Meet Kk Hansbrough

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

KK, we’ve been so fortunate to work with so many incredible folks and one common thread we have seen is that those who have built amazing lives for themselves are also often the folks who are most generous. Where do you think your generosity comes from?

My generosity comes from my parents and the village that raised me. We are from a small town in north Mississippi called Winona. My mom and her best friend built houses in the country with their husbands and raised their kids. Goals right?? So as long as I can remember, my parents and their friends poured into each other and our community. They looked out for one another. We never spent a day without food, water, shelter…love… not because our parents were rich, but because we had a village. Sometimes my mom made dinner, sometimes my aunts did… sometimes, on Sundays, it was an elder from the church. I never heard them mention money, or go around talking about what they did for each other… just thank you’s and hugs. My mom was sick for much of my life. She was in and out of hospitals, but I never missed a practice, game, concert, day of school.. nothing. One of my aunts or my godmother was going to make sure I had what I needed. I know my dad was grateful to have them too, especially when I would need my hair done.

When I was in high school and had the opportunity to sing at Carnegie Hall, my community raised money for me. They were so proud and wanted to give me a “little something” to take with me. By the time they gave me a dollar here, 5 or 10 there, they’d given me over 1k dollars for my trip. I remember being so excited. But as an adult I realized that was less about me, and more about my parents. They truly helped whenever, wherever, and however they could, so our community poured into them with the same love and energy. That is something that stuck with my brothers and me. To this day, we still make sure we do things as our parents would have. We look out for our family (blood and chosen) and our communities. I say all the time that my life is to be of service to people and that is truly because of the lessons I learned as a child. Without empathy and generosity.. what are we doing? and honestly.. in today’s world… we could use a lot more of it.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

My name is Kandyce “KK” Hansbrough and I
am the photographer and co owner of Sheekk Arts Limited Co. My wife, Sheena, and I started our business about 8 years ago, but only part time. Sheena was a new veteran getting re-acclimated to the civilian world and I was traveling 3 weeks at a time for my “9-5.” It was something we both loved, but didn’t have time to build. Fast forward to March 6, 2023, my 41st birthday, my mother passed. If you haven’t experienced that kind of grief, it really puts a lot into perspective for you. I took some time away from photography and my corporate career to really reflect on what was important to me. And at the end of that, my answer was to live the rest of my life loving on and making memories with the people that matter the most, and to leave a legacy I can be proud of. Photography gives me the chance to do both.

Photos are handheld memories of moments we wish could last forever. Being able to show people the beauty and magic you see when you look at them is a feeling that I pray never gets old. Whether it’s family photos, branding, or an event, our art becomes part of their stories. That is something we don’t take lightly. There are thousands of photographers right here in the Atlanta area, so to be chosen and have our clients come back time and time again.. it really means the world to us.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

What advice would I give?

Network.
Business owners need other business owners!!! There is so much information out there. Connect with people in your field and get a mentor(s). Also, other business owners understand that every day isn’t an easy day! It helps to just have people to understand and keep you encouraged!

Create a schedule.
Entrepreneur life can get CRAZY!!!!! Make sure you have a schedule/ calendar and try to stick to it. Rest, family time, and self care is more important than you think. Make time for those things or you’ll find yourself working 24/7.

Give yourself grace.
Someone once said “Rome wasn’t built in one day.” The same is true for your business. In the beginning, it’s a grind and you may feel like you’ll never get there. But you will. Don’t give up!

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

As cliche as it sounds… they loved me.

Growing up, I was a Daddy’s girl to my core, and he took full advantage to it. He made me feel special! People would fuss at him and say he was spoiling me, but there was nothing in this world Henry Hansbrough wouldn’t do for me. And even though he would give me the world, everything came with a lesson. He would put me in the mirror and tell me how beautiful I was and how God put all these amazing qualities into one person. He would hype me up and my brothers would too. I later realized he did this because he never wanted anyone to be able to break me. He was teaching me to love myself completely. And for that, I am forever grateful. He would take me to his shop in Greenwood and make me interact with his customers. “If you tell someone their shoes will be ready at 11 a.m. they need to be done by 11 a.m. Your word is your bond.” “Now when our customer comes in, look them in their eyes when you talk to them, and thank them with a firm handshake. That’s how you do business.” – I hear those words so often. He was old school with street smarts so he understood people, and even though he didn’t want me to have any parts of anything street… he still wanted me to be able to navigate this world and protect myself.

My mom on the other hand, was tough, but loving. I am my moms only girl and the baby. She would tell me all the time, “I prayed for you, I asked God for you.” I don’t know if my mom knew what that did for me. To know that I was wanted, that I was an answered prayer… that I am here on purpose. Those words carry me. For her education was the focus. She was an educator, so we were always learning. Even family vacations included educational stops. We would go to concerts, ballets, museums, plays, The White House.. you name it. My mom wanted us to know that the world was at our fingertips. One of her rules was “If you’re going to play sports, you have to play a musical instrument.“ We also had to have a higher gpa than our school required. I was so annoyed lol but today, I am grateful. Because of my mother, I sought out the beauty in the world. And my camera allows me to keep those memories forever.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Shee-KK.com
• Instagram: @shotsbysheekk
• Facebook: SheeKK Photography
• Linkedin: Kandyce “KK” Hansbrough
• Other: Sports and events portfolio:

  https://kkhansbrough.myportfolio.com/

Image Credits

All images were taken by me.