Turning Setbacks Into Opportunities (Dani Felt)
Publicist and artist Dani Felt shares her journey from a successful music blog to building her own company, writing a book, and navigating both sides of the industry with a heavy focus on relationships, risk, and self-belief.
Key Takeaways:
Relationships are everything in both business and creativity
Getting fired or rejected can redirect you toward the right opportunity
Taking risks is often necessary to level up professionally and creatively
Having multiple skills and revenue streams creates more freedom as an artist
Tune out advice from people who are not where you want to be
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Transcript:
Michael: Dani, how are you?
Dani Felt: Hi, how are you, Mike?
Michael: I’m doing fantastic. Thank you so much for being on the show. I wanted to mention before we get started how much I appreciate you. You reached out to us and we had Ian and Danielle from Orphan Prodigy on recently, and that was through you. So I want to thank you for that, and also for coming on the show yourself.
As I was diving deeper into your background, I saw that you’d be an amazing guest because you’ve done so many things on both sides of the coin. I think you have a lot of insight into how the music industry works and for creatives in general. So first off, thank you.
Dani Felt: Yeah, absolutely. Thank you so much for inviting me. I’m so excited. And yeah, Orphan Prodigy, they’re amazing. They told me you’re one of their favorite podcasts they’ve ever done, so they were really happy, which makes me happy. It makes me look good as a publicist.
Michael: It’s like when the client’s happy, I’m happy, right?
Dani Felt: Exactly.
Michael: I want to start with this question. In the business that we’re in, and just in general, relationships are so important. I know that’s a broad topic, but what does that mean to you?
Dani Felt: Relationships are everything. When it comes to business and life in general, the reason I am where I am today is because of the relationships I’ve built over a really long time. Some are recent, some are older, but it’s all about building with the right team and people who are aligned with your vision and goals.
Michael: I know from experience that building a team is challenging. I want to give some context about you because you’re not just a publicist, you’re also an artist. And I think that’s important to highlight because a lot of people operate on one side, but you’ve experienced both.
Dani Felt: Yeah, I’ve been doing music since I was 13, going into studios. Technically I’ve been singing since I was a kid. But yeah, I definitely have experience on the artist side as well.
Michael: Did you always know you wanted to be in the music industry?
Dani Felt: Originally I just wanted to be an artist. Then in college, I started a compilation album to raise money for the Linda Creed Breast Cancer Foundation. That experience made me realize how rewarding it is to bring people together through music.
Linda Creed wrote “The Greatest Love of All” and worked with The Stylistics. She was my dad’s second cousin, so it meant a lot. That’s when I realized I could make an impact with music and that I was really good at connecting people.
Michael: That’s incredible. So how did you get started on the business side after that?
Dani Felt: It actually started through a college organization called MISA. I pitched the idea for a compilation album, and they basically told me, “Go run with it.” That was one of the first times I really practiced leadership.
It felt so good to make an impact. I’ve done several projects like that since, raising money and organizing events. It just feels good to use music to make a difference.
Michael: After that project, what was next?
Dani Felt: I found an internship in London at a music PR company. Honestly, I was really bad at it. They didn’t give much direction, and I have ADHD, so I need clear instructions. They ended up firing me, and I felt terrible.
But when I got back to the States, I started a blog. I messaged people on Facebook who went to Berklee, asked to feature them, created a WordPress site, and built it from there.
During that time, I also had this moment where I prayed for a sign, and I randomly met someone connected to a Stevie Wonder-related event. It just happened. That led to more connections, including someone who became a business partner.
Michael: Wow. So going back for a second, the person you mentioned connected to the Stevie Wonder event, how did that happen?
Dani Felt: He just showed up. I don’t even know how to explain it. I prayed for a sign, and then I connected with this guy on the street who was working on this event. It just happened.
Michael: That’s incredible. And this was in London?
Dani Felt: Yeah, in London. Same year as the internship.
Michael: That’s amazing. There’s definitely something to be said about being in the right environments, being around people in the industry you want to be in. Sometimes you just run into opportunities like that.
Dani Felt: Oh yeah, 100 percent. That happens to me a lot.
Michael: That’s why I love conferences and events. You never know who you’re going to meet or what connections will come from it. One relationship leads to another, and as your network grows, it almost feels like the world gets smaller.
