Hi, I’m Danielle.
Originally from Upstate New York, I moved to Charlotte, NC, with a Master’s degree in Accounting in one hand and a five-year plan in the other. Two years into my professional career, my plan began to unravel, and I realized life is too short to spend every day unhappy at work. So against the advice of pretty much everyone, I left my great job at a great company in search of what comes after your five-year plan falls apart.
To reflect on what I was experiencing, I started writing. I wrote about my career change. I wrote about how to better yourself at work. I wrote because it was cathartic, and it just felt good. I followed that happy feeling through various roles and companies before it led me to a career in corporate communications and freelance writing.
Now, I’ve found my happy place sharing my expertise on work, money, and well-being with publications and helping businesses elevate their brand through meaningful and insightful content.
Some of my thoughts on…
Career
“My experience as a mother does not devalue my experience as an employee. I plan to continue adding value through my learned experiences as a working parent because I love being a mom, and I love being an employee. Most importantly, I love not having to choose between the two.” - Moms at Work: The Value of a Working Mom for Career Contessa
Money
“In five years, I went from debt-ridden and confused over my career to confidently living life on my terms and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Yes, my debt was suffocating at times, but while it had its not-so-subtle ways of reminding me it was still there (hello, $1,000 minimum payments), I eventually took control.” - How I Paid Off $67K Of Debt Without Putting My Life On Hold for The Financial Diet
Motherhood
“Then it hit me. It all felt so weird because I felt weird. For the first time in my life, my body was not my own. I was now sharing it with a teeny, tiny tenant and everything was changing. My body, my emotions, my life, all of it. It'd be stranger if I didn't feel weird about it all.” - Yes, I’m Pregnant and Showing, But Please Don't Comment on My Body for Motherly
Professional DevelopmenT
“The most influential thing I did for my career was to start writing. It started as a way to tell my story; to tell others that they had a friend in this sometimes messy and confusing professional world. I wanted to contribute to a space that I so desperately needed when I felt lost and confused. To offer comfort for others because I understand what it’s like to have others doubt my decisions, which led to me to doubting myself.” - I Made a Career 180—Here's What I Learned for Career Contessa
Interested in working together?
Please email me at hi@danielledoolen.com or click here to complete the contact form.