Danielle Ontiveros: Staying True to Your Vision - a podcast by Leah Glover Hayes

Danielle Ontiveros had the mindset of an entrepreneur from a young age. As a 16-year-old, she created the recipe for a delicious and filling gluten-free protein bar. Though her Grab the Gold bars were a hit, Danielle’s entrepreneurial spirit generated “10 ideas a day” for other endeavors — she became a massage therapist for the New Orleans Saints, started an aromatherapy line and launched a cleaning business, all while making and selling her popular protein bars. It was only when she committed to “choosing one road and taking it” that she was able to lead her business to the next level. Today, Grab the Gold products have thousands of enthusiastic fans and are sold in more than 5,000 stores across the U.S.

 

In this episode Danielle tells us how Hurricane Katrina forced a dramatic turning point for her New Orleans-based business. After losing her home in the storm, she responded to offers of help and support from the Nashville area and moved to Franklin, Tennessee.  She recalls the deep emotional upheaval of that time and credits her mother’s encouragement with helping her get past “hopeless, helpless” feelings and get back in business. Danielle also shares her intuitive style of leadership, her focus on giving back to the community and her hopes for mentoring other women with entrepreneurial dreams. Above all, she says, her emphasis is on treating her employees and others with concern and respect. “Making a product — that’s a function, it’s a thing. But how you treat people … that is the essence of morality. It’s who you are.”