From House Cleaner to The Butler Maven: My Journey into Luxury Estate Management.

Daniele back in 2018. Photo by Mari Hart

From Grief to a New Beginning

In September 2010, I returned to Miami after spending five months in Brazil. I had just lost my father and needed to be with my mother and my young son, who stayed behind temporarily while I came back to rebuild our lives.

I arrived with no home, no job, and no clear plan, just a deep sense that I had to start over. One afternoon, sitting alone in a café, I opened my laptop and said a prayer.

|“God, you brought me to this country. You made me legal to work. You helped me learn English. And now… I need a job.”

That’s when I found a job posting for a house cleaner at a Brazilian-owned company. I started the following Monday.

Starting From the Ground Up

The beginning was tough. My supervisor at that first job was extremely harsh, assigning me to clean garages and outdoor grills under the hot Miami sun. I had come from a professional career in Brazil, working as a recruiter. This new reality was humbling.

But I made a choice. If I was going to be a house cleaner, I would be the best one anyone had ever met.

I gave my all to every task, no matter how small. Within two weeks, I left that toxic environment and found another opportunity. That’s where everything began to change.

A Door Opens

At this new company, I met a kind and generous Jewish gentleman who hired me to clean his home. Impressed with my dedication and attention to detail, he asked me to work exclusively for him. From there, referrals started pouring in. I launched my own cleaning company, DV Cleaning, and ran it for three years.

Meeting Carolina Lara: The Turning Point

One of my clients introduced me to Carolina Lara, a local real estate agent. At first, she hired me to clean and prepare her listings. But I approached each property with a mindset that went beyond cleaning. I organized, solved problems, and made sure everything was perfect.

One day, I told Carolina about an issue I had encountered, and I also shared the solution I had already implemented. She was impressed.

From that point forward, she trusted me not only with her listings but also with managing the properties of her high-end clients.

|That moment marked the beginning of my career as an Estate Manager.

The Birth of The Butler Maven—Then and Now

Over the years, my role evolved from house cleaner to full-service estate manager, overseeing luxury homes, hiring and training staff, managing vendors and budgets, and curating seamless experiences for my clients.

That’s how The Butler Maven was born, not just as a business, but as a reflection of everything I’ve lived, learned, and overcome.

And now, 15 years later, I find myself at another beginning.

After spending time in Brazil to take care of my mental health, after recover from a pre-breast cancer surgery, and support my teenage son through serious personal challenges, I’ve returned to the U.S. once again. Ready to rebuild.

It wasn’t an easy decision to step away, but it was necessary. I chose healing, reflection, and restoration so I could return stronger, clearer, and fully aligned with my purpose.

The circumstances may feel familiar, but I am not the same woman.

|I now walk into this new chapter with confidence, clarity, and the same heart that carried me through the first time.

I am still that humble and resilient woman, unafraid of starting over, committed to excellence, and ready to serve.

This is more than a business revival. It’s a personal one.

Love,

Dani