We were lucky to catch up with Anthony Lauletta recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

For years, I had the goal of starting a lifestyle brand that blended my background in alternative culture with my interest and appreciation for the American West. Finding my way into the local music scene in Cleveland, OH where I grew up, was a formative experience and lesson in how powerful finding your people and building a community can be.

When I moved out to California years ago, I was taken aback by the beauty and culture of the American West. I wanted to bring these two worlds together in a way that created something really unique and authentic to both worlds.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Way West Supply Co. is a community-driven lifestyle brand creating limited apparel and accessories inspired by the American West and SoCal alternative culture.

I started my professional career in the music industry, where I quickly gained a passion for growing businesses. Through a decade of experience, I picked up dozens of skills, keys to growth and the real world pitfalls that could happen throughout that process.

Music, being my first passion, led me to the concepts of branding and marketing, eventually putting me in the manufacturing/merchandise sector. At one point, a little over a year ago, I decided it was time to put my experience to the test, and build a brand of my own — one that ties together all of my passions and skills, so I could be of service to the community that built me.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The most important pivot I made in my life was 4 years ago when I made the decision to get sober. After years of chasing career success, I found myself further away from my values and dreams than I had ever imagined I could be. Being thrown into the music industry at a young age, I never gave myself the time or space to build tools to manage stress — whether that came from failure or success.

The ability to start a business, foster professional and personal relationships, and truly feel grateful for it all is directly related to my recovery. Without that baseline of my life, there’s no way I could have started Way West.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

The book ‘The Four Agreements’ is the most important book I’ve ever read. Its teachings relate to the core values of living a happy life (and build a successful business). It taught me to never take things personally, make no assumptions, be impeccable with my word, and strive to always do my best work.

It’s a quick read, and I’d recommend it to pretty much every human being.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://waywestsupply.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthonylauletta
• Other: Brand Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waywestsupplyco
  Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
Feature Image: Jarrod Anthonee, Additional Images: Dustin Genereux