Hong Kong-based creative entrepreneur Kevin Poon shares his thoughts on success, fatherhood and making a difference
Whenever we feel tired or bogged down with work, we think to ourselves: WWKPD? What would Kevin Poon do? The creative entrepreneur doesn’t just have his finger on the pulse: he is the pulse. A DJ, a co-founder of streetwear label Clot, retailer Juice, distributor District, gallery WoAW and public-relations firm Social Capital (to name a few), he has embraced fashion, art and music all under the umbrella of one incredible and unabating career path.
Then there’s his collection of restaurants: Elephant Grounds, Morty’s, La Rambla, WagyuMafia, The Diplomat and Mashi no Mashi. Does he ever sleep? Probably not.
In July, Poon and his wife Fiona McLeish welcomed a baby boy, making Poon busier than ever, but he isn’t complaining. “Being a dad is really awesome. Our son, Cali, is super cute. It has definitely been tiring, but when you see him and he’s this small little nugget, it’s pretty rad. We’re really blessed and so thankful for everything,” he says.
Read why the entrepreneur still doesn’t feel like he’s “made it”, his most notable career obstacle to date and why he has no time for regrets.
See also: Serial Entrepreneur Parith Rungsimanond On What He's Learned From His Successes And Failures
Describe what you do in one sentence.
Well, on my LinkedIn profile, it says that I’m a cultural entrepreneur, so for lack of a better title, I’d say that’s what I am.
How does your business make a difference?
I always try to bring positive energy to everything and anything that I do. Whether it’s bringing awareness to certain things that I believe in, like vegan food or dog-friendly cafes, or creating awareness about my cultural heritage. My team and I don’t think about [how we are making a difference] in the traditional sense, we just try to be positive in everything we do.
What do you put your success down to?
I think it’s a gradual process. The more I learn about life, the more I realise I don’t know anything. In a small place like Hong Kong, the question is how do you stay positive, happy and motivated? I think connecting to gratitude and constantly reminding yourself that you are blessed is really important.
In terms of work, I don’t think we are successful in the grand scheme of things. There are so many people out there who are doing bigger and better things. I’m just happy to have the opportunity to do what I love. There are different measures of success. Some people measure financial success while others value spiritual success. The most important thing is that if you love what you do, keep at it every day. Success doesn’t come overnight; I’m still striving for it every day. It’s the little changes you make on a daily basis that keep propelling you forward.