• October 2, 2022
• By Homework Help Global
• In The Homework Help Show
• No Comment

A real estate career wasn’t initially in Danielle’s plans. Danielle Benavides got her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in mass communication from Cal State San Bernardino. She is a born and bred California girl who eventually went on to pursue a masters degree in journalism. However, because she didn’t relate as much to her peers or professors, she didn’t push through with pursuing her masters. She decided to take a different program after that where she was required to take the CBEST or California Educator Credentialing Examinations. She wanted to get into school counseling and got into a private university called the University of La Verne. Unfortunately, three courses short of getting her degree, life happened. Find out more about Danielle getting into her real estate career on the 26th episode of The Homework Help Show Student Influencers Podcast.

A Jack Of All Trades

Danielle’s background in psychology, mass communications, journalism, and education are all something she’ll always have on her belt. Her extensive educational background has surely helped immensely in her real estate career.

It was unfortunate that Danielle had a bad experience with her former program director that she had to change career options. But everything happens for a reason. She took a chance on pursuing a career she didn’t go to school for, and it paid off. She shares on the podcast that she has always had an interest in the real estate field but just never pursued it. She had a friend who worked in the mortgage industry and that was her first step to her new career.

Unlike the other career paths Danielle explored, becoming a real estate agent wouldn’t take so much of an investment financially. With the help of her friend, she got introduced to different companies and started networking. Danielle’s plan was to learn everything she could about the field and slowly build her way up until she could become a licensed real estate agent.

Danielle was really happy that she had all that communications background because communication is a big deal in real estate. She was also grateful to have learned a great work ethic while studying, learning organization, and time management.

You don’t need to be a communications major to succeed in your chosen career. Read our blog on How To Learn Communication Skills and become the best communicator whether in school or at the workplace.

Getting Into A Real Estate Career

In California, all you need to start a career in real estate is a real estate license. Real estate schools in the US entail three courses that you can finish in about three to six months. Here are Danielle’s tips to starting a real estate career.

In California, all you need to start a career in real estate is a real estate license. Real estate schools in the US entail three courses that you can finish in about three to six months. Here are Danielle’s tips to starting a real estate career.

1. Find your “why”

Danielle advises those who want to start a real estate career path to find their “why”. She says this goes for any career you’d like to pursue, to ask “why” you’re choosing this path. Ask yourself, “why is this important to you?” In any career, there will be pros and cons. You’re going to have to remind yourself why you are pursuing your chosen career on the days you feel challenged, down, and defeated.

2. Do your research

Her second advice is to research top realtors in your area. You need to do your due diligence and research other businesses in your area to see how you can network and immerse yourself in the industry. Whether it’s a simple Google search or checking out their business social media, you need to do your research.

3. Find which real estate school suits you

There are plenty of online courses on real estate that you can take. Alternatively, if you’re the type of person who learns better in-person, Danielle shares that there are plenty of brokers who offer classes in person.

4. Learn more about sales

Another tip Danielle shares is while you’re taking your classes, is to read more about sales. Danielle says there are plenty of resources like books and podcasts where you can increase your sales knowledge and skills.

5. Find out what kind of realtor you want to be

Learn through other realtors and find out what type of realtor or broker you want to become. There are the cold-calling types, door-to-door types, and those who succeed using social media. There are also those who “flip homes”, finding distressed properties and turning them into luxury homes. By researching the different types of realtors there are, you can figure out what best suits you.

6. Be willing to take risks

Being a realtor also means becoming an entrepreneur. Running a business means you have to be willing to take risks. Danielle shares that she hasn’t met a successful entrepreneur who wasn’t willing to make “calculated risks”.

7. Be willing to sacrifice your time

Just like entrepreneurs are willing to take risks, you also have to be willing to sacrifice your time. Starting a business and a new career takes a lot of learning, researching, and devoting your time to a new career. To be successful in your real estate career or any other avenue you’d like to enter, truly dedicate yourself to the craft.

8. Take care of your business

For you to have a successful business, you have to be passionate about it. Danielle says, “If you love something, like if you choose a career, something that you’re passionate about, it’s almost like you don’t work because you’re so passionate about it.” A sign that you’re on the right track according to Danielle is when you can’t stop thinking about something. Whether it’s before you sleep, or right when you wake up, when you care about something and are passionate about it, so much so that it’s constantly on your mind, you’re on the right track.

Building Your Brand On Social Media

When Danielle first started her online platform on Instagram, it was only her personal account. After she got into her real estate career, she realized that she couldn’t stay private because she wanted people to find her. She went on to professionalize her personal Instagram account and went through a rebranding process. That meant archiving posts that didn’t feel appropriate and being more intentional about what she posted. Danielle also became more consistent with posting. Genuinity is also important in branding especially for social media. Advertising your business or brand is easily spotted by netizens these days and they gravitate towards more real and genuine personalities. It’s also important when building your brand online that you engage with your audience.

For people who don’t have much time to be consistent and intentional with their posts, Danielle shares an app that lets you plan out your posts in advance. The app is called “Planoly” and it helps you plan out your Instagram feed. This is perfect for people who are busy or might be on vacation and can’t really keep track with their posts. There’s a calendar in the app and you can upload your photos, put geotags, and captions just like you would on Instagram but you get to choose what time and when the posts go up.

For engaging with her audience and clients, Danielle loves to use Canva to create simple but effective posts. She also encourages you to explore geolocations wherever you are to grow your followers organically. She also advises to follow hashtags to find people in your specific industry.

Social media has become such a powerful tool for business owners and creatives everywhere. To learn more about how to optimize your social media platforms, read this article on Social Media and The Power Of Hashtags.

Lessons From Being A Working Student

Danielle always knew that she wanted to be successful even at a young age. She always imagined living in a beautiful home, having her own business somehow, and being a boss. Her dad always instilled in her the importance of education. She knew that if she wanted to be successful, she had to pursue higher education.

During her first years in college, Danielle wasn’t just a full-time student but she was also working. Danielle even recalls needing 2 jobs to pay bills and was going to school on weekdays and working on weekends.

The different courses Danielle took in college and all the jobs she’s had in the past are the reason she has such a great work ethic. Exploring different avenues also allowed her to learn a lot about herself and what skills she was good at. It was also all her past experiences that made her sure about pursuing a real estate career and realized her passion for it. She realized that she didn’t apply or immerse herself in all the other career choices she had in the past. Danielle tells on the podcast to not be afraid of exploring other options and really ask yourself about the career you’re trying to build or pursue. It’s never too late to change your mind and you never know what you’ll discover on the other side of fear.

If you want to learn more about how to multitask like a boss read our past blog on Multitasking and Productivity Tips.

Secrets To Success

To everyone wanting to start their real estate careers or are already new real estate agents, there’s so much we can learn from Danielle’s experience. To build a rewarding career, Danielle said what it took for her was dedication and perseverance.

It was Danielle’s strong will that made her get her degree despite all the challenges she was facing. After high school, Danielle’s parents lost their jobs and Danielle had to balance school with 3 other jobs but she was really determined to get her degree. If that was what it took for her to get to the successful life she had envisioned for herself since she was a young girl, that was exactly what she was going to do.

