Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Henke
Hi Amanda, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born and raised in rural Minnesota, and have lived in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area for over twenty years. I earned my BA and MBA from The College of St. Scholastica, with a focus in Communication and Marketing. In 2012, my then-husband and I purchased a small business in southern Minnesota, producing caramels and popcorn. The company—Annie B’s, had excellent products but outdated branding. My first order of business was to work on a rebrand and updated packaging. This brand refresh caught the attention of Oprah’s creative director, Adam Glassman, at a large confection convention in Atlanta. We had about three and a half months to prove that our product was worthy of Oprah’s stamp of approval, and eventual placement in the November 2014 issue of O Magazine, the infamous “Oprah’s Favorite Things” issue. We got in! And it changed our lives. When Oprah’s “Favorite Things” were made public, Annie B’s sales spiked with a 75 percent increase over the same period the previous year, and website orders soared over 700 percent. It was a whirlwind of a time, and a great learning experience. I was honored to speak to local college students about the benefits and potential impact of rebranding and thoughtful marketing. I am personally no longer involved with the company but Annie B’s is still in existence, with my ex-husband and friend Justin Henke at the helm. They have added new fun products to their line (notably, chocolate!), and the business is thriving.
After I decided to make a career change and leave Annie B’s, I went back to school to earn my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Hamline University. I was inspired by all of the wonderful books I read with my son, and I was hopeful I could learn to create some similar magic. The program was intense, and I graduated in 2019. My first picture book was published in February 2023 by Starry Forest Books, and is titled Not a Book About Bunnies. I am currently working on picture books, and have also started to dip my toes into writing screenplays for adults, mainly in the form of television pilots and short films. It is fun and challenging, and I feel like I have found my career passion, in writing.
I am currently working with a screenwriting coach from NYU, and so I spend half of my time in New York City. The other half I am in Minneapolis, with my wonderful 11-year old son August. August, by the way, is my fiercest editor and my harshest critic. He had a lot of say in the final cut of Not a Book About Bunnies. He is a terrific help.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When I was at Annie B’s, my main challenge was finding a way to separate work from my home life. When you own your own business, it is very easy to work more than you should, because you’re working for yourself. I think it is important to set clear boundaries between the two, in order to maintain a happy home life and strong mental health.
I must admit, it was also a challenge to avoid eating caramels and popcorn constantly, as they were always at my fingertips. But sometimes I had to justify this because part of the job was product development which included taste-testing. Lucky me!
As a writer, when I was in graduate school I definitely produced greater quantities of work, simply because I was being held accountable by my professors and by tight deadlines. I find that in order to stay motivated to write, it helps me to set attainable goals each day, and the congratulate myself when I meet (or sometimes even exceed!) them. One of my favorite professors at Hamline, Nina LaCour, had some wise words for writers which have stuck with me: “Some words on most days.” This takes some of the pressure off, because I don’t over-challenge myself, which can lead to burnout and feelings of failure. Instead, this is a gentler approach which keeps my thoughts in what I am writing, and I usually write more than I plan to.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I guess I can say I’m a former entrepreneur and current writer. I think I’ll always have a little bit of that entrepreneurial spirit, and I love to discuss ideas for products, brands and design with others who have sought out my advice. But for my career path, I believe I will stick to writing. It suits me.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
As for kids books, my all-time favorite author is local gem Kate DiCamillo, anything by her is heartfelt and so genuine. And for adult books, I love classics! Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez gives me goosebumps. The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende makes me gasp every time I read it. I love The Great Gatsby by our St. Paul-born F. Scott Fitzgerald. I like to read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith) around the holidays. I read Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston when I want to feel empowered. I love anything by Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison, and if I need cheering up I listen to books by David Sedaris, I like his unique narration style and dry wit.
As for my favorite apps, I get a lot of use out of all of The New York Times apps, from news to recipes to Wordle or the crossword with my son. I listen to Spotify and BBC Sounds, a personal favorite being Desert Island Discs on the BBC. I listen to France 24 in my ongoing efforts to learn to speak the language. I also listen to NRK radio, which is Norwegian. I grew up attending a Norwegian language village in Minnesota, and spent some time in school in Norway as a teenager. I’m trying to maintain what I learned of the Norwegian language all of those years ago.
I don’t listen to podcasts as much as I do to audio books or music, but I really like Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amandahenke.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandajhenke/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amanda.henke.58/
