Meet Trina Tran of Grand Rapids

Today we’d like to introduce you to Trina Tran

Trina, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
It all started with my Notes app. I had a list of restaurants that I wanted to try in Grand Rapids and crossed them off as I tried new spots. It started from places I wanted to try in Grand Rapids then expanded to different states/cities and even other countries I was interested in visiting. I wanted a way to remember what I ate and document my experiences and was encouraged, by my now fiancé, to start an Instagram page for my foodie ventures – Trillion Dolla Eats.

It’s been fun seeing different restaurants liking and sharing my posts, trying new places, returning to good ol’ favorites, and even doing my first non-sponsored giveaway! I also joined Hummingbirds, a localized influencer campaign platform, and Yelp Elite Squad this year which I’m super excited about. I’m very grateful for my fiancé for encouraging me to do this and for the 99 followers I have on Instagram that have come along for the journey.

My next venture, alongside building up Trillion Dolla Eats, is getting into the travel space with my fiancé. We started a travel page—Booked And Gone (@booked.and.gone on Instagram, @bookedandgone on TikTok and YouTube)—to document our travels, share travel tips, and post travel memes! We are diving into all things travel, from booking trips with and for others to collaborating with tourism boards, hotels, and travel businesses. We are very excited for this adventure! This is another outlet for me to tie together my two favorites: food and travel.

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?
A struggle for me is dealing with imposter syndrome. Being new in a creative space has me experiencing a range of emotions, from excitement to doubt and everything in between. Some days I feel like I’m not meant to be in this space, and other days I remind myself that this should be a fun way to express myself. I’ve been learning to navigate these feelings and push through by working on my mindset and attitude towards what it means to be creative. I’ve also been watching a lot more YouTube videos on how to become an influencer/content creator and have noticed that many of the lessons are the same: be authentic, be consistent, and most importantly, just start. I’m keeping in mind that this is all part of the process and trying to enjoy the ride.

Another challenge that I’m currently facing is balancing my time between Trillion Dolla Eats, Booked and Gone, and life in general. I’m in the process of planning a couple of trips to close out the year and also planning my wedding for next year! I’m working on being mindful of how I’m spending my time and making sure things get done. I’m definitely excited for what’s to come and to share my journey with the world!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m most proud of coming out of my shell more. I’ve always been the type to keep to myself but being a part of the Yelp Elite Squad and the Hummingbirds platform has been a joy. I never would have thought that this would be something I am doing! Being able to go try some new spots in the city, network with other Yelpers who have the same passion for food, and practice my creative skills for content creation for different campaigns Hummingbirds platform provides has been fun! I’m looking forward to attending more events, meeting more people, and creating more content. I have a long way to go but I’ve been proud of what I have done so far.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I believe that food content/blogging and content creation in general is on the rise. With so many creators in this industry and across all industries – there are many opportunities for unique content, collaborations, events, and more. I’m loving all the collabs, products, and events that creators I follow have been working on and putting out. It is so inspiring to watch others grow and I hope to do the same for myself and to inspire others as well. I also love what social media has done for small and growing businesses. Creators like Keith Lee have such a great effect on bringing more awareness to business that might not be as tech savvy or good with marketing. Likewise, I think that creators are making sure businesses know what they’re worth and are not just accepting any and every deal they get. I feel that businesses and creators are supposed to help each other so both sides can win.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trilliondollaeats/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/booked.and.gone/