We recently had the chance to connect with Danielle Demers and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Danielle, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Over the past 6 years of owning a business, having a slow morning makes all the difference in my productivity during the day. Instead of diving straight into work mode, I take time for myself by reading a book, enjoying my coffee or taking my dog for a walk without checking my emails. I start my work day at 9am and tackle admin and tedious tasks first such as content creation, marketing or improving our internal systems. It’s super satisfying to me to go through our inbox and own business tasks before focusing on more creative client work.
Afternoons look different depending on the day. Some days I’m on discovery calls with potential clients, other days I’m in full-on design mode working through brand and website design projects. We use Asana to track everything project wise and have a clear view of what needs to be done (and when) keeps me from feeling overwhelmed. This has been a game changer for managing multiple projects at once.
Ending work at a reasonable time is also important to me. I used to stay up way too late working but this made me constantly burnt out. Now I remind myself that whatever didn’t get done today can wait until tomorrow. I make sure to recharge and do things outside of work that make me happy like playing golf, working on puzzles, paint by numbers, playing video games or just relaxing on the couch watching home renovation shows. Having that perfect balance has made me a better business owner overall.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Danielle, the founder of Create with Danielle, a brand and website design studio based in Ontario, Canada. I work with small business owners to create strategic designs that help them grow their businesses.
My journey into this industry wasn’t really traditional. I didn’t go to design school or have years of experience under my belt. I left my job in 2019 because I just wanted to wake up excited about my work instead of dreading another day, so I decided to start a business with no clue what I was doing.
Since then, I’ve had the privilege of working with hundreds of businesses worldwide. What sets us apart is that we truly understand the entrepreneur’s journey because we’ve lived it ourselves. We know what it’s like to invest in your business and wonder if it’s the right move and we know the weight of those big decisions. That’s exactly why our approach goes beyond just creating pretty designs. We focus on building strategic websites that deliver real results and ROI for our clients.
Right now, I’m working on some really exciting projects for the new year including websites for a dental practice, a business coach, and a paediatrician. I also just launched a brand new website with a completely reimagined template shop experience! We’re planning to release several new templates next year to give business owners more affordable options for launching their first professional website. It’s been such a rewarding way to help entrepreneurs at different stages of their journey!
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I felt the most powerful when I decided to go full time with my business instead of returning to my part-time serving job after COVID hit.
When I first started Create with Danielle, I was serving tables part time because I was terrified to fully commit. I wanted that safety net and a steady pay check, even though deep down I knew it was holding me back from giving my business everything it needed to grow. I was temporarily let go once COVID began which was scary at the time, but it was the push I needed. When things started reopening and I had the opportunity to go back to my part-time choice, I had a choice to make.
I ended up choosing myself and my business. There’s something so powerful about betting on yourself like that! The fear of going full-time with your business is real but the moment I went all-in, I had the time and mental space to focus more on my clients, improve my processes, and build something sustainable for myself.
If you’re in that in-between stage right now, wondering if you should take the leap, just remember that the time and energy you gain from going full-time is absolutely worth it. It’s one of the most empowering decisions you’ll ever make.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
Imposter syndrome, hands down. Growing up, I always felt like I was supposed to follow a certain path. To go to university, get a degree then be miserable working at a desk. That’s what everyone around me was doing, and when I realized that wasn’t the path I wanted, I felt like something was wrong with me. Like maybe I wasn’t capable enough or smart enough to make it work without following this traditional route we were taught as children.
That fear of not being enough stuck with me for years. Even when I started my business, imposter syndrome was always making me question myself such as, how can anyone hire me with no degree or as much experience as other designers?
I’ve learned to quit that voice doing that tells you you’re not qualified or that you don’t belong. I’ve had to remind myself that my own path doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s to be valid. Starting from scratch is not a bad thing.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
AI tools aren’t going to replace good designers, and I don’t think they ever fully will.
Everyone’s talking about how AI is going to take over the design industry in a good way. Yes, it can pump out a logo or generate a website layout in seconds. But it can’t understand your specific audience, their behavior, and what actually makes them take action on your website.
Design isn’t just about making things look pretty, it’s about strategy. It’s understanding user experience and how someone navigates through your site based on your specific business goals and user behavior. After six years in this industry, we’ve studied user behavior inside and out. We know exactly where people look first, what makes them scroll, and what makes a brand stand out. It’s proven strategy that we apply to every single project.
I’ve seen so many business owners lately try AI tools, then come to use frustrated because their website looks fine but isn’t converting. But just because a website exists, doesn’t mean it’s working.
It’s great to use for strategic thinking, ideas, or brainstorming what sections to include on your site. Use it as a starting point, but you can’t let it fully dictate your entire brand and designs. Your brand identity and website is your biggest sales tool, and it deserves more than an AI-generated template.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When do you feel most at peace?
When I’m out on the golf course or spending time with my dog. Golf really clears my mind. Being outside in nature, the social aspect of it, and just focusing on something completely unrelated to work.
And my dog Mochi, as he’s the best anxiety reliever I could ask for. Whether we’re going for walks in the morning or just hanging out on the couch at the end of the day, he has this way of grounding me and reminding me to slow down and makes me feel most as peace.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://createwithdanielle.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/createwithdanielle/
Image Credits
Brand Photography:
Stacy from Lili Creative Design: https://lilicreativedesign.com/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
