We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Luke Harbur. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Luke below.

Hi Luke, thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I quit my day job in November 2021 to pursue freelance creative production & entertainment full-time for one year. That anniversary arrives soon, and I’m proud to share my financial income surpassed my original predictions. This was possible by keeping this core philosophy each day: no job is too big or too small. Within this year, I had a production contract worth 5 digits in sales. In the same year, I took a performance contract worth 1 digit in tips. Cumulatively my largest and smallest contracts added up to the amount of money I needed in order to pay my bills, have some fun, and save for the future. This year was life changing, and being unafraid to ask for help, shamelessly self promote, and have portfolios ready to go for big meetings always put me on a positive side of business.

Luke, 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?

My name is Luke “Skippy” Harbur and I’m a full-time creative producer & entertainer based out of Kansas City, Missouri. I got into entertainment work through being trained as an actor and singer through my early 20s, and I got into creative production work through my Journalism degree at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York. I combine my book smarts and my street smarts to provide creative production and entertainment services. This ranges from creating social media strategies for arts organizations and non-profits to writing and producing over 29 original songs in 2022 alone.

What sets me a part is my ability to work with very small or very large budgets with the same approach: no matter what your vision is, I am here to help make that happen and want to make sure you’re happy with the final content strategy, video, photo, song, etc. that you receive. I will be matter of fact if I need to manage a crew of 12 to make that happen or if it can be done by me alone. My authenticity and honesty will get the job done in a way you may have never experienced before.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Each opportunity to perform and collaborate with others is rooted in a deeper story: In 1996, at 5 months old, I was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare liver disease. 6 months later I received a life-saving liver transplant from an 8-year-old boy named Aaron Drake, who passed away while on a camping trip at The Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. Through this tragedy came hope, giving me a second chance to inspire others with his artistically experimental and authentic approach to entertainment and creative production. Through my production portfolio and music, I hope people find a project or song that they love.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Let’s specifically talk about music: Musicbyskippy, my marque name, is the vessel for audiences to confront the full spectrum of their emotions, becoming child-like when dancing, crying, cheering, laughing, or jeering at my different songs. No matter their reactions, my unrelenting optimism to connect with them stems from my life-saving liver transplant at the age of 11 months old, giving me a second chance to perform for everyone, everywhere.

Producing social media strategies, photos, and videos is one way I am able to support myself. But when it comes to music, whether I rap about my bisexuality, use counting and the alphabet to teach kids about beatboxing, or create pop up dance parties while wearing a helmet to become a humanoid, I strive to stay in touch with people at all stages of life so they know through music, they can find happiness, passion, and purpose.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.musicbyskippy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musicbyskippy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicbyskippy
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/musicbyskippy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/musicbyskippy

Image Credits
All photos taken by Kellie Green.