Because of her extensive experience in various fields, this also meant she had to create a lot of resumes. Once she realized her strong points and skill sets, Danielle was able to use that to her advantage. Danielle’s advice to those who are currently looking for jobs is to cater your resume specifically to the job post you are applying for. It’s important to leverage the skills you have and highlight the specific skills a company is looking for. She also says to do your research on the company. People think you need to have a long resume and have several pages but Danielle even says one page is enough. Be creative, do your research, proofread your resume, and make sure that it’s tailored for the job you are applying for.

If you’re still unsure how to make a resume that will help you stand out, try employing the help of our amazing writers at Homework Help Global. We can help you build the perfect resume that will help you in your job search.

Listen In To Danielle’s Full Interview On The Homework Help Show Student Influencers Podcast

There is so much more to learn from Danielle so make sure you listen to the full episode on Spotify, Anchor FM, Google Podcasts, and more. If you’re more visual, we also have a video version of the podcast uploaded on YouTube.

Homework Help Global caters to almost every students’ needs to make sure to check out our full list of services because you never know that we offer just what you need.

Life will always happen, just like what we’ve learned from Danielle. In our academic and professional careers, not everything will go as planned. But, you can always count on Homework Help Global to assist you in so many different ways whether you’re a student or a professional.

FULL TRANSCRIPT FROM OUR PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH DANIEL BENAVIDES BELOW

Danielle [00:00:01] Just go do it. Do it. Like, if it’s something that you have already thought about, you want to just try it, do it.

Lesley [00:00:09] Hi, everyone, and welcome back to another episode of The Homework Help Show Student Influencers Podcast. I’m your host, Lesley, and today we are here with Danielle. Danielle, it’s lovely to have you here with us today.

Danielle [00:00:22] Thank you so much, Lesley. I’m happy to be here.

Lesley [00:00:25] Awesome. So just to get started, we like to do a little bit of kind of get to know you questions. So if you can start off, where were you born and raised and where are you living now?

Danielle [00:00:37] Sure. So I was born in West Covina, California, only born there. And I actually was raised in the early part of my childhood from like a baby to like about six, seven years old, I grew up in Pomona, California. And then after my parents split up and my mom remarried, I moved around seven, eight years old to Alta Loma, California, which is the suburbs of the San Bernardino County area. And I pretty much grew up there, went to elementary, junior high and high school in Alta Loma, California.

Lesley [00:01:14] Nice. So California born and raised.

Danielle [00:01:17] Yep. I’m a Cali girl.

Lesley [00:01:19] And that’s where you are now, correct?

Danielle [00:01:22] Correct, yeah, so I actually moved out of Alta Loma, and I’m more coastal, I live in Orange County now by the beach.

Lesley [00:01:31] Yeah, that sounds- coming from us where we’re in Canada, that sounds really nice right about now because we just got a ton of snow.

Lesley [00:01:42] And what college, university- what did you do for school and what did you study?

Danielle [00:01:47] Yeah, sure. So I went to Cal State San Bernardino for my undergrad and that, like I said, at Cal State, San Bernardino, it’s a CSU. And I- also, after I received a bachelor’s in psychology and a minor in mass communication, from there I went to pursue another degree, a master’s in journalism, which I actually, unfortunately did not complete due to the extensive driving that I was doing. And then also it was something that I feel like I wasn’t relating to my peers or connecting with the professors. So I did not pursue that program. And then I decided to go into a different program after that. I had to pass my CBEST. So that’s basically for liberal arts majors. I wanted to get into school counseling and so I actually got into a private university, University of La Verne, and I literally was two years into the program to finish my school counseling and then life, as you know, I’m sure many listeners can just relate, life happens. And so I was three courses away from getting my masters in school counseling. And yeah, so I have a lot of education under my belt, a lot of study and a lot of late nights, a lot of cramming and a lot of papers. I don’t even- like, looking back now, I’m like, oh my gosh, I don’t even know how I did it because it’s a blur.

Lesley [00:03:30] Yeah, because it sounds like you tried a lot of different things.

Danielle [00:03:35] Yeah.

Lesley [00:03:35] And just kind of like put your toes in a bunch of different areas, which can be a lot of work.

Danielle [00:03:43] Right. Exactly. Yeah, definitely.

Lesley [00:03:46] And what are you doing now? You’re in real estate now, right?

Danielle [00:03:51] Yes. So as I just said, I, I went through those different career options and now I’m actually in real estate, not even pursuing the degrees. However, I absolutely am very fortunate to have had those experiences. But yeah, I’m doing real estate now. I love it. I really enjoy working as a realtor and the opportunities and just meeting a lot of amazing people in doing so.

Lesley [00:04:22] Awesome, how did- so what made you decide, like, after all of those different directions that you kind of went what made you decide to go into real estate after all that?

Danielle [00:04:34] Yeah, well, I’ll just- I’ll try to make the long story really short. So it was basically back in 2015, 2016 is when I had my last position in what I would say is like the educational field. And I had a really bad experience at that position from the program director to even like the peers that I worked with. They just weren’t like, I don’t want to go into further detail, but it just wasn’t a great experience. And then I decided, you know what, I need to pursue a different career option and then maybe something that I didn’t even go to school for. And at the time and I had a friend that was in the mortgage industry, which is very- we’re very tied in together as far as real estate. And I decided, OK, I’m going to ask my friend to give me some more information about what real estate is. I’ve always had- I’ve always had an interest in it, but I never pursued it. So I asked him. He basically introduced me to a few different companies. And I pretty much decided, OK, Danielle, if you’re going to pursue a completely different career, you actually don’t have to invest too much as far as, like financially. You know, you could get started right away. It’s more of just putting yourself out there and networking. And and so I decided, OK, I’m going to do everything I can to really just immerse myself in this field, learn as much as I can, and then along the way, take the courses that I need to become a real estate agent and just add to my tool belt and then get licensed and go from there. And that’s what I did.

Lesley [00:06:30] Right, because also, like thinking about the other things that you were talking about studying. A lot of those things I feel like can really help you with real estate, too, like communication and stuff. Obviously, that’s a big thing, right?

Danielle [00:06:43] Absolutely. Yeah. There’s so many things that, like I said early on, I’m very fortunate and I love the experience that I did have going to college, having to study, having to learn how to balance my time, how to be organized. I’m like OCD when it comes to being organized. And yeah, absolutely. Communication is huge. Speaking to people in a professional manner and also writing, there’s a lot of- it’s really interesting that in real estate you do not need a high school diploma.

Lesley [00:07:22] Really?

Danielle [00:07:23] No. Yeah, you- well, at least in California. I can’t speak for the other states, but there are a lot of real estate agents that maybe just only have a high school background and they don’t have higher education. And so it’s very interesting that, like, there’s a lot of people out there making a lot of money with limited education. And so, yeah, but there are a good majority of us that do have it. But yeah, it’s just going- the whole reason I bring it up is because all the things that I did learn in higher education, I definitely implement it into what I’m doing now.

