Meet Felina Dante

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Felina Dante a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Felina, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.

I’ve always been naturally disposed to sunshine and sparkles, but that doesn’t mean I’m immune to life’s challenges. Optimism is a choice. I’ve always been adventurous, but never described as a risk-taker. I thrive in routine and like most people, I’m a creature of habit. So to really break free from that cycle to maintain my joy was difficult. Happiness and optimism are neighbors, but not quite the same. Happiness is real time, happening right now. Optimism is hope for the future; confidence that everything will be successful. It’s always been easy for me to believe the best in the future, because even through the trials, I’ve learned lessons. Growing as a person and becoming a stronger version of myself is always a positive thing. Rain is always temporary, and afterwards flowers always bloom.

I spent my passion, my talent and my youth on managing a successful orthodontic practice. I was this company’s first employee, scouted as a bubbly teenager, and helped it grow to several locations, managing all the treatment coordination and was the financial and insurance director. I was working so hard in someone else’s name. I was reminded of that fact very aggressively, and I was being mistreated after giving nearly a decade of my life and loyalty to a place I helped grow and honestly, a place I was proud of and loved.

My ability to keep my joy I’ve worked so hard to maintain essentially was fight or flight. After fighting with all my might, I learned being brave is walking away, and being strong meant to take flight, and remove myself from the abusive environment. Once I jumped, I had to endure and work hard to prove to myself that I made the right decision. I reasoned with myself, “I’ve successfully helped start, manage, and grow a business before, why not do it again, and do it in my own name?” I knew if I truly had my own company, I could lead with kindness, I could follow my passion and help others realize they could, too!

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?

My name is Felina Dante. I live in Richmond, Virginia with my husband, Quinn. I own a consulting company called Ciao Dante Consulting I founded in April 2024, right in the middle of my two-week-notice from my old job.

Quitting was hard because there were so many good memories I’d try and use to counteract all the awful abuse to make it worth it to stay. And as much as I loved helping the community smile, the environment in which I was doing so was taking a toll on my health. My doctor even encouraged me to quit! As a pre-teen, I spent years in and out of the hospital, which helped me value many things. One, staying positive. If my happiness was based on circumstances beyond my control, like health, I’d never stay joyful. Two, resilience. Without trials, I’d never know how strong I was. And three, community. Nothing humbles an independent 12 year old faster than needing her family and friends to help her walk and eat. I learned how valuable my village was and that no matter what I chose to do in life, I could achieve because I had support.

So once my health started declining due to my abusive job environment, I knew it was time to go. I knew that I could stay positive, resilient and be supported in any change I made. And that any light I could share wasn’t limited to the walls of my old job.

Though I’m passionate about smiles, I don’t necessarily love teeth. My passion is positivity. It’s enjoying life. It’s living it to the fullest and not waiting for a special occasion to do so. That’s why I started Ciao Dante! I specialize in Italian Travel Services. A bucket list dream, or a once in a life time experience for many people is more attainable than you’d think. I help people in a way that transcends physical goods. A memory. An experience. An adventure. An heirloom story to tell generations to come. There’s always procrastination when it comes to enjoying life, especially since so many get stuck in a corporate rut, but you don’t have to wait until retirement, and I help people use all that well-deserved PTO to get to Italy. The land of my family, and the epitome of work-life balance. It’s a land where they value family, food and love over work, diets and burn out.

The Italians have a phrase “dolce far niente,” which means “the sweetness of doing nothing.” It means to savor the moment. It doesn’t glorify laziness but emphasizes the value of leisure and relaxation without any guilt. Americans don’t always know how to value that concept, as I was one of them, and admittedly, sometimes still am. I believe in this so much that I started Ciao Dante to help people live out this lifestyle and hopefully capture it long enough to take home and share with their village.

In addition to starting Ciao Dante last year, we also bought a villa in the heart of Tuscany. Its name is “Riley’s Place Tuscany”, and this goes hand in hand with my desire to help people appreciate the simple things in life by experiencing Italy for themselves. The villa is currently under renovations, and it will soon be open as an AirBnB to make it easier for me to help others make their way to Italy by having a place of our own to share.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Though I’m thankful for all the experience I gained from my old job for gaining qualities such as professionalism, communication, and assertiveness, especially as a recovering people-pleaser, the most important qualities to develop aren’t limited to corporate values.

Love, joy and peace. These qualities can be skills if used correctly. Remember, it’s all about people and connection. If there’s no love, nothing will last. Whatever you do, there needs to be love and passion. Warmth is a magnet to those buried in the cold snow of the harsh world. I’m a firm believer in positive vibes being more powerful than negative toxicity, despite what we see around us. You just have to find the right people, your village, to stabilize this glow. Joy is also a non-negotiable. Though I’m naturally disposed to this quality, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t take work. My husband and I have curated a balanced home life and haven to capture smiles and laughter. It takes effort to find joy, and also to keep joy. Lastly, peace. I’m very protective over my peace. I’ve learned that, essentially, there are only two choices in life. You either have control or you don’t. So if you have control, be wise. If you don’t have control, be at peace. And you’ll be shocked at how calming life gets when you only worry about what you can control. Life is so unpredictable, and people can be so fickle, and time moves so quickly. So my advice to anyone waiting for a “perfect time” or a catastrophic event to force them into taking the plunge like I did, I’d say just start. Start today. Start with something you love. Start with something that brings others joy. And start with people who bring you peace.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

Is it cliché to say my family? My husband has been a constant support from quitting my job, to starting this company, to prioritizing our love and spiritual health. My parents have always been my biggest cheerleaders in life. They’ve always motivated me to try new things, and make me feel there’s no mountain I can’t conquer. My friends are always there when I force them to be editors and proofreaders. My siblings always stand up for me when others don’t give me the benefit of the doubt. My aunt and uncle, who we’re renovating the villa with, have always inspired both me and my husband, and even found me a client before I even had an LLC or website to really motivate me to just start!

There’s an old quote “blood is thicker than water,” but after a quick Google search, you’ll learn the quote has been edited to fit modern narrative to basically say you’re limited in your family based on your blood line. The full quote is “the blood of the Christ is thicker than the water of the womb,” which means your spiritual family, or the family you choose, can be stronger than someone to whom you’re related; that the bonds formed through shared experiences and loyalty are stronger than familial ties. For the past 14 years, I’ve been a volunteer teacher, and of course I don’t make money that way, but I feel more rich doing that than anything else in my life. It’s my foundation. It where I find my joy and my people. I learn so much from my students, my family I make along the way, and my God. Any talent we may be naturally blessed with is a gift, and I always try to remember that and share it to help encourage anyone I may meet along my way!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ciaodanteconsulting.com
• Instagram: @ciaodanteconsulting
• Other: Villa IG: @rileysplacetuscany
  [email protected]

Image Credits

Myself