KIGALI – Before becoming a familiar face on social media, hosting conversations and building a career in the corporate world, Shema Espérant was a shy schoolboy who preferred to keep to himself.
Today, widely known as Shema Lyon on social media, he is a corporate leader, content creator and media personality. But the transformation from the quiet teenager to a man comfortable speaking before audiences is one of the most unexpected parts of his personal journey.
“I used to be a shy guy, very calm,” Shema recalled during an interview with Gaella Rutagengwa on Beyond the Scroll, a Kigali Today podcast.
He said his personality began changing during his Advanced Level studies, when he became more socially active, played basketball and gradually developed the confidence to interact freely with others.
His early life was also shaped by his Christian faith. He served as a worship leader in church, even as he began developing a more outgoing personality among his schoolmates.
His entry into media came shortly after completing high school. At 18, he became a radio presenter, marking the beginning of a journey that would eventually make public communication part of his professional identity.
Looking back, Shema says he is particularly surprised by how comfortable he has become speaking publicly and engaging with people who recognize him through social media.
“What surprised me is to find myself as a person with a voice who is speaking out there on social media, becoming this guy who is there, people come to him like, ‘You know, I’m a big fan,’” he said.
Yet, despite his public visibility, Shema is careful about how much of his personal life he shares online.
He explained that social media allows people to present selected aspects of themselves rather than their complete identities.
“On social media you cannot be at 100%. You show the audience or people who follow you what you want them to see according to your content. You cannot put everything there,” he said.
He estimates that his online presence represents about 75% of who he is, with the remaining 25% reserved for his private life.
Beyond the corporate titles
Away from social media, Shema has built a career in the corporate world. He works in the insurance industry as a commercial director and also runs a financial consultancy company. He is additionally involved in podcasting.
But he says his identity is not defined by his professional responsibilities.
“First of all, I’m a Rwandan before I become anything else. I am a very proud Rwandan. I am a Christian. I am a father. And I am a man of my family. That’s who I am,” he said.
For Shema, family is an important part of his identity, particularly his role as a father.
He describes himself as a strict parent, an aspect of his personality that he believes may surprise people who mainly know him through his corporate and media engagements.
“I’m a strict dad. If my daughters are here, they’ll tell you that don’t play games,” he said.
He explained that leadership at work and parenting at home require different approaches, although both involve making decisions, listening and providing direction.
At work, he says, leadership requires a balance between being approachable and making difficult decisions. At home, however, he believes children need both affection and discipline.
“When you go home, you are a dad, you are a father. So there’s that soft spot you create for your kids, but also there’s some strictness,” he said.
He particularly emphasized the importance of guiding his daughters as they grow up.
Asked about raising daughters, he described the experience as rewarding, saying girls bring a special kind of affection and care to family life.
“Daughters are sweethearts. They are loving. They’re caring. They’re little women, you know, and we love women,” he said.
Learning from setbacks
Despite his professional progress and growing public profile, Shema says he remains ambitious and believes there is still much to accomplish.
He acknowledged that his journey has not been without failures, but said those experiences have helped him learn and develop.
Asked whether his younger self would be proud of the man he has become, he had little doubt. “Big time,” he responded.
He believes the younger version of himself would recognize the progress made, including the lessons gained from mistakes and difficult experiences.
“Even those failures, we learned from it. We did not fail. We totally… you know, we had to wake up and run. Yeah, we’re here,” he said.
For Shema, the journey from a shy teenager to a corporate executive and public personality is a reminder of how much a person can change over time.
While his professional achievements and online presence have made him increasingly visible, he says family, faith and his identity as a Rwandan remain central to who he is.
Watch full interview below:
