Hit-N-Record

Hosted by Keno Manuel

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Latest episode

Jan 2026

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About the show

Welcome to Hit-N-Record! I'm Keno Manuel, a filmmaker passionate about exploring the stories of creative minds and sharing their journeys with you. On this channel, you'll find authentic, inspiring conversations with innovative creators from filmmaking, photography, and beyond. Every episode, I sit down with local creatives to dig into their successes, challenges, and the lessons that shaped their paths. Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker, an entrepreneur, or someone who loves personal growth, Hit-N-Record is here to spark your creativity and motivate you to achieve your goals. Subscribe and become a part of the Hit-N-Record community—new episodes drop twice a month on Spotify and YouTube.

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26 recent

January 12, 2026Episode 251 hr 47 min

From Immigrant Stylist To Six-Figure Coach: Resilience, Motherhood, And Mindset with Tania Crawford

We explore belonging, reinvention, and confidence with Tania Crawford, from immigrant beginnings and divorce to building a luxury stylist brand and coaching high performers. Hair transformations, parenting with intention, and money mindset shift the way we think about success and care.• learning basic systems after divorce as a new immigrant• building confidence through hair loss solutions and extensions• parenting with language, boundaries, and presence• choosing nontraditional careers over default college paths• therapy, self-awareness, and sustainable work habits• redefining wealth, humility, and resilience• asking for help, setting expectations, and boundaries• coaching stylists to scale with systems and mindset• high performers, limiting beliefs, and proximity effects• legacy, letting go of control, and reinventionIf you enjoy deep conversations like this, make sure to hit like and subscribe on YouTube. And if you're listening on a podcast platform like Spotify, make sure you follow that so you won't be out of the loop for every month. Cause I try to drop at least two episodes.Send a textJOIN OUR COMMUNITY:Discord: https://discord.gg/y6MdmHEGJSInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitnrecord/Website: https://www.hitnrecord.com

October 27, 2025Episode 241 hr 50 min

Sean Murphy: A Photographer’s Journey Through Addiction, Recovery, and Redemption

A single moment in a darkroom changed everything. Watching an image rise from the chemicals, Sean Murphy felt something he hadn’t tasted in years: control, purpose, momentum. From there, he rebuilt a life—one meeting at a time, one photo at a time—after addiction, divorce, and a pile of near-misses that could have ended the story early.We sit with Sean to unpack how recovery became a way of living, not a phase. He shares the sponsor who wouldn’t let him drift, the weekly meetings he now hosts at home, and the quiet rules that keep him grounded: make amends fast, serve first, and let the work speak. We go back to the early days—$300 music gigs, waiting tables, raising three kids in a makeshift studio in a tough LA neighborhood—and talk candidly about risk, resilience, and the unspoken truces that kept his family safe. Through it all, photography served as a diary and a release valve, translating emotion into images and chaos into finished pages.Sean also gets practical about craft and career. He champions the 10-year rule—your 20s are for learning, not for titles—and explains how mentors, moves, and relentless reps kept him relevant for three decades. We explore disability and access on set, from tinnitus to deaf creatives who lip-read and adapt tools, and why naming your needs isn’t weakness but professionalism. There’s generational healing here too: breaking patterns from a hard childhood, becoming the parent who shows up, and accepting a late “I’m proud of you” without letting the past write the future.If you’re chasing a creative life, stuck in comparison, or fighting your own demons, this conversation offers a simple compass: do the work, be kind to yourself, replace ego with service, and let struggle sharpen your voice. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more listeners can find these stories. Your comeback might start here.Send a textJOIN OUR COMMUNITY:Discord: https://discord.gg/y6MdmHEGJSInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitnrecord/Website: https://www.hitnrecord.com

October 6, 2025Episode 231 hr 44 min

What Loss Can Teach Us About Leadership, Legacy, and Living With Purpose with Shantelle Dedicke

When grief hits hard, we stopped trying to “super heal” and asked a different question: what if we didn’t outwork it—what if we listened? That single shift changed everything about how we lead, create, and show up for the people who count on us. In a candid, unhurried conversation, we unpack the tension between hustle culture and healing, why productivity isn’t proof of strength, and how a leader can step back without everything falling apart.You’ll hear how a values-driven team earned trust long before a crisis, then proved it by running the business with clarity and care. We explain why “Family First” means actual family—not the messy “work family” trope—and how boundaries, accountability, and reciprocity let people do their best work. The story of a memorial scholarship brings legacy to life, honoring a grandfather’s craft by expanding “the trades” to include creatives and tech. From using his real signature in the brand mark to anchoring dates in family history, we trace how purpose becomes practical, visible, and meaningful.Along the way, we rethink perfectionism in creative work—why the raw, imperfect episodes often land the deepest—and challenge the noise of prescriptive routines with a simple, liberating stance: listen to your own rhythm. We dig into mentorship that actually stretches you, rooms where not everyone nods along, and the habit of pushing past success into failure just to keep learning. We also talk honestly about disability and adaptation: losing a sense can reshape a craft, sharpening curiosity, collaboration, and design choices.If you’re navigating loss, leading a team, or trying to build something real without losing yourself, this conversation offers grounded insight and usable courage. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this with someone who needs permission to slow down and still move forward. What’s one small choice you’ll make today to honor your people—and your pace?Send a textJOIN OUR COMMUNITY:Discord: https://discord.gg/y6MdmHEGJSInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitnrecord/Website: https://www.hitnrecord.com