Lesley [00:08:01] Yeah. So I mean it definitely- it’s not required, but it gave you a really big advantage.

Danielle [00:08:06] Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely.

Lesley [00:08:09] Because with real estate you just basically you just need the license, right?

Danielle [00:08:14] Yeah. That’s all, that’s all you need in California. And I think across the US you just need three courses and it usually takes about like three months and then you just study for the state license exam.

Lesley [00:08:30] So that’s a pretty quick process too.

Danielle [00:08:33] Yeah, yeah. You could definitely get your license within a matter of I’d say like six months is like the long like if you’re just taking your time.

Lesley [00:08:43] Right. Well that’s pretty cool that- I think I think it’s pretty similar in Canada from what I know. And here in Ontario anyway. So yeah, it’s probably a pretty kind of universal system, I guess.

Danielle [00:08:54] Right. Yeah.

Lesley [00:08:57] So for students who are kind of thinking, hey, maybe I want a career in real estate, what kind of tips or advice would you give to someone like thinking about that?

Danielle [00:09:08] Yeah. So a career in real estate is definitely absolutely amazing and wonderful. There’s a lot of benefits to it. But the number one thing that I would say if someone is even thinking about pursuing a career in real estate is ask yourself why. Like, what is your why? And I would actually go further and say that with any career, especially if it’s going to be a sales career or for entrepreneurs, is why is this important to you? Because that plays a huge role in your day to day. And it also like when you have your, like, down moments, your setbacks, or when you’re feeling like kind of defeated, you need to like, think back of, OK, what’s your why? And then you got to like, go for it. So that would be like my number one tip is ask yourself why is- what’s your why and why do you want to pursue a career in real estate? Number two, I would research like your local top realtors in the area, check out what they’re doing, like you could do a simple Google search or whatever browser or URL that you use to search and yeah, just check them out, look at their website. Check out if they have like social media handles, check out their- if they do YouTube or podcasts and just see like how do they immerse themselves in the community?

Danielle [00:10:40] And, you know, maybe you can find a few different ones and see who do you relate to? Are there some that really inspire you and kind of just see what they’re doing, follow them for a while, and then after you do those two things, asking yourself why doing the research of other realtors in the community, I would then assume that you’re probably thinking like, OK, this is a career I want to do. So then obviously you’re going to go ahead and start your courses. My advice as far as courses is you could do the courses online, there’s plenty of online courses that you could take. And then if you don’t want to do online and you’re more of an in-person learner, there’s a lot of brokers that actually offer classes in person. And then also some of those online- online educators they sometimes have in person as well. Oh, and then also with the brokers- yeah. Also with the brokers who do offer it, sometimes there’s an advantage where if you hang your license, that’s what they call it, you hang your license with them, then they’ll reimburse you the money that you paid upfront after you close your first deal. So that’s like an incentive.

Lesley [00:11:56] Yeah.

Danielle [00:11:57] So those are just two- two ways. Yeah. And then the fourth and last thing that I would say is, OK, you’re taking your classes, you’re super excited about real estate. Number four, read a bunch of books like about sales. I mean, I can send you, Lesley, after this, a link or like all the books and podcasts that I would recommend. I just didn’t write them down right now.

Lesley [00:12:22] Perfect.

Danielle [00:12:22] And then research like on YouTube and again, just research on Instagram and pretty much immerse yourself and try to learn as much about what others are doing and then kind of understand or figure out what relates to you. Like, are you going to be that cold caller calling or are you going to be the person knocking on doors? Like, are you in person or are you the social media person that’s like behind the scenes, like doing a lot of stuff on social media. So there’s so many different ways that people do real estate. And I didn’t even get into it, but there’s also like the people who do flips that those are like looking for distressed properties or if you’re into, like, luxury. So I could go on and on about this, but there’s a lot of different avenues and it’s more of just what works for you, what excites you and what you can see yourself doing day to day.

Lesley [00:13:14] Right. Definitely. And I think that’s a lot of really good points in there, too, because, I mean, with any career, you have to do your research and you have to know that it’s something that you really want to do, because if you’re going to form the rest of your life around it, it’s- that’s a big decision. Right. And you can’t just be like, well, I’m going to go into real estate because I can start really quick and make a lot of money. It’s like, but are you going to like it?

Danielle [00:13:40] Exactly. Yeah, absolutely. You nailed it. There’s a lot, unfortunately, in real estate, we see a lot of people fail because they didn’t plan out. They didn’t do the research or that- that- that why isn’t strong enough.

Lesley [00:13:57] Right, exactly. And basically, when you’re in real estate, you’re basically an entrepreneur and you’re running your own business. So- and I know like what- we’ll talk about, like social media and stuff in a minute. But do you have any other advice that’s kind of more for entrepreneurs in general?

Danielle [00:14:19] Yeah, absolutely. So you’re definitely right about real estate being an entrepreneur. So the advice that I would say for someone who is looking to become an entrepreneur or people that already are on the brinks of it, you have to be willing to take risks, like absolutely. And then you also have to be willing to sacrifice your time. And I would say that those are two questions, if those aren’t something that you’re comfortable with, then maybe keep searching or, you know, keep searching for that thing that will make you want to be willing to do those things, because any entrepreneur that I’ve ever met or any realtor that is really successful, they were willing to take risks, calculated risks, of course, and they sacrifice a lot of their time. And I, I will be completely transparent. I don’t have- like, I don’t have friends. I’m just kidding. I don’t- I don’t have, like, friends that I actually like really that I’m talking to on a daily basis. Of course, I have like my friends that I talk to occasionally, like once and, you know, here and there, but I don’t have someone that I’m like constantly, hey, girl, or, hey, what’s going on? Or like my friends really is my family. Like, I hang out with my boyfriend, my mom and my sister. And that’s really it. I talk to my dad and my mom a lot and my boyfriend. Those are like my best friends. And that’s just because. Yeah, go ahead.

Lesley [00:16:02] I was just going to say, I guess the being an entrepreneur is kind of- that’s kind of- like a big- like the big thing, right?

Danielle [00:16:10] Yeah, yeah, definitely. You’re just focused on your career and building your brand. That’s- that’s really your baby. Like it’s your baby. You have to nurture it. You have to grow it. Like you put so much time and energy in it. And the more time and energy you put into it, the more amazing and beautiful it will grow.

Lesley [00:16:33] Yeah, definitely and it does. It takes a lot of sacrifice, especially when you’re- when you’re- especially when you’re starting out and you’re doing everything by yourself and for yourself. And you have to- you have to know that going in that, OK, I’m going to have to make some sacrifices. Like this is going to be- this is going to become my life. But if you’re really passionate about it, then you don’t really mind putting that hustle in.

Danielle [00:17:00] Absolutely. There you go. You nailed it again.

Lesley [00:17:04] I’m not an entrepreneur, but that’s what- that’s what I’ve gathered from talking to a lot of entrepreneurs.

Danielle [00:17:10] Exactly. Yeah. It almost goes with that quote. Like if you love something, like if you choose a career, something that you are passionate about, it’s almost like you don’t really work because you’re so passionate about it. And like there is one thing that I did write down. If it’s something that keeps you up at night or that you like obsess about, or like, you just- you wake up and you’re like thinking about it and you’re thinking about it before you go to sleep, like that definitely is a good sign that you’re on the right track.

Lesley [00:17:41] Exactly. And I mean, it is- like, not everyone is- has the capability or desire to actually do that. So, I mean, it definitely takes a certain type of person to be cut out for that to begin with, no matter what industry it is. I think.

Danielle [00:17:57] Absolutely. Yes, exactly.

Lesley [00:18:00] So let’s go back to social media for a bit, because I know with a- with most businesses today and even just people who want to be influencers, building your brand on social media is a huge, huge thing. And it’s something that you’ve done really well. So can you kind of speak to that a little bit and maybe give out some advice on that aspect?

Danielle [00:18:23] Yeah, absolutely. So I’ll kind of just give a little bit of background of how I did that. So when I first started my Instagram, it was a personal account and I was private. And I- the reason why I was private is because I didn’t want anyone to find me or follow me. And then once I got into real estate, I was like- I decided I cannot be private, especially for someone that wants to really immerse myself in the field. I want people to find me. So I decided to not be private anymore. And then I decided to also clean up my Instagram. So a lot of things that I felt weren’t appropriate or I felt like, oh, that’s not really me anymore, or that’s just something that I don’t want on my personal Instagram account because I did keep it as a personal account. I just cleaned up my Instagram and then I really became intentional with my posts and I became consistent. So- so that now I’ll start getting into the kind of tips. So you have to be consistent with your post and your stories. You also need to be genuine. So if you’re a brand, whether you are- whether you’re baking cookies or you’re a fitness person or whatever it is or even like a dentist. I- I follow a lot of boss women, I guess, if you will. And so I love connecting with like entrepreneurs or like women owned businesses. And they’ve done a really great job. And I also look at fashion bloggers and makeup artists to kind of see what they’re doing, like the ones who have like a million followers. And that’s how pretty much I try to, like, emulate what they’re doing, but like in obviously my industry. So just being consistent, be genuine, engaging with your audience, both like on a post and in your stories.

Danielle [00:20:27] And then if- if you feel a- when I’ve spoken to people, sometimes they- their setback is that they don’t have time. Well, if you don’t have time, there’s this website. It’s called Planoly, P-L-A-N-O-L-Y, and you can actually use their website and you can automate your post. So if there’s a week that I’m going to be like on vacation or I’m just like, oh my gosh, I have so many appointments this week, I’m not going to have time to even think about a post, you can go into the Planoly account and it literally has the calendar right in front of you. You can upload your photos, write the the caption, and then you can even tag, you can set the location. You can literally do everything you do on a regular post on your phone. And so, yeah, and it’s an app. So you can use it both in your phone or on your desktop. And then if you are- like I said, if you’re going back to the whole branding, if you’re a business, well, obviously I’m assuming you’d be a business or entrepreneur. This depends on what it is. If you use also like marketing flyers or like to create, like, posts that aren’t so much like just about you, which I do encourage you to like post pictures about you, your family or your interests. That’s the part of being genuine, but also promote your business. You can use Canva. That’s like one of my favorite websites ever. I use Canva a lot. I even like create postcards and I send it out to my clients or. Yeah. So I swear by Canva.

Lesley [00:22:10] Yeah. Canva is awesome. I use it a lot too. And it’s so easy and it makes you feel like- and like you can make something on Canva and you’re like- and it’s like, you don’t have to be a graphic designer and then all of a sudden you make something that looks like a professional did it. But I did it.

Danielle [00:22:26] Yeah, exactly. It’s so funny. I have a graphic designer that does like my personal stuff for like my branding. And it’s funny because, like, he’ll watch my stories and I’m all excited like and then I think to myself, oh my gosh, he’s probably upset because I’m not using him for this. So yeah. Right, right. Yeah. Oh, and then two more things. Read any articles. So I always like to read articles like what’s new or what’s going on on Instagram or Facebook, just so I can always be up to date with the trends because using hashtags, using geolocations is important to grow your audience. So another thing for someone who doesn’t have a huge audience but wants to grow their audience, looking up hashtags and finding people in your specific industry or even if it’s local, get more hyper focused and look up the hashtags. Like if you’re in Ontario, I don’t know, like Canada very well, but like if you have, like, a little town.

Lesley [00:23:25] Yeah.

Danielle [00:23:25] Your towns or districts and stuff, use those hashtags. And then another thing is I highly, definitely don’t recommend buying followers. There’s a lot of of those accounts that, hey, I’ll grow your Instagram, don’t do it. Oh my gosh. That will really negatively impact your presence and your branding. So.

Lesley [00:23:49] Yeah. And there’s I think that doing that, too, because they- I think I was reading something a while ago and it was like Instagram knows when you’re buying your followers and they know when your followers aren’t genuine and that can actually really mess you up with the algorithm and with your reach getting affected, too, because all of a sudden you’re going from like 50 followers to like three thousand. That’s a very suspicious jump in a very short period of time. So, like, they will- Instagram will notice that too.

Danielle [00:24:23] Yeah, absolutely, and that’s- that’s really important, especially if you’re growing your brand, you don’t want- you want more exposure, you don’t want less exposure. And if that algorithm gets kind of off track because of the followers that you bought or hopefully you didn’t.

Lesley [00:24:39] Right.

Danielle [00:24:41] Yeah. So you definitely- it’s honestly the best way to grow organically.

Lesley [00:24:47] And it does take a little more time, but it is more authentic. And that way, too, you get people who actually will engage with you and will actually be better than having- like it’s better to have a little bit that are more engaged than a lot that are just robots.

Danielle [00:25:05] Exactly. Yeah. And then those those loyal engagers most likely will like your brand. Another thing, some- some of the influencers that I follow, they do like give-aways. So that can help. You know, like hey, tag this post and share with your friend, whatever. So there’s different ways to grow it. Like I said, just reading articles and keeping up to date as far as how to grow the audience. But just don’t buy.

Lesley [00:25:32] Well, that’s- that- keeping up to date is really important, too, because, I mean, anybody who’s worked even a little bit in social media knows how quickly and how often things change. And even- even- not even just with social media, but with Google, with search engines, with every social media platform, they’re constantly changing. And little things impact that algorithm so much that it’s- it is really important to stay on top of that and just spend some time looking at the latest news.

Danielle [00:26:06] Yeah, exactly, absolutely, yeah.

Lesley [00:26:09] Yeah, definitely. So going back a bit when we were talking about how you did all of these different programs and took all these different courses in school and did all these different things. There’s a lot of students out there who are kind of in that same boat where they kind of take something and then they realize it’s not for them and then they try something else out and kind of- kind of figuring it out. So can you kind of talk about that experience a little bit? And kind of how that helped you?

