Meet Terrence Ford: Founder & Creative Director at Lamar Haaley Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Terrence Ford and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Terrence, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’m one of those ‘jack of all trades’ types. I can do (and have done) many different things: Music, production/performing, graphic/web design, cinematography/editing, social media management/content creation, youth ministry/public speaking. But I’d never really imagined I’d be able to launch a sustainable business with any of those things.

Here’s why.

I grew up in a typical single-parent middle class home. The only thing I was taught about finances was, “Get good grades, go to college, get a good job, save for retirement, and work hard so you’ll get raises.” There was no talk of increasing assets and decreasing liabilities; or diversifying your income through investments and corporations; or creating jobs and generational wealth. Shoot, I didn’t even know what an LLC was until I was in my late twenties.

So I went the typical route. Grades – college – jobs – raises. The challenge was, I never found a “job” that satisfied my creative itch. I’d just always believed that a job was where you had to go when you wanted to make consistent mulah while sitting in a cubicle all day in a shirt and tie – and that the creative stuff was reserved for after hours.

But a couple years ago, I realized that the climate has changed. We’re living in a digital information age where just about anything is possible. It’s more realistic than ever to make a great living with your personality, knowledge, or creative skillsets online.

But I still had to learn the hard way that not every passion of mine need to become a business.

Now I know better. It makes more sense to start needs-based businesses for which there will always be a demand, niche, and ideal customer base. My uncle-in-law in Virginia tried to teach me that lesson years ago but i wouldn’t listen. You see, he digs graves for a living. Graves. And I used to think he was a freakin’ weirdo. “Who in the world wants to dig graves for a living?” I’d ask him. To which he would respond, “No one. Not even me. But it provides the *means* by which I can live on my own terms and do the things I’m really passionate about.”

And there it was. Right in front of my face. The reason I’d always been so miserable at my jobs. It’s because I was longing for personal and vocational Freedom.

I didn’t have anything personal against the companies I’d worked for nor the people I’d work with. The problem was that those companies weren’t MINE.

So I had to take an honest inventory of who I am, and that I don’t enjoy being an employee. I’m an owner. I’m a visionary spark who lights up an idea and rallies people to help make it come to life. For 8+ hours a day, I was spending my time and energy solving my employers’ business problems, but I was ready to make my own ideas live. When I’d try talking with my colleagues about that, the conversations usually fell flat, and it used to frustrate the heck out of me…until I came to grips with the fact that I’m wired as an owner.

Let me be clear though. There nothing wrong with working a job all day, then coming home and having a beer and kicking your feet up on the couch in front of the TV. Loads of people are wired that way, and it’s fantastic. The world’s economy needs these people. I’m just not one of them. My nights, weekends, and lunch breaks were crammed with activity, whether I was working in my businesses or on them. I couldn’t help it.

Legacy and freedom are what drive me the most. My wife and I are pioneers in our families. We’re the weird ones diverting from the beaten path that raised us. The path where you only get 2 weeks out of the year to live the way you want (and have to get permission from someone else before you do it); the path where your 9-5 salary is all you earn; where you trade all your time for money; where you live on the right side of the restaurant menu (where all the prices are) instead of enjoying what you want; where you trust your 401k more than your own gifts and talents in the marketplace.

My aim is for my kids to never have to work for someone unless they absolutely want to. I want them to taste vocational and financial freedom from an early age. And I couldn’t pass my jobs to them. But I can and will leave them a legacy of wealth that lasts generations.

What should our readers know about your business?
I own and operate a creative agency in Atlanta called Lamar Haaley. We help medium to large sized businesses and brands get seen and heard, and look good while doing it. We do this by helping them attract and engage with their ideal audience through well-executed Web Design, Brand Design, and Content Production.

We’ve worked with great clients such as the Ronald Mc’Donald House Charities, DoorDash, and many more.

When we started as a small side hustle in 2013 we used to just make things. If someone needed a beautiful logo designed, great. A new eye-catching flyer? We got it done. It was fun, it was challenging, and we made a lot of cool stuff with some really cool clients.

The problem was (1) those things didn’t always solve our client’s actual business problems and (2) it wasn’t as sustainable as I needed it to be. So in 2020, we pivoted and rebranded, going from being one-off order takers to a full-service digital agency solution that helps our clients align with (and provide value to) their target audience on an ongoing basis.

Luckily, by scratching my own marketing itch as an independent musician, I’d accidentally become really skilled in branded content marketing – and we’ve found that this service works really well for our clients too. What I love about it is that unlike traditional advertising, it’s not overly promotional. Instead, it allows brands to become storytellers and provide consumers with the content they want and need. Customers and prospects seek out content that entertains, inspires, educates, and informs. They don’t want constant sales promotions.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oo, what are the best spots in Atlanta? That’s a tough question for me – I’ve lived here for a little over 4 years, and I STILL rarely go anywhere, haha. I’m such a homebody.

But I will say, I enjoy some of the touristy parts of Atlanta, like the aquarium. I’ve got young kids, so my wife and I are always looking for a way to give them adventure. The aquarium and the zoo have been favorites of ours for a while now.

And if you’re looking for a good spot to eat, you’ve gotta try 4 Rivers Smokehouse, Old Lady Gang, and Fred’s Meat & Bread. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people I could thank, but I’d like to give a shoutout to Eric Thomas of ETA & Associates. I’ve never met him or his team personally, but they were the ones who mentored me from a far and kept me motivated with their leadership podcasts and motivational YouTube videos. If I hadn’t been digesting their content every day, I don’t think I’d be a full-time business owner today.

Website: www.lamarhaaley.com

Instagram: @lamarhaaley

Facebook: @lamarhaaley

Image Credits
Hannah Coleman Photography