Dani Wallace is an ambitious entrepreneur who has risen from the council estates of Preston where she experienced the depths of domestic violence, little money and ultimately, homelessness… Fast forward and she is now a highly sought-after, international speaker and speaker coach, as well as a professional singer and best-selling author, she also hosts the UK’s fastest-growing entrepreneurial event in the North, The Big Festoon, (https://www.thebigfestoon.co.uk/). As the Leader of the ‘I Am The Queen Bee Movement’ (#IATQB – https://www.iamthequeenbee.co.uk/), Dani has supported thousands of people all over the world to step up into their own versions of success. Personally, Dani has smashed through expectations to get to where she is today… she has broken chains and generational cycles to become the creator of her own destiny – and she is now on track to a £1million turnover business. She recently set up her own charitable foundation – The FlyAnyway Foundation – as her way of giving back, within it she helps survivors of domestic violence access some of the best business mentors and business service providers in the UK to help them get back on their feet and build successful and sustainable businesses.
Can you tell us a little about your background and the company?
Despite carving out a successful career as a singer and later as a corporate leadership trainer for global brands, my personal life had been in turmoil… I battled life as a single parent alongside years of self-sabotage and during one of my darkest times, realised that I had to make a choice and take back control of my life.
I was determined to change my life. It was time I stopped complaining and moaning and actually did the things I needed to do to get myself into a position of strength! I consumed personal development books and set to work on trying to like myself first and, then eventually, to love myself. It was hard work clawing my way back from the brink, but I swore I would never allow myself to be in a desolate or desperate place again.
I was then determined to use my powerful story as a survival guide for others.
So, I invested the last bit of money I had and went all-in to launching my own business and I have been amazed at the results – making money I only dreamed of, having a voice that can empower others and taking the actions I needed to… but, most importantly of all, believing in myself.
I have become a leading voice in empowerment. A decade ago, I’d never have believed I’d be where I am today.
It’s all about – ‘Showing up, Wising up and Rising up!’
Drawing on over 20 years’ experience in business, from presenting and eventing to leadership and management training, I use my knowledge of both traditional employment in the corporate sector and self-employment in the entertainment industry to deliver memorable, inspirational and thought-provoking talks in my own unique and distinctive style bringing truth, humour and a ton of practical advice.
And it is not just my own speaking that I specialise in… through my world class courses, masterminds and VIP experiences… I also help people all over the world from novices to celebrities, and enthusiastic amateurs to seven-figure earners… to create incredible talks that help them stand powerfully on stage, reaching more of their ideal audiences and making more money (And who doesn’t want that?!)
As the fearless leader of the I Am The Queen Bee Movement and creator of the Fly Anyway Foundation, I help people to know that they too, regardless of their journey, can #FLYANYWAY!
How did the idea come to you for the company?
I was watching The Bee Movie and there was a quote at the start of the movie that floored me… It said that according to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly. Its’ wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyway because bees don’t care what humans think is impossible.
The quote resonated around my own darkest moments and how I had also been able to fly against the odds.
As I started to build my life away from the negative experiences. I began to switch from thinking that success, wealth, happiness and all the good stuff were not for me, to believing that I just had to be more creative about making them happen. They were still my birth right – everyone can start stepping into being their own version of sovereignty.
How did you achieve awareness?
I haven’t stopped shouting from the rooftops who I am and what I do… I show up with conviction and confidence at every given opportunity. I originally built my community by going live on Facebook while putting my makeup on in the car before gigging – and my following has grown from there as I have found other ways and other platforms to connect with people.
I have grown a gorgeous community in The IATQB Hive, and here everyone supports each other so whilst I am the cheerleader and champion for everyone in there, they are the same for me, out in the ‘wider world’.
When I attend an event, I will ask questions, I will get myself on that mic, I will make sure I’m seen. I will wear yellow or glitter to stand out and I will walk the walk and talk the talk – I want to be seen, I want to be famous – not for the sake of it, but in order to help me reach more and more people.
What are the key successes?
I always vowed that when I could I would give back. And, over the past couple of years, I have raised over £30K for domestic abuse charities, including; Women’s Aid and now my own ‘The FlyAnyway Foundation’ (https://iamthequeenbee.co.uk/flyanyway), which supports survivors of domestic abuse in rebuilding their lives after breaking free from abusive relationships.
I have also attracted millions of pounds of funding over the next few year to help survivors build financial independence through building businesses, as the first phase of my mission, before also expanding out into wider areas of providing refuge and wider support.
What were/are the challenges and how have you overcome these?
As mentioned, having grown up on the council estates in Preston, my early life was full of adversity, an alcoholic father, life on the breadline and the comings and goings of various cousins as my mum tried to help them when, they too, fell on hard times. Singing at school was my release. By 17, I had decided to utilise my singing talents on stage and travelled the world over singing and compering in hotels and on cruise ships. However, when I turned 22, my family were keen for me to settle down and get a ‘proper job’ so I bought a house with my partner at the time and had my first child. Due to my natural presenting skills and ability to train large groups, I was very quickly talent managed in the corporate sector moving into leadership training for multiple global brands… but I missed singing so much!
