// THE STORY

After years of grinding and hustling, burning out over and over again, grieving the loss of my mom and literally being told by multiple doctors that I was going to have a heart attack at 35 if I didn’t slow down, I knew something needed to drastically change.  Like tech that is not functioning at its highest potential, I knew it was time for a hard reset.

On the journey to heal from the hustle culture I once loved, I started wanting to define what a hard reset might look like for me. In order to do so I spent countless hours meditating, journaling, connecting with family and friends and examining how even nature resets itself from season to season. I wanted to know what it would actually take to reset my mind, body and soul. 

I’ll be honest that when I started this journey, I thought I would find my answer and everything would just make sense after that. Instead, I’ve spent a little over three years digging deeper and realizing that doing a hard reset takes a lot more work than I ever expected. It requires a deep trust in the universe, a willingness to unlearn and let go of things and people that don’t help serve your greater purpose, and ultimately it requires learning to put love first.

For me, my hard reset has also required facing the deep imposter syndrome and fear of failure I have felt my whole life. It’s required facing the fear that I am not enough and that someone else should be doing this work instead. But my ancestors who have guided me my whole life HAVE NOT let me give up. Every time I’ve burst into tears or faced a part of my grief, I’ve been reminded that we all truly have God given talents that no one can ever take away. We all come with a set of unique experiences that help shape the way we see, and ultimately create, the world around us.

For me, those experiences include growing up with a mother who was a fashion designer, interior designer and artist who could both design an entire home and create a rose out of plastic spoons (as if everyone should be able to do it.) It’s because of her that I learned that anything was possible. It’s the same reason that I’ve always loved the creatives like Virgil Abloh, Pharrell, and Yoon Ambush; multidisciplinary artists who learn the rules just to show the world that there actually are no rules. It is because of their inspiration that I am so excited to finally launch Hard Reset Studios.

Hard Reset Studios is a creative multidisciplinary studio and honestly my personal playground where I get the chance to research, explore and create. From building national social impact campaigns, to designing homes for some of my favorite people, to ultimately sharing my vision and love for culture, art and design with the world, Hard Reset Studios will serve as my safe space. 

And although I am so excited to finally share this with the world, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t still scared. However, I know that I have a community of people that love and adore me and have literally been holding my hand along the way. From the people who have constantly pushed me to make this public, to the folks who have allowed me to be vulnerable about my fears, to the people who tag me whenever they feel they are going through a reset themselves, thank you for seeing me, for believing in me and for giving me the grace of being human. I love you all. 

Now, let’s build and create together. Because everyone in this world deserves to see the beauty that exists within us all.

With love,

Daniel Alejandro Leon-Davis

Son of Nelis Judith Calles Moran

Founder and Creative Director, Hard Reset Studios