We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Daniela Waterhouse a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Daniela, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I come from a long line of strong, independent women who grew up and made their way in a world that was much less open and accommodating to women–especially business women–than the one I live in. My grandmother was born in a tiny village in the very poor, rural interior of Northeastern Brazil. She married at 15 and lived in a mud and stick house that she and my grandfather built by hand. That’s where my mother was born when her mother was only 17. But in a world of challenges, my grandmother persevered. She found business opportunities as a middleman for household goods, basic staples, textiles, linens, and other items–she would scrape together whatever money she could, then travel a few hundred miles (on horseback and by bus) to a port city to buy as much as she could carry, and then resell it in her village. She also made sure that her daughter–my mother–got an education. My mother was also amazingly resilient. At the age of 6, she started commuting to school in the next village by horseback. As a teenager, she arranged to earn her keep at a residential high school by sweeping the floors and doing other jobs. My grandmother only barely ever learned to read and almost never traveled very far from the village she was born in, but she put not only my mother but also my two uncles on a path to make their own way in the world. My mother finished high school and then college and eventually became a successful saleswoman and entrepreneur. Those two women inspired me all the time I was growing up, and I carry their memory with me every day as a businesswoman myself.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
We specialize in bringing the sweet tastes and beautiful art of my home country Brazil to people in the United States. Our signature product is the “brigadeiro,” a particular kind of chocolate truffle that is Brazil’s most popular sweet. We handmake these delicious treats and offer them in gift boxes that can also include unique artwork and artisanal products from the Brazilian Northeast, where I’m from. By doing this, I’m not only sharing the culture but also helping to support artists and community organizations that keep traditional techniques and methods alive. The handicrafts and art that these people make allow them to support their communities in a very poor part of the world. At the same time, I am thrilled to be living up to our social mission of providing dignified work opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through a partnership with GiGi’s Playhouse, a non-profit achievement organization for people with Down syndrome and their families, I employ several wonderful people in the production and packaging of our brigadeiros.
This year, I have been very excited to open our Tasting Room in Morrisville, North Carolina, where we host group events (like “make your own brigadeiro” night!) and showcase beautiful artwork and artisanal crafts– from embroidered towels and table settings to hammocks and linens.
With the holidays quickly coming up, we are rolling out special seasonal brigadeiro flavors that make great gifts and can ship anywhere all over the country. Our new website, launching in November, is a perfect portal to allow us to meet everyone’s gift giving needs!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
First, I had a good sense of a market demand for corporate gifts. In my previous work in a photography studio, I was constantly looking for ways to say thank you to clients, referrals, and vendors, but had a hard time finding the perfect solution. My inspiration to create Moon Angel Sweets grew from a sense of that opportunity.
Second, I knew my product well and was willing and able to learn much, much more as I went. I grew up with brigadeiros in Brazil and knew some basic recipes, but I also knew I had a lot to learn about making them at a bigger scale with better and more refined ingredients. I traveled to Brazil to learn from other professionals and adapted my techniques.
Finally, I had experience in client relations–seeking out new clients, not being afraid of approaching people at meetings, and establishing networks–that I have been able to use to grow my business in my local area as well as nationally through our website. I think it’s important for new business people to make time to meet and talk to a wide range of people, join business organizations and communities, and do everything you can to get the word out there. And keep in touch with people you meet, thanking them for referring you to others. Maybe even send a box of chocolates!
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
My parents were the hardest working people I ever knew, with the possible exception of my grandparents. They taught me core values like resilience, honesty, and focus, but just as important, they always supported my goals and decisions even if they did not understand them. When I left Brazil to live abroad, most people thought that was crazy, but my parents knew I had to find my own path. I lost them too early, and everything I do now in my business as well as my family life is my way of honoring them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.moonangelsweets.com
- Instagram: @moonangelsweets
- Facebook: Moon Angel Sweets
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/daniela-waterhouse-7940817a
Image Credits
JACQUELINE REID PHOTOGRAPHY
