Dan Byers

1. If you had to begin a different career, what would you do?
I’ve already done this! It’s not every day that someone goes from a successful real estate career to launching a company like Daddy Cakes®. It seems surreal at times that we get to help so many wonderful people and support community-based programs the way we do through the sale of our Daddy Cakes mixes.  We are still growing and when you are the owner, you take on different responsibilities daily.

2. What’s your most prized possession?
My family—hands down. There’s nothing else more important to me. Everything else in my life, I could replace with time, hard work and determination.

3. Favorite drink?
Oh, I so don’t like to admit this one in public, if you are talking adult beverage, then Red Bull and Grey Goose. A PG-13 beverage—I’ll take a nice, frosty mug of root beer.

4. What are you cutting out because of the economy?
Monohydrate dioxide. I heard it was unhealthy. Just kidding! We have been buying more things that come in reusable packaging and supporting causes that we believe in.

5. Fantasy purchase?
Once upon a time, I had a nice sports car, but now I want to bring the family along and the Maserati Quattroporte is a Ferrari that seats four.

6. What can’t you live without?
Water… not just the stuff you drink, but I have to be in it or next to it.  I am the original “just add water” type.

7. What’s next on your “to do” list?
My “to do” list is kind of like a “lucky 8 ball” – I might have a list but getting specific things all lined up sequentially is a bit more challenging. Getting past the fact that my “to do” list reaches from Alaska to Maine when written on rice…

8. Biggest regret?
Not having more kids.  Just having two kids already “A bombs” any order that I once had in my life, but getting past the reality that my “to do” list expands exponentially because of these wonderful beings; I realize how much fuller my life is because of them.

9. Cause that you’re most interested/involved in?
Part of why I created Daddy Cakes was so that as a company we could help not just a single cause, but that we could support many causes. We do multiple events every month in various communities, supporting everything from Little League Baseball to hosting fundraisers with public figures to help those less fortunate.

10. Your dream day in OC?
Every day is a dream day for me in OC.  For me, it’s not about particular destinations - it’s all about the journey and new discoveries that are available right here. It’s so easy to get busy and forget to look around at what a wonderful place and community we have created here.

11. Favorite place for breakfast?
At home, in my own kitchen with my family. The only thing better is when friends can join us too. For restaurant dining, we like to go to Cappy’s on PCH for a nice mellow Surf City breakfast.

12. What was the best day of your life?
That’s like asking me to identify the best part of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup or a chocolate éclair! Probably the best moment in a day was when I was on a date and all of sudden I realized, “I’m going to marry this girl” and nearly 12 years later we have two great boys.

13. Last concert that you went to?
Last month, I went to see Willie Nelson and then to Coachella in the same week. I am so grateful to see Willie in concert because of his influence to so many other talented artists.

14. Favorite vacation spot?
Italy, the entire country.

15. What do you love and hate about Orange County?
I love the people of Orange County and their unique perspectives on life.
So many of this County’s residents are entrepreneurs who have a passion for discovering how to do things in a new, different, and fresh way. I hate that so many of these people steal my cocktail napkin/fantasy world ideas and put them into action.

16. Favorite books?
I read, read, and read but rarely is it an actual book.  I like to read, but I don’t do it for relaxation too often. Instead, I read newspapers and research topics of interest online.

17. Favorite restaurants in Orange County?
We go to Wahoo’s probably more than any single other restaurant. Everyone in the family likes their food so it makes it real easy—we move in like a colony of termites on a new tract home.

18. Biggest accomplishment?
Hopefully, I haven’t done it yet!  I guess it would be the fact that I came from a very humble childhood in Colorado, moved to California by myself when I was 18 with only a suitcase and $34, worked and paid my own way through college. I believe in and represent the American dream.

19. What’s your biggest fear?
Failure is my biggest fear and best motivator. Most other things don’t bother me.

20. Secret most people don’t know about you.
That every other Tuesday on the third week of the fourth month under a full moon, I talk like a Pirate all day long.