Meet our Featured DivaGirl for February,Danielle Wojnicki! Danielle is the founder and CEO of Epoch Events and Entertainment, LLC also referred to as E3. She has been a certified sommelier for the last 6 years. Her passion for wine has taken her all over the world to experience and enhance her education, which has led her to start a wine event company of her own. A self-proclaimed lover of the finer things in life, she is passionate about finding and delivering the best of the best, in every aspect of her life. Danielle loves sharing her knowledge and experiences with others and does so in an extraordinary way. Her passion for living life luxuriously comes through in her ability to bring an upscale touch to your event that you will not find anywhere else.
“Are your living, or are your just surviving?”
What is your definition of a leader?
My definition of a leader is someone who leads by example, isn’t afraid to get down and dirty to do the same work he/she expects others to do. A leader is someone who doesn’t bring problems to the table, someone who brings solutions.
If you can travel anywhere in the world, where would that be and why?
It would absolutely have to be Italy. I would love to take a few years and stay at different wineries learning every aspect of their culture and wine making. I plan on spending my retirement like this.
What do you do to get fit, have fun and feel sexy?
I enjoy doing Olympic weightlifting, CrossFit, HIIT training, and yoga. Fun for me is a night out where I get to spend time with my loved ones, whether it’s my girlfriends who I don’t always get to see or my husband. It’s all about atmosphere and company for me, what I’m actually doing isn’t that important. Sexy to me is confidence; it could be hanging out relaxing in a pair of sweats enjoying a movie or getting dressed to the nines and restaurant hopping to try new things.
What are your (3) staple outfits in your closet?
Skinny jeans, comfy sweater and ankle boots.
Black fitted dress pants, dress shirt and heels to match
Boyfriend jeans, gap t-shirt, long cotton cardigan sweater and sperrys
What is your definition of a Divagirl? How does being a DivaGirl make you feel empowered and inspired?
A Divagirl to me is a confident, empowered woman who is a go-getter, makes no excuses and is always willing to help others on their journey to success. I love the Divagirl community because it’s a place where you can be yourself you don’t have to worry about asking questions and feeling silly because we’ve all been in that place and its not about competition it’s about helping. That’s what empowers and inspires me about Divagirl, I feel like failure isn’t an option.
What are your three major accomplishments and why?
I’m going to be cheesy here and say my kids would be my first major accomplishment. They’re both teenagers, great grades and do well in sports. They’re respectful and maturing into responsible adults. You always worry and wonder if you’re parenting right and most of the time you think you’re getting it wrong, but then another adult compliments your child and says they’re so respectful or it’s always a pleasure to see or speak to them. That’s when you can sigh a sign of relief and say oh thank god. (LOL)
Would have to be learning to live outside of my comfort zone. I wasn’t always like that. I was habitual and stuck to what I knew and what I could control. I realized I wasn’t living I was only existing and missing out on so much! I was offered an opportunity a few years ago, which I dreaded, and felt like I was going to throw up everyday leading up to it. When the day came I was scared to death but just did it. I’m typing this right now so guess what, I survived and that changed everything for me. Since then I’ve kind of become addicted to the rush of jumping into the unknown and learning something new, not only about the experience but also about myself.
Wow, I want to say putting it all on the line and starting E3. I’m just starting out, but I’ve already taken this business further than I thought I would have, and even though some days I have no idea what I’m doing, I don’t give up. I generally hate being the center of attention, but I created a wine VLOG that I get so excited to record every week and it’s made me really find a way to bring my passion to everyone else. So, although it hasn’t been an “accomplishment” yet I’m in the front seat driving this wine wagon all the way to success!
Aside from your family and close friends, who are your other outside influencers and how have they changed you?
This one is a no brainer. I was fortunate enough to go to Ghana this past year with Divas Abroad. Yes, two months before the trip I jumped onboard with nine women I had never met before and a friend I hadn’t seen in 11 years to go to Africa. Talk about going out of your comfort zone!! I had no idea what to expect once we got there. But let me tell you what happened, I learned that failure is a made-up scenario that’s fed by our own doubt. The women we worked with in Ghana didn’t know failure, it wasn’t an option for them. They had to go out everyday and create a successful business to support their families. So, without the thought of failure and with no doubt whispering negative thoughts in their ears they were doing it, they were succeeding. Even if it was selling beans, or fabric they did it. The government was their only roadblock in most cases and in some cases that didn’t even stop them. They had a vision and a plan, and they plowed ahead to succeed. It made me think about myself and how many times I had a great idea and the next thought was “don’t be silly, you can’t do that” funny thing is I never had a good reason why I couldn’t do it, besides the fact that I said so. So, one night while in Ghana, I turned to Majet and said I’m going to start a business when we get back, and here I am.
If you can have dinner with someone from past, present, or future who would it be and why?
I would have dinner with my grandfather. We were very close when I was younger and lost contact as I got older, different family issues. He passed away and I never got to say goodbye. To sit down and have one more conversation, to hear his deep husky laugh and feel his scruffy pop-pop beard on my cheek would mean everything to me.
What has been challenging for you as an entrepreneur? How did you overcome it?
Prioritizing and time blocking have been a huge struggle for me. I still work a full-time job at night, so I lack sleep quite often. (As I’m typing this at 1 am) Being tired from work and still going home with a full days worth of business building work becomes a challenge. I’ve learned to listen to my body (and my mind) and when either one says not today, then I listen, put it all down and get back to it when my creative juices are flowing again.
What is the last book you read?
Bossing Up by Samantha Kris – If you haven’t read it, you’re missing out, seriously.
What is the ONE word that best describes you?
Loyal
Congratulations Danielle!! Your genuine passion and love for life is beautifully captured in your photo. You are an incredible and beautiful woman inside and out
Facebook – @Epocheventsandentertainment
Instagram – dkw_epochevents
Youtube – Epoch wine Adventures
WebSite – www.epochevents-entertainment.com
