Meet Daisy De Anda

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

Hi Daisy, 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.
It’s a question I’ve asked myself at every turning point; when I was a child on welfare, a teen mom balancing college textbooks with diapers, and an 18-year-old woman of color navigating corporate America with a baby girl on my hip and dreams in my heart.

My optimism isn’t something I stumbled upon, it’s something I clung to. It came from the pages of Danielle Steele and Jodi Picoult where I learned that women survive, rebuild, and rise. It came from Reader’s Digest and Chicken Soup for the Soul, where stories of perseverancia reminded me that hope is a muscle you build, not just a sentimiento you wait for.

It came from the adults who saw me before I saw myself. My godmother, Michele Salinas, who gifted me a laptop for college after learning I was pregnant, because she believed in my future. My high school teachers; Sid Lera, Karen Tilson, Peter Kalnin, Carol Sanchez; who refused to let me believe I was a statistic. They saw my fire and fanned it.

And most of all, it came from my madre, Josie Duarte. She immigrated from Mexico at age 20, without knowing the language and leaving her enimtire support system behind, and never once doubted our ability as women to persevere. Her strength is stitched into everything I do. She taught me that optimism isn’t naive; it’s revolutionary. It’s how we survive, how we lead, how we build legados.

I carry my optimism like a birthright and a torch, lit by those who came before me, and held high for those still finding their way.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m Daisy, and I’m so excited to share a bit about what I do with Dayz & Co. This isn’t just coaching firm for me, it’s a movement rooted in empowering Latina and first-gen voices to shine brightly and unapologetically. We serve first-gen, WOC & BIPOC students and professionals build anyrhing from their resume, professional brand and think strategically of where they are headed in their careers. What I love most is how we create spaces where people feel truly seen, heard, and brave enough to step into their power & voice with warmth and cultural pride. And not be afraid to ask for what they deserve.

One of the things that makes a comunidad special is to we blend creativity, storytelling, and community, building to uplift each other. As a co-founder of Blooming in the IE, we bring all this as comunidad rooted in celebration, connection, and collective growth, bringing together amazing women entrepenuers who share that same ganas and drive. This has helped me grow my business and my confidence as a baby entrepenuer.

Currently I am thrilled to offer our LinkedIn Academy Black Friday special, just $99 for a hands-on, 3-course DIY experience that helps folks build their professional brand online and takes the scaries out of showing up online. A huge thank you to the #LinkedInSisterhood for their feedback about what they’ve learned and the value of knowing this platform in such an easy, practical way. It means so much to me to see how modern tech tools and experiences are making a real difference.

I’m all about sharing our unique and authentic stories + creating and uplifting one another to help us all bloom in our profession & careers, Juntas!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, three qualities and skills have truly shaped my professional journey and made the biggest impact: knowing your network, communication skills, and mentorship.

1) Know your network. I always tell my 21-year-old daughter, and I’d tell anyone starting out fresh out of HS or College, not to be afraid to look in unexpected places. Don’t underestimate the power of networking. Start young, even in high school, and let those connections grow through college and beyond. The people you meet: professors, T.A.s, librarians, or even strangers at a coffee shop or on a train, can open doors you never imagined. Just last month, I made small talk in an elevator with someone who turned out to be an indie movie producer, and I got invited to a movie screening! If you feel a connection, add them on social media. Don’t have LinkedIn? Sign up after reading this article and start building your network. Networking is about forming, cultivating, and maintaining professional relationships that leave a lasting impression, one that makes people say, “I’d love to work with you!”

1) Communication skills are absolutely essential. In today’s modern world of AI and remote work, we share information in so many ways, emails, face-to-face, virtual meetings, chats. You can have all the technical skills in the world, but if you can’t clearly and confidently communicate your ideas, your value won’t shine through. I encourage you to practice articulating complex ideas simply and engaging confidently in professional settings. These skills build trust and respect, making you a valuable asset in any environment.

3) Mentorship has been a game-changer for me. The biggest turning points in my career came with the guidance of amazing mentors. For example, when I was considering making a career pivot, a seasoned mentor helped me navigate that transition; offering interview tips, negotiation advice, and onboarding strategies. Having mentors who believe in you and share their wisdom can make all the difference.

My advice? Start building your network-rolodex early on, invest in sharpening your communication, and seek out mentors who can guide you. These three areas will empower you to grow, adapt, and thrive in your professional journey.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Claro que si, I am always thrilled to collaborate with Universities (professors, student organizations and student career centers), local professional associations, non-profits and national and local career organizations to bring specialized workshops in professional branding strategy, resume building and career development to their students or members.

My mission is to continue to work with first-gen students and WOC and BIPOC communities. My work has involved partnering with universities (University of Connecticut & University of Northern Texas), student organizations (like UCR’s Lawtinx and the National Black Law Students Association), nonprofits (such as the Latino Education Advancement Foundation in San José), and professional associations (most recently worked with the Northern California Association of Law Librarians) to deliver hands-on, action-oriented workshops that help participants elevate their professional presence. If interested, I would love to share my speaker sheet and see how we can collaborate to bring a workshop to your community! You can email me at: [email protected].

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Kita Zuleta

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