From Hello Kitty to High Seasons: How Chris Hecox Builds a Sustainable Creative Business

In today’s world, creative business endeavors feel like an endless to-do loop: planning campaigns, posting new content  (extra points if it’s SEO-friendly), keeping past projects neatly organized for future reuse, chasing new leads, and somehow finding time to refresh your brand assets before the next deadline hits.

It’s a lot. And some days, it can feel like the work that once inspired you is now just another checklist. But is that really what modern-day creativity is about?

Not really. 

In fact, it can be both sustainable and enjoyable. Lately, we spoke with Chris Heсox, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Lucky Whisker, about simple habits that can help you stay on top of your day without losing the creative spark that got you started in the first place. 

What Does It Really Take to Run a Lean, Profitable, and Fulfilling Creative Business in 2025?

For Chris Hecox, the answer isn’t flashy tools or a hypergrowth mindset. It’s something quieter and more powerful: intention. Whether it’s setting clear boundaries for freelancers, posting on LinkedIn (even if reluctantly), or investing in tools that save 20 minutes at the start of each project, Chris shows that sustainable creative success is built one thoughtful decision at a time.

Chris runs Lucky Whisker, a small video production company focused on the toys and board games industry. He produces promo spots, animated explainers, and “how-to-play” videos —bite-sized instructions that teach people how to play games without having to read dense instructions. He does most of the work himself, alongside his wife and creative partner.

In our conversation, we uncovered five standout practices that shape how Chris works and grows—and might just reshape how you think about your own creative process.

1. Leverage LinkedIn: From Reluctant Habit to Repeat Clients

“I’m not big on posting, but after my wife encouraged me to share more on LinkedIn, I noticed past clients reappearing.”

Chris never saw himself as a content creator, but in a quiet moment between projects, his wife suggested a small experiment: start showing up on LinkedIn.

No strategy. No consistency. Just an occasional photo or project update. Surprisingly, it worked. Former clients who had gone silent resurfaced with new opportunities. Inbound leads started popping up not daily, but often enough to matter.

“I wouldn’t call it a game-changer,” he shares, “but it gets me in front of the people I want to work with. And sometimes, that’s all it takes.”

💡 Key Takeaway: Even occasional, honest visibility creates opportunities. You don’t need to go viral, just stay visible.

2. Boost Side Income (and Confidence) Through User Interviews

“I’ve had a side hustle gig doing research studies and focus groups that has been great supplementary income. But more importantly, it helped me feel more confident networking and speaking with strangers.“

During a slower business season, Chris found himself scrolling through UserInterviews.com and Respondent.io, platforms where companies pay participants to share feedback on software, products, and services.

He signed up, answered screeners honestly, and was surprised at how many projects he qualified for. Over the course of a year, he joined dozens of paid interviews and earned a side income. But the biggest benefit wasn’t financial, it was social.

“I realized how much more comfortable I became talking to people I didn’t know,” he mentions. “That helped me in client calls, networking, even this interview.”

💡 Key Takeaway: Sometimes, growth happens outside your main craft. Soft skills like confidence and communication can pay off in unexpected ways.

3. Automate the Boring Stuff with the Right Tool

“One click creates my folder structure, blank Premiere and Illustrator files, and I’m ready to go. It’s simple, but it saves time and stress.“

Most creative projects start the same way: open folders, name files, set up templates. Chris used to do it manually until he found Post Haste.

Now, every new project kicks off with a single click. The software generates his ideal folder layout and pre-saves blank Adobe files, all named and sorted correctly. 

Whether it’s a digital library, project management tool, or any other smart solution, having a system that keeps your files organized from day one makes a huge difference. It seems like a small change. But after running dozens of projects, it becomes a trusted companion that keeps your work tidy, secure, and collaboration-ready when they need it.

💡 Key Takeaway: Creative energy is limited. Use automation to preserve it for where it counts most—your ideas.

4. Leading With Boundaries, Not Micromanagement

“When you’re respectful of people’s time, they do better work. And I become a better manager in the process.“

Chris rarely hires full-time. Most of his collaborators are freelancers or contractors: lighting assistants, camera ops, animators. But one rule remains consistent: protect their boundaries.

“As a business owner, I try to shield my vendors and contractors from client back-and-forth and last-minute changes. If overtime might affect them, I address it in advance. Still, there have been times I’ve reached out on weekends, and I’m not proud of that. Deadlines make it tough, but I’m working to get better at respecting boundaries.“

That same clarity carries over to how he shares files and ideas. From the start of a project, everyone knows exactly where to find what they need. So there’s no 11 p.m. group chat asking, “Does anyone have the final version?”

💡 Key Takeaway: Boundaries aren’t limits. They’re trust-building tools. And they’re essential to scaling sustainably.

5. Realize That Some Experiments Will (Almost) Fail

“I had this idea to book one studio, one cast, and shoot branded lifestyle photos for six different clients in a day. It hasn’t worked yet, but I still think it could.“

Like any creative founder, Chris has ideas. Some work. Some don’t. But the key, he says, is to treat them like prototypes, not pass/fail tests.

The group shoot idea is still on the shelf, but he hasn’t let it go. “It would save everyone money and time,” he explains. “I just haven’t figured out the logistics yet.”

He treats failure as a delay, not a dead end.

💡 Key Takeaway: Not every idea needs to succeed right away. Some need time, iteration, or the right client to say yes.

A Few More Things We Loved from Chris

• He’s a fan of ClickUp, Moxie for freelancers, and Adobe Suite for project management and editing.
• He sends clients short post-project surveys to improve how he works.
• He uses ChatGPT regularly, but doesn’t romanticize it: “It’s useful for brainstorming and planning. But I don’t love AI. I just… use it.”
• His proudest recent project? A 15-hour shoot for 2 Hello Kitty games and a brand video with full casting, makeup, catering, and a very happy client.

Final Advice for Fellow Creatives

Chris’s story reminds us that creative efficiency isn’t about speed or hacks. It’s about making thoughtful choices that pay off in the long run. 

Whether it’s using automation to skip tedious setup tasks, fine-tuning interactions with collaborators, or experimenting with new ideas even if they don’t take off right away, these habits make the workload feel lighter and the results more consistent. 

And before you know it, you’re back riding those waves of creativity: steady, intentional, and enjoying the process again.

If you’d like more stories like this, follow our Tools for Efficiency series, where we share real-world tips from creative pros who’ve found better ways to manage their work—and make more room for creativity.