We had the good fortune of connecting with Dany and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dany, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The inspiration behind starting my own business comes from my background as an immigrant and my passion for community and connection. My family immigrated to the United States from Cuba in 2006. Shortly after moving to a new country, my dad started his own landscaping business, Dino’s Palms, with little money to his name and without speaking the English language. Watching my dad persevere and grow his businesses throughout the years planted a seed of entrepreneurial passion within me that has been cultivating since I was a child. I have been blessed to obtain opportunities living in this country not available to my friends and family back in Cuba. As I grew older, I discovered I had a passion for people, connection, and community. This passion led me to start Sonaara, a social meetup app that integrates local businesses into the conversation, enabling users to match and meet in real-time at local Atlanta restaurants, bars, and coffeeshops. My goal is to create the leading social app that facilitates in-person connections, as fast as possible. I’m more than excited to commence this journey here in Atlanta, where I graduated from Emory University in 2023.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Existing meetup platforms fail to foster spontaneous, in-person connections, leaving both individuals and local businesses underserved. Sonaara instantly connects users seeking spontaneous, real-time hangouts at nearby businesses, making spontaneous meetups seamless and discoverable. By enabling real-time, location-based connections and integrating businesses directly into the social discovery process, we deliver immediate value and authenticity that other platforms lack. Our approach creates a dynamic, mutually beneficial ecosystem between users and businesses that established competitors fail to deliver.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Palo Santo – Great place for dancing and drinks on a Saturday night

Walking the beltine – Nothing better than walking the beltline on a Sunday morning and hitting the Saint Germain bakery inside Ponce City Market

Iberian Pig – The delicious Spanish tapas make this one of my go-to restaurants to show my friends when they are in town.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shout out all the amazing people and resources that are part of the Atlanta startup ecosystem. Particularly, I would like to thank the Atlanta Tech Village and their wonderful team of people like Brandon Winfield, and Justin Vanorsby, who have enabled me to connect with new friends, professional colleagues, and even team members. Additionally, I want to shout out Bryan Cayce, Christy Brown, and other leaders in the entrepreneurial space at my Alma Mater, Emory University. These individuals have given me excellent opportunities and resources to transform Sonaara from just an idea to a real, viable business, like the Techstars Emory Founders Catalyst pre-accelerator. Last but definitely not least, shoutout my parents and my brother for always believing in me and pushing me to pursue my entrepreneurial deams!

Website: https://sonaara.com

Instagram: https://sonaara.app

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sonaara/

Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dany-hernandez-gonzalez-92950516b/ – Personal LinkedIn

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