The Bohemian: Dani's Story of Loss, Love & Building a Life That Matters

What if your purpose was hiding in the pieces of your pain?

In this deeply inspiring episode of Her Purpose, I sit down with Dani, the founder of The Bohemian and Feathers—two beautiful businesses born from creativity, courage, and an unshakable desire to live a life of meaning. From her early days crafting signs with a baby on her hip to building a storefront that now houses over 70 women-led brands, Dani shares her journey of stepping out of unfulfilling work and into a life that’s built on passion, community, and purpose.

But this story is about more than business. It’s about grief, healing, faith, and redefining what success really looks like. Dani opens up about the heartbreaking loss of her son, how it transformed the way she shows up in the world, and why she believes every person who walks through her doors deserves to feel seen, safe, and loved.

Whether you’re craving more purpose in your work, healing from your own trauma, or wondering if it’s too late to pivot, this episode will speak directly to your heart.

Because sometimes the most powerful businesses are built not just from a dream—but from a deep desire to help others feel less alone.

Keywords

Bohemian, Feathers, entrepreneurship, community, women empowerment, interior design, family, trauma, faith, small business

Takeaways

The Bohemian is a creative hub for local artists.
Dani transitioned from a government job to entrepreneurship.
Family and time freedom were key motivators for Dani.
Building community connections is essential for business success.
Dani emphasizes the importance of vulnerability in relationships.
Faith played a significant role in Dani's healing process.
Dani's family dynamics shaped her perspective on love and support.
Scaling back can lead to greater fulfillment and peace.
Dani encourages women to pursue their passions despite fears.
Shared experiences can foster deep connections and healing.

Summary

In this conversation, Dani shares her journey from a government job to becoming an entrepreneur with her businesses, The Bohemian and Feathers. She discusses the importance of community, vulnerability, and connection in her work, as well as the impact of family and faith on her life. Dani emphasizes the value of pursuing one's passions, the lessons learned from trauma, and the significance of creating a supportive environment for women and moms. Throughout the discussion, she highlights the importance of being present, building relationships, and finding fulfillment beyond financial success.

Chapters

00:00 The Bohemian and Feathers: A Creative Hub
03:03 From Government Job to Entrepreneurial Spirit
05:46 The Journey of Motherhood and Business
09:03 Building a Community and Following
11:58 Creating a Space for Connection
15:07 The Importance of Feeling Seen
18:06 Overcoming Personal Challenges
20:56 Family Dynamics and Love
23:53 Lessons from Life's Transitions
26:57 Finding Balance in Business and Life
30:50 The Grind of Entrepreneurship
32:00 Navigating Difficult Conversations
33:25 The Importance of Listening to Signs
36:15 Building Relationships in Business
37:07 Choosing Peace Over Profit
38:25 Encouragement for the Unfulfilled
40:50 Understanding Setbacks vs. Resistance
42:04 Finding Purpose Through Trauma
45:12 The Power of Vulnerability
49:20 Building Community Through Shared Experiences
51:03 The Value of Perseverance
53:2

Aligned & Ascending is an 8-week space where I help you get clear on your next step, your message, your offers—all of it—so you can stop second-guessing everything and actually build the purpose-driven business you’ve been thinking about.

So if you’re craving clarity and momentum—and a business that feels like you—DM me the word ALIGN on Instagram to get all the info.

Transcript

Dani (00:03)
⁓

Kindra Morse (00:04)
You seriously, it's so funny too. I feel like you sound, you laugh the same as Alicia. Like I hear you guys in each other so much. love it. It's so funny. I love it so much. ⁓ She's like, I just adore her. So present tense, you're running the Bohemian and Feathers. So talk just a little bit. The Bohemian, if you're not a Bohemian fan, you need to go check them out. It's the coolest store, but it's a different.

Dani (00:12)
We get that all the time.

Mm-hmm.

Kindra Morse (00:33)
structure of store that as far as like a home interior store. So talk just a little bit about what your business at the bohemian is and also feathers.

Dani (00:42)
So the Bohemian is, it's like a local Etsy is the best way to describe it. So we started the Bohemian and had a few other creatives with us. We house now over 70 different local artists who either remake, create, refinish furniture. It is literally a mix across the board of all of the things that we offer within our walls. ⁓

and it's furniture, home decor, gift, jewelry, anything you can think of. It is a place that we tried to create where anybody can walk through the doors and find something they love.

Kindra Morse (01:20)
It's so cohesive though. You would not know walking in that there's 70 vendors. It's not like a flea market. It's like a upper high scale designer store with amazing pieces. I love it. But it's ⁓ awesome that you've created this space for all kinds of people in the local area to have a business. then feathers. Yeah. And also in plants. There's so much in there. ⁓ Feathers. You with your business feathers.

Dani (01:41)
Well, thank you.

Kindra Morse (01:49)
just share a little bit about what you do with that business.

Dani (01:52)
So Feathers was kind of born off of the bohemian of being an outlet of, okay, we have some excess furniture, let's put it in a home to showcase what a piece can look like in somebody's home. Because it's so different when you see it in the store. Sometimes people have a hard time visualizing it in their home. And so we were like, let's stage a couple of houses. Well,

that just went over really well. And so we just slowly started, it was kind of on the back burner, because we were still trying to get the Bohemian going and able to run on its own. And once we did that, then we started Feathers and it has just taken off in the real estate market. So we stage homes, we do design, all the things.