In 2008, just a few months after ‘settling down’ and having my first child – I was all excited for our forthcoming wedding, but just a couple of weeks after sending out the invites, my partner called time on our relationship. This left me a lone parent on one income at the start of the recession… I remember feeling so unlovable and feeling very vulnerable and was so surprised when I was pursued by someone at work and so began a relationship that spiralled into a rollercoaster of domestic abuse. As is quite common in DV situations, I became pregnant with my second child and when I was 4 months pregnant, the relationship came to a violent head, but with the help of DV services, I was able to escape the relationship.
A single mum of two and barely able to afford both my mortgage and nursery fees for two under threes, I was forced into homelessness with my children and survived by sofa surfing with family and friends until I was able to find a home that I could afford. I then spent the next 5 years rebuilding my life, accessing support, engaging with personal development, I realised the only place I sang anymore was in the kitchen doing the washing up and so I decided I’d like to get back on stage and become a singer again…
I now continued to perform on stages across the UK and beyond… as a singer and empowering speaker.
I felt able to reclaim some of the power that I had relinquished for many years, I began to switch from thinking that success, wealth, happiness and all the good stuff were not for me, to believing that I just had to be more creative about making them happen. I recognised that I had been self sabotaging my life – and that I was the only one who could take control of it. My sole purpose now is to help everyone I can to #flyanyway, by giving them the tools they need to do so.
What would you like to share with others to encourage them to start their own entrepreneurship journey?
Entrepreneurship saved my life. I don’t say that lightly. It gave me the opportunity to move away from all the negative experiences I’d faced, and allowed me to start to reclaim some of the power that I had relinquished for years. I switched from thinking that success, wealth, happiness and all the good stuff out there in the world wasn’t for me, to believing that I had every right to them. And the same applies to anybody thinking about starting their entrepreneurial journey.
You might have to get more creative about making new things happen for yourself. But you can achieve so much more than you ever thought was possible if you just start.
Can you share your top tips for entrepreneurial success?
Show up, Rise up and Wise Up! These 3 fundamentals are my go-to concepts to get you moving in the right direction for success!
Get to grips with the things that are holding you back, face the demons, own them and learn how to undo your limiting beliefs – take the knowledge from your battle and turn it into a superpower.
As many of you know, Imposter Syndrome is very real. Learn to understand your inner critic and what they are saying. Whenever I attempt something I know is going to have me level up, my inner-voice/chimp often screeches “WHO IS SHE!?!” – I can now thank her for the check-in but am able to overcome and silence that voice – If you can give your inner negative voice a name, you can then learn to turn down the volume on it and ultimately remove it from your mind and believe in you.
Look who’s around you, personally and professionally – these are the people who count and the ones you want to ‘link arms’ with. Developing your own mental strength helps you to achieve the impossible alongside the support and mentorship strength of those around you. Seek great business mentors and learn from those who are doing the thing you want to be doing. Find people who truly believe in you and create a network that inspires you and surround yourself with like-minded people.
Who are the 5 people who inspire you the most and why?
- My mum- She’s the Queen of our family and holds the fort while I build our legacy. We’re breaking cycles together.
- My sister- The amount of love, respect and admiration I hold for my sister is hard to put into words. She’s my home, my sunshine, and the thinker of my thinks. My sister really is the port in the storm for me.
- My children – Everything I do is for them and I hope that I inspire them all to follow their own path, just like I did. But they inspire me every single day to live more in the moment, & to look for the joy in life and follow it wholeheartedly.
- Ian Gray – At the age of 9, I remember my primary school teacher, noticing that I had a natural ability to sing and helped nurture my talent, as my family were unable to afford more formal singing lessons. However, it was an incredible man called Ian Gray who was my high school music teacher that inspired me the most and had a huge impact on my life. Not only did he encourage me to sing and to shine; he was one of the only good, kind, non-abusive men I had ever encountered growing up!
- Celeb- Ren. I think he is an absolute genius at what he does and what he’s achieved is breathtaking. He’s utterly uncompromising in the way he’s broken through the music scene, even when facing his own battles. The way he unites people through unconventional storytelling in his rap mirrors what I’m trying to do with my in-person event, The BIG Festoon, and he just speaks to the power of digging deeper into conversations that matter, which is the whole premise of what I’m creating out in the wider world. He has his own definition of what success can look like, and I really respect that.
What are your favourite inspirational /motivational quotes?
The Bee Movie – at the start of the movie it said that according to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly. Its’ wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyway because bees don’t care what humans think is impossible.
What are your Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn social handles and also website links so our readers can connect with you?
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thequeenbeedani
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/thequeenbeedani
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthequeenbee
