Hidden Gems: Meet Danielle Damrell of Danielle Damrell Creative Collective, Inc & Rise Leadership Collective

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Damrell.

Hi Danielle, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
If you ask me what I do, my answer can’t be summed up in one title. I’m a creative director, podcast host, nonprofit founder, and life story coach. At my core, I’m a bridge builder. I help women bridge the gap between who they are and who they’re becoming through creativity, leadership, and honest conversations about real life.

My path to this work hasn’t been linear. Growing up, my life was marked by instability and hardship, but also by a deep sense of curiosity and resilience. Creativity became my primary healing modality, my way of processing pain, finding meaning, and staying grounded through constant change. What started as a personal survival tool eventually became my purpose: helping others use their own stories as a foundation for growth, purpose, and impact.

I founded Danielle Damrell Creative Collective (DDCC) in 2017, first as a calligrapher and lettering artist, later evolving into a full-scale agency offering business strategy, graphic design, event coordination, and creative direction for authors, entrepreneurs, and organizations ready to communicate their message with clarity and authenticity. Most recently, DDCC has evolved to include life story coaching and book launch publicity services, helping authors and leaders share their experiences in ways that resonate deeply with the people they’re meant to reach.

As my work expanded and changed shape over the years, I began to notice a pattern. Many of the women I served were leading quietly behind the scenes, unsure how to step fully into their next level of influence, or being burned by coaches and service providers who were promising “financial freedom” and “one-size-fits-all” growth tactics that just left them feeling defeated and in more debt than when they started. That realization led to the birth of Rise Leadership Collective, a nonprofit focused on making leadership development accessible to women who are truly ready to rise up as leaders but may not have the finances to support their next step, or may be feeling burnt out and at the end of themselves.

Through Rise Leadership Collective, I’m building a movement that reimagines what leadership can look like for women today. It is truly collaborative, fighting against the constant comparison that plagues our world. It is inclusive, the kind that doesn’t just accept people’s differences but encourages them to share how those differences have shaped who they are. And it is deeply human, not AI-driven or hidden behind curated highlight reels. The organization focuses on helping women strengthen both their leadership capacity and personal well-being through access to growth opportunities, both online and in person, as well as free resources and encouragement.

From free pop-up events and creative development workshops to funding for further education, branding, mentorship, or therapy, Rise bridges the gap between potential and possibility. Every initiative is designed to create connection, build confidence, and empower women to lead from a place of wholeness, not burnout.

Because the truth is, we don’t just need more women in leadership. We need leaders who are equipped to rise with the right tools, self-awareness, and support systems in place. Leaders who understand that sustainable impact requires depth, not hustle. When we invest in developing those kinds of leaders, we create environments where impact outweighs image, collaboration replaces competition, and purpose finally aligns with calling.

Looking ahead, my vision for Rise includes expanding these programs nationally (and eventually worldwide), establishing a directory to help women-owned businesses connect and collaborate, and continuing to host spaces where leaders at every stage can learn, grow, and rise together.

Alongside Rise, I host the Created Worthy Podcast, a space where women are invited to share their life stories, no matter what season they’re in. Each conversation is honest, unfiltered, and rooted in the belief that sharing our lived experiences can spark healing, connection, and growth. Created Worthy reminds listeners that leadership doesn’t just happen on stages or in boardrooms. It begins in the quiet moments of reflection, courage, and choice. Through these stories, and through Creative Processing, which helps individuals use creativity as a tool to truly wake up and experience life, I continue my mission to help women see the worth in who they are and the strength in where they’ve been.

My journey is proof that leadership is less about titles and more about transformation. Through my creative work, Rise Leadership Collective, and the Created Worthy Podcast, I’m helping women rise with purpose, lead with authenticity, and turn their life stories into impact that lasts.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been a smooth road at all. Life and healing is anything but linear and my journey has definitely been full of detours, unexpected turns, and seasons that tested everything I thought I knew about myself and my work. I’ve walked through instability, burnout, health challenges, and moments where I had to start over completely. There were times I felt unseen, unheard, and unsure if what I was building was even making a difference.

Even just recently, I’ve walked through a really challenging season. In late 2024, I was in two back-to-back car accidents that resulted in a traumatic brain injury. It forced me to stop almost everything and focus on rest healing. For someone who’s used to leading, creating, and constantly moving forward, being forced to slow down felt impossible at first. But that season taught me more than any achievement ever could. I learned the value of rest, patience, and presence… I had to rebuild my capacity in a completely new way and learn to operate from a gentler, more sustainable rhythm.

Those experiences have reshaped the way I lead and create. They reminded me that leadership begins with alignment, not achievement, and that impact can’t come at the expense of well-being. I had to learn how to lead myself well before I could lead anyone else.

