Shihab Hasan Neyon: Unraveling the Inspiring Journey of a Remarkable Bangladeshi Content Creator

August 5, 2023

In today’s fast-paced world, the stories of exceptional individuals often get lost amidst the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. However, it is crucial to take a moment and celebrate the accomplishments of those who have overcome odds and dedicated themselves to making a positive impact on society. One such remarkable individual is Shihab Hasan Neyon, more commonly known as Neyon & On among his huge fan base, whose inspiring journey serves as an example of determination, resilience, and compassion. During a conversation with TINDS, Neyon shared with us his story of coming this far and becoming a successful content creator.

TINDS: Tell us a little about your childhood. Where were you born and where’d you grow up?

Neyon: I was born & brought up in Dhaka. I studied in Adamjee Cantonment Public School & College. I have been a very mischievous kid when I was little but with age I started getting calmer. My personality is also kind of that way, either I will be very calm and formal around someone or I’d speak my heart out if I please. I used to be a nerd when I was a kid, I’d always be on the merit list for sure.

TINDS: 3 words that describe you the best.

Neyon: Crazy, Passionate & Imposter.

TINDS: What do you think is your worst quality?

Neyon: Insecurity. I think it’s common for several artists, however many would probably refuse to agree. Also, I am very number driven, the statistics matter a lot to me.

TINDS: What did you study in?

Neyon: I completed my undergraduate degree from The University of Dhaka in Economics.

TINDS: What inspired you to start making videos when you started initially?

Neyon: I am usually the kind of person who sits in the corner with his phone with minimum interactions with the people around. However, my friends are of the opposite kind. I have never thought in my wildest dreams that I’d be a content creator. It was during the start of 2020 when I wanted to start doing something of my own and like everybody else I was bored too during the quarantine and that’s when I started making and posting random videos. The video I made of different kinds of friends on a video call reached around a million views and had almost eighteen thousand shares, that’s when it hit me to do this seriously after all.

TINDS: You post your videos on more than one platform. Which would you choose over the other?

Neyon: Currently I’d say Youtube, because the same video that I post on Facebook has an average view time of approximately one or maybe two minutes. Whereas, when I post the same video on youtube the average time goes up to as much as six minutes even, so it is a very normal philosophy that the person watching me for a longer time is more likely to remember me and probably come back to watch my next video too. Youtube is a different ball game I believe. Videos have to be of a certain length, the quality matters and the entire production. It’s definitely trickier, and I think if I want to establish myself as a creator I have to be more prone to making videos of the longer format.

TINDS: How did you shift to making videos about sports?

Neyon: I have applied the basic knowledge of economics to my content creation as well. I am sure you are aware that we are a sports crazy nation. Even without trophies for consecutive years, we still love and adore our national cricket team players. Since we don’t have a commendable football presence we worship international football tournaments and are so into it. The madness is evident. Sports is something that people can simply relate to. The targeted audience is huge and sports is always going to be relevant. I don’t consider myself an expert, but a layman’s view is what people here relate to I think.

TINDS: How was your experience of going to see the world cup in person?

Neyon: Compared to many people you now see on screen, I think I joined in the lot very late. I only started in 2020 and I’d like to add that I think I started making good content in 2022, earlier it was just me in front of the camera. I’d like to mention here that I am a rather hard-working individual and I do what I do with great passion. Many might say I have had sponsors, but please note that I have had to get my tickets ready and other arrangements done before the sponsors. I and my team had to work very hard in funding ourselves to be able get things done. I remember telling my team members that we should emphasize primarily on getting the tickets for traveling because I was sure once the tickets are ready the rest will fall into place on its own. I was the only South-Asian sports creator who was invited to the Globe Soccer Awards, whereas TikTok specifically mentioned that they wouldn’t fund our accommodation or flights, and we still went because it was once in a lifetime opportunity. It was an amazing experience for sure and I am eternally grateful to all my audiences for their love and support.

TINDS: Coming this far, what have you had to struggle with?

Neyon: It’s common that people expect a lot in this section wanting to know about the stress and hardships, but I haven’t had many to be honest. I like to believe that I got very lucky because I haven’t had to face too many obstacles. My parents and friends have always been supportive of me throughout the way, in fact I have had assistance and guidance from other content creators as well. The general struggle for content creators is usually to come with new ideas to make the next video.

TINDS: What would your advice be to new content creators?

Neyon: Be real. Be authentic. Not necessarily everyone who steps into the field of content creation has to be successful. It’s completely fine if somebody doesn’t make it to the absolute top, but it is important to do what you do with good intentions and all of your heart put into it. None of it comes in a short time, this is a long game and one has to work hard enough for it.