Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniela Aguin.
Hi Daniela, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
Whew! Where do I begin? I’ll try to make this short! I was born and raised in Dallas, Tx, and have resided in West Dallas for 25 years. I began dancing at the age of 5 with a Mexican folklorico group in Oak Cliff (Grupo Folklorico Mexico Lindo) and at a non-profit after-school program (Trinity River Mission) which, unfortunately, no longer exists. After many years of dancing, I decided to pursue it as a career and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School and Southern Methodist University with a BFA in Dance Performance. While at SMU, I took an entrepreneurship course which then led to an unexpected pivot in my career. I completely fell in love with entrepreneurship and everything business-related. However, I did not want my 20-something years of dance to go to waste so I decided to pursue both of my passions; dance and business. With only a few entrepreneurship courses under my belt, I knew I had a lot more to learn. So, I looked into entrepreneurship programs and a year later graduated with a master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from the University of Southern California. After graduation, I felt I was ready to finally begin the process of starting my business. After years of research in the dance industry and months of preparation, I finally launched Aguin Dance Apparel in August of 2021!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh my gosh, no! I face obstacles and challenges every single day. It would be impossible to list them all but some of the challenges I faced and am still facing today are getting past my imposter syndrome and finding time to really grow my business.
I am the queen of overthinking and have always had a mindset that I’ve been successful out of luck, I guess a lot of first-generation Latinos share the same experience. But over the years I have worked on how to credit myself for getting to where I am today.
Finding time to grow my business has always been a challenge. Aside from Aguin Dance Apparel, I also have a full-time and part-time job. So, it can get a bit hectic! There are days where I’ve just worked for 12 hours straight and still need to pack some orders. It gets tiring but I am very grateful for all of my customers!!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Aguin Dance Apparel?
I started Aguin Dance Apparel (ADA) with one thing in mind: to make things better in the dance community. After my years of research, I found that the majority of dancers have trouble finding leotards that fit their personalities and bodies. This lack of inclusivity has caused many dancers to feel self-conscious and underrepresented. ADA is taking the steps to include and uplift all dancers by offering apparel that comes in a wide range of sizes, unique designs, and a supportive fit. We proudly offer sizes XS-2XL!
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Yes! I love using Canva – this app helps me with social media posts! If you’re not a photoshop expert, Canva is a lifesaver! The premium service also offers content planning which helps me schedule posts ahead of time.
Also, Tik-Tok! I’ve learned SO much from the app. I built my website and even learned some coding from users on Tik-Tok!
Contact Info:
- Email: info@aguindanceapparel.com
- Website: aguindanceapparel.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aguindanceapparel/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aguindanceapparel
