Meet Justin Awn

We recently connected with Justin Awn and have shared our conversation below.

Justin, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

I would say that a lot has to do with my family and how and where I was raised. I was born in New Jersey but raised in the jewel of the Caribbean, the beautiful island of Jamaica. My grandfather Ray Hadeed started a company in Jamaica in 1950 which still stands today. It’s called SERV-WEL. He was known as the father of Jamaican manufacturing. My parents Paul and Frances Awn also ran the company along with my grandfather. Being raised around one of the largest companies in the Caribbean showed me the perseverance, hard work and dedication it took to run such a business. My parents Frances and Paul along with my grandparents on both sides (Mitchell and Lourdes Awn) (Rose and Ray Hadeed) had an excellent work ethic therefore I was given a good example at an early age. Seeing that they built something out of nothing is a great accomplishment. Unfortunately they are all gone now, to date what they built has been taking care of the younger generation along with many other families. I myself realized a long time ago that it’s just me and like my elders did, I myself am in the process of building for a better future each and every single day.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

My profession is that of an actor. I started as a baby model thanks to my mother and some years later expressed an interest in acting. Since then I’ve never looked back. It’s been the best choice I’ve made thus far. It’s a gift from God. I made up my mind many moons ago that I will do this for the rest of my life. I do what I love and I love what I do. People seem to like what I do and continue to support me and I’m so ever grateful. My mother started as a model in Switzerland hence she got me into the creative sector. It’s a love and a passion. I also taught acting for 3 years at The University Of The West Indies. I was also on air with my own radio show called Meet Me At Midnight which ran Monday’s-Thursday’s, midnight-2am. while handling operations for HOT 102 fm for 5 years. I have currently been at NewsTALK 93fm on campus for 5 years now with my own show once again called The Vintage Lounge which comes on every Sunday from 10am-12noon. I’m also the founder of the largest positive thoughts group in the Caribbean. It’s called POSITIVE THOUGHTS and it’s listed on Facebook. I am also the founder of 2 non-profit organizations (Caribbean Film Society and Caribbean Actors Society) which helps to boost the Caribbean creative sector. I also own and operate a talent agency (Models & Talent Jamaica) and a media company (Event.Full Jamaica), all of which were started in 2007.

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?

The three qualities that come into mind for me are honesty, integrity and focus. These are things I live by. You have to be honest in your dealings. Learn to trust and give trust. Deal with people in a respectful manner and like the old saying goes, treat others the way you want to be treated. Have integrity in what you do. Keep your head held high. Focus on what you want in life. You have to be serious about what you are doing. You can do anything you want in this life, all you have to do is put your mind to it. You have the power within. I encourage people to stay focused, don’t let anyone or anything distract you from reaching your goals. Once you set your mind out to something great, you can achieve it with hard work, determination and the will to move forward. You have what it takes to be great! Never pay attention to the negative things that people have to say. Just stay focused on you and what you are trying to accomplish and all will be well. I always wish people nothing but the best. Another key thing to remember, always give thanks. Ladies and gentlemen…you are Queens & Kings.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

I have to say that it’s a mixture of my parents/grandparents, a few cousins and most definitely my fans that have been supporting me since day one. They have always encouraged me to continue in this field. I’m from Jamaica where I’m a minority, so it’s a difficult journey but I’m always willing to push through. I realize that this is what I’ll be doing for the rest of my life so I have to constantly stay focused and try my best to overcome any challenge that comes my way. It’s hard when it’s just you but one has to keep on pushing. Problems are only solutions waiting to be found. I have to always study and do my research. It takes a lot to be an actor. I pray a lot and always thank God. This always helps.

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