We were lucky to catch up with Lacey Hennessey recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lacey , appreciate you joining us today. Along with taking care of clients, taking care of our team is one of the most important things we can do as leaders. Looking back on your journey, did you have a boss that was really great? Maybe you can tell us about that boss and what made them a wonderful person to work for?

My business success has built on transparency, and I learned the benefit of that trait from my previous boss and now mentor. As a leader I noticed she was never afraid to ask tough questions and took whatever answers she received and kept moving forward. She was goal oriented and encouraged her team to be the same. In my late 20’s in a quarterly review, I asked a simple but bold question – I shared my financial goal of how much money I wanted to make by the time I was 30 and said, “can I even make that here”, and she gave me the best gift she could have ever given me and said “no”.

It was brutally honest. And exactly what I needed to hear. I didn’t want to leave the company, but I did need more income. So, we openly talked about options. I told her I had a hobby as an artist. She then, in lieu of a financial raise, gave me Friday’s off to grow that hobby (with no change to my salary) and 2 years later, with a growing social media following, I was able to depart her company making more money, surpassing my goals, with more flexibility and her support with additional income from that company as a freelance employee.

It was a win-win all around and without transparent conversations and an amazing leader in her, I could still be struggling at that corporate level.

Lacey , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a self-taught artist, traveling muralist and entrepreneur based out of Greenville, South Carolina. My body of work is often a reflection of my personality — colorful and fun, bold and playful, all with purpose. I’m known for being ‘chameleon of the arts’ because my style and techniques are adaptable, which is a welcomed advantage for my clients who might have their own goals and visions in mind.

My mediums range from acrylic paints, digital applications, to watercolor, mixed-media collages, and textile design. My love for travel and freedom to explore new opportunities was the catalyst for my pursuit of a full-time art career and is what drives my creative spirit every day.

But how did I get to this point?

I started my professional career in radio after graduation in 2009. I sold it for six months before deciding I hated sales and grabbed an opening in the Promotions Department. There, I put together events for three major radio stations in the market and met A TON of celebrities through hosted “Meet and Greets.” This chapter taught me the importance of loving your job. Why? Because I barley made any money.

In 2013 I pivoted to a marketing agency where I was the sole event coordinator. Here is where I learned how to run a business. I spent a little over five years there and loved the people I worked with. I had an amazing mentor as a boss, who excelled at work, family, and in the community, and I quickly learned a standard of excellence. While there, the birth of Instagram also happened. Which allowed me to reignite my passion for creating and gave me a place to showcase my personal artwork. And suddenly, by way of marketing my hobby, it became a Side-Hustle. I was working full-time at the agency, and then I’d come home and paint until midnight and take more orders through my DM’s. As my side-hustle grew, so did attention from the management at the agency and we discussed my exit strategy for a time that was quickly approaching. Within a few months, it was July 2018 and I was fully self-employed. Another lesson, BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM(S), AND LEARN TO HAVE TRANSPARENT CONVERSATIONS. My upper management leadership always knew where I stood. More times than not I was probably too outspoken for the norm, but it has helped get me where I am today.

At that job, I watched the accounting department and spent years doing admin from a desk. I worked with clients, I flexed my organizational skills, and through working two jobs, really at one time, I learned to multi-task. This means LONG hours, LATE nights, and LOTS of YouTube. If I didn’t know how to do something or needed to learn more, I googled it. Like “How to start an LLC?” and what to do next.

Fast forward to 2020. I scored my first mural. How? I posted on Instagram that I wanted to do one. And so, I did. It took a few months for a bite, but after one, came five more, and come spring of 2021 I had completed over 50 murals. Next big move – I joined TikTok and it has brought so many connections outside of my local regions. My count has made it over 150, in 9 different states.

I found my passion, figured out my WHY, and marketed myself endlessly.

What’s next? By way of social media, I have also discovered that I love to teach and share my story. I have started teaching mastermind classes, been hosted as a public speaker and have created a digital resource library called, “Learn from Lacey” where I provide digital downloads like outreach guides, contract templates and more to help other creatives save time and gain valuable knowledge to level up their business.

How can I help? Lots of ways.

1. Murals – I do both commercial and residential – they beautify, add a sense of place, can share a message or promote a photo opportunity. Public art is for everyone and its highly impactful and important.

2. Education – if you are a small business owner, I can teach you the power of social media (among other FREE tools), how to use it to your advantage and create a brand. If you are looking for purpose in career path, I can help you figure out what you should be doing and how to make it a reality.

3. Entertainment – I capture, create, and produce video content that educates, inspires and shares across all my social platforms. So come along for the ride and see what @lacey_does.

4. Creations – I take on small to large custom commissions, I sell prints, and team up with brands for art licensing partnerships for lines of products.

5. Promotion – I love to help other brands get noticed. Let’s team up to use my platforms to showcase what you have to offer and tap into each other’s networks.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

I joined a sailing trip to the British Virgin Islands with a group travel company, filled with young professionals from around the world. There were 8-10 people per yacht, and I went solo. As a gift to the group of new friends that were on the yacht, I designed and printed t-shirts with the company logo on the front chest and a large collage of illustrated elements from the trip on the back.

After the trip ended, I stayed a few more days on the islands and was sitting at a bar when a man next to me started talking about my shirt. I told him I designed them and all about the amazing experience I had with the company. He says, “Well the reason I am asking is because I work for their main office in London”. I immediately thought I was in trouble for using the logo without permission. He said my CEO would really like to see this. Gave me his address and asked to ship him one.

When I got back to the states I made that shirt, along with other promotional items showcasing my artwork and what I could do. A virtual meeting was set up with the corporate office. Among the BVI route, they have 5 other sailing routes to Greece, Croatia, French Polynesia, Italy, Montenegro. They said we love the shirts and we want you to make one for every route. And if you do that, we want them to be available to all of our guests worldwide.

I’ve been the sole merchandiser for the global company ever since.

It all started with a gift, then morphed into a walking brand as I started a friendly conversation with a stranger. I took that lesson and now use it for my own brand. I made SEE WHAT @LACEY_DOES shirts and wear them everywhere, especially when I travel, because you never know who will see it and who you’ll meet.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

My brand, @Lacey_does, has been built off the phrase, “see if Lacey does it”, because my growth came with saying “yes” to people. In the beginning I had no idea what my main financial driver would be, which is now murals, but for 3 years I was making income doing smaller projects like house drawings, custom dog portraits, wedding flowers, private event decor, social media management, designing koozies, painting furniture… I did it all. I took on projects to make income and combined some God given talent with curiosity and the willingness to Google “how to” whenever I needed to. My clients noticed I had a great attitude, was willing to help and be creative, which led to word-of-mouth referrals and growing social platforms.

I am self-deprecating, always sharing the good and bad about my business, bring humor and color into every story, and have really brought others along on the ride. It’s made me and my brand very approachable. And I love being a resource for others both in education and enjoyment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.laceydoes.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lacey_does
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laceydoes
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceyhennessey/
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/lacey_does
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lacey_does

Image Credits
Images that should be credited are titled as so (Chelsey Ashford Photography) the rest no need to worry they are mine. I have full permission regardless though.