Rise Leadership Collective and the Created Worthy Podcast were both born out of those lessons. My mission now is to create spaces where women can rise through the hard parts, process what they’ve lived through, and build lives and leadership that actually feel whole.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Danielle Damrell Creative Collective, Inc & Rise Leadership Collective?
I currently lead two interconnected branches of work — Danielle Damrell Creative Collective (DDCC) and Rise Leadership Collective, which also includes the Created Worthy Podcast. Together, they represent the intersection of creativity, leadership development, and purpose-driven storytelling.

Danielle Damrell Creative Collective (DDCC)

DDCC is my creative studio and consulting brand. I founded it in 2017 as a lettering and design business, and over the years, it has grown into a full-scale creative agency. We specialize in brand strategy, graphic design, event coordination, life story coaching, and book launch publicity for authors, entrepreneurs, and organizations that want to communicate their message with clarity, authenticity, and impact.

What sets DDCC apart is our approach. I don’t believe in cookie-cutter marketing or one-size-fits-all branding. Every project begins with uncovering the heart behind the message, because strategy only works when it’s built on truth. I’m proud that DDCC has built a reputation for creating brands that feel deeply human, not just visually beautiful. From brand launches to book campaigns, we help people tell the stories that matter most.

Rise Leadership Collective

Rise Leadership Collective is a nonprofit organization I founded to make leadership development accessible to women who are ready to rise but may lack the financial resources or support systems to do it alone. We exist to help women strengthen both their leadership capacity and personal well-being through education, mentorship, and creative growth opportunities, both online and in person.

Our programs include free pop-up events, creative development workshops, and funding opportunities for further education, branding, therapy, or mentorship. Each initiative bridges the gap between potential and possibility, helping women lead from a place of wholeness, not burnout.

What makes Rise different is our focus on real, sustainable leadership, the kind that values people over performance. We believe that true leaders create environments where impact outweighs image, collaboration replaces competition, and purpose aligns with calling.

Looking ahead, we’re building a national network of programs, a business directory for women-owned brands, and expanding our partnerships to reach women in diverse industries and stages of leadership.

Created Worthy Podcast

Created Worthy is both a podcast and a movement that lives under the Rise umbrella. It’s a space where women are invited to share their life stories — no matter what season they’re in. Each conversation is raw, real, and rooted in the belief that every story holds power.

Through the Created Worthy Podcast and the practice of Creative Processing — a method I talk about often (that you’re likely already using) to help people use creativity as a tool for reflection and growth… we’re cultivating a community of women who are learning to process life through art, conversation, and connection.

Created Worthy is more than a podcast; it’s a bridge between creative expression and leadership development. It reminds women that leadership doesn’t start with a title or a platform — it starts with authenticity, courage, and the willingness to grow through what we’ve lived.

What I’m Most Proud Of:

What I’m most proud of is that each branch of my work — DDCC, Rise, and Created Worthy — reflects a shared heartbeat: helping women rise. Whether it’s through design, coaching, leadership development, or storytelling, everything I do is built around one core belief: your life story has purpose, and your impact begins when you embrace it.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Be open and ask for what you need. So many people struggle with finding mentors because they’re waiting for the right relationship to just happen, but clarity and courage go a long way. If you want a mentor, ask someone directly to be a mentor. Don’t go into friendships expecting them to fill that role. Friendships and mentorships can overlap, but they shouldn’t carry unspoken expectations. When you’re clear about what you need, it keeps both relationships healthy.

There are also incredible resources available if you know where to look. SCORE is an amazing organization with chapters all over the U.S. that connects you with a free business mentor based on your goals and industry. You can also ask your church, local MomCo group, or community organizations for recommendations, you might be surprised how many people are willing to pour into you once you simply ask.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that mentorship doesn’t have to be complicated. It starts with humility, honesty, and the willingness to learn from someone who’s a few steps ahead of you.

Pricing:

• Created Worthy Guest Participation: Free for guests by invitation or application
• Pop-Up Events & Workshops: Free to low-cost community events hosted across the U.S. and Canada
• Creative Direction Consultations: One-time strategy 3-4 hour sessions starting at $550
• Donations: Tax-deductible gifts can be made through our official giving form on riseleadershipcollective.org
• Brand & Design Projects: Tailored pricing based on project size and deliverables. Branding, websites, and design retainers available

Contact Info:

• Website: https://damrellcreativeco.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/danielledamrell | instagram.com/riseleadershipcollective | instagram.com/createdworthypodcast
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielledamrell/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@danielledamrell
• Other: https://riseleadershipcollective.org

Image Credits
Photographer – Mandy Liz – https://mandyliz.com/