#LifeatNutrabolt: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with Daniel Martin Angelus
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, hear from some of Nutrabolt’s incredible team members as they share how their family legacy and cultural experiences have shaped who they are today.
When Daniel “Danny” Martin Angelus joined Nutrabolt in 2016 as Director of International Marketplaces, the company was mostly focused on offline sales channels. But as the market evolved, Nutrabolt began building a larger digital presence with an enhanced e-retailer strategy.
As Senior Director of Digital Sales, Martin now oversees Nutrabolt’s global marketplace sales, including Amazon, Walmart.com, eBay, and top sports nutrition eCommerce sites, like iHerb, Bodybuilding.com, and Muscle & Strength.
How would you describe yourself?
DM: I would describe myself as a multi-cultural person. I grew up in Barcelona, Spain, in a bilingual household. My mom is American, born in New York, and my dad is Spanish.
I’m also a husband and father.
My wife is Colombian, so our kids hear a mix of Spain Spanish and Colombian Spanish in the home. At school, their friends are Mexican, so they’ve developed a big mix of words between Hispanic cultures that, to them, is normal. For example, my son has started to learn how my wife and I say different words and knows when to use them.
We want our children to grow up speaking the language and not just hearing it. Language is very important to us.
What was it like growing up?
DM: Because I attended an international school, I also grew up in a melting pot. There were people in my class from Sweden, Japan, all over the place. It was fun because I was able to connect with them and learn so many different things. My family also loved to travel and wanted me and my siblings to have that same experience. Traveling made it even more appealing for us to learn about different cultures and experience the world through a different lens.
What’s something that surprises people about you?
DM: Blending my Hispanic culture even further, I’m also Greek. My maternal grandmother was Spanish, and my maternal grandfather was from Cyprus. I was about two years old when he passed away, so I never really got to know him, but there were still many cultural things infused in my upbringing.
How has your multi-cultural background influenced your career?
DM: I’m not sure if I’ve landed on international roles because of my background or if I’ve gravitated towards these roles myself, but I’ve always worked with international markets.
I spent almost 8 years working at Dell and was looking for a new opportunity when I learned about Nutrabolt. I had never heard about the company, but the role seemed really interesting and aligned with my background. I started out setting up our international marketplaces, which turned into managing all our Amazon business. Now, I head-up our digital sales team as Senior Director of Digital Sales. It’s been a lot in a short amount of time, but seeing our company grow at a tremendous rate is what makes my job exciting.
Having such a unique mix of experiences and a multi-cultural background has helped me relate to the different partners we work with at Nutrabolt.
How do you stay connected to your culture?
DM: Technology has helped us stay connected with our extended family. Luckily, most of my wife’s family lives in Texas, so we’re able to have big gatherings. It’s usually loud and active with a lot of food. We once had a get-together with more than 150 people. Our kids really enjoy seeing family and being a part of it.
On a day-to-day basis, it’s more about being together. We always have a lot of music playing in the house, like reggaeton, salsa, and merengue. They love the music and know they come from a multi-cultural background.
When we ask our eldest son about it, he’ll say, “I’m from Barcelona, Barranquilla, and Austin.” He’s learning, but kids are pretty incredible.
What do you wish people knew?
DM: In Europe, language is heavily valued. When interviewing for a job, the first question you’re usually asked is what languages do you speak? It’s a critical tool for anyone in the business world because you will be asked to interact with people from across Europe. I also lived in Germany for a few years and, because of that, can find common ground in my relationship building.
When you can connect with someone in their own language or know where they’re coming from, it helps your business flourish. And when you live in a different country or talk to people different than yourself, it makes you more open and accepting of other cultures and traditions. Try it and see if your perspective shifts. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
