Meet Daniel Mendoza

Hi Daniel, 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.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my story. Optimism is a quality I really got to know in my thirties, though I wish I would have embraced it much sooner. I was such a pessimist in my late teens and early twenties. I carried a huge chip on my shoulder and it held me back in a way, but it also gave me a greater appreciation for how far I’ve come.

Looking back at that period of my life I realize that my negative attitude was a result of my own fears. A fear of being different, of not being accepted, a fear of failure. These fears are a normal part of the human experience, but it has been such a relief to strip them of their power and build towards a healthier, positive mindset. I couldn’t imagine flourishing as a business owner or as a filmmaker with the old mindset. Both carry endless variables and challenges so being optimistic is critical to working towards solutions.

Having a positive mindset definitely requires a conscious effort so I am constantly working to stay positive and avoid slipping back into old habits. Surrounding myself with like-minded individuals has been key to that. Seeing the positive results of those efforts only motivates me to strive for even greater achievements, both personally and professionally.

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?
In many ways our company, Amoroma Productions, represents who I am as an individual. I’ve been building towards this moment my entire life and it feels good to provide a service that helps others connect with their audience. So much of my youth was spent searching for ways to express myself and connect with others so being that resource for individuals and brands is special to me. It has been amazing to see how much the company grown since I started it back in 2010. Not only is our team getting bigger but so are the opportunities we have been creating for ourselves.

We recently wrapped up principal filming for our feature length documentary about Arizona Wine. Since early 2022 we have been following some of the best winemakers in the state to tell the story of the growing wine industry here and some of the incredible figures behind it all. We are aiming to have the film completed and in front of audiences by the end of the year. This will be our third feature film and the second documentary highlighting Arizona.

Continuing to build awareness about Amoroma Productions and what we have to offer is always key to furthering the impact we seek to have in our community. There are a lot of great video production companies here so we work hard to find the right projects for us. There is plenty of work for all of us to strive so we don’t want to take every job, we want the jobs we feel are right for us. Being at a place in my own life where I have become comfortable with that is something I am grateful for.

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?
If I were to list the three things I feel have been most impactful on my journey they would be motivation, gratitude and a willingness to learn. As an entrepreneur, motivation is essential to work through the various challenges of running a business and if you manage to keep pushing on, great things will come. Finding gratitude, not only in moments of success but also in moments of failure shows great character and humility. I try to take nothing for granted because I know just how easily it can all slip away. My willingness to learn allows me to try to get better everyday and opens me up to new perspectives, both of which are crucial to not becoming stagnate in my career or in life.

I realized early on that while technical skills do matter, good social skills are equally important to succeed in a collaborative environment. Having the self-awareness to see what qualities or skills you are lacking in can empower you to work on those aspects. I would definitely encourage anyone early on in their journey to work just as hard on developing their social skills as the technical skills. When we are looking for new team members and collaborators, we place great emphasis on the social skills to maintain a positive environment for everyone.

How would you describe your ideal client?
I would describe our ideal client as someone passionate about what they do and who is open to creative collaboration. We love creative storytelling so being able to incorporate that into projects allows us to really showcase our strengths. Having worked in such a wide variety of industries what we really look for in a client is their desire to form a genuine connection with their audience. We love to collaborate with brands that don’t always play it safe and don’t seek to do what everyone else is doing. We want to help brands stand out, not fit in.

Another ideal client or partner for us would be creative agencies and digital marketing companies looking for a resource to help produce creative content. We believe we have a lot to offer and we love collaborating with other creatives to push the boundaries of what is possible in the world of digital content. Ultimately it comes down to understanding what someone’s goal is and where it is they want to be so that we can begin designing the roadmap to help get us there. While we strive to create results that make the greatest impact, we also believe that the journey to get there is just as special.