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CHRIS LAVOIE

Chris Lavoie photographed in a black suit for his exclusive Miami SHOOT Magazine Q&A on creativity, imagination, resilience, and personal growth.
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The Artist Within: Chris Lavoie on Imagination, Resilience & Growth

The Artist Within: Chris Lavoie on Imagination, Resilience & Growth Exclusive Q&A Imagination • Resilience • Growth Interview by Imani Ogden | Published by Angie LaGuardia | July 2026 In this exclusive Chris Lavoie interview, Miami SHOOT Magazine continues the conversation first explored in our previous feature on Chris Lavoie’s journey through filmmaking, storytelling, and the curiosity that has shaped his career. Now, the focus shifts from the milestones of his professional life to the philosophy that guides it. Chris reflects on creativity as a way of living, the resilience required to keep creating through life’s challenges, and why he believes every person possesses the ability to imagine, build, and leave a meaningful mark on the world. Q: You often say that everyone is an artist, not just painters, musicians, or actors. What does the word “artist” truly mean to you, and why do you believe every person has the ability to create? To me, an artist is anyone who creates something that didn’t exist before. That could be a painting, a song, a business, a family, a movement, a technology, or even a better version of themselves. We’ve somehow narrowed the definition of artist to entertainment, but I think that’s one of the biggest misconceptions in our culture. Entrepreneurs are artists. Teachers are artists. Great parents are artists. Doctors who invent new treatments are artists. A leader building an extraordinary company is creating something from imagination and bringing it into reality. Every human being was born with the ability to imagine. Imagination is where every invention, every company, every film, every breakthrough begins. That’s why I believe creativity is our greatest human gift. Q: Looking back over your career—from your first commercial as a child to producing reality television, documentaries, and feature films—what has been the greatest hardship you’ve faced as an artist, and how did it shape who you are today? The greatest hardship wasn’t financial. It wasn’t rejection. It was learning to keep creating while life was falling apart. There were seasons when I experienced loss, heartbreak, uncertainty, and moments where it felt like everything I had built was disappearing. Those are the moments that test whether you’re creating because of external success or because creating is simply who you are. I realized that artists don’t create because life is easy. They create because creativity is how they heal. Those experiences made me less interested in making projects that simply entertain people and much more interested in creating work that helps people think differently about themselves and the future. Behind the scenes with Chris Lavoie during a film production, where imagination, collaboration, and storytelling come together. Q: Every creative journey comes with moments of self-doubt. Have there been times when you questioned your path, and what kept you moving forward? Absolutely. Every meaningful project eventually reaches a point where doubt shows up. The difference isn’t whether successful people experience doubt. The difference is whether they allow doubt to become their identity. I’ve learned that clarity usually comes after movement—not before it. When I don’t know exactly what’s next, I simply take the next step. One phone call. One meeting. One page. One conversation. Momentum has a way of revealing the path. “I’ve learned that clarity usually comes after movement—not before it.” — Chris Lavoie Q: You describe creativity as the world’s greatest currency. In a society that often measures success by money or titles, why do you believe creativity is the true measure of a meaningful life? Because money is a byproduct. Creativity is the source. Every billion-dollar company began as an idea. Every life-changing invention began as an idea. Every film, every book, every technology, every movement, every solution first existed inside someone’s imagination. Money follows value. Value follows creativity. The people who continue creating value will always have opportunities, regardless of how the world changes. That’s why I believe creativity is the only currency that appreciates over a lifetime. Q: You’ve worked with actors, musicians, entrepreneurs, filmmakers, and business leaders around the world. What qualities do the most successful artists all seem to have in common? Curiosity. Resilience. Humility. And an obsession with continual growth. The best creators never believe they’ve arrived. They ask better questions. They stay students. They’re willing to fail publicly because they understand that failure isn’t the opposite of success. It’s part of the creative process. As our conversation came to a close, one thing became clear: for Chris Lavoie, creativity isn’t reserved for artists in the traditional sense. It’s a mindset rooted in curiosity, resilience, and the willingness to keep moving forward. In a world often defined by outcomes, his perspective is a reminder that the act of creating—and continually growing—is a meaningful success in itself. Interview by Imani Ogden Edited & Published by Angie LaGuardia Miami Shoot Magazine – MSMonline

