We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Terrica Joy Smith. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Terrica Joy below.

Terrica Joy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I was born a story-teller. Words are my great love, enhanced all the more with stunning images to bring them to life. After years of education and experience in the publishing world, I finally tacked the laborious process of putting together my first book proposal, only to realize I didn’t want to write a book. At least not the one I’d always envisioned. I needed something more than a dozen chapters bound together in black and white. I also clearly and distinctly felt God calling me to something deeper and richer than I’d always imagined. I realized I wanted to collaborate with other creatives, champion the stories of other women, and I needed LOTS of pictures… thus giving birth to the Eden & Vine. We describe it as a coffee table book in a magazine format. And it’s taken on a life all its own. More than even a community, Eden & Vine is a family of women championing women into the depths of true God-breathed purpose.

Terrica Joy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I grew up down a quiet dirt road in Texas. Raised an only child, my days were full of imagination and wonder often spilling onto the page in the form of lyrics and stories. As a young adult graduating from college, I volunteered to work for free for my mentor, a million-copy best-selling author. She just happened to need a research assistant and jumped at the proposition. A year later, she hired me as her events manager. She personally coached me for both the stage (speaking) and the page (writing).

It was years later following a dramatic move from the hustle of the big city in Texas to peace and stillness on a hillside in Tennessee, the story of Eden & Vine took root. It was in gathering eggs, growing rows of flowers and boxes of herbs, baking loaves of fresh zucchini bread and foraging for wild berries, when the story began to grow. It was gathering for brunch and worship, prayer around the fire in the meadow, conversations on the porch swing laced with the very presence of God, where the story began to bloom.

Eden & Vine is both calling and passion project. Our heart is to champion every woman on earth, into deep life-giving purpose. As a magazine, we make scripture both approachable and digestible. It’s a feast for the senses that provokes and inspires. We hear testimonies every single day from women around the world who’s lives have been impacted and moved by simply flipping through the pages…

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

2020 was, of course, a make it or break it year for countless small businesses. I’m happy to report, we made it! After many pivots, including launching an intern team to help with the work load, we were also faced with the challenges of paper shortages, shipping delays, crazy deadlines, etc. We simply showed up every day knowing we’d figure it out, and trusted God with the details. Growth and overcoming challenges is part of the journey. Keep moving in faith, and God will meet you.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

Well it might surprise you to learn, we didn’t. We had no capital. I was crazy enough to step out with nothing more than an idea and grand amount of faith in my heart. I had an iPhone full of photos and old laptop functioning enough to run Word. We launched a presale to fund our first issue, and amazingly… it worked like magic. The rest is history!

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.edenandvine.com
• Instagram: @terricajoy @edenandvine

Image Credits
Photo Credit — Leslie Brown Photography