Kindra Morse (02:41)
Would you say your time is spent 50-50 between the two businesses or primarily with Feathers?

Dani (02:49)
It depends. now rather than being in the store, I, there's always a saying, it's like working for, or how does it go? This is my, gonna be an edit part. But it's like the working for your business, like working on your business. I forget how it goes. But yeah, so I am typically,

Kindra Morse (03:03)
Fuck.

not in.

Dani (03:16)
behind the scenes of the bohemian. I go in before anybody gets there and do all of the paperwork, everything that needs to be done there, get it set for the week, and then I'm on feathers most of the time during the week. So I'm going out to the stages, going and meeting the agents, walking the homes, all of that.

Kindra Morse (03:35)
So your path did not lead you here directly. So going back to in high school or growing up, what did you think you wanted to be?

Dani (03:47)
To be honest, I'm not 100 % sure. Like I bopped around so much, I knew that I wanted to own my own business, but I didn't know what that meant or like where that would take me. My father owns his own business, so growing up I got to watch him be an entrepreneur and I liked the flexibility of him being able to go to everything for us. ⁓ So I knew I wanted that and I knew that it needed to be

in business, but not sure what it was. I didn't know what my passion was. I had no idea. And it wasn't until the Bohemian that I knew what it was.

Kindra Morse (04:25)
to you.

but you didn't know what it was. It's so interesting how an idea comes about and you start with one little step. Like you had no idea what it was actually going to become when you started, but going back, you were working in government. Talk just a little bit about what life was like before it is now.

Dani (04:52)
It was so much different. So I worked for a company that did government contracting. So we did a lot of the bidding for the government on supplies that they need for the military for any branch. It was a great position and great job, but so unfulfilling for me. I knew I was there for quite a while and I just knew that it wasn't right for me. And I ended up making a switch.

to another company that was a little bit more creative where I was a project manager and they flipped homes. And I think that's honestly when my spark happened of like, I really love this. And it opened the flood gates looking back now of I was the kid who rearranged their room all the time. Like.

I'm eight years old and I'm moving my dresser across my room because I need something fresh and new. I'm changing out the decor and I even dabbled in it in college. I took some interior design classes and I just didn't really then know what it was that I liked. And then in that position, you get to be creative because you're picking out all of these items for these homes and the fixtures and finishes. And I just really loved it, but.

It took away so much from me time-wise to be with my family and it just didn't feel right. But I knew that that creative spark was something that I wanted.

Kindra Morse (06:27)
Yeah, so talk a little bit about the life that you wanted to create with your family and what was that transition like to look at, okay, I wanna create a different work system. Like I wanna show up in the world and work, but I want to also have control over my time. What did you think in the very beginning was possible for you when you started to make that transition?

Dani (06:51)
So,

what really?

spiked it is my husband and I had a really hard time getting pregnant. And I knew that if it ever happened, like I didn't want to miss a thing. Like we wanted children so bad. And so we found out that we were pregnant with our daughter, Coley. And that was when I was like, you know what? I really got to start focusing on me and

what's gonna be best for our family. And that was when we had the conversation of like, there's gotta be something better and different. Like this isn't good, I'm spending so many hours. I mean, it wasn't a normal job. I worked my tail off and it was exhausting. And again, just so unfulfilling for what I wanted for my life and what I thought my purpose was. And so my husband and I,

went back and forth and we decided that we would make it work. Just take that leap of faith and I quit. And I've always been a crafter. It's really funny looking back now at the things that I created. And it started the Bohemian. I was making signs. That was my gig. I made signs and I got myself a small space in

actually Pine Street Market and that's where I started. I literally started from the ground up. We decided to rent a space and it was terrifying because we were so financially strapped. And I think the rent was like 150 a month and we were like, what are we gonna do? Like what happens if we can't make that rent and then we have like all of our other finances? So it's crazy to look back now.

it what we did because it our life is so different now you know ⁓ but that's what kind of like made us take that leap

Kindra Morse (09:03)
Yeah, and going from where it started to where it is now, that didn't unfold overnight either. you started, know at one point you launched a pop-up store, so you branched out from Pine Street Market. Was it within Pine Street Market that you had replaced the income or where you still didn't replace your income but had more time freedom? Where in...

Dani (09:11)
now.

Yeah, so it was, it was rough. It was really rough for the first bit. We were in the market for, I'm not even sure how long. It was probably like five months. Meanwhile, I have to mention this, I'm doing all of this with a baby on my hip. This is why I wanted to do this. I wanted to have my daughter with me. I didn't want to miss those first moments, her first walk, all of that.

I'm trying to build this business with a baby on my hip. No idea what I'm doing. I've never owned my own business. I am like stumbling and I mean stumbling hard. But I think what has made us successful is that honesty of it. And we got such a following there. These doors started to open and we started to notice it. And when you are open to

taking that leap and knowing that God has you and it's gonna be okay no matter what, you do it. And so across the street, one section of this strip mall that we're in currently opened up and we were like, how are we gonna do this? It's a completely different scale, now it's real. And so we did it.

We got a couple of people to go in the store with us and help pay the rents and.

