We had the good fortune of connecting with Faith Miniard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Faith, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Starting a business with photography wasn’t my initial goal. I always found the craft interesting, and thought to myself that it would possibly become a hobby one day. However, when I first picked up a camera- it felt like I finally found an outlet to express my true self and my creativity. Once that realization came, I knew that photography could be something much bigger than just capturing a photo. I knew that I had the ability to make memories tangible for people, help build someone’s confidence, and bring the beauty of out the simplest things in life.

Additionally, I love to think about things on a grand scale. I’m a thinker, an innovator, and a creator. Starting a photography business is currently only step one for me. In the next few years, I hope to open my own studio, and provide scholarships and workshops for young students interested in the art of photography. I would love to start an initiative like this, preferably, with children/young adults in the underserved communities.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I believe what sets me apart from others is my genuine and humanitarian spirit. I’m constantly thinking about how I can serve others and influence the next person in a positive way. I’m most proud of the hard work I’ve put in over the past 7-8 years, especially since the neighborhood I come from could have easily led me down the wrong path. I stayed focused, always seeking ways to improve myself.

Getting to where I am professionally hasn’t been easy. I’ve always had a passion for being a bold leader, but over the years, I’ve had to learn how to truly build confidence and faith in myself (no pun intended). I overcame those challenges by being honest with myself about where I was and where I wanted to go, leaning on my support system, and journaling my progress. I also owe a lot to Alpha Kappa Psi, my professional business fraternity, for shaping me into a true business professional—not just by teaching me business knowledge, but by showing me how to carry myself, look the part, and inspire others.

I want the world to know that time truly does heal, and that in order for dreams to come true, hard work and faith must go hand in hand. This has been a guiding principle throughout my journey, and it’s what has allowed me to overcome obstacles and stay focused on my goals. I also want people to understand that creativity is within all of us—you just have to take the time to discover it! Through Filmed Faithfully, I want to inspire others to tap into their own creative potential and to believe that with dedication and faith, anything is possible.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would first tell my best friend to be ready for a LOT of fun and exciting memories. Nashville has truly grown to be such a vibrant and diverse community, and I’m really thankful that I could experience this development.

I get really excited about the outdoors, so I would take my best friend to Centennial Park and/or the Sandbar Nashville. Centennial has a beautiful Parthenon museum, and it’s the perfect place for a nice picnic date. If we wanna get our hands and feet a little dirty, Sandbar Nashville would be the go to spot (preferably in the evening time, the scenery is beautiful!). The Sandbar Nashville is an outdoor volleyball park, but they also have a really tasty vegan ice cream shop. As an honorable mention, I would recommend Love Circle as well. I love visiting this “secret” spot for a cozy and chill night.

To dive into the musical heart of the city, we’d visit the African American Music Museum, which offers a deep and informative look at the cultural impact of African American artists on the music scene. They have some beautiful exhibits, and it’s family friendly! And of course- exploring Broadway is essential when visiting the great city of Nashville. We’d stroll through the strip, where we would hop between the lively restaurants, visit a few locally owned boot shops, and stop by my favorite ice cream store, Mattheessen’s!

For some of the best eats in Nashville, we would definitely visit a few of the best black owned restaurants. For pizza, it’s only right that we visit Slim n Husky’s Pizza. I have a genuine appreciation for them, especially since they constantly give back to the community and their owners are graduates of Tennessee State! And you can’t visit Nashville without indulging in hot chicken, of course. We would either visit Prince’s Hot Chicken or Helen’s Hot Chicken for the best of the best in Nashville.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, thank you to The Shoutout series for recognizing my success. I want to dedicate this shoutout to my amazing parents, Shavonda Miniard and Aubrey Wiggins, for their constant support and guidance—I wouldn’t be where I am without them. They truly were the first people in my life to 100% believe in my dreams, not matter how many times they changed! To my best friends and fraternity brothers, thank you for always pushing me and keeping me motivated. A huge shoutout to the best HBCU, Tennessee State University, for continuously encouraging me to sharpen my creative pen. I started Filmed Faithfully with an idea, and TSU has helped me truly take off with my business. I also want to give a special shoutout to Tylor Miller, who’s been a huge encourager during my journey. You have a very special heart and mind, and I’m thankful to have someone as genuine as you are in my corner! Lastly, I have to thank Ms. Jasmin Shubey for believing in me early on. She has been a true inspiration and motivator when it comes to my craft, and I owe so much of my passion to her mentorship!

Website: https://filmedfaithfully.myportfolio.com/filmed-faithfully

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/filmedfaithfully?igsh=MThzYWRrZ20xZ3oyMA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faith-miniard-275909241?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Image Credits
Christopher Brown, WRA Productions

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