Danielle [00:26:45] Yeah, yeah, definitely. So I was always torn- so this is, like- I’ll just speak from my own experience and why I went to these different types of positions. So in my- when I was growing up, I always had an idea that I wanted to be very successful. I didn’t know how I was going to be successful, but I always envisioned myself like living in a big house and having like a housekeeper. I don’t know where this idea from. Right. And but I always just thought, like, I was going to be like a CEO. And then that was like when I was like young elementary, middle school and then high school came around and I was like, OK, great, now I’m going to get slapped with reality really soon. I need to pursue education. And I actually don’t come from a family that we’re highly educated. Fortunately, my dad was like the first generation of like going to college and he actually pursued education after I was born. So my dad instilled in me that education is really important. So thank God for that. And so- so I had this idea of like, OK, I want to be CEO, but then I have to like, have education. So I thought, OK, well, I’m going to go to school no matter what, because I want to pursue an academic- I just- academic was just something that I had to pursue. Right. Regardless. And so when I got into college, I thought, oh well, I really like counseling because I was a peer counselor when I was in high school. I was involved in a lot of things when I was in high school, like ASB, which is like the student council. I was a peer counselor. I was a peer- like a mentor for like freshmen girls. So I was very involved in that aspect. And so I figured, OK, I like talking to people. I think counseling is a great way to go. So in doing so, I naturally just started finding and looking for positions while I was in college that were educational related. And so on top of pursuing these positions, I also would sometimes have to have two jobs.

Danielle [00:29:10] So when I was in college, I was going to school full time and one job wasn’t enough because it’s unfortunate, like not because I needed money or extra money. I was like- I was trying to pay the bills. So- so I had to have at least two jobs. So like, I was working during the week after classes and then on the weekends. So I had positions, like I said, in education and then in hospitality. And- and so I did that. And in doing so, I met a lot of different people. I learned different things. And then- I also sometimes, like in the summer when I wasn’t in classes and I couldn’t work in college- at the college, because I also had a position that was like in the student union or in the financial aid office, I would pursue like positions just like as administrative type of assistant, or I would find jobs like at the mall just so I could have something.

Lesley [00:30:16] Right.

Danielle [00:30:16] And so that’s kind of like how I built up, like, these different resumes. And I think just in doing so, I learned a lot about myself. I learned a lot about what my skills were too. Like, what my skill set was. And yeah. So I don’t know if that kind of answered the question, but in doing all those different positions, I still- I knew I wasn’t satisfied though. I will say that. Like, I knew that I didn’t want to work for someone else. I did know that I liked working with people, but authority- not so much that I had a problem with authority, it was just more of like I envisioned myself having more. Right? And I wasn’t satisfied. So that’s- that’s what I definitely overall learned.

Lesley [00:31:08] But I think that’s helpful because in doing all of that, like put it- like trying all this and working all these jobs and doing all these different things. One, of course, as we talked about before, it gives you this unique set of skills. But at the same time, it does just kind of help you try things and figure out if that’s for you. So it’s kind of the same thing where if there’s maybe a student who is taking a certain major and doesn’t really know if they like it, it would kind of be the same thing as them maybe, oK, maybe I’m going to take- go and take a couple elective courses in a different field to see if I like that. And kind of just slowly test that, I guess.

Danielle [00:31:53] Yeah, no, definitely. That’s- I probably wish I would have done that more in college and kind of like what the actual positions.

Lesley [00:32:00] Instead of just jumping into another program.

Danielle [00:32:03] Yeah, yeah. That’s actually the smart way. And I was too scared- okay, for those- so maybe this will help for the listeners because I was already like about maybe a sophomore junior and I had pretty much already completed a lot of my prerequisites for my major. And I was like, oh, I was just so close to finishing. It’s too late now. But honestly, like, if you are still not very sure, even if you are that close to finishing your major, it wouldn’t hurt to take an elective or something in a different field if you’re still enrolled. That way you can determine, yeah, OK, maybe I am just a few semesters or what have you away from graduating. But is this really the- the career I want? Let me just try something else just to see. So I definitely encourage that. It’s important to explore and know and do a lot of research, do a lot of shadowing. That really helped me actually in the school counseling program as well. Just shadowing and like I said, even in the beginning of this conversation, like, I immersed myself in so many ways in real estate that I had never actually did that in my other career because I wasn’t passionate about it.

Lesley [00:33:30] Right. The shadowing part thing I think is really important to touch on, too, because, I mean, I’ve talked to a lot of different students and a lot of- and graduates and alumni- in a lot of different fields. And something that almost every single person says at some point in time is find either a mentor or someone you can shadow, whether that is a mentor or not, because it- that gives you such a huge advantage in figuring out what you want to do and learning more about that career. Right?

Danielle [00:34:00] Right. Absolutely. Hands down. Yeah. You have to. Yeah. Especially that something. Yeah. You just have to. And even in real estate, I mean you have to find a mentor or coach. Same thing. So.

Lesley [00:34:16] Yeah, definitely. So when you have- so obviously with all these different jobs and, and education stuff, you obviously figured out how to kind of custom tailor your resume and cover letter and stuff like that to these different positions. And one thing that we do talk about a lot is we try to give a lot of advice to students who are graduating soon and kind of in that similar boat where they’re starting to put those resumes together. So do you have any kind of tips on that, on kind of tailoring your resume to certain things?

Danielle [00:34:55] Absolutely, yeah. So what I did was I would always and you know what? Gosh, it’s been a while since I’ve had to, like send a resume. I don’t know if things are like a little bit different now or like if if people have gotten more creative, towards the end of my educational career or like- yeah- or at least finding positions, I heard people would kind of do really unique things to like set themselves apart. But I don’t know if that’s something that people do. But if there is, I definitely would research how to set yourself apart from all the paper resumes that are going in to wherever you’re going to apply to. But as far as setting like at least on your resume, it’s important just to make sure that you hit the points that they’re looking for. That’s one advantage that I would always purposely do. I would look at, OK, what is their job description? Or I would do so much research about the particular company, especially if they were, they might call me. I would just already do the research ahead of time just to cater my resume specifically for them. So that’s definitely a huge point that I would say or highly stress is just make sure, OK, if you’re going to apply to this position, make sure you include what are those things that they’re looking for? Make sure you include it in your resume, highlight, you know, any skills or any type of experience that is somehow relatable to the field. I- when I was sending out resumes, I don’t know if this is still consistent now, but like a page is just enough. Right. And then your cover, definitely your cover letter should be like short and sweet. Like it doesn’t have to be so much like information, but definitely hit the points that they’re going to want to see. That way- because there’s probably a lot of other people applying for the same position. So you have to somehow stand out.

Danielle [00:37:07] So those are like my those would be like my tips of advice. And just, again, being- coming from a background where I did have to, like, cater my resume to so many different industries. That’s basically what I did. I would just research, OK, what are the points? And then just cater it. And I would use- sometimes I would use like skills that I learned in hospitality even for like an administrative position. So be very creative. I also would ask, like my dad or someone else to kind of proofread before I actually would submit it. And that’s something that I absolutely used to hate. I would hate other people reading or, you know, kind of like judging like, oh. But honestly, I really I highly recommend having, like, a peer or someone or a friend, sister, I don’t know, whoever it is, just look over it and just kind of say, OK, does that make sense or does that look OK? Just so that way you can get another set of eyes on it.

