Meet Dani Parker of Woodland Hills

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dani Parker.

Hi Dani, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Behind the closed doors of a Los Angeles home that looked picture-perfect, with married parents, a dad who provided, a mom who ran the house, and a dog – at times chaos ensued. My mom struggled with mental illness, a personality disorder, and while my dad and brother experienced one version of her, I lived in conflict with another. Arguments were not only conflict, they were survival, an incessant effort to be understood and to understand.

A childhood best friend admitted she never believed me, seeing only Betty Crocker as my mom. That gap between perception and reality shaped the way I moved through the world , always questioning, searching for clarity and striving to be seen for who I really was.

To my peers, I came across as defensive. In reality, I was simply trying to make sense of things, seeking clarity in a world that turned out to be safer than I had been conditioned to expect.

School was a different struggle. With a late-summer birthday, a skipped 7th grade, and undiagnosed ADHD, I bounced through 13 schools before graduating at 16. I first moved out at 15, but life wasn’t that simple. I moved back in and out a few times before finally leaving home permanently.

Sports had been my passion. I was an athlete, but chasing freedom with older friends won out. Later, being a native Angeleno, I naturally fell into the entertainment industry. My career began as a receptionist at Carolco Pictures across from Tower Records on Sunset Boulevard. A chance elevator ride landed me at Lippman Kahane Entertainment, where I worked with artists like George Michael, Neneh Cherry, Jane’s Addiction, and songwriter Bernie Taupin. From there, I moved into music publishing at NEM Entertainment and later EMI Music Publishing, eventually becoming Creative Manager under Jody Gerson, who is now Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group.

On paper, it was a dream career. But I was always restless, never fulfilled.

Bouncing between Los Angeles, New York, and Florida before returning home to LA, I found myself in my mid-30s newly divorced, with a 9-month-old baby girl and the sole responsibility of providing for both of us.

I stayed in entertainment to make ends meet, but the passion was never there. My daughter, even as an infant, became my proverbial light, she gave everything meaning, made me feel seen and loved, and for the first time, lifted the heaviness of needing to be understood.

In 2006, while still in entertainment, I got my first glimpse of the digital space at a start-up online ad agency. My role was creative and process-driven, but what really drew me in was the engineers. I didn’t only observe their work – I took the issues my team was facing with our content management system, offered troubleshooting suggestions, and worked with the engineers to execute solutions. I didn’t realize it then, but a seed had been planted.

A decade later, in 2016, that seed took root. My daughter’s high school soccer program asked each family for a $750 donation. Instead of writing a check, I volunteered to build the girls’ first team website, even though I’d never built one before. That leap turned curiosity into passion, and I was hooked.

By 2018, while still working at Nielsen, I was moonlighting as managing editor, webmaster, community manager, and ad sales lead for a start-up online soccer platform for women and girls. In 18 months, I helped grow the community from 2,600 to 55,000 Instagram followers, increased organic website traffic by 17% through self-taught SEO while honing my digital skill-set.

For the first time, work didn’t feel like work. I poured myself into it 24/7 and loved every minute, even as a volunteer who eventually earned only $75 a week. When Nielsen laid me off, after four years, I couldn’t sustain myself and my daughter on passion alone, but one thing was certain: I could never go backward.

That’s when Dani Parker Digital was born.

Today, my studio helps women-owned + small businesses thrive online with web design & growth marketing. From full sites to budget-friendly launches, we simplify their digital presence and support them with tools to grow easily and confidently.

Growing up in survival mode taught me how to fight to be understood. But building my own company has shown me something even more powerful: passion isn’t only about doing what you love – it’s about creating work that lights a fire in you and in the people you help.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Making the decision to start Dani Parker Digital was the easy part.

What I didn’t anticipate was how much I had to learn about running a business and positioning my offers, not as “why you need me,” but “here’s the problem I can solve for you.” On top of that, leaving behind a steady paycheck while raising my daughter was a big risk. Still, choosing the unknown path has shaped my experience and my personal approach to clients.

I’ve always been determined and resourceful, never shied away from hard work. Challenges arise, but each one teaches me something new and fuels my growth both personally and professional.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I build and develop websites as well as provide growth marketing support for individuals, women-owned. and small businesses. Clients often say I go above and beyond, working within budgets (within reason), giving more than expected, and making sure they feel fully supported. I also collaborate with Nazar Hotsa, a trusted friend and mentor with 20+ years in web development specializing in accessibility. Together, we ensure accessibility and privacy compliance are baked into every Dani Parker Digital site.

For those not ready for a custom site but still wanting an online presence, DPD offers One Page Plus, a budget-friendly option built by humans (not a DIY tool or AI builder) that gets them online quickly while maintaining the efficiency and quality of a custom site.

What I’m most proud of in business is taking the road less traveled – leaping from a 20+ year career in entertainment to building my own business in a competitive industry, teaching myself along the way, and finding my professional voice. Most importantly, my daughter sees that with determination and grit, there is nothing she can’t do!

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I love about LA

Los Angeles has incredible energy and creativity. There’s always something happening, and it’s full of people chasing their dreams, which can be inspiring. Having grown up here, I really value the mix of culture, the weather, and being so close to both the beaches and the mountains. I love that you can find pockets of high energy alongside areas that are calm and peaceful.

What I don’t love:

The traffic is brutal and it makes everything take longer than it should. I miss the days when you could get anywhere, anytime within 20 minutes. What turns me off the most, though, is the surface level appearances, pretentiousness, and lack of depth that can make genuine connections challenging to find.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.daniparkerdigital.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daniparkerdigital
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin/in/daniparker
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DaniParkerDigital
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dani-parker-digital-san-fernando-valley