Jul 26, 2015
Some people realize at a young age what they were put on this earth to do. Others, while they may have an inkling or a passion that seems to recur throughout their lives, have a longer path to discovery. The latter was the case for Tanner Lawley, who today is a renowned, internationally collected artist known for his heart paintings.
Yes, this 6’6” Texas native who, could probably give The Rock a run for his money, paints figures of love and compassion. But like many, the road he took to get to this place is sprinkled with several dead ends, some rocky patches, and a few forks, but this all made him who he is today. And who Tanner is today is a very passionate artist with a tremendous entrepreneurial spirit and a sky’s-the-limit mentality.
I spoke with Tanner at the Celebration of Fine Art, an art show in Arizona. He opened up about his journey - from his original plan to seek out a career in business and finance, graduating from business school, to then becoming a bodyguard for musicians and athletes, to a brief mix up with drugs that landed him in jail. But it was from his stint in jail that led him to art. Today Tanner owns and operates the Lawley Art Group, under which he sells his artwork, but also operates a sprawling art gallery in Dallas, Texas that features the work of numerous artists. And he’s got sites set on building it into a million-dollar business.
This week’s biz hack is Crystal (found at crystalknows.com). This tool helps you tailor your emails to the recipient’s communication style. It will make suggestions on words, phrases, style and tone to use. It essentially translates your communication style to theirs, giving you words to use, words to avoid and suggestions for improvement. It’s still in beta mode, so you can get in free. You just have to request an invite at crystalknows.com.
Next week I’m in The Lab with Ramon Ray, creator of SmallBizTechnology.com and publisher of Smart Hustle Magazine. This guy has a ton a of energy and a positivity that’s infectious. We talk about how he stays energized and gets through moments of overwhelm, some of the core fundamentals every business owner needs, and a few success tips. Be sure to tune! Until then, have prosperous week!