We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jamie Lee. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jamie below.
Jamie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
In 2003, I was preparing to take a leap of faith. I was divorced, my mother had just passed away, I was unemployed, and I was living in a community with minimal opportunity for advancement. I knew I didn’t belong where I was, but I didn’t know where to go. I began researching good places for single women to live. I wanted warm weather, things to do, and job opportunities. Much to my surprise, Las Vegas kept coming up.
Vegas, I thought. Why would I want to go to Las Vegas? That’s for gamblers and drunks. I rejected the idea immediately, even though I had never visited the city. I kept searching for other parts of the country that I thought would be good places to live, but I kept running into blocks that stopped me.
Finally, a friend suggested I take a vacation to Las Vegas. “You don’t belong here,” she said. So, I took her advice and boarded a plane to Vegas. I flew out on a cold January afternoon. A winter storm was moving in, and I wasn’t even sure I could fly out, but the storm held off long enough for me to liftoff. I arrived in Vegas, picked up my rental car, and found my way to the hotel.
The following day provided the moment of clarity that I needed. I walked outside. The sun hit my face, the birds were singing, and I felt a sense of peace that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I’m moving to Vegas, I said to no one in particular.
From that moment on, everything happened very quickly. I returned home, sold my house, and got an offer to test for Las Vegas Metro. I returned to Vegas for a week, and during that time, I found an apartment. I didn’t have a job yet, but I knew I could find one, even if it weren’t my ideal position. I just needed something to hold me over until the perfect job came along.
My relocation adventure began in January 2003, and on March 26, 2003, I was sleeping on the floor of my apartment. The years that followed showed me I had been wrong. Las Vegas has been very good to me. I’ve made life-long friendships, spent fourteen years working as a Clark County Fire Inspector, became active in Animal Rescue, studied Animal Reiki Meditation, opened Animal Bonds, and studied to be a voice actor.
Moving to Las Vegas involved taking a big risk, but it paid off. The move changed my life for the better. Today, I am grateful that I didn’t let fear stop me.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
An avid animal lover all my life, I discovered the power of the human/animal bond and its ability to transform lives after a devastating flash flood destroyed my home and took the lives of my beloved pets when I was just thirteen years old. Animals helped me recover from this traumatic event, and I dedicated my life to giving back to them. I studied several animal healing modalities, but after opening my business, Animal Bonds, in 2010, I soon realized that to help animals, I had to help the people who love them.
In 2016, I discovered Let Animals Lead®Animal Reiki, an elite method created by Kathleen Prasad that teaches people how to support animals and heal themselves through animal reiki/meditation. I fell in love with meditation, became a certified Meditation and Mindfulness teacher through the School of Positive Transformation, and studied mindset for dog sporting teams.
The techniques I teach people are tools to help reduce stress and anxiety and provide a guideline for living a harmonious life. I’ve witnessed animals transform from being scared, shut down, or aggressive to calm, loving companions. Show dog sport handlers also benefit by learning how to use the pressure of competition to their advantage, deepen their bond with their dog, and work more effectively as a team. Animal meditation and mindset can be beneficial if your pet is an elite show dog, a lovable companion, or a recent rescue.
My love for animals carries over into voice acting. I understand the challenges and emotions that animal caregivers face. I share my life with animals, rescue them, and even serve on a pot-bellied pig rescue board. One of my greatest joys is utilizing my voice-acting skills to make a difference for animals and the amazing people who care for them. I have the privilege of collaborating with businesses, veterinary clinics, non-profit animal organizations, rescues, and sanctuaries. I lend my voice to narrate their educational content, fundraising campaigns, promotional materials, commercials, and administrative needs. I guess you could call me an Animal Whisperer with a Microphone!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I’ve discovered that being a successful entrepreneur means getting good at accepting changes. Over the last fourteen years, I’ve had to pivot and change several times.
Growing up, animals were an important part of my life. After earning my Bachelor’s degree in Broadcasting and Journalism, I started my corporate career and discovered my love for video, production, and the captivating world of voice acting. I continued to work my 9 to 5, and in my spare time, I began studying modalities to help animals.
When I first opened Animal Bonds, I focused on how to keep your pet healthy through nutrition, exercise, or massage. I studied color light therapy, animal massage, and veterinary aromatherapy. Even though I knew this information could benefit a pet’s wellness, people were not as interested.
I then ventured into the Let Animals Lead ® method of Animal Reiki Meditation. I began teaching private classes in Las Vegas and at animal shelters in Nevada and Arizona. As my understanding of Animal Reiki Meditation grew more profound, I realized that what I taught wasn’t just about healing the animals – it was about healing people and the relationship we share with animals and nature. This led me to focus on the power of meditation and mindset to create a happy, healthy, and purposeful existence.
I love teaching people to connect to animals through meditation and mindset. I heard of a voice meditation class, so I signed up, hoping to learn new techniques and thinking that I can continually improve. The first night, I was instructed to get in the booth and read. At that moment, I remembered how much I love voice-over work, and a new career stream was born.
There have been many changes in my career path. Change in itself is not a bad thing. It’s how we react to it. As entrepreneurs, we must embrace the fact that change will be a part of the journey.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
I believe that as creatives, we must become comfortable in the unknown. This can be hard for many traditional people to understand. My sister is much more conventional than I am. She has been a teacher for over thirty years. She likes knowing when she will receive a paycheck and how much it will be. She likes the routine. It provides a sense of security for her.
As a creative, I appreciate security, but I believe most of what we are told about approaching our careers and life provides a false sense of security. Only when we trust in the flow of life and listen to our inner self’s guidance can we find true security.
Creatives must learn to trust in themselves. I appreciate a saying: A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking because its trust is not in the branch but in its wings. As creatives, we must trust in our talents and abilities. We also must accept that we will have highs and lows. It’s part of riding the entrepreneur roller coaster. While it’s not for everyone, it’s what gives creatives purpose. It makes us feel alive.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://animal-bonds.com. and https://jamieleevo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalbondsmeditation/ and
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/animalbonds/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEpeMpO2UjAJBwkRFVZeGw
Image Credits
RockStar Dogs / Anneli Adolfsson Pet’ographique