About

The more AI changes branding, the more your point of view matters.

After years building brand systems and websites, I bring a brand strategist’s perspective to the AI conversation.

In consulting, speaking, and workshops, we get past tool chatter and focus on the choices that shape how your business is understood: your message, your expertise, and how your work reaches people.

About Me

I’m Dana James Mwangi.

You’ve heard it all from the online marketing crowd by now:

“Branding is dead.”
“Marketing is dead.”
“Websites are dead.”
“AI prompting is dead.”

Every time you get ready to try something new in your business, another video, forum, or blog post tells you there’s a brand-new way to do it. Suddenly, the thing you were ready to try is “dead,” and you’re supposed to start all over again.

Guess what’s NOT dead?

Your expertise. Your take on things.

Your expertise is what makes your product or service worth choosing. Brand strategy shows people why and gives you a basis for deciding what to say, what your website needs to do, and where AI fits.

See, we haven't met yet, but I know you.

If someone could just show you what you need to do with your branding, you would take the strategy and run with it.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse massa tellus, vulputate et porttitor placerat, aliquet vel libero. Etiam tristique lacus dictum nulla pulvinar, id maximus velit ultricies. Nulla bibendum lobortis sodales.
This is How I Coach

When you stop trying to prove that you’re enough — you finally start building a brand that feels like home.

And that’s when things begin to shift.
Your voice gets clearer.
Your offers get lighter.
Your energy returns.
And your website stops feeling like a stranger.

You don’t have to “perform” for your industry anymore.

You just need the language, visuals, and plan to show up as the real you — with clarity.

Yes, business is hard.

But the hardest part? Believing you have to earn worthiness through exhaustion.

Are you ready...

…to run a business that’s rooted in truth, supported by systems, and held by strategy that fits your life — not someone else’s template?

This is How I Coach
This is what I coach

When you know as a business owner that you are enough, you show up in your industry with confidence.

And confidence is just the beginning!

The “I am enough” mindset will make you more prone to show up online offering simple products and services that don’t weigh you down, making your products easier to create and sell.

Do you know what else a simple business model does? It makes tech stuff like brand marketing and building a website way easier.

Yes, business is hard. But it’s not the labor that’s the hard part. It’s letting go of the idea that you must work yourself to the bone to feel worthy of your sales.

Are you ready...

…to have a business that’s completely transformed by your bold decisions, plus the exact steps on to follow through on those decisions?

Ways to Work with Me

Brand strategy for the business you’re building now.

Brand strategy consulting, AI tool guidance, speaking, and workshops. Bring me the business question you need to answer, and we’ll decide what your brand needs to do next.
1:1 Coaching

Brand strategy and AI Consulting

A focused engagement to turn a business goal into brand decisions and put AI to work on a specific task.

You might come in thinking you need a new website or a marketing plan. We start with what you sell, who needs it, and what your customers need to know. Then we set your brand priorities and decide what your website needs to do.

If AI can support the work, I’ll show you exactly which tool to use, how to use it, and how to judge the result against your brand. You leave with a brand strategy, tool recommendations, and steps you can put to work.

Public Speaking

Talks and Workshops for Business Owners, Nonprofits and Design Students

I speak and teach about brand strategy, websites, and AI in places where people are building businesses, serving communities, and learning design.

For local entrepreneurs and nonprofit teams, my talks and workshops get into the decisions behind how people understand your work: what to say, what your website needs to do, and where AI can help with the tasks in front of you.

For schools and colleges, I teach AI-infused graphic and web design. Students explore how AI can support the design process, how to guide and assess what it produces, and how to make design choices that reflect their own thinking.

Bring me in for a talk, workshop, or classroom session built around the questions your audience needs answered.

The Ultimate Brand-Building Course

The Brave Brand Circle

Enroll in the Brave Branding Academy™, an online training program for budding entrepreneurs who need help making bold choices with their brand storytelling and website. In the academy, you will learn:

Plus, you will have lifetime access to the academy materials, weekly support through virtual office hours with me, and access to the private community just for Brave Branding Academy™ students.

Weekly live office hours with me (It’s like having a brand strategist in your pocket)

Videos, trainings and resources that help you build your brand in the right order

Private community just for Academy students and alumni

I offer both — but I approach them very differently.

  • Through my consultancy Cheers Creative, I lead high-end brand identity and custom WordPress website projects for 6- and 7-figure influencers, industry disruptors, and mission-driven organizations.
  • And through Clarity Breakthrough Sessions, I work 1:1 with creative professionals, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers who are ready to finally stop guessing — and start building a brand that reflects what they’re actually capable of.

If you’re unsure where to start, don’t worry. The session helps me diagnose what you really need — whether that’s deeper strategy, clearer messaging, stronger visuals, or a referral to one of my full-service design packages.

Book your Clarity Breakthrough Session here.

I don’t separate your strategy from your story. I help you align your business goals with your energy, your truth, and the way you actually want to show up. I’m not giving you recycled advice from someone else’s playbook — I’m helping you build a brand that can breathe.

No — and that’s on purpose. I’m the strategist you see before you hire those people. I help you shape your identity, message, and visuals so you don’t end up wasting time or money on campaigns that don’t connect.

Not at all. I work with people who are ready. That includes industry leaders, yes — but also solo founders, first-time entrepreneurs, multi-hyphenates, and people who are pivoting after burnout. If you’re ready to stop spinning and start building something that feels real, we’ll get along just fine.

Absolutely. I help business owners build strategic visibility without performing like an influencer. But here’s the truth: if you’re doing things right, visibility will find you. And when it does, I make sure your brand is ready to catch the traffic, the opportunities, and the money that come with it — without burning out or selling out.

Yes. I’ve worked with influencers and public figures who had the reach — but needed structure, messaging, and systems behind the scenes to turn attention into aligned income. Visibility without strategy will burn you out. I help you stabilize what’s already working so your brand doesn’t break under the weight of your growth.

If we’ve worked together before — yes. Many of my clients return for offer development, brand expansion, or presentation clarity after their initial Clarity Breakthrough. But if we haven’t worked together yet, we’ll start with a session to make sure you’re building the right thing first.

I’ve been a branding and web professional for over 15 years. I’ve led projects for national organizations, global influencers, and award-winning teams — not just taken a class and made a Canva post. The strategy I offer comes from real-world creative leadership and hundreds of client results. It’s not borrowed language. It’s lived experience.

You’re ready if you’ve already been doing the work — even quietly — and you’re done playing small. If your business is growing, but your brand no longer fits, that’s your sign. If you know something’s off but can’t name it, that’s your sign. If you’ve been putting everyone else first and you’re finally ready to invest in yourself like the expert you are… that’s your sign.

Absolutely. I lead keynote talks and custom workshops that go beyond buzzwords. Whether I’m teaching branding principles or walking a room full of creatives through imposter syndrome and visibility blocks, my sessions leave people with both mindset and tactical breakthroughs. Book me to speak here.

Head to my blog, where I share insights from my YouTube videos, behind-the-scenes stories, and strategy breakdowns — sometimes in written form, sometimes in video. I create content for people who learn in different ways, but the throughline is always the same: clarity, confidence, and real talk about what it takes to build a brand that feels like yours.

You can also…

My Story

Here's a timeline of my journey from a corporate designer to a full-time boss.

1990

Artist in the Making

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1990

2005

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2005

2007

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2007

2012

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2012

2015

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2015

2018

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2018

2020

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2020

Today

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Today

1990

Creator in the Making

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce et nulla cursus, facilisis metus vel, auctor erat. Curabitur sodales turpis eget libero dictum vulputate. Donec id congue nisi, et volutpat mauris. Quisque vitae ante gravida, fringilla elit posuere.

1990

2005

Design Student & Mom

While I was in college studying graphic design, I decided to quit my job at a convenience store and do freelance design work to support myself and my firstborn son.

2005

2007

Corporate Graphic Designer with a Side Gig

I graduated from college and immediately got a graphic design job. I designed checkbooks for financial institutions and other direct mail collateral for banks.

I became a package designer. I designed packaging for household items sold in Target, CVS, Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart, The Container Store, and more. This is when I got exposed to how corporations handle their brand visuals. I took everything I learned from my job and applied it to my growing roster of freelance design clients.

I also started teaching myself web design.

2007

2012

Brand New Business Owner

I put in my 30-day notice and became a full-time entrepreneur and started Cheers Creative. Through Cheers, I designed brands and websites for local small businesses. My business grew as I shared my branding and web knowledge on the internet. An article in Forbes referenced a blog post I wrote! This was one of my proudest moments in business.

2012

2015

Sought-After Web Designer

I became an endorsed partner of the X Theme, one of the most powerful and highest-selling WordPress themes of that year. I went from working with local clients to customizing websites for people all over the world.

2015

2018

Award-Winning CEO

I was named one of the top 40 urban elite entrepreneurs in Memphis. I was invited to Essence Magazine’s talk show, #EssenceNow, to talk about my experiences as a Black woman and mother in tech. I had achieved my dream. I was a nationally sought-after brand/web designer and consultant. While I love to design, teaching and encouraging people lit my internal fire in an unexplainable way. I conducted branding workshops, spoke at national conferences about my entrepreneurial journey, and more.
2018

2020

National Speaker and Teacher

Because of my work through my business Cheers Creative, I was chosen to be the Grow with Google Digital Coach for Tennessee. This empowered me to teach free digital skills workshops to Black and Latinx entrepreneurs in my community.

2020

Today

The Story is Still Being Written

I am a Memphis Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 honoree and just completed a fellowship that allowed me to teach branding to African refugees living in Memphis.

I’ve taken everything I’ve learned and created the Cheers Creative Brave Branding Academy,™ an online training program that helps budding entrepreneurs create bold brand messaging, build seamless business systems, and then combine them all into a powerful website.

Today

1990

Creator in the Making

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce et nulla cursus, facilisis metus vel, auctor erat. Curabitur sodales turpis eget libero dictum vulputate. Donec id congue nisi, et volutpat mauris. Quisque vitae ante gravida, fringilla elit posuere.

1990

2005

Design Student & Mom

While I was in college studying graphic design, I decided to quit my job at a convenience store and do freelance design work to support myself and my firstborn son.

2005

2007

Corporate Graphic Designer with a Side Gig

I graduated from college and immediately got a graphic design job. I designed checkbooks for financial institutions and other direct mail collateral for banks.

I became a package designer. I designed packaging for household items sold in Target, CVS, Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart, The Container Store, and more. This is when I got exposed to how corporations handle their brand visuals. I took everything I learned from my job and applied it to my growing roster of freelance design clients.

I also started teaching myself web design.

2007

2012

Brand New Business Owner

I put in my 30-day notice and became a full-time entrepreneur and started Cheers Creative. Through Cheers, I designed brands and websites for local small businesses. My business grew as I shared my branding and web knowledge on the internet. An article in Forbes referenced a blog post I wrote! This was one of my proudest moments in business.

2012

2015

Sought-After Web Designer

I became an endorsed partner of the X Theme, one of the most powerful and highest-selling WordPress themes of that year. I went from working with local clients to customizing websites for people all over the world.

2015

2018

Award-Winning CEO

I was named one of the top 40 urban elite entrepreneurs in Memphis. I was invited to Essence Magazine’s talk show, #EssenceNow, to talk about my experiences as a Black woman and mother in tech. I had achieved my dream. I was a nationally sought-after brand/web designer and consultant. While I love to design, teaching and encouraging people lit my internal fire in an unexplainable way. I conducted branding workshops, spoke at national conferences about my entrepreneurial journey, and more.
2018

2020

National Speaker and Teacher

Because of my work through my business Cheers Creative, I was chosen to be the Grow with Google Digital Coach for Tennessee. This empowered me to teach free digital skills workshops to Black and Latinx entrepreneurs in my community.

2020

Today

The Story is Still Being Written

I am a Memphis Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 honoree and just completed a fellowship that allowed me to teach branding to African refugees living in Memphis.

I’ve taken everything I’ve learned and created the Cheers Creative Brave Branding Academy,™ an online training program that helps budding entrepreneurs create bold brand messaging, build seamless business systems, and then combine them all into a powerful website.

Today

My Story

Here's a timeline of my journey from a corporate designer to a full-time boss.

2005

While I was in college studying graphic design, I decided to quit my job at a convenience store and do freelance design work to support myself and my firstborn son.

2007

I graduated from college and immediately got a graphic design job. I designed checkbooks for financial institutions and other direct mail collateral for banks.

I became a package designer. I designed packaging for household items sold in Target, CVS, Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart, The Container Store, and more. This is when I got exposed to how corporations handle their brand visuals. I took everything I learned from my job and applied it to my growing roster of freelance design clients.

I also started teaching myself web design.

2012

I put in my 30-day notice and became a full-time entrepreneur and started Cheers Creative. Through Cheers, I designed brands and websites for local small businesses. My business grew as I shared my branding and web knowledge on the internet. An article in Forbes referenced a blog post I wrote! This was one of my proudest moments in business.

2015

I became an endorsed partner of the X Theme, one of the most powerful and highest-selling WordPress themes of that year. I went from working with local clients to customizing websites for people all over the world.

2018

I was named one of the top 40 urban elite entrepreneurs in Memphis. I was invited to Essence Magazine’s talk show, #EssenceNow, to talk about my experiences as a Black woman and mother in tech. I had achieved my dream. I was a nationally sought-after brand/web designer and consultant. While I love to design, teaching and encouraging people lit my internal fire in an unexplainable way. I conducted branding workshops, spoke at national conferences about my entrepreneurial journey, and more.

2020

Because of my work through my business Cheers Creative, I was chosen to be the Grow with Google Digital Coach for Memphis (and now the entire state of Tennessee), which empowered me to teach free digital skills workshops to Black and Latinx entrepreneurs in my community.

Today

I am a Memphis Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 honoree and just completed a fellowship that allowed me to teach branding to African refugees living in Memphis.

I’ve taken everything I’ve learned and created the Cheers Creative Brave Branding Academy,™ an online training program that helps budding entrepreneurs create bold brand messaging, build seamless business systems, and then combine them all into a powerful website.

FAQ's

Need more specifics? Here are the answers.

Essentially, when you talk to me you’re talking to a person who:

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