Danielle McCalla talks motherhood, marketing, and making space
Published:Friday | July 25, 2025 | 12:07 AM
When Danielle McCalla became a mother, she didn’t press pause on her ambition; she pressed go. Now, she’s not only raising a child but building a boutique content marketing agency driven by creativity, strategy, and a deep understanding of brand storytelling. As the founder and chief creative officer of DCM Media, McCalla told Living that motherhood fuels her ambition.
“I always say my daughter gave me a new lens on life,” said McCalla. “She made me more intentional with my time, more focused with my vision, and more passionate about the legacy I’m building.”
McCalla’s entrepreneurial journey didn’t begin with DCM Media, a Kingston-based agency rooted in storytelling and brand elevation. Her entrepreneurial journey began at just 14 years old, when she launched her first business from her childhood bedroom. That venture, Locomotion Dancerobics, was a lively fusion of dance and aerobics designed to help people burn fat while enjoying the process.
Her entrepreneurial drive only grew stronger. By 2015, she had launched The FaceMaid, a make-up artistry business that quickly gained traction. Around the same time, she began offering freelance social media services, unofficially laying the groundwork for what would later become DCM Media.
“Looking back, it was my first real taste of building something from the ground up with intention and impact. These were my side hustles while pursuing a degree in integrated marketing communications from CARIMAC at UWI Mona, working full time in agency and corporate marketing,” McCalla explained.
“I started DCM Media amid toddler tantrums, tight deadlines, and a full-time job,” McCalla shared. “For a year, I was building the agency late at night, mothering by instinct, and navigating a 9–5 by day. It was overwhelming, but it also made me more intentional and more committed to creating something of my own.”
FLEXIBILITY
Rather than hide the realities of being a working mom, McCalla infused them into her business model. DCM Media was designed to reflect the life she wanted, one that allowed flexibility, freedom, and fulfilment, not just for herself, but for other creatives and entrepreneurs who might be navigating similar paths.
At its core, DCM Media aims to craft experiences that connect, convert, and elevate. “We’re not here to just churn out content. We’re here to tell stories that resonate, especially for brands that are often overlooked,” she said.
That heart-led mission is a reflection of McCalla herself, a creative force with a knack for turning vision into value. “Motherhood has taught me the importance of clarity and consistency, two things every brand needs,” she says. “You learn quickly how to prioritise what matters, and that’s something I apply every day in my work with clients.”
The phrase ‘work-life balance’ doesn’t quite capture the reality for McCalla. It’s more like work-life integration. “There’s no perfect formula. Some days I’m a content machine. Other days, I’m fully in mom mode, and both are valid. I’ve stopped striving for perfection and started striving for presence.”
She remains passionate about showing other women, especially mothers, that they don’t have to choose between motherhood and ambition. “My daughter will grow up seeing that her mother didn’t shrink her dreams. She expanded them,” she says. “That’s the legacy I want to leave, not just for her, but for every woman watching.”
For McCalla, motherhood was not a pause on purpose, but a catalyst. “You don’t need perfect timing, a flawless plan, or anyone else’s approval to begin. You just need to trust your vision, start where you are, and take the first step,” she encouraged. “You’re allowed to be more than one thing. More than a mother or a title. You’re allowed to take up space, loudly, creatively, and boldly.”