Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Omalolu “Janet” Fiki. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Omalolu “Janet”, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I think in part I get my resilience from my parents. I’m a child of immigrants so I think by default its kinda built into my DNA. But more so, Ive seen them do so much with so little and so I feel somewhat responsible to do more with the plenty I have, due to them.
But I think there is a fine line between blind resilience and knowing when to pivot. I think pivoting is a part of sustaining resilience. Over the pandemic, I did nearly 600 self-tapes. It was really hard. On one hand, it’s a privilege to be given that many opportunities but on the other hand I was over it. And I had a really hard time admitting that because I didn’t want to be a quitter. I tried to stay resilient and just keep pounding the pavement and pushing the wall, hopeful one day the wall would move.
Around that time, I started working with a mentor/advisor and he asked me this simple yet effective question that really made all the difference: “Is this working?”
I was afraid to be honest and answer, “No” for obvious reasons but when I did, it gave me the freedom to pivot and that’s when I could see more possibilities.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am an actor, standup comic, voice over artist and acting coach. Before my pivot, I was solely an actor. After my pivot, I became the rest.
I got into standup comedy. A friend invited me to watch a Standup comedy showcase and was so blown away by the talent that I reached out to the showcase coordinator/teacher and asked to be a part of the next class and after some interviews, I got in and the rest is history. I dove in completely, with my fears and all and there has not been a more exhilarating experience than doing standup. I just performed at The Comedy Store this past September and will have more shows lined up there in 2024, so be on the lookout!
At the end of 2021, I made a very intentional decision to get into Voice Overs. I got my demo reels made and thanks to a dear friend, quickly got a voice over agent. I think I booked like my 5th audition? It was like 1 line of a radio spot, nothing huge but it was my first booked Sag/Aftra job as an actor! Shortly after, I did a radio spot for American Express and then was selected to audition for a coveted TV spot. After a few auditions, I booked it! A few weeks after that, I did a recording for CarMax radio which then turned into TV as well. I have been voicing American Express and CarMax for going on 2 years now and it has been a dream! I also just booked my first animation job on a Netflix series, playing a Yoruba woman who is all in alignment because I’ve been taking Yoruba classes over the last 3 years to become fluent. Voice Overs are so cool; there is something about being unseen yet heard that feels weirdly so powerful.
After the hundreds of tapes and classes I took to learn the art of self- taping, I became an expert and started coaching actors for free. There was no particular motive except I enjoyed it and wanted to build community. Then I started getting recurring clients and then my clients started booking so then I started charging which led me to unintentionally start my own coaching business. Very grateful.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Spirituality and obedience. I think everything happens in the spiritual realm first and then people live it out in the physical realm. So, I always try to get quiet enough to hear/feel where God is nudging me. Praying, Mediating, Hiking, Journaling are just a few ways I get quiet. When I feel the nudge, whether or not it makes sense to me, I have learned to just obey and go along with it.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne. I read that book at the end of 2021 and it was a game changer. Intention is everything. There is so much power in claiming what is already yours. What is already in the spiritual realm. Speak it, write it down then really feel it is yours and if it is in alignment with God’s plan, no doubt it will happen.
Also! I definitely recommend ‘The Four Agreements’ by Don Miguel Ruiz. It consists of 4 basic yet profound principles in dealing with day to day life. A must read.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: actress_unfiltered
- Facebook: Omalolu Fiki
