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Girl, Get Up: Life & Times of an Infinite Dreamer - Episode 77: Beauty in the Mundane w/ Dennis & Tessa Cruz of DSTNCT Art Media

Episode 77: Beauty in the Mundane w/ Dennis & Tessa Cruz of DSTNCT Art Media

04/27/25 • 46 min

Girl, Get Up: Life & Times of an Infinite Dreamer

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My name is Ms. Cee Jones, and I help business owners showcase their brands and share their success stories to educate, inspire, and connect with audiences ready to support and grow with them. If you're ready to elevate your brand and make an impact, let’s work together to share your journey with the world! Discover exclusive digital tools designed to help you master the art of authentic storytelling, visit my Stan Store 👉🏾 https://stan.store/MsCJones.

Get ready to tune into a conversation all about the grit, growth, and the grind behind building a business and a brand that is all about valuing the work. Tune in to the Girl, Get Up Podcast on Sunday, April 27th at 1 PM EST to meet this dynamic husband-and-wife duo, Dennis and Tessa Cruz of DSTNCT Art Media. Their story is one of resilience, reinvention, and artistic vision that took a turn due to the global upheaval of 2020. Originally from Canada, Dennis found himself starting anew in the United States during the pandemic. After marrying Tessa in 2021, they combined their unique talents in photography, art, fashion, and coaching to build a thriving art media company from the ground up. Their journey showcases how the ability to find beauty in unexpected places can lead you to something truly distinct if you only believe in your infinite possibilities. If you’ve become fearful at the thought of having to start your life over from scratch, this episode is for YOU.

Key Interview Highlights:

📸Dennis's Eye for Detail - Finding artistic inspiration in everyday objects and moments

📸Unexpected Career Paths - The moment their professional paths converged to create DSTNCT

📸Tessa's Love of Fashion - Rediscovering a lifelong passion for fashion in adulthood

📸The Art of Specialized Photography - Key differences between fitness and fashion photography explained

📸A Few Photography Tips for Solopreneurs – Photographing tips for capturing yourself or your products

📸Building Client Trust in Creative Work - Creating a comfortable environment for photoshoots

📸The Restart Button: Rebuilding From Scratch - Facing the mental health challenges of professional reinvention

📸Creative Business Marketing - Social media approaches that showcase their unique vision

📸Triumphing Through Adversity - Turning setbacks into opportunities for growth

To connect with Dennis & Tessa Cruz:

Shop Art: https://www.monochromatrix.com/

Follow Girl, Get Up! on Instagram @ggu_podcast

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Send us a text

My name is Ms. Cee Jones, and I help business owners showcase their brands and share their success stories to educate, inspire, and connect with audiences ready to support and grow with them. If you're ready to elevate your brand and make an impact, let’s work together to share your journey with the world! Discover exclusive digital tools designed to help you master the art of authentic storytelling, visit my Stan Store 👉🏾 https://stan.store/MsCJones.

Get ready to tune into a conversation all about the grit, growth, and the grind behind building a business and a brand that is all about valuing the work. Tune in to the Girl, Get Up Podcast on Sunday, April 27th at 1 PM EST to meet this dynamic husband-and-wife duo, Dennis and Tessa Cruz of DSTNCT Art Media. Their story is one of resilience, reinvention, and artistic vision that took a turn due to the global upheaval of 2020. Originally from Canada, Dennis found himself starting anew in the United States during the pandemic. After marrying Tessa in 2021, they combined their unique talents in photography, art, fashion, and coaching to build a thriving art media company from the ground up. Their journey showcases how the ability to find beauty in unexpected places can lead you to something truly distinct if you only believe in your infinite possibilities. If you’ve become fearful at the thought of having to start your life over from scratch, this episode is for YOU.

Key Interview Highlights:

📸Dennis's Eye for Detail - Finding artistic inspiration in everyday objects and moments

📸Unexpected Career Paths - The moment their professional paths converged to create DSTNCT

📸Tessa's Love of Fashion - Rediscovering a lifelong passion for fashion in adulthood

📸The Art of Specialized Photography - Key differences between fitness and fashion photography explained

📸A Few Photography Tips for Solopreneurs – Photographing tips for capturing yourself or your products

📸Building Client Trust in Creative Work - Creating a comfortable environment for photoshoots

📸The Restart Button: Rebuilding From Scratch - Facing the mental health challenges of professional reinvention

📸Creative Business Marketing - Social media approaches that showcase their unique vision

📸Triumphing Through Adversity - Turning setbacks into opportunities for growth

To connect with Dennis & Tessa Cruz:

Shop Art: https://www.monochromatrix.com/

Follow Girl, Get Up! on Instagram @ggu_podcast

Previous Episode

undefined - Episode 76: The New Wave of R&B w/ Jah Prester

Episode 76: The New Wave of R&B w/ Jah Prester

Send us a text

My name is Ms. Cee Jones, and I help business owners showcase their brands and share their success stories to educate, inspire, and connect with audiences ready to support and grow with them. If you're ready to elevate your brand and make an impact, let’s work together to share your journey with the world! Discover exclusive digital tools designed to help you master the art of authentic storytelling, visit my Stan Store 👉🏾 https://stan.store/MsCJones.