July 7, 2025Episode 221 hr 25 min

"I Found My Voice Four Years Ago" | Stepping Into Her Own Story as a Wedding Photographer with Autumn Phillips

What happens when a photographer’s journey becomes a story of self-discovery? In this episode, Autumn Phillips opens up about her path from questioning her identity as an adopted child to becoming a confident wedding photographer known for her emotional intelligence and authenticity. She shares how ADHD, people-pleasing, and family caregiving shaped her business—and how she built systems that work for her, not against her. From diffusing wedding day tensions to serving as a true support system for her couples, Autumn blends artistry with empathy. Most of all, she reframes every obstacle as an opportunity: whether it's a slow season or a personal struggle, it’s all part of the growth. If you’re a creative navigating self-doubt, burnout, or purpose, this conversation will remind you to show up, stay grounded, and redefine success on your own terms. Listen now and discover how embracing your true self might be your greatest professional asset.🎧 What Listeners Will Walk Away With1. How to Build a Business Around Your BrainAutumn shares how she structured her photography business to align with how her mind works, offering guidance for creatives with ADHD, sensory needs, or neurodivergence to build systems that support their success.2. Lessons on Emotional Intelligence in High-Stress EnvironmentsShe explains how to anticipate emotional challenges on wedding days, de-escalate family tensions, and act as a calming, protective presence — showing how empathy is essential for client-centered creative work.3. Turning Pain Into PurposeAutumn’s journey through adoption, self-worth struggles, and identity shows how personal challenges can be transformed into a powerful creative voice and a business built on meaning.4. How to Build a Values-Aligned TeamRather than focusing only on skill, Autumn chooses team members based on trust and how they treat clients. It’s a lesson in creating a team that reflects your values and protects your client experience.5. Authenticity Over AestheticShe emphasizes that showing up as your true self and building strong client relationships is more important than chasing a perfect portfolio. Being present and real matters more than just creating pretty pictures.Send a textJOIN OUR COMMUNITY:Discord: https://discord.gg/y6MdmHEGJSInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitnrecord/Website: https://www.hitnrecord.com

April 21, 2025Episode 211 hr 27 min

"Hemophilia shaped my life. Storytelling gave it purpose." | Patrick James Lynch's Filmmaker Journey

When Patrick James Lynch's brother died from complications of hemophilia just weeks before Patrick’s college graduation, everything changed. What followed wasn’t just grief, but a profound calling that reshaped his entire creative path. In this deeply moving conversation, Patrick shares how he transformed from an aspiring actor into the founder of Believe Limited, a production company dedicated to storytelling for rare and chronic disease communities. His journey reveals the unexpected power of creative arts to reach people in ways traditional medicine cannot. From a dramatic reading that revealed more than years of therapy to global advocacy work in countries where children with hemophilia lack access to treatment, Patrick channels his experiences into stories that amplify unheard voices. Instead of succumbing to survivor’s guilt, he uses his privilege to build platforms for impact. Perhaps most powerful is his honest reflection on mental health, depression, and trauma in rare disease spaces—offering hope, breaking stigmas, and encouraging essential conversations around healing. As he completes "Poster Child," a decade-long documentary about HIV/AIDS advocate Ryan White, Patrick reflects on how this mission, once driven by loss, is now about the people still here. His story is a powerful reminder that our deepest wounds can become the doorway to meaningful, lasting purpose.🎧 What Listeners Will Walk Away With1. HOW TO TURN GRIEF INTO A MISSION THAT LASTSPatrick shares how the loss of his brother led to the creation of Believe Limited. This takeaway is for anyone wondering how to honor their pain while building something meaningful that serves others.2. WHY HEALING AND PURPOSE CAN CO-EXISTYou don’t have to be fully healed to create impact. Patrick opens up about doing life-changing work in rare disease communities—while still carrying his own unprocessed grief.3. HOW TO LEAD WITHOUT LOSING YOURSELFFrom founder to CEO, Patrick talks about how he navigates burnout, emotional weight, and the constant pull to “do more.” His approach to boundary-setting and emotional balance is a must-hear for purpose-driven creatives.4. BUILDING A TEAM ROOTED IN EMPATHYBelieve Limited isn’t just a production company—it’s a collective of “people people.” Patrick shares how hiring based on shared values and emotional intelligence has been key to their global impact.5. STORYTELLING AS A TOOL FOR HEALINGWhether it’s a monologue, web series, or global documentary, Patrick shows how creative storytelling can reveal truths that therapy alone often can’t—and why art still matters in healthcare spaces.Send a textJOIN OUR COMMUNITY:Discord: https://discord.gg/y6MdmHEGJSInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitnrecord/Website: https://www.hitnrecord.com

