Laugh First, Build Trust, Change Minds w/ Danielle Thralow
What does it really take to live authentically?
For Danielle, the answer has been equal parts grit, reinvention, and courage. From farm life to the early days of internet business, from carrying $50,000 of debt to negotiating million-dollar deals, from hiding her truth to making people laugh on stage—her journey is nothing short of remarkable.
I first met Danielle as my neighbor, over a glass of wine and a lot of big questions. She was instantly someone I wanted to know more deeply. Her story is one of resilience and honesty—one that invites all of us to ask: what would it look like to choose authenticity, even when it costs you?
“Your needs can be different from your neighbors needs, which could be business related. Yours could be personal, yours could be your kids. Who the heck knows? But that's what we wanted to foster is that openness to be able to speak about whatever it is, whatever you might need.”
In this episode, we cover:
04:01 Growing up on a farm in Illinois: danger, freedom, and hard lessons
07:11 Launching a vintage clothing store, going into debt, and finding persistence
17:09 The first online sunglass sale and the magic of the early internet
29:01 Negotiating domain names and growing into a million-dollar business
44:33 Beginning her transition and navigating family, identity, and bravery
47:16 Finding comedy as a way to control the narrative and build trust
01:02:02 Leadership lessons: why diversity makes teams stronger
See Danielle live:
Danielle is always performing, and here’s where you can catch her soon:
November 8 – Headlining at Wussow’s, Duluth, MN
November 22 – Honest Dog Books, Bayfield, WI
Find her work, comedy, and upcoming shows at www.xaos.com.
Hey Heart and Soul Collective!
What does it take to build a life that feels like your own? Sometimes it looks like chasing opportunity, sometimes it looks like falling flat on your face, and sometimes it’s as simple—and as complicated—as choosing to live authentically.
Today, I had the joy of sitting down with my neighbor and friend, Danielle. We first met over wine and deep conversation, and I knew instantly she was someone special—someone who could ask hard questions, laugh easily, and live with a kind of fearlessness I deeply admire.
Her story is wild, brave, and layered. From growing up on a farm in Illinois to launching a sunglass empire on the early internet, from carrying $50,000 of debt at 18% interest to negotiating million-dollar deals in New York, and then stepping fully into her truth as a transgender woman and comedian—Danielle has lived more chapters than most of us could imagine.
And yet, the thread running through it all is simple: persistence, humor, and the courage to be real.
-----
All Heart & Soul's Details:
Website: https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/
Join the mastermind program: https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul
Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: @mariahmckechnie
Say hi to Monique on Instagram: @moniqueforcier
Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️