Meet Jennifer Trevino

We recently connected with Jennifer Trevino and have shared our conversation below.

Jennifer, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

I developed my work ethic early on, starting with my first newspaper delivery route as a kid. From there, I took on babysitting jobs in the neighborhood and worked countless odd jobs—retail, banking, food service, and other roles in the service industry. Each experience taught me the value of responsibility, showing up, and doing my best. Those jobs also motivated me to stay in school and keep pushing myself, knowing that education would open the door to more opportunities and allow me to make a greater impact.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

As an Occupational Therapist, I founded Functionality For Life, LLC to bring personalized, community-based care directly to older adults who want to age in place and maintain their independence—because aging, after all, is a full-time job. We offer outpatient therapy in the comfort of your own home. It’s not home health—it’s outpatient care that brings the clinic to you.

What makes our work unique is how we approach care holistically. We assess not just your health, but the health of your environment and support systems. We ensure that your home and routines are a good fit for your current needs while planning for future changes. Our interventions are rooted in a deep understanding of chronic conditions and aging, so we’re not just treating symptoms—we’re building a foundation for long-term functionality and quality of life.

At Functionality For Life, we look at the whole person—mind, body, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. That’s how we truly meet people where they are and help them get to where they want to be. Whether it’s improving safety, restoring confidence after a fall, or simply helping someone return to gardening or cooking again, every plan is as individual as the person we’re serving.

We’re currently expanding to serve more clients and are excited to partner with local organizations to reach even more older adults who can benefit from this unique model of care.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, the three qualities that had the greatest impact on my journey were listening, patience, and kindness.

Listening – Truly listening with your heart—not just to clients, but to caregivers, team members, and even yourself—builds trust and leads to more meaningful care. It’s one of the most powerful tools we have.

Patience – Everyone moves at their own pace. Progress may look different for each person, but that doesn’t make it any less valid. Meeting people where they are and respecting their journey is key to supporting real change.

Kindness – Showing up with a genuine, caring heart makes all the difference. Whether it’s a smile, a small gesture, or simply taking the time to be present, kindness creates connection and healing—especially on someone’s hardest days.

For those who are early in their journey to start a practice like this, my biggest advice is: find a mentor and surround yourself with likeminded individuals. Entrepreneurship can be incredibly rewarding, but also lonely and challenging. You don’t have to do it alone—and you shouldn’t. Building a network of support and guidance is one of the smartest moves you can make.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

There isn’t just one person who has been the most helpful—I’ve been fortunate to have a community of people who believed in me, often before I believed in myself.

The people who invested their time and energy in me growing up—and still do today—have played a huge role in my growth. They saw that I was capable of more and pushed me to rise to that potential, even when it was hard. That encouragement helped me understand that our potential is only as limited as the beliefs we place on ourselves.

My family has always been a driving force, especially during life’s toughest moments. My mentors and teachers offered the support I needed at the right time, and were willing to show up when I had the courage to ask for help. And my friends—they’ve been my constant source of strength, cheering me on through self-doubt and helping me keep going.

It really does take a village, and I’m incredibly grateful for mine.

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