137. Following The Spark With Trenna

137. Following The Spark With Trenna

We have my friend Trenna here on the podcast today, and I’m so excited.  Trenna and I met on the internet – we’ve actually never met in person before.  She is a photographer and she hired me to do some coaching with her! It’s so fun to see where she is now because our coaching session was a few years ago!

Trenna is a Jackson Hole family photographer.  She started her photography business about 2 years ago.  They have had so much growth, and this is their first year with an associate photographer! Through her journey of starting a photography business, she’s grown a heart for mamas and helping them start their own businesses.  She is a mama of 3 herself.

Trenna is a destination photographer, but she lives at the destination.  She’s a TRUE destination photographer.  She’s created a business around people traveling to her area for their vacations.  She ALWAYS has that beautiful scenery – how lucky is she to live in beautiful Jackson with the Grand Tetons! However, she almost never has returning clients since she photographs families on their vacations.  She loves meeting people from all over the United States!

She’s new, but she has grown FAST!  Trenna has always loved photography.  She started by shadowing a wedding photographer as a senior, then started taking pictures when her son was born, and was so dedicated to taking pictures that she even borrowed baby chicks for a fun Easter photoshoot. Trenna says it was epic. She went through a season of raising her babies, but her spark for photography was reignited during COVID when a fellow photographer friend of hers started doing ‘front porch project’ sessions.  When this photographer came out to their house to take their family pictures, she turned to her husband and said, “This is what I’m meant to do!”  The kids were old enough, and she leaned into that call.  It was a learning curve, but she ran after it.  She invested in courses and in coaching, practiced, and here she is!

When we did our first coaching call together, we Googled “Jackson Hole Photographer”.  No one was popping up.  We brainstormed ideas together, and she’s now the #1 photographer on Google searches in her area! She’s thriving from the small tweaks and ideas.  But remember, she’s still a full-time mom.  I think when people hear 6 figure business they think, “Oh, I don’t want to work that much!” Really, you can do it with the life that you have.  I want people to look into my life, because I spend just as much time with my kids as you do – as Trenna does.

You can run a successful business with the life that you have.  Trenna says the reason people are so successful is because they start with what they love to do.  I didn’t start out making what I make now, nor did Trenna.  Unfortunately, people seem more driven by the phrase, “that makes a lot of money,” rather than, “I enjoy doing this, so I’m going to do that.”  You can be successful in whatever you’re passionate about. The same principles that I teach work in whatever you’re called to do – doing hair, running a preschool, photography, etc.

HOW DO YOU HELP SOMEONE FIND THEIR PURPOSE OR THEIR PASSION?

It comes back to you.  You know what you love, and you know who you are.  As moms, we love to take care of our families… we’re cooking dinner, we’re cleaning, we’re folding laundry, driving kids to baseball games.  We’re doing all these things and we completely forget about “us”.  It’s in those moments of reflection, therapy, journaling, meditation, etc. that we find who we are.  It comes back to “who are you”.

In our society, we’ve been looking externally for so long. Looking outside to find what drives us and to find who we are.  We need to shift.  We need to look inward and reflect.

ONCE YOU FIND YOUR PURPOSE, OR FIND IT AGAIN, WHAT DO YOU DO THEN?

You must find the confidence to start again.  Women can be insecure in following their passions.  Before her boys were born, Trenna knew she would be a stay-at-home mom.  She thought that meant she needed to do “a. b. c. and d.”  She wasn’t supposed to work, create an income, or do anything like that.  It was laundry, dishes, diapers, bedtime.  For so long, it was all about that.  But, Trenna loved being with people.  That helped push her into confidence.  Her mentor told her that she needed to “follow the spark.”  When you’re feeling fulfilled, those insecurities go away.  When you follow that spark, follow the thing you’re called to do, those insecurities go away. Say to yourself, “If you want this, if you really want it, don’t let anybody stand in your way.” The people that you think are standing in your way are probably not.  You’re standing in your way.

You’re always learning, growing, and finding mentors.  This helps your confidence along the way as well.  A lot of us try to do things on our own for so long, and we don’t ask for help.  We end up constantly doubt ourselves.  I’ve realized that there’s really a million ways to do all the things.  It helps my confidence to know that there are many “right” ways to accomplish my goals.  Mentors can also call out that gold in you.  They can help you find your strengths and they see more in you than you may in yourself.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE WHO’S JUST STARTING OUT, OR FOR SOMEONE WHO STILL HASN’T FOUND SUCCESS YET?

Trenna looked at her strengths and said, “what can I bring to the table that’s different than every other photographer here?” It’s her.  What we sell people is not always the physical thing that we bring to the table.  It’s not the pictures, it’s not the templates of our coaching calls.  It’s us – our energy and our personality sells the product or service we offer.  Even more than the product sells the product.  Who are you? Start there.  Then, find the gap.  Jackson Hole has a very high-end wedding photography clientele. What was missing? Family photography.  Trenna found the gap and went with it.  Be yourself and have an abundance mindset.  Also, give to and love your community.  The more you put into what you give, the more will come back to you in so many ways.

WHAT’S THE ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’D GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO IS ON THEIR OWN BUSINESS JOURNEY?

Trenna says, “Find a mentor.”  Reach out to someone and find that person. Find someone you honor and respect.  Find someone you trust to speak into your life.  The money and time that you invest in a mentor will come back.  Allow someone to help.  It’s so beneficial to have someone else’s eyes to encourage you and help you grow.

You can find Trenna on Instagram HERE!  She has also started a coaching business – find her coaching business HERE!

137. Following The Spark With Trenna