Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Daniela Sastriques. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Daniela, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Mission:

At Sra. Dani Classroom, my mission is to make learning Spanish fun, engaging, and accessible for children and their families. I believe that through interactive experiences, like coloring books, games, and stories, kids can immerse themselves in the language while enjoying the process. Our goal is to empower parents, even those who may not be fluent, to introduce Spanish to their children in a natural and joyful way.

What’s Behind the Mission:

The heart of Sra. Dani Classroom lies in my personal journey and the values my grandmother instilled in me. Growing up in Venezuela my grandmother,La Sra.Eva, a dedicated teacher, taught me that learning should always be fun and then you learn and remember and that teaching is an art. This belief shaped my mission to create resources that honor the love, care, and creativity that teachers, mothers, and grandmothers have poured into children like me. Every product I create is a tribute to those strong persons who play a vital role in their children’s language development. I strive to build a bridge between generations, making Spanish an easy and delightful part of daily life for bilingual families and beyond.

Daniela, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Daniela, but most people know me as Dani, and I’m the creator of Sra. Dani Classroom. I’m a Venezuelan woman how move to USA 13 years ago. I’m teacher, entrepreneur who’s passionate about making learning Spanish fun, accessible, and engaging for children and families. My journey into this industry stems from my personal experience as a bilingual person who wanted to pass on the beauty of the Spanish language to younger generations, but in a way that felt joyful and interactive rather than traditional or rigid.

My business focuses on creating interactive products that help kids naturally immerse themselves in Spanish. I design coloring books, stories, and games that aren’t just educational but are also packed with fun. For example the coloring book in Spanish with QR codes that link to videos where I guide the pronunciation of words, making it easier for children (and even their parents) to learn and practice Spanish together.

The heart of my business is problem-solving for families who may want to teach their kids Spanish but feel intimidated because they don’t fully master the language or don’t know where to start. I cater to first or second-generation Latino families who speak some Spanish but aren’t confident enough to teach it, as well as monolingual families who want to introduce a new language to their children.

What sets me apart is my commitment to making Spanish learning accessible through play and creativity. I blend education with fun, using coloring books and stories that engage children’s imagination while subtly teaching them vocabulary and language structure. Additionally, my work is deeply personal; it’s shaped by the love and values passed down to me by my grandmother, La señora Eva,who was a teacher and taught me that learning should always be enjoyable. I honor her and all the strong people who have been pivotal in their children’s language development through my products.

One of the things I’m most proud of is how Sra. Dani Classroom bridges generations. I design my books and activities not only for children but for families to enjoy together. It’s not just about learning words in a new language, but about creating shared experiences and memories through playful interaction with Spanish. This, for me, is the most rewarding part of my work.

If there’s one thing I want people to know about my brand, it’s that learning Spanish doesn’t have to be difficult or stressful—it can be a beautiful, creative process that bonds families. My mission is to empower parents, even those who aren’t confident with their own Spanish skills, to share the language with their kids in a way that’s both fun and meaningful.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

As a child, learning to read and write was extremely difficult for me because I have dyslexia and attention deficit disorder. I was so embarrassed that I made it to third grade without being able to read fluently, and no one knew. That changed one day when I went with my grandmother to her prayer group. I was asked to read a Bible verse out loud, and that’s when my grandmother realized I was struggling. She was so sweet and reassured me, saying, “You won’t finish this summer without knowing how to read fluently.”

That summer, she made learning fun. One of our games was reading the advertisements on the streets—everywhere we went became part of the lesson, though I didn’t even realize I was learning. By the end of the summer, I was reading, and this experience stayed with me for life. I discovered that the best way to learn is when you’re having fun and don’t even notice you’re learning.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

For ten years, I worked as a Spanish teacher and teaching assistant in various schools across the U.S., including private, public, and Montessori institutions. This role required countless hours, and with my husband being a doctor who also worked long hours, we wanted to start a family. However, children need time and attention, so I began to think about starting a business that would allow me to help many families while working from home.

A year ago, I made the difficult decision to leave my beloved position at a Montessori school. It was a heart-wrenching choice, but I needed to build a business that would be established by the time we moved and decided to have children. At first, I didn’t know where to start. I initially thought about growing a YouTube channel by reading other people’s books in Spanish. I reached out to book creators for permission, but none of them were interested. One of them even suggested I write my own books, and I loved the idea. I then discovered Amazon KDP and began learning how to publish books. I started creating books in Canva, managing a YouTube channel, and running an Instagram account—all on my own.

Now, I’ve published my first coloring book, and in a few weeks, my first storybook, *“Sol, un perro Body Parts,”* will be available on Amazon. This book teaches basic body parts and includes a QR code that links to a reading with me on youtube

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sra.daniclassroom?igsh=MTFvZXVxZHo5Mnc5bg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@sra.daniclassroom?si=Au0aZQ2q4F6-oUzl
• Other: Coloring book in Spanish: Libro para colorear y aprender español https://a.co/d/eTn7RiD

Image Credits

Daniela Sastriques
Eduardo Sastriques