Meet Danielle Directo-Meston of Uncover LA in San Fernando Valley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Directo-Meston.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’m a Filipina-American freelance journalist and mom of two based in L.A. I grew up in Tujunga, a small town in the Valley located at the foothills of Angeles National Forest. I’ll spare the details of my entire childhood — but I do feel that growing up in L.A. really influenced my passion for California history and getting to know my city on a deeper level through journalism.

I got my foot in the industry during college when I started writing for a local website for free and covered red carpet events, theatre, and concerts. Professionally, I started my career as a copywriter after earning my journalism degree from Cal State Northridge, where I was editor of the university newspaper. It was the recession so there weren’t a ton of jobs (let alone in newsrooms) at the time.

When I graduated, I started writing on the side for LAist, and later, Patch.com’s North Hollywood-Toluca Lake site. I used to write my stories during my lunch breaks, after hours, and on weekends, but it was such a rewarding experience and I loved my editors at LAist. I also had my own blog where I wrote about L.A.’s history and hidden gems, among other things during whatever free time I had.

I made the freelance switch in 2013 when I became associate editor of Racked LA, one of my favorite retail news and fashion websites at the time. My amazing editor there, Natalie Alcala (who I still keep in touch with and is the founder of Fashion Mamas, an amazing network of entrepreneurial mothers), and I share mutual friends, including one of my closest girlfriends who really pushed me to apply for the job. Everything really snowballed from there and it opened up a world of opportunities, like the chance to interview some incredible people and writing about topics that I love while supporting local business owners and creatives in the process.

When Racked LA closed in 2016, I decided to start my own site so that I could keep writing about L.A. retail and culture. I brainstormed a domain name that was surprisingly still available, set up a WordPress site, and quickly designed a logo with the intention of having a pro redesign a better one later. (I still need to do this.)

Nearly three years later I have a few contributors (including my former events editor, Natalie Ann Goenaga, who was also featured by VoyageLA!) and I finally have time to focus on the business side of things. I also contribute regularly to The Hollywood Reporter’s Style section, where I write about L.A. retail, beauty, and lifestyle.

Love that you didn’t allow the closing down of the prior publication to end your journey as a writer.  Surely, you’ve had many challenges along the way, would you mind talking to us about some of those challenges?
I took a huge pay cut when I made the freelance switch, but it was worth the leap. At the time, I was miserable at my job, so that made the move a no-brainer — that, and I had a good amount of savings that gave me the financial safety net. I also think it’s important to point out that I probably wouldn’t have taken the risk if I was single. Being married tends to afford a certain security, but luckily everything worked out.

And this isn’t so much of a struggle, but becoming a mom really opened up my eyes to the benefits as well as the pitfalls of being a freelancer in my industry. I didn’t give myself much maternity leave when I had both of my kids, but I also feel like I don’t have the right to complain given the amount of flexibility I have. Still, there’s much to be discussed about the U.S.’s parental leave policy but I’ll save that for another time.

One thing that has been a struggle is trying to figure out the business side of my website. I’ve been paying the bills through writing for other companies, and I’ve mainly been focusing on building UncoverLA as a trusted news source. That hasn’t left much time to pursue the advertising aspect. I also want to be really selective so that I’m not jeopardizing the platform I built or losing my readers’ trust by working with a brand that’s not a good fit.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Uncover LA story. Tell us more about the site.
My business, UncoverLA.com, is a locally-based online news site that specializes in covering L.A.’s shopping scene, local designers, events, and lifestyle. I love that I can use my experience as a born-and-raised Angelena and journalist to inform people and share information about what’s happening in our city. There aren’t many local online outlets that still cover fashion and retail with a hyperlocal point of view, so I’m proud that I’ve been able keep it up for nearly three years while still writing for other great online and print publications.

I’m also proud that I’ve created a company where I can hopefully pass down what I’ve learned to other budding writers and keep spreading the word about other local businesses and brands.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t see it as bad luck per se, but if I never had that not-so-great manager six years ago I never would have been inspired to quit and turn my “side hustle” into my full-time gig. I really hope that person is doing well now as I did learn a lot from them professionally, but part of me has to thank them for partially being the reason for where I am today.

As far as good luck, I really believe that my personal and professional experiences led me to be the right person at the right time when I applied for a job at Racked LA. I don’t think it’s so much good luck as it is creating opportunities for yourself as well as realizing when a good one comes your way.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.uncoverla.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/uncoverlosangeles
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/uncoverla
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/uncoverla

Image Credit:
Screenshots and photo of founder: Courtesy, Photo of Dover Street Market (image of clothing): Danielle Directo-Meston, Photo of Rodarte runway show: Danielle Directo-Meston

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.