We recently connected with Gary “SNO.” Tunnell and have shared our conversation below.

Gary “SNO.”, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’ve love to hear an interesting investment story – what was one of the best or worst investments you’ve made? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)

I’d say the best investment I ever made was in myself. Losing my job caused me to take the risk to step out and turn a side hustle in to a business. As an entrepreneur I tell my client’s all the time that you can’t expect someone else to spend their hard earned money with you, if you’re not willing to spend yours on yourself. A customer can tell when you cut corners.

Whether that’s investing physical dollars in to a product you release, your marketing/branding for your business, or actual time spent in perfecting your craft. It shows. I learned early on that no one owes you anything in this world. So anytime someone takes a leap of faith and spends money with you, you want to make sure to value that dollar and provide the best experience possible for them so that they have a reason to come back and/or tell others about you. Otherwise you’re not going to grow and that’s the point of any venture.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My name is Gary Tunnell, but everyone calls me “SNO.” It’s a childhood nickname that has carried over from my early days of doing music. Originally my creative talents were spent writing and recording under the pseudonym as a Hip Hop artist, my first love. My parents had a band when I was growing up, so I was constantly surrounded by the making of music but since I grew up in the 90’s I fell in love with Hip Hop as a music genre and culture. Both of which have played a major part in shaping who I am today. I was able to make some decent noise during the blog era, being featured on 2DopeBoyz and other prominent sites of the time but as I got older I shifted my focuses.

I eventually got in to design and fashion as I understood that music was a dream, but design could allow me to flex my creative muscles while making a living. So I went to school for Visual Communications/Graphic Design in 2011 and started doing projects for people shortly after. It wasn’t until 2019 after losing my job that I fully launched “ELEVN10 creative” as a business. A creative studio that focuses on various forms of art and design. So whether you’re in need of a logo, business cards, website, banners, signage, illustrations, merch, branding, photography, screen printing, or pretty much anything in-between, I got you covered. On top of the creative services I offer, I also launched a streetwear brand called “BRKEMGL$” with my best friend C that is inspired by hip hop, art, culture, nostalgia and life.

I would say my design style is a mixture of minimal and urban but I’m also able to adapt to my client’s wants/needs, whatever they may be. As far as what sets me apart from others. I would say the fact that I truly value every dollar spent with me. I make sure to provide premium product and customer service at all times. Like I said before, I know nothing is owed to me so I approach every client’s project as if it’s my own. I want them to know that not only are they valued but that I will always put the same effort in to their projects as I do my own. I make sure to go above and beyond their expectations because I want them to leave me not only happy with the design/product but also with their experience with me. I want every one to succeed and meet their goals and any part I can play in that I will.

I’m most proud of the work I do and the relationships I’ve made over the years.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The process of creating and then seeing that creation get practical use in the real world. It provides a special feeling to me. That could be designing a logo for someone and then seeing it on a sign or window for the business you created it for while out in the streets or in the case of BRKEMGL$ I get to see people out wearing an article of clothing that I designed. To me there is no better feeling than having your work appreciated because you know how many hours went in to the creation of it.

Knowing that someone else saw the vision is priceless.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Value them. Understand that just because you don’t see a creative doing a physical task, doesn’t mean that hours of work didn’t go in to it. Creating something from nothing is not an easy task by any means. I think that’s why I have an issue with platforms that claim to connect businesses with freelance creatives, because I believe they devalue the creative by forcing them to undervalue themselves just to get a job. I tell clients all the time that you get what you pay for. You can definitely find someone who will do the job cheaper than me, but in doing so you must understand that you will get an inferior product. The reason my price is my price is because I have been doing this for over a decade now and I’ve built a quality standard for not only the work I put out but also the level of customer service that I provide.

In the end though, this statement doesn’t just speak for creatives. It’s all entrepreneurs. Instead of supporting a corporation that could care less about you, support a small business/creative. The dollars you spend with them go to helping them survive and more often than not is actually put back in to the communities they live in. That’s kind of where the whole concept for BRKEMGL$ (pronounced BROKE MOGULS) came from. I believe there is a hustler in all of us. Anything can be accomplished with a “dollar and a dream”, you just have to be willing to put the work in to make it happen. Long live the hustle.

Contact Info:

• Website: ELEVN10.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/ELEVN10
• Facebook: facebook.com/ELEVN10
• Other: Website : BRKEMGLS.com Instagram : instagram.com/BRKEMGLS Twitter : twitter.com/BRKEMGLS Apple Music Playlists : https://music.apple.com/profile/BRKEMGLS Spotify Playlists : https://open.spotify.com/user/1290999917?si=346776f4ad124f5d