Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amanda Herrera Abrams. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Amanda, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?
I have always looked at successful business owners and thought if they can do it why can’t I? Failure has never scared me, what scares me is never taking the chance and looking back on my life having regret. Time is going to pass regardless, so go after what you love to do. I have failed so many times in my life, I have owned and sold multiple businesses and learned so much with each one I owned. Nowadays I actually get excited to fail as I know the lessons that will be learned will only empower me to be more wise and successful.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Hi there, I am Amanda Abrams. I am a wife to my high school sweetheart and love of my life, Sean Abrams, a mother to my daughter Romeé (4) , and my son Declan (2). I wear many hats. My husband and I have owned and sold multiple businesses in our life. From a Cheerleading Gym, to a Moving Company, to a Marketing Design Company, to a Mobile Notary Business, to various rental properties, it is safe to say business is our passion.
Our most recent adventure has been our company “Marblelife of San Antonio”, which we opened in January 2020 not having a clue what would happen to the world only a couple months later. With strong prayer and even stronger work ethic we completely bloomed throughout our first year and recently opened our second location “Marblelife of Austin.” Marblelife is a worldwide franchise that handles Stone Restoration, Tile and Grout Restoration, and Decorative Concrete Coatings. We are passionate about the art of “restoring.” We can change the entire look of a location within days with our restoration methods. We have revived 100 year old homes, hotels, hospitals, golf courses, spas, retail stores, and even the Tower of Americas. The best part about our business is that we run it with our family and trusted friends that are basically family. We have the most incredible team of individuals that make work fun. In addition to our very busy growing companies, we also love providing couples a place to get away and relax. We have an Airbnb in the Hill Country as well as other rental properties we manage.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
- Do your research- I am huge about research before I jump into anything. I enjoy taking risks, but I will not take risks on anything I have not thoroughly researched. The bigger the risk, the longer I take researching.
- Know your strengths and weaknesses- You must know these things undoubtedly before you jump into anything. For Example: If you are a fish, you aren’t born to climb trees. We get sucked into a world where the expectation is to be good at everything. I believe we are all born to excel at different things and that’s what makes our world a better place. You were born with gifts no one else has. Find what you excel at and share it with the world.
- Keep going & always have faith – I am a realist in almost everything I do. I am an avid researcher, I am the queen of budgets and excel sheets, I read business books, and listen to financial podcasts daily. These tools are what keep me logistically successful even in scary times. However, the most important thing I follow is my gut. I pray daily, and I have an unwavering amount of faith.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
I grew up on the Southside of San Antonio until I was 11 years old. My father was born in the house I was raised in, it was the only house he ever lived in. His father built our home with help from our family members. This home I grew up in wasn’t just a house, it was our entire family history. Our neighborhood was getting very dangerous, and my parents made the scary but necessary decision to leave all that they knew to relocate us to the Hill Country area. For a Hispanic family, it was an extreme culture shock to say the least even though it was only an hour north. Generations of my entire family on both sides had lived in the area we were leaving and my parents really went against the grain to give my brother and I a better life. For years, it was a really hard transition for us all. Although I hated the relocation, it completely altered the course of my life. It gave me opportunities I would have never had before, not to mention it quite literally saved my life. Additionally, the decision they made all those years ago has developed this constant fire in me to continue taking risks to give my kids even more opportunity. My hope is that the generational gift will continue for years to come.
Contact Info:
- Email: Email : Sanantonio@marblelife.com
- Phone Number: 210-761-5600 San Antonio Office / 512-720-5628 Austin Office
- Website: www.marblelife-sanantonio.com / www.marblelife-austin.com
- Facebook: @MarblelifeofSan Antonio / @MarblelifeofAustin
Image Credits
I captured all the photos listed.
