Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Daniels.
Dana, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
MODRN STUDIO began as a scrubs brand on my mom’s couch in Houston, TX. I started it simply because I didn’t like the way scrubs fit or looked on my body. I’m a nurse so I wore them every day and was tired of being uncomfortable. I thought there had to be a better version. I didn’t really like what was out there, so I set out to create what I thought was missing. I wasn’t a designer or an entrepreneur. I really just wanted to solve a need that I had and create something that I felt others around me would appreciate. That’s how the brand began in 2017. Since then, it’s developed into a full lifestyle brand, expanded to include premium athleisure apparel and accessories. It was a natural extension of the brand – covering the day-to-day in my own unique, stylish way.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Has it been smooth? Absolutely not! My first struggle was finding the right fabric for my scrubs. It took me 3 years to source the current fabric. Comfort and functionality were paramount when I created the collection, so I didn’t want just any fabric. It had to feel good, move well, and, of course, look great. There are so many fabrics out there, but I was intent on finding the right one.
Money is another challenge. Any entrepreneur will tell you this is not easy, no matter how much they start with. Building a brand requires a constant investment of time and money. You’re making decisions about how much, when, and on what to use your capital on. There’s no crystal ball, so you have to be smart and calculated but willing to take some risks at the same time. It’s a difficult balance, but I think I’ve made a few good decisions along the way. At the end of the day, I’m a nurse, and nurses are known problem solvers. So, whenever there is a challenge, I usually tackle it head-on and solve it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As mentioned, I’m a nurse. My grandmother was a nurse. I used to play with her stethoscope when she got home from work. She was one of my biggest influences, so I’d always planned to follow in her footsteps. I love what I do. It can be challenging, but being able to help people in big and small ways daily is extremely fulfilling. Those scrubs however did not make the job any easier. So I can now say I am a nurse, designer, and entrepreneur. It can be a lot, but I’m able to make a difference in more ways than I imagined and tap into another, more creative side of myself.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Some may call it luck; others may call it a blessing. Either way, in many ways, it does play a role. Though on its own, luck is not enough. Dedication, hard work plus patience, perseverance, creativity, and pragmatism are equal parts of the foundation for success. You can consider luck a function of these things. Sometimes, it’s serendipitous; it may feel like everything has aligned for you, you’ve been put in the right place or even met the right person, at the right time. But in order for any of it to be ‘right’ the foundation has to be in place, otherwise you can miss the opportunity. For example, I came across my scrub fabric (after three years of searching) when I started looking for active wear fabric by what you may call a “stroke of luck”. I had taken a break from sourcing scrub fabric since it was taking so long to find the right fabric, and while sourcing for active, I came across fabric for what you see today for my scrubs. If I had not decided to pivot by deciding to expand the line to athleisure, I would have missed the window of opportunity and MODRN STUDIO wouldn’t be what it is today. I would not have thought to create a lifestyle brand, and I would probably still be making scrub samples using different non-performance fabrics. My experience has shown me that there is always an element of work that comes along with “luck”. Some may call coming across the right fabric “luck”. I call it recognizing the need to pivot and that’s what laid the groundwork for MODRN STUDIO today.
Pricing:
- Scrubs avg $40
- Athleisure $60 (sports bras)
- Athleisure $140 (body suits)
- Athelisure $200 (sweat sets)
- Jackets $295
Contact Info:
- Website: www.modRNstudio.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/modrn_studio