Kindra Morse (11:01)
Because that

rent, that changed the rent from $150 to what? $2,000.

Dani (11:05)
a lot.

It spiked from 150 to I think our first one was like something like $1,200 a month, which is huge. I mean, the 150 itself was crazy for us. And then it jumps up to this other amount. And so we were like, let's find other creatives.

Kindra Morse (11:14)
Hmm.

Dani (11:29)
who wanna be a part of it and share the same vision and have the same morals and ethics of what we wanna do. And so we got a handful of people at that time. I think there was six of us in there and that's how we started.

Kindra Morse (11:45)
And the rest of

the rest of that building was that ⁓ did you see a future that was more in alignment with the stores that were in that building than what was in Pine Street Market?

Dani (11:58)
Yes, so...

to have a more elevated feel. ⁓ And I wanted to have control of that. I wanted to have a space that when you walked in felt like home and inspired people. And I feel like you can have restrictions with that when you're in a market where there can be anything that's being sold. I had in my mind what I

Kindra Morse (12:17)
And it does.

Dani (12:31)
wanted and we had to break free if that makes sense in order to do that.

Kindra Morse (12:37)
and take that risk, but also be the visionary that says, this is what I know we can create, but bring in partners to bridge the gap in making it financially feasible. I wanna ask a little bit about when you talk about building your following, were you doing a lot with social media at that time, or were you just building a following within the store and building connections and relationship? Because pine-strew market, you don't typically have the vendors in the spaces.

Dani (12:49)
Right, right.

No, you don't. And I was different and I needed this to succeed. And so I was there constantly. was vacuuming my space. Anything I could do to be there and present and meet people. We also did a ton of markets outside and some of the bigger ones that they have in the city, we would do those.

and anything that we weren't in physically, we would attend and meet people and say it again.

Kindra Morse (13:41)
which is super important.

which is different.

Dani (13:47)
Yeah, it is. It's a lot different. And so that helped in a big way with connections and our customer base. And we just.

Kindra Morse (14:01)
What drove you to see that as a way to build your brand more quickly and why did you do that when no one else, from my experience in Pine Street Market, I don't know that I've seen any of the other actual vendors within their areas.

Dani (14:01)
Did it.

Yeah, and it's not common. I mean, it really isn't. But those who do spend time, and I teach this in our store now. I think it's super important. People want a connection with what they're buying. They want to know the story. They want to know how it's made.

We're human. think a lot of people look at retail as this kind of robotic space of all of this stuff's created overseas or you lose the value in it. But in the Bohemian, you're purchasing from a mom who's trying to get her kid through gymnastics. You're purchasing from myself and my husband who put blood, sweat, and tears into every piece that they refinish and who are just trying to.

be an example for their kids. Everybody within our walls has a story and I think that's what's so beautiful and why we've been successful is we're human. And these products that we create is like our passion and love that we're sharing with the world and it's super vulnerable and it's super scary, but we're doing it.

Kindra Morse (15:18)
Hmm.

And

how many, how has it felt to be able to create that space for the mom who you know is just trying to get her kids into gymnastics?

Dani (15:42)
It's incredible. Our store is 90 % women, most of them being moms. And I think what's really beautiful about it is because that was me. Like I struggled so hard to get there and now I share a platform with all of these women to give them an opportunity that like I wanted to. And so we all have that in us of

sharing that we just want to do what we love and what we find ourselves passionate about and share it with the world and having a place where it can be appreciated and having the clients that come in and can appreciate it and see that and know that they're supporting.

Kindra Morse (16:31)
Mm-hmm. What it's I love so much that it's a blend of being creative and actually having an income because there's a lot of ways in the world you can be creative but not have an income tied to that. So creating this space where creative women can have an income. That's amazing. I just can imagine that feels very fulfilling.

Dani (16:45)
Right.

It does. It really does. And not only to have them, but also our customers. Like they have been incredible. The community that we've built in there is, I don't know, I just feel beyond blessed for all of the people that we've met and the stories and how we've been able to help families. I just really think it's incredible.

Kindra Morse (17:20)
Something that you said earlier is that you feel like everyone needs to feel seen and important. I think you maybe shared that with me separately. But why is that important to you?

Dani (17:37)
My whole life, it felt kind of like an outcast. I was the shy one who was always standoffish. And when I started the Bohemian, it forced me out of my comfort zone so much. And I think a lot of people think that I'm always this bubbly, out there person, but that's really hard for me. It's not typically.

who I am. You put me in a room with a bunch of people and I'm going to be the one that's up against the wall because I feel so uncomfortable and I don't know what to say and I'm still that little eight-year-old girl. ⁓ And so I wanted to have a space where everybody feels seen and loved and one of the things that we always hit on is when you walk through our doors I want you to leave happier than when you came in.

think that our family has gone through a lot of trauma and out of that, it's given me a different perspective on life and my purpose of what I want to present to the world and what I think my calling is from God. I truly feel like I'm here to make a difference in everybody's life by making people

and just trying to really understand and cope with people for things that they're going through. We have people who come through our doors just to come in and talk. And I know that sounds crazy because we're a retail location, but it happens all the time. We're their comfort zone. We're their place. We're their home away from home. And that's what I wanted to build because you matter.

Kindra Morse (19:21)
That's what I said.

and

Dani (19:32)
That's most

important thing. You matter in this world and you matter to us. And so I think that is, I love that the Bohemian has grown in the way that it has because it gave me a platform to do that and to spread what I think is important in the world.

Kindra Morse (19:52)
Did you know that you would feel that purpose, that you would have that as your purpose when you first started the Bohemian?

Dani (20:01)
No. Like I knew I've always cared about people in such a different way. I feel like I can really feel people's emotions and energy, but I never knew that it would be to the extent that it is and how I can really truly help people by having that.

I go into their homes countless times and I create a space where they can feel safe in their home, where they can feel happy, where they can feel relaxed. Like it's your sanctuary from the world. And I feel blessed that I'm able to do that in design and in the store. When you walk in, you're immediately greeted and welcomed. And I think that that's something that can really change people's lives. You never know. You could be walking down the street and you say hi to somebody and all of the sudden.

Their day is completely changed. You don't know what you just did for that one individual that can change not just today, but tomorrow and the next day.

Kindra Morse (21:06)
Yeah, absolutely. Was there a time in your life where someone did that for you? That someone brightened your day in the same kind of way?

Dani (21:18)
I that there have been times where it's happened and it felt so foreign to me like this person was nice to me and I didn't like that I had to have that feeling like that it was so odd that somebody was nice to me just a simple hello or you look beautiful today and I think that in recognizing that it changed a lot.

Kindra Morse (21:47)
Interesting. So growing up, did you feel invisible?

Dani (21:51)
I didn't feel invisible. I definitely, I have three older sisters, as you know, who are all extremely talented and beautiful and literally the greatest humans on earth. I have the greatest examples of good humans, of what to be, what to strive to be like. And so I don't think that I felt invisible, but I think that

Kindra Morse (22:02)
Wow.

Dani (22:21)
and being surrounded by so many amazing people could have been a little bit intimidating and that I would compare myself to them.

Kindra Morse (22:31)
Do they know that or would they be surprised to hear that?

Dani (22:37)
so they know how much I love them and look up to them.

Kindra Morse (22:39)
how much that you were intimidated or felt like maybe not as capable, although you were just as capable.

Dani (22:49)
they know that and I don't know if I've ever really like acknowledged that until now but I just think that they're amazing people and so

Kindra Morse (23:01)
They are amazing.

Yeah, absolutely. I love your family. I adore your family. It's so beautiful to see your family and your whole family. Like when you're talking about trauma, I'm thinking, okay, so what are you talking about there? Are you talking about in childhood? Are you talking about more recent? Because you have a very eclectic, not eclectic, that's not the right word, ⁓ dynamic family unit that not everybody,

Dani (23:26)
You can call it a picnic.

Kindra Morse (23:29)
It's something to be so proud of and for people to know how blended you're all aspects of your family after divorce, after a lot of different things that your whole family, ex-husbands, ex-wives, everybody can come together and to be in unity in such a beautiful way. I just, I really admire it.

Dani (23:32)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, it is amazing. It's funny trying to describe our family because we just love each other and it is really unconventional. I mean, it works for us and I think it works because we just want to spread love. And so it makes it easier to with all of us to be able to get together at special times of the year. I do think that some of it so.

For me, I had a different upbringing than some of them because my parents got divorced at a certain age and then I had to switch schools. I was 16 when it happened. And so...

Kindra Morse (24:34)
How do we know?

Dani (24:42)
They're all a little bit older than me. So they were out of the house by the time that all of that had happened. And I do think that that formed a lot of... ⁓

things in my life that were a bit difficult to get over, but it also set me up, I feel like, to where I am now. And so I'm appreciative of all of the things that I've had to go through. ⁓

Kindra Morse (25:10)
Like what was the

lesson that you learned? You don't have to get into the experience, but what was the takeaway lesson from those experiences?

Dani (25:20)
It made me grow a lot as an individual and human. I had to switch schools. So when you're 16 and you're a girl and you're having to switch schools, it forces you out of your comfort zone in so many ways. And I think that was just really hard, switching schools and having to go through all of that. Everything that you once knew was taken away from you. Like I didn't have that choice. That wasn't my choice.

And then trying to also explain that to your friends and having them understand was just not really a thing. So I think it just forced me out of my comfort zone in a lot of ways and it forced me to grow up a lot quicker. And I think that's also a good thing.

Kindra Morse (26:06)
As far as when you talk about how important it is, and I see this so clearly with your family, but how important it is to spread and share love with the world. Your family is so loving. Was there ever a time where that was missing or that you didn't feel like you were your family or you were living that way?

Dani (26:27)
I think every family.

has its own issues and like traumas. And I think one of the things that we all are really good at acknowledging is that, like we're all just trying our best and we're all healing from something. Like none of us are perfect and we've all been through things and we're all trying to figure out how to make it add up in our head and fix it. And so.

I've always felt the love in our family. It's always been that way. It took a little bit of time for people to heal on certain things, but long-term and end goal, I mean, we all just love each other and support one another.

Kindra Morse (27:14)
It's so beautiful. is it literally is something that I think a lot of people have no idea could exist in family dynamics.

Dani (27:22)
Yeah, a lot of people think we're crazy, for lack of a better word, but it just, works. And you know, when you spread love rather than hate, so much comes of it.

