Shawn Kenneth Fernandes can do it all. He can sing, write, produce, design, and lead. It’s a rare combination of talent and belief. It made perfect sense to build this conversation on ‘belief’. So, we caught up with Shawn and put him ‘under the spotlight’ (pun intended).
Humans of Goa is our original and official series that shares inspirational stories from the lives of Goans. Humans of Goa is made for and made up of Goans.
Let’s get started.
Tell us about yourself, Shawn…
My name is Shawn Kenneth Fernandes. I run a website called shawnkenneth.in
My insta handle is @shawnkenneth and I live at Porvorim.
If anyone were to ask you, “What do you do for a living, then what would you say?”
I am a Tech Entrepreneur & a Digital Content Creator.
I run a brand called Shawn Kenneth Digital Solutions and I am also a founder at a company called Creative Joule Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
What was that one moment when you decided, “That’s it! I want to become a content creator”
The first time I saw a Music Video by Linkin Park at the age of 13, I completely fell in love with the audio production process, the whole branding and the visuals.
I wanted to learn how to do everything associated with the Digital Content Creation field and eventually ended up doing it, even producing my own Music Videos eventually.
It also sparked an interest in Graphic Design because Mike Shinoda from Linkin Park is an amazing artist.
Is there any specific type of content that you cover? Lifestyle, food, or travel? If so, why only these?
My content covers multiple aspects. My main field is UI-UX Design which is basically designing Apps & Websites and User Interaction Experiences.
I also have a keen interest in Audio Production, Graphic Design, Video Editing & Blog Writing. My content tends to be genre-agnostic and I usually work for clients who require my services.
I also create Podcasts and recently released my Debut Musical Album called “The Passion Inside”.
A bit about your role models. People you look up to when creating content?
Video: MKBHD
Audio: Linkin Park
Art: Justin Maller
Podcasts: GaryVee
Any inspirational moment you remember in your life that changed everything…
When I created my first piece of Graphic Art at the age of 13 and a client liked my work and offered to pay for it.
I realized that my work held value and I went ahead and founded my own company at the age of 13 called Shawn Kenneth Creations. That moment guided my entrepreneurial journey to this day.
What was the biggest challenge when pursuing this as a fulltime career? And how did you overcome it?
Time Management. The creative field is rife with constant changes and it becomes a little difficult to manage multiple creative projects with deadlines.
Besides that, as a creative individual, handling the administrative side of a company becomes slightly difficult while you’re in the zone creating your content.
I overcame it by setting proper protocols and processes in place so that working with my clients and doing the creative work was as seamless as possible even if I had to manage 4-5 projects at a time.
Any memories as a kid you’d like to share? Something that helped shape you as a person?
The first time I performed on stage to an audience and they started chanting my name. That was a huge moment for me and gave me a lot of confidence to pursue my creative goals.
Being on stage also helped me learn how to be confident while communicating with people and leading a team.
Who is the one person you’d like to meet from the past (personal or celebrity)? And what would you ask him/her?
Freddie Mercury. I would love to have a dinner and pick his amazingly creative mind.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?
“Keep at it. Believe in yourself. You’ll get there. Also, start saving money as soon as possible!”
What role did family and friends play? Any quick incident you remember when family or friends helped you overcome a hurdle or challenge in life?
My mother Melly Menezes and my Uncle Arun Elekar were incredibly supportive of me when I was unsure about my professional path.
In my Second Year at Engineering College, I was unsure about whether to continue my degree course because of the stress involved.
But they helped me through it and I got out of the college successfully with a degree in hand and went ahead and pursued my creative goals too.
I also want to mention my Fiancé Rhea Vania who has always been supportive of every endeavor of mine and been my partner in more ways that I could have ever expected from anyone.
What were people’s feedback (negative and positive), and who stood by you the most?
A lot of people were incredibly supportive of my journey from the start because I started my professional journey when I was very young. They were always appreciative of my efforts.
The only time I heard any sort of negative feedback is when my name started hitting local and international news outlets.
But I never let the petty unconstructive feedback get to me and kept my vision of what I wanted to be as strong as I could.
What is the legacy you want to leave behind? And for whom?
I want to be known as one of the world’s top UI-UX & Content Creation experts and I want to make sure my family and children enjoy the benefits of everything that the position has to offer.
You can catch a snippet of this conversation on ItsGoa‘s Instagram page. Humans of Goa is our original and official series that shares stories from the lives of Goans. ‘Humans of Goa’ celebrates the spirit of every Goan.
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