Here’s How Danielle Fontus is Helping Women Live a Daring Life

In light of women’s history month, I wanted to shed light on an amazing individual who created a platform for women to lives their best social life. Danielle Fontus is the creator of She Dares, a women’s adventure community, where she helps women step outside of their comfort zones through experiences, from happy hour to horseback riding. Let’s find out more about Dani!

Tell me about yourself 

I may have also been spotted in a few adventures myself like Carnival in Trinidad and jet skiing in Tobago. I love to travel, eat, dance, play and indulge in whatever tickles my fancy.

Since graduating from Emory University in 2007, I have found a home in hospitality. I am now transitioning into the area of retreat planning while building my personal brand as an adventure influence.

Where were you 6 months after graduation?

I graduated on May 14, 2007 and started a job at a tutoring center in September thanks to a friend. It seemed like a good idea – I went to school with the intention of being a child psychologist. So the position made sense. For my first job, it was decent. I lived at home with my mom, and my loans were in deferment, so bills were minimal. In some ways, I was living my own piece of the post college dream. Yet there was a little piece inside of me that was restless and unsatisfied. I didn’t LOVE what I was doing, and I was craving more and starting to feel stifled. Come November 2007 (6 months after graduation), I was trying to figure out how to get out of my job and didn’t have a plan for what was next.

Fast forward to December 2007, I was laid off because the company downsized, which was such a serendipitous blessing for me. At the beginning of 2008 I spent 6 weeks in Trinidad that absolutely changed my life.

What prompted you to start She Dares?

During my time in Trinidad, I was so awestruck that I really wanted to share it with those who had never experienced anything like it. That year I started Her Journey travel magazine, which was an enhanced rebirth of the newsletter I used to send to my college friends to motivate us through those days when college life got real.
After doing that for a while, I wanted to CREATE these experiences instead of just writing about them. After doing a lot of these experiences alone, I realized that I wanted to find more daring women like me, I created She Dares to help form genuine connections in the best way I know how through fun and adventure. I LOVE meeting new people and finding out about them and I LOVE a good adventure. Putting those two things together, She Dares was born.

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SORAYA JOSEPH: FROM RESTAURANT MANAGER TO ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR AT XONECOLE

Industry: Journalism

Hats: Entertainment Editor of XoNecole, Creator / Creator of cthagodworld.com

School: Florida International University

Major: Journalism & Mass Communications

Screen Shot 2015-11-20 at 2.38.03 PMCharles Swindell once mentioned “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90%  how you react to it.” When Soraya laid in a hospital bed suffering from Crohn’s disease, she vowed to herself  that when she gets  healed she would pursue her career in journalism wholeheartedly. In fact, it was during those painful times that she found writing in her journal therapeutic. Fast forward to today , it is quite obvious that she didn’t let her setback become her reality.She’s been recognized as one of the top 19 “Women in Media” by iHeart Media & Power 105.1 (along with xoCEO Necole Kane), and was the youngest on the list. In her own words, her hustle can be summed up as: “Writing, hosting, and doing the most-ing!” Lets find out more about Soraya.

Where were you six months after college?

Life after college was a bit dry. I moved to NYC the next day after graduating with no jobs prospect. However, I ended up contributing to a lifestyle blog called “Friends With Benefits” and was working in the retail and restaurants industry. However, my friends from BrklynStickup  noticed my writing and asked me to be their publicist. While I was pitching them to a popular Hip Hop website, that same website ended up offering me a salaried position. I was excited, I thought this was my big break until they had to let me go 4 months later because of budget cuts. Here I was again, back to square one applying for jobs.

What are three things you’ve told yourself that kept you going during your darkest hour?

  1. This is just temporary.
  2. There’s no testimony without a test
  3. No matter how lonely you may feel, you’re never alone. God is protecting you at all times.

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Are You an Employedpreneur?

Employedpreneur [em-ploid – pruh-nœr] : An ambitious professional who undertakes launching or running a business while working a full-time job.

This past weekend I caught up with a friend of mine. As we conversed, I asked her about work, expecting to hear the usual…“it’s going well.” Instead she told me, how she’s been putting additional hours towards building her own business. Yes you read right, after clocking 9- 5 making somebody else’s dream come true, she’s putting the extra effort to pursue hers.

Recently, I’ve noticed the same pattern amongst my peers when I browse my social media newsfeeds; from personal trainers, hair stylists, make up artist, photographers, public relations consultants, millennials are actively pursuing their passion while also being employed. With an unstable economy, millennials are tapping into finding their passion and making it their “Side Hustles”.   For some a 9-5 is  being used as a fundraising mechanism to pursue their passion. With that being said here are a few tips for being  an Employdtrepeneur.

Be Organized

Whatever it takes, post it notes, journals, reminders on your phone, get yourself organized.

Do Research

Find out as much as you can about the industry you’re planning to get into. Once you have a great amount of information, draw out the big picture and tackle each task individually.

Keep It To Yourself

People talk, and most of the time they have nothing beneficial to say. Unless you have a group of people you trust or are experts in the field you’re planning to delve into, the world doesn’t need to know.

“Work Hard in silence and let success make the noise.”

Don’t Procrastinate

It will be challenging but don’t give up. I don’t know about you but if I decide to put off task that I’m supposed to do today for tomorrow, my subconscious is constantly reminding me about it.

Don’t give up

Remind yourself of the reasons that got you started in the first place. As one of my mentors mentioned, it will be downright unbearable, you will get upset and even cry, but the results will all be worth it.

Pray about it

Consistency, Determination and Hard work with a sprinkle of prayer leads to positive results.

Let me know how you are managing being an Employtrepreneur.

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