Today we’d like to introduce you to Travis Tinnin.
Hi Travis, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, a cozy town on the banks of the Illinois River in the northeast corner of the state. Like most folks, my appreciation for where I spent my younger years gets stronger with time, especially for the uniqueness of the place that was embedded in my childhood community and environment. Forever obsessive over cities and the people that give them their identity, I have made a life and a living laying witness to the inherent value of the neighborhoods that build us.
These days, I work as a community developer, DJ, and REALTOR in Memphis, TN. As a kid, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you what any of these careers meant, but today I am grateful to work in spaces that align with and bring out my authentic self. My “day job” is in Real Estate with the Memphis Medical District Collaborative focusing on leveraging the built environment to enhance the vibrancy, equity, and prosperity of the District. I fill the rest of my time as a REALTOR® with Bluff City Realty and as a DJ throughout Memphis and the various parts of the States.
Day in and day out, I get to be a thread in the fabric that weaves built, physical form with the people and ideas that bring spaces to their fullest life. Our homes, neighborhoods, and communal spaces (aka, real estate) shape the rhythms and experiences we share as humans (aka, DJing), and I find great joy in working as a participant in that process.
My wife Kalin, and our kids Kennedy and Tatum, live at the intersection of several neighborhoods in Memphis’ core. We enjoy living at the neighborhood level, and the not-frequent-enough visit to Elwood’s Shack on Summer Ave.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
By no means would I say my journey has been smooth, but it has been good. For better or for worse, I’m drawn to innovative environments and endeavors that are trying to solve a problem that not many folks are working on addressing at the moment. I find myself often wondering if a more simplistic career path and work/life vision would make the journey better but am quickly reminded that I’m exactly where I need to be.
Because most of the work I’ve been involved in doesn’t have a clear-cut model of how to operate, and the vision often shifts to the needs of the program and community, it’s a struggle to understand which direction the work should head. It’s tough to find a mentor or a temple for the work at hand, but I’m comforted by the fact we’re not going at it alone and can provide a rough blueprint for those coming after us.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work has centered on weaving the fabric of built form with the people and ideas that bring spaces and neighborhoods to their fullest life. That comes to the surface for me through DJing and working in community real estate.
For me, all work comes back to the community, not only in an ethereal sense but in a physical and social sense. I’ve been playing and writing music since I was a kid and have always had an ear for all different genres of music. But as I’ve connected more deeply with myself, I can harness my love of sound to create meaningful gatherings as a DJ. My DJ partner and I have a radio show called “Bread & Butter Radio” on 91.7 WYXR, a community radio station.
More recently as a community developer and real estate agent, I’m able to be part of the puzzle in creating, building, and activating physical spaces where people can feel joy and belonging. I can see how the arc of my work may look disjointed, but hearing a variety of hats allows me to connect and gather in a way I hope is a blessing to the neighborhoods and spaces I work in.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Oh man, I think this list is incredibly long. My dear friend Luke Pruett was one of the first folks I met when moving to Memphis and has been one of my family’s biggest fans and advocates.
Luke was integral in making us feel like Memphis was home, and providing several job opportunities to me including the years we worked together at City Leadership/Choose901. Along those lines, the crew at City Leadership was huge in helping me hone my craft and passion, so a big shoutout to John Carroll, Grant Edwards, Joi Taylor, Keenan Lowery, and every Choose901: Alumni.
My DJ partner, Shelby Smith, has been a steady friend and teammate of mine for years and is a delight to work with week in and week out.
Ben Schulman, my friend and supervisor, has taught me a lot about the inner workings of great cities and how to find beauty around every corner. I’m appreciative of Ben’s wisdom and leadership, along with Rory Thomas.
And of course, I owe everything to my wife Kalin and kids, Tatum and Kennedy, for helping create a home with lots of love.
Contact Info:
- Website: travistinnin.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travistinnin/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travistinnin/
