MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: DANIELLE DAROS REVEALS HOW SHE OVERCAME REJECTION TO BECOME AN EMMY-WINNING BROADCASTER

By Sydney Gordon, Communications Intern, Senior majoring in Communication and Media Studies at Pace University

A passion for public speaking in middle school became the fuel to propel DLE member

Danielle DaRos into the morning anchor desk as an Emmy-award winning broadcaster in West Palm Beach, FL.

“I love doing the research, writing my message and delivering it in front of an audience. I know public speaking is a lot of people’s biggest fear. But for me, I’ve always found it to be super energizing and exciting, and I love that pressure,” admits the multi-media storyteller.

Equally impactful were the sounds of her childhood home. Danielle recollects the morning vibe of the Today Show in the background while getting ready for school and family discussions around news events. She shares, “My family always paid attention to current events, and so in my mind, I’ve always viewed these women broadcasters and news anchors as authority figures and important people to be listening to.”

Feeling inspired, it became clear for her to pursue broadcasting and achieve her dream of becoming a news anchor herself. “I knew that I wanted to do stories that had an impact, stories that made a difference–so that’s kind of why I wanted to get into investigative specifically,” she shares.

Danielle quickly adapted to the busy atmosphere of the newsroom through multiple college internships, where she got the opportunity to shadow and learn from career professionals, ask probing questions and offer her own content. “What prepared me the most to get out there was being in the local newsrooms–small places where I could get my feet wet and be out on stories, side by side, with the reporters.”

After graduating from Syracuse University, Danielle’s career path stretched to Bangor, ME, where she got her first job as a multimedia journalist at Gannett. She was responsible for shooting, reporting, and editing stories, describing herself as a “one man band reporter” who drove across the state to cover stories. Her experience led her to a new position as a state reporter at NECN. Despite working completely independently, she thrived. “It forces you to grow up and mature and just take on so much at such a young age fresh out of college,” she shares.

Along the way came the workplace dynamic of rejection–of story ideas and angles, a job factor she accepted as a difficult reality. “It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you. It just means that for whatever reason, the timing isn’t right and it’s not personal,” she notes.

Danielle offers four keys for overcoming rejection cultivated during her 13 years in the broadcast business:

• remain resilient
• develop thick skin to handle harsh criticism
• know who you are
• understand your value.

Currently living in Lake Worth, FL with her husband and two children, Danielle has adopted a schedule that supports a work-life balance. By taking on a new role as a live desk anchor on the early morning show at WPEC, she opened afternoons and evenings to be with her kids. “I get very little sleep most of the time, so that’s the sacrifice I’ve had to make in order to try to balance it all,” she admits, as her work days start well before dawn.

Danielle’s work as a detail-driven, investigative journalist has earned Suncoast Regional Emmy awards for Business/Consumer Investigation, Serious Feature and Sports categories and multiple Florida News Awards. All totaled, she is a four-time Emmy winner.

A member of the DLE since 2011, Danielle credits the unique diversity of the DLE community and curriculum for broadening her mindset to tackle a career. “The DLE introduced me to a lot of people that came from different backgrounds. They weren’t all journalism professionals. It helped broaden my understanding of the professional world and how I should see myself in it,” she states. “The DLE teaches you how to be a go-getter and approach your career from a standpoint of being in the driver’s seat.”

Danielle credits Linda Dulye, DLE founder, as someone she is personally inspired by, acknowledging “having somebody in my corner cheering me on, checking in and being that North Star of a powerful and accomplished woman–that’s the kind of woman that I want to be.”

Emerging from a historic election year, Danielle opens up about the responsibility of delivering the latest headlines on the political landscape daily as The Live Desk anchor at the CBS-affiliate WPEC. “You cannot bring your personal opinions into the workplace. You just have to learn how to compartmentalize, be professional at all times and deliver news with accuracy. The stakes are so high. So it’s quite an experience.”

LISTEN TO DANIELLE’S CAREER ADVICE ON JUST-RELEASED DLE PODCAST

Seize six top tips from Emmy-award winning broadcaster and DLE member Danielle DaRos for stepping outside of your comfort zone, building a professional network and beating rejection in the DLE Career Advice for Soaring podcast. Learn, stretch and grow by clicking here.