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ani Daniels is nothing if not bold. Only half a decade of adult work rocketed her to superstardom, but no one can catch this lady resting on her laurels. When the newly crowned XBIZ Best Female Performer of 2016 disappeared off to the East Coast at the height of her industry fame, it caught everyone off-guard. Didn’t Dani deserve a career past five short years? Thankfully, that was far from the last we’ve seen of Dani Daniels. This trailblazing entrepreneur’s life has expanded considerably in the past decade: from fine art to a podcast, YouTube channel, brick-and-mortar coffee shop and more, this girl has stayed busy. I caught up with Dani in her members-only speakeasy to learn why she left studio work behind, how her new life has been treating her, and what advice she can offer about entrepreneurship outside of adult.
Dani’s excitement was palpable as we started our video call. With antique maps framed behind her and an ornate golden ceiling above, Dani’s beaming smile still managed to be the most eye-catching element. Clearly, she couldn’t wait to share her journey into entrepreneurship beyond adult– a journey which wouldn’t have looked nearly the same without her loving husband of nearly a decade Victor Cipolla. Vic sat nearby, pitching in occasionally and laughing along with Dani’s infectious humor.
“I don’t have anything bad to say about the adult industry at all, I loved it! It was a great chapter!”
WHY THE SUPERSTAR CHANGED COURSE
Some ex-adult stars slam the industry once they leave, but Dani’s happy to say her memories are overwhelmingly positive, and why wouldn’t they be? Entering the adult film industry in January 2011 after establishing herself as a nude art model, she got her flowers almost immediately. She was Twistys Treat of the Month by July and only a year later earned her spot as Penthouse Pet of the Month. None of that’s to mention the awards that started rolling in: over twenty in five short years!
She gesticulates excitedly while looking back: “I don’t have anything bad to say about the adult industry at all, I loved it! It was a great chapter!”
Still, Dani knew she couldn’t spend the rest of her life shooting for studios. Her career started long before independent content creation reigned supreme, meaning her entire income relied on random, unpredictable calls from her agent offering gigs. Without the royalty system of mainstream Hollywood, things felt financially precarious as she looked into her future. With adult’s “shelf life” and the tendency for studios to move on to the newest star every couple of years, Dani knew she couldn’t depend on a packed shooting schedule forever. Plus, she admits sheepishly now: “I hated LA– I know I’ll get roasted for that, but it’s true! I hated it!” She’d always dreamed of moving to the East Coast, and when the moment was right she jumped on the opportunity.
In 2016, Dani showed up to the XBIZ Awards in a chic black dress, not knowing her life was about to change forever. The competition was neck-and-neck, with Dani up against the likes of Riley Reid and Romi Rain, but the result was definitive: Dani was XBIZ’s Best Performer of the Year. She could barely contain tears as she joked on stage about her butthole and clutched the trophy, but she knew in that moment that this was the end. She remembers thinking “If I don’t do it now, then what?” Today, she jokes that it felt like beating the final boss of the adult industry. She’d made it. Now, it was time to make something else. With some savings and her not-yet-husband Vic in tow, Dani was off to New York to start her next chapter.
TRAILBLAZING NEW LIFE
Just because Dani left studio porn in 2016 didn’t mean she was done being sexy for a living. Beyond the feature dancing she still enjoyed on the weekend, Dani was busy leading the way on adult’s frontier: self-produced online content creation. In her 600-square-foot apartment and aided by the ever-loyal Vic, Dani “grinded hard,” producing hundreds of hours of content for her personal website: enough to release over the course of years even if she stopped shooting tomorrow.
It was a bold investment, but a worthwhile one. As such a recognizable figure who no one expected to stop shooting with studios, Dani had a fanbase frothing at the mouth for new work and willing to invest in their continued access. “All my fans were like ‘what the hell just happened?’ and funneled to my website” she recalls, joking that it “took off like a bat out of hell!”
What Dani never expected was what came next: an unknown startup offering her the chance to kick off a new era of porn. When OnlyFans asked Dani to be one of the first models on the platform, the innovator jumped at the opportunity. With so much self-produced content already created, it was a no-brainer. It wasn’t just OnlyFans, either. Essentially every major creator-focused platform managed to attract Dani as an initial user, from FanCentro to paid-subscription Snapchat. It was extra work, but Dani knew it was her chance to cement herself in the new world of adult content creation.
FROM F*CKING TO FINE ART
Despite her multi-pronged success as an adult star, Dani still felt a pressing need to explore her other interests. She’d initially entered sex work to help pay off debt from art school and that love for fine art never died. Without needing to rely on studio porn shoots, she could dedicate the majority of her time to her painting.
Nowadays, Dani dedicates most of her painting time to commissions, some of which she displays in her gallery in Sarasota, Florida. For anyone unable to request unique pieces, she also sells prints through her etsy shop .
Dani is immensely proud of her work , a reason why she’s chosen to market it under her non-industry name Kira Lee: she knows it can stand on its own without that brand recognition. Dani primarily works in pointillism, using tiny hand-written words to build large portraits. Specifically, she reworks the words and lyrics of other artists into images honoring those creatives, usually portraits. The intricate detail coalesces into striking images which seem endlessly explorable. As she puts it in her artist statement: “I want people to see the Art and the Artist at the same time.”
