Today we’d like to introduce you to Chrishawn Hollis.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always been interested in content creation\. When I was around 11 or 12, I would come home from school and stream video games on a streaming site named Mixer because I grew up watching YouTubers and thought what they did was cool\. Since I moved more than 40 times growing up, gaming and creating content became something consistent for me when everything else around me kept changing\. My first real hands\-on experience came through Alpone Da Producer, where I learned by helping with music videos, podcasts, live events, and different creative projects\. Later, Theroyalchief trusted me to follow him around, learn the camera, and film his content\. That eventually led to me shooting a project for the Kansas City Chiefs during 816 Day\. Around the same time, my mom pushed me to look for an internship because I had no idea what I wanted to do after high school\. I called and messaged close to 100 places and heard no repeatedly until Jo Blaq invited me to learn alongside students in his Block 37 class\. I kept showing up, stayed involved, and eventually became an audio engineer and producer at DISTRKCT, which is where I now spend most of my time outside of school\.
Today, I’m 21 and entering my senior year at the University of Kansas, where I’m studying film and earning a certificate in music\. My life does not have a normal schedule\. One day I may be engineering a studio session, the next I could be filming an interview for Hot 103\.3 Jamz, working on a political campaign, creating content for an artist or business, or building one of my own projects\. I’ve created series highlighting people in Kansas City, started documenting my goal of running every street in KC, collaborated with other creators, and recently curated my first event\. Because I’m naturally reserved, people sometimes underestimate what I can do until they see my work, but I would describe myself as hardworking, motivated, and always ready to learn\. More than anything, I want to be known as a Kansas City content creator who works across different areas of the city’s culture\. My idea of success is being able to make a living doing work I actually enjoy, continuing to make my mom proud, and growing from someone nobody knew into someone I’m genuinely proud to be\.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road\. One of the biggest challenges has been balancing everything at once—college, working as an audio engineer at DISTRKCT, content creation, internships, freelance work, and still trying to help my mom and pay for school\. On top of that, I was very introverted when I first started, so putting myself out there and building relationships didn’t come naturally\. I also dealt with a lot of rejection early on, and because I looked young, people often assumed I didn’t have the experience to handle bigger opportunities\.
Even now, there are days when everything feels overwhelming, but I don’t like making excuses or complaining\. I’d rather be known as someone who’s always willing to help and ready to work\. I’ve learned that not everyone will give you a chance, and sometimes people focus more on the equipment you have than the work you can actually produce\. Instead of letting that discourage me, I stay focused on where I want to be in the future and keep saying yes to opportunities that help me grow\.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I don’t really like putting myself into one category because I wear a lot of different hats\. I’m a Kansas City community member who works in content creation, video production, music, and other creative projects\. Depending on the day, I might be engineering a studio session, filming content for a business or artist, working on a political campaign, or creating content for my own platforms\. I enjoy being involved in different parts of Kansas City’s creative scene and learning something new from every opportunity\.
I’m probably most proud of the relationships I’ve built throughout Kansas City\. A few years ago, I hardly talked to anyone, and now I’ve been fortunate enough to work with people across music, sports, radio, business, and media\. I think what sets me apart is my ability to network and understand different sides of the creative industry instead of focusing on just one specialty\. I enjoy bringing people together, telling their stories, and representing Kansas City through the work I create\.:::
I think this is stronger than listing accomplishments because it explains **why** you’ve been able to do so many different things instead of just naming them\.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I think the biggest reason I’ve been able to get where I am is being willing to learn\. I’ve never acted like I know everything, and I’m always open to learning from people who have more experience than me\. Every opportunity I’ve had has taught me something different, whether it was working in a recording studio, filming content, or meeting new people\. I believe there’s always something new to learn, and that mindset has opened more doors for me than anything else\.
Pricing:
- Social media management (work with budget)
- Short music video promo content 3 reels 100$
- Political shoots (50$ hr)
- Local collabs (just dm me)
- Events, venues, concerts ( work with budget)
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyyy_chrishawn?igsh=ZHhrb3NydmRhZHFx&utm_source=qr
- Other: Tik tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heyyy_chris?_r=1&_t=ZT-989QES4MvRF
