Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Pineda
Hi Dominique, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
In 2019, just before COVID, Timothy and I met through a Facebook group called Subtle Asian Dating. It’s a space where people or their friends post about who they are and what they’re looking for. Timothy is from Orange County, California, and funny enough, he came across my post and noticed I was from Houston. He checked to see if I might know his family in Houston, and it turns out I went to high school with his younger cousin and was close with some of his family friends.
A few months later, I visited Orange County to see my mom’s side of the family, who live there as well, and Timothy and I met in person for the first time. It felt so natural, like we’d known each other forever. A month later, he came to visit me in Texas and discovered that his dad’s side of the family lived just down the road from me. From there, everything fell into place. Our families got along wonderfully, and a few years later, after his dad passed away, Timothy moved to Houston to be closer to his dad’s side of the family. We’ve been living together since 2022.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been an easy journey for us, as we did long-distance for 3.5 years. There were definitely moments when things felt difficult, and we questioned how to move forward. However, we established boundaries early on in our relationship that helped us stay strong and maintain respect for each other.
One of the biggest challenges was the distance itself—being apart for so long created a sense of longing, which sometimes led to tension and disagreements. The fights were harder to resolve because we couldn’t see each other in person to work things out. The lack of physical presence was especially tough.
That said, setting those boundaries and focusing on our communication from the very beginning really made a difference. It allowed us to share what we were feeling and discuss what we wanted moving forward without being disrespectful or letting emotions build up to the point of exploding. It wasn’t easy, but it taught us how to truly understand and support each other.
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?
We both run our own businesses while juggling part-time jobs and school. Together, we co-own TD Collectors, a Pokémon trading company. Timothy primarily handles the business operations since Pokémon trading is his specialty. We buy, sell, and trade Pokémon cards online, vend at trade markets, and occasionally participate in conventions.
On my end, I manage DMNQ Design, my freelance graphic design business. I’m currently pursuing my bachelor’s degree in graphic design at the University of Houston. Freelancing allows me to gain valuable experience and network with a variety of clients. I focus on brand identity and packaging design, incorporating a lot of typography and illustrations into my work. Through this, I’ve also been able to offer my design services to the Pokémon community in Houston, which not only helps me grow professionally but also benefits both businesses by expanding our network and opportunities.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
We firmly believe that the key to our success is having each other. Over the past few years, we’ve both experienced some of the lowest points in our lives. I can honestly say that without his constant support, and me doing the same for him, I don’t know where we’d be—mentally or even in our day-to-day lives.
As we work toward higher goals and focus on what we want to achieve in life, having each other provides a sense of relief and balance. When one of us is struggling, the other is always there to help carry the weight, and that has made all the difference.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Serg Berroya
Jan Parayno
