Today’s I am a Twin Cities Family feature is all about Danielle Venticinque!
“I am a Saint Paul-based CEO/Momprenuer (Vaughn-6, Westyn-5), wife, health and wellness guru, actress, author, motivational speaker and national spokeswoman for Volkswagen.”
Outside of your role as a mom, what are you passionate about?
My passion is to empower women to overcome their hurdles, create balance in their lives, to level up and be the best version of themselves. Amid the 2020 pandemic and homeschooling, I slipped into a dark place of bad habits and toxic behaviors, consuming too much junk food, alcohol, and screen time (raise your hand if you can relate).
This was a stark contrast to the woman who just ran the Twin Cities marathon and was setting 2020 up to be my best, goal-crushing year yet with a strict 90-day goal challenge. However, that March, when the world abruptly shut down, so did I. By the time the songbirds returned, I loathed not only the state of the world but also the person I’d become. A lot was out of my control. However, I realized I could control my life balance and happiness.
I was determined to make a drastic change for myself and my loved ones. Most importantly, I wanted to be a better role model for my boys. So I identified 6 daily habits to better myself and restore my former confidence, self-love, and motivation.
What do you love about calling the Twin Cities home?
I’m originally from Michigan, and my husband is from Saint Paul. We met in Chicago and were still living there when we found out we were pregnant with our second son, Wes. Our hands and condo were already full. We needed our “village,” which was in Minnesota. So we packed up a Uhaul and moved north. We’ve been in Saint Paul for nearly six years, and I’m convinced Minnesota’s the best-kept secret, only I’m terrible at keeping it.
If we peeked in your purse right now, what would we find?
How do you prioritize friendships and connections with other women?
Most of my connections these days, post-pandemic, are still primarily digital and nurtured by sending funny memes or words of encouragement to one another, commenting on each other’s social media or blog posts, and the occasional phone call or FaceTime. I was also lucky enough to win the sister-in-law jackpot, and Sara is my local best friend (and best auntie). We’ve shared many adventures together and see one another often.
Being a mom is no easy task. How do you relax and take care of you?
What’s been your greatest joy in motherhood?
What have you found most challenging in your motherhood journey?
How do you hope your life influences and/or inspires other women?
Twin Cities Favorites
Date Night Restaurant: W. A. Frosts’ summer patio is pure magic.
Best place to hang out and have some fun: Can Can Wonderland
Local Boutique: Good Things
Local Coffee Shop: Ninas
Locally based online business: Thrive Betterments