Lesley [00:38:07] Absolutely. That proofreading step is so, so key because even just one- like I’ve seen- like I’ve been on both ends of companies applying and hiring and I’ve seen so many resumes come through. And it’s like one- one spell- one run through Grammarly would have helped you fix this. And I just I can’t stand seeing minor typos on- it’s- it’s just so- it just looks so bad.

Danielle [00:38:34] Yeah. Absolutely, and it almost kind of- it actually kind of shows the kind of character behind who that person is. Like, were they just trying to do this fast? Like, do they even care about, you know? And. Yeah, so I can totally relate and yeah, you definitely don’t want to submit something and you- you totally missed out because of an error.

Lesley [00:38:57] And it kind of implies that you didn’t want to go that extra mile and just put that little bit of extra effort in. And you probably just- that would make me think that you just fired off your resume to a bunch of different companies just hoping for a job. And that’s not really the right thing to do. I definitely agree on that. Going back to when you’re talking about all these different things you did when you were in school and working all these different jobs and being involved in a lot of counseling things and stuff like that. How did you balance all of that? Because that’s really time consuming on top of all of your studying and all of your just meeting all of your program requirements. So did you kind of develop any, like routines or anything like that to help you manage your time and stay on track with studying?

Danielle [00:39:52] Yeah, so I didn’t- I guess I did it intentionally as a freshman, I purposely would schedule all my classes like in the morning. That way I could have the afternoons, like my classes would start either at 7:00 or 8:00 and I’d be done with all my classes, like around two or three. And then I could head out to- I could work. Well, I worked on campus and then I would work from like I don’t know, let’s just say two to five or two to six. And then depending on what days, then it was like six to eight at another job or the weekends. So I usually would try to work Monday through Friday and then on the weekends I would- if I had a sales job, I would try to work weekends and then always have like the evenings to either, like try to study and then also use the weekends also for studying and exams. But yeah, I think that was pretty much- that was pretty much how I really just focused and carved out all my time, was just being very focused and very intentional on the classes. Like if I couldn’t take that class at that time then I’ll wait for the next semester. But I would never have a gap in my schedule. Like I was always from eight to two. And I would- I would only- there were only very seldom times where I would take like an evening class if it was like like a major prereq or was like, OK, this class is only offered once a year. OK, fine.

Danielle [00:41:25] But I was very intentional in that aspect that I wouldn’t have my classes all over the place. Like when I would talk to my peers, they were like, oh, I have this class at this time and I’m like, oh my God, that just sounds awful to me. And I don’t know if you remember me saying I’m very OCD about like schedules. So like timing and everything, like I have to know, like, OK, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I’m here. Tuesday, Thursday, I’m here. Because I was on a quarter system, so we were taking classes in a crammed amount of time. But yeah. So just figuring out your schedule and just making sure it’s really consistent and- and then if you are working, try to balance, OK, are you going to work in the evenings or are you going to work in the mornings and then have classes in the evenings and then the weekends, can you at least sacrifice at least one day a Saturday or Sunday where it’s just you just focus on your homework and stuff like that?

Lesley [00:42:24] Yeah, that makes sense. Did you use any kind of like like a calendar or some kind of like app or something like that to help you with that?

Danielle [00:42:33] Oh, I oh, my gosh. I’m like, OK, let me show you.

Lesley [00:42:38] OK.

Danielle [00:42:40] Oh, I have always had a planner.

Lesley [00:42:44] Right.

Danielle [00:42:44] Yeah. So I literally swear by planners and that- that was something that I learned early on, like in elementary. But yeah, I love planners. I have to have them. Now because we’re more technology driven. I do- I still write because I’m a visual person and I like writing things and more traditional like old school that way I guess. But I actually started using like Google- my Google calendar to help me. But if there is apps out there, I highly recommend like for those students because you guys are more like tech savvy. Yeah. You need to see what your schedule is. And that’s so, so important. I would always have everything written down. I would always write down like when my exam was, when test dates were, when papers were due, when I had to work. So yeah, definitely. Highly, highly encourage you to use some kind of planner.

Lesley [00:43:46] That’s actually funny because I have a planner sitting beside me too.

Danielle [00:43:55] Yeah.

Lesley [00:43:57] Yeah. And that’s- I know like there are a lot of apps and stuff out there that can automate it for you and put your notifications. But there is something completely different and to me more effective in writing everything down in like old school, in a planner and just looking at it and having it sit there on my desk and being able to cross stuff off.

Danielle [00:44:21] Yes, I think I agree with you. Yeah, it’s more like if you were to ask me, like next week and I think I literally- I’m more of like- I’m- not that I have a photographic memory, but I’m like, OK, I wrote that down on Friday. Yes, I have like an 11am or I have a 2:30 appointment. So it’s- I feel like I remember things more when I write it down.

Lesley [00:44:44] Well, that’s actually a note taking thing too, is if you write something out by hand, there’s something about- like I don’t know exactly the science, but something about it helps you memorize things a lot better when your- when your muscles actually- like, your brain tells your muscles to write it out. Something like that.

Danielle [00:45:03] Yeah. I agree, it makes sense.

Lesley [00:45:07] It makes complete sense. And like, even when I was in university, like I wrote all of my notes out by hand and wrote them all down. And then sometimes I’d go home and just type them up later, but sometimes it didn’t. But I wrote them by hand. I was like the only one in my classrooms that didn’t have a laptop, but it worked.

Danielle [00:45:27] Oh, yeah, absolutely. I was always like at the front of my class writing notes. They would have like the the PowerPoint. I was like, no, I have to write it up. I can relate.

Lesley [00:45:36] Yeah. I mean it hurts after a while, but.

Danielle [00:45:39] Oh yeah.

Lesley [00:45:41] Especially when you’re like furiously trying to write down everything that you’re trying to catch everything to perfection. But it works and I always recommend that to everybody. So.

Danielle [00:45:54] Absolutely.

Lesley [00:45:55] Definitely. What are some of the other- any other kind of challenges or obstacles that you faced when you were in school and balancing all of this stuff or just in school in general?

Danielle [00:46:06] Yeah, no, that’s actually a really great question. Really great question. It was almost like a tongue twister.

Lesley [00:46:13] Yeah.