February 10, 2025Episode 201 hr 54 min

"Visibility Could Have Saved Me" | Empowering Marginalized Communities with Smoke Breaks Actors

This episode delves into the transformative power of theater as a medium for healing and self-discovery. Our guests share their personal stories of navigating identity, acceptance, and community through their art, highlighting the importance of visibility and authentic representation in the creative space.🎧 What Listeners Will Walk Away With1. Why Representation Is a Form of HealingThe cast shares how seeing people like themselves in media helped them feel less alone. Their performances were rooted in personal truth, showing how visibility can be deeply validating and even lifesaving for marginalized communities.2. How to Portray Real Relationships On ScreenThrough intimacy training, vulnerability, and mutual trust, the actors authentically portrayed the awkwardness, desire, and complexity of relationships—proving that chemistry on screen begins with emotional openness off screen.3. The Power of Projection in RelationshipsThe conversation explores how unspoken expectations and personal insecurities often get projected onto partners. Recognizing and dismantling those patterns is key to navigating relationships with clarity and emotional maturity.4. Redefining Love and Sexual FulfillmentChallenging the idea that one person must meet all your needs, the guests open a dialogue about open relationships, self-reflection, and what it means to approach desire with honesty instead of shame.5. Creating Intimacy with IntentionFrom remote rehearsals to on-set respect, the team prioritized connection and safety. Their approach offers a model for building authentic, trusting creative collaborations—especially when representing underrepresented identities.Send a textJOIN OUR COMMUNITY:Discord: https://discord.gg/y6MdmHEGJSInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitnrecord/Website: https://www.hitnrecord.com

January 6, 2025Episode 191 hr 40 min

"Time Is The Most Valuable Resource You Have" | The Impact of Love on Creativity with Entreprenuer and Actress Megan Caulfield

Ever wondered how creativity can be a powerful tool for healing and personal growth? Join us on a heartfelt exploration of how life's abrupt changes, like personal loss, can ignite a passion for creative expression and lead to profound transformation. Alongside our esteemed guest, Megan Caulfield—an inspiring producer, director, actor, and founder of The Heal Reel production company—we navigate the unique intersection of sound healing and artistic endeavors. Megan shares her journey through the film industry, underscoring the importance of art as a medium for healing and revealing her exciting new project in pre-production.We delve into the complexities of grief and creativity, reflecting on personal stories that illustrate how loss can inspire some of the most expressive works of art. Drawing from our experiences, we discuss the lasting impact of loved ones, the role of family in creative pursuits, and the pivotal moments that helped redefine our paths. From the emotional toll of attending a loved one's funeral to rediscovering the joy of acting, these chapters explore the challenging yet transformative process of navigating grief and self-discovery.Discover how balancing creative aspirations with financial stability can open the door to a fulfilling career. We touch on the journey from theater to film, the excitement of being on set, and the nuanced approaches to acting that bring characters to life. The conversation also highlights the importance of fostering creativity in future generations, offering insights into guiding children through emotional growth with meditation and yoga. Whether discussing the spiritual influence of quartz sands or the healing power of dance, this episode is brimming with inspiration to help you embrace your creative potential and find hope amidst life's challenges.Send a textJOIN OUR COMMUNITY:Discord: https://discord.gg/y6MdmHEGJSInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitnrecord/Website: https://www.hitnrecord.com

November 26, 2024Episode 181 hr 26 min

"Life Is Too Short To Not Take The Leap" | From Foster Care to Social Media Agency: Katie Anderson on Resilience, Breaking Barriers, and Building Purpose

