Hello my love!
I’m so happy you’re here, and it’s no coincidence you are. I’m Danielle, and here’s my story:
The first question I usually get is where I’m from:
I was born in Beijing, China, but grew up in New York. My parents immigrated when I was 2 years old. (Yes, I speak Mandarin!)
I am a Myers-Briggs personality ENFP (The Idealist), although when I was working in finance I was an ESTJ (The Director) – interesting right?!, Gemini-Cancer cusp, and Generator by Human Design.
My favorite foods are Sichuan, Italian, Thai, and Japanese. SO YUM!
Growing up, I checked off alllll the boxes that I thought would make me happy: graduate from an Ivy League university, live in New York City, work on Wall Street.
For most of my life actually, I thought I wanted corporate stability.
At Cornell, I was a Teacher Assistant for Entrepreneurship Speaker Series, and I remember thinking all the successful entrepreneurial alumni had more experience, more money, more connections than me. That I couldn’t get started or be a successful entrepreneur myself.
Can you say limiting beliefs?!
But looking back, entrepreneurship came naturally to me. In high school, I started a tutoring business teaching elementary school students piano and viola. In college, I majored in Economics and Marketing while side hustling on Craigslist and eBay.
I learned while studying abroad at business schools in Milan and Hong Kong, I could work part-time online jobs that allowed me to work remotely and fund my travels.
I graduated early, volunteered in Cusco, Peru, and backpacked by myself through 12 countries, documenting my travels on my new Instagram and blog The Wanderlover.
Unsurprisingly, when I went back to Corporate America, I quickly learned a 9-5 job was not for me. I felt like a cog in the wheel, trapped with 15 vacation days, creativity stifled, arriving to the office before sunrise and leaving after sunset.
I would scroll through Instagram during the day, seeing influencers travel full-time, stay in 5-star resorts, create content, run online businesses, daydreaming about the day I’d be able to do the same.
I then looked around the office at my managers and executives, and asked myself, “Is that where I want to be in a few years?” because that’s exactly where I would end up if I stayed on this path.
So I decided to take massive, inspired action.
During my lunch breaks and after work, I was on a mission to learn as much as I could and build an online business.
I applied everything I learned in business school, joined masterminds, and learned from people who were where I wanted to be.
I finally took my blog and social media seriously, and it completely changed my life.
Once I started making money online, I realized I no longer had to rely on a corporate salary.
I realized I could grow my online business and travel the world… but this time, permanently.
All it took was a carefully written letter of resignation & a bold step into full-time entrepreneurship that completely changed my life.
In 2018, I landed my first collaboration with a 5-star hotel in Rome, started traveling full-time, and launched the 1st edition of The Travel Influencer Handbook
In 2019, The Wanderlover saw its first 5-figure month and landed a feature in Forbes while coaching people to move their businesses online during the pandemic
In 2020, The Wanderlover Podcast was born, and the community scaled to over 100K+ travelers, creatives, side hustlers, and entrepreneurs
In 2021, we opened doors to Momentum Mastermind, saw our first 5-figure week, and I launched my second business ANDA with my best friend
In 2022, we upgraded the Wanderlover Business Academy, hit multiple six-figures, and traveled through 10 countries
In 2023, we launched The Digital Nomad Society and I got married to the love of my life in England
All while working from the beaches of Hawai’i, Bali, Costa Rica, Brazil, and remote islands many people have never heard of
If I can do it, you can too.
I’m here to encourage you to step outside your comfort zone, create your own freedom through entrepreneurship, and design a life you’re obsessed with.
If you feel drawn to my message, please look around! You’ll find lots of helpful resources around mindset, online business, social media, and travel.
Your journey to freedom starts here. Are you ready?!