Hey friends! So back when this business & website were still just a twinkle in my eye, I started a Q&A Series on my health coaching website featuring women blazing their own trail. Thankfully, people loved reading them as much as I loved putting them together.

I’m hoping you’ll be inspired by each of the women I feature. I hope you’re inspired by their journey, their passion for what they do, how they prioritize self-care, and how they fit healthy eating and fitness into their entrepreneurial journey. At the end of the day, I’m a health coach + a lawyer, so you know I have to throw healthy stuff in here ?

I think you’re really going to like Dana’s take on being an entrepreneur. First of all, I think she’s adorable, very very sweet, and I absolutely love her style. I also love her relaxed, intuitive approach for caring for herself while also building a pretty sweet business. I think you will, too.

BYOB Q&A SERIES with Dana Nicole

So I’m hoping you’ll grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and read on about Dana’s journey to becoming a #girlboss.

Q: Hi, Dana! Thank you so much for joining me for my Q&A Series today. So I’m already a huge fan, but for those who don’t know you already, please introduce yourself:

A: Thanks for having me, Sam! I am so excited to be speaking with you today.

My name is Dana Nicole and I am a branding specialist over at dananicoledesigns.com. I create websites, logos and any other design work primarily for small businesses and bloggers. My goal is for all businesses to be able to have a killer brand and story regardless of their budget.

My background is in marketing. After I graduated I spent 3 years working in an office doing unrelated work. Last summer my husband, who is a professional hockey player, signed with a team in Europe, I knew it was my time to start up my own business doing something that I loved.

Q: First of all, I absolutely love your site and your designs. They’re beautiful. I know your year is split between summers in Canada and winters in Europe. Tell us a little about what your typical day-to-day routine looks like these days:

A: I usually wake up around 7:30am as that’s when I feel the most rested. I get up and start off every morning with a cup of tea, a walk with my dog and then start responding to emails and getting some work done!

I spent a year living in Denmark and got to immerse myself with the masters of hygge, so it’s very important for me to start off my morning with some hygge, which is why I always make myself a cup of tea and don’t rush around. I’m WAY more productive after I’ve allowed myself some time to actually wake up.

After a few hours of work, my husband and I head to the gym together. We go around 10:30am every morning, and I find that’s when I am the most motivated to get my workout in.

After the gym, we come home and make lunch together, and then take the dogs out for a nice long walk.

From there, I usually work until 8 or 9 at night depending on how much I need to get done. I get a major boost of creativity in the evenings, so I like to split my day up so that I am not working at much throughout my afternoon slump and spend a little more time working in the evening!

Q: That is so smart of you! It’s so much better to play to your strengths than fight your weaknesses. So can you describe a typical day of eats for you & how you eat healthy on-the-go:

For breakfast, I always eat toast, eggs and green tea. If I’m not eating eggs and toast, I’m eating oatmeal and I’ve started getting into savory oatmeal to try and get some extra veggies in my diet – savory oatmeal is so amazing!

Usually, for lunch I try to eat something light – such as a salad with salmon or chicken, and some type of sandwich with some fruit. And dinner is always something different!

If I’m on the go, I will always pack food. I rarely eat out. My favorite thing to do is to cook a large pot of some type of freezer friendly meal (turkey chili is great) and make meals for the week and freeze them if I know I’m going to be busy.

If I don’t plan ahead, then I will end up eating out and usually grabbing something that isn’t the healthiest, which is why I find meal prepping to be so important for me.

Q: Meal prep is KEY for busy people! So true. What are you passionate about? Why?

A: I am super passionate about helping small businesses grow their brand and have a beautifully designed website and logo. I can sit and work on designs all day long – it’s how I know I’m doing the right thing. I never get tired of it and I’m constantly trying to find new ways to do things and learn about the latest design trends. Being able to create and have a creative outlet is super important for me.

Q: How do you fit in fitness with such a busy schedule? What are your go to classes or routines?

A: For me, it’s super important to carve out the time to work out and stick to a schedule. I know that if I go to the gym before 11am, I will have a good workout. If I go any later, I may not have a good one. It seriously helps being married to a professional athlete who is always training, so he keeps me accountable. I think having someone in your life who can keep you motivated to stay healthy really helps – even if you just join an online community and talk about your week at the gym and share tips!

Q: I bet! I am totally a morning workout person. If I don’t workout in the morning, I’m mostly likely not getting it done. Just the way I am! What do you do to practice self-care (a.k.a. fill up your cup) when you have time?

A: I’m a huge introvert so I need my alone time and nearly everybody around me knows this. Grabbing a cup of tea, my dog and a cozy blanket (very hygge) is my favorite thing to do!

Feeling “cozy” is an instant mood booster for me and is something I try to incorporate into every day.

I’m also very good at recognizing when I’m starting to burn out. When that happens, I give myself a few hours or half a day off. There’s no point in trying to get work done and not being able to produce my best because I’m tired and frustrated. I allow myself the time off and usually come back feeling regenerated and as creative as ever!

Q: So intuitive of you! Alone time is so important for managing stress. We all need time to slow down, be with our thoughts, and decompress. Self-care is vital to being an entrepreneur, too. 

Thank you SO much, Dana, for joining us here today! If you guys are in need of a pre-made logo that’s absolutely gorgeous, feminine, but also professional, please check out Dana’s site.

xo

sam