"Limitations Don't Limit Opportunities" - Chris Klein
The story of how a successful entrepreneur got his start and his advice to a younger generation.
This week, I had the pleasure of having a long and fascinating conversation with Chris Klein. Chris is a successful entrepreneur who owns multiple businesses, including Pittsburgh Beautiful, a popular and locally recognized social media company. He also owns Rapid Pulse Marketing, a small holding company that owns multiple media platforms, podcasts, and provides advertising services. Additionally, Chris is one of the hosts on the up-and-coming podcast, the Sports Porch. While Chris humbly expressed that he doesn't necessarily classify himself as a CEO or a leader in business, I would have to disagree, and you will too after learning more about him.
What is Pittsburgh Beautiful?
So, what is Pittsburgh Beautiful? As mentioned before, Pittsburgh Beautiful is a social media company focused on highlighting events, stories, and scenery in the Pittsburgh area. With over 300,000 active followers, they produce a wide range of content, including articles on specific areas in Pittsburgh, breathtaking videos of the city's scenery, and curated lists of things to do while in Pittsburgh. Chris explained that Pittsburgh Beautiful actually started as a simple passion project on Facebook. Being deeply interested in photography and noticing a shift happening in the way Pittsburgh was perceived, Chris leveraged his camera and the emergence of cell phones to capture amazing pictures and videos of the city. As he shared these captivating visuals on Facebook, he gradually gained an audience. Encouraged by this response, Chris continued on his path to eventually create Pittsburgh Beautiful, a locally renowned social media company with a dedicated website and hundreds of thousands of followers.
Chris’s Story
Now let's dive into Chris's inspiring journey. Chris grew up in York, Pennsylvania, ironically on the other side of the state from Pittsburgh, closer to Harrisburg and Philadelphia. His earliest memories of Pittsburgh were when he was a child, only visiting the city for funerals, which led him to believe that Pittsburgh was just "the place people move to before they die." Fast-forwarding to his high school experience, Chris didn't excel academically. He did just enough to graduate because he found that the traditional education system failed to capture his attention and teach him much. He then enrolled at Drexel University, which was jokingly nicknamed "Orange Brick College" due to all the buildings being made of orange brick. Initially pursuing a Graphic Design major because of his love for art and his creative mind, Chris hit a roadblock in his first year of college. He almost failed out, prompting a serious conversation with his father, who is also an entrepreneur. His father explained that since he was financially supporting his son's education, Chris was essentially his employee, and passing his college courses was the work expected of him. Chris was told that if he didn't shape up, his father would no longer pay for his education, and that from now on he would have to change his major from Graphic Design. Taking this advice to heart, Chris decided to major in Finance and excelled in college from that point forward. This led him into the world of banking in Pittsburgh. While it was a stable career, Chris discovered that the corporate banking environment didn't suit him. He felt stifled, as he didn't possess a "yes man" personality and preferred finding more efficient ways to accomplish tasks rather than strictly following predefined blueprints. It was during this time that Chris channeled his hobby and created the Pittsburgh Beautiful Facebook page while still working at his banking job. Eventually, his immense success allowed him to quit his job and focus on Pittsburgh Beautiful full-time.
Chris’s Business Advice
Chris also shared valuable business advice during our conversation. His main piece of wisdom was not to let personal limitations limit your opportunities. When asked to elaborate, he explained the importance of collaborating with others who possess different skill sets. Chris mentioned his co-hosts on the Sports Porch podcast, Mark and Steve, who bring their unique interests and skills to the table. By working together, they have managed to create something they couldn't have achieved individually. Chris emphasized the significance of continuously learning new things, as it expands your limits and opens up new opportunities. Chris also touched on the current state of business and what is being pushed to current students and younger generations. “Monetization and going viral weren’t even things that were considered when it came to business and certain passion projects.” According to Chris the addition of these variables to the world of business made people forget that the best way to grow your business was to grow organically and gain a fan base of loyal supporters rather than trying to go viral or “sprint to the finish line.” He equated this to the tortoise and the hare, saying that if you focus on organic growth, you will always be better in the long run.
Chris’s General Advice
Beyond business advice, Chris drew parallels between life and business. He shared his most important but simple life lesson he has learned, stating that one must spend less than they earn to achieve financial stability in business. This mindset also extends to relationships, where he emphasized the importance of giving more than you ask for or take. “Whether it be family, friends, or a significant other, you should always give more than you take, and you’ll be a better person for it at the end.
Chris's early experience with office jobs not aligning with his personality may resonate with many of us on a deeper level. Some of us prefer working for ourselves or exploring different career paths in life, and that's perfectly okay. Chris's final words of advice truly struck a chord with me. He mentioned that in life, we make both positive and negative decisions, but not all negative decisions have to be seen as bad. Instead of dwelling on regrets, we should view them as learning opportunities. When asked if he would change anything if given the chance, Chris jokingly remarked that he might have "stayed single and moved to Italy" or something similar. However, he quickly assured me that the question wasn't realistic because he genuinely has no regrets and has learned from every mistake he made, rather than beating himself up over them.
I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Chris, and if you're interested, you can find him and his businesses below. I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did. I’ll see you in your inboxes next week!