Permission to Go for it

When my dream career showed up at my door, I let it in. And ran with it.

Christopher Chin

After graduating from the University of South Florida in 2015, I followed my ambitions across the country to Portland, Oregon, equipped with goals of becoming an entrepreneur and some turtlenecks, of course. Little did I know, it would lead to me becoming the CEO of PolishedAgency, a full-service creative agency dedicated to helping brands succeed and find their voice while maintaining my presence as a fashion influencer, under the name @SeptemberMondays and creating my own brand, @RudeMondays. It’s been a wild ride so far, and as we near the end of 2020, I realize that I’m just getting warmed up. 

Fashion and entrepreneurship didn’t always present itself as a viable career path. As a kid, my parents struggled to help me attend a Catholic high school, called St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale FL. The structure and rigor of my courses opened my eyes to an aptitude for learning and striving to challenge myself. I started to realize what I was truly capable of, and that newfound confidence shined through in everything I took on, from my days charging across the soccer field and at my first fashion-related job, at American Eagle. 

I was 16 years old when I took the job, and fashion wasn’t really my forte just yet. But the more time I spent around garments, something clicked. I discovered that people had the power to make the simplest piece of clothing come to life in ways I never could’ve envisioned in my head. 

I got to see how people of all sizes, heights, backgrounds, and everything else, style the same articles of clothing in completely different ways. It motivated me to explore my own personal style. I began putting serious effort into grooming and styling my clothing in ways that felt unique and true to myself. Not only was I digging this fresh love for fashion, but my mental state began to elevate and I felt empowered that I could inspire others just by wearing things I enjoyed. 

As I embarked on my journey through college, I didn’t always have the funds to buy the newest threads, but I found hacks to make what I had look fire, making me an unintentional trendsetter. Others started to take notice of how I was styling my outfits, along with the meticulous techniques I used to maintain my garments. I would make my clothing last for years and I developed a profound appreciation for utilitarian pieces that were created to withstand daily wear. It even earned me the title of, Fresh God, among my closest friends, who still call me that to this day. 

I didn’t think of fashion as my meant-to-be occupation until I did a photoshoot on a whim. I didn’t really know what I was doing, but it seemed like a fun way to capture my style and gave me content to post on my Instagram. Overnight, my following started to skyrocket. I didn’t really know what to make of it at first, but I was intrigued and wanted to learn how to keep up the momentum. Seeing others react to my sense of style helped me finally make sense of the nicknames my friends gave me years prior, seeing my passion for the fashion industry before I saw it through my own eyes. 

Just like that, I became engulfed not just in the culture of fashion, but how it all related to Instagram, and how I could use this seemingly oversaturated platform to launch a career and make money. I built my account, September Mondays, from the ground up. Right out of the gate, I wanted my approach to be about effortlessly tailored looks that transition from day to night, and I wanted to put a lot of emphasis on fit and accessories. Accessorizing menswear isn’t always intuitive, but I had a knack for it and I knew it could set me apart from the rest. 

Even though I garnered the attention of some like-minded fashion influencers in the beginning, growing my account has been a tireless effort. I learned quickly that I got the most engagement when my posts were consistent, timely, and offered some sort of value, whether it was a wardrobe hack or a life tip. But my efforts paid off, and I started being approached by brands to do sponsored posts and collaborations. Dressing in a way that felt like my outlet had suddenly become my career, but I didn’t want to stop there. 

I had a formula on Instagram that worked for me, and I started wondering if I could apply the same methods to brands and businesses to help them grow, build their following and help them thrive in their communities. I tried it out and it worked. I landed my first client @burkeavenue, a men's skincare line by a celebrity barber based in Los Angeles, back in 2015. That’s when I knew perusing social media growth as a career was the right move. The desire to help others find their authentic voice is how PolishedAgency was born. 

Living in the Pacific Northwest gave me access to every kind of new and established business. I found that a lot of business owners, especially people with small practices and stores, had a hard time learning the tricks of the trade to grow a social media presence, or they simply didn’t have the time. September Mondays became my portfolio, giving me the credibility to leverage as I presented my own tactics to potential clients. Since then, PolishedAgency has acquired dentists, chiropractors, holistic wellness brands, interior design companies, restaurants, sexual wellness brands, and countless companies of varying sizes, with local and even international reach. Founding PolishedAgency gave me the ability to enhance my digital marketing skillset, SEO expertise, my leadership abilities and I’ve had the opportunity to connect with professionals and creatives I never dreamt I would get to work with. 

Clients turn to PolishedAgency for a lot of reasons, but many people who want to grow their presence fast. Our job is to help our clients understand that building an authentic presence is far more impactful than quick fixes that only give the image of success. You have to create your identity and stick to it, have your own branded hashtag, engage daily, create a consistent look—there are a lot of factors that go into making an Instagram account sellable, believable, and relevant. Brands put trust in PolishedAgency because we master the tone of each client, making it simple to communicate with their audience, build community presence, and foster their client relationships. It requires daily maintenance, and our clients consistently see revenue increase and new leads as a result of our services. 

When I think about what’s next for my agency, my mind shifts to all I’ve discovered over the past 5 years of being in the industries of fashion and social media. I want to continue to run with my new clothing brand, @RudeMondays, and take PolishedAgency to a level of growth that will expand my team and allow us to dominate even more platforms across all industries and professions. It’s going to take some serious effort to get there, but I’ve already broken the boundaries of what I thought my potential was, so I’m not scared. 

I’m a work-work-work kind of guy, but recently I’ve discovered how important mental breaks are. Allowing yourself to meditate and get in touch with your own feelings opens up a lot of doors when you go back to work the next day. I’ve learned that when my body and mind are craving rest, I have to give in and allow myself to indulge in quiet moments, which usually lead to new ideas. I think these findings of mental wellness and self-care will serve me well on the path to whatever the future holds.

Thanks for reading. If you want to keep up with my fashion and passions, catch me on @PolishedAgency @SeptemberMondays and @RudeMondays on Instagram.

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