Daina Daniels - Adventuring Entrepreneur
“We believe that the great outdoors is a place for everyone to explore and discover, and we are dedicated to promoting adventure and equality in the outdoor space.”
-Daina with Adventurist Soap Co.
Our last few articles have been about hometown women arranging their schedules to make time for the things that they love - the things that bring them joy and make them feel alive. Today we’re starting a series that will focus on women who have chosen that same path of purpose and joy, but through the avenue of starting up their own business. If you have been sitting on the fence lately, wondering whether to change careers or convert your hobby, we hope you’ll be inspired by these very real women, choosing to live their best lives one strong business decision at a time.
This week, I’d like to introduce you to Daina Daniels. She is the founder and owner of Adventurist Soap Company, based out of Colorado. Daina is an outdoor adventurist who claims, “The mountains keep me here.” In March of 2020, she made the brave, intimidating choice to take her passion and hobby of crafting natural, energizing soaps into a business.
Daina started up with a 6’ table in her basement, a small online shop, and years of trial and error. Her own experience with eczema had drawn her to organic skin care, but her adventurous spirit took it in a direction the industry didn’t quite have. With her friends and family obliging as test subjects, she took ethically-sourced, plant-based ingredients and created scents that would take the user on a sensory ride. With adventure as her background and passion, she longed for anyone to feel transported while using these products, as well as know that they are helping to protect the planet while doing so.
I can tell you firsthand that these products are amazing! I use the bug spray regularly in the humid Wisconsin woods, and it’s the only bug spray I’ve ever used that doesn’t make me feel like I’m a walking chemical cloud. The lip balm, bar soap, and moisturizer are gentle on the skin and safe for me to use on my hiking adventures. (My favorite is the refreshing Wanderlust scent - lavender & jasmine? Yes, please!) Be sure to follow their Instagram feed for new scents and other reviews!
Having an amazing product or idea is one thing, we know. Putting it into practice and starting a business is a whole other monster. Daina spends a lot of time journaling her ideas in order to visualize her plans. She spent time bouncing ideas off those she trusted. She spent time crafting her purpose, her mission, her brand, and gaining inspiration from other soap makers. The key here is that Daina took the time needed to make what she was proud of. Starting a business isn’t a knee-jerk next step to one’s passions. But with time and intentionality, it can be the exact thing needed to get you out of your box.
Daina learned more about herself when starting this business than anything else. She recalls that beating her own self-doubt was her biggest hurdle. Surrounding herself with her tribe was key to getting the support and encouragement she needed when her brain went into “worst-case-scenario” mode. She also learned that she was stubborn. Rather than seeing failures as reasons to quit, she took them as spaces to learn. When recipes or scents didn’t come out quite right, she kept at it until she figured out the perfect blend.
For anyone toying with the idea of turning a hobby into a business, Daina reminds us that if it’s really your passion, keep going. “There will always be hard challenges and times when there seems no light at the end of the tunnel, but stick with it,” she says. More than even your craft or your hobby, Daina teaches, “You learn a lot about the person you are when you start your own business.”
And isn’t that what we’re doing, ladies? Working to craft a life to learn more about ourselves and our world? Whether you’re home raising littles, building a career, starting a business, or traveling the world, it all comes down to introspective moments meant to teach us about ourselves. When we stop and look at the life we’ve created, are we more gentle? Humble? Kind? Accepting? Inclusive? Generous? If not, what can we rearrange to give us the space to become those things?
Daina’s business mission is just this. Her website states that they are a business with the “belief that the great outdoors is a place for everyone to explore and discover, and we are dedicated to promoting adventure and equality in the outdoor space.” Her commitment to being a woman of integrity shows through in her business model and the sustainable, biodegradable product she’s worked to create. Daina has recently hired a few more people to help grow her business, and is always looking for more retail stores to break into. In the meantime, she will continue to produce amazing products with a heart for personal growth and a contagious spirit of adventure.