“My husband is an evil genius when it comes to roasting. Every coffee that we make comes from my husband’s hands. ”
A BRICK-AND-MORTAR BUSINESSWOMAN
Dani’s most impressive achievement so far bridges the gap between a handful of her biggest passions. Her storefront on Sarasota’s Main Street manages to be everything: a gallery for her paintings and a coffeehouse for her brand DD Roasters. The building’s been operational for around a year and a half now and already packed daily. It’s an immense point of pride for Dani and Vic, who makes the entire operation possible by working tirelessly on the business and finance end of things while Dani focuses more on creative elements.
Dani jokes: “I’m the one who sits around with a glass of whiskey and says, ‘you know what would be a really funny name for a coffee roast?’ And he’s the one who actually goes and roasts it.”
The coffee shop and gallery are open to the public, but the crown jewel of Dani’s businesses is more covert. Led through a secret entrance, lucky guests will find themselves in a gorgeous 1920s speakeasy themed membership club. There, surrounded by interior design elements handpicked by Dani herself, members can enjoy breakfast, lunch, alcohol through a locker system, and of course, more coffee. There’s no photos allowed. It’s not on Google Maps.
It’s only found through word of mouth…and yet, it’s managed to become “The hotspot of Sarasota.” In fact, it’s so popular that Dani warned me they might be out of lockers for potential members once this article comes out– Sorry if you missed your chance!
DANI VS KIRA: PERSONAL BRAND & MARKETING
The multifaceted storefront not only combines the couple’s interests, it also bridges the gap between the Dani Daniels and Kira Lee brands. The gallery and speakeasy are both associated with “Kira Lee” and exist independently from sexwork. On the other hand, DD Roasters gets its name from Dani Daniels and has stronger ties to the adult industry. The brand, which began entirely online, features cheekily provocative product names like “Menage A Trois” and “Morning Would.” “Morning MILF Magic” is even a collaboration with the one-and-only Cherie DeVille, a longtime friend of Dani’s. By hosting both DD Roasters and Kira’s art, the building reflects how multifaceted the entrepreneur has been throughout her life.
Make no mistake, though: DD Roasters may use the Dani Daniels brand for marketing, but the coffee stands strong on its own. “My husband is an evil genius when it comes to roasting,” Dani says with pride, explaining that all the coffee selections are sourced by Vic and locally roasted in Sarasota: “Every coffee that we make comes from my husband’s hands.” Quality’s something Dani’s cared about since her first business venture outside of the industry. Her merch was never some random T-shirt with her face on it; it was unique designs on high quality fabric Vic helped source with his fashion industry ties. Now, their coffee is delicious enough it doesn’t need Dani’s brand to attract customers anymore.
Similarly, Dani’s art and the members-only speakeasy both succeed without a direct connection to the Dani Daniels brand. Dani’s experience in the adult industry isn’t a secret, but if anything Dani generally pushes against fans visiting just to try to meet her. It’s a full-fledged business with beautiful ambiance and delicious coffee, not a permanent meet-and-greet location for your favorite pornstar. Instead of attracting fans, Dani and Vic have been excited to see how many locals to Sarasota become regulars and members independently.
DANI’S TIPS FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Dani Daniels has spent the past decade being the poster child for adult star entrepreneurship beyond the industry. From her brick-and-mortar business to her merchandise and copious projects we didn’t have time to chat about (YouTube channel, podcast, etc.), she’s proven that sex work can be a launchpad for more expansive success. For anyone inspired by Dani, I asked if she had tips for entrepreneurship.
“My biggest piece of advice is to do something you love.”
Dani states this with uncharacteristic finality. Being an entrepreneur isn’t a source of passive income in the background, especially not initially. Expanding into different platforms to monetize your work is one thing, but starting a business from scratch is a whole other wheelhouse. “My husband and I love coffee, I love art, I love speakeasy whiskey bar culture” she says passionately, reflecting on how awful it would be to work the amount she does if these weren’t so close to her heart. Because it’s not a nine-to- five: starting and running multiple businesses requires having work on your mind at practically every moment of your day, and the toll that can take on your mental health without driving passion is disastrous.
Another core component of success is collaboration. The most obvious example of that in Dani’s life is Vic who’s been the central factor in all their business endeavors. He fills in the skills Dani isn’t as confident with while she focuses on creativity and repairs. His biggest talents include finance, building customer relationships and sourcing of products, all of which are essential for their businesses.
Beyond the core couple, everyone else involved has been a huge help. As Vic put it “I can’t talk more highly about our staff. They actually care, they come up with new ideas, they’re not just showing up 9-5.”
Trustworthy staff are especially important for a business associated with the adult industry. Whether it’s overzealous fans or random jerks who try to use Dani’s adult work as an insult, it’s been paramount for the couple to have calm, professional workers who know how to handle themselves under stress. Dani’s association with sexwork is no secret, so it’s been a blessing to find staff who aren’t weird about it.
The past decade of Dani’s life has been fruitful in ways most can only dream of. The loving partnership with her husband Vic, when combined with her early success in studio work, created the perfect springboard for entrepreneurship. For now, it’s artwork, coffee, and the speakeasy club. If the past has taught us anything, though, you can’t pin Dani down. For all we know she’ll get an award for best coffee shop/gallery/speakeasy and run off again to start a whole new chapter. The one thing guaranteed? Whatever Dani puts her mind to will be accomplished with tireless passion and just a sprinkle of playful humor.
You can find out more about Dani Daniels at Danisthings.com
