Heart of Herbs Herbal School Podcast
Welcome to the Heart of Herbs Herbal School Podcast, with Demetria Clark.
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Heart of Herbs Herbal School Podcast
Cultivating Creative Harmony: Amanda Hutchison's Artistic Journey in the Herbal World
Embark on an inspiring journey with Amanda Hutchison, the Artistic and Creative Director of HerbRally.com, as she shares her unconventional path within the herbal industry. Please tune in to learn how Amanda transitioned from Mountain Rose Herbs to leading the creative vision at HerbRally, using her unique artistic style to foster a vibrant community. Discover the powerful synergy with her collaborator, Mason, and how their work transforms digital spaces to welcome and nurture herbal enthusiasts.
We dive into the complexities and joys of starting a new herbal business, where personal and professional worlds collide. Amanda offers candid reflections on the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship and the delicate balance it requires. Through engaging anecdotes, we unwrap the secrets of maintaining harmony with a partner, both in and out of the office, while carving out personal space and boundaries.
In closing, we share invaluable tips for aspiring creatives eager to leave their mark in the herbal world. From embracing authenticity in storytelling to smart productivity hacks, this episode is a treasure trove for botanical illustrators and digital content creators. Amanda’s insightful advice sheds light on the unexplored opportunities for artistic expression in herbalism, inviting listeners to recognize the beauty and adventure that await within this unique industry.
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Hi, this is Demetria Clark and this is the Heart of Herbs Herbal School podcast, and today we are talking to Amanda Hutchison, and this podcast is part of the podcast series that we're doing for Heart of Herbs Herbal School at heartofherbscom. Amanda, I'm really excited to have you here. This is excuse me likewise so this is a part of a series that I am doing. That's a little bit different.
Speaker 1:We are an herbal school and so I always obviously want to talk about herbs and all this other stuff, but I felt it was kind of time that we start highlighting herbal professions that aren't classical and traditional herbalism. And that's where you come in and everyone who is listening Amanda is and tell me if I'm saying this wrong the artistic and creative director of Herb Rally. Is that good? That's perfect. You got that. Yep, I was saying to Mason the other day when we interviewed him that there is something so unique about your visit to Herb Rally. It has a feel that is like none other, and I'm going to attribute a lot of that to your creative abilities and you know all of that, the work that you do. That's part of that. So can you tell me exactly what you do at Herb Rally and how you came to that and your education behind that? And then we'll do the herbal connections later and, if that's too much, just do one at a time and then we'll go wherever we go.
Speaker 2:I might do the one at a time and you can remind me. But, thank you, you're making me cheese over here and my cheeks are already hurting, so I appreciate all those kind words. Um, but yeah, how I got into herb rally, maybe I'll start with that Um it's, it's a long story but I'll make it short and sweet. Um, me and Mason, we met at Monroe's herbs and we were working in similar departments. He was in the marketing and I was in the creative. Um, and yeah, we just worked hand in hand. As you already know, there's a little like he loved you, a little little flirting here and there, but we kept it like brother and sister and we just, yeah, built that chemistry and, yeah, eventually, you know, we got together and, yeah, we were essentially right now doing what we did on Mount Rose Herb.
Speaker 2:So I was the creative photographer for the longest time. It was just me and Thomas doing video stuff as well. I did some random little illustration, slight graphic design here and there, mostly like posters and whatnot, just big into the creative department. And yeah, mason, as a lot of people know, he was the herbal connector and making all these beautiful connections and at events and whatnot, and so when we got together it just all kind of made sense. He already had this side hustle going on and, um, it was just we were bringing a lot of ideas um to herb rally, like just kind of fantasizing. And so we're like, oh, let's like really dive into herb rally and like make this thing that we want it to be and so so, yeah, I do a lot of the creative background.
Speaker 2:The website was really functional and that was like my first project is like diving into the website and I remember the first website it was, you know, wix. No, no, he was on Squarespace. They make it really easy to like. If you have no background, you can, you can make a pretty decent website. But that was just like a very easy. First Amanda project was do a lot of the creative things here and there for the website and then and then, when Mason started getting like into being in front of the camera or had these ideas for frugal nutrition or the YouTube was then like starting where like let's throw in some of the Amanda creative video projects, so that really took off. So, yeah, my two main big things were like website, creating new pages and whatnot, and then really jumping into like video work for to build that youtube library and yeah so you brought up something that's really important.
Speaker 1:So we'll have to give. We'll have to give mason props. You've got to have a website, no matter what it looks like, you've got to be able to start. But you could see the second. Your influence started there. It was just like, and when I was talking to him I was saying, like you know, you can see that it's this connection.
Speaker 1:It isn't like one whole vision, it's really this collaboration, and I think that when users go there, they feel that collaboration and so they feel like they're part of it. Does that make sense? Like? It's like this isn't just a place that's teaching me something. This is a place that I'm going to grow with and that I'm going to change with and I'm going to be accessing more information at, and I think that, as an artist, you should be really proud of being able to convey that message, because I don't think that's one that's easy to convey online, this feeling of sitting down and being at home, and so I think you guys did a really great job with that. Thank you. Where did you go to art school? Did you train as a photographer? Like? Where did you get your, your chops and your inspiration for your style, which is, I think you have a very distinct style, so where did that come from?
Speaker 2:That's a great question. Um, I think, I think forever. Um, I've always taken the approach of being that fly on the wall like meaning. I want it to feel welcoming and genuine, like you're kind of capturing a moment and not so much stylizing, and that's just like as a kid and I guess bringing that as like me as a person is I I'm not trying to be the center of attention, like I'm always observing and like being out in nature, I just like to get lost in a field. And I think a lot of my inspiration was like I'm wanting to capture this feeling or convey a message by just being there and then, with the luck of having a camera, like snap that photo. So I started. I self-taught a lot my stepdad when I was in fifth grade. He, he was that person that he would just pick up random hobbies and he'd just go 100% into it. Um, like he did like stained glass he does. Like sign I'm married to a guy who has?
Speaker 1:a he's like he knows how to do everything yes, oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:So he actually like got into photography for a couple of years. So he had like all this gear laying around. I'm like, oh my gosh, what is this? And bless his soul. Like he let this little fifth grader run around with a camera and just kind of went from there. So it was a lot of like self-taught. I didn't, I didn't like sit down and learn all the technical terms when it came to photography, um, so I did bring that into college, um, it was a liberal arts college so, um, it had a pretty decent like art program so took some classes here and there, but at that point I already had like a good understanding I did like. So I graduated with a graphic design degree. So I did learn a lot of like the programming for illustration or that sort of thing. So, yeah, it's kind of a merge of like self-taught, just having fun with it, and then, um, yeah, more of the technical stuff with graphic design. I went to school, um, for that.
Speaker 1:Well, I think it's evident that, um, you are ruled by your creativity. I don't know if that's like a good thing to say. Like, artistically, you go where it takes you and I think that you can see that and when you, when you see the different things that you work on, so I think that's always like the best merge right Having the passion and then the whatever part kind of works with that. Having the passion and then the whatever part kind of works with that. How did you get involved with Mountain Rose? Was that just like they were hiring and you were like, oh, I'll get this job, or was it a friend of a friend, or yeah, it was definitely Um.
Speaker 2:So I moved out to Oregon right after college because it was very easy for me to move back to my small hometown and be that the like wedding photographer or the engagement or family portraits Like it was very easy to do that. But I had this calling and I and I don't know what it was I just needed to go on an adventure and get out of that sort of like comfortable circle. So I moved out to Oregon and everyone thought I was crazy and they're like what's bringing you out there? I'm like I just feel like there's something out there regarding like work.
Speaker 2:It's kind of funny. So my dad was a hippie. He lived in the Florida Keys for a couple of years in a tent. Like he, I aspired to be that that hippie and I moved out to Oregon. I'm like, oh, I'm a poser, like I just I had I had this stereotype about what a hippie was.
Speaker 1:But I was the only deadhead on dead tour that like sent money home to the bank account, sure, from selling stuff I get it. I was all I was, I mean, and I lived in communes and stuff like that as a child yeah. I was all with that, but I was like, I was always like the odd one out, so I understand that feeling of like. This is who, how I see myself. And then you're like man, not really like.
Speaker 1:I'm looking at a 401k at 19 or whatever, like I'm not quite there, not that I did that, I mean I looked at, I didn't have any money for it, for sure like so that kind of fish out of water, but obviously not. You were bringing your where you were from probably made you a better fit For sure In a lot of ways.
Speaker 2:Yeah, totally. And then when, when, being a year in Oregon, I was not like landing any job, even like cleaning houses, and so I gave my mom like give me one more month, it's gonna happen, it's gonna work out. And so my dad's partner, she's like, oh, I see this job opened up like you should apply for it. And I had some like product photography in my pocket, just a very little, and I had no idea who Mount Rose Herbs was, but I know plants are beautiful, like. I was just drawn to that. Like a lot of things clicked in my mind when I saw the job description and so I just walked in there and I was myself and yeah, that's how I stumbled upon that. Maybe some luck.
Speaker 2:But yeah, I went into that interview and a lot of the times I'm like a nervous wreck when I go into an interview, but this time I was just very calm. I was honest with them. The only information I had about any herbs was essential oils and at that time I still didn't know what an essential oil was other than like, oh, I heard of it and tea. But yeah, he just Thomas, best boss ever. He just saw that I was a hard worker. He knew like I had the skill and the talent. And yeah, skill and the talent, and yeah it was, yeah I.
Speaker 1:That job has forever, like changed my life for the better and I'm just really grateful. Well, it sounds like, uh, everything was lining up for you. You said give me a month.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then someone gives you a call or a text and says, hey, check this out right. And then you go in and you're not nervous because you're like this is where I need to be. And everything fell in line. And how long did you work at Mountain Rose before you decided to embark upon Herb Rally? Because I'm sure all of that experience has really been beneficial.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, I truly went into that workspace every day and I was happy to be there Like it didn't feel like a job and that's and that's maybe smell amazing there.
Speaker 1:So good. I grew up my my neighbors were the largest essential oil and herbal import company. This is in the eighties, so this is before like frontier was even a thing, right? Yeah, and they used to sell to frontier when from, and they were our neighbors and they had this big barn that they would store stuff in, like a 4 000 square foot barn or something maybe it's even bigger than that. Yeah, and I just remember always being like they smell so good.
Speaker 2:I was like I was like in fourth grade, like I think that's where my herbal stuff came from, some of it, but I was just curious if it smelled really good and it was like a totally different new world and everything just smelled so real like when you think of a lavender or rose and you're going to other perfume places and it just felt.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it felt like whoa refreshing for sure, yeah, I remember introducing my husband to um non-headshot patchouli sure this is what it's supposed to smell like he was like whoa amazing. I was like whoa, this is amazing. I was like, yeah, that's probably why he married me, but anyways, no. But you know it's like so those environments really can teach us so much just by walking into the space. And it sounds like they were really supportive of your journey and gave you freedom to explore your craft.
Speaker 2:Totally and yeah, I mean I couldn't have asked for a better mentor like Thomas. He like right away, on day one, he's like the main thing you have to do is like just have fun with it. That's where you create your best work. If you need to take a break or step away, like whatever you need to do, in order to have like a free mind to do whatever. Um, yeah, that was just sort of like set right away, like have fun, and it was a bit of a learning curve because, again, like I didn't have any knowledge, like I remembered the first blog photo shoot that I did for them I I believe it was a fire cider and I didn't know like you strain it out for the end product. So I'm like that was the only thing that you could do. Wrong is like misinterpret or like the step by step sort of things.
Speaker 1:And everyone will let you know right. Oh my gosh, the internet is always like, so willing to let you know.
Speaker 2:Yes, that's a mistake man, that's it Just a mistake? Yeah, and even then it was like, oh, it's okay, like we're here to learn and grow and yeah, after close to four years being there, like you just start to understand and learn as you go, understand and learn as you go. So, yeah, it was. It was a wonderful place to work and to get a little foot in the door in this beautiful little world that I had no idea existed.
Speaker 1:So when you and Mason are talking and you guys start floating this idea around right, yes, center talking, and you guys start floating this idea around, right, yes, like, how scared were you to think about taking the? Because he said he was, he was nervous how scared were you? Were you like dude, you've got this? Or were you just like sink or swim, we're in it together?
Speaker 2:yeah, I, yeah, I he's. I think he mentioned like he's a bit more calculated risk taker where I think everything that I do, I, if I have that good feeling, then I just know it's going to work out and I can't tell you how it's going to work out or why, but I just yeah, I'm a very like gall in. Even if we sink it's not going to be that bad, we're going to figure it out.
Speaker 1:So I it's that song if we go down, we go down together.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, that's definitely like how I approach a lot of things. So I think with me and Mason, like we balance that out, like if he gets too far into his head, I'm like it's gonna be okay and vice versa. I'm just like fake it till you make it, or like my confidence is way above, like maybe we should sit down and think about it a little bit, so like there's a good merge between that.
Speaker 2:So, I was all for it. It made sense to me and, yeah, the fact that he already grew at that point I think he's like close to four or five years of having that side business. So, yeah, I had no worries. That's awesome.
Speaker 1:So what was the biggest struggle setting up this new herbal business together, or what were the things that surprised you? So I'll just share. I'm always surprised how mean people are if you say no, you know. So I'm always like I just said no. I didn't say like you suck, I just said no, like no, I can't do that. So what was like a big surprise for you, or like big challenge that you didn't anticipate?
Speaker 2:no-transcript and the switching on like okay, right now we're business partners, and then being able to switch off like okay, now we're husband and wife or like we're a partner here and there, I think, just like it flew pretty well. When we're like working with each other, we have all these grand ideas, we're very flexible, we hear each other out. We're very flexible, we hear each other out. But I think, just learning like that balance, because Mason's very like, I think he's it's hard for him to turn off sometimes, like when we need to.
Speaker 1:And again he said you were great at no work and during certain times, or he mentioned something like that I was like that's awesome, I was like good for her, that's good, you know after a couple of like and I totally get it Like we just quit our jobs.
Speaker 2:We need to like, we need to go at it a hundred miles per hour, but yeah, just constantly communicating and readjusting and reevaluating here and there.
Speaker 1:Well, you don't want to lose your marriage for the sake of a business or your communication or your depth of marriage or whatever. I totally get that. I've been working with my husband since I was 21 is when I started all this stuff. He did have a job for a long time but you know I had to be like you're not being a bitch or whatever If you're like hey, I noticed, you know this isn't updated and you got to go do that.
Speaker 1:You know that's just like part of the business. So for me it was like learning how to assert myself like hey, you know. So I do understand that sometimes it can be rough, and when people go into business with their partner, I think that you really have to say work is work and life is life. I don't merge my personal life at all. I don't share anything. I'm trying to be better because my students always want me to, but I'm not good at that. Yeah, I like, I'm like. You know, I'm behind a moat and a fortress and you know I don't tell people what my kids. I just don't. I just don't do that and I never have, since my youngest was three when he asked for all the hippie ladies to stop hugging him at a conference because he don't like it, and I was like, okay, good for you. So then I was like I'll meet you guys back at the room. Nobody has time to see mom when mom's done her talk. I'll find you guys, you know, and and so learning, learning and appreciating those aspects about each other is really important and it's key to longevity, because this is something that could be around for a while.
Speaker 1:I mean, you guys, in a lot of ways, are 80s, right, you know, or something like that. That was like when it came into your home. It was an experience when you'd sit. Remember when I don't know if you I used to lay on the floor and go through the whole national geographic, like as soon as it came in, when I was little in the 80s. I mean, that was like I just love that. Huh, you're so cute, I'm such a dork, but like. But like, you know, this is, this is. We have an opportunity, with websites like yours, to create this home for people. Yeah, they know that good information's there and they're being listened to on the other end. And so has that been challenging managing people's expectations with you know what you can artistically and creatively and functionally put out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think at this point and still at this point, I feel like people. At this point I feel like people just trust us. There's not usually any high demand regarding like putting their work out there. A lot of what we do is, I mean on the creative side, like if we have any advertisers or affiliates or just sharing people's events around. A lot of it's also like recycling their own imagery or promotion. So I don't know if I'm answering your question, but usually there's not like a super high demand or expectation when we are sharing.
Speaker 1:Oh no, I meant the user's expectations, like the people. I mean, what you shared was great. Okay, on the other side of it, because I was going to ask that question next, because you do have a lot of contributors, but I do have a hard time managing users expectations, like you know. Oh, you should have more of this or more of that, and you're like we're literally putting stuff out all the time.
Speaker 2:Gotcha.
Speaker 1:We're working on it, or has it been a pretty good process for you?
Speaker 2:I feel like it's a sustainable process right now. Yeah, there's definitely. It's more so, like what we put on ourselves we got to be quicker and we're sitting on an X amount of videos, or like we just want to keep pumping out a lot of things. So I think the user experiences is great.
Speaker 1:It's more so like well, it is on my end.
Speaker 1:I think, whenever I go there, I'm always like really happy, but I just didn't, you know, because those are things that, like our students who go into business, you know, and they'll come back to me and be like, hey, you know, I didn't realize there were so many customer expectations and so many user expectations and and I'm like, yeah, that's all I can. Yeah, so I didn't know if you guys were, you know, if you felt that way, you also in your experience, because I feel like, um, um, sometimes, when you're in an environment that's as immersive like yours is that people can get really attached to stuff or feel really strongly about stuff and then want to share sure you know so, which is obviously a benefit to that kind of space, because it means you're doing your job.
Speaker 1:People are loving it so what? Is your herbal connection now, like how is your journey with herbs changed since the beginning of all this?
Speaker 2:yeah, I think, going back to Mount Rose, there's a lot of like blog, homemade, like culinary, like very. It was very hands on because a lot of the times in that creative world I was, I was doing the actual thing and then having a different relationship with like capturing that and putting it out in the world for messaging and like. I think the hands on really opened up, like oh, you can infuse that into your daily life a lot more than I could even realize. So I'm definitely, when it comes to the herbal world, I anything that I can make out of it, whether it is like fine art or if it's a culinary or I really appreciate like body care products. That's very new to me and I love that whole side of um just constantly trying to surround myself with with herbs and plants and yeah, mason's really great too, like he's always making herbal infusions, so just like second-handly getting stuff from Mason.
Speaker 2:Um, I just have this appreciation, even if I'm just like staring at a plant or like sitting with it, like that's my biggest favorite hobby is just like going out there and just sitting with it, whereas I think I did that when I was younger, I was always getting lost in fields, and when I was young I even had like a. When I was younger I was always getting lost in fields and when I was young I even had like a whole neighborhood. They thought I was lost and it was like a really scary situation for my parents. But I'm like building this bird's nest around me. I kept building it. I thought people were mad at me, so I'm just like hiding. But I was always doing that from such a young age, just finding a field of flowers and just sitting with it. So, yeah, definitely it's a new, new world when it, when I bring it into like the kitchen or just crafting with it, that sort of thing that's cool.
Speaker 1:So it sounds like you're very comfortable with herbalism in relation to your feral self for sure, that's me, I'm still feral. I'm so bad. I know I made my parents sweat skin knees yes, I'm getting a little bit more breakable as I get older, so I need to calm down.
Speaker 2:But yeah, when I first moved out to Oregon, it seemed like a whole new place to like get lost and I, like my dad, was like you need to be more prepared and you need to watch out, and I'm just this, like I'll be okay. But yeah, just getting lost is, yeah, one of my favorite things to do.
Speaker 1:I used to live in Astoria and when I was a child and all that I remember. I was pretty young but I remember, you know, just the woods. Behind me there was a large outcropping of woods and then like a cliff down to the ocean. But I remember, um, we were on a military base so we weren't rich, we couldn't afford a cliffside, but I just remember the, the, the, of course, the massive trees, but also just the ferns, and they would cover us and we'd like sit underneath them and and the, the, the look of Oregon is. So, you know, whenever I go out and visit cause we have relatives in um, eugene, cottage Grove, that whole area, and just remember, like you know, seeing them and the landscape differences. You know, um, are you a big traveler, so do you find a lot of inspiration, art, in your travels? Or?
Speaker 2:in my mind I am. I mean I. There's always so many places I want to go and, um, I think growing up in Wisconsin I was a little stubborn in my own way, like there's nothing in Wisconsin. But moving out to Oregon a constant like every weekend I wanted to find somewhere new. Um, and then, yeah, moving back to Wisconsin, I have a new appreciation. I'm always on the hunt for like what am I so pretty out?
Speaker 1:there.
Speaker 2:It is, and I feel bad like growing up. I thought all we had was cornfields and cows and that was like that's all. I described Wisconsin to people like, ah, it's nothing great. But, yeah, I was right on Lake Michigan and I took that for granted. But it is a beautiful place and I'm, yeah, constantly looking for the new favorite destination.
Speaker 1:I always joke with my husband. I think some of it's like that Midwestern thing, like I don't want to go back, there's nothing there. Like my husband grew up in Illinois. He's like no, nothing in Illinois for me ever. Like it just doesn't ring his bell. Indiana, nope, ohio.
Speaker 1:No, you know like and any of my students that are not saying we got a thing against any of those places. I'm just no, but you know so like he and I traveled all over the United States and then we took our kids pretty much all over Europe and northern Africa and parts of western Asia and I still my perspective is always I think there's beauty everywhere we go. So I remember when we were doing some concert tour stuff and going through Alabama and I lived in Alabama and I'm trying to explain to these people that I'm traveling with like no, no, alabama is amazing and they're from, they're all from Illinois, and they're like, yeah, there's nothing good in the South and they're not getting you know. So I think sometimes we get locked in our own mindset about where either we came from. It's either I never want to go back there or everything is not as good as right where.
Speaker 2:I never had a home.
Speaker 1:So I moved so much as a child that I never had a set place. So I always look at everything as like, oh, the cool next adventure where you know people who have spent time. I always feel like I don't think they get to appreciate it enough. And then sometimes, when you come back and you look at it with an outsider's eye, you're like, damn, this is beautiful. And you look at it with an outsider's eye, you're like, damn, this is beautiful. What was I running from? But? But I don't know.
Speaker 2:I mean, that's just kind of my ramble. I apologize, don't apologize ever.
Speaker 1:But no, I mean, it's, there's. I think that there's so much beauty in the United States just based on its size, and we literally have like almost every type of geography in the world. It's amazing to me that we don't see it or appreciate it more. We don't have a rail system where you know you can't hop on the. You know, I feel like going to the panhandle of Texas. I want to go there and you can get off the train and you're there, you know. So I can't wait for that to happen, because I learned to appreciate the train systems in other countries. But so if you have any creative career advice for people who are botanical illustrators or want to make websites or advertising, advertising and promotional materials for herbal type businesses, do you have any suggestions for people? Because you've been doing this for a while? You have a very distinct style. You've been associated, you know, artistically and creatively, in a lot of different ways with really great organizations, so do you have anything to share with people?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think If you're wanting to do it for yourself. I think a lot of people struggle with it needs to look a certain way, or people feel like it needs to be perfect, and I'm a big advocate for lowering your expectations, especially when you start Again going back to that fly on the wall. I think people in this day and time it's unfortunate like it's a very quick, fast pace. You got to like grab someone's attention and sometimes it doesn't get the eyeballs that it deserves.
Speaker 2:When it comes to like promoting or this and that, and I know I definitely feel it like you put so much time and effort and then you see the results and it just doesn't feel like it. It's grabbing the audience set or the amount that you want it to, specifically for social media. But, um, I think my, my advice is just know what your goal is like, what's the story, what's the messaging um, try to keep it like authentic um and then like on the technical side that's kind of like the first, I guess like lower the it needs to be perfect, because that's maybe what's stopping a lot of people. Like creatively is like it needs to look a certain way, and then you kind of lose what's real and what's not real. If that makes sense, yeah.
Speaker 1:We tell our students look, if you don't think it's right and you're only stopping because it's not perfect, submit it anyways. I'll tell you what's going on. Or maybe I'll say, hey, it's fine, You're good. But, don't let your need for perfection stop you from producing, and I think that helps a lot. Of people Like stop you from producing, and I think that helps a lot of people Like that's basically what you were saying, right?
Speaker 2:Like, yeah, and I, when I'm on the web or social media, like what I'm drawn to is that, that very homebody homestead, or just like very organic. And yeah, it's. It's not perfect on the technical term, but it's perfect, Like that's what makes it perfect for me, Um, it's human touch. Human touch like put your hand in there.
Speaker 2:Like people love to see a face too. Like I try to encourage Mason and he does well. But um, like right off the bat, like everyone loves, like if you just hop on and if you can like create you know the reels they get a little bit more traction and like anything that's moving is automatically gonna grab the attention quicker. So just like hopping on and saying updates or introducing yourself again or that sort of thing, or talk about the course that you want to promote or the school, or, if you're able to do that, that's usually a quick and easy way to just hop on.
Speaker 1:I'm so bad with that. I hate being in front of a camera.
Speaker 2:I hate it, I'm always fidgeting.
Speaker 1:I hate it. I'm not comfortable at. I hate being in front of a camera. I hate it. I'm always fidgeting. I hate it. I'm not comfortable at all like people love you. I'm like the worst.
Speaker 1:I think there's probably like five videos out there of me with my probably two of them mason hats.
Speaker 1:No, but I mean, like I just I just don't do well with that. So you know, I understand, like that, when people say they struggle with that, but having other things that you know you mentioned movement and voice and I think that helps. A lot of people too, especially a lot of our students, go into producing product, and so that's can be a very you know, put it on your face, you know, you can, you can, you know, so you can do that, or this is what it looks like. So I think they'll find that really helpful, because I think that the drive to produce is probably something that you guys struggle with. It's like it's constant, it's exhausting. I mean it's a lot of stuff, and I think that, um, if we can, from the beginning, encourage the next generation who's going to be these kinds of producers or set up schools or have companies and things like that, that it's that it's um managing expectations, like it's not fair for the world to expect us to be producing eight hours, but we're in that. A lot of businesses are in that cycle.
Speaker 1:And it's very exhausting just watching it. You know what did they say? People are now spending like three hours a day like just watching these like little videos on things, and I'm like I don't even have them on my phone because I don't. I don't want to do that, I don't want to. You know, mind melt that way. So I think those are good tips that you shared.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and even like the way I work too is it's about balance. Balance and sometimes it's hard for me to if I'm on the computer and if I'm doing something like editing something, and then I gotta switch over and then I gotta turn on like a more creative part of my brain and then I need to like brainstorm about the next week what I like to do. If I am in that creative mindset, I like to batch that, because if you're needing to be creative and take photos or videos, there's a lot of that mental strain. So if you can kind of ride that wave and just like batch, like okay, I'm going to create all my photos for my products today in two hours, and like just having that little bubble helps me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we suggest we tell students if it's not scheduled it's not getting done. Yeah, when it comes to your, your business stuff, like you know, I'm like, hey, you know, get it, get it scheduled, if you, because every time you go from one task to another um, I don't know if this is true for you, and I've read that people experience this. I do know it's true for me. It's a shift, you know. So I tend to do all my emails at once. I tend to do all of my social at once, or all all of my social at once or all, because if I'm going from one to the other, I find, like my productivity goes down a lot. You know, just trying to shift from this hello, how are you?
Speaker 2:doing to. Oh, now I've got to be creative.
Speaker 1:You know it's, it's a yeah. And where you have so much creativity in all of your work, do you find that it's hard for you to shift between those tasks if you're not batching?
Speaker 2:definitely I feel like, um, yeah, for me I learned like, oh, if I I set my Fridays as like my fun days, so that's where I thank you. We're on your fun day. I know this is fun. Um, oh, that's right, it's.
Speaker 1:Friday I'll send you a bottle of whiskey.
Speaker 2:Later we'll do a follow-up drinking whiskey yes, I love that, but yeah, that is like it takes. It takes a lot for me to to switch back and forth. Or if I am doing that like boring task, I'm always thinking about the fun thing that I want to do. So I've learned that, ok, if I just have a singular day like Let loose, have all the fun, be outside, shoot some video, do a photo here and there, then I can usually be more productive throughout the rest of the week.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's really a nice thing to do for yourself too. Yes, because I think we need to. I think that one of the things that business owners forget is that they need to not in the effort to produce or create money-making ventures that all of that came from your creativity and your. You know your desire and your dream, but if you never acknowledge or work with that, this doesn't work. It can't because there's nothing feeding it anymore. So it sounds like you're giving yourself a nice weekly infusion of the good stