Daily Inspiration: Meet Lonnie

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lonnie.

Hi Lonnie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I started my modeling career when I was 14 years old in high school. I did photo shoots, catalogs, and runway shows in Denver Colorado. When I moved to Arizona when I was 19 I stopped modeling and started my own business. I used some photography and videography skills that I had to market my products online. I worked full-time from home for over 5 years running my small business! (@lovegoodbathpotions).

— I met my friend Mxxse (@bigmxxse) while working in the cannabis industry for about a year. We were talking on our work break and he just simply said “ Can I sing you something I wrote?” Of course, I said yes! He was nervous, he had never sung in front of someone before. He hadn’t even told people he wanted to write or sing. But he did amazing and I knew he needed to continue this passion.

I told him I had a nice Sony a6400 camera and would be willing to help him grow his social media. (Since I had experience with my own small business) I made him an Instagram and Tiktok later that week and we were going out shooting and filming to have things to post on his socials!

We would go to open mics every Wednesday at El charros bar and grill and I would shoot photos and videos for him and other performers that were there! Mxxse and I made 4-5 music videos together. We shot in friends’ backyards, El Charros, running around downtown Phoenix; in parking garages, during First Friday and our first shoot together was on top of South Mountain! We had to get up at 3 am and drive up before the sun came up. It was so much fun!

I’m hoping in the future when he comes back to Arizona we can get together and make more art together.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been a pretty smooth road for the most part. I just let the creativity flow and let that inspire all my work.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
For my “normal job,” I work in the cannabis industry at night.

My part-time creative jobs are as a bath product maker, content creator, social media personality, photographer/videographer, and editor.

I’ve been trying to make my creative jobs my full-time work again. But it’s difficult to make time for everything I want to do and create. Being an artist can be expensive and draining if I don’t have enough customers or clients, it can make it almost impossible to pursue.

What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I have been an artist and creative person my entire life and I would say the most important lesson about being a creative person is to allow it to flow through you.

You can’t push yourself to be creative, you need to allow it to come in its own time. Take time to rest and take creative breaks when you need them. After a needed break is when you always make the best art in my opinion!

Contact Info:

• Website: Lovegoodbathpotions.com
• Instagram: @Postgangproductions