We were lucky to catch up with Danielle DiBlasi recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Danielle, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
Imposter Syndrome is a challenge I deal with regularly. Even though I may push through the negative self-talk and doubts to achieve a goal, it can and usually does return. The best way I overcome it is to acknowledge it for what it is, and then ask myself a couple of questions like the following: Are my thoughts/fears valid? What could happen if I move forward or take this risk regardless of these fears? What could happen if I allow these insecurities to paralyze me and I don’t move forward? If I were giving advice to a friend in my shoes, about Imposter Syndrome, what would I say? After going through this exercise I move forward not based on the fear of what could go wrong, but yet with the optimism all of the potential positive outcomes of moving forward.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
The name Casa Figlia is an homage to my Italian roots and a nod to my role as a full-time caregiver of my father, as it translates to ‘house daughter,’ My role as a Stay at Home Daughter began in 2017 when I made the easy decision to take on the very challenging task of leaving my home to move in with my father and support him as he began to learn how to cope with brain damage that resulted from a rare form of brain cancer.
As a believer in hygge and its contribution to the overall wellness of mind, body and soul, I began making clean burning, toxin-free candles as a way to bring light, warmth, and joy to our home and look forward to sharing these soothing aromas with you and your family.
Prior to taking over my father’s care, my husband and I spent as much time as we could traveling the globe. With the role of a caregiver limiting our opportunities to travel together, the idea of the destination candle was born, bringing the essence and vibes of our favorite locations around the world to our home. Full of hometown pride and a desire to shine a light on the beauty and character of Baltimore and its people, our first candle in this line is the now extremely popular, Baltimore-themed, Charm City Candle. I also offer destination candles for the American Southwest (Desert Rose), Thailand (Land of Smiles) Charleston, SC (Holy City), West Virginia (Almost Heaven), and DC.
Casa Figlia candles evoke a sense of time and place with signature fragrances. The candles are vegan, cruelty-free, and toxin-free. They are made with only the best ingredients – from top-quality essential oils to sustainably sourced coco apricot crème wax.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I’d say that the three qualities that have been most helpful in my journey are resilience, grit and a sincere compassion and love for others. Without the resilience and grit it would have been easy to quit and succumb to fear of failure and rejection. They also gave me the motivation to keep trying new blends when designing a new candle scent, rather than quitting when I couldn’t get a fragrance that was perfect. My compassion and love for others drives me to ensure my candles are the best quality possible – non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, uniquely fragranced, priced fairly and packaged beautifully. I truly want to provide a product that will enhance someone’s life by lifting their ambiance in a healthy and beautiful way.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
The number one obstacle I’m currently facing is having enough bandwidth to be present at events and festivals to sell my candles in person, while balancing the responsibilities of being a caregiver for my father. I’m currently working on hiring to build out a team so that the Casa Figlia candle tent can be set up at more than one event at a time and so that I can pull back from some events personally and devote more time to my father.
If anyone is reading this is interested in this kind of role, please contact me, I’d love to hear from you!
Contact Info:
- Website: casafiglia.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/casa.figlia/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casafigliacandles/
Image Credits
Aly Johnson Kylie Perrotti
