Lily Clayton Hansen Talks Word of Mouth: Nashville Conversations
February 17, 2016 / Share:
The following is a guest post from Lily Clayton Hansen, Host/Curator of our monthly series Sip It.
Pie in the sky thinking can sometimes be productive. If you’re crazy like me, and realize you have nothing to lose, why not follow the lane that speaks to you?
“Head in the clouds, feet on the ground” was my favorite pull quote from the first Sip It series held on January 26. Nothing better encapsulates the mentality I took to the creation of my first book, Word of Mouth: Nashville Conversations, than the words of Music City Roots and Bluegrass Underground founder Todd Mayo. Alongside his partner, producer and cofounder John Walker, the pair was the perfect kickoff to my yearlong partnership with the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, Tennessean and Jump Goat Media. Their business is one that equally employs passion and skill.
I first discovered the Entrepreneur Center when a friend, ironically, invited me to Sip It!, then hosted by entrepreneur Robbie Goldsmith. I was visibly moved by the energy of the live interview and had honestly never seen anything like it.
From the founder of a pasta company to the leader of a nonprofit I marked these meet-ups on my calendar every month. They became especially crucial when I began focusing on my own burgeoning writing business. I filled up a notebook with chicken-scratched quotes, guidance and takeaways. Becoming immersed in the entrepreneurial community inspired me to sign up for Periscope, a 6-week program dedicated to teaching artists how to turn their talents into a business. The class was not only a transformative experience yet also aligned with the ethos behind my book— Nashville is a community where there is a natural overlap between the arts and business. A great deal of support exists between both communities.
Oftentimes, I imagine a world where everyone cheers one another on, people openly share their wisdom and the craziest concepts are routinely brought to life. The community I have been embraced by in Nashville is eerily close to this idealization.
By: Lily Clayton Hansen—Author, Word of Mouth: Nashville Conversations
Instagram: @wordofmouthconversations