Meet Amanda Henke

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amanda Henke. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amanda below.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

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. 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 The company—Annie B’s, had excellent products but outdated branding.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. Also dabbling in writing poetry! It is fun and challenging, and I feel like I have found my career passion, in writing.

And, no matter what I’m working on, my son August is my fiercest critic and my harshest, most thoughtful editor.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Embrace impatience. Seriously! Impatience is a strong “quality” of mine. Everyone extols the virtues of patience, but in my experience, impatience is useful in decision-making, especially where writing is concerned. It’s easy to choose a subject to ruminate about, to waste time going down a rabbit hole about. I have found my lack of patience helpful when I need to make a choice, in writing or otherwise. Dwelling, analyzing, considering…these are all sort of comfort zones. Maybe I am way out there with this one but really, when it’s a decision of small or medium importance, a little impatience can go a long way.

2. Have an open mind. I have always looked at the road ahead as full of possibilities, and while I like to plan ahead for things such as trips or dinner reservations, I like to be flexible on big picture items. I allow myself to be spontaneous, or push myself to be even if it feels a little uncomfortable in the moment. Personally, my creativity blossoms when I put myself in unexpected situations, and you never know who you’re going to meet or what beautiful or offbeat experience you may encounter.

3. Keep a sense of humor. I don’t need to explain this one too much but for me, laughter is common ground when there may otherwise be none. Keep a couple of friendly jokes in your pocket, helpful in any situation. Even if you’re having a cloudy day on your own, tell them to yourself. A favorite of mine: “What is red and goes up and down? A tomato in an elevator.” Silly, but people seem to like it. <3

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Lauren B. Falk, Lauren B. Photography

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