Meet Danica Cossman | Creative designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danica Cossman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danica, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota. My dad was a self taught master mechanic from New York. And my mom was an artist from Wyoming. Both were very good at what they did. And both were very hospitable. So we always seemed to have out of town friends staying at our house. If we weren’t showing them the beauty of the Black Hills, we were making something creative with my mom or watching my dad work on a car.

Because I grew up with humble means, if I wanted something, but couldn’t afford it, I had to figure out how to make it. Though, at that time, it looked home-made! Ha!

My upbringing gave me both creativity and ingenuity. And a lot ot the things I have created are things that are unique to me, not found anywhere else, simply because I wanted something I couldn’t find on the market, so I created it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
By trade, I own my own business as a humble house cleaner. It was easy to get into the profession, but hard to find clients. So if I heard of someone who needed help with cleaning, I would offer my services in hopes that I would get a referral.

While I waited for cleaning referrals, I started an Etsy shop selling my home-made goods. At that time, I was making custom iPad holders that caught the eye of a networker in New York. Before I knew it, I was getting requests from people in Australia and Germany to have one of my iPad holders!

But then i moved to Colorado. And after a few years of making these custom iPad holders, I didn’t enjoy it anymore. I was in my basement making these items and not enjoying the outdoors, one if the reasons I moved to Colorado. So I finished up the last few orders in my queue and closed shop.

By the time I closed shop, the generous people of this beautiful state started putting their trust in me and I was getting lots of cleaning referrals. And cleaning takes less time than what I was doing for my Etsy shop and paying a whole lot more!

But then the COVID pandemic hit and I lost a lot of cleaning work. So at the recommendation of a friend, I opened up another Etsy shop under the name of Dani Dawn Designs. The name is a representation of all the things I am capable of making and the shop reflects that. But currently, I am offering affirmation, motivational, and travel magnet along with printables and greeting cards.

Now that it’s post pandemic, my cleaning business is thriving and Dani Dawn Designs is my hobby.

Through my humble career journey, I have found that working hard and remaining patient and positive will get me places in life. I really have no regrets.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This question is harder for me simply because there are so many wonderful things to do and see. So I will talk about where I live, Colorado Springs.

1. Garden of the God’s
It’s a must see as it’s known for its massive red rocks that stick straight out of the ground. And tourists come from all over the world to see this beautiful park.

2. Pikes Peak Hwy
It’s America’s most famous mountain and some of the most breathtaking scenery can be viewed on the way up to the top.

3. Manitou Incline
It is 2744 steps up with an elevation gain of 2000 feet in under one mile. And my favorite form of exercise!

4. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
It’s one of the top 10 zoos to visit in the US and is the only one built on the side of the mountain. I love feeding the giraffes which are not shy about getting a selfie with the visitors.

5. Helen Hunt Falls
It’s a 35 foot waterfall that cascades over the rocks in North Cheyenne Creek. It sits in a canyon with beautiful hiking spots.

We would eat at:
1. Edelweiss
Know for authentic German food.

2. Shugas
It’s a retro style restaurant known for its eclectic array of food and creative cocktails and coffee drinks.

3. Ivy Wild
It’s an old school that has been turned into a brewery and disterllery with restaurants.

And because I love paddle boarding, I would get my friend to try Firefly Yoga with me. It’s yoga on a paddle board on Quail Lake.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have so many amazing people in my life that this could be a really long shoutout, but I will limit it to the two people who have supported me the most…

My mom who always believes in me and supports me in whatever journey I decide to take.

And my good friend Sara Carrizal who created my logo for me and doesn’t let me quit when I feel like I am failing.

Website: www.danidawndesigns.com

Instagram: @danidawndesigns