Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniela Umunnakwe.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I have always found an interest in food but it never dawned on me on how I get to the specifics when asking my server at certain restaurants how they braise their meats or what seasonings are marinated to have this meal impacted with such flavorful notes. My friends would literally call me Critic Dani because I took my meals very seriously. It has even progressed to the point where my main Instagram page was filled with more pictures of the items I have eaten throughout my foodie phase than of my own self. Shortly after getting notice of my lay off from my full-time job at Frontier, it allowed me to put a focus on what I am wanting to accomplish out of this, to be honest, I did not have a game plan, to begin with, I just knew I loved food and I love taking pictures. With plenty of support from my coworkers And friends, I was already provided with a foodie gram name which went by the name of Daniulive which is a part of my name and last name. (Thanks to Xavier and Jarvis.)
Being a fresh newbie in the foodie world, it was an educational struggle for me, I feel like every day is a learning process and I had to understand that I also had to put in time and money in regards to getting the attention that would be beneficial to my brand. I’m nowhere in a rush to be something other than myself and I’m very open to receiving knowledgeable information in regards to how my foodie page will be successful. One of the better perks of running a food blog or any blog for that matter is the receiving of emails from other foodie and companies that want you to try out and review their Products, but you can’t always expect to get freebies, I stand strongly by the saying of “Closed mouths don’t get fed”
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Heck to the no, lol at first I felt like I had so many ideas but not the substantial amount of people following my page to be taken seriously yet. I would say the struggle along the way was to maintain the same interactions with the people who have supported me from day one, And most of those people I have met from social media.
It’s obvious that those who want it more will work twice as hard, which I don’t mind posting posts and snaps every hour to remind everyone to follow my page and show my post love or to be aware of the next happy hour spot I will reveal soon. It’s those types of post that motivates me as an individual. That’s just the persistence in
me but sometimes, it can be repetitive and some people may not show as much love as they would expect back and that’s all good in the neighborhood I had to teach myself to accept the bad and the ugly as openly as I accept the good in situations. But this foodie experience has really humbled me to the fullest.
Any women out there that are wanting to pursue or start on a journey that they find an interest to, go for it, don’t wait around, and find a selective few that shares the same interest. It’s mainly people you won’t know but you will suppose what you may learn from the experience and also take notes from each other and if you can’t find anyone finds my social media handle and we will link, I’m all about supporting especially because I don’t see enough support as we should
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about @Daniulive – what should we know?
So, I am a foodie, I don’t consider myself to be a blogger, just yet but I love interacting and trying to get as involved as possible especially when it comes to the Dallas food events. I also model and I’m trying to take that more serious. I love to also sing only my close friends are aware of that specialty lol I’m just shy. I’m very proud of the people I have met from my brand @daniulive I wouldn’t have met and made friends with all these other successful women out there and males of course. What sets me apart, I would have to say with me being very humble. I was not always like this at all but I’m so proud of my growth and I’m very open to buffering myself, I take criticism very well, I need it all lol let me have it.
Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
With the experiences that I have dealt with and also put myself in has taught me to live life with no regrets which have prepared me for success on how to overcome certain obstacles. I’m still living life but I believe it definitely made a difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: @daniulive
- Email: danidallasfoodie@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daniulive/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1183297981749085&ref=content_filter
Image Credit:
Kristianna David, Jonathan Vasquez, Sophia Victoria, Darius Fountain, Ade owner of Gabe accessories
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
