Today we’d like to introduce you to Livia Mussi.
Hi Livia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Brazil. In 2009, I had to opportunity to move to Michigan and stayed there for nine years. I went to college and got a degree in Psychology but realized that my passion was in arts.
A few months after graduating, I started freelancing as a bridal makeup artist and in less than six months, I was making a full-time income. I was very passionate about my business but Michigan wasn’t for me so I decided to move to Los Angeles end of 2018.
My intentions were also become a full-time makeup artist in L.A. but it was extremely difficult to start from scratch. I realized that I could be making more money with photography, and since I had experience with retouching, I invested in a camera.
In 2020, I lost all of my jobs and side gigs because of COVID so I had to think outside of the box. That’s when I came across product photography and I have been in love with this business since.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not! I have never been a person who had a dream career growing up and never had a clear vision about my future. I always felt lost. It was hard seeing all of my friends working in the field of their college degrees while I was doing anything and everything from dog sitting to substitute teaching.
Moving to Los Angeles on a whim was probably the most challenging part of it all. I had never visited the state before moving, I did not know anybody and I had VERY little money when I got here. $500.00 to be exact. I honestly don’t know how I made things work. It’s insane to think about it.
Looking back, everything I experienced was crucial for me to find my path and give me the skills I needed to be a successful business owner. I am very grateful for all of it.
As you know, we’re big fans of Luma Creative Agency. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I actually have very fresh news that I haven’t shared with anyone yet.
For the past 2 years, I have been working as a freelance product photographer, but starting February 2023, I am launching my agency called LUMA Creative Agency.
I have worked solo until now but recently I have been inspired to expand and bring other creatives to work with me. Not only will this give aspiring creators the opportunity to grow, but also give more support to the clients.
The Agency will offer a wide range of content for product-based businesses, including photos, video ads, UGC video, stop motion, animation and much more. Content creation is so time-consuming and I want to make it as easy as I can for my clients to focus on other aspects of their business.
My biggest motivation in life comes from helping people in their businesses. I believe that being an entrepreneur can bring so much fulfillment and freedom and I want to be a supporter however way I can. I want to share my knowledge and help businesses grow.
How do you think about happiness?
For me happiness is freedom. Freedom to choose my career, freedom to choose what to do with my daily routine, freedom to be my authentic self, freedom to go wherever I want whenever I want.
For a very long time, I didn’t dream about my future because everything seemed out of reach. Societal norms never made sense to me and I didn’t know I could choose different. I didn’t know I don’t need a 9-5 in order to provide for myself. I didn’t know you could work less than 40 hrs a week and make a six-figure income. I didn’t know I could have fun every day and still call it “work”.
I am now living my most joyful life yet and I want other people to experience this as well. I want people to be free and choose a life that they are absolutely in love with.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.liviamussi.com & www.lumacreativeagency.com (lauching Feb 2023)
- Instagram: @liviamussi_photo & @luma.creativeagency (lauching Feb 2023)
Image Credits
Livia Mussi
