process that went into creating Siri to how to break out of your comfort zone. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

  • How Susan became the voice of Siri
  • The perks of being revealed as Siri
  • How her accidental fame impacts her daily life
  • The beauty of the English language
  • How to persevere when doing tedious work
  • What you can do to keep your voice in pristine condition
  • How to become a better speaker
  • Why it’s important to have a sense of humor

Connect with Susan at SusanCBennett.com and on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at @SiriouslySusan.

Enjoy the show and use that voice! Check out the show notes below for much more detail.

Show Notes

  • Intro
  • Becoming and Being the Voice of Siri
    • [1:52] How Susan became the voice of Siri
    • [2:01] Apple
    • [2:25] Nuance, Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
    • [2:59] What the work was like reading for Siri and how time-consuming it was
    • [3:40] The types of words and phrases Susan read
    • [4:52] Concatenation
    • [5:08] Why Siri was the first public demonstration of artificial intelligence (Ai)
    • [5:59] Lucent Technologies
    • [6:06] Laryngograph
    • [6:20] Lucent merged with Alcatel in 2006 and was later absorbed by Nokia
    • [7:00] Why Susan said no to a contract extension
    • [7:12] How to persevere when doing tedious work
    • [8:03] How and when Susan found out she was actually Siri
    • [8:50] Her gut reaction to realizing hundreds of millions are going to hear her voice every day
    • [10:41] How many people recognize her voice in public
    • [12:28] Differences in speaking in a vocal booth vs. on stage to a crowd of people
  • Finding Creativity & Inspiration in the Growing Voice Industry and Audio World
    • [13:38] What you can do to keep your voice in pristine condition
    • [14:14] Why the voice industry is completely different than when Susan started
    • [14:33] Voices.com, Voice123
    • [15:24] Mixerface
    • [16:53] Visit SusanCBennett.com and contact Susan for voice-acting tips!
    • [17:25] Why Susan loves to read
    • [19:12] What types of books she likes to read
    • [19:46] Isabel Allende
    • [19:57] Susan’s favorite books
    • [20:06] Kindle
    • [20:10] The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry
    • [20:31] Love books just like Susan does? Check out the favorite books of Wild Business Growth Podcast guests
    • [21:13] Why music helps Susan stay creative and inspired
    • [22:11] Watch Susan perform in Boomers Gone Wild!
    • [22:39] The Crimson Moon in Dahlonega, GA
    • [23:15] Who was most influential for Susan getting into voice-acting
    • [23:29] Atlanta Doppler Studios
    • [24:25] How much time Susan spends on her voice when she’s not actually recording
    • [26:16] Connect with Hippo Direct at HippoDirect.com for all your mailing list, email list, digital marketing, and podcasting needs
  • Wild Business Shoutout of the Week
  • Rapid-Fire Q&A

How do I start a podcast?

How’d you like a podcast of your own? Email me at max@hippodirect.com with questions on any part of the podcasting process:

  • Podcast Planning
  • Podcast Production
  • Podcast Promotion
  • More!

We’re happy to start out with a free 30-minute consultation and provide some helpful resources that have been instrumental in getting the Wild Business Growth Podcast up and rolling and connecting with high-quality guests. We love making your podcast the best it can be. Let your podcast Run Wild!

Hey Siri, is that all for this episode? Siri: Yep! Get Siri-ously pumped for a wild new guest every single Wednesday morning! Let us know any guests you’d like to see on the show and follow along for your favorite marketing tips, business tips, and podcasts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube. You’ll especially enjoy this list of the favorite books of Wild Business Growth Podcast guests. Sign up for the Hippo Digest email newsletter for your Weekly Recap of Creative Marketing. Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!