Albie Hecht’s got one special character animating his business ventures. Once the cartoon connoisseur finished his stint as president of film and television entertainment for Nickelodeon, he channeled energy and inspiration from his prize-worthy Golden Retriever Jackson to help create Worldwide Fido, a popular website that allows users to create profiles for their dogs and then strut their stuff in monthly contests. The developer and producer of Spongebob Square Pants, Dora the Explorer, Blues Clues, Jimmy Neutron and the Rugrats, Hecht stays young at heart by keeping things light and fun in entertainment and in life.
AF: Do you think you work like a dog?
AH: I do work like a dog, day and night. A dog’s work is like, play, sleep and eat. But, I think people tend to work pretty hard, and dogs help you de-stress. That’s part of what’s so great about having them around, they really are a way to keep you cool, help you relax and play. Playing keeps you young.
AF: Give us three tips to keep people from working too hard.
AH: Keep playing, because when you stop playing you get old. You can certainly get that from your dog. I think you’ve got to have perspective. Don’t take yourself too seriously. That will help keep you sane, whether you watch cartoons, play with your dog or hang out with friends. Lastly, someone pretty wise once told me, when you’re working really hard, you sometimes think ‘I’ve got to keep working, because I’ve got to keep working ‘til it’s done’. What I’ve learned is to stop a while and go away from your work. So, when you think you’ve got to get work done 24/7, don’t. Get away from it for a while.
AF: Did you ever bring Jackson to the office?
Albie: We are getting a new space that’s dog friendly. Our current space isn’t, but we definitely want to. My other colleague has a French Bulldog, Raoul, who is fantastic. The two of them wrestle 24/7, so we definitely want to be able to have dogs come in and hang out in the office. It makes for a great and friendly environment.
AF: Is Jackson going to become an animated character?
AH: I think so. I’d love to do something with him, especially because he’s both beautiful and incredibly friendly. I think the way that he reacts to people and the way that he relates to them would make for a good animated character.
With the advent Worldwide Fido and its parent company, Worldwide Biggies, Hecht’s own multimedia content creation company, this playful animation guru has the opportunity to expand his canine friendly cartoon empire to the internet and beyond. We’re sure Jackson’s on-screen caricature will be just as adorable as his real-life persona.
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