Danielle [00:46:14] Yeah. And without getting into, like, major details and I don’t want to upset any of the listeners, our audience, but I actually did have a very troubling personal life going on. So, again, without going into too much detail, my mom and my stepdad, right at the point where I was entering into college, so I’d just graduated high school, they both lost their jobs. And- and it wasn’t because they- it wasn’t because there was like this problem with the economy, although that was happening. Right. They actually lost their jobs due to addictive substance abuse behaviors, which I had no idea. While I was like- a couple of years right before I graduated, I didn’t know that they had started using drugs or abusing drugs. And two years later, they lost their- like, my mom had a business. She lost it. My stepdad was an employee for a really great company for like over 20 years. So from 18 to about 28 years old, I was dealing- and during that whole time, I mean, I graduated when I was 22 and then I pursued higher education up until I was 25-26 years old. So from 18 to 26, during that whole college experience, I was having to deal with my mom and my stepdad like using drugs and I would cry into them and having to worry like what’s going on. I have a younger sister who’s, I’m 12 years older than her. I’m not joking. When I was in class there are a couple of times, and one time I remember like vividly, I was in my grad program and my sister kept calling me and I thought to myself, OK, it’s kind of very odd that she’s calling me more than once. So I stepped outside and she was crying hysterically about a situation that- it was an altercation between our parents. And I was like, oh my God. And it was- that- it was things like that that I had to worry about in the back of my mind. So having to kind of like balance, like the personal struggles, like, was really hard. And I think honestly, like education was like probably- probably the only stable thing in my life. And so was like the jobs that I had. And so I think I just tried to immerse myself as much as I could. And just like I- it was almost like I would put so much focus and energy into that and try to forget what was going on with my home life. So, yeah.

Lesley [00:49:01] Well, I was just gonna- like, that must be so hard to deal with when you’re in university because I mean, it’s one thing when you hear about- I mean, there’s a parent, if their kid’s going through that kind of struggle. But when you’re the child and your parents are going through that kind of struggle, I can’t even imagine how stressful and hard that could be, especially while you’re in university.

Danielle [00:49:27] Yeah, absolutely. It was- it was definitely stressful, it was definitely hard, actually. I mean, right now we’re around the holidays. I used to despise and hate the holidays because I just wanted my family to be normal again. And it was just really hard. But thank God I had my dad, but he- he lives like about four hundred miles- so he lives in San Francisco, Oakland area, he lives in the Bay, and- and I could never see myself moving up there. He would always tell me Danielle, move up here, move up here. And I was like, no, dad, like my family, like, you know, my mom and my sister are here. And I was very close with them. And although my mom was going through her battles and challenges, like I needed to be there for my younger sister. And so- so I would always have conversations with my dad. And he definitely, I would say he was always like my rock as far as like needing to confide in him. And because he was the only one that I could really trust, you know, that that I could- can tell me. And also with his wisdom, you know, and I didn’t like to- I would never tell my friends or peers like what was going on, you know? Like I almost was, like, embarrassed. And then I didn’t think that they could relate. And it was just something that I didn’t want to talk about. So.

Lesley [00:50:49] Yeah, no, that makes sense. And I think I mean, if anything, that’s kind of- at least you did have those things to kind of help you, like you had school to focus on so you could kind of like put yourself- just get just a little bit of an escape, but that’s still productive. So you’re still there and then that you did have at least someone there to talk to, even if it wasn’t like- even if it- if you don’t want to talk to a friend or anything like that, there is that something. Because that’s important, too.

Danielle [00:51:23] Yeah, absolutely. And I think, like, the takeaway that I would say for your listeners is that, you know, that was my experience. I’m sure there are a lot of people who have- just so- they’re going through something. Right. That is outside of your normal academic challenges. Like we all have personal lives, we all have families or we all have something that we’re dealing with internally or externally with again, outside of academics. And, you know, I think the most important thing is just, you know, finding your outlet, whether it’s like journaling, whether it’s having someone that you can confide in, but like don’t lose focus. Like, you know, I think the academic part is just so important and you don’t want to, like, get off track, although I don’t blame those people who- things just happen. And like- like, even loss, right, of someone. That can really throw you off track, but hopefully in due time, whatever it is that you’re going through, like just get back on track. Like you- you’ve done your education up to a certain point and you might as well just continue on. You know, it’s so important for a reason. You started it for a reason. So you it’s important for you to finish it. So. Yeah.

Lesley [00:52:51] Sorry, I was just going to say I think that’s also super relevant right now with everything going on with the pandemic, because that’s a lot of outside stress that a lot of people are- that’s causing a lot of people to have mental issues, not mental issues- mental health struggles. And that is something that also we can’t control.

Danielle [00:53:11] Yes.

Lesley [00:53:12] Individually.

Danielle [00:53:14] Absolutely.

Lesley [00:53:14] So I think that’s also just a relevant point to be talking about right now too.

Danielle [00:53:20] Yeah, absolutely, I agree 100 percent. I think it’s really important just to find, like I said, just finding your outlet, whether it’s working out, journalling. Find something to kind of just keep you in a more positive spirit. It’s not good to dwell on things. It’s not good to focus on negative. Yeah. Otherwise, you could go down like a dark, dark path. And that is something that you need to stay away from, especially if you’re- if you have family prone to, like, depression. I mean, there are high rates of depression just across from even starting at young ages. And it’s really unfortunate. And so just trying to find something that kind of makes you happy, whether it’s music, dancing, singing, journaling, looking up quotes, or just try to always focus on the positives, whatever those positives are, even the small ones.

Lesley [00:54:22] Yeah, it’s all part of that self care thing too, like making sure that you do take those times to do things you enjoy or just things that help you de-stress, whatever it is. Just to- just to have that there. Because, I mean, that’s a big problem that a lot of university students face, especially in their first year when they’re coming from high school to university too.

Danielle [00:54:45] Oh, yeah, yeah, definitely.

Lesley [00:54:47] So definitely something good. Yeah. Self care, definitely. On a more happier note, what is one of your favorite memories from your time in school?

Danielle [00:55:00] Oh boy. Gosh, what was my favorite memory? Um, honestly, I think probably one of my favorite memories, and it’s more of just like just more of a whole and not a specific one, is actually working in the financial aid office. So when I was doing my undergrad or finishing my undergrad, I worked in the financial aid office. So like I said, I would go to class and then work in the financial aid office. And that actually was like a highlight because it was there that I got to connect with my peers. And I also got to learn from some of the women that were- they were the advisors or they were like the program administrators. Right. And so that’s kind of like where I had like more of the human connection because like when I would go to class, I literally would just go to class, learn, you know, maybe meet a couple of friends for like to study or if we had to do a project together. But other than that, I was very focused. And so I would say the student, the financial aid office is where probably it was more like my fun time, where I got to, like, kind of just be laid back, feel like a student. And actually a lot of the girls that I went to college with, I’m out- again, I have to use the word friends loosely, but like, we are still in touch or through social media and stuff. And so, yeah. So I would say working on campus, I guess.

Lesley [00:56:36] I mean, it sounds fun. And if you’re going to get a job like a part time job like that while you’re in school, like, that’s probably one of the best places for a student to be because you still- you still have that responsibility of having that job. But then you also you get to see your friends and you get to talk to people or maybe even meet new people on campus.

Danielle [00:56:59] Yeah. Yeah, definitely.

Lesley [00:57:04] So one question we always ask is if you could go back and talk to your 15 year old self, what would you say or what kind of advice would you give?

Danielle [00:57:16] Oh, gosh, that is such a great question, and if I could talk to my 15 year old self, I would tell my 15 year old self to not let what other- what I think what other people- don’t let other people. Gosh, I’m not even saying it right. Don’t focus on what other people think about or care about. I think I put a lot of emphasis on how I do things or how I did things like on what people care about or what people think. And I should have just always followed, like my own heart and not please anyone else. I think there are things that I wanted to prove to like, you know, like my dad or to like my peers. And that was just a waste of time, a waste of energy. And yeah, it’s more of just do what you feel in your heart. That’s always the best way.

