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Public Speaking

I don’t just speak — I shift the room.

Whether I’m teaching strategy, branding, or visibility, I speak from lived experience — not scripts. My goal is never to sound perfect. It’s to leave your audience thinking deeper, moving smarter, and feeling like someone finally said what needed to be said.

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I’ve shared the mic with some powerful rooms. Here are a few of the stages I’ve been trusted to speak on:

Looking for a speaker who won’t just show up polished — but will show up prepared, present, and deeply connected to your audience?

Let me tell you how I speak:

I speak in a way that makes people sit up.

I ask the questions people don’t usually ask.

I break strategy down into language that actually lands — whether your audience is just starting or scaling.

My sessions are rooted in truth, backed by experience, and tailored to the people in the room. I don’t believe in generic slides or one-size-fits-all stories. Whether I’m keynoting, sitting on a panel, leading a workshop, or facilitating a conversation — I meet the room where it is and move it forward.

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I’ve spoken to:
  • Emerging entrepreneurs who are tired of buzzwords and want a brand that feels like them — and looks like it too
  • Creative professionals who are brilliant at their craft but invisible online
  • Corporate teams and internal leaders who want more than checkbox DEI — they want brand experiences that resonate across culture, copy, and visuals
  • Black women and other underestimated founders doing $50K worth of work for $5K — who don’t realize their brand identity isn’t keeping up with their value
  • Influencers and viral creators who need back-end systems and front-end visual cohesion to turn traffic into trust
  • First-gen professionals and students building personal brands from scratch and learning how to visually show up in their industries
  • Seven- and eight-figure founders with momentum — who need repeatable storytelling and design systems they don’t have to execute themselves
  • Live audiences who’ve seen me deliver brand strategy and website audits on the spot and in real time, and left the room floored.
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I don’t separate brand strategy from brand design — or from the world we’re living in.
I teach from both the data and the lived experience. Because your brand isn’t just how you sell — it’s how you show up. And the world needs more of us showing up with truth, strategy, and tools that actually work.

I speak boldly about the ethical use of AI, especially for underestimated founders and creatives who need powerful tools now — not later. I talk about branding in the midst of DEI dismantling — because some of us can’t “tone it down” or erase who we serve.

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FAVORITE Topic

01

Confidence-Building Tips for Creatives

Where does confidence actually come from — and how do you hold onto it when you’re underpaid, overlooked, or burned out? I teach service providers how to own their difference, charge their worth, deliver with excellence, and speak with authority (even when doubt tries to creep in). This isn’t about “feeling confident.” It’s about building a brand that reminds you of your value every time you open your mouth or send a proposal.

FAVORITE Topic

02

Personal Branding in the Age of AI

AI is here — but so are you. I show entrepreneurs and creatives how to humanize their brand content, use their own stories as strategy, and build real connection across digital platforms. Whether you’re growing a blog, podcast, YouTube channel or just getting started — I’ll show you how to use your lived experience (and yes, AI) to rise above the noise and stay rooted in your truth.

FAVORITE Topic

03

Branding, Websites, and the Tools That Hold It All Together

You’ve got a beautiful brand and maybe even a great website — but something still feels chaotic behind the scenes. That’s because branding isn’t just about how things look. It’s about how everything connects. In this talk, I break down the three pieces every business needs: clear brand messaging, a website that works, and simple tools (a.k.a. systems) that help you run it all without burning out. Whether you’re building your brand from scratch or reworking what’s not working, I’ll show you how to stop duct-taping your business together — and build something that actually flows.

FAVORITE Topic

04

Art is a Safe Job

This is one of my favorite talks to give to middle and high school students. I step into classrooms and show teens how to use art, digital skills, and even AI to turn their creativity into real opportunities — whether that means launching a paid project, building a portfolio, or planting the seeds of a future career. I help students connect what they love to do with what the world will actually pay them for — without losing the joy that got them started.

FAVORITE Topic

05

So You're Exiting Graphic Design School...Now What?

Every year, I talk to graduating design students who are anxious, excited — and totally unsure of what comes next. They ask: “Should I freelance or get an agency job?” “How much should I charge?” “How do I stay relevant with all this AI?”I help students answer those questions with real talk, practical tools, and a game plan. My workshops help new designers understand how to position themselves, navigate pricing, and build a creative career that won’t disappear with the next trend or tech wave.

