Meet Danica LeBlanc: Author & Entrepreneur

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

Hi Danica, as a parent, what have you done for you children that you feel has had the most significant impact?
Quitting is the most important thing I’ve done since becoming a parent. I quit comparing myself to other mothers. I quit holding other people’s expectations as my own. I quit working a job that I absolutely hated. I quit allowing space in my life for the things that don’t align with my passion. On the day my son was born, I realized that I wanted him to show up in this world unapologetically, and that meant I had to. 

What should our readers know about your business?
Passion for people is what sets me apart from others. Accolades do not drive me; recognition doesn’t make me want to wake up every morning. Knowing that I have impacted one person, just one, is enough to force me to wake up in my purpose every day. I am excited to share journaling with the world in a way that’s not intrusive or time-consuming. I love that I created something that is deeply self-reflective. We ask for love all the time but never say how we want it to feel, and the reason is that most times, we haven’t thoroughly thought about it. My journals provide easy to understand prompts that allow you to just take a minute and think about the small details of what you want this epic love you keep asking for to feel like. One of the most important values I hold is to enjoy everything I do. If I can’t find joy in my work, I can guarantee that the results aren’t worth anything. I am most proud of myself for sticking to my dreams and not allowing fear to hold me hostage. My business Love Journals Co. is literally a dream I had one night that I manifested into a reality. I love, love, and there is no better way to describe why I do what I do. Everything I’ve ever poured my energy into has been out of pure love and a desire to share that with whoever is willing to receive it. Often, we see business owners in the success and glory and want so bad to emulate that. However, we fail to take note of the sweat and countless tears that businesses are built upon. I call myself a serial entrepreneur. I have done everything ranging from a children’s boutique owner to timeshare seller to bakery owner, realtor, and business analyst. That’s just to name a few, and some I still do. I’ve been called a “Jack of all trades and a master of none” more times than I can count, but I always finish the quote, “oftentimes better than a master of none.” If anyone ever says this to you, always finish the quote. So yes, I’ve done it all and with absolute grace. Taking the advice of John Maxwell and failing forward is how I got to where I am today and not being afraid to start over. Every business I’ve ever had is the springboard I used to catapult me into the next phase of my development. When you start over, you’re not starting from the beginning; you’re starting even clearer, more intentional, and with even more tenacity than the last time. No matter how many times you fall, it is never too late to revisit, revise, and relaunch. I want the world to know, we often say that our biggest critics are ourselves, but sometimes that’s not true. Sometimes our worst critics are the people in our lives we trust with our dreams when we shouldn’t have. One day I have to go up to the top of Pikes Peak and scream this to anyone who will listen: those people aren’t your people; find your people. Find the people you don’t have to translate your soul to. Those people will be the ones holding their hand out when you’ve fallen. They’ll be the ones pushing you to the finish line. Society tells us to stick to one thing and just do it, but my soul says something different. My soul says to do it all and fill my memoir with love, heartache, fear, and adventure. My soul is eager to ensure my obituary tells a story of how I lived, unapologetically. My brand story will forever be, I believe I can, so I do.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My best friends came to visit me last year, only a month after I moved to Colorado Springs, so I have to admit I wasn’t the best tour guide then. When they come back, we are going to eat tacos at Luna Market in Colorado Springs. I’m definitely taking them to Welton St. Cafe and vegan restaurant Watercourse Foods in Denver. I wasn’t much of a craft beer drinker but, Novel Strand Brewing Company in Denver has such a solid vibe. Garden of the Gods is iconic in Colorado Springs. One day I found myself wanting to get away from the crowds and followed an incredible trail off the beaten path, I’m excited to share it with them. We’ll go to the Sand Dunes and rent sand sleds. Downtown Manitou Springs is my favorite Sunday afternoon outing. I love walking into all of the locally-owned shops and restaurants. Old Colorado City is really cute too. I love the outdoors, so we’ll spend most of our time basking in colorful Colorado, which means lots of hiking some of my favorite trails. If it’s warm, we’ll check out Paradise Cove Swimming Hole and the Pueblo Reservoir. One night we’ll go down to the shops at Stapleton and catch a comedy show.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
This might be a cliche, but I dedicate my shoutout to my best friend, loudest cheerleader, and lifelong supporter, my mother, Dagma LeBlanc-Pond. My mother showed me it was okay to be extra-ordinary. She gave me permission to take up space in any room I stepped in, even if I wasn’t confident that I belonged. My mother reminds me daily to trust myself and honor my purpose.

Website: https://lovejournalsco.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/lovejournalco
Facebook: facebook.com/lovejournalsco