We recently connected with Dani Fiondella and have shared our conversation below.

Dani, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

One of the biggest risks I have taken was during the height of the pandemic. In 2020, I was working at a production company full time but when Covid hit, there were so many unknowns in the entertainment industry as well as most industries. I chose to take the time and make myself more competitive for the career I wanted but when the world was unsure of what it was going to look like, this was a risk. I risked money, time and my career by starting my own company and going back to school again. These were massive financial risks but gave me a reset towards the career I wanted and self confidence in my abilities. In such an uncertain time, I really didn’t want to sit and wait. I took action in my own way.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My background is diverse which is one of the things I am most proud of as I truly believe putting yourself in new situations and not residing in comfort is what makes people grow, especially creatives.

I am a music supervisor, screenwriter, recording artist, filmmaker and author. Part of my journey has been academia which I didn’t originally plan. However, through finding unique programs that allowed me to expand my knowledge and explore my creativity, I found a great love in academia.

I attended Berklee College of Music for a Master in Music Business. Previously, I earned a Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting at Florida State University’s College of Motion Picture Arts where I gained experience on numerous short film sets. When running my company, these skills became the most important as they fueled my ability to connect with different creatives from filmmakers, artists, producers and more. This sense of community and collaboration is key and I’m passionate about it being the foothold of any project I am a part of.

Being a writer has always been my “in” on anything creative. It’s how I’ve thought of myself as an artist in every lane, music, film, and so on. As I continue writing, I find new interests and passions in my career. It’s a constant growth and exploration.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

This is a great question and so important. Often we are taught things and assume that we are to believe those teachings are for us. However, that’s not always the case. There are times when something isn’t the right path or way and through self reflection and awareness, it becomes part of a career journey to assess every intention and decision as it is best for us, individually.

Recently, I had to unlearn a part of my teaching that I honestly have no idea where I learned it from. For writers, some people think there is a specific way we are supposed to write or the best process for writing. I had a mentor tell me to stop overthinking the process and simply start on what I do best. I had to rework my process and remember what part of storytelling is my strength and focus on that instead of trying to start with areas that don’t come as naturally to me. It was a powerful reflection because our individual view and perspective is what makes each writer share their unique voice.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

There are numerous sources of inspiration and information. I think many people would agree anything Malcolm Gladwell is powerful. I also adore Yung Pueblo. Personally, for entrepreneurial thinking, I believe everyone should be aware of the current state of entertainment policy by checking out organizations that are involved in the legal side such as PROs, unions and agencies. This affects a lot of what we are able to do so being aware of the changes occurring in the industry makes you involved and proactive.

Another source that I’ve come across more recently is the work of Napoleon Hill. These are interesting books on the philosophy of success and how to rework your mind to encourage yourself and set intention. They are shorter reads with very intentional concepts. For creatives, so much comes from our mind and our passion. We have to foster that and honor its needs throughout the creative process.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thisisdmusic.com
• Instagram: @thisisdmusic
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dani-fiondella-97b32b85
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thisisdmusic5187
• Other: https://linktr.ee/thisisdmusic

  https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?M6Cn8ci14YlfJ4DBmeA5C2El6eEJQpblJRmWDhSxNpd

  https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IWid4Iww5CMJrsnMha7JM?si=8-OohZDFR9GQ5haQtfs3DA&dl_branch=1

Image Credits

Professional Images by Adrienne Bedora @ SouthernThreePhotography