Alumni Accolades February

Danielle Smith-Brent

Meet Danielle Smith-Brent - the Executive Director of Kreative Kinnectionz Youth Outreach. With roots as a Chicago Park District Recreation Leader, Danielle's passion for educating youth has only grown stronger since her participation in our Community Business Academy. In her current role, Danielle has impacted hundreds of lives, particularly in underprivileged communities, where she's determined to break the cycle of violence by tackling its root causes. Through Kreative Kinnectionz Youth Outreach, Danielle leads programs that blend financial literacy with social emotional health for students from kindergarten to twelfth grade. But Danielle's approach goes beyond the textbooks. She's all about practical knowledge, teaching young minds the ins and outs of job hunting, budgeting, debt management, and even entrepreneurship. What sets her apart is her unique teaching style, where she demystifies complex financial concepts using real-world examples like Real Estate, Insurance, Stock Market, and Banking Systems.

Danielle first heard about Sunshine Enterprises from a stranger riding on the red line from work in 2019. Then her husband told Danielle his sister was also talking about Sunshine. “I then reached out to my sister-in-law and I contacted Sunshine for myself. And the rest is history,“ explains Danielle. “I enrolled in the CBA is 2020. We were the test trial for COVID-19 and e-learning. My orientation and the first day of class were both in person. After the mandate all classes became virtual. I was very skeptical about the sudden change. However, the Sunshine staff and educators did a phenomenal job pivoting.” Danielle enjoyed the CBA’s lesson on financials and the executive summary assignment. “I received a ton of support from Sunshine since graduation especially from the partner credit company. They helped me purchase my first home during COVID. I also took part in the 90-coaching in 2023. Because of Sunshine Enterprises, I was able to be a part of the Black Women’s Expo last year. Overall, my pre- and post-experience has been great!”

Danielle's words of wisdom for aspiring entrepreneurs are crystal clear: Begin your journey by enrolling in Sunshine. Dive deep into the 90-day coaching program they offer, and once you've laid the groundwork, consider bringing a seasoned business coach on board to further guide and elevate your entrepreneurial endeavors.