By day, she’s Kira Lee Cipolla, an acclaimed artist whose intricate paintings fetch thousands. By night, she’s Dani Daniels, an adult entertainment legend with millions of fans and a top-tier OnlyFans presence. But as anyone who’s been paying attention knows, these two women are one and the same—a powerhouse entrepreneur who is rewriting the rules on her own terms.
Forget everything you think you know about the endgame for an adult star. In the artsy enclave of Sarasota, Florida, Dani has built a thriving empire with her husband, Vic Cipolla. Their portfolio includes a bustling coffee shop (DD Roasters), a fine art gallery (Kira Lee Art), and a hidden, members-only speakeasy. This isn’t a side hustle; it’s a full-blown renaissance, and Dani is the master of her own universe.
From Art School Debt to Fistfuls of Cash
Like many great stories, this one started with a bit of rebellion and a mountain of debt. After high school, Dani—then just Kira—found herself at a crossroads. “I wanted to study fine art, but my mother wanted me to study fashion, thinking it would lead to an actual career,” she reveals. “So I lied to her for two years and took every art elective that the college I attended offered.”
When the school caught on, a chat with her guidance counselor sealed her fate. She dropped out, saddled with a hefty art school bill. “This debt led me to modeling gigs, which led to nude modeling gigs, and it took off from there,” she says. This path eventually led her to the world of exotic dancing, first in L.A. and then in a place that would transform her career: Council Bluffs, Iowa.
“I moved to Omaha, I would drive to Council Bluffs, Iowa, to dance at a club called The Playhouse. To this day, it is my favorite strip club on the planet; it was a giant barn that they converted into a strip club… There’s not much to do in Iowa besides look at titties, so business was good. I would kill it. Fistfuls of cash.”
The Playhouse, she says, turned her into an “athlete.” With 30-foot poles and nine-song sets, she honed the performance skills that would later make her a star feature entertainer. But she knew the grueling lifestyle wasn’t sustainable forever. An exit plan was already forming in her mind.
The ‘Unicorn’ Who Accidentally Conquered Porn
Dani’s entry into the adult film industry was almost a fluke. “Some random day I’m on stage and I overheard these two guys talking about girl on girl porn,” she recalls. “I asked what that was because I had never watched porn. I thought if you did porn you had to do gangbangs out the gate.”
The discovery that she could perform exclusively in lesbian scenes was a game-changer. She broke up with a disapproving boyfriend and dove in headfirst, but never intended for it to be a long-term career.
“I was going to eat some pussy and go home. For the record, I did not get into porn to be a porn star. I always knew, I wanted to fuck some hot chicks and then go about the rest of my life. That was my plan.”
But as it turned out, she was really, *really* good at it. “I guess this was my unicorn, because I just liked my job,” she admits. Her genuine passion in a field where many performers are “gay for pay” made her incredibly popular, leading to a massive following and a successful run as a feature dancer, where she earned the nickname “club cleaner” for her ability to wow crowds after other performers bombed.
Building an Empire, One Word at a Time
Today, Dani’s hustle is channeled into her art and businesses. As Kira Lee, she practices a unique style called “typographical pointillism,” using tiny, handwritten song lyrics and quotes to form stunning portraits of cultural icons. It’s a method that perfectly merges her love for music and visual art.
“Lyrics resonate with me,” she explains. “I’m a big Rolling Stones fan. So it just created this extra depth to me. I love music, the art and those artists are the ones I find inspiring.”
Her work, which can be seen on her social media and at her Sarasota gallery, has found a serious audience. This venture isn’t just a gimmick; it’s a testament to her lifelong passion. It also places her at the forefront of a major industry trend: creators leveraging their online fame to build tangible, real-world brands. From her coffee shop to her exclusive speakeasy, Dani is a prime example of how to successfully pivot from online persona to offline mogul, a path her fans on platforms like Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) constantly praise.
The Art of the Double Life
So how does she manage it all without burning out? By treating her two identities as separate jobs.
“I have days that I’m Dani and I have days that I’m Kira. I sound like a fucking psychopath when I say that,” she laughs. “Dani is definitely a character that I play. It’s a very sexualized version of myself… I would do my cam work, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Then on Tuesday and Thursday, I would paint.”
This strict compartmentalization, combined with a newfound dedication to self-care, has been her key to sanity and success. After facing burnout while launching her Florida businesses, she made a critical change.
“As much as it killed me as a workaholic, I took Sundays off. I don’t do shit on Sundays,” she says. It’s a lesson in resilience and sustainability, a conscious choice to protect her mental health in industries known for their relentless pace.
From a stripper trying to pay off art school debt to a celebrated artist and entrepreneur, Dani Daniels has painted a masterpiece of a life. And she’s done it by staying true to herself—all versions of herself.
“I check in with myself often: ‘Am I okay? Am I enjoying this? Is this the life I pictured for myself? Does it bring me joy?’ And right now, I’m lucky to say yes — to all of it.”
For more on this story, check out the July 2025 issue of ED Magazine, as mentioned by exoticdancer.com.
* Photo from exoticdancer.com
