Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Mills Walden.
Hi Danielle, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born in Rochester, NY, and am the only child of my parents, Barion and Norma Mills. My mother was born in Puerto Rico, and my father was born in Germany because my grandfather was in the military. I was introduced to the game of tennis at the incredibly young age of 2. I began playing and taking lessons when I was three years old. When I was 10, I moved from NY to Bradenton, FL, to attend the world-renowned sports academy IMG Academy. I was the youngest student to stay on the campus for this epic sports boarding school. I ate, slept, breathed tennis every day, and began to compete on a global stage against the best junior tennis players in the world. I was never the most talented kid, but my work ethic needed to be matched. Because of my opportunities, I was forced to put a lot of additional hours into practice to make up for what I lacked in talent.
At 14, I played my first professional match in Mexico. This was the catalyst to a 10-year professional tennis career where I traveled and competed for 39 weeks a year and traveled to over 30 countries. Some of my proudest moments were playing in the same tournament as my idol, Serena Williams, in Spain and having my locker close to hers. My body began to break down after so much wear and tear and a couple of knee surgeries. I started to play exclusively doubles and won several titles in Mexico, Portugal, and Turkey before retiring in 2015. After retiring from tennis, I immediately got into real estate because I thought I wanted to do that. After doing it for a while, I was not passionate about it. What I’ve always been passionate about is helping people and spreading a message of positivity and gratitude. All those years at IMG Academy doing mindset training have allowed me to look at life differently. I founded my company, Headstrong, in 2019, where we help people reach their potential by unlocking a champion mindset. We also provide career services with a focus on LinkedIn and branding. I reside in Miami, Florida, with my husband, Javier Walden, and I recently gave birth to my first son, Otto Walden, in April.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story. Has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
None of the successes I’ve had in my life would be there if I hadn’t experienced some challenges. In my tennis career, my injuries were my most significant setbacks. First, my knees failed me, and I had to get a double meniscus surgery. This was the first time I ever had a procedure like this. The physical therapy I did and all the work to get back to playing again tested my willpower and my belief in myself. The road was only sometimes smooth. Every single step in my journey had bumps and setbacks. One of the biggest challenges for me was having the courage to begin. When you write a book, start a business, begin a podcast, and put yourself out there, there is a chance people will receive it poorly. People allow their thoughts of people’s opinions to hold them back. I refused to let my initial thoughts stop me from achieving my goals with HEADSTRONG LLC.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am incredibly proud to have become a mom over the past few months. Before my baby came, my company, Headstrong, was my baby. When I was training at IMG Academy from the age of 10 years old until 18 years old, we trained our minds daily. We had a class called mental conditioning, taught by some of the best sports psychologists in the world. My coach was Trevor Moawad, who also trained Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson. After retiring from professional tennis and being around nonathletes, I discovered how I look at the world. My approach to life drastically differed from those I was around, and they often called this out to me.
This is when Headstrong was birthed. If I can help people reach their potential, they can be their best selves. Often, their mindset is the most significant thing holding people back from reaching their potential. I teach the champions mindset philosophy to change setbacks into breakthroughs. That is how Headstrong began, but it has evolved a lot since its conception.
LinkedIn is an app and website that helps people connect, network, and find new careers. I got on the platform in 2016 while trying to get into a new job after retiring from Professional tennis. I started posting content and videos on Linkedin, sharing tips and tricks that helped me deal with adversity or challenges. My videos and posts began to gain some traction to the point where people were in my inbox telling me how much of an impact they would have on them. Also, I was constantly getting people offering me jobs and positions and wanting to recruit me into their companies because of what they saw in my videos.
During the peak of the pandemic, many layoffs were happening, and LinkedIn was showcasing them every day. My success with LinkedIn should be shared because many people needed to use the app to their advantage. My dad pushed me to write a book to share my LinkedIn tips and secrets. I had never written a book before but got laser-focused and began writing. After a few months, my book How to Master Linkedin and Separate Yourself from the Masses was released and became an Amazon best seller.
The book changed my life just like LinkedIn did because that was the catalyst for me starting to get booked to do LinkedIn workshops for various organizations like the NHL, USTA, NSBE, NAACP, and more. This opened up the door to keynote speaking and hosting, as well, as I love to speak to an audience and share my story. I speak about a variety of topics, but predominantly about mindset, LinkedIn, and overcoming challenges.
I recently became a board member of the organization Black Sports Professionals (BSP), and it’s been gratifying. I also spoke on a panel for them on Juneteenth at the Marlins Stadium. With BSP, we help young black professionals and new college grads get into careers in sports. I’m most proud of becoming a mom to a precious boy named Otto Mills Walden. While he is only a couple of months old, he will drive me to achieve my goals and give me the best possible experience.
Do you have any advice for those just starting?
The most extensive advice I can give anybody just starting is to get on Linkedin and maximize your profile. This small advice could change your life like it did for me. There are millions of people on LinkedIn, and you always wonder if someone you connect with will be someone who could give you your next ample opportunity. The platform is so powerful, and most people must learn how to use it correctly. I love my work with Headstrong and seeing people gain so much once they know how to do it. Also, another piece of advice I will give that has always helped me out is when you are presented with an opportunity or a chance to do something, even if you don’t feel ready or that you can do it, always say yes and figure it out after. So many times, people turn down opportunities because they do not feel 100% ready, and the most successful people say Yes and figure it out. This advice has helped me so much because I know I will do the due diligence to prepare even if I don’t feel 100% when it’s presented.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://headstrongmind.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daniellemwalden/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellemwalden/
- Twitter: https://x.com/Daniellemwalden
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@daniellemwalden
