lily clayton hansen

Word of Mouth: More Conversations​ is Hansen’s follow-up to ​Word of Mouth: Nashville Conversations, the visually stunning coffee table book that inspired yearlong art installations and partnerships with Vanderbilt University, the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, and the Nashville International Airport.

As Shannah Game of the Millennial Money Podcast has put it best, “​Lily Clayton-Hansen​ captures people’s lives through storytelling and photography, with soul-revealing depth and artistic charm in her book...Through her journey, Hansen has found her calling and unleashed her genius in more ways than one.” 

Much like it’s predecessor, ​Word of Mouth: More Conversations​ features intimate interviews paired with striking photography by Nashville-based photographer Ron Manville. Manville has shot 70+ cookbooks and has 18 National and International awards, including four James Beards, under his belt. The pair partnered on ​More Conversations ​to find out what it’s really like to build one’s career. Hansen hopes that her chosen cast of characters represents the textured, complex, creative mecca that is Nashville. “These are real life role models in your own backyard,” she explains. “What better way to learn about a city and what makes it so dynamic than through your neighbors?” 

The Word of Mouth Conversations brand is built on curiosity, conversation, and face-to-face connection. After moving Nashville in 2012, Hansen was looking for her niche as a writer. She began reaching out to people she admired, setting up meetings, and asking them for advice. She soon realized as she connected with these everyday heroes that they had a significant amount of wisdom to offer. Now Hansen has her dream job: talking to people about what they do all day long and how they feel about what they do—similar to her role model, famed Chicago interviewer Studs Terkel.

In her ​More Conversations​ interview, Kurdish spokesperson and co-founder of the Welcoming Tennessee Initiative Kasar Abdulla explains, “​I personally believe we all have a noble purpose, and it’s just a matter of us discovering and then acting upon it." Hansen hopes that these nuggets of wisdom will inspire her readers to pursue whatever it is that they love. 

The interviews in ​Word of Mouth: More Conversations prove that greatness is not defined by fame, money, or social media status, but rather what you give back during your time on earth. “Doing what you love is not easy,” Hansen explains. “No one can cheat their way to success but putting in the hours is well worth it.” By giving her subjects a voice, she hopes to shine the light on others who doing great work in the world. “I’ve learned a lot by keeping my mouth shut, ears open, and mind unblocked,” she says. “I hope to give a glimpse into the texture, tone, and complexity of the human spirit.”  

Recently, Hansen has taken her brand global, creating international interview series in cities such as London. Her style is one that combines the art of storytelling with a cultural and sociological perspective. By getting to know others Hansen has gotten to know herself inside and out.