Chris Lavoie in a black suit against a black background, featured portrait for Miami SHOOT Magazine
Cover Stories, Editor's Picks

Chris Lavoie: The Artist’s Life and a Career Built on Curiosity

Chris Lavoie: The Artist’s Life and a Career Built on Curiosity Following Curiosity Wherever the Story Leads By Imani Ogden | Published by Angie LaGuardia | July 2026 Following Curiosity Long before television productions, documentaries, feature films, or international creative collaborations, Chris Lavoie was simply a curious kid fascinated by the world around him. Curiosity became the thread connecting every chapter of his life. From appearing in his first commercial as a child to producing projects spanning entrepreneurship, leadership, and entertainment, Lavoie has never chased a single career path. Instead, he has followed ideas wherever they led. Within moments of meeting Chris Lavoie, one thing becomes clear: he doesn’t define creativity by job titles. To him, artists aren’t limited to painters, musicians, or filmmakers. They include entrepreneurs building companies, teachers shaping futures, parents raising families, and anyone courageous enough to create something that didn’t exist before. That philosophy quietly shapes not only his work but also the way he sees the world. For Lavoie, creativity isn’t simply a profession—it’s one of humanity’s greatest gifts and the driving force behind innovation, connection, and meaningful change. “The canvas changes. Creation doesn’t.” — Chris Lavoie Where It All Began Chris Lavoie does not remember his first commercial because of the cameras. What stayed with him was the feeling. At just ten years old, he found himself on the set of a Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial at Greynolds Park in North Miami Beach after his mother recognized something creative in him and encouraged him to audition. What began as a childhood opportunity quickly became something much larger. Watching directors, crew members, and actors work together, Lavoie was captivated not by celebrity or attention, but by the idea that adults could build entire careers around imagination, collaboration, and play. About a month later, his mother handed him an envelope containing his first paycheck: $1,200. Most children would have remembered the money. Chris remembered something far more significant—the realization that work could feel like play. That moment quietly became the foundation for nearly every creative decision he would make over the next four decades. Finding His Creative Voice While attending college, Lavoie immersed himself in music, performing guitar and collaborating with one of the co-founders of KC and the Sunshine Band to develop a new recording group. Long nights in rehearsal studios became laboratories for experimentation—writing songs, refining arrangements, and discovering how ideas evolve through collaboration. Music taught him that creativity isn’t something you wait for. It’s a discipline. With every new project, his imagination expanded, a lesson that would eventually follow him far beyond the recording studio. Eventually, that same curiosity led him to film. Appearing in Miami Rhapsody alongside Sarah Jessica Parker, Antonio Banderas, Mia Farrow, and Kevin Pollak, Lavoie found himself captivated less by what appeared on camera than by everything happening behind the scenes. Directors. Producers. Editors. Cinematographers. Entire teams transforming imagination into reality. Storytelling had become more than an interest—it had become his calling. Creativity Has No Job Title Spend five minutes with Chris Lavoie, and one thing becomes clear: he doesn’t believe artists are limited to painters, actors, or musicians. Entrepreneurs are artists. Architects are artists. Chefs, teachers, designers, founders, filmmakers, writers—even parents creating meaningful lives for their families—are all artists in different forms. “The canvas changes,” he says. “Creation doesn’t.” That philosophy has quietly shaped every decision throughout his career. For Lavoie, creativity isn’t simply a profession. Rather, it’s the force behind innovation, leadership, and meaningful change. “Film isn’t just about telling stories—it can become a catalyst for meaningful relationships, new opportunities, and real transformation.” — Chris Lavoie Projects That Matter Today, Chris Lavoie has built a career producing projects that live at the intersection of entertainment, entrepreneurship, and human transformation. His work has taken audiences from historic castles across Europe to executive boardrooms, luxury estates, and immersive retreats, always searching for stories that reveal what people are capable of becoming. Working alongside filmmaker Josh Miller and C&I Studios, Lavoie helped develop projects including Top Recruiter Miami. The series later expanded into the international production Top Recruiter: North America vs. Europe. Filmed throughout Europe and North America, it brought together influential business leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators, including Baroness Karren Brady and entrepreneur James Caan. Later, The Movement debuted on Amazon Prime, joining documentaries, branded films, leadership series, and educational productions exploring business, culture, and personal growth. Throughout each project, the same philosophy continued to guide his work: meaningful stories have the power to inspire people long after the cameras stop rolling. Living the Artist’s Life Looking back, Chris Lavoie doesn’t measure success by awards, budgets, or production credits. Instead, he asks different questions. Did a project spark curiosity? Did it create connection? Did it inspire someone to see new possibilities? Those are the moments that matter most. Much of that perspective traces back to his mother, whose belief in her son’s creativity opened a door that would shape the rest of his life. From music studios and movie sets to international television productions and feature films, every chapter can be traced to one simple act of encouragement. Someone believed in a young artist before he believed in himself. More importantly, Lavoie hopes his work offers that same encouragement to others. His message is simple but powerful: the artist’s life isn’t reserved for Hollywood, galleries, or concert stages. Rather, it belongs to anyone willing to imagine something that doesn’t yet exist—and have the courage to bring it to life. “The question isn’t whether you’re an artist. The question is whether you’ll have the courage to share your gift with the world before your time here is over.” — Chris Lavoie A Life Guided by Curiosity For Chris Lavoie, creativity has never been about chasing recognition. Instead, it has always been about remaining curious enough to ask better questions, courageous enough to embrace new opportunities, and committed enough to keep creating through every season of life. His journey reminds us that creativity isn’t reserved for filmmakers, artists, or entrepreneurs alone.

