About Daninailz
Dani is a Boston (Roxbury) based African American/Mexican American/Native American (Cochiti) Mother of three adults, “Mimi” to AvenClara, BeyHive Member, Manicurist, Entrepreneur, and the Owner and Operator of PopUp Mani by Dani, a Mobile Manicure Company (est. 2011).
Dani’s love for nails and first pursuit of entrepreneurship began at nine years old in Del Mar Terrace apartment complex in Phoenix, Arizona where Dani and another friend, would go around and offer for Dani to paint nails while her friend provided the nail polish, and they’d split the profit. As a teenager Dani kept a nail polish collection in a shoebox and would practice doing manicures and acrylic nails on her friends and family. Dani was a natural and her passion grew as she watched her mother Carmen Christiana, operate out of the Westin Copley Hotel as “Ten Great Tips” from 1991-1993. Fast forward to 2006 where Dani worked as a bank teller at Cambridge Savings Bank. Dani often got caught painting her own nails and offered to also paint her coworkers nails behind the teller line,so much so that her branch manager Cheryl Santee (And assistant manager Esmeralda) offered her the opportunity to come on her days off and polish the staff for hire! When the part time teller position closed and Dani was laid off in 2010, the new manager, Michelle Perez strongly encouraged Dani to take the time to pursue entrepreneurship and her passion for nails. It’s worth noting this support and the lessons from Cambridge Savings Bank’s then VP of Learning & Development aula Dickerman, on the art and importance of “dazzling” the customer and merging the business/human side of sales and service; these were pivotal stepping stones of Dani’s career.
Dani enrolled in the manicure course at Mansfield Beauty School in Quincy, Ma. in spring 2011, where she met her future colleague and hairstylist: Enamichelle. After graduation in August of 2011 things quickly took off and Dani’s Mani & Pedi was born immediately. Dani worked in hair salons, at events, made house calls and pampered friends and family. In 2013, Dani became a full time manicurist and beauty advisor at The Look Boutique Downtown Boston, where she worked alongside two colleagues turned longtime friends Sasha and Enamichelle. From the look boutique Dani went on to work at other salons 2015/2016 and while in between jobs in 2016, she changed the business name to PopUp Mani by Dani and started a nonprofit, “PopUp Mani For A Cause”, bringing nail care to many of Boston’s (and Miami) domestic violence and homeless shelters. In spring of 2017 Dani worked as a manicurist at a blow dry bar/nail salon in Boston’s Seaport where she met PopUp Mani by Dani’s future FIRST corporate client via Keri of famaPR!
In 2017 Dani made the leap into full time self employment!
From August 2017 to today Dani has acquired many corporate and retail clients who have offered her signature #DANICURE manicure services to staff as a company perk! In addition to her private clients, Dani has polished for WeWork, Pandora Jewelry, Complex, Mullen Lowe, Vh1, New York Fashion Week, Alex & Ani, Hubspot, United Way, Macy’s and more!
Besides serving clients, Dani has created other products and services to enhance the lives of others, inside and out: The “dani•isms” Affirmations and the “dani•isms” Relationships Edition Affirmations are decks of thought provoking quotes by Dani on pocket sized cards. The invigorating CocoaChoco Mint Sugar Scrubs are made by Dani with good vibes and organic ingredients. The DIY #DANICURE Mani/Pedi kits were borne out of the quarantine/lockdown when social distance prevented Dani from reaching clients. The kits are in branded mesh vanity bags that are filled with essentials for an at home mani/pedi. The SteppingStones Refresher and One on One Sessions for new nail technicians and other beauty professionals who are stepping into self employment for the first time. In your professional beauty career, knowing the basic essentials of where to start can turn stumbling blocks into SteppingStones! In fall of 2019 PopUp Mani by Dani served as an employment site for a high school aged intern through Madison Parrk Development Corporation’s AYEP (after school youth employment program). Summer 2021 PopUp Mani by Dani will again serve as an Instructor/Site for the MPDC SYEP/CPX (summer youth employment program/career path Xchange) teaching the basics in nail care and entrepreneurship to city teens.
The MANiCave at Bare is a 2021 stepping stone just in time for the 10 year anniversary of PopUp Mani by Dani! Bare Skin + Beauty is an independent service studio owned by Sasha, a longtime friend and colleague of Dani offering waxing, facials and manicure services. The MANiCave offers the same five star services, “The #DANICURE Way” in a premier destination, making its permanent home at Bare 7/7/2021
“The #DANICURE Way” is a standard of excellence born of passion, integrity, self awareness, accountability, commitment to improvement, professionalism, “dazzling”, giving back,and being a “stepping stone” in the success of others.
