Meet Danae McDaniel | Consultant, Model & Realtor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danae McDaniel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danae, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
The concept of “work life balance” is super nebulous in my opinion. I think it’s difficult to digest and even more complex to implement. I began my journey of marketing in college then later became inspired to establish my business, The Playbook, and even with a sturdy foundation nothing could have prepared me for the paradox of entrepreneurship. Juggling my business, my 9-5 consulting career and many other endeavors, burnout became very familiar to me and there’s nothing healthy or productive about burnout. Sometimes we forget to simply prioritize our *existence* and no matter how much we try to avoid it, the self-neglect catches up with us. I learned that resting, eating, spending time with family/friends and also doing absolutely nothing at all sometimes was as necessary as completing that work task due the next day. I also learned that balance does not prevail on a day to day basis but rather on a longer timeline so it’s important to keep the bigger picture in mind. The key is to pay attention to your thoughts, listen to your body and trust that you know what’s best for you.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
While running my marketing business as a side hustle, I realized that there was a gap in knowledge between the external and internal principles of what it takes to build a company or see a project through end to end. Entrepreneurship has become such a trendy and glamorized topic that although sometimes can be inspiring, people tend to miss out on the fundamentals such as having a basic business plan or understanding the importance of strategy and execution. The Playbook is an idea incubator where guidelines and game plans are created to help progress ideas into reality. I work as the lead strategist to design tangible action plans for startups, start-overs and special projects. Picture this: Imagine a beautiful building with expensive windows, high-end paint and luxury features all to view on the outside. The foundation however, is frail and unreliable. One strong wind or disruption and the whole building would eventually be destroyed, wasting time and money. This is true for ideas as well.

What sets The Playbook apart from others are the deliverables. We offer structure and frameworks that set clients up for big wins. We take pride in nurturing the root of the ideas so that the growth potential is endless.

I am most excited about our product that will be releasing 4/22/22 called The Project Designer. This is a workbook that has taken tons of market research to create. It helps to address those fundamentals I mentioned and allow people to see their ideas through end to end. Not to mention, the quality and aesthetic of the book is… *chefs kiss*. The book has information on drinks to eat to stimulate your mind, activities to battle creative block, a glossary with helpful business terms, marketing advice, color psychology and so much more. It not guides you through a project but also gives resources to boost your moral on your not-so-good days.

I have had the chance to work with some pretty cool humans so far and I’m excited to continue building authentic relationships with people pursuing their passions, learning more about my craft and creating dope tools for all my bosses and wanna-be bosses.

One of my biggest lessons I’ve learned along the way is to keep the vision. Everyone won’t understand it but in due time they will. Keep the vision, stay the course, make the play.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Okay so boom:

First spot we’d hit is a rooftop for good eats, maybe Castaway for brunch, I LOVE their bottomless mimosas! Second spot I’d take my best friend is to the beach. We’d relax a bit, maybe bring some snacks and of course make some cute videos for memories. Next, a drive down the Pacific Coast blasting Sweetest Taboo by Sade would be lovely. Possibly bike riding, scootering or honestly more rooftop bars would be next on the list and to end the day off, dinner somewhere with good food like Maestros, Ocean Prime or good ole’ Shake Shack would hit the spot depending on how adventurous our day was.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mom & my close friends.

My mom is really supportive in anything that I do and it just shows how much she believes in my drive, my ability to create and the faith she knows I have to see things through. She expresses all the time how proud she is of me and those words really go a long way, especially on my not-so-good days. I’m really thankful not only to be her daughter but also her bestie for life.

My friends are heaven sent, seriously. It’s dope having people around who not only can I lean on but learn from as well. I grew up as the only child so I’ve always been pretty use to being by myself and find comfort in doing so but my friends remind me I’m never alone in hardships or celebrations. I’m beyond grateful for my entire support system.

Website: theplaybook.co

Instagram: theplaybook.co

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danae-mcdaniel-1765b7ba/

Twitter: theplaybook.co

Other: Tik Tok: danaemcdniel the playbook.co