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

Alright, Jeannelle thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

I hope my legacy is one filled with acknowledgment of my desire to help others reach their goals. I have tried numerous of businesses from the time I was 10 years old, not knowing which one would grant me the most success but always enthusiastic about the process. The women in my family are traditional “go getters” and self sufficient. I’m very proud to be a part of this bloodline. As an entrepreneur, I’ve met many inspirational individuals who have looked up to me and hold me in the highest regard. At the same token, I have found inspiration in them as well. I want to be remembered as the young woman who provided a safe space for her community and allowed many to launch their creative ideas, release their frustrations and trauma, as well as pay it forward to their own communities. As an educator, I hope my legacy supersedes anything that I could have ever imagined. I’m hoping my students have gained independence and confidence to function in this world advocating for themselves and remembering just a piece of joy we have shared together.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a St. Lucian migrant who grew up in the Big Apple! I grew up in a time where there were many vacant buildings, walled graffiti, summer days were hot after-school sitting on front stoop and a cool down at the fire hydrant was a kid’s best hip thing. No tablets, no iPads. Where we rode bikes or roller bladed on the side walk and an ice-cream cone was just one dollar. We couldn’t wait for the annual block parties as it was a sure pass to BBQ and ride up and down the street. This image to be will be forever BROOKLYN!

My mother, aunt and grandmother are known for hosting elaborate gatherings for their friends and family. At times the guest list starting from 30 and somehow edging towards 100 attendees. As times became harder, the number of parties slowed up but there was always a demand for good cooked West Indian food, music and dominoes tournaments. My mother began to cater food at events which birthed a small business to provide for her family when necessary.

I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur but it took many years, failed business and disappointments until I found my niche. It has always been instilled in me to obtain a degree. However in offering transparency during this interview I will offer this advice. It is completely okay if you are unsure about your career path as long as you are spiritually aligned to receive the announcement of your gift to the universe when most high says you are ready. I received a AS in Criminal Justice and a BA in Justice Studies as I wanted to serve my community and combat the continual issue of recidivism in America. However, a few years after graduating, I went back to school to receive my Dual Masters in Education and I have been teaching students with special needs for nearly 10 years.

It is important to have many streams of income! In 2017, it seemed that weddings were on the rise and so was divorce. While chatting with my boyfriend an idea sparked to open a Wedding Venue. From there I was completely enthusiastic about the process of owning a venue. However, the initial process can be overwhelming. The more knowledge I obtained the less anxiety developed. Here we are 5 years later with a beautiful and intimate venue which is affordable, clean and tailored with immaculate customer service to our community. As I mentioned, continue to be spiritually aligned, open minded and flexible, especially in this industry. To date CSSK has housed “0” weddings, a handful of wedding receptions but over 1,000 special events such as baby showers, gender reveals, sip N paints, arts and crafts, dance classes, after school programs, certification courses, mental health awareness events, self defense classes, Educational workshops, community give aways, toy drives and most importantly a safe house to release and explore creative ideas.

It was after the impact of COVID I realized indeed the purpose has been fulfilled. I also realized once again the importance of having additional streams of income as we were closed for 6 months. In that time, I continued to teach students with special needs virtually and also began teaching SIP n Paint classes via Instagram. We celebrated birthdays and baby showers. We delivered paint kits all over the country and spread some joy during one of the darkest periods in the world. As the world began to open back up, people were hesitant, fearful. We helped break them out of their shells once again and offered the support we always have but this time in a more gentle an humanistic way. We wanted them to feel safe again!

There is a need in this community for an affordable space to host and share those priceless moments. Whether that be launching a business or celebrating an acheivement. For this journey I have been truly grateful. We have dedicated staff, family and ambassadors who LISTEN. What sets us apart from other businesses is that we are more than just an event venue. We are a temple of extraordinary ideas and a space for positive energy. A space where as soon as you enter, you connect with your vision. We offer support with each booking and prepare our clients to have a seamless experience.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

Funding a business without business credit can be difficult. I will admit that I was pretty hasty simply because I wanted to get started right away. I would recommend doing your research and figure out what could work best for you and get a ball park number as to the funds you would need to run a business and secure additional funds for at least the first 6 months. What would be your biggest expense that you would NEED to continue to operate the business regardless of it is doing well or in a slow period?

Building sufficient business credit can take 6 months to a year. I opted to use my personal credit to start my business just under 40k. My credit unions offered a very low interest rate and it was a great way to build my personal credit as a blue print for business credit. I also calculated my venue prices to scale profits to estimate how much money could go to repayment of the loan over the next 3 years. I also started paying off the loan a year before I obtained the event space as that process took a while longer expected.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

During the first 2 years business was great however I felt that we could do better and expand the brand. It was indeed time to pivot. Being an entrepreneur and working as a school teacher can be exhausting if you don’t commit to finding a balance. For a small business such as CSSBK many operations were maintained by myself or support when available. We hired a brand ambassador and also gave others in the community and opportunity to be more engaged with our events and its the best decision ever made. This additional support allowed the venue to reach other markets, keep ideas refreshed, offer flexibility and more time to focus on family and my mental health.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.csquarebk.com
• Instagram: CSSBK
• Facebook: Creative Square Studios BK
• Other: https://linktr.ee/CSSBK