Check Out Sheila Omondi’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheila Omondi.

Hi Sheila, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Sheila, and comedy is my one true love. Growing up in Kenya, I was a very creative child. I wrote plays, designed clothes for my dolls, performed poetry and music, and even took part in art competitions. However, my creativity wasn’t taken seriously as it was only seen as a hobby. I therefore pursued a more “serious” career path and ended up being a math major in college and working in financial roles.

However, even in this career path, I still excelled the most in the creative aspects of work. At one of my previous workplaces as interns, we had to submit daily “diaries” of our thoughts that the whole company could read. I used this opportunity to showcase my comedy writing skills and had the most read diary out of all interns with people saying I made them laugh and that I should pursue writing as a side gig. I would also focus on the design and storytelling aspects of anything that I had to present to my fellow workmates. Through all this, I still longed to be more creative. These small avenues of creativity were not enough.

In 2020, I discovered TikTok where I felt like I could be myself because everyone was so authentically themselves. So many of my friends had told me I would do well on TikTok because I was already creating funny videos on Snapchat, but it was only the pandemic that made me join because I had nothing else to do. I created comedic skits and memes around dating, relatable human experiences and my Kenyan life. My videos resonated with people globally and got millions of views. As a result, I was able to get jobs as a comedy writer and a comedic content creator for local and international brands. However, there was still so much that I felt I didn’t know because I just found myself in this career path. I therefore decided to look into schools that would help me get better at my craft. A school in LA was the obvious option for me because the creative scene here is out of this world. Everyone is creative in some way. I submitted my application to USC, and they liked my work so much that they gave me a scholarship. The alignment!!!

Currently, I live in LA, I am a film and digital media graduate student at USC, and I am also a content creator and upcoming comedic actress. In addition to my schooling at USC, I take improv classes at Groundlings, which is famous for having alumni that have had successful careers as comedians, including being cast on SNL (which is my dream job!!!). I am on the way to becoming the girl of my dreams, and this is all because I chose to go against the grain and what was expected of me and took a chance on myself.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it has not!!! I come from a background where creative careers are not celebrated. My parents are medics and my siblings are in finance and engineering, so you can imagine how much of an outlier I am even at the family level. I constantly question myself. Am I doing the right thing? Should I just quit and get a normal job?

Also, people really romanticize moving to LA, but a lot of people here are away from their support systems, chasing their dreams completely on their own. That can be really hard on a person.

Personally, moving from Nairobi to LA has come with a lot of adjusting. The culture is very different, things are way more expensive, and I find myself having to watch my back way more.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a digital creator and comedian. I create humorous content on my own platforms, and I help other brands to be more funny. I am also a comedy writer, which basically means that I have the ability to take something serious and find ways to insert humour into it. I am known for my ability to find the funny in anything, especially traumatic experiences. I am most proud of the fact that so many of my favourite brands love my work and have selected me for opportunities, I have worked with Nike, Dunkin’, Crocs and Amazon Studios, to mention but a few.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I’ve learnt is that while other people may want what’s best for you, it is only you that knows what is truly best for you because you live with yourself every single day. You know your thoughts, wants, desires, hopes and dreams better than anyone else would know them. Never hold anyone’s opinions about you higher than you hold your own. I always feel like if I had checked in with myself and listened to my heart earlier, I would have avoided a lot of things like wasting my years on the wrong career path or trying to suppress my creativity. But I still think that everything happens for a reason and my experiences made me who I am today.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: instagram.com/sheilaajjie
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnoPRB5uIlwROGcJAUmtZ7A
• Other: tiktok.com/@sheilaajjie

Image Credits
Casshis