We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Trina Mendoza. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Trina below.
Alright, Trina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
It all started with my love for the Lord and photography. I wanted to honor Him and help women grow closer to Him. So I set out on a journey and opened my own photography business. I started in nature photography and moved into family portraits. No matter what, it seemed as if something was missing. I wasn’t quite ready myself, living a life of uncertainty and not fully walking with the Lord yet. So I decided to put my business on hold. A couple of years passed, and I felt it was time to pick up my camera again. I was finally turning my life around and found out about brand photography and interior photography and pivoted to that. I thought this would be the perfect way for me to reach other women. Business was super slow and I prayed and prayed questioning everything. Then I got an amazing idea (I believe it was from the Lord) to reach out in my community to local mompreneurs and interview them for a new blog project. And the blog project took off! I met amazing women and have been inspired by their beautiful stories. I even got to pray over them which is something I would have never done (that was truly all the Lord!) My desire to help them grow closer to the Lord became even bigger. And that’s when I decided to completely pivot! I am now focused on creating practical tools to help women draw closer to the Lord every day. My new business venture is just beginning and I am so excited to see what the Lord will do. My new business is Purposefully Living Co. My mission is to guide women on a journey from distraction to purposefully living. Because I believe that we all can live an abundant life full of purpose and joy in Christ! I once was a girl with a desire to make a difference but I was missing the biggest part, which was the Lord. Every women I have interviewed has shared how the Lord has impacted their walk in their businesses and I believe He can be a missing piece for those who feel like something is missing.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Ever since I was a little girl I have always loved photography. I remember always having a Kodak disposable camera in my hand. Then when I got to high school I took photography and got to experience working in a dark room. My dream was to become a photographer. I planned to graduate and go to college to learn all that I could about becoming a photographer. But then I fell in love and I married my high school sweetheart and we had our first son when I was 18 years old. My photography dreams got put on hold. Years passed and one year my husband bought me a camera out of nowhere and I was reminded of my love of photography. Through the years I have learned a ton by taking courses online. I did have a service-based photography business, but I recently pivoted to something quite different. I now help busy women draw closer to the Lord every day through beauty and practical tools. I am just beginning so I don’t have any products yet but there will be a lot to come! Right now I am working on the foundation of my new business, Purposefully Living Co. I am grateful that the Lord has been so patient with me and lovingly guided me to where I am today. To be able to serve Him in a way where I can help women is such a beautiful blessing I would have never imagined for myself! Though this journey I have found a love for writing on top of my love for photography. With those two gifts I will be guiding women on a journey from distraction to purposeful living.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Well, that’s the process I am in now actually. I have pivoted from an interior and brand photographer to a content creator for Christ-centered women. And it all began with a blog project where I was interviewing local mompreneur businesses. I felt inspired by their stories and realized that it was time to take the leap. I am not going to lie it is a scary thing to do but I am doing it afraid, leaning on the Lord. Everything has been falling into place. I have learned a lot and I believe I had to go through all the tough times and growth to get me where I am today.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
Being an introvert, it is easy to make excuses, but introvert or extrovert, we all have fears that we have to face. For years I used being an introvert as an excuse to stay in my bubble. But not reaching out to others out of fear only kept me stuck. It was the moment that I stopped overthinking and just took action, that’s when everything changed. I met amazing mompreneurs and learned a lot. I was allowed to pray over these women and that alone grew my confidence in the Lord.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.purposefullylivingco.com
- Instagram: @purposefullylivingco
Image Credits
The one photo of me is by Alicia Leigh Photography The rest of the photos are mine. I’m not sure if this needs to be mentioned but the two interior shots are from when I went to tour the Waco Castle. I just got a new lens and had so much fun capturing those images which were beautifully done by Chip and Joanna Gaines.