What’s hiding behind Dan Churchill’s smile? What’s hiding behind Dan Churchill’s smile?

Is Dan Churchill the definition of peak happiness?

Dan, we have to ask: Where does your endless positivity come from?
I've always had positivity running through my veins. It's definitely from my mother, 100 percent. She is such a beautiful, lovely human. You could not find someone more empathetic, soft and comforting if you tried. But when it comes down to it, I really enjoy being positive. I really do. I love being happy. I love saying hello to strangers. I love asking genuine questions of people. I'm interested in creating a positive vibe – I don't want to force it, it's just who I am.

So the guy we see in the Centr community is the real Dan?
What you see on social media is what you get. I mean, there is a very serious side to what I do – to run a business, grow my team, inspire them. But I love my job, I love my life and I love the people around me. So bringing positive vibes is just who I am.

How do you maintain healthy boundaries when you love making people happy?
I've made a consistent effort to be strong in what I say ‘no’ to. This is a huge lesson for all of us, to learn what to say ‘no’ to more than what to say ‘yes’ to. I only learned to say no after saying yes to too many things. It's a powerful thing to be able to say no, if you feel comfortable.

Even positive people go through hard times. What leaps to mind for you?
Let's talk about when I first came to America. The first book I launched in the US was a tough one, because no one knew me. And I was trying to conform to the idea of what people wanted me to be to sell the book. I was trying to be someone I wasn’t, and that was a mistake. But I’m still glad I did it because I am who I am today as a result of that. I learned pretty quickly who my true friends were. You have a lot of people wanting things from you, then when success doesn’t come, they're not actually keen to have you as a friend.

Did the pandemic deal you any blows?
Having a business like a restaurant during COVID was a tough one, it really was. We learned to pivot and do other things. Obviously now I have the products we launched as a result. But even during that process, the amount of money we spent on things we should have, or things that took too much time that should have been done earlier… Then again, learning from those mistakes is what got the products to where they are today.

How about self-doubt? Have you ever struggled with it?
In the first 6 months of living in the US, I was supposed to be doing restaurant concepts – I was really committed and it would have set me up financially. But within 4 months, it just stopped… and they hadn't paid me a single cent. All of a sudden, I had to move out of my apartment and I was sleeping on a friend's couch, starting again after thinking my trajectory was sorted for the next 3 years. I had a day where I was in a pretty tough patch. I was questioning myself and my choice to move my whole life to the States. Then I realized that, while you have these people in your network who can help guide you and open doors for you, you have to be the one to step through. So I was like, ‘If I’m going to get out of this, it's gotta be through me’.

Was it really only ONE tough day?
Well, the more time I dwell on the negativity, the more time is wasted that I could have been using to get through that door. So that's exactly what happened – I took a day to be like, ‘This is awful’, then I realized you can find other ways to get by and do what you need to do.

In addition to Centr, you run a restaurant, record a podcast, train for marathons and a whole lot more besides. How do you fit it all in?
Number one, surround yourself with an awesome team. You're only as good as your weakest link. It’s really important that you surround yourself with people who have bought into what it is that you are and want to achieve. That's what you're looking for as you build a team.

What kind of boss are you?
In the beginning it was hard to delegate because, when you're doing a personal brand, it's not like you're representing a product – you are that product. It's hard to have someone else represent you or talk on your behalf. That can be a challenge. People often say, ‘No one is going to do the job like you can’. I actually have to disagree. No one's going to be able to do the job that you do because it's you, but they may do it better, you just don't know it yet. You have to give people a fair chance to show you what they are capable of.

How did you create a social circle when you moved from Australia to the US?
There is a tight-knit community of other Australians who come here and want to hang out with a like-minded crew. Also I'm in an athletic community, I’m interested in sports, I'm competitive, I have a great running team. So I've always found a way to connect with people, even if they’re from a completely different culture or upbringing. Plus, I always see the best in people, which makes it easier to find common ground and make friends.

I have a growing ‘found’ family over here and we are all there to support each other in all our respective fields. It also helps to have a very supportive partner who understands the trials and tribulations of building a personal brand, a restaurant and a product line at the same time.

Dan’s positivity is infectious… right, Luke?

Was there a time after you first arrived when you felt alone?
At the time I was super naive and like, ‘Yeah, I'm just going to move!’ I soon came to realize that you are completely starting again. You feel alone in the big city. I'm not talking about professionally, although that is true, but starting over with your social circles, who you're hanging out with… everything. The toughest part was just that initial period of not wanting to force a relationship. But as I said, it's pretty hard for me not to make a friend.

Given all the projects you have on the go, do you ever sleep? How many hours do you get each night?
I'm big on sleep. I would say 7 hours is pretty consistent – sometimes longer, sometimes shorter. I fall asleep ridiculously easy. As soon as I get horizontal, I'm out.

Although, before going to bed I do really like to shut off my mind. Sometimes that's watching a video or my book – anything that puts my mind at ease. I shut the blinds, set ‘do not disturb’ on my phone, and that’s about it.

How do you factor in relaxation when your schedule is so busy?
It's actually a huge factor in how I'm able to do everything I do. For example, my morning routine is made up of either walking Maverick, my dog, or reading a book and having a coffee. That's relaxing for me. Training, running, Olympic lifting, cooking – I love the sound of caramelizing onions – these are all things that just happen to be part of my day that also help me relax. I don't meditate as much as I used to, because I find that time for mindfulness in taking Maverick for a walk or reading a book.

What does a day off look like for you?
Get up, grab a coffee, hit the gym with friends and then catch up for lunch with everybody. Maybe a couple of drinks, or we go watch the football together, have dinner. We talk absolute smack and enjoy ourselves. That's a perfect day off.

Are you much of a drinker?
I’ll have red wine, or I do love a good beer, I just don’t have them that often. I’ll drink anywhere between none a week, 2 drinks a week, right up to a maximum of 4 or 5. I'm one of those people who likes to pick a night or two a week to have a drink, as opposed to three or four nights. Drinks can bring people together, help people relax, but we do need to understand the effect they can have on our body. So for me it’s never a boozy night out – I’ll stick in the 2 to 4 drinks kind of range.

Now let’s talk about the thing we know you love, and we love you for – FOOD! Are you so positive because you’re just eating delicious meals you’ve cooked all the time?
There are so many good associations with food: the nutritional benefit, the endorphin release, nostalgic moments, the environment you’re in, or just the flavor alone. I’m someone who has always said to enjoy everything in moderation. My job is not to eliminate food from your life, it’s to widen your horizons on what food can bring to you, and give you a platform to make your own informed decisions.

What does a Dan treat splurge look like?
I love chocolate, I love a good muffin, ice cream – all the sweets. But I like to keep them for special occasions, like going to get an ice cream with my partner Milena. I rarely have any fried food, but I’ll have some sweet potato fries. I guess I live by the lifestyle vision we share on Centr – you're not here to eliminate anything, do everything in its own respective field in moderation. I live by that for sure.