Kindra Morse (27:35)
Now as far as the the Bohemian and the future plans and what you've created already, do you have a bigger vision or do you feel ⁓ my gosh, this is like the life it's I want it's exactly where I want it to be.

Dani (27:55)
I'm so happy where I'm at right now. ⁓ We have, we expanded and we opened a store up north because I thought that that's what I wanted. was like, bigger is better and I'm gonna work so hard and do all of these things. And it was great and it was beautiful. But it made me realize bigger isn't always better. Like.

I don't need that. I don't need more stresses. The whole reason why we opened this is so that I could spend more time with my family. And I think I kind of lost sight in that and it took away from that. And the moment that I realized that, I was like, I can't do this. I need to just scale back down and just have the store and have feathers. And that's enough.

Kindra Morse (28:40)
Now what, that's huge. I think that is such a huge awareness to realize what is most important. some of it, balance is kind of an elusive thing you think you can find, but always are, you can have it in certain ways, but I feel like it's always kind of a balancing act. But thinking that you need something in your life and then going and finding, that's not actually where I'm going to feel more fulfilled.

That's a huge awareness. So was there something that happened that opened your eyes to that? Or was it just, it just didn't feel right to have so much going on all the time.

Dani (29:19)
I think it just was that it didn't feel right.

I started having more anxiety over things that I shouldn't have anxiety over. And there was just always this like pit in my stomach. And that I just, you know, when you listen to your gut instincts, you just know that you need to follow it. And so it was hard. It was so hard. I cried so much because we put everything into it, literally everything.

and to admit that my husband would not say this, but like I feel like I failed on it and that's okay. And so.

I did what was right for me and my family, even though it felt terrible to let it go.

Kindra Morse (30:17)
Mm-hmm. I can totally understand that. I think that's so important for women to hear that there's a difference between this feels hard, but I need to push through, and this feels hard, and I'm feeling a whisper of this is not the right, like you're hitting resistance. Maybe speak to the difference, because you had hard when you launched, when you started Bohemian, you've had hard. So what's the difference?

Dani (30:29)
Mm-hmm.

yeah!

It's a good question.

think when we started the Bohemian, there was so much grind. And I mean, every day when you own your own business, as you know, it's hard. It's not easy and it's not for the faint of heart. So I already knew what the grind felt like because we got from here to here.

but there was just something off. I didn't feel that spark anymore that I wanted. And if I didn't feel that spark anymore, I'm not doing my customers what my purpose is. Know what I mean? And so for me, I think that was honestly the biggest difference is I already know how to work hard and how to do that.

working hard and not having the right feeling is completely different.

Kindra Morse (31:50)
Was that a hard conversation to have with your husband or was he on board right out of the gate? Like this isn't feeling right for him either.

Dani (32:00)
I think it was a really hard conversation. I feel like when you are scaling down, there's just this seed that you feel like you failed. When the reality is you didn't fail, but you are doing something that is right and can raise something else up. So rather than putting my energy into this, I'm shifting and I'm putting it into this, which is.

made things so much more fruitful in other areas of our life.

Kindra Morse (32:31)
How long did it take you to see that, really own, I guess not own, but really feel that peace and that was the right decision? Was it right away or was it weeks or months?

Dani (32:45)
think that there was a time leading up to it that was just like...

We kept trying and trying so hard to make it work and kind of forcing it in a way. But again, listening to like things coming up and our lease was ending. And that felt like for me a sign, cause I'd been praying on it and praying on it. And I'm like, I need an answer. I don't want to make this decision. This is terrible. Just do it for me. So I'd been praying on it.

Kindra Morse (33:21)
We all want that. We

want that to happen for us. We want everything to happen for us.

Dani (33:25)
Exactly! And it was like, that's not how it works. You have to make a decision and you have to stick with it and follow through. And so we made that decision and we, when our lease ended, rather than renewing, we decided to just let it go and let it be. And I think what was so hard for me personally was having to tell the artists that we're up there.

Kindra Morse (33:53)
you

Dani (33:55)
It was nice because we could transition them to the Valley location. But I also, I hold so much for those who are in our store. I feel responsible for so many areas of their life. Like it's a heavy thing to carry. Like their success is on me. And it's a shared thing. It's not like it's their business and their business is within our business, but.

Kindra Morse (34:16)
right?

Dani (34:24)
I want them to excel and I want them to succeed. And so that was really difficult having to end that chapter for a few people. And we gave them the option to come to the Valley or other outlets to help, but that was really hard, honestly.

Kindra Morse (34:40)
I can imagine because you do, have so much, I don't wanna say responsibility for their success, but you're giving them the vehicle to create success. you, even though you're not truly responsible, you're pulling for them and you want them to have the success that you've had and to be able to create the options that you've created. And so feeling like you still have them, but they don't, I could totally understand. ⁓ As far as, so did some of them,

moved to the valley or did they all

Dani (35:11)
Yeah, most

everybody moved to the Valley location, but there were a few that weren't able to, but they found a different avenue and are doing great. And I'm still in contact with them. And so that made me feel good knowing that this wasn't like their ending point, but maybe a new beginning point for them.

Kindra Morse (35:34)
Do you feel that you were not in that store location, the Northside store location as much? And I don't know if this is true or not. Maybe you were just as much as the Bohemian. relation, every business is really connected to the relationships you have with your customers, with your clients, with your store, ⁓ the people that are in your store. The relationships are everything. And so when you spread yourself to two locations like that,

Dani (35:53)
Mm-hmm.