Dani’s love for nails and first pursuit of entrepreneurship began at nine years old in Del Mar Terrace apartment complex in Phoenix, Arizona where Dani and another friend, would go around and offer for Dani to paint nails while her friend provided the nail polish, and they’d split the profit. As a teenager Dani kept a nail polish collection in a shoebox and would practice doing manicures and acrylic nails on her friends and family. Dani was a natural and her passion grew as she watched her mother Carmen Christiana, operate out of the Westin Copley Hotel as “Ten Great Tips” from 1991-1993. Fast forward to 2006 where Dani worked as a bank teller at Cambridge Savings Bank. Dani often got caught painting her own nails and offered to also paint her coworkers nails behind the teller line,so much so that her branch manager Cheryl Santee (And assistant manager Esmeralda) offered her the opportunity to come on her days off and polish the staff for hire! When the part time teller position closed and Dani was laid off in 2010, the new manager, Michelle Perez strongly encouraged Dani to take the time to pursue entrepreneurship and her passion for nails. It’s worth noting this support and the lessons from Cambridge Savings Bank’s then VP of Learning & Development aula Dickerman, on the art and importance of “dazzling” the customer and merging the business/human side of sales and service; these were pivotal stepping stones of Dani’s career.
Dani enrolled in the manicure course at Mansfield Beauty School in Quincy, Ma. in spring 2011, where she met her future colleague and hairstylist: Enamichelle. After graduation in August of 2011 things quickly took off and Dani’s Mani & Pedi was born immediately. Dani worked in hair salons, at events, made house calls and pampered friends and family. In 2013, Dani became a full time manicurist and beauty advisor at The Look Boutique Downtown Boston, where she worked alongside two colleagues turned longtime friends Sasha and Enamichelle. From the look boutique Dani went on to work at other salons 2015/2016 and while in between jobs in 2016, she changed the business name to PopUp Mani by Dani and started a nonprofit, “PopUp Mani For A Cause”, bringing nail care to many of Boston’s (and Miami) domestic violence and homeless shelters. In spring of 2017 Dani worked as a manicurist at a blow dry bar/nail salon in Boston’s Seaport where she met PopUp Mani by Dani’s future FIRST corporate client via Keri of famaPR!
In 2017 Dani made the leap into full time self employment!
From August 2017 to today Dani has acquired many corporate and retail clients who have offered her signature #DANICURE manicure services to staff as a company perk! In addition to her private clients, Dani has polished for WeWork, Pandora Jewelry, Complex, Mullen Lowe, Vh1, New York Fashion Week, Alex & Ani, Hubspot, United Way, Macy’s and more!
Besides serving clients, Dani has created other products and services to enhance the lives of others, inside and out: The “dani•isms” Affirmations and the “dani•isms” Relationships Edition Affirmations are decks of thought provoking quotes by Dani on pocket sized cards. The invigorating CocoaChoco Mint Sugar Scrubs are made by Dani with good vibes and organic ingredients. The DIY #DANICURE Mani/Pedi kits were borne out of the quarantine/lockdown when social distance prevented Dani from reaching clients. The kits are in branded mesh vanity bags that are filled with essentials for an at home mani/pedi. The SteppingStones Refresher and One on One Sessions for new nail technicians and other beauty professionals who are stepping into self employment for the first time. In your professional beauty career, knowing the basic essentials of where to start can turn stumbling blocks into SteppingStones! In fall of 2019 PopUp Mani by Dani served as an employment site for a high school aged intern through Madison Parrk Development Corporation’s AYEP (after school youth employment program). Summer 2021 PopUp Mani by Dani will again serve as an Instructor/Site for the MPDC SYEP/CPX (summer youth employment program/career path Xchange) teaching the basics in nail care and entrepreneurship to city teens.
The MANiCave at Bare is a 2021 stepping stone just in time for the 10 year anniversary of PopUp Mani by Dani! Bare Skin + Beauty is an independent service studio owned by Sasha, a longtime friend and colleague of Dani offering waxing, facials and manicure services. The MANiCave offers the same five star services, “The #DANICURE Way” in a premier destination, making its permanent home at Bare 7/7/2021
“The #DANICURE Way” is a standard of excellence born of passion, integrity, self awareness, accountability, commitment to improvement, professionalism, “dazzling”, giving back,and being a “stepping stone” in the success of others.