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Last but not least, I also speak about:

  • Brand clarity and confidence for women in business
  • The link between pricing, boundaries, and burnout — and how to rewrite that story
  • Pep talks (the real kind) for in-house corporate design teams
  • Custom talks and workshops designed around your specific audience, industry, or moment
Here's what a few event and workshop attendees are saying.
Grab my bios, resume, and photos here.

Dana is an award-winning brand consultant, website strategist, and public speaker with over 15 years of brand and web design expertise. Through her unique blend of confidence coaching and bold branding approaches, Dana has guided thousands of business owners in growing their online presence via talks, workshops, and training programs. At Cheers Creative, her Memphis-based creative hub, Dana leads the creation of standout brand designs and websites for industry leaders and content creators.

With extensive experience in teaching and business coaching, Dana has developed branding and career development workshops for organizations like the University of Memphis (her alma mater) and Women’s Business Center South. As the former Grow with Google Digital Coach for Tennessee, Dana taught digital skills to help Black and Latinx small business owners thrive online.

Dana co-hosts Grindset, a podcast highlighting successful Memphis entrepreneurs’ stories.

Her work, story, and writings on branding, design, and entrepreneurship are featured in numerous publications including Essence, AfroTech, and HubSpot.

Dana James Mwangi is an award-winning brand consultant, website strategist, and public speaker with over 15 years of brand and web design expertise. Through her distinctive blend of confidence coaching and bold branding approaches, Dana has helped thousands of business owners globally present a robust online presence through her talks, workshops, and training programs. At Cheers Creative, her creative hub, Dana has led the creation of award-winning brand designs and websites for industry leaders and content creators.

Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, Dana loved drawing and designing from a young age. She chose to study graphic design at the University of Memphis during her undergraduate years. While attending college, Dana became a freelance graphic designer for local small businesses to support herself while raising her child as a single mom.

After graduation, Dana began working in corporate America as a graphic designer while continuing freelance work. She designed marketing materials for Truist (formerly SunTrust) and Wells Fargo and packaging for home storage items sold in major retail stores, including Target, Walmart, and Home Depot. These experiences showed Dana how crucial good design is to protect a company and help it become a standout brand.
Dana launched Cheers Creative in 2012 to help businesses grow through consistent brand and web design. Since then, she’s become a sought-after brand designer and consultant across many industries, including fashion, music, and entertainment.

Dana quickly created a name for herself by developing attractive websites for her clients through WordPress, one of the most popular website builders in the world. In 2015, Dana’s progress was reinforced when she became an official partner of ThemeCo, creators of the popular “X” WordPress theme. Through this collaboration, over 220,000 customers on the ThemeCo platform were able to quickly create attractive websites using templates designed by Dana. Additionally, she customized websites for X Theme WordPress users worldwide.

Download my official resume here.
I’m happy to provide references as well! Contact me here.

Download my pre-approved headshots here.

Photo Credit for all Images: Stephon Ballard, Picture This Memphis.

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“Dana has spoken at several events for Harlem’s Fashion Row. The last event was our designers retreat sponsored by Nike.

In addition to speaking, Dana attended our networking session and offered branding advice to our attendees, which were multicultural fashion designers from all around the country. Dana was relatable, provided incredible value, and received rave reviews from our attendees. We’ve booked her to speak at two more events!”

Brandice Daniel

Fashion Industry Leader, Author, Founder/CEO of Harlem's Fashion Row and ICON360

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Need more info about me? Grab my bios, resume, and photos here.

Dana is an award-winning brand consultant, website strategist, and national speaker for creative professionals. She founded Cheers Creative, a Memphis-based consultancy that offers brand consulting, design, and online training to help entrepreneurs make courageous decisions with their online presence.

As a sought-after WordPress website expert with over 15 years of experience in brand development and graphic design, Dana has used her unique blend of confidence lessons, brand strategy, and design techniques to coach thousands of business owners into reaching their highest potential. She has led branding and career development workshops for Google, the University of Memphis, Women’s Business Center South, and more.

Dana’s work, story, and writings about branding, design, and entrepreneurship are featured in over 60 publications including Essence, AfroTech, and HubSpot.

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