Hi, I'm Shawn Hesketh

My Story

The Freelance Rollercoaster

For nearly three decades, I had a front row seat on the freelance rollercoaster. I loved the creative freedom of designing logos and branding systems, but I also faced the challenges that freelancers dread: the relentless cycle of feast-to-famine, unclear boundaries, and the constant pressure to find that next client. There were times when I felt on top of the world, and others when I questioned whether I was on the right path.

The Online Educator

In 2008, I created the WordPress 101 video tutorial series to help my own clients. It exploded. What started as a side project eventually helped over 3 million people worldwide. As rewarding as this was, the rapid growth brought its own challenges. I found myself working longer hours, trying to keep up with the demand while still maintaining my design business.

The Turning Point

Despite the outward success, I was doing work I was great at but had completely lost the passion that once drove me.

The worst point was the morning after I landed the largest project of my career. I knew something was wrong because not only was I completely unenthused about landing a $100,000 video project for one of the largest companies in my industry; I felt downright sick to my stomach. Days passed and I couldn't even begin to work without feeling nauseous.

I knew I had the skills to hit this project out of the park. And yet, every time I sat down at the computer to start working, I felt ill. I was completely burned out, depressed, and eaten up with anxiety. I began to worry that I might have to refund the client in full and walk away from the project completely. (In hindsight... I probably should have done just that.) The more I worried, the more anxiety I felt, which made the work that much harder to begin.

I did eventually complete the project. (Miraculously, on time.) And once again, they were the best videos I'd ever produced. The client loved them. And therein lied the rub.

Paralyzed by Perfectionism

Months later — with the benefit of hindsight and reflection — I came to realize that I had become completely paralyzed by perfectionism. Over the span of 14 years, I had raised the bar for every video I created until finally it had become so high I could barely attempt to do it again.

I knew I needed to make a change — not just in my work, but in how I approached my entire life. But I had no idea where to start.

Rediscovering Purpose

Right at that time — as if on cue — my good friend Chris Lema suggested I take the Motivation Code assessment. I'd taken plenty of personality assessments before, but I was desperate. So I sat down and took the assessment.

When I got my results, I was floored. Not only was it the most accurate assessment I’ve ever seen, but it instantly revealed why I felt so drained and unfulfilled in my work.

The Missing Motivation

According to my MCode results, my highest motivation is to Make An Impact, which means I'm deeply motivated to make a real difference in people's lives — to influence their thoughts, feelings, and behavior in a meaningful way. Critically, the report highlighted that I needed to see with my own eyes that my work was making a distinct impression or real difference in people's lives — something I rarely experienced after producing video tutorials.

In fact, after 14 years of creating video tutorials for WordPress, I could count on one hand the number of times someone said that my work had made an impact in their life. Without that impact, the work wasn't fulfilling. It was actually draining me.

What Drives One Person Drains Another

My MCode report showed me something else equally powerful. Even though the videos I produced had been frequently praised as the ‘gold standard’ for software tutorial videos, that recognition never really motivated me.

Sure enough, my MCode report revealed that the motivation to Evoke Recognition — capture the attention and interest of others — was waaaay down toward the bottom of the list of 32 possible motivations, explaining why that praise wasn't the fuel I needed to keep me going. That motivates other people, but not me.

In that moment, I discovered the importance of understanding my deepest, most innate motivations — a discovery that would eventually lead me to me joining the awesome team at MotivationCode.com

Through the process, I not only reignited my own spark but also discovered a new passion: helping others do the same. I learned how to structure my work in a way that aligned with my deepest motivations, set healthy boundaries, and create a sustainable balance in my work and personal life.

Paying It Forward

Today, as a Certified Executive MCode Coach and VP of Learning Strategy at MotivationCode.com, I have the privilege of guiding others through their own journeys of discovering what actually drives them — and reshaping their work to do more of what fits.

Every day, I get to see firsthand the impact of that work in people's lives. That's the part that keeps me going. And whether I'm coaching an entrepreneur through a messy transition or training another coach to do the same, I get to draw from my own experiences — the wins, the wreckage, and everything in between — to help them find their own way forward.

My journey has taught me that meaningful, impactful work doesn't have to cost you your well-being. It comes from understanding what actually drives you, aligning your work with it, and staying honest with yourself as you grow.

If you're feeling drained by the work you built, know that it doesn't have to stay that way. I've been there, I've found my way through, and I'd be glad to help you do the same.

Before I was a coach...

Before coaching, I spent 30+ years as a freelance designer, online educator, and founder of multiple companies — including WordPress 101, which helped over 3 million people learn to build their own websites. I sold WP101 in 2023 to focus full-time on what I'm doing now. If you're curious about that whole journey (or you're here because you remember me from my previous life), you can read the full story here.