Meet Dana Brandt

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dana Brandt. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dana below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Dana with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

That’s an easy one. It’s inherited. I have a extremely hardworking parents and siblings. We’re all entrepreneurs and business owners. Growing up, my parents worked their tails off running their business and trying to provide a great life for myself and my brothers. My grandfather kept working until he was in in his 90’s. So my work ethic is definitely in my blood.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m a venue developer, and the President of The Tampa Wedding Network. In case you haven’t noticed- wedding venues are popping up EVERYWHERE. Especially in rural areas around Tampa. I think when people want to get into venue ownership they think it’s a simple and easy way to make money, and weddings ARE so fun! However, they usually realize pretty quickly that it takes a full time commitment to promote, market, and manage a successful venue. That’s where I come in. I offer my services long term for owners who want permanent management and coordination, and short term for those that need coaching and guidance to get their businesses off the ground. There’s nothing more special than having someone trust you enough to lead the way and develop a brand new business for them! I love that I can develop a business for someone, and it will be rewarding personally and professionally for them, for years to come.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The three qualities I have that have have been most impactful for my journey are my ambition, my fortitude, and the fact that I care deeply about doing a great job for everyone I work with.
The ambition I have was forged in my past by being a very young wife and mother. My husband and I eloped at 18 and had our first son at 19. We had to hustle, and we wanted a great life for our children. Again, seeing my parents working hard to achieve success was embedded in my soul. I wanted to show that to OUR kids too. If you aren’t ambitious, you get complacent and your work will reflect that. I will always want to achieve more. Because “more” is always available if you work hard enough.

My fortitude comes from failing. Yep, failure. I’ve tried a lot of things and failed in my life. I have ideas that didn’t work, career paths that ultimately weren’t what I loved doing, and even just plain old mistakes. You know how a guitar player will get calluses on their fingers when they’re really good? Small (and big) failures alike will be the calluses that create the fortitude to be successful. It’s ok to get knocked down. You just have to keep getting back up, no matter what.

The third quality in myself that has been impactful for this journey has been how much I care. I take everything I do extremely personally, and there’s nothing more important to me than doing a good job for the people that count on me. It’s my fuel. My venue owners put their faith, trust, and livelihood in my hands. I am deeply aware of this, and it matters to me so much.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

Hands down, my husband of 28 years, James. He’s been my source of strength, my therapist, and cheerleader. I believe having a supportive partner is the key to success. I am lucky to have that. He believes in me when I don’t believe in myself. He also picks up the slack at home when I’m overwhelmed and busy. I appreciate that so much. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tampaweddingnetwork.org
• Instagram: @tampaweddingnetwork
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TampaWeddingNetwork

Image Credits

Heather B Studio Photography