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

Hi Khaleel James, thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

The idea for my creative services business was born out of an unexpected realization: I don’t like attending parties or social events—but I love *capturing* them. For most of my early adulthood, I avoided the nightlife scene. Crowded rooms and loud music just weren’t my thing. But my friends, persistent and loyal as they were, would often convince me to come out anyway. And it was during one of those nights, camera in hand, that something clicked.

I remember standing at the edge of a packed dance floor, watching people laugh, joke, be silly, and *live*. There was so much beauty in those unfiltered moments—people being fully themselves. Holding a camera gave me a sense of purpose in those spaces. I didn’t have to dance or perform; I just observed. And I realized that so many of the attendees never truly saw themselves. But I did. And through my lens, I could show them.

That moment sparked something deep. I understood that documenting absolute, fleeting joy was valuable. People deserved to see the ways they light up a room, the subtle glances, the big laughs, the way they dance like no one’s watching. I could give that to them.

At 23, I also knew that having nothing outside of work and the gym would eventually weigh on my spirit. I needed something that fed my soul. Photography and videography became that outlet. It was personal at first, then it grew. What started as a way to preserve memories turned into a doorway I never expected to walk through.

Running a photography business taught me how to operate with intention, how to think like a creative, and how to be an entrepreneur. That experience laid the foundation for other ventures, including the launch of my YouTube channel, and more recently, LR. Thinking—my educational services company aimed at closing the academic gap that plagues many communities in the United States.

Through LR. Thinking, I’m focused on providing tutoring and learning experiences for students in grades 2 through 8, with plans to expand into higher grades. Every lesson I learned from photography—about people, storytelling, business structure, and brand building—has helped shape this next chapter. I never imagined how far a camera would take me, but now I see it was always more than a lens. It was the beginning of a vision.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

For those who may not have heard of me before, my name is Khaleel James. I’m a creative entrepreneur and educator who found my purpose through the lens of a camera and the heart of a classroom. I run a photography and videography business that specializes in capturing candid moments often overlooked—the laughter, the stillness, and the subtle joy in everyday events. At the same time, I’m the founder of LR.Thinking, an educational service committed to closing the academic achievement gap in the United States, with a focus on students in grades 2 through 8.

I didn’t start out imagining myself in either of these spaces. I never liked attending events or parties, but after being encouraged by friends to come out, I found myself more intrigued by the *moments* than the music. Holding a camera gave me a quiet purpose in loud places—it allowed me to see people fully and to share a piece of their joy that they might never have seen otherwise. That turned into a passion, and that passion became a business.

What sets my creative work apart is the *intention* behind the lens. I’m not just snapping pictures or recording footage—I’m telling stories that people didn’t know they were writing. I work with clients who want to relive real emotions, not just staged poses. Whether it’s a wedding, a graduation, or a family gathering, my job is to reflect the moments that matter most.

On the education side, **LR.Thinking** was born from my experiences as a teacher and my deep concern about the widening educational gap for underserved communities. I apply everything I’ve learned from building a business—planning, branding, marketing, and communication—to helping young learners thrive. We offer tutoring sessions in a group-based, fun, and affirming environment that nurtures both academic growth and social connection.

What I’m most proud of is the evolution of my journey. I started at 23, looking for something beyond work and the gym. I never envisioned that the doors of photography and education would open for me. Now, I stand at the intersection of creativity and impact—using my skills to help people see themselves, and to help students believe in themselves.

If you take away anything about me or my brand, I hope it’s this: I build with purpose. Whether I’m capturing your memories or helping a child master long division, I do it with care, with vision, and with a belief that ordinary moments and people are worth celebrating.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

My side hustle hasn’t turned into my full-time career—*and that’s by choice*. I’m deeply passionate about my primary work as an educator. Teaching is more than a job for me; it’s a calling. The classroom gives me purpose, and the opportunity to impact young lives every single day is something I never take for granted. That said, I’ve always believed that legacy isn’t built through one avenue—it’s built through intentional, long-term efforts that reflect your values and skills. That’s where my side hustles come in.

I launched my creative services in photography and videography because I needed something for *me*—a space outside of work and the gym that allowed me to express myself and build something of my own. Over time, I began to understand that if I wanted to grow and sustain these ventures, I had to think like a business owner. That’s when I shifted my focus from “one-time clients” to *ongoing relationships*. The key to scaling my businesses—whether it was my photography service or my educational tutoring platform, **LR.Thinking**—was moving to a **subscription-based model**.

Instead of chasing one big client a year, I focused on building systems that enable clients to return month after month. For example, my tutoring service offers monthly memberships that guarantee four structured sessions in a group-based learning environment. That predictability allows parents to see consistent results, and it will enable me to build long-term impact.

Some of the key milestones along the way include launching my YouTube channel as an extension of my photography work, building multiple revenue streams from a single creative skill set, and transitioning from passion projects to fully operating business entities with long-term potential.

So no—I haven’t left education, and I don’t plan to. But I *am* building a legacy through the businesses I’ve created, designed to grow steadily and intentionally. For me, success is not just about replacing a paycheck. It’s about creating platforms that reflect who I am, serve my community, and can live on beyond me.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Yes, there is an apparent mission driving my creative journey: I want the next generation of learners—especially those who look like me—to see what’s possible when you genuinely believe in yourself. My goal is to be a living model of what life can look like when discipline, education, and purpose come together.

I’ve never had to leave the educational space to find success, and that’s something I want people to remember. While many pursue entrepreneurship as an escape, I’ve built my businesses alongside my teaching career, not in place of it. I want my students and their families to know that you can stay rooted in service and still build something powerful and profitable.

When I eventually retire from the classroom, I plan to expand the businesses I’ve created—like LR.Thinking—into resources that continue to serve the communities I care about, even in my absence. My vision is long-term. I’m not just building income streams; I’m building systems that my students, their families, and eventually my own family can learn from, benefit from, and carry forward.

At the heart of it all, I’m working to leave behind a legacy—a legacy that reflects the journey of an intricate, educated, and disciplined Black man who used his gifts to change lives for the better. That’s my mission. That’s my purpose. And that’s what drives every step of my creative journey.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @leel.chamberlain @lr.photographsnyc @lr.thinking
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@lr.thinking?si=FcU9S048hmIonaRY

Image Credits

@morencystudios