From producer to founder and CEO of the brand Roads, Danielle Ryan seems to have her hand in all sorts of projects lately. She may have started out as an heiress, but she has certainly made her own way as an entrepreneur, following the example set for her by her grandfather – the founder of Ryanair.   She is the perfect example of a woman who knows what she wants and how to get out there and make things happen. Here are a few lessons we can all learn from this incredible Girl Boss.

FOLLOW YOUR CURIOSITY 

While explaining why some of her business paths may not seem relatable to others, and advocating for following your curiosity, Danielle recently told the Dublin Globe “You don’t really do it for the endgame, you kind of go because you want to see where it goes. It might be a hit or a dead end. I don’t know, I just want to see what happens. That’s where a lot of the best ideas come from.” Her fragrance line actually came about this way. She was simply curious about how perfumes are made, so she began doing research and talking to experts. That ended up turning into a business. Who knows where your own interests could lead you? Do yourself a favor and go and  find out.

‘She is the perfect example of a woman who knows what she wants and how to get out there and make things happen’

 

DON’T LET ON THING DEFINE YOU

Danielle is an heiress, but she didn’t let that define her singularly for the rest of her life. She chased her own dreams and built her own business and future. Now she is known all over the world as a successful businesswoman and philanthropist, and she created that image with her own hard work. We are all born into some sort of situation that we can’t control. The circumstance you are born into doesn’t have to define you. We can shape the lives that we want for ourselves if we are willing to do the work to get there.

DIVERSIFY YOUR INTERESTS

Danielle has explained more than once that she likes knowing that she can “go off-road” with her brand Roads. She likes to try new things and get involved with projects she believes in. From this, we all should take away that you don’t have to choose one thing to put all of your energy into for the rest of your life. Some projects may need exclusive attention for a period of time, true, but you can also add or even get rid of ideas and projects over time. Allow yourself to explore more than one possibility for yourself.

TRUST YOUR GUT

Danielle has also said more than once that not everyone has supported her ideas 100% of the time. Ideas which, it should be noted, ended up working out in the long run, such as her fragrance line. She didn’t let the doubt stop her. That isn’t to say that you should never listen to the advice of others, but take it all with a grain of salt. Don’t be afraid to trust your gut.

“We can shape the lives that we want for ourselves if we are willing to do the work to get there”.

GIVE BACK

This is the biggest lesson I think we can all learn from Danielle. She found success and she doesn’t keep it all for herself, she uses it to help others. She invested $14 million from The Cathal Ryan Trust into UNICEF to help fund health and education services for children. Giving back isn’t exclusively donating large sums of money. We can all give back in some way or another. It can be as simple as being kind and empathetic to those around you. Deserve your successes by giving back and treating others well.  

In your own pursuits, whether they are creative, entrepreneurial or a mixture of both, don’t forget to keep these lessons from Danielle Ryan in mind. If you need more inspiring women to learn from, why not read about Alexa Chung or Sophia Loren?