Introducing Danielle… Danielle grew up in a military family with the U.S. Air Force bringing them to Bellevue where they have settled and now call home. Danielle attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln on a track scholarship. She loved dance but found” athletic competitive success” with track.
Academically, Danielle focused on apparel design rooted in her mother’s DIY (do it yourself) talents with sewing and alterations, among other hands-on skills. Danielle gained experience through an internship with Lincoln based Tsuru (https://www.tsurushop.com/). She shared that “I need to work with my hands.” Passionately she also stated… “I need to be creative to be happy.”
During her freshman year at the University, she met her husband, then a member of UNL’s basketball team. He went pro playing in Europe, the G League and then Canada. Danielle supported her husband’s dream and followed. But while on the basketball circuit she reconnected with another love… cooking, becoming the home where the team gathered for meals and holidays. She shared a recollection as a 10-year-old providing a “date night” dining experience for her aunt and uncle. Time was invested in watching the Food Network (https://www.foodnetwork.com/) and preparing what she calls “gathering meals.” More on the concept of gathering meals later in this story.
In 2020, motivated by COVID lockdowns in Canada, Danielle and her husband came back home to Nebraska. (The border separated us from family and the future of basketball was unknown) Upon returning, the origins of her business emerged as she connected with friends by hosting gathering meals in friend’s homes and even a tent in her backyard.
About Danielle’s Business Rene’ Christian… Danielle freely admits she is a nascent entrepreneur, and her business is a startup searching for its ultimate potential. She obtained her LLC or Limited Liability Company status, becoming more serious about her business pursuits. For Danielle and her family, now with children (two and five-year-olds), family and life balance are priorities. As an emerging entrepreneur she wanted a creative outlet and income earning potential, but also flexibility to be an active mom and wife.
Danielle shared her three lines of business:
- Luxury Private Dining Experiences – Gathering Meals1
- Personalized Gifts with Meals2
- Boutique Catering
Her parents have an acreage in Bellevue, and she envisions the day with a geodesic dome where she could provide these unique meal events for groups up to two dozen individuals. Like most entrepreneurs, her passion and skills are in the production of food and dining experiences, finances, and marketing are still challenges to be mastered.
Helping Hands… When I asked Danielle about who has helped her, she immediately shared… “it was a long list”, including…
✓ Her mother, providing inspiration, DIY support and childcare.
✓ Her husband, providing encouragement and challenges like making a profit.
✓ Her sister, who is also an entrepreneur, helping her process her ideas, grounding her concepts, and sharing her experiences.
✓ Friends who have helped her push through the startup process.
✓ Her Church3 family
✓ Andres (Andy) Robles with the Nebraska Business Development Center
✓ Starr Lehl with GROW Nebraska
✓ A Chef who has become a one-on-one mentor.
✓ And so many others…
When Danielle first applied for benefits through the Nebraska Small Business Assistance Act Program she was denied because she was not ready to launch her business. Starr guided her to resources like GROW Nebraska’s Women’s Business Development Center based in Omaha and Andres with NBDC. Andres helped her clarify her business game plan and assisted her with cost analysis and financial projections. With this help Danielle was ready to launch her business. Starr reached back and helped her with her application. Funding from NSBAA helped Danielle purchase a CO2 Laser for crafting personalized gifts and securing resources to become catering ready. Before she had the laser, Danielle would travel to Lincoln to rent time at UNL’s Innovation Campus. But as a mother with little children this option did not accommodate her need to personalize gifts once the kids were in bed.
Danielle has found this entire new small business startup process a rich experience. She is now focusing on next steps including a website, social media including TikTok and influenced based marketing strategies. A cast of people and organizations have given Danielle a helping hand.
We will stay tuned as Danielle’s entrepreneurial journey and story unfold.
1Which can include event décor.
2Gifts can enhance the dining experience or be purchased separately.
3Danielle and her husband are active in their church. She co-leads women ministries and with friends provides gathering meals and experiences at her church testing ideas, gaining experiences, and giving back to her community.