Background Story
At only 17-years-old, Shin is already the owner of a flourishing social media marketing agency: Revlow Studios. His success is aided by his optimistic personality and waking up each morning with a positive mindset. With his parents being his biggest motivators, Andrew has learned how to manage hardships and shares with us how he takes them head-on.
What drives you to get out of bed every morning?
Andrew Shin: Knowing that something great can happen everyday—and having my family there to support me—motivates me to get out of bed in the morning. I have always been an optimistic person, because I feel that what you focus on is what you receive in life. That being said, I wake up each morning with a positive mindset and concentrate on making each day better than the one before.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? What lesson did you learn from them?
Andrew Shin: I am extremely thankful for my parents who helped me to get to where I am today. Being able to see first-hand the hours that they put in, set an example to me at an early age that you have to dedicate yourself to your craft and put in the hours. My parents are one of my greatest motivators and I want to give back in tenfold what they gave me. The greatest lesson that I learned from my parents is to keep moving forward. They taught me that obstacles and hardships in life would be inevitable, and the best way to get past these hardships is to simply move forward.
How do you push through your worst times?
Andrew Shin: As a young entrepreneur, it can be difficult to find a balance between work, school, and everyday life. To push through these times of adversity, I like to remind myself of all the great people and moments that I have had the privilege to meet and experience. Even taking a couple seconds to remind myself of all my blessings, gives me peace and allows me to move forward from rough times.
If you could travel back in time to before you started, what 3 tips would you give yourself and why?
- GIVE: It is always better to give than to receive. Moreover, giving is satisfying and those who give attract others who do the same. I feel that if you give earnestly and place the interests of others first, then your own interests will always be taken care of.
- TAKE RISKS: While mindlessly taking risks may not be beneficial, it is important to take calculated risks every so often. When taking a risk plays out to be successful, you increase your confidence; when taking a risk goes wrong, you learn from that mistake. Playing it safe, is a surefire path towards mediocrity.
- ENJOY THE PROCESS: When starting any business venture, it can be easy to only focus on the end result. However, you have to learn to enjoy the process. Surrendering yourself to living in the moment, puts you in control and allows you appreciate moments for what they are.
“Playing it safe, is a surefire path towards mediocrity.” – Andrew Shin