Tony’s journey to his first million involved a combination of an engineering career, a couple of side hustle businesses, and long hours of putting in the work to get to where he is today. Through this journey, there have been countless important lessons that all business owners need to know. Although your business may be totally different in terms of your services or products, the takeaways remain the same and apply across the board to all types of businesses.

From humble beginnings, Tony learned early on the value of working hard for what he wanted. Having started working at 15 years old, each job along the way revealed a valuable lesson that would carry into life and entrepreneurship. One theme remains the same: relationships are incredibly valuable and can reap rewards for decades, so make sure to do right by others. Your first million is possible, but you need to invest in the skills that will get you there and learn from all the lessons along the way.

Key highlights:

Tony shares his upbringing, lessons from his parents, and his first job
How Tony got into the entrepreneur world
Tony’s tips for getting more people into your group or website
The difference between a community leader and an influencer
The importance of building relationships with integrity
Being proactive and not reactive when dealing with common customer complaints
How do you get recognized in your industry?
What is vertical integration?

For resources and links mentioned in this episode, visit: 365driven.com/episode291

My First Million - with Tony Whatley - EP 291