Women in Business: 'Lacey Does' both brand and philosophy

Lacey Hennessey can paint anything that stands still long enough. So much so that “see if Lacey does it” has become both her brand’s tag line and a frequent exclamation of those who know her.

“Lacey does” murals, custom art, prints, textiles and more, but it all started with a side hustle and honest conversations.

Hennessy says she was working full time as a corporate event planner for a woman-owned business.

“My boss at the time always really preached how important goals were,” she says.

“I really attribute where I am now to being a transparent person,” Hennessy says. So, in a quarterly review, she relayed a goal to “make X amount of dollars by the time I'm 30,”

From the archives: Greenville artist Lacey Hennessey paints a special Clemson mural for client's family

Then she followed with a question: “Can I even do that here?”

“She said, ‘No, not in your current role. It was the best gift she ever could have given me,” Hennessey says.

That transparency led her to begin growing an art business and transitioning from the corporate world -- first to Fridays off to paint (in lieu of a raise), then to six-month’s notice that she was leaving, then to contracting with her previous employer as needed – leaving everyone happy with how it worked out.

Hennessey says that openness now helps other artists, who have their own goals for earning a living by creating art.

“I'm very forthcoming with information if another artist reaches out to me to ask a question,” she says. “I think I certainly have competitors but I'm like, the more the merrier, because the tide kind of rises together. I've built a nice network of artists who are willing to be transparent with me in return.”

Now Hennessey’s murals are highlighting cities and businesses across the country, customizing homes and showcasing creativity and pure joy.

More Women in Business: Travel planner Pace Clayton rolls with it

From her start painting fraternity coolers while a student at Clemson to creating giant Instagrammable art that captivates, Hennessey is all about learning and growing and taking that next leap of faith. Along the way, she soaks up information and goes after her goals

“I'm a kind of a risk taker, I guess,” she says. “If I'm a good problem solver, even if everything goes terribly wrong, I have transparent conversations. I know I'll be upfront with people, which they'll appreciate, and I'm a solutions person. I'll fix it.”

See Hennessey’s work and learn about her process at laceydoes.com and instagram.com/lacey_does.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Women in Business: 'Lacey Does' both brand and philosophy