Dani Felt: Oh yeah, for sure. And the longer you’re in the music or entrepreneur world, the less patience you have for people who aren’t aligned with where you’re trying to go. You don’t have to convince people your ideas are good. You just focus on the people you feel good around and trust.
Michael: Absolutely. So you launched the blog, met all these people, and even had someone want to partner with you right away. Sounds like everything was going great at first.
Dani Felt: It was, at first. There was a lot of momentum. But eventually, my business partner got really busy, and I ended up carrying most of the workload. I got frustrated and decided to buy the company from him for about a hundred dollars.
I was like, “Okay, I’m taking over now.”
Michael: Finding the right business partner is one of the hardest things you can do. It’s not just about skill sets, but communication, trust, and alignment. Even small issues can grow into bigger problems over time.
Dani Felt: Yeah, totally.
Michael: I’ve had similar experiences myself. Sometimes it’s no one’s fault, but life changes or communication gaps can really impact things. It’s tough.
Dani Felt: Now I prefer working with collaborators instead of traditional business partners. I work with people where we both benefit, but they don’t own part of my company. It gives me more freedom and less pressure.
I do have one business partner for my TV show, but that’s separate from my music company. That relationship works really well.
Michael: That makes sense. I’ve seen more people moving toward that collaborative model. Everyone has their own thing, and they come together for specific projects.
Dani Felt: Exactly. It’s just a better setup for me right now.
Michael: After the blog, you worked across different areas of the industry, including a music venue, a management company, and a record label. You really experienced a wide range of roles behind the scenes.
Dani Felt: Yeah, and I also worked for a music production company out of New York, mostly virtually. That helped me build my sales skills because I was handling inbound leads, answering calls, and managing campaigns.
Every position I had helped me build skills that I use today. At one point, I was helping find clients for a publicist, and I realized I was bringing in so many leads that I could just do it myself.
That’s how I got into PR. It’s all about relationships, and that’s what I’ve always focused on.
Michael: It really comes full circle. You built all these relationships and turned that into your own business.
Are you still doing music as well?
Dani Felt: Yes. I recently went to Nashville and recorded two songs. It was really fun.
One of the best parts of being an artist is turning your emotions into music. Whether someone makes you happy, sad, or angry, you can channel that into a song. It’s like, “Thank you for the heartbreak, now I’m going to make something great out of it.”
Michael: That’s amazing. So all these opportunities came from building your network over time?
Dani Felt: Oh yeah, definitely. I also used to run events in New York, like showcases and networking events. And honestly, I’ve built so many relationships through Facebook.
I’ll go to events in LA and meet people who say, “We’ve been friends on Facebook for years, but this is the first time we’ve met.”
Michael: That’s wild. Were you reaching out to them, or were they reaching out to you?
Dani Felt: Both. Sometimes I’d find people in Facebook groups, and if someone posted that they needed something, I’d message them right away.
Speed is really important in sales. If someone posts publicly, they could get hundreds of responses. You have to be quick.
That’s one of the advantages of working for yourself. You have the time to respond and follow up quickly, which you can’t always do in a traditional job.
Michael: I love that. And I assume once you left those jobs, you were able to focus entirely on your own business.
Dani Felt: Yeah. I remember when I quit my job at the music production company. I had just moved to Nashville, and my roommate told me, “You can make so much more money on your own. What are you doing?”
She literally told me to write the resignation letter right then. I wrote it, hit send, and immediately panicked. I was so nervous.
But it’s really rewarding when you take action toward something that scares you. That’s when you level up.
Michael: It is scary to lose that stability. That’s the biggest thing. But there’s risk on both sides. You could lose a job just as easily as you could lose a client.
Dani Felt: Exactly.
Michael: And at this point, you’ve built the experience, the network, and the resources to support yourself.
Dani Felt: Yeah, and I always say I “collect people.” I’ll go to events, meet someone, and think, “Okay, how can we work together?”
That’s what happened when I met Evan Stein, who does branding for artists. We had brunch, started working together, tested things with clients, and it just clicked.
It’s really important to test people first. I’ve worked with service providers who made my clients unhappy, and that reflects poorly on you. Sometimes you have to apologize or even give refunds.
But when you find the right people, it works. We even started speaking together at music colleges.
Michael: That’s awesome. So let’s talk about your book.
Dani Felt: Yes.
Michael: What inspired you to write it?
Dani Felt: This is actually my second book. My first one I co-wrote years ago with my old company. This new one came from a different place.
