Meet Danni Eickenhorst

We were lucky to catch up with Danni Eickenhorst recently and have shared our conversation below.

Danni , thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

I had a childhood full of significant challenges – a parent who was dealing with mental illness and trauma, which led to abuse and poverty. At age 15, I ran away from my mother’s home and started a new life in a new town with my father. I was determined to live a different life, to find my way. I’ve always been a person who has had goals and drive, but until that point I hadn’t been in a stable enough position to do much with that energy.

Living with my father, I learned from him how to approach life thoughtfully, how to overcome the trauma and how to build a life worth living. He taught me work ethic, and the importance of treating people fairly. He taught me the value of building a strong reputation in the community and the ways that would open the door – and he taught me to always seek out people who are smarter than me, because the people you surround yourself with can raise you up or really negatively impact your potential.

I owe a lot of my resilience, my business sense, and my success to the lessons my father taught me in those years with him.

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 am the CEO of HuSTL Hospitality and co-owner of Steve’s Hot Dogs, Steve’s Meltdown, and The Fountain restaurants.

My background is in non-profit marketing and community outreach work, and for that reason, the focus on community bleeds into everything I do. My personal “why” is to make the St. Louis region a better place to live, so I work to ensure that our restaurants are much more than a vehicle for personal profit – and are instead a tool for positive impact. All of our restaurants have a community-focused giveback program that aims to make the communities we’re in better for our having been there.

In a past life, I was able to live out my why and make an impact working at non-profits and in government. Today, as a business owner, I find I’m able to have a bigger impact on people and their lives. I work to build an environment where our employees have real growth opportunities, and to give them the opportunity to really build a life worth living in the hospitality field.

I also work with St. Louis government to advocate for restaurants and small business owners. I serve on the board of Midtown Alley Business Alliance and am working to help develop the Delmar Maker District.

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?

I’m a catalyst. Without meaning to, I find my building businesses, programs, relationships, communities and the people around me. I see growth paths and strategies clearly. Pairing this energy with hard work and a business degree has given me an uncanny ability to find success in a wide variety of industries. My siblings have this energy as well. I’m grateful for the genes that made it possible.

I’m a builder of people. I wasn’t always. As most people do, I started out as a terrible leader, made a ton of mistakes and ultimately found my way. The book “Multipliers” by Liz Wiseman was a great help in shifting my mindset. Now, I’m passionate about pouring my knowledge into those around me, looking for their strengths and putting them in a position to succeed. By doing this, we can do so much more together.

I’m a lifelong learner. I am continuously learning and always open to shifting my perspective. This has been of great benefit as we have navigated all that we have in saving and building businesses. I work to surround myself with people who are smarter than me, so that I can learn from them. If I’m ever the smartest person in the room, I start looking for another room.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

Our life is BIG – there is much to be overwhelmed by. The world is also full of things to be scared or worried about. It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed these days. Instead, I choose to be grateful, to be present and to look at what’s right in front of me rather than giving into fear. I have found that taking time to reset through meditation, exercise, reading, writing, playing music – is key for my wellbeing and non-negotiable.

I would recommend the books “Untethered Soul” and “Living Untethered” by Michael Singer for anyone struggling with overwhelm or anxiety. They really provided me with necessary perspective on the value of being present and navigating difficult times with grace.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Picture with Marcus in Black Shirts and Stadium Shot – by RJ Hartbeck
Head Shot and Fountain Photo by Kelsey Stevens

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