KJ Harkness is the Founder of VLNZ LLC., a Martinsville, VA-based company that provides content creation, brand development, social media management, and music production to businesses and artists.
Since 2020, VLNZ LLC. has consistently grown and has become an all-in-one solution for online marketing in southern Virginia. For more information on VLNZ. visit www.vlnzworldwide.com
We sat down with KJ to discuss his journey as an entrepreneur, and here’s what he had to say.
Q. Tell us a little more about your journey as an entrepreneur – how did you get to where you are today?
KJ: So, I’m from Martinsville, Virginia, and my story starts in college. That’s where I met up with Chris Cunningham and Zeb Evans who would eventually become the co-founders of Click Up.
Back then, they managed me as a recording artist, so we did a lot of shows. Before college, I’d always been making music. I remember as far back as elementary school and music has always been a part of my life. My forte is a blend of Hip Hop, Pop, R&B, and Rock. I like to be versatile with the music I create, and those are the genres I vibe with.
9 years later, things have gone full circle. Today, I work for Click Up as a Content Creative Coordinator and it has been great. We recently did our first virtual conference and launched our first album, so it was amazing.
Before Click Up, I started a media company and I would run studio sessions, do commercials and music videos, film weddings, etc. It grew quite a lot and I was able to make a living that way. I also created a YouTube channel and it has grown quite nicely.
Q. How was the switch from doing your own thing as an entrepreneur and now working with someone else?
KJ: It started with the music. I created music for them before joining the team. It was Chris’s idea, so I would just come in from time to time and create music for whatever they needed.
Then, we all realized I could be doing more, so they brought me on as a full-time employee. From that point, I started working with the social media team and I was handling a lot of the influencer outreach. I was running a lot of the social media aspect of the company.
Q. Is your media company still running or did you have to shut it down?
KJ: It’s still running! Right now, we’re actually focusing on music production and content production rather than outreach. I just want to grow it internally before we really get out there.
Q. What’s one of the most satisfying moments you’ve had in business or your music?
KJ: One of the most satisfying moments was actually my second day working with Click Up. We shot a music video in Los Angeles with GaTa, a rapper and actor on the TV show “Dave”. That was a crazy experience and it was only my second official day of work.
We shot the music video on a rooftop and it was just incredible. Click Up is an innovative company and when I see at everything they’re doing, they’re definitely being disruptive, which I love.
Working at Click Up is fast-paced and everyone’s super motivated to just crush it. When you’re part of a team like that, work is fun and you don’t have a choice but to stay inspired. Nothing’s ever boring because we’re always trying new things.
Q. What advice would you give others on how to create a fun workplace culture like that?
KJ: I think the key is making it fun, having a good time with the work, and becoming a family. We accept everyone’s input and all the teams in the company collaborate very easily, which I think makes for an amazing overall work experience.
Q. What does the future look like for Click Up? Any exciting projects in particular?
KJ: Yes, we have Click Up 3.0 and it’s going to be productivity reimagined. It comes with a lot of features and it’s coming out very soon. People can join the waitlist to stay updated, it’s already available. We also have Click Up AI coming up, so those are the two major projects we’re working on and they will be rolling out pretty soon. There’s also the album we just released, which is the first one for the company. It’s called Workflows by Click Up and it’s available on Spotify! We really want to grow on Spotify, so that’s a big goal for the future.
Q. So, we are Monday users over here. What would be your pitch to get us to switch to Click Up? Why should we do it?
KJ: For someone who’s always on the go like myself, It makes having a work-life balance possible. It really helps me save time by being able to prioritize my tasks and tracking them to see how much time I’m actually working on a part of a project.
If i’m collaborating with a teammate, I have the ability at any time to check their progress and vice versa, making accountability necessary. It’s really an all-in-one solution for productivity which is why I use it to help run my business as well!
Q. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone who’s trying to forge their way in life?
KJ: Just really follow your passion. Truly, that is the best thing you can do. It’s what I did and it worked for me. Also, be persistent and consistent every step of the way. Keep your mission always in mind so you can wake up every day and try to crush it. Set small goals that lead to big achievements, that’s key!
To keep up with KJ and his journey, check out his website here.