This Sunday’s upcoming Girl, Get Up Podcast episode on April 20th, I welcome a rising R&B talent, Jah Prester. An independent artist from Queens, New York. Developing a love for music and dance by enjoying Michael Jackson on television with his dad while watching “Smooth Criminal,” Jah Prester, it is no wonder he naturally gravitated to the spotlight. Blending old-school R&B with new school hip-hop, Jah is carving a lane by musically sharing his authentic messages of love and romance in his music. Giving the Girl, Get Up audience his perspective on how icons like Chris Brown, Rihanna, Aaliyah, and many more drove his expression of movement and music, the lessons he's learned from love, and why staying true to your sound is more important than ever in today's opinion-driven music industry.

Key Interview Highlights:

📯The Michael Jackson Influence – Jah’s attempts to emulate the King of Pop as a youth

📯From School Halls to Recording Booths - Jah's first audiences were the girls at school

📯The Evolution of R&B: Hip-Hop Fusion - Maintaining authentic romance and emotional depth in evolving sound styles

📯The T-Pain Effect - The unexpected encouragement from established artist T-Pain

📯Navigating the Digital Landscape - Dealing with the opinionated nature of the music industry

📯Independence in the Industry - The freedom and challenges of being an independent artist

📯Community Over Competition - Learning from peer artists rather than competing with them

📯Mainstream Support for Independent Voices - Examples of established artists championing independents

Looking to connect with Jah Prester?

  • Instagram: JahPresterr

Latest Projects

· LovenLust - ‎LovenLust - Album by Jah Prester - Apple Music

Are you an independent artist looking to create on a budget and need a community of creators to network with? Join Shock The Culture 👉🏾https://gumroad.com/a/968020243

With over 1M views on YouTube, they will surely show you how to achieve your own version of success!

Follow Girl, Get Up! on Instagram @ggu_podcast

Next Episode

undefined - Episode 78: Being Next To Delusional w/ Naweh

Episode 78: Being Next To Delusional w/ Naweh

Send us a text

Episode 78: Being Next To Delusional w/ Nahweh

My name is Ms. Cee Jones, and I help business owners showcase their brands and share their success stories to educate, inspire, and connect with audiences ready to support and grow with them. If you're ready to elevate your brand and make an impact, let’s work together to share your journey with the world! Discover exclusive digital tools designed to help you master the art of authentic storytelling, visit my Stan Store 👉🏾 https://stan.store/MsCJones.

Get ready to be inspired by a songstress who believes in taking risks and creating opportunities for herself. Meet Naweh, a singer, songwriter, and actress from the DMV area, whose sound is a soulful blend of R&B and NeoSoul. As a proud Liberian American, Naweh’s story is steeped in rich cultural traditions where music, singing, and dance have been integral parts of family life and celebrations. From singing in choirs to participating in creative arts programs throughout her school years, Naweh’s journey of courage and building a brand based on talent, not just her beauty, will leave you encouraged to chase your dreams with boldness in your mind and joy in your heart. Naweh has already made waves, being featured as a Spotlight Artist on local Channel 9's Great Day Washington, where she performed the iconic Black National Anthem, Lift Every Voice & Sing. With heartfelt songs like Find You and Heartbeat (One I Needed), Naweh delivers a pure love experience through her music, and now, she’s letting you into her world!

Key Interview Highlights:

💜 “It Is Finished” - The Origins of Naweh

💜Growing Up With Music in the House - Liberian musical traditions and family celebrations

💜Traversing Through Cultural Expectations - Navigating family hopes for "conventional" career paths

💜Telling The Big Secret (Pursuing Music) - Reactions when she revealed her true passion

💜Support Systems and Family Foundations - The importance of surrounding yourself with believers in your vision

💜Establishing A Brand on Talent vs. Beauty - Challenging industry emphasis on image over substance

💜Still Waters Run Deep - Learning when to compromise and when to stand firm

💜The Benefits of Having Great Mentorship - Key mentors who shaped her development

💜Building Brick by Brick - Patience and persistence in the creative journey

We talk about the real grind of balancing cultural expectations with personal ambition, the bravery it takes to reveal your true passions.

How To Connect with Naweh:

Featured Music

Are you an independent artist looking to create on a budget and need a community of creators to network with? Join Shock The Culture 👉🏾https://gumroad.com/a/968020243

With over 1M views on YouTube, they will surely show you how to achieve your own version of success!

Follow Girl, Get Up! on Instagram @ggu_podcast

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