By Patrick & Jess Washington
When people say use the term “power couple,” typically what comes to mind are celebrity couples in the entertainment industry like Jay-Z and Beyoncé or Oprah and Stedman. But there’s a power couple that has been making headlines in the digital business world, changing the lives of thousands of Black people across the globe and catapulting their business profits that has recently placed them on the Inc 5000 list for the second year in a row. We spoke with Lamar and Ronnie Tyler who are the founders of Tyler New Media, which is also the parent company of Traffic Sales and Profit (TSP). TSP is a network of over 42,000 entrepreneurs and business owners who are owners of brick and mortar stores, e-commerce brands, service-based and product-based businesses looking to not only learn to grow their business but also support the Black community while doing so. The Tylers are mastermind business and digital marketers, all about closing the wealth gap within the Black community and being unapologetic with sharing the resources that successful business people use everyday.
The Tylers are very transparent about their beginnings. We started talking about blackandmarriedwithkids.com which is a blog site that guides African Americans on marriage and parenting. The site also offers ebooks and online training seminars as additional resources. The incredible success from BMWK led directly to Traffic Sales and Profit. With the experience of running a 40+ staff, profiting from their e-commerce business, a large database through their community members and having tens of thousands of followers on social media, the Tylers wanted to “share the wealth” with Black people everywhere. Hence, the birth of TSP.
“The key to a great working relationship as a couple is a great marriage”
Ronnie Tyler
Most people may admire couples who work together but many say they couldn’t do so themselves. When asked how they manage as a couple and business partners, Ronnie affirmed that the expectations of the partner are the same. You want someone you can trust and someone that will communicate. Both must also treat the business like a business, formally. Which means leaving personal affairs at the door and getting to work when needed. Lamar added “even though we are opposites, it’s important to let your partner work in the style that suits them.” That type of focus and dedication clearly shows why the TSP founders have been listed as Ebony Magazine’s Power 100 and Black Enterprise Family Business of the Year. Additionally, many of their members are inspired by the Tylers and are couples themselves.
But the Tylers reiterate that with all their success, their priority mission is to provide opportunities for Black entrepreneurs through TSP. They both certainly appreciate the accolades and recognition but it’s about ensuring their community members feel empowered by their success. Even when talking about the Inc 5000 list they’re sure to mention other companies within their network that also made the list.
“I didn’t grow up in an entrepreneurial environment, so the only way I saw Black success or Black business was by picking up a Black Enterprise or something like that… this is why it’s important that we share our story with Black media outlets like DW because someone could see our story and it can ignite something special”
Lamar Tyler
One could say the Tylers are all about tangibility, through TSP they host two major events per year that they call “family reunions.” The two conferences have different focal points but the goal for both is to help entrepreneurs learn the latest trends in digital marketing, while also focusing on the fundamental principles of running a successful business. Previous events had special guests featuring the likes of Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Marcus Lemonis, and this upcoming June event – TSP Live – features Issa Rae, Cathy Hughes and Jermaine Dupri in Atlanta. The Tylers both impart that their guests just don’t sit on a panel all day, talk hi-level jargon and answer to a few people during Q&A. They literally talk directly to the event attendees, and give real-life examples of their experiences in the business world. Lamar says “it’s all about proximity to success.” One would notice that their featured guests vary in age, background and industry, but Lamar Tyler spoke to that as well, “our audience is vast and we need to ensure that our information is relatable to everyone… from Tyler Perry to Crime Mob.. we have to think of it all.” But it’s not just the celebrity business icons that get to shine, at a TSP event, there are awards given to TSP members whose business has achieved 6, 7 and 8 figures within the year. The Tylers believe that your mindset is a major component to your success. Seeing members grow their business using a global network like TSP can keep you motivated and focused to execute.
Through TSP, Lamar & Ronnie set goals for themselves on how they want to support their community members. Their mission in 2019 was to impact thirty 7-figure companies, five 8-figure companies by Dec 2022 and they hit that goal. Now their new (10 year) goal is to help grow five hundred 7-figure companies, fifty 8-figure companies and five 9-figure companies. It’s not just helping the company owners directly that is gratifying, but the Tylers have seen the butterfly effect of how a company growing to these levels directly impacts those around them. The success allows for the business owners to create jobs and a better quality of life for their employees. Lamar and Ronnie could care less if you know who they are as a couple, it’s much more important to them that their work at TSP makes a difference in the community.
The Tyler’s didn’t take any breaks with training their community and hosting conferences. To further ensure their messaging reaches those in need, they have started the streaming network The Convo™ and host a series of shows talking about the very things that they discuss during the events. On this network they “go back to their roots” and create content focused on the topics they discuss at TSP but more niche to what their audience can relate to. Shows like “Winners Table” is based on the ups and downs of black entrepreneurship, “Black Beauty Takeover” talks about partaking in an industry that services Blacks but is dominated by Koreans and another popular show “The Breakdown” talks about financial literacy, stock options and business terminology that you may not pick up in daily conversation, but pertinent to understanding financial success. Lamar co-hosts a show (one of his favorites) with Freddie Taylor called “Black Business Icons” paying homage to those who have paved the way for Blacks in various industries. You can check out these shows on The Convo™ which is now available on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and other streaming platforms
Chatting with Lamar and Ronnie Tyler was awe-inspiring. It’s not everyday that you meet a couple who not only understands the importance of giving back to the community that supports them, but also creating paths for others to follow suit. Through their award-winning network, they have created an ecosystem with TSP. By definition, they have created a complex network and interconnected system that grows seemingly organically. Their only job is to meet the people where they are either via their community, their events or now their digital content. On top of that, they are still all about love and maintaining a happy family. From one happily married couple in business to another… we salute you both.