Ever wondered what it takes to transition from retail management to spearheading your own social media empire? Join us as we highlight Katie Anderson's inspiring journey from Georgetown, South Carolina, to becoming the powerhouse CEO of Let's Get Social. With roots in business administration and a passion for entrepreneurship, Katie shares her experiences, including her company's unique 30-day satisfaction guarantee and her unwavering dedication, recharged by a recent trip to Hawaii. Her story is a testament to the power of risk-taking and surrounding oneself with supportive people.This episode also tackles the complex intersection of entrepreneurship and mental health, with insights from another entrepreneur who started their business journey at the tender age of 12. From homemade dog treats to a vision for a nanny company, their path was influenced by a business-savvy father and a mature mindset that often felt out of place. Dive into the candid conversation about the importance of therapy, breaking the stigma around mental health, and navigating family expectations, especially when pursuing non-traditional career paths. Emphasizing the need for community-driven efforts, both guests share their commitments to giving back, like Katie's Cases for Kids initiative, which supports children in foster care.Wrapping up, we explore the challenges women face in business, particularly the perseverance required to succeed in male-dominated fields. Katie and our guest discuss the importance of mentorship, personal growth, and the fulfillment found in aligning one's work with their true purpose. From mastering social media consistency to achieving work-life balance as a CEO, this episode provides invaluable insights and inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs, encouraging listeners to embrace their unique journeys and make a meaningful impact in their communities.Send a textJOIN OUR COMMUNITY:Discord: https://discord.gg/y6MdmHEGJSInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitnrecord/Website: https://www.hitnrecord.com

November 11, 2024Episode 172 hr 13 min

"Why True-To-Life Photos Are Timeless" | Photography with Nathan Saczynski

What does it take to transform a passion into a thriving career? Journey with us as we uncover the inspiring story of Nathan Saczyinski. Nathan's path began in an unexpected place—volunteering in a church ministry—where he stumbled upon his love for the technical aspects of live production, which eventually ignited his passion for photography. Nathan shares how the blend of family influences, a non-traditional education, and an entrepreneurial spirit propelled him toward his dream of building his own photography business. Nathan opens up about the challenges and triumphs that come with balancing personal satisfaction with a high-quality reputation in the creative industry. He highlights the importance of embracing growth, confronting weaknesses, and the pivotal role mentors play in shaping one's journey. From the deliberate art of film photography to the clean precision of digital images, Nathan reveals the artistic inspirations that fuel his creativity, drawing from sources as diverse as HBO's "Euphoria" and classic art history. This conversation is packed with insights into the delicate dance of maintaining authenticity while navigating the demands of high-profile clients.For those aspiring to make their mark in the creative world, Nathan's story offers invaluable lessons on risk-taking, mentorship, and staying true to your core values. He emphasizes the importance of authenticity in both personal and professional realms, sharing poignant reflections on leading a creative team and pursuing dreams with integrity. Whether you're a seasoned photographer or just starting on your creative journey, Nathan's experiences provide a roadmap for embracing your unique path while capturing the essence of the stories around you. Join us for this enlightening discussion that not only celebrates Nathan's journey but also empowers listeners with the tools to chase their own dreams.Send a textJOIN OUR COMMUNITY:Discord: https://discord.gg/y6MdmHEGJSInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitnrecord/Website: https://www.hitnrecord.com

October 21, 2024Episode 161 hr 25 min

"If You Want To Be A Filmmaker, Show Up And Do The Work Every Day." | Unlock Filmmaking Success with Daily Commitment and Strong Leadership with Chris Jadallah

Join us as Chris Jadallah, owner of Calliope Films, takes us on a captivating journey through the filmmaking landscape, sharing his personal experiences and the lessons he learned from his mentor, Dane. Chris opens up about overcoming challenges in regions with limited opportunities, like Pensacola, and how he found his footing in video production. By reflecting on the parallels between his journey and the mentorship seen in characters like Spider-Man and Tony Stark, Chris highlights the essential role of guidance and support in shaping his career. Discover how his passion for video storytelling is intertwined with a mission to empower and nurture artistic growth in his community.Navigating the complexities of personal and professional relationships, Chris shares invaluable insights into running a business with his life partner, Sierra Hobbs. From maintaining strong communication to balancing personal relationships with a shared passion for filmmaking, Chris offers a candid look into the dynamics of working alongside a loved one. He also reflects on his leadership style, shaped by his formative experiences in a high school drumline, and how these early lessons translate into leading a film set and fostering a supportive environment for newcomers in the industry.Explore the intricacies of the business side of creativity as Chris discusses setting rates, valuing clients, and the persistence required to thrive in the creative industry. From the unpredictable nature of film production to expanding opportunities between New York and Pensacola, Chris shares his vision for a "bridge of opportunity" that connects creative minds across different locations. Tune in to hear Chris's inspiring stories and valuable lessons that offer a unique perspective on pursuing a fulfilling career in filmmaking while staying true to one's passion.Send a textJOIN OUR COMMUNITY:Discord: https://discord.gg/y6MdmHEGJSInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitnrecord/Website: https://www.hitnrecord.com