Today we’d like to introduce you to Serena Ruiz.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
It all started when I bought my first camera in 2015! I’ve always loved capturing every moment—recording what I’m doing, taking pictures of the people I’m with, and finding ways to creatively document life. I became a mom at 18, and I especially loved capturing my son and creating fun photoshoots for every holiday and milestone.
Around 2022, I was working at a school as a literacy teacher aide and thought I would pursue my bachelor’s degree in education. But life took me in a completely different direction. I ended up dating a realtor and started helping him run his social media pages and create content for his business. He was actually one of the first people to point out how naturally marketing came to me and encouraged me to pursue it.
That eventually led me to change career paths and I became a marketing manager for an insurance agency.
From there, I started taking photos at my church and helping run their social media account on the side. Then I got a part-time job at a local gym and began helping with their social media and content creation too. Before I knew it, other business owners started reaching out to me asking for help with headshots, content, and social media.
That’s when I started feeling in my gut that this was more than something I was good at—I felt like it was something I was called to do. I loved helping people and businesses be seen and showing them how much of a difference great content could make for their brand.
But at the time, I was working two jobs, raising my kids, and constantly helping the people and organizations around me. I kept telling myself, “I’ll do it when the time is right!”
Fast forward a few months, and I unexpectedly lost my full-time job. Suddenly, it felt like God was highlighting the very thing I had continued putting off. It was time to finally take the leap and start my own business.
What’s crazy is that months earlier, I didn’t even have this huge desire to become a business owner. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, that desire grew massively in my heart. Looking back, though, I can see that the foundation had actually been building for years.
That’s when I knew it was time to turn my passion for photography, content creation, and social media into The Called Creative—a business where I could use the gifts God gave me to help other brands tell their stories, show up confidently online, and ultimately be seen.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not! I always think of the saying, “If it were easy, everyone would do it.” It’s definitely overused, but it’s so true!
One of the biggest surprises for me was realizing just how much happens behind the scenes of running a business. I love the creative side, but then there are contracts, systems, organization, finances, and SO much admin work. Those things don’t come as naturally to me, but I’ve learned very quickly that procrastination and being “Type B” do not work when you’re running a business!
There’s also been a lot of self-doubt. I’ve had sooo many moments where I’ve questioned, “Maybe I’m not cut out for this,” especially when I catch myself comparing my business to other social media agencies or creatives who seem so much further ahead. I constantly have to remind myself that comparison really is the thief of joy, I AM good at what I do, and everyone’s timeline looks different.
I also started this business during a season where I didn’t have much stability outside of my part-time job. I had unexpectedly lost my full-time income, I’m raising two boys, working another job, and trying to build a business at the same time. There wasn’t a huge safety net where I could comfortably say, “I’ll just give entrepreneurship a try!” There was real pressure behind making it work, while also learning that building something worthwhile takes time.
I’ve had to become comfortable with hearing “no,” pursuing opportunities that don’t always work out, and continuing to believe in what I’m building even when I can’t see the results yet. There have definitely been moments where I’ve wondered if I should just go back to what feels safe.
But honestly, I value the struggles. They’ve grown me tremendously as a person, strengthened my faith, and forced me to become more disciplined, confident, and resilient. I think almost everyone who builds something meaningful goes through those seasons—and if they say they haven’t, they’re probably lying lol!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Called Creative is a social media and content agency based in Austin, Texas. I help businesses build an online presence that actually reflects the quality of what they do through social media management, content creation, and brand photography.
I created The Called Creative for business owners who either don’t know where to begin with social media or simply don’t have the time or bandwidth to consistently create great content while running their business. Whether I’m taking social media completely off their plate, creating content they can use themselves, or capturing professional brand photography, my goal is to make showing up online easier and more intentional.
What sets The Called Creative apart is that I genuinely care about the person behind the business. I don’t want to create content just for the sake of posting—I want to understand their story, their goals, and what makes their business special so their content actually feels like them.
My faith also shapes how I run my business. The Called Creative isn’t exclusively a faith-based agency, but I strive to lead with excellence, integrity, and service in everything I do.
What I’m most proud of is that The Called Creative grew organically from people trusting me with their brands before I ever officially called it a business. At the heart of it all, I believe I’m called to help people be seen—and I want every client to feel confident that their online presence reflects the incredible work they’ve already put into building their business.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I would say losing my full-time job would probably be looked at by most people as “bad luck,” but it ended up being one of the biggest blessings. I always tell people that if it hadn’t happened, I genuinely don’t know if I ever would have started my business. I probably would have kept waiting for the “right time.”
Losing that stability gave me this feeling of, “Well, I have nothing to lose now, so I might as well take the leap and see what comes from it!”
I don’t know that I personally believe it was luck, though. Looking back, I see it as God redirecting me. Something that initially felt like a huge loss ended up pushing me toward something I had been putting off for a long time. Now, I’m getting to build a business around work I genuinely love, and I’m so grateful that what looked like “bad luck” at the time turned into such a blessing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://serenaruizcreative.my.canva.site/tcc-portfolio
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecalledcreativeco/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serenaruizhb