I felt like the world needed my message. I saw so many people struggling, feeling stuck, or wanting to give up on their dreams. I wanted to show that there’s a different way to think.
Originally, I had a version of the book that didn’t feel right. It sounded too robotic. So I found a new editor, and we rebuilt it.
It’s actually based on emails I wrote over the past couple of years. It’s very personal, like a “dear diary” style.
Michael: That’s really cool.
Dani Felt: The book is a self-help guide for creatives and entrepreneurs. It’s about stepping into your power, building confidence, learning how to network, valuing yourself, and building better relationships.
Each chapter focuses on a different topic, and it teaches through storytelling so people can learn from my experiences and avoid making the same mistakes.
Michael: They’ll just make new mistakes instead.
Dani Felt: Exactly. New mistakes, not the same ones.
Michael: What’s the title of the book?
Dani Felt: It’s called Becoming Unstoppable: The Playbook for Creatives and Entrepreneurs. It’s meant to be a guide to help people level up in their lives.
Michael: That’s awesome. Congratulations.
Dani Felt: Thank you.
Michael: You also launched a podcast. Was that to support the book?
Dani Felt: Kind of. I had started a podcast before, but I wanted a space to share short-form lessons in real time.
So now I do quick episodes, usually five to fifteen minutes, where I talk about something that happened and the lesson behind it.
It’s similar to the book in that it’s very personal and focused on growth.
Michael: What made you stick with audio instead of video?
Dani Felt: It’s just easier. I can record it, send it to my editor, and it’s done. Video takes more time and effort.
Michael: Yeah, we transitioned to video recently, and it took a lot of work. But it has helped with audience growth.
Dani Felt: Yeah, video definitely helps, but it’s a lot.
Michael: It is. People are also more critical with video than audio.
Dani Felt: Exactly. As long as audio sounds good, people are more forgiving.
Michael: You’re juggling a lot of projects. How do you balance everything?
Dani Felt: It’s all about timing and priorities. Right now, my main focus is promoting the book and getting new clients.
The podcast is lower priority. The book is my biggest focus because it opens new opportunities like speaking, workshops, and getting into schools.
I also keep my client roster small so I can give them proper attention. I don’t want clients to feel like just a number.
Michael: I respect that.
Dani Felt: Yeah. And some projects, like my TV show, are long-term. We’ve been developing it for years, but it doesn’t take up daily time. It’s more of a slow process.
Michael: That makes sense. You have things in the pipeline while focusing on what matters now.
Dani Felt: Exactly.
Michael: Anything else coming up?
Dani Felt: I’m planning to release one of my songs this summer. I’m deciding between two songs, one more emotional and one more upbeat.
And with the book, I want to get into schools, bookstores, and start doing workshops and speaking engagements. I want to position myself more as a leader, not just a service provider.
Michael: I feel the same way. That’s a big goal for me as well.
Dani Felt: Yeah, it’s about inspiring people and helping them grow.
Michael: That’s exactly why this podcast exists. If even one person hears something at the right moment and it changes their path, that’s everything.
Dani Felt: Absolutely. You never know who you’re going to impact. I’ve had people reach out after talks or after reading my book saying it changed their perspective or helped them keep going.
That’s the goal, to inspire people to take action.
Michael: That’s amazing.
All right, let’s wrap up with a few fun questions.
What was the first concert you ever went to?
Dani Felt: I think it was Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears. It was at a big outdoor venue, and we were all the way in the back on a hill.
Michael: That’s a great first concert.
Do you have any artists you’re listening to right now?
Dani Felt: I really like Sabrina Carpenter. I listen to a lot of female pop artists, but she’s the first one that comes to mind.
Michael: Nice. Last question, if you could give one piece of advice, what would it be?
Dani Felt: Tune out the people who tell you that you can’t do something, especially if they’re not where you want to be.
Their advice is based on their own experiences and limitations. You don’t have to take it as truth.
Follow your intuition, but also make sure you have a way to support yourself financially. Balance is important.
There are so many ways to make money now. There’s really no excuse not to pursue what you want.
Just tune out the noise.
Michael: That might be the title of the episode right there.
Dani Felt: I love that. Do it.
Michael: Dani, thank you so much for being on the show. I really appreciate it, and thank you for all your support and for connecting us with other guests.
Dani Felt: Absolutely. Thank you so much for supporting my artists and being part of the music ecosystem.
Michael: That means a lot. Thank you.
Dani Felt: Thank you.