We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amanda Danford. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amanda below.
Amanda, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Early in my career, I kept finding myself in rooms that felt way bigger than me, presenting campaigns to celebrities, collaborating with Fortune 50 CEOs, even sitting at the United Nations Climate Action Summit. From the outside, it looked like I belonged there. Inside, I was thinking: They’re going to figure out I don’t deserve this seat.
A lot of that came from a past job where I was told not to use my voice. I’d build entire strategies, only to hand them over for someone else to present as if they were their own. It taught me to shrink back, even when I had something valuable to say.
Everything shifted when I started working under a mentor who made it clear that my voice wasn’t optional, it was required. I’ll never forget one meeting in New York where I stayed quiet out of fear. Afterward, he told me: “The reason you’re in the room is for your ideas. If you don’t share them, I won’t bring you back.” That was a turning point. From then on, I pushed myself to get a word in no matter what.
To keep building my confidence, I started saving every encouraging email or compliment from clients and colleagues in what I called my “wins” folder. Before a big pitch or meeting, I’d read through it as a reminder that I had already proven myself.
Do I still get imposter syndrome? Yes, sometimes. But now I see it differently, it usually shows up when I’m leveling up into something new. And I’ve learned confidence doesn’t come from being perfect. It comes from being prepared, showing up, and using your voice.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’ve always been drawn to marketing because it’s where business meets creativity. You get to dream up bold ideas and then tie them back to measurable results. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to work on campaigns that weren’t just exciting, but meaningful. From leading the Oscar campaign for Two Distant Strangers during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, to building a 200+ writer content site for the Girl Scouts of the USA, to helping Verizon Media partner with the United Nations at the Climate Action Summit, I’ve seen how marketing can spark conversations and drive impact.
Today, I serve as Marketing & Operations Leader at Ad Leverage, where I oversee our client services and organic social teams, working closely with our CEO to drive innovation and growth for the agency and our clients. What excites me most about my work is building and mentoring teams. I believe people and innovation together are the ultimate growth engine for any business.
I’m also passionate about empowering women, children, and underrepresented communities. Whether through my professional work or future nonprofit involvement, my goal is always to use my skills to help others thrive.
Right now, my focus is on growing Ad Leverage and continuing to build strategies that help businesses scale in a sustainable, creative way. I love being the person others can turn to when they need solutions and I’m excited to keep driving impact both inside and outside the agency.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, the three qualities that have had the biggest impact on my journey are resilience, strategic organization, and using my voice with confidence.
Resilience has been the constant. By the time I turned 18, I had moved nearly 30 times and attended 11 different schools, which meant I was always starting over. It was hard, but it taught me how to adapt quickly and find my footing in any environment. Later, when I graduated from college with $200 to my name and no safety net, that same resilience pushed me to keep going until I found my path.
Advice: Don’t be afraid of challenges that stretch you, resilience isn’t built when things are easy, it’s built when you keep moving forward despite the obstacles.
Strategic organization has been my superpower. I’ve always been detail-oriented, some might call it “OCD-level organized”, but it’s what allows me to take complex, layered campaigns and turn them into clear, actionable plans. From leading global activations to overseeing multiple departments, this skill has carried me through.
Advice: Find a system that works for you. Whether it’s lists, project management tools, or color-coded calendars, structure creates space for creativity and big-picture thinking.
Finally, using my voice with confidence has been transformative. Early on, I often stayed quiet in rooms where I didn’t feel I belonged. It took a mentor pushing me to speak up, and reminding me that my ideas were the reason I was in the room, for me to change that. From then on, I stopped holding back, and it completely changed my career trajectory.
Advice: Practice speaking up, even in small ways. Share one idea in a meeting, ask one thoughtful question, or propose a solution to a problem. The more you do it, the more natural it becomes and the more people begin to see you as a leader.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
One of the most influential people in my career has been my former boss and mentor, Craig Greiwe. He challenged me in ways that were uncomfortable at first, but ultimately transformative. He was the one who pushed me to use my voice, not as an option, but as a requirement. His belief in my ideas gave me the confidence to step fully into rooms I once thought I didn’t belong in.
What I learned from him is that the right mentor won’t just open doors for you, they’ll make sure you’re prepared to walk through them and thrive once you’re inside.
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