When Dani Canubas Maryland was growing up in the small rural village of Casile in Cabuyao, Laguna, Philippines, he could never have imagined that one day he would become a successful entrepreneur in America. His early life was simple and humble — his father worked overseas as a laborer in Saudi Arabia and Singapore to support the family, while his mother cared for Dani and his brother and managed the family’s small farm. The family raised pigs, cows, and chickens and grew bananas and coconuts to make ends meet.
Dani attended a one-room elementary school that taught only about a dozen students. Resources were scarce, and lessons covered basic math and language up to fourth grade. To continue studying, he had to travel to a larger town, an experience that would both challenge and shape him.
“It was a culture shock, because the other students knew more than I did,” he recalls. “That’s when I started hating school because I couldn’t keep up.” Despite these early challenges, Dani’s awareness and ambition began to grow. When he entered high school in yet another, larger town, he began noticing the sharp divide between rich and poor. “There is no middle class in the Philippines,” he explains. “You’re either rich or poor. I could see that the parents of the wealthy kids were entrepreneurs. That’s when I started dreaming.”
Early Lessons in Work and Perseverance
Even as a young boy, Dani learned the value of hard work. By the age of ten, he was selling bananas at the market to help his family earn extra income. Alongside his younger brother, he cared for the family’s animals and worked the farm. In his free time, he loved playing basketball — a national pastime in the Philippines — and spending time with his grandfather, who was a respected village leader.
“I enjoyed sitting with my grandfather and listening to older people’s conversations,” Dani says. “That’s how I learned about leadership, solving conflicts, and community responsibility.” These early lessons in listening and observation would later influence his leadership style as an entrepreneur.
Dani’s parents, both high school graduates, were determined to give their children opportunities they never had. They emphasized education and encouraged Dani to pursue college. Though he struggled to enjoy school, he persisted to honor their wishes. He attended a nearby religious university and decided to study psychology and marketing, a combination that would later serve him well in his professional journey. To support himself, he sold magazines door to door — a humble but formative start to his sales career.
A Leap to the Big City and a New Country
After two years, Dani moved to Manila to complete his studies and began working for a staffing company that sent Filipino workers abroad to Taiwan and Hong Kong. His talent for sales quickly stood out, and within a year, he was recruited by a toothbrush company that promised to double his salary. There, he learned that success in sales depended as much on relationships as it did on skill. “The first thing you have to sell is yourself,” he says. “If people don’t like you, no matter how good your product is, they won’t buy it.”
Around this time, his college classmate — and future wife — Ruth was recruited to work as a nurse in the United States. Dani admired her intelligence, discipline, and kindness, and when she decided to move to America, he followed her soon after.
Life in the U.S. was not easy at first. Dani took a job at Taco Bell, then at a bookstore, but quickly realized neither job suited him. “I can’t stay in one place doing the same thing for eight hours,” he laughs. He then began selling packaged nuts from the trunk of his car to gas stations — a job that rekindled his passion for sales. Soon after, he joined Cutco Knives, where he quickly proved himself. “They doubted my capability as a new immigrant, but I asked for 30 days to prove myself.” Within a year, Dani became the No. 1 salesperson in his office and No. 3 nationwide.
From Sales to Financial Services and Entrepreneurship
While selling knives, Dani met a former Vice President at Equitable Insurance who offered him an opportunity to join the company. Under his mentorship, Dani learned about financial planning and residual income. Later, he became an independent distributor for Market America (now SHOP.COM), where he built a strong global distribution business and eventually achieved financial independence.
By 2003, Dani and Ruth — now with four children — decided to return to the Philippines for several years so their kids could experience their heritage. There, Dani founded an international staffing company that placed nurses and workers in the United States. However, after 9/11, the process became more complex, and the family eventually returned to the U.S.
Dani later served as Vice President of Sales and Training for Market Philippines, helping expand Market America’s operations across Asia. “With Market America/SHOP.COM, I learned many aspects of leadership,” he recalls. “I ran conferences, trained leaders, and spoke in front of thousands. It helped me grow as a global professional.”
When he eventually settled in Maryland, Dani continued to build his professional network. He joined The Tower Club of Tysons Corner, Virginia, as an advisory board member, where he met many entrepreneurs and business leaders. It was also around this time that a major turning point came in his life.
The Birth of American Esports
In 2017, after the sudden passing of his father, Dani returned to the Philippines to grieve with his family. During that time, he began researching new business opportunities — and discovered esports, a rapidly expanding industry built around competitive video gaming.
After eight months of intensive study, Dani launched American Esports in May 2018. He had never played a video game before, but he saw the potential in the industry’s infrastructure rather than the games themselves. “A total of $4.4 billion was invested in esports in 2018,” Dani notes. “But I didn’t want to invest in publishing or leagues because games change. Instead, we support them by building infrastructure around them.”
American Esports develops large gaming venues—often located on college campuses or military bases—and provides all the hardware and furnishings under one brand. The company also helps schools establish esports programs in under 90 days and is currently in discussions with universities such as Cornell and American University.
The company employs about 35 people and has raised around $1 million in funding. “I built two teams — one of seasoned professionals and one of millennials — and then mixed them up so they could learn from each other,” Dani says.
Beyond business, Dani also launched the American Esports Kids Foundation, which focuses on social responsibility, education, and wellness. “There are a lot of Gen Zers and millennials who are into wellness and education,” he says. “But what’s missing is social responsibility.”
Leadership and Legacy
As a leader, Dani Canubas in Maryland emphasizes teamwork, humility, and continuous learning. “Leadership, to me, is doing what you want other people to do,” he says. “I don’t want to walk in front or behind my team — I want to walk with them.”
He encourages young people to focus on personal growth, make adjustments to get better, and always give back to their communities. Inspired by the teamwork and perseverance of ants, Dani often reminds others, “They never quit and always move forward together.”
Reflecting on his remarkable journey from a small Filipino village to leading a company in one of the world’s fastest-growing industries, Dani shares a message that defines his life: “Had I not believed that I would succeed because I was not rich, or because my parents were not rich, then I would have just given up on my dreams. I wanted to create something out of nothing. To me, that’s the true definition of entrepreneurship.”
