We were lucky to catch up with Jane Lee recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jane , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I came up with the idea of being a bird guide as I was learning about birds. I realized there is a lot of potential to educate the public about how extraordinary birds are.
I’m Canadian and as my partner and I were waiting for my work permit, we travelled around Colorado in our trailer. I’m incredibly grateful for the numerous opportunities in which I could hop out of our home on wheels and go birding at a local state park or on a hiking trail. I developed my appreciation for nature and learned as much as I could about birds.
I struggle with depression and anxiety, and I learned birding can be beneficial to mental health. Birding forces me to quiet my mind, to be present, to pay attention to what birds I can hear and I don’t think about anything else except the act of birding.
I was a registered dietitian for a decade in Canada and left the healthcare industry due to burnout. I knew I wanted to do something that helped others and being a bird guide seemed fitting for my skills. I wanted to combine the mental health aspects of birding while also providing education about birds and Mother Nature.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
A friend took my partner and I birding in Littleton a few years ago. I had never gone birding before but I was curious and I was blown away by our friend’s talent. She was able to identify over 30 different bird species, mostly by hearing their bird calls! I thought this was so cool and since then, I was hooked.
I provide guided bird outings and bird talks in the Denver area. I’ve led groups that range from 1 to 30 people, and I’ve also spoken at events that range from 20-150 people. I’ll also be leading “Mindful Bird Walks” at the Denver Botanic Gardens (DBG) from May to September this year, you can sign up in May on DBG website.
What sets me apart from others is my background. I didn’t formally go to school to study birds, but I’ve worked hard to learn as much as I can. Also, I’m Chinese and being a minority in a field that historically has been a white-dominated space makes me different and unique. I want to tear down stereotypes and show that birding is for everyone.
Birding with Jane is a little over a year old, and I’m most proud of the birding community I’ve created. I do a lot of volunteer work and this has opened so many doors for me. I’ve met so many talented birders and inspired people who are just “bird-curious”.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I volunteer for the Denver Front Range chapter of the Feminist Bird Club and for Denver Audubon. I’ve also volunteered for Environment for the Americas and Pro-Animal Future. Getting my name in the birding community has been helpful in building my reputation.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Like I mentioned this earlier, I was a dietitian for many years in Canada. I honestly thought I was going to be in healthcare for the rest of my career, but I was deeply depressed and was far from admitting it out loud, let alone to myself. I was also working as a dietitian because it was a steady job and it made my parents happy.
Then, in 2019, I met my partner and my life changed. He has an incredible talent of reflecting a mirror to me, and I realized I wasn’t living my life to its full potential. I quit my job in 2020 and moved to Denver. I learned that it’s not worth sacrificing my mental health for work, and that it’s ok not to meet my parental expectations and I can move on to something different.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://birdingwithjane.wixsite.com/birding-with-jane
- Instagram: BirdingwithJane
- Youtube: BirdingwithJane
- Other: TikTok: @birdingwithjane
Image Credits
Jane Lee