Kindra Morse (36:04)
Do you feel that you weren't able to build those relationships with the community up north like you were in the valley?

Dani (36:15)
say yes. Like we already had a lot of poll from the north side who would come to the valley to see us but

Kindra Morse (36:22)
Mmm.

Dani (36:25)
think what is one of the things with the bohemian is I have those connections in relationships. And so when I'm not in a store, I'll get a text from a customer and they're like, hey, weren't here today. I'm so sad I missed you. And I'm like, ⁓ I know, I just missed you. I'm up north or, you know? And I do think that that makes a huge difference and it affects things. And so it was really hard being pulled in two locations at once and.

Yeah, I think that does affect a lot of things.

Kindra Morse (36:56)
And speak to the, I don't want to say the value, but the value of peace over income or profits.

Dani (37:07)
my gosh. This was a hard lesson.

People always think that there's different perceptions of what successful is, right? You know, and I value that. I think that's great. For me, my time with my family is the most valuable thing in the world. Like, we're on this earth to love one another and find our happiness.

Money doesn't matter to me. It's that I love what I'm doing. I love waking up every single day and going to work. I cannot wait to go to work. And I know there's people that can't say that. And I feel so blessed to be able to say that. ⁓ For me having the peace in my heart and in my mind knowing that I am doing my very best for my family, priceless.

Kindra Morse (38:09)
Absolutely. What would you say to the woman listening that is going to a job that she cannot stand or is in some line of work that isn't fulfilling? What would you say to her to have the courage to do what you've done? Not maybe the exact same thing, but something that is in there.

Dani (38:25)
anything. Honestly, like

our business has so many businesses in it and I've been able to help so many of them in different ways do it. It is so scary. There's this book and I always think about this book and I live by it, honestly. ⁓ People always tease me because they're like, you just throw yourself into so many things. How are you doing it? And I'm like, because everything's figure-outable.

I'll figure it out. I'll say yes and then I'll figure it out. And that's kind of my motto of things. I used to be a no person and always say no and I missed out on so much and you never know what is coming your way. So for the mom or the woman, anybody who is in a position that sure you may be making good money but your heart's not there, quit it. Like lie.

is not worth it. Take that step. Everything's figureoutable. You'll figure it out along the way. Just make that step and do it and commit yourself and don't look back.

Kindra Morse (39:35)
I love that so much. Were there things along the way, like when you say you took that first step and you started doing science and you're just starting to grow, were there resources or books or podcasts that you listened to that helped you to go from being just the little unit to what it is?

Dani (39:54)
I like to read a lot of, this is probably not the right verbiage, but self-help books. So I like Atomic Habits and the one that Everything is Figureoutable, one of my favorite books because literally everything is figureoutable. And I also, as you know, have an amazing support system of a family. I'm very blessed to have that. So I think just having that,

Kindra Morse (40:00)
Yeah.

Dani (40:24)
and keep chugging forward. I mean, there were so many setbacks, so many setbacks throughout the Bohemian, but we just kept moving forward.

Kindra Morse (40:35)
Yeah, and those setbacks, like we were talking about having the second location and feeling the resistance, maybe how would you define the difference between resistance and just a setback?

Dani (40:50)
There's a big difference.

Kindra Morse (40:53)
You feel it.

Dani (40:54)
So we, there's a couple of like things that have happened in our business that were big things that kind of changed the trajectory and viewpoint of our business. One was COVID, that's an obvious thing. We did our final expansion in the Valley right when it happened and then we had to shut down. So I took on another handful financially and then I was told to close all of our doors.

have employees, I have a store, I have not only employees but artists that, you know, we need to be open in order to sell anything. ⁓ So that was really hard, combating that and figuring that out. And then...

We also, and I'll just touch on this lightly, because it's a really sensitive subject for me, but we had lost our son Raz a couple, well, now it's been a while ago. But that was something for me that changed a lot in our business. So.

Kindra Morse (42:02)
What did

it change?

Dani (42:04)
Um, I think that, so he would be six this year. That, for me...

was like the final kicker of finding my purpose because it was a lot of trauma in like one short period. And when you're in the store and you're pregnant and then you come back and you're not, and people are asking you like, how's your baby? How's everything going? You have to relive that moment.

over and over. And it taught me so much, of how to treat people and how to talk to people in a different way, but also knowing that behind every smile, there's something behind it that isn't always happy. And so that for me, like, nailed it of

This needs to be everybody's happy place. This needs to be where people can go when they're having troubles and sorrows and they can just have a brief moment and feel good. And that for me is like the most important thing.

Kindra Morse (43:30)
Do you find that you have people coming into the store and you're seeing maybe something in them that then you're able to have that conversation and they share with you? Do you find you have more connection because of your own experience of being on the other side of that?

Dani (43:48)
100%.

There are.

so many beautiful relationships that have come out of the bohemian that I am like beyond blessed and thankful to have. And I don't know what it is, but I can just read people really well and feel people. And so if you're coming through our door, I feel like I already know what's going on, whether you're smiling at me or not, I know what's behind your smile. And it has led to.

some of the most beautiful relationships. We have people who've come in and just came in and they'll tell you sometimes, like, I'm just having a hard day or I'll greet them at first and they'll say hi, but you can read that they're kind of like, they don't wanna talk much, so I give them their space, but then I'll go back to talk to them and then that's when they open up about it. And I'm like, hey, I know you came in here for a reason and I'm here for you, like.