Lesley [00:58:22] That makes total sense, and I think it applies to- because I mean, I think every person has gone through that when they’re- when you’re in high school or when you’re a teenager and you just kind of- you’re so fixated on what everyone else is doing, what everyone wants you to do that you kind of just forget to stop and just think about what you want. I know that happened to me.

Danielle [00:58:48] Yeah, yeah, and I think, yeah, had I gone after what I wanted, things would be different. But again, I’m very fortunate. I, I maybe I wasn’t ready for it then. I think everything happens for a reason. But yeah, I think it’s so important. It wasn’t until like later in life where you know, that I realized, oh my gosh, Danielle, you do what you want, do what makes you happy. And it took me like into my late twenties to realize, like, the light bulb went on and I’m like, oh my gosh. Like, what have I been doing? And I just wish I had followed and pursued those things early on. But if you have- even if you have that now, just hold on to it. Or find it.

Lesley [00:59:31] Yeah. Just give yourself the chance to search for what you want.

Danielle [00:59:35] Right.

Lesley [00:59:37] Is there anything that kind of was kind of like something you consider like the key to your success when you were in school, like anything you kind of did that was like, oh, I’m so glad I thought to do that.

Danielle [00:59:52] Oh, that’s- OK.

Lesley [00:59:53] It’s OK if you don’t have an answer either.

Danielle [00:59:55] Yeah, I think the- gosh. I guess my key to success was- being- it was more of dedication and the persistence, right? I think it’s more because I had a strong will to complete my academic education, and I think that was like a major key to success as far as like that was able to help me complete my education while I was dealing with all those challenges, while I was having to like two or three jobs at one point is just having that strong will that I was, I’m going to get my education. I’m going to finish my degree. My bachelor’s was definitely like, hands down, I had to. That was just something innately that I had to do and there was nothing that was going to stop me. So I think just having a strong will. Yeah, I guess.

Lesley [01:01:10] And that’s also that entrepreneurial spirit coming in too, I think, that dedication.

Danielle [01:01:17] Yeah, you’re right.

Lesley [01:01:18] I’m going to do this.

Danielle [01:01:19] Yep. Absolutely.

Lesley [01:01:21] Definitely. Another thing we kind of ask everyone is if you have a favorite motivational quote that you would like to share.

Danielle [01:01:29] Well, I’m going to tip my computer. I have like a few behind me. I mean I have, like, two thousand quotes saved on my phone. So I’ll read probably one behind me because- OK, let’s see. Oh, yeah. Yeah, OK. Your potential is endless, go create what you were to go- do what you were created to do. Let me do that again.

Lesley [01:01:54] OK.

Danielle [01:01:55] Your potential is endless. Go do what you were created to do.

Lesley [01:01:58] Perfect. I mean, that’s super- that is also another super- going back to that, being driven and motivated, that entrepreneurial spirit. Just do it and see what happens, I guess.

Danielle [01:02:16] Yeah. Yeah, definitely. I mean, there’s another one behind me. It’s dreams demand hustle. So whatever your dream is, whatever those hopes and goals that you have, it’s not going to just appear in front of you. I had all these dreams, but I wasn’t like putting them into action. And it wasn’t until I was like, oh, this is hard. This is what hard work is. Or- and that that word hustle. Sometimes it has like a negative connotation. But honestly, it’s more of just like put in that work and you will reap the benefits of all that hard work, all the sacrifices, the time that you’re sacrificing, the calculated risk, all that comes into play and your dreams definitely will start coming true. So.

Lesley [01:03:04] And everything. Everything takes hard work.

Danielle [01:03:08] Yeah, everything.

Lesley [01:03:10] So I just have one more question and it’s another fun question that we ask people. And I- I think I already know the answer, but what is your favorite social media platform and why?

Danielle [01:03:23] Oh, yeah, that would be Instagram.

Lesley [01:03:26] That’s what I thought you were going to say.

Danielle [01:03:28] Yeah, so I love Instagram. It’s definitely my go to. And the reason why is because, well, number one, it’s probably because I have the most followers on there, but I actually have fun with it. I love being creative. I love to engage with it. And I love that you have different ways to connect with your audience. I love that they have you know, you could do posts, I love that the stories are on there. I love that you can save the highlights. I love that you can do IGTV. I love that they have the reels. There’s just so many so many like fun things to do with it. And it’s just about being creative. It’s about just being yourself. And yeah, just get your followers to engage and really shine your genuineness and your own personality through your social media, whether it’s Instagram or Facebook or Twitter or whatever.

Lesley [01:04:36] Do you want to drop your Instagram handle here? And we can put it in the description as well so people can follow you.

Danielle [01:04:42] Yeah, definitely so my Instagram is my first name, Danielle D-A-N-I-E-L-L-E underscore Angelique that is A-N-G-E-L-I-Q-U-E.

Lesley [01:04:59] Perfect. So, we’ll, we’ll put that in the description as well, so then like I said, people can follow you and perfect.

Danielle [01:05:09] Yeah. If any of your listeners ever- like if you guys do follow me, feel free to reach out. I always like, respond to like DMs or like if you if I posted something on my story, you see something like I’m very happy to engage and ask me anything. It’s more further about real estate or my personal experiences or education. So I’m more than happy to help.

Lesley [01:05:32] Super helpful. So that’s before we kind of wrap up, is there any kind of last insights that you want to share that maybe we didn’t cover yet just before we say goodbye?

Danielle [01:05:43] Um, no, I think we covered it all. I think the only thing I guess if I were to say like one last thing on whether it’s real estate or being an entrepreneur, you know, I highly- I highly encourage you to do so. If it’s something that you feel very passionate about, don’t worry about what other people think. Don’t worry about- don’t be analytical. Sometimes I get analytical. Sometimes I think too much about certain things. Just go do it. Do it. Like if it’s something that you have already thought about, you want you want to just try it, do it. So I think I guess that’s the thing that I would probably just leave with is don’t- don’t- don’t even care what other people think. And in fact, you might have some people that might tell you not to do it. Oh, my God, do not listen to them. Like, if anything, just go for it. Don’t listen to the haters out there.

Lesley [01:06:40] Amazing. I think that is a really inspiring place to leave off on. So I do want to thank you so much for taking your time out of your day to talk to us today and share all your amazing insights. I think that it was super inspiring talking to you. So we really do appreciate it. And I think this is going to be a really great podcast episode.

Danielle [01:07:01] Yeah, awesome. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you so much for reaching out. I am very humbled and very happy to know that you invited me on your show, so I really appreciate it and I hope your listeners got some value out of it.

Lesley [01:07:17] So they definitely will. So thank you. And we will be in touch with you as well.

Danielle [01:07:23] OK, awesome. Thank you so much. Have a good one.

Lesley [01:07:25] Bye.

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