Entertainment, Film, The Issue

Top Recruiter Miami Is Big Business

DOWN TO BUSINESS WITH CREATIVE DIRECTOR & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CHRIS LAVOIE What is your position within the show Top Recruiter? I am the Creator & Executive Producer of the show. What is the show Top Recruiter about? Top Recruiter is a reality series – where 6 recruiters come together and take on a series of challenges based on the job market. We aim to showcase the process of what happens behind the scenes of a recruiters job. Through that process, we want to give job seekers some insight and tricks of the trade so they may implement some in their job hunting endeavors. Plus there’s great drama between these huge personalities. What category does Top Recruiter fall under in reality TV, is it a planned or a followed story? I am a big fan of the “unexpected”! This is the reason why we have no script on set. As the executive producer, I read the human behavior on set and develop the day’s filming format. How did you come up with the idea of Top Recruiter? The idea of Top Recruiter was born in the dawn of the recession. We realized then, like many people did, that things were about to change- quickly. We also realized that while many people were losing their jobs and homes, there were other opportunities as a direct result of this recession. We knew that many people simply did not have the inside knowledge that a recruiter has. We wanted to deliver this information in a way that was entertaining so that people would watch and learn and hopefully apply the information to their situation and thrive. There was so much doom and gloom hovering over us as a country that we really felt something should be done. I have always had a passion for film, I just took my two passions and married them. What’s the process of casting your stars? 1. The single most important characteristic is knowledge base. For us, we want the show to be credible. We want to educate and only people with real expertise can really do that, right? 2. Secondly, this is a show – and shows need to be entertaining to keep any attention by the viewer. So we look for bold personalities who don’t cringe at the sight of a camera. They simply need to be comfortable in front of the camera, not everyone can do that. 3. Confidence, Confidence, Confidence!! What job markets do Top Recruiters target? EVERY Industry. What are your Top Recruiters competing for amongst each other? The “reputation” of being the world’s best. Every winner has seen a tremendous elevation in their career and personal brand. Once a winner is selected what is the Grand Prize? A dinner with me. Did I just say that?! Seriously, they win something pretty – Job Security They really could work at any Fortune 500 company if they wanted to. Just as long as they still perform to their abilities. Has Top Recruiter Miami achieved the success you were hoping for? We couldn’t be happier with the achievements of Top Recruiter. We set out to help a very important industry at a very important time in our country’s history. We feel that we helped shed some light on how to get ourselves out of a rut. There have been a number of publications that have been written about the show, and in them, I find the meaning of success. What inspires you the most in making your business decisions? As I turn 40 years old, I want to work on projects that make sense in 2 areas. One, it needs to “move” me. I need to be “turned” on. There needs to be a “risk” factor. Secondly, it needs to make sense financially. Since I will be working 95% of the time raising the funds for each reality series or film I am working on – I need to see that my time is valued. I perform at a high standard and expect nothing less. Do you have any plans for other reality shows in the near future? Yes, I am working on raising funds for Social Media Stars Reality Series. Click here to view this story in our July August issue.

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