Let's talk, you're not alone. Like I'm here for you, whatever makes you feel better, let's get through it together. You don't have to go through things alone and you don't have to feel like, that's the biggest thing I guess to do is you don't have to feel like you're alone because you're not.

Kindra Morse (45:11)
Yeah, did you feel like you were alone in some of the I can't my heart like just breaks What do were there moments in that experience that you did feel alone and I can imagine that it was probably in the moments that you Said acted like everything was fine. Just because you didn't want to talk about it

Dani (45:28)
Mm-hmm. It can feel like a very lonely and isolating path. My mom actually lost twins, and so she had already gone through this and was a really big support system for me. And...

It is very lonely. And until you're vulnerable and you open up about it and you talk about it, you don't know how many other people there are out there that have gone through it or are experiencing it. And when you let yourself go and talk about it, so many people come out of it. And you can talk about those moments that are just like so stinging and

hard and know like, okay, this person got through that, I can get through that. Like there is light at the end of the tunnel, no matter what it is, even if it's just day to day, you're trying to make it through, you can make it through and you can help other people through your trauma as well. And so...

I think it's really good to be vulnerable about.

Kindra Morse (46:51)
It's interesting that a lot of people, we've all been through different things and it's in sharing your story that you A, get to heal somebody else or be the light. But I think more importantly, do you feel that you have, not that you probably will ever be fully healed from an experience like that, but in being there for people in similar or hard moments, maybe there's nothing that's truly similar, do you feel that that has been healing for you?

Dani (47:20)
Yeah, I do. ⁓ We actually have a gal who is in the store and she is a parent of child loss as well and she sells baby blankets. And those baby blankets are any proceeds that come back, she uses to create blankets to give to mothers of loss in the hospital. And so it's allowed me to

find so many relationships and her and I have like, we'll text each other. Hey, I'm just having like a really hard day and I can't get it off of my brain. Like, what do you do? Do you wanna go and do something? Like, let's just like experience it. Cause you should never, you should never eliminate the feeling of grief. Like that's, that's part of it. You gotta go through it. But knowing that you have somebody to go through it with.

Kindra Morse (48:02)
Hmm.

Dani (48:18)
is the difference. But it's opened up a lot for us and meeting a lot of moms who have experienced it.

Kindra Morse (48:25)
Yeah.

that just makes you feel not alone more than I can imagine.

Dani (48:33)
Yeah.

Yeah. And the things, there's so many similarities. Like we joke about it, like we're in this girl group that nobody ever wants to be in, but we have each other and you know, until you don't know until you know, that's what we always say. You don't know until you know. So nobody understands those emotions or those feelings until you've gone through it. You know, it's just like walking in somebody's But ⁓

opening that up and finding people who've gone through it, it helps a lot.

Kindra Morse (49:09)
Mm, that's amazing. And would you have ever been able to have that type of relationship with community and build these relationships in prior jobs?

Dani (49:20)
No, I think I was really ignorant to.

Kindra Morse (49:21)
Thank

Dani (49:28)
just what everybody goes through. You know, knowing that there is more behind every person and really truly digging deep to know people and their story. I think that's like the most beautiful thing is seeing somebody's trauma in their life or even just like their happiness and how they got to where they are. I think seeing people for more than just what we're looking at.

is one of the most beautiful things that it's given me. It gave me an opportunity to see people in a different light.

Kindra Morse (50:06)
Because we're all trying to figure this thing called life out and trying to heal through things we've experienced that we don't understand why or how they happened. But on the surface, trying to pretend like everything is fine and it's all lovely and we're just happy, right?

Dani (50:23)
Right.

Yeah. I think it's hard to be, everybody wants to see just the happy parts and that's fine, but that's not, that's not life. Like we're all battling our own things and recognition of that and being able to push through them is so important.

Kindra Morse (50:45)
Mm-hmm, absolutely. What has been the best advice that you've ever received? I typically ask this question more around business, but obviously this is a lot deeper than just business. But what has been the best advice that you've ever received in your life?

Dani (51:03)
that's a good question.

My husband, and it's something so simple, but it's so true because like we live.

for the day. And so he always just says, just keep going. Just keep going. Just like keep pushing through it. We'll get there. And it's so true because there's days that are really hard and there's days that are really great. And it's just in life and in business to just keep going. And so I think that's something that I really appreciate and kind of live by.

Kindra Morse (51:46)
And how, can't even imagine how that experience of losing your son was for your relationship with your husband. Was he the rock?

Dani (51:57)
my gosh, I am like, ugh. I love him so much and like, we've been through so much together and he is incredible. Like, he is my rock through anything and everything. He is my steady guy. He always keeps me level. He is my number one supporter, like.

Riley puts his family first every single day. He doesn't necessarily love decorating a house, but he knows that I love it, and so he does it. But he is our rock, and he is just one real solid guy. I am so blessed to have him, and through that experience, it was very difficult, but rather than going apart,

It just made us stronger together and more understanding. I think he felt the exact same way in how it changed us and our beliefs. And I think honestly that too, I am so sad that this is how and why, but like we found our faith through it. And I'm so thankful for that.

Kindra Morse (53:19)
Hmm.

Dani (53:24)
You you hear that a lot though through trauma, you can find your faith or you lose it and we found it. And I'm so thankful that I have God in my life now and that we are where we are.

Kindra Morse (53:35)
Yeah, did you feel that you thought you had a relationship with God and just didn't or didn't at all?

Dani (53:44)
did, but I've always believed in something and I've always believed in God, but I never really practiced it or felt comfortable talking about it, honestly. It was just one of those things, politics and religion, you don't talk about. And I've kind of in this last year even, my whole family just got baptized a couple of weekends ago. This year I'm like, I'm not gonna be.

shy or scared about it. Like this is who I am and this is what I believe and if you like it, great. And if you don't, I'm so sorry. Like I still love you as a person and I hope you can love me for my beliefs as well. But like this is my platform to share that and help change people's lives.

Kindra Morse (54:31)
that's beautiful. ⁓ Do you feel that what you're sharing when you say like, wanna share my beliefs, do you feel what message did you get from God through that experience that you now feel the other people need to know what this faith actually means and looks like?

Dani (54:57)
It all kind of goes into this big snowball that we build of like you belong and you are loved and you are not alone. I feel like a lot of people are constantly searching for something and they can't seem to find it. And my husband and I had this conversation. There's a couple of close friends that we have and.

They're talking about how they're always trying to find these things and they're searching and we're watching their life and they're like jumping from one thing to the next thing and you can just see it that they're searching and searching and they just don't feel fulfilled. And we're like, the thing that you're searching for is God. And having them realize that is one thing and we're gonna support them through absolutely everything. But I think having that in your heart, knowing that everything's gonna be okay.

is a good feeling. And I want everybody to feel that, to feel like they're loved and seen. it doesn't, for me, it doesn't matter what your beliefs are or what you think. I am the most accepting human. I love everybody for what and who they are. I don't care. I'm gonna love you through everything. Doesn't matter. But you know who else is? God.

Kindra Morse (56:19)
God.

Dani (56:21)
So

I just think that that's something that I feel free to talk about.

Kindra Morse (56:27)
That's so amazing. that's gotta feel so good. So last question What is one thing that you wish people knew about you better?

Dani (56:39)
⁓

I am very...

I guess not.

I'm a little bit quiet behind our business. Like if you look on any of our social medias, I'm on there every now and then and I'm not really in the store a lot anymore. ⁓ I think I want people to know.

my heart and that like I'm still there and like this is we're chugging and doing all of these things to have that for our customers. ⁓ And that I'm just human. Like we're all human. We're not perfect. We're just doing the best that we can. And I think that's what I would want to tell people if they haven't seen me in a while.

Kindra Morse (57:38)
Do you feel like there's a part of you that misses some of the community? Because you are focused on your family.

Dani (57:42)
my gosh, so much.

Yeah, I miss them so much. Like, anytime I'm in the store, guaranteed I'm gonna see at least five regulars come in and those hugs and embraces that we have and I haven't seen them for a while are literally the best. I miss them so much, but I also...

I'm at a point where I'm trying to build this other business and so I need to be here even though I want to be here too. So it is kind of like a splitting again but I have a beautiful community in the Feathers as well so it's hard.

Kindra Morse (58:28)
It's different, I would imagine with Feathers that you have more time one-on-one with your clients, but less reach. The lower number of people that you get to interact with on a regular basis. And so it's this balance, and this is what I was talking about earlier in my life, understanding that there's seasons in life where you choose your family, there's seasons in life where you do get to make a greater impact on more people around you.

Dani (58:36)
Mm-hmm.

Correct.

Kindra Morse (58:57)
there's a sense of fulfillment in the number of lives that you get to impact. It's not that people are numbers, but you just feel that you're making a bigger impact when you know you're in community with more people. But family always trumps business.

Dani (59:17)
Right, right. And I think that.

We will get back to that place once Feathers is a little bit more settled, ⁓ where I can be back in the store more and with them more. And it's it's awesome.

Kindra Morse (59:37)
Well, where can people find the Bohemian? Everyone listening needs to go shop at the Bohemian.

Dani (59:45)
It is in Spokane Valley. It's 12019 East Sprague Avenue. And it's just, you take the Sprague exit and go.

Kindra Morse (59:57)
Now,

if someone needs their home staged and they want to have you, your design is gorgeous. need you to do, you and Alicia both need to come to my house someday. But if someone wants their home staged or designed, how would they reach out to you or how would they contact you?

Dani (1:00:16)
You can contact us through the Bohemian or Feathers website. We do have a phone number for it. I haven't memorized it yet, but.

Kindra Morse (1:00:27)
What?

Dani (1:00:29)
or you can contact us via phone.

Kindra Morse (1:00:31)
⁓ Thank you for

caring your heart and your mission and your store and your vision. I literally, it's my favorite store to go to. So I'm so grateful that you took a chance on yourself and built something beautiful.

Dani (1:00:44)
Aw, thank you. I appreciate it.

Kindra Morse (1:00:46)
Awesome, well have a great day! Bye!

Dani (1:00:49)
You too!

Bye.