Combining her strong styling sense with the ability to truly understand the visions of her clients Amanda is renowned for creating a style that feels most authentic to her clients. Now a bestselling author and coveted contributor to many interior design magazines and blogs Amanda’s effortless demeanour allows her to work with her clients and achieve a home they will love to live in.
Amanda has won several awards for her work and her perspectives have been featured in publications such as Australian House & Garden, Grand Designs Australia, The Sunday Telegraph, Bunnings Magazine, and Home Beautiful and she is regularly quoted in design blogs.
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Here we sit down with Amanda, to know a bit more about her journey as an entrepreneur.
What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
Amanda: After I’d had children I was used to being master of my own domain and didn’t feel that I could work for someone else anymore. I was also attracted to, not only the freedom that being an entrepreneur offered but the ability to create whatever I wanted. It’s all up to me.
How did you get started?
Amanda: Interior Design was always my first love but I took a wrong turn and did a Business Degree at uni. Once I had left corporate to have children I started studying as much interior design as I could, not worrying about where it would lead. A friend then asked me to start a Property Styling business (styling properties for sale).
I left that business after two years to do my own thing. The phone just started ringing so it happened really organically. When I took on my first client I had no website, branding or systems in place, I just made it up as I went along. I once read a quote, ‘Owning your own business is like jumping off a cliff and assembling a plane on the way down’. I love it because it is so accurate.
What was your biggest startup challenge? What steps did you take to overcome it? What did you learn?
Amanda: Experiencing growth at a fast rate. I was so used to saying yes to everything that I began to suffer from burnout. I then took on staff in the business and at home and realised that wasn’t for me. I didn’t enjoy it and found that I prefer to be hands-on in all areas of the business.
I scaled back to being mostly just me (I have a few people that help on a casual basis), and am now in my happy place again. It was an expensive journey as I had a lot of mentoring along the way but well worth it (they also had to teach me how to say no, it is a learned skill). There is a period where you are transitioning from saying yes to everything to knowing your worth, having the confidence to charge appropriately and being selective about the work you take on. I am now in that place.
What is the most memorable thing you’ve done since you started your business?
Amanda: Writing an e-book and winning a Best-Selling Author award on Amazon. I currently have another one in the works.
What is one book you recommend, and why?
Amanda: The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks. The only limits are the ones you create for yourself. It opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking.
Image Credit: @heistcreative
In terms of legacy, what is the mark you’d like to leave on the world?
Amanda: My legacy is my children. If I raise three beautiful humans who are happy, confident, productive and humble then I have done my job. I also try to give back as much as I can. It is my goal at some point to become involved in a charity where I can utilise my skills, such as designing women’s shelters.
In one sentence, what’s the best advice you’d give to someone just starting out on their entrepreneurial journey?
Amanda: Acquire a mentor and get as much knowledge as you can from those who have gone before you, you don’t know what you don’t know.
To keep up to date with Amanda and her journey, connect with her on Instagram.
