Q and A with Dani from Littleton, Colorado

“I work way more now than I ever have in any of my previous jobs!”

Q: Tell us about yourself.

A: I’m very passionate about building genuine connections with other people. I think genuine human connection is what makes life worth living! In my personal life, I honestly just love being around people that I love. I have the most amazing lifelong friends, a boyfriend that makes me the happiest, a super supportive loving family, and I can’t forget about my fur babies. I’m also very passionate about art.

I am a licensed esthetician who is certified and specializes in lash extensions. I currently own a collective where I rent out spaces for other small business owners to work out of. I was really sick of always feeling so lonely and missing a coworker vibe in my business. That is what inspired me to create my own community and surround myself with other small business owners who support one another. I’m currently working on growing my collective and finding the best fits to fill all the rooms in my studio. I’m also working on training and hiring employees to grow my own lash community within my collective!

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I was raised by a single mom who worked nights, so I was super independent for most of my life as I was home three nights a week by myself. I was also in competitive volleyball for most of my adolescence, and I feel like this really taught me good discipline. I mostly worked in the food industry before getting into the beauty industry. I LOVED having coworkers but was not the best when it came to having to follow what I thought were dumb rules with no purpose. I always told my coworkers from the time I started working that I would be my own boss one day. I wasn’t sure how; I just know that I’d get there. Another funny thing is when I was little like five years old I was obsessed with drawing eyes with pretty eyelashes. I, later on, got really into makeup in high school and was your typical 2016 makeup girl. This got me interested in working with the face. I was worried the makeup industry was catty from what I had seen from makeup YouTubers, but I really loved the idea of working on people’s faces. This lead me to esthetics! I had zero skin knowledge going into school but quickly fell in love with ALL of it. The industry lead me to lashes, and I really feel like everything came full circle from the eyeball pictures I used to draw!

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Being a business owner is really challenging. I have had to learn and go through so many obstacles I would have never pictured myself living through. Although I love my job there are some days I wish I had known more about it before I dove in nose-deep without a clue. My advice is to do your research before you decide to open your own business to make sure it’s for you. Online, it is presented as a glamorous lifestyle, but I promise it’s much different behind the scenes. I work way more now than I ever have in any of my previous jobs!

Q: What does a typical day look like for you?

A: I normally wake up anywhere from 6am-8am, depending on when my first appointment of the day is. I am horrible with a nightly routine…funny enough being an esthetician myself, I do EVERYTHING in the morning. I start with brushing my teeth and follow that up with an elaborate skincare routine and a throw on some natural makeup. I make my breakfast that I eat in the car and pack snacks as my lunch for the day. I make sure my kitty has food and water, my bed is made, and head out the door for my 30-minute commute to the studio. I’m usually making Instagram posts, responding to emails and texts, planning out my to-do list for the day, and doing any business research needed before I start my clients for the day. I usually see around 3-5 clients a day each appointment an hour and a half long. I eat one snack between each client to hold me over throughout the day. Once I’m finished, I clean everything up and put in all my clients’ notes, and head home for the night. I usually cook dinner and spend the rest of the evening doing more backend work or spending time with my boyfriend, roommate, or cat. Then end my day by heading to bed around midnight!

Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: My perspective has changed on what feminism means to me. I used to really think that I should do everything that a man can do and does…almost to like prove to myself that I could? Now I focus a lot more on my divine feminine. I know I can do anything a man can, but I honestly don’t want to. I want to focus more on what my feminine strengths are instead. I want to dive into my sexuality, creativity, and nurturing side of myself. I feel like being in tune with your feminine side is one of the most powerful things a woman can do. I think woman has always been powerful beings but the world is starting to notice again.

MORE ABOUT DANI:

Some more about me is that I am 23 years old. I started my first lash business at 20 years old. I am a survivor of an emotionally abusive relationship and think the world needs to talk about these so much more! I’m left-handed. I have a super cute cat named Stella. Lastly, I’m a big card/board game person.

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