Meet Jolene Mei | Voice Over Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jolene Mei and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jolene, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?

This is a great question. If you were to ask me this question about 3 years ago, I would initially think of the balance between hours you spend at work versus the hours you spend enjoying your personal life. In the present, my perception of “work life balance” has definitely expanded. I am so happy to say that my work is something I truly find very fun, while how I perceive “life” in this context has expanded to include mental, spiritual, physical, and aspirational satisfaction. 

As for how I try to achieve balance, that is a continued journey that I don’t think is ever consistent. And I try to welcome that. I start my work day with a very peaceful breakfast, at least 10 minutes of yoga, and vocal warm ups. At the start of my journey, I would feel anxiety creep up on me and tell me that I wasn’t “working” doing these activities, pushing me to get started looking for jobs already. Now, I have learned that spending at least 30 minutes preparing my mindset, relaxing my breath, and warming up my voice is worth it in the end. I end up performing better, using my time auditioning more efficiently, and am more adaptable towards the sometimes unexpected surprises that might come up during my work day.

I still can hear the small voice in my head telling me to “get working already” when I start my day, but it’s a lot quieter. I am constantly reminding myself that it’s worth investing in myself at the start of the day.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
At the end of 2021, I decided to pursue a career in voice acting. This was a surprising choice, as I spent over 7 years heading a department in mental health, where I taught individuals on the autism spectrum skills for independent life. I will always consider my students my life’s work. It was at this point in 2021, that I reflected and decided I would spend the next part of my life intentionally investing into my own self growth. That led me to voice acting!

Starting as a voice actor is definitely not easy. I would say it’s similar to running. At least for me, I want to do it – but getting up to do it feels like a lot. It requires mental strength and persistence through the ups and downs you might experience. But after a week of working hard, it’s really rewarding. I think the biggest challenge that I experienced was advocating for fair rates for myself on platforms for beginning talent. This obviously isn’t a reality for every project opportunity, but I still think it’s a reality that makes it exceptionally difficult for newer voice talent and those challenged with imposter syndrome.

As mentioned before, I decided that I would be intentionally investing in my own self growth. I think that both the answer to overcoming challenges and what sets me apart is my ability to be intentional and reflective in most of what I do. I try my best to understand where each project, client, talent, human is coming from. I have learned and continue to learn the freedom of saying “no”. I also try to be equitable and fair in how I quote and also for what I need to survive this crazy economy we are in in 2023. I am intentional in how I reflect on myself when I approach each project, when I interact and give space to people I connect with, and I do believe that most people want to connect with a deeper story in each creative project.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh man, this is a great question. If it were in the city, I would take them to a lovely brunch at the Yellow Vase in Rachos Palos Verdes. Visit the local botanical gardens, and finish off with a picnic at the beach. I truly enjoy hanging out with people who are also investing in their own self growth. Time spent with my closest friends are often filled with very deep conversations about life, sharing ways our perspectives have been changed from different books or discussions we’ve heard, and enjoying the little things like a simple cup of coffee.

For a weekend trip, I would definitely take them to Big Sur. It’s my favorite place in California. We’d stop by Hearst Castle if it were open, check out the elephant seals, enjoy a meal at Ragged Point and maybe enjoy a hike or two. We’d spend the night camping or glamping at the Fernwood Campground and Resort where we would enjoy snacks around the fire and maybe walk to the campground restaurant to enjoy drinks. I would definitely take them for a walk to Pfieffer Beach to just enjoy how beautiful nature is.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are two individuals that immediately come to mind that I feel have really helped me in my career journey. Firstly, if it weren’t for my husband, I wouldn’t have taken this leap. He encouraged me to pursue a career that I was doubting because of my own self doubt and lack of experience with. He gave me his USB mic and gave me the Adobe Audition software to start diving into something I kind of kept as a secret aspiration. If it weren’t for him, I don’t know if I would have taken the leap. I feel grateful to have someone tell me “you can do this” when I feel like I’m at a low point in the roller-coaster journey of being an entrepreneur. He is definitely one of my biggest supporters.

Secondly, the meditation and writing of Sarah Blondin has really helped me find encouragement within myself during times where my mind was fighting against my growth. I would wake up in the morning anxious, with self doubt and worry about whether I could really “do this”. Voice acting has been a surprisingly introspective journey for me. I try to find myself in each script and confidently let that part of myself shine through it to hopefully make the connection with whoever is listening. It’s hard to bring my full self to the recording booth some days. And days when it’s really hard, I start my day off with a meditation from Sarah Blondin. She reminds me to practice gentle kindness with myself, that I have permission to pursue what I might think is a selfish aspiration, and that what I am often trying to avoid is just another learning opportunity that is part of my personal growth.

Website: jolenemeivo.com

Instagram: jolenemeivo

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolenemeivo/

Image Credits
Photographer: Arson Sefi