TEN YEARS

We are thrilled to announce that our parent company, Chil Media, is celebrating its 10th anniversary on April 1st, 2023! As the founders of Chil & Co., we couldn't be more proud of our company’s growth and success over the past decade.

When we first started Chil Media in 2013, we had a vision for a socially-aware and community-focused business that would make a positive impact on society. We were inspired by the untapped potential of Atlanta as well as its culture, diversity, and creative community. With Bhargava's background in photography and creative direction and Anu's expertise in operations and project management, we knew we had a winning combination. 

In the early days of Chil, we relied on our skills in the wedding industry to support ourselves and freelancers while we built the business. We complemented each other perfectly, with Bhargava providing photo and video services and Anu playing the role of account manager, streamlining operations, and managing projects. We received many awards and accolades during this time, including Creative Loafing's "Best Wedding Photographer" and "Best Fine Art Photographer."

When we found out we were expecting our first child in 2016, we made the difficult decision to leave the wedding industry and pivot Chil Studios into a family and professional portrait business. Meanwhile, Chil & Co. began to grow out of its infancy, transitioning from a studio apartment to coffee shops and co-working spaces before finally settling into our own private space.

Over the last 5 years, we at Chil & Co. have had the privilege of working with both large and small businesses. We have collaborated with several Fortune 100 and 500 companies such as Microsoft and Doosan, as well as industry leaders like Calendly, CARE, Portman Holdings, tvsdesign, Transwestern, JLL, SouthSource, Green Circle Demolition and Carter, among others. However, we didn't just limit ourselves to working with larger organizations; we also focused on collaborating with local artists and non-profits throughout our tenure. Because of this intent, we’ve also been able to work with artists like GFB3, local art galleries like FreemarketART, local bodegas like La Bodega and wonderful non-profits like Our House and the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership. Our goal was to work closely with the community and make a difference in the lives of those around us with the resources we had.

At the same time, our studio space has also made a name for itself in the industry. With a strong social media presence and engaging content, Chil Studios has garnered a large following. In fact, it has hosted some high-profile visitors, including Stacey Abrams, Shaquille O'Neil, Lil Yachty, Billboard Magazine, Bloomberg, Mailchimp, Killer Mike, Zaytoven, Jonathan Manion, and many others, who have all visited and utilized our one-stop-shop studio space. Chil Studios has become a go-to location for many experts, businesses, and artists alike.

One of the core values of Chil Media is to give back to the community and support the growth of the creative industry in Atlanta. As we have learned lessons and grown as a company, we recognize the importance of paying it forward. To do this, we have created a brand called fourofour, which aims to bring the focus to Atlanta and its creative community. With fourofour, we have hosted over 41 meetups, which include studio meetups, photo walks, workshops, and roundtables where we opened our studio to the general public. Through these events, we provided opportunities for creatives to network and learn from each other.

We have also collaborated with several artists to create streetwear, wall art, and other collectible merchandise that highlighted Atlanta's creative talent. In addition to supporting artists through merchandise collaborations, we have also provided opportunities for individuals we met through fourofour within our own organization and helped them in their career outside of Chil & Co. Giving back to the community has always been a priority for us, and we are proud to have made a positive impact on Atlanta's creative industry through fourofour.

As entrepreneurs, we have faced many challenges over the years, but we have always turned them into lessons and opportunities for growth. Most importantly, we have built a diverse team that has been recognized by the Atlanta Business Chronicle for outstanding diversity in an organization. We were also recently selected for the 2023 Pacesetter Awards as one of the fastest-growing companies in Atlanta.

We are excited to be a part of Atlanta's story and look forward to the next decade of serving our community with creativity, transparency, and social awareness. Looking ahead, we are thrilled to continue increasing our client portfolio, growing our team, and playing an active role in the Atlanta community. As we celebrate our tenth anniversary, we are proud of the work we have accomplished thus far, but we also recognize that there is much more to be done. 

- Anu & Bhargava