Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amani Murph Wright. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Amani, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
I used to be a Registered Investment Advisor and I was very often the only woman in rooms of men. I never had a problem being welcomed because I realized that they had more success than me in the field, so it was better for me to listen rather than fight to be heard.I used to work with Scott Swift, who walked around the office promoting Taylor before she was famous. He didn’t hesitate to give me best practices on how to manage client portfolios. If I had been intent on focusing on our differences I would have missed out on very valuable lessons.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
As a wedding coordinator and the proprietor of The Tennessee Wedding Room I get to help people start their family’s journey of commitment. I am privileged to help people celebrate one of the most significant days of their journey together. My mission is to provide the type of convenience, elegance, and impeccable service that allows a couple to truly relax and enjoy the sweet moment of uniting their lives.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Having a deep passion for what I do has helped me sustain a business where I get to serve people as a wedding coordinator. It bleeds over into the client experience. I think that makes me feel like a success.
My business education has certainly undergirded my ability to whip up a business, but that isn’t such a big requirement. The willingness to continue to learn beyond that baseline education, and applying what I have learned has been essential.
Anyone can learn to create a business plan, but having the agility to shift plans according to changes in the business landscape is also a bonus. That flexibility is easier with a small business, but it is also helpful as a business scales.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
The most impactful thing that my parents did for me was have a bad relationship. I say that they did this “for me” because their bad relationship helped me to find my passion for helping families as they start with the best intentions.
Since childhood I have been passionate about relationships. Mostly because I wanted to experience something different than my mother did. I grew up in a single parent household. Watching my mother struggle as a result of mistakes that she and my father made set me on a path to have similar romantic struggles of my own. Monkey see, monkey do.
My father would stop by to visit my brothers and I on occasion, almost like he was a rockstar stopping in town for a press tour. We would ask questions, he would answer questions vaguely and give sparkling promises for the future that never panned out. Eventually he matured into a man who took his role seriously, repentant for the years of neglect. Despite their shortcomings, I am proud of both of my parents, and owe them literally everything.
In my twenties I decided to get on a new path by educating myself on how the best relationships work. I became a student of relationships. I have been reading, watching, and listening to as much information as I can relevant to the topic of romantic relationships for since I read my first relationship book “Mars and Venus On A Date” in 2003. The topic of love has always been my most important topic of study. I have studied the topic of love much harder than I have ever studied anything else, and that includes any business course that I ever had while working toward my MBA.
I wanted to learn what worked, after witnessing what did not. I am doing my best to put it to practice every day in my own marriage, and I am blessed that they are cheering me on.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tnweddingroom.com
Image Credits
Maurice Chase
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