We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Adrianna Reid a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Adrianna, appreciate you joining us today. How do you think about spending on the little things / small joys when finances are tight?

This is such an interesting topic and something that has come up over and over again in my personal and professional development. What is most fascinating is how people perceive value. Regardless of how the economy is fluctuating, there are always things that are expensive, and there are always things that are cheap. People choose to afford what is valuable to them. Exceptions are always made, whether it’s pre-planned or on impulse. The only difference is how we prioritize and perceive value. Money, on the other hand, seems to be this elusive, taboo, can’t-talk-about-it over-dinner, concept that rules our lives, when in reality, it’s just a system we use to count and keep track of value. The real value is our time. We exchange our time for money, then exchange our money for goods and services that we decide are equally as valuable. If we took out the middle man and worked directly for the things we hope to earn, only exchanging our time, we would treat every expenditure as a serious investment. Are those drinks really worth the amount of time it would take you to earn that money? What is the opportunity cost? Could you outsource some of the low-value tasks that take up too much of your time to get back that time and use it doing something more valuable? The 2011 sci-fi/action film, In Time, poses that exact theme, using time as a currency. The point is, we all view money however we were socially conditioned to. I recommend the book, You are a Badass at Making Money, by Jen Sincero, where she writes in depth about how we come to various perspectives about money and our mindset accordingly. Whether it’s disposable income or pinching pennies, your view usually aligns with that of your parents, among other perspectives. What I have found most intriguing in reading about money mindset is that value and money aren’t always the same thing. If you want more value, give more value. The more value you give, the more valuable your time is, and the more value (money) you will receive. It’s all about investing your time and energy in the right places and jumping at opportunities to grow. It’s also hugely the mindset of abundance vs scarcity. Spending money can feel gross and all we seem to focus on is losing it. Investing money feels good though because it increases our value. It’s really all about being intentional with our money and time. Money is a tool. It’s a counter and tracker of value. Think about how you use your money and how that makes you feel. Additionally, think about how you utilize your time and how that makes you feel. One is replaceable, one is not. Your intuition is usually right, especially when you pursue opportunities to question, grow, and reflect on why you think the way you do.

Adrianna, 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 have been using photography as an artistic outlet since I was 10 years old. Mimicking the intense observations I saw in my hoard of National Geographic magazines, I was obsessed with photographing textures and details that often go unnoticed. Painting and drawing took up most of my time before that and I have always been a glutton for creative practices. I attended a small university and double majored in Art Education and Visual arts with a minor in Theatre. I wasn’t sure if teaching was my ultimate calling, but I’ve known forever that I feel most fulfilled when I am engaged artistically and can help other people recognize their potential. Teaching was an incredible avenue for this, but there are also many things in public education that do not serve and enable that purpose. In my first few years as a teacher, I quickly discovered that it was way more than a full-time job. In a typical school year, you can expect your work to be pretty invasive to your life with very few boundaries, but this was in the midst of COVID. I was spending 10-12 hours at work every day, and while I loved teaching, it was incredibly draining and the bureaucracies of my job grew extremely challenging. I ended up sacrificing many of my evenings and weekends, which made it difficult to even want to pursue photography. At this point, my hobby had evolved into somewhat of a side hustle, but it was directed toward families and couples, which I was not at all passionate about. I am gratefull for the learning opportunites had, but it was no longer the artistic oulet it always had been. I almost just stopped. On a whim, I got together with one of my good friends from art school, who was a ceramic artist at a pottery studio, and photographed her process and workflow. We brainstormed and collaborated on what shots would really communicate the essence of her work, as well as what textures and details of her studio were most interesting. This concept fueled me and I became a visionary again. We were so inspired that we worked until the early hours of the morning. I specifically remember walking into my home the following day, completely ecstatic. It clicked. This was it. This was what I was meant to do in the world of photography. Since I had such limited spare time, I knew if I was going to continue my photography journey, it was only going to be in the areas that inspired me. I just didn’t have the time or energy to put into anything else, which is really how we should all generally live our lives. I chose to specialize in documentary style small business branding photography, particularily for artists and makers. I’ve been adamantly pursuing my personal and professional development that has brought me to some amazing, unrealistic goals that I can’t wait to crush. Gratitude is the driving force behind how I run my business and how I live my life. This has allowed me to cultivate a creative community wherever I go and collaborate with the best kind of people. Using photography and videography, I strive to provide visuals to purpose-driven businesses that relay confidence in who you are, what you do, and why you do it.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Holy moly! I was already on the path of self-development and entrepreneurship when I discovered Jai Long, but I am about to invest in his course because I believe so much in his mission and his ideas have really resonated with me. I highly recommend listening to his podcast, Make Your Break. He shares a lot of resources and books as well. Another impactful piece is my favorite book and the only book that has ever made me cry, How I Built This by Guy Raz. The book is a compilation of interviews with various business owners and some of the world’s top CEOs. It’s filled with perspectives on every part of the entrepreneurial journey, from formulating the initial idea and taking the leap to financial struggles and hitting rock bottom. Everyone starts as a dreamer and calls on different aspects of their lives for inspiration. There is no success without struggle and this book reveals it all, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the unlimited potential. Both of these resources have made me reflect on what I am capable of.

Any advice for managing a team?

I have had a lot of different jobs and have worked with a lot of different teams, even in a managerial position. Some of the things I have seen firsthand to be most effective are holding high expectations of everyone, striving to promote clear communication and solution-oriented conversations, and approaching the manager role from a place of service. You are essentially serving your team, and the best way to lead a team is to create more leaders. Understanding the difference between the role of a boss, whose primary motive is to control, and that of a leader, whose primary motive is to enable others, is crucial in managing a team and maintaining morale.

Contact Info:

• Website: imagesbyadrianna.com
• Instagram: imagesbyadriannallc
• Facebook: Images by Adrianna LLC
• Youtube: @ImagesbyAdriannaLLC
• Other: TikTok: @imagesbyadriannallc