We recently had the chance to connect with SHAYNE and have shared our conversation below.
SHAYNE, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
Being laid off right before the holidays forced a moment of stillness I didn’t ask for but probably needed. Overnight, the structure and security of a corporate role disappeared, and with it, the illusion that stability always comes from a title or a company. That moment was heavy, especially with a family and responsibilities, but it also stripped away the safety net I had been holding onto.
What I’m being called to do now is trust myself fully. I need to cease considering freelance work as a side path and instead embrace it as the primary path. I used to be afraid of the uncertainty, the inconsistency, and the visibility that comes with betting on your own vision. There’s nowhere to hide when your name is on everything.
Now, I see that fear as a signal, not a stop sign. I’m being called to build something rooted in intention, relationships, and impact, to lead with my values, and to let my work speak loudly for who I am and what I stand for. Diving in headfirst isn’t about proving anything to anyone else. It’s about finally answering a call I’ve felt for a long time.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Shayne, a creative strategist and media producer, and the founder of That One Media Studio. At the heart of my work is intentional storytelling, helping people and brands show up authentically and connect in ways that feel real and meaningful. My background spans video, photography, podcasting, live production, and content strategy, but the common thread has always been putting people first.
What makes my work different is the blend of strategy and empathy. I’m not interested in creating content just to keep up with algorithms. I focus on building trust, capturing honest moments, and translating purpose into visuals and messaging that feel human, not manufactured. Every project starts with understanding the person or brand behind it.
Right now, I’m leaning fully into freelance, growing the studio, collaborating with values driven brands, and sharing my own journey more openly. It’s a season of building with intention, leading with clarity, and creating work that leaves a lasting impact.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world started assigning titles and expectations, I was just a curious kid who loved to create. I was always observing, asking questions, noticing how people moved, spoke, and connected. I didn’t have language for it back then, but I was drawn to stories, to emotion, to making something out of nothing.
Before I was told what success should look like, I followed instinct. I created because it felt right, not because it fit a path. I trusted curiosity more than permission. Somewhere along the way, the world added rules, timelines, and definitions that slowly muted that voice.
The work now is remembering that version of myself and honoring it. Stripping away the noise and returning to curiosity, creativity, and connection. That’s not a step backward, it’s a return to the foundation that’s always been there.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes, there were moments when giving up felt like the easiest option. Times when the weight of uncertainty, responsibility, and comparison made me question whether the path I chose was sustainable or even worth it. Those moments weren’t dramatic, they were quiet. Late nights, unanswered emails, doubts that crept in when no one else was watching.
What kept me going wasn’t blind optimism, it was remembering why I started. I’ve learned that almost giving up is often a sign you’re standing right at the edge of growth. The pause wasn’t about quitting, it was about recalibrating.
I didn’t walk away. I adjusted, learned, and kept moving forward with more clarity and intention. Giving up would have meant abandoning a part of myself I wasn’t willing to lose.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
What people see is one chapter, never the whole book. A moment, a highlight, a season that’s visible from the outside. It’s easy to assume you understand someone’s journey based on what’s shared publicly, but most of the story happens off camera, in the quiet work, the hard decisions, and the chapters that never get posted.
Every person is carrying context you can’t see. The setbacks that shaped them, the sacrifices they made, the nights they questioned everything. Those pages matter just as much as the wins.
I’ve learned to be mindful of that, both in how I see others and how I allow myself to be seen. My story is still being written, and the chapter you’re reading right now is only part of it. The meaning comes from the full book, not a single page.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I understand that growth is rarely loud. Most of the meaningful change happens quietly, in uncomfortable moments no one applauds. People often chase visibility, validation, or overnight success, but what really moves the needle is consistency, self awareness, and the willingness to stay when things stop feeling exciting.
I also understand that people are more complex than they appear. Everyone is carrying something, fear, ambition, grief, hope, sometimes all at once. When you recognize that, it changes how you lead, how you create, and how you connect. Empathy stops being a soft skill and becomes a strategy.
At the deepest level, I’ve learned that alignment matters more than approval. When your work reflects who you are, not who you’re trying to impress, the impact lasts longer and the journey feels honest.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thatonemediastudio.gg/home-page
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayne-h-6597921b7/?skipRedirect=true
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