Today we’d like to introduce you to Shunelett Myintthu.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was originally born in Myanmar but began moving around after turning two. I also spent my childhood years living in Paris and Tripoli before finally settling in Houston over a decade ago. Growing up in an Asian household, I was set on pursuing a future in the sciences but always felt deep down that expressing my creative side made me the happiest. That’s why, at the end of my freshman year at Texas A&M, I switched gears completely and decided to major in Communication with a minor in Business Administration.
I love writing and find it to be an excellent method to organize thoughts. In 2015, I opened up a blog on Tumblr which, to my surprise, gained over 35000 followers in a span of about 2 years. While microblogging on an almost daily basis, I realized just how much I enjoyed interacting with followers and creating my own content on social media. Although I’ve kind of ditched Tumblr, I have turned my full attention over to Instagram and my blog on WordPress.
Only about a year ago did I decide to revamp my Instagram feed in order to better my content and clean up the overall aesthetic. In fact, it was a very artsy friend of mine (@katydiaries) who got me interested in purchasing a DSLR so that I could take good photos and edit them. As for my blog, “Shunelett’s Corner,” it was something that I started in order to serve as some kind of online diary. It’s still fairly new, so I’m just trying to enjoy the process regardless of the outcome!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not – and it still isn’t. I get anxious easily in the presence of uncertainty, and because I’m still pretty young, there is a whole lot of that floating around. I’m about to start my final year of college, and just thinking about “adulting” stresses me out. I’m over here freaking out about grad school and whether or not I want to pursue marketing or public relations (or maybe a combination of both). So yes, there’s for sure a lot of insecurities and disappointment along the way. Even so, I know that I have to push myself and not give up in order to achieve the things I want in life. Uncertainty is terrifying, but it usually clears up eventually.
My biggest advice to others is to stick to your heart and (realistically) do what you love because only then will you truly find the drive to do your best. Some goals may seem impossible at times or change along the way, but remember to take things one step at a time before you can reach the very top. Also, I’d like to remind people to always recall their roots, stay humble, and be thankful to those who helped along the way. Sometimes, it’s easy to become discouraged when results aren’t immediate, but I’d say that a good attitude, perseverance, and (as my dad loves to say) discipline are key!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about your business – what should we know?
Like I said, I’m currently still a student. When I’m not focusing on academics or internships, I’m working on music or focusing on growing my online presence. I’d say that a lot of my content is lifestyle-oriented, but I’m still trying things out here and there.
My Instagram, for example, includes a lot of places, outfits, and foods that I want to share with others. My blog is also similar in the sense that it’s more lifestyle-based. I want to talk about local/international adventures, give different kinds of tips, list suggestions of cool places, and just be relatable to readers. I’m not 100% sure about the direction it’ll go in just yet and want to focus on having fun with it rather than worry too much about increasing traffic. Even so, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t care at all – fingers crossed that it’ll grow over time!
Moreover, I do plan out and take my own photos. While I don’t possess some of the technical skills that many professional photographers may have, I don’t think technique is necessarily everything. I’m proud of the fact that I put in the time and effort to experiment with different shots and edits. Everything is a creative process, so I am constantly brainstorming and trying to learn from my mistakes as well as others. To be honest, I’ve still got a long way to go.
Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
My childhood involved a lot of travel around the world, which gave me a ton of exposure to different views and cultures. I also attended the Awty International School (from elementary school until the end of high school) here in Houston, where I met so many people from all over. As a result, I’ve always been extremely accepting of others and try my best to understand different viewpoints even when they don’t necessarily align with mine. Things aren’t always so black and white, so I try to be as open-minded as possible.
Growing up, I was also fortunate enough to be fluent in three languages: English, French, and Burmese. The ability to use all three has come in very handy on many occasions and has allowed me to communicate better as a whole.
Lastly, my family life has thankfully been pretty smooth since day one. I have a great support system at home and parents that treasure me (even if we bicker at times). I’ve definitely learned a great deal from both of them and have definitely been shaped into the ambitious person that I am today because of their love and support.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shunelettscorner.com/
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shunelett/
Image Credit:
@nikkkkkie, @roger_bonney, @michellethane
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