We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chris Chianesi a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Chris , thanks for joining us today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today.

People wanting to build something entrepreneurial are essentially starting something from scratch, which can make something feel daunting and unattainable. Early on, when I was building my career, I don’t think I was as focused on goals or truly listened to feedback enough. Although I learned many valuable lessons, I likely could have saved some time and energy if I had been. Which brings me to my advice for people wanting to go out on their own. First, identify what you are amazing at early on in your career, even if it might not appear to have anything to do with the direction you are heading or think you want to head in. You can’t do this alone. You have to listen to when people praise you and recognize when they are less vocal. Surround yourself with people who are supportive and uplift you and believe in you. Second, set goals for yourself. Short-term goals are important to give you a sense of achievement on a regular basis, and long-term goals are essential to making sure you build the foundation for the life and career you want. Third, be honest with yourself. People respond to authenticity, and if you aren’t being honest with yourself, others will notice. If you aren’t being honest with yourself, you’re not going to be listening to feedback and your goals won’t match who you are. It’s full-circle.

Chris , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I started out as an actor, doing mostly musical theater. Ever since I can remember, I loved writing original songs, but I never really thought that I was good enough to have my voice be heard in that way. And I never really thought I had anything important to say. But after years of auditioning for other peoples’ shows and never really quite fitting into the boxes that I needed to fit into in order to succeed in that area, I was motivated to really concentrate on creating my own art. And I found out I was really good at it!

Now, I write for other people, brands, and campaigns, basically anyone who needs a song. I love collaborating and creating as much good art as I have time to do!

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I decided to write about what I loved. I had already been watching The Real Housewives of New York City, so I decided that I would try to write and produce one song a week for an entire season, and then post a weekly music video for my social media. I spent about two years building up my audience that way, connecting with people who also love The Real Housewives and reality television in general. I built a community of people who are supportive of my art, and who encourage me to be as wacky and creative as my heart desires!

For people who are just starting to build a social media presence, my main piece of advice would be to think about what resonates with you (even if you think it’s too niche), focus on that, and actively seek out others who share your focus.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Having creative control of what I put out there. I am so proud of all the art I create and I love sharing it with as many people as I possibly can!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.seriouslychris.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seriouslychris/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@seriouslychris1
• Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/r5hv1AwUyyFxd9kf8
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@seriouslychris