Dana Ramler
Dana Ramler is part guru, part world traveler and 100% up to creating amazing things in the world. She usually does that by dreaming up new objects as a product and experience designer working for brands such as Lululemon or Reebok. When not designing she’s deep diving into self discovery and sharing her lessons and wisdom along the way. The path she has traveled is as interesting as her designs.
Born in Saskatchewan, Canada in the prairies, Dana and her family moved to Vancouver Island, Canada where she spent her childhood. She was always an artist, yet various adults in her life cautiously guided her find a ‘real job’ where she could take care of herself. As a result, after high school she went to University of Victoria to get the closest grown up job possible - to be an Art Teacher. After her second year at university, knowing deep down she was on the wrong path, she decided to take a three week summer art course. At the completion of the course the dean at that school said, “Congratulations! You’ve been accepted to the program.” Not knowing that was even an option, Dana suddenly realized this is a new door opening on her path.
That same summer, while not at the art course, Dana had a job cleaning boats. There she learned that you could travel the world as a crew member on yachts traveling between Florida and Europe. She had decided to transfer from University of Victoria to Emily Carr University of Art & Design for the fall semester, yet had this itch to see if a job on a yacht was really a possibility. It was complemented by a yearning to spread her wings and expand into her new found freedom having diverted from a path that was not hers. She chose to differ her enrollment and give traveling the world a go.
Dana arrived in Florida to find a yacht to work on. She was able to find a horrendous job cleaning out a boiler room in a boat in Florida in crazy heat. She committed to the boiler room like she commits to everything else - 100% in until it’s done and perfect. The staff noticed and she got connected with a house keeping job. For the next year she traveled between the US and countries in Europe maintaining the boat and orders from the ritzy guests including their Evian only drinking dogs.
After a year on the water saving money, seeing magical new places and rediscovering her true self, Dana finally entered art school with complete focus and excitement. She loved being fully immersed in the art world. Even if she didn’t know exactly what a career would look like afterwards. One class her drawing teacher commented that she kept drawing objects when in comparison others drew people or landscapes. He told her she should be an industrial designer. It was a term that Dana had never heard before and was a complete gift. Now she knew exactly what she was supposed to become.
She focused in product design and soft product design. She scored an internship at Lululemon and then a job offer upon graduation. Dana is someone who creates her life, so when she started to think about how to work as a designer abroad she made sure to let the universe know it was something she was plotting about. Sure enough, then Reebok in Barcelona called about an opportunity,
Dana and her husband, who she met first online through his travel blog while she was working on the yachts and then in person upon her return to Vancouver, moved to Barcelona for a new adventure in the beautiful Spanish city by the sea. It’s here that she met fellow Powerful Lady Adeline Bondu (who recommended her to us!).
After four years in Spain, they were ready for a new adventure and returned to Dana’s home town of Vancouver Island. They’re now spending their time enjoying the beautiful island, working on different entrepreneurship, freelance, contracting and personal projects from writing a book to living for four months in Hawaii.
To follow, support, connect, hire and learn from Dana you can:
Listen to her Powerful Ladies Podcast and leave a comment.
Follow her on Instagram @dana_ramler
Visit her website danaramler.com
