We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dani Tiscareno. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dani below.
Dani, appreciate you joining us 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.
Taking a risk. When you first start out on a business or artistic venture it feels like you are playing a game. Sometimes I would sit back with Barbie and just ask her, how is it possible that you and I are running these companies I still feel like this is isn’t “legit” . I remember the first time I felt like I was actually growing into the business when I first got offered to purchase another building for events in a different city. In Corpus Christi. From being a divorced mom with two children who had just quit my photography career to embark on a more profitable venture into running an event Center. When I got offered the building in Corpus Christi in all reality I had no credit to purchase half a million dollars. The lady insisted that she would owner finance because she was about to lose the property to foreclosure. If I could come up with the foreclosure money and a bit more we could do a wrap around. My boyfriend who is a real estate agent said it was a great deal and even though I was iffy about it he convinced me. I counted all my beans, as they say and decided to take a risk. Being young and inexperienced instead of going through an attorney we decided to write up the contract ourselves and go to a notary as they insisted this was the way to go. We gave them the money and we were on our way to expanding our business. 6 months in they come back and tell us that we have to buy the whole venue now because of an issue with their bank. Even though we were taking care of the mortgage payments. Somehow we were able to secure a loan and proceeded with them. At that point things were beginning to feel shady. They waited until a day after the contract expired giving us excuses why she was busy and then told us she wasn’t going to sell. This was one of the hardest and more nerve-wrecking experiences of my life. Feeling all the hurt and betrayal. In due time, I’ve come to see that all experiences in life are teachers. No matter how painful and that life has a way to balance itself out. While the whole process of Corpus Christi was happening I had another couple approach me with another venue. They were actually full owners of the hall and were getting too old to run the venue. They knew my father and our family and respected the work we did. They sold me the venue and owner financed it. The thing is for this one it felt different. It was an immediate yes versus the self doubt of the first deal I had gotten in Corpus. I learned that in business you need to trust your instinct and open up to what the world is telling you. Those old time sayings about if it’s too good to be true it probably is. My boyfriend ended up dealing with the Corpus Christi lady for 5 years even during covid managed to make it stay afloat. Even though those 5 years were dealt with pain and hard work and even our relationship on the brink of breaking due to the stress we have managed to come out the wiser. My boyfriend was able to use the experience dealing in corpus to secure a good legit loan and purchase another venue here locally and now we have 4 venues. With this harrowing experience It also showed me that I can overcome situations. This led me to give my hand a try to my biggest passion. Which is songwriting. Once again, once the idea has been planted the way has a way of opening doors. It started out with a joke. It’s a late night in December 2019. My friends obligate me to go out with them to a little bar here in town. There are two guys sitting in courtyard and we all strike a conversation. They ask me what I do, and in Jest I say I am a frustrated musician. Their faces light up and respond, WE ARE TOO! I smile and laugh. They ask me what type of music I listen to. Me thinking to carry on the music jest I respond with the most obscure artists I enjoy. Knowing well that they wouldn’t know them. This being a small town in Texas and the respective artists being a cultural group from the 70’s from the Andean mountains. When I say Inti-Illimani the guys EYES GROW WIDE and he uncovers his arm to reveal a tattoo with the same group on his FULL ARM. From there I say LETS START A BAND, still in jest but now on a WOW, type of conversation. Next thing you know, I have them in my studio full band telling me okay, now sing.. and not only sing but you have to create the songs! Having to put my money where my mouth is I start improving over their music, and not to bore you with very intricate details, flash forward May 2022 I am standing on a stage in the biggest fair of all of Mexico. ( Feria Nacional San Marcos ) with a full band backing me up singing my songs to a big audience. My voice has never been my strength. The first time I had to sing to someone my voice would quiver, and that’s because she was my singing coach. I had to take a risk and pursue what it is I love. Sometimes we take risks and fail but that doesn’t mean we don’t learn and that there aren’t greater things coming behind that. We just have to learn to roll with the punches to come out more agile and strong for what’s next.
Dani, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
A Mexican bilingual left handed immigrant. I think just a positive attitude will get you places. Really listening to people and being a problem solver is what drives business. In my line of work as an artist and entrepreneur it’s the creativity that fills in to expand. Sometimes people go into business with a lot of capital, resources, business school and then there are people like me who start with just making little things better. Small improvements. A paint can hear and there. Most importantly is really being fair and helping people out to fulfill their dreams and aspirations. When people come to us wanting an event we understand that their first aim is do it. They have this dream of what it needs to be but building it and piecing it together can seem like a daunting task. That’s why I offer an all inclusive package. They can come in a choose what they want and presto it will be done for them. We will clean up after them. It’s about problem solving. For the music, it’s about being able to tell stories that relate to the listener. Being able to capture feelings and emotions and molding them into sound. I am most proud of starting from the bottom. I am most proud of being a mother of two and deciding to share with the world my voice and my songs. At 37 not feeling like I am old and defeated but invigorated and worthy of sharing my creative force with the world.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
I think when we are judging things are either good or bad. At first before all this I wouldn’t even think of sharing my voice or a song with the world because of fear it was “BAD.” through my journey I’ve discovered is that its an expression. Good voice bad voice its just another type. For example, Bob Dylan, not the most melodic of voices , but man his writing. “[Verse 1]
“Darkness at the break of noon
Shadows even the silver spoon
The handmade blade, the child’s balloon
Eclipses both the sun and moon
To understand you know too soon
There is no sense in trying”
Had to give an example. That to me are the most beautiful crafted words. How art is perceived is an individual feeling. We will never be able to please everyone but there is always someone who will be pleased. Even if the person who is going to be pleased is the creator itself. That makes it a better world.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
I know this is going to sound not as conventional but one of the books that first impacted me was ..SINK REFLECTIONS – The fly lady chasing your life by shining your sink.. That book gave me one of the most important tools I use to this very day. Being a creative means I have SERIOUS ADD. I mean I want to do everything and anything that attracts my eye. She showed me that by setting timers to focus on tasks I can accomplish it all. For example. With my team, I say hey, I know this is hard, but let’s set a 15 minute timer and let’s get to work on it. just for that amount. That timer is the strongest tool I have with breaking mental barriors. Taking down mental fog and back into a state of energy and clarity.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.danitiscareno.com
- Instagram: danielatiscareno
- Facebook: facebook.com/deltastrada
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DaniTiscareno
Image Credits
Dani Tiscareno Bang Bang Studio