We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amanda Sanders a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Amanda with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I grew up in the most dilapidated home on our block. It had no insulation and no sink in the bathroom. Coming from a household where self employment is the norm, I was used to having my parents around all the time. That being said, we didn’t have much and were blessed if we ate more than one meal a day. Having our utilities cut off often and living in a home that did not have insulation, I remember having to bundle up with multiple pairs of pants and jackets to bed so we did not freeze in the colder months. It was so cold you could see your breath.
I promised myself a long time ago that I would not allow my own children to grow up the way that my brothers and I did. Becoming a cycle breaker is what gave me my work ethic.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a mother of four boys, homeschooling my Kindergartener and a small business owner. Being around for my children for appointments, school work and everything else they need is essential to me. I have worked in the legal field in the past and it was near impossible to keep up with the needs of my family and my job so I shifted all of my professional attention to my business once I left the legal field.
Professionally, I am hyper focused on growing my editing and marketing skills as well as working on our website. In late 2023 we decided to give the coffee industry a go and oh my goodness the way I fell in love with it is beyond words! Gidoarra Coffee is now offering espresso bar catering services for all celebrations (weddings, showers, parties, etc)! Keep an eye on our Instagram for updates on where you catch us at next!
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?
You have to want it. Eat, sleep, breathe it kind of want it. You have to have the ambition to start it and the determination to carry it all out no matter the obstacles that arise, and believe me they will.
Research. Check the USPTO database to make sure your name and logo aren’t already in use by another business. I saw a well established business with a storefront recently have to completely rebrand due to this and I cannot begin to imagine how expensive that must have been. Your name, logo, sales tax permit, etc. are all of the boring yet important things that can come back to bite you later if not properly taken care of in the beginning.
Having four children, I don’t have the extra financial resources to pay others to do work for me just yet. So starting up I learned every skill that I needed to on my own. Building a website, taking and editing my own photos to be professionally appealing, recording, advertising, taxes, tracking business expenses, finding a reliable manufacturer for my cups/ accessories, branding, researching and finding the best set up that works for what you’re selling if you’re going to do pop ups. There is just so much that goes into it and there are so many people offering their services that would make things 100x’s easier if you’re able to pay them for those services. But hey, if you’re like me and need to stay on a budget, YouTube is where you can get the majority or your info!
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
I am a very reserved person. That being said, my biggest area of growth this past year has been pushing myself out of my comfort zone and taking the leap to participate in pop ups. Putting myself out there and setting up in front of strangers, nervous of what others would think of my work, wondering if I would make a single sale at all was terrifying! But I fell in love with it, I started filling up my weekends and got more and more comfortable speaking to people. It is definitely an experience I never thought I’d be able to do having young children but with the help and constant support of my boyfriend, children & mom we made it possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gidoarracoffee.com
- Instagram: @gidoarra
