BIO: Tony Whatley is an entrepreneur, business mentor, best-selling author, podcast host, and speaker.
STORY: An unplanned pregnancy saw Tony stay in a bad relationship that worsened daily and threw him into depression.
LEARNING: Don’t be afraid to walk away from a bad situation. Always know your self-worth.
“Walking away is probably the hardest decision you’ll make. But it’s also probably the best decision.”
Tony Whatley
Guest profile
Tony Whatley is an entrepreneur, business mentor, best-selling author, podcast host, and speaker. He is best known as Co-Founder of LS1Tech, an online automotive community that grew into the largest of its kind. This website grew to over 300,000 registered members and was later sold for millions in only 5 years. Amazingly… it was just his part-time business!
Tony shares his mindset and business strategies within his book, Sidehustle Millionaire. He also teaches entrepreneurs how to start, scale, and sell their businesses within his podcast and consulting brand 365 Driven.
Worst investment ever
Two years out of college, Tony was working an entry-level engineering job. He decided to move closer to downtown Houston and just do what single dudes do—party and live the youth of their 20s. Tony met a woman during all the partying, and an unplanned pregnancy happened. They decided the right thing to do was to keep and raise the child together.
Tony had an apartment lease that he couldn’t break, so he moved in with the woman and paid both rents. Soon enough, the two realized they weren’t meant to be in a relationship. The connection just wasn’t there. But they just stuck it out because they didn’t want to disappoint their parents.
In no time, Tony started to spiral down and got into a depressive state, but he hung around for another six months after his son was born. The relationship kept getting toxic, and finally, one of the arguments escalated to the point where she told Tony to leave. He took that as a sign, packed up what little he had, got the cheapest place he could afford, and restarted his life.
Lessons learned
- Know your self-worth.
- Never be afraid to walk away from a bad relationship.
- Don’t let the fear of being judged keep you in a bad relationship.
Andrew’s takeaways
- Stop escalating your problems.
- Just walk away because the situation just gets worse.
- Be a role model to your kids.
Actionable advice
If you’re going to get in a relationship with somebody, ask yourself if this person will bring you energy or if they’ll just rob your energy.
Tony’s recommended resources
- Listen to Tony’s The 365 Driven Podcast, which features successful people doing incredible things worldwide. The guests share advice, strategies, and tips on how to improve your life daily.
No.1 goal for the next 12 months
Tony’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to finish writing his second book—a philosophical guide to living and excelling.
Parting words
“No matter how bad you think your situation is, focus on the things that are actually within your control, and release the stress and anxiety around things that are beyond your control because those are going to happen either way.”
Tony Whatley
[spp-transcript]
Connect with Tony Whatley
Andrew’s books
Andrew’s online programs
Connect with Andrew Stotz:
