1. Daniel it’s a pleasure to have you with us. For those who don’t know, where are you from ? What was it like growing up there?
Hey Temi, thank you so much for having me. For those that don’t know, I’m originally from PG County, MD which is within the Washington DC Metropolitan area.
I actually loved my upbringing there. The DMV is fortunate enough to have all four seasons so it was amazing to experience hot summers to snowy winters. It’s also a melting pot of different cultures and I was blessed to have friends from all different types of backgrounds. I like to call people from the DMV a well balanced bunch since we have elements of that hustle grind nature from the Northeast but also mixed with some southern hospitality!
2. We hear you’re the dot connector. How did you get started in the entertainment business? As a kid did you imagine yourself being a successful business owner?
So funny enough, I kind of fell into the entertainment industry. I’ve always been a very social person, loving to meet all different kinds of people and never saying no to an invitation. So one day when I was 17, my older cousin (who was one of the top latin promoters in DC nightlife) asked me if I wanted to help him promote clubs. I didn’t know anything about it at the time but agreed because I could use a few extra bucks. He then brought me out to several poppin streets in DC and handed me a stack of flyers and told me to pass them out to everyone that walked past me lol. That was my first experience in the so-called “entertainment business”
Several years after promoting I started managing photographers which then led to me managing influencers and now I’m working with brands!
As a kid I definitely knew I was going to be successful but was so set on being a professional soccer player lol. If you told me that I would be working with some of the biggest creators and brands in the world, I would’ve definitely thought you were lying haha!
3. During COVID the entertainment world came to a halt. How did this affect your business & how has it been for you since things have opened back up?
So you’re definitely right. The traditional entertainment world came to a halt. All the shoots I was a part of came to a complete stop and people were so nervous to see if things were ever going to open back up. But interestingly enough, the creator economy exploded during that time. What I mean by that is, creators that were able to create their content on their own terms using their own equipment. I can’t think of another time in history when we were all forced to stay inside and either watch TV or whatever was on our phones. And that’s when Tiktok, Youtube, and many other platforms saw their biggest spikes in traffic ever!
So since that happened, I’ve actually shifted my business to support more of these types of creators/brands. I believe it to be the future and definitely covid-proof!
4. What’s some advice you’d give to the younger you?
Never give up. Stick with your gut. Keep trying any and everything. And be kind to everyone you come across. You’ll be surprised how far you’ll come along by just sticking to those four sentences kid!
5. What’s next for Daniel and New Edge Agency?
So for years I’ve been working closely with brands and helping them out on the influencer marketing front to help build up their brand awareness all the while driving sales. I’ve seen how effective it can be if done correctly. Now it’s my turn to start my own brand and see how far we can take this thing!
6. For those who don’t know , where can we find you online. Instagram/twitter/website
IG: @dans
Twitter: @dlsquared
Website: NewEdgeAgency.com
7. Tell us 3 things you’re looking to accomplish for 2023!
I want to find 3 companies that I can help scale to the next level. Either it be through capital, my resources, or my expertise. My one passion is helping individuals/brands reach their full potential. I always joke around and say that my favorite thing to do is to turn a medium-sized snowball into a huge snowball.
I want to do my first real estate flip. My cousins and I have been studying real estate investing for the past 4 years so I think next year will have tons of opportunities for us to come in and get our feet wet!
I also want to explore more of Asia. I’m half Cambodian, so that would be a dream to be able to visit my mother’s home country and soak up all that history. I also believe there would be nothing more fulfilling than if I could help and inspire the youth in Cambodia. I think there definitely needs to be more Cambodian entrepreneurs out there and I hope to set an example of someone that’s got it out the mud and made a name for himself!
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