Laugh Like You Mean It

Canadian Lebanese comedian Shawn Chidiac, 25, talks us through being a child of divorce and how laughter really is the best medicine

Tell us about your business – what inspired the idea and when did you start it?
When I was a kid, my mother had just gone through her divorce, and she was a struggling single parent, trying to raise two kids and working a full-time job. She was constantly unhappy, and I realised she used to laugh when I did impersonations and joked around. Seeing her smile triggered something inside me and made me feel like the one thing I wanted to do was keep her smiling and laughing. That vision was soon projected onto everyone.

I want to make the world laugh, which led to my business, MPAD Studios. We provide marketing to businesses on a project basis, including production, content creation and digital strategy. We also manage live comedy events, including talent management, event planning, and the media production. 

What do you consider to be your greatest personal and professional achievements?
My greatest personal achievement was the first time I could buy my mom a gift by myself. My greatest professional achievement has yet to come; I’m proud of a handful of moments like selling out standup shows, hitting my first 100k followers, and hitting three million views. But the greatest achievement is still in process. 

What are the keys to creating a profitable business?
Since my business is in a heavily saturated market within a fast-paced city, the one thing that helps me stand out is to stay authentic, which means being 100 per cent unique. Staying true to yourself will keep you on top; if you try to replicate something that’s worked for someone else, you’ll always be one step behind, playing someone else’s game. The best game you can play is your own, where you create your own trends and rules.

What were your biggest business challenges? How did you overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges I faced was finding a balance between taking on projects to add to my portfolio to show diversity, and charging the right rate for what I was delivering. This was a constant battle. After about two years of underpricing, I realised I was providing something unique and that it took a lot of work to find similar services. I started creating my own unique rates and convincing myself that I was worth what I charge; self-doubt is a killer in the entertainment and marketing business, so overcoming that was my biggest challenge.

What advice were you given when you started and did it help?
My uncle Tony told me, “You only grow when you make decisions.” Since then, with no exaggeration, my life has changed. One of my biggest fears was making the wrong decision. 

I was in constant fear. My mind was flooded with questions until we spoke, and he shifted my perspective. I realised that the only way I would find out would be if I just did it. You’ll make the best decision possible in that situation knowing what you know then; regret and success are future problems, and that helped me get over my indecisiveness. 

What is important to you?
Making sure my dog has all the treats he could ever want and staying on a growth path, even if it’s baby steps forward. As long as I’m growing, I am happy.

Have your priorities changed as you have matured? If so, how?
Saying “No” went from a fear of disappointment and FOMO to becoming second nature. I still struggle to make time for myself during the week, but the growth process starts with the realisation that you have to put yourself first. Everything starts to fall into place, family and close friends will always have a high standing in my life, but I can’t be myself if I’m burnt out. A healthier me is a better friend and family member. You owe yourself and your family to be the better version of yourself. 

Do you prioritise your mental health, and how?
I try to keep it as simple as possible. I do more of what I like and less of what I don’t like. I go to the beach, I try to exercise three or four times a week, I cuddle with my dog, and I cook food I crave. Life is full of stress, I’m all for putting the world on mute sometimes. 

What 3 pieces of advice would you give to the younger generation that might want to follow in your footsteps?
The advice I’m about to give is advice given to me by men and women much more successful and wiser than I. I was only smart enough to listen to it.  

1. Stay consistent. You will be swept behind if you don’t remain active daily. Most successful content creators are the ones who don’t stop, and not necessarily the most talented or creative in the industry. I’m not saying flood the market with mediocre content, but just buy remaining active, you will separate yourself from at least 50 per cent of the rest.
   
2. Decide if you want a passion or want a job. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t think your passion should be your job. However, you will take the novelty and joy out of what you do in the long run. It will eventually become a daunting task. What was once a hobby and an outlet (creative or otherwise) will cease to be that and just become something you need to do.
   
   When I made content my only source of income, I was taking on projects that I hated, making me hate content for that period. It removed the choice of being selective with whom I worked and how I shot it. By creating another channel of income, I didn’t have the pressure of taking on a project I didn’t want to cover expenses; it was all for the passion of it.
   
3. Believe in yourself. Set an overall goal no matter how ambitious, figure out the route to take and trust the process. A simple example is reaching a certain amount of followers on a social platform. The goal is 100k, and the way to do it is by staying active on your page and posting every day, collaborating and staying up-to-date with trends. The goal is clear, the route is clear, and the difficulty lies with how committed you are to that goal and believing that you will reach it even when you seem to be stuck for months.

This article appeared in Issue 002 – the Men’s Edition