Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda M. Ferris
Hi Amanda M., thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Technically, my first business was selling grasshoppers door-to-door as a little kid, but between then and my first entity filed as an adult, I spent years working in the hospitality industry and many other jobs along the way. What I lacked in age, I figured I could make up for with real-world experience, so I committed myself to failing forward as often as necessary to acquire the essential skills for the next venture percolating within. Equipped with little more than an insatiable appetite for lifelong learning and a stirring passion to create, explore, and add value to the world, I stepped into the unknown world of entrepreneurship shortly after stepping aside from the status quo. At the time, my personal life was in shambles; when the shock of escalated circumstances shifted into a sense of urgency to get back on my feet, I realized I had nothing left to lose. I’ve cleaned up dog waste, worked farmers’ markets, flipped furniture, coordinated events, done voice-over acting, catering, stocked shelves, made money pin-up modeling, worked as a mascot, sold collectible coins, and pretty much anything that promised a payday or potential opportunity to cultivate a future. Operating as a freelancer, then contractor turned consultant, I served clients however I could manage. It took a few years to find my stride, and even the failures proved to be more than the masterclass I bargained for. Taking every opportunity to level up my skills from workshops and seminars to books, coaches, and mentors, then taking risks to expand my professional horizons in different industries and projects led to generating a little bit of luck and discovering new paths I would have never considered previously. My business has evolved nearly as much as I have in the process, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about the future and what we work to create.
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?
Excuse me a moment while I finish laughing out loud… yes, there have been struggles at every point of the journey.
Early on, the biggest included figuring out how to simply keep a roof over my head and cover business overhead, especially when contracts fell through, clients didn’t work out, or costly surprises reared their ugly heads. After a few months of living in my car, one of my short-term room rentals turned out to be in a meth-cooking house, and I have moved more than fifty times! At one point I was essentially disowned by certain family members. Technical issues, computer crashes containing eternally lost manuscripts, and printed book runs with entire sections messed up making them unsellable. Health challenges, ghosting contractors, non-pay clients. Uncertainty, self-doubt, fear, loneliness, being misunderstood.
I’ve had more false starts than I can count, lost plenty of money in failed attempts, had my identity stolen, and later intellectual property stolen. My first book’s launch party had to be canceled when I received dangerous threats to myself and the venue. I’ve lost relationships I deeply valued, experienced betrayal, and unavoidably let down people I care about. At one point I landed in intensive outpatient therapy after falling victim to what I’m told was an online catphishing scam over several years. Then there’s the mental anguish of realizing my naivety and beating myself up over past mistakes. A few times, I needed to get a few traditional jobs to fill in the gaps and find my feet again. Have I mentioned the residual embarrassment of sharing some of this here? I say that with a dry laugh and grin because most of the time, we only see people’s highlights reels while so much goes on under the surface. If you’re going through it, you’re not alone, and it will get better because YOU will be better!
When business picked up, I was constantly spread too thin, meaning I was always exhausted, missing important life events, perpetually sick, and unhealthy. To become scalable and sustainable, I changed the business model so there were some growing pains and expensive learning curves. Working in Australia, I was kicked out of my lodging arrangement in the middle of the night and was forced to sleep at the office for a week; a few times in Prague and London, I had to change accommodations without notice due to safety issues in the building. Upon a late-night return from Ireland to my room in London, a stranger was sleeping in my bed! (Later I learned the landlord Airbnb’d the vacant rooms while I was away and someone found my space more appealing- not a great surprise during the workweek). In normal circumstances, one of these happenstances may seem like a funny inconvenience (definitely was that!), but when one is stressed out, jet-lagged, and a lady far from home alone, it is rather scary.
The pandemic hit, and even a rebrand with a service offering pivot wasn’t enough to keep revenue flowing. Some capital investments went bust before launch, and a business partnership dissolved less than five months from its start. Startup clients ran out of money, so abruptly, I ran out of work. I’ve gone from inking multi-million dollar deals to being served lawsuits when the money dried up. I nearly lost my home three times in one year and lived on zero income while the world wobbled out of shutdowns. I sure have learned a lot in the process, and as certain as struggle in some form will be on the path ahead, this experience has taught me we can rise above any challenges and be, have, and do more as a result- in life and in business.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am most proud of the clients we work with, especially when we collaborate on driving success together, instead of merely being “order takers” to fulfill requests. Clover & Kind is different in that we approach each business holistically and ask pointed questions to get to the root of what our clients need, rather than only addressing symptoms. Because we’re a boutique agency, we are careful to only work with the people, businesses, and concepts who will get the most benefit out of the experience and pride ourselves on over-delivering in unexpected ways. Whether we’re designing a website, curating vendors, producing content, or coaching business leaders, we care deeply about the business owner, their team, and customers, and do our best to find new ways of making their life and daily operation better with each project.
What makes you happy?
I love those tiny moments when someone’s day is made, simply by another person’s little extra dash of thought, effort, and care. For instance, the other day I was at Trader Joe’s having a pretty basic interaction with the cashier as they scanned my items. The conversation was nondescript, however, they noticed a small detail on my person and responded emphatically, offering me a strip of stickers as I left. Stickers are fun, but I was instantly filled with joy that this individual chose to be present in the moment and offer a genuine gesture to connect and delight the human in their immediate orbit. Catching people during the times, however brief, they choose to access their creativity and practice kindness- especially if they don’t think anyone is looking- that’s gotta be my favorite, and the world could use more of that every day of the week.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cloverandkind.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandamferris/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandaferrisofficial
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-m-ferris/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@amandamferris
- Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-goal-next-door-podcast/id1549370665
Image Credits
Christa Reed Photography
Lisa Lovelace
Rachel Gooding
