What does it really mean to build something that lasts beyond you?
In this episode of Alien Eyez Photos Industry Talk, Photographer Jackson sits down with longtime mentor, photographer, filmmaker, veteran and entrepreneur Shawn Lee Jones for a wide-ranging conversation about entrepreneurship, creativity, mentorship, financial discipline, resilience and legacy.
Shawn's journey spans military service, photography, community work, landscaping, filmmaking, entrepreneurship and youth mentorship. After serving 17 years, six months and five days in the military, he redirected much of the discipline, leadership and perspective he developed into building businesses and helping younger people develop practical skills of their own.
One of those businesses is G6 Landscaping and Snow Removal, a company built around battery-powered landscaping equipment, efficiency and community service.
But the story behind G6 goes much deeper than cutting grass.
The name originally represented Shawn's six grandchildren and became a reminder of why he wanted to build something that could continue beyond himself.
Shawn explains how experimenting with battery-powered lawn equipment eventually opened his eyes to a different approach to landscaping. What began with maintaining his own yard and helping neighbors grew into larger ideas around business systems, senior and veteran services, youth entrepreneurship and eventually the possibility of expanding the model even further.
Throughout the conversation, Shawn repeatedly returns to one central idea:
Build something that teaches people how to provide for themselves.
For Shawn, entrepreneurship is not only about making money. It is about skills, responsibility, ownership, relationships and creating opportunities for the next generation.
Shawn reflects on how his military experience influenced the way he approaches business and life.
The military taught him about discipline, preparation, logistics, budgets, fuel, systems and the importance of understanding numbers.
Those lessons eventually influenced his approach to personal finances and entrepreneurship.
Rather than simply asking how much money he wanted to make, Shawn began asking a more practical question:
How much does my life actually cost?
He talks about examining previous expenses, understanding monthly costs, studying patterns and making decisions based on real numbers instead of assumptions.
That mindset eventually played a major role in his decision to step away from traditional employment and put more energy into building the businesses and ideas he could already see in his mind.
A camera is a tool—and what matters is how you use it.
“I have a camera. Don't worry about it. You can use one of mine.”
“Have your own mind. Think for yourself.”
When asked what advice he would give an aspiring creative entrepreneur, Shawn's answer is simple:
“Get in it.”
Don't spend years talking about becoming a photographer, filmmaker, actor, artist or entrepreneur without actually participating in the craft.
Study.
Take notes.
Practice.
Volunteer.
Intern.
Use YouTube.
Use Google.
Use AI.
Go to the library.
Find mentors.
Purchase the tools you can afford.
And most importantly, apply what you learn.
Shawn emphasizes that consuming information is not the same thing as learning.
Watching four videos about photography doesn't automatically make someone a photographer.
At some point, you have to pick up the camera.
Shawn Lee Jones
Veteran entrepreneur, photographer, filmmaker, community builder and mentor.
Shawn is connected to:
G6 Landscaping and Snow Removal
Instagram/Facebook: G6 No Gas
Liquid Vision Film
Instagram: _LiquidVFilm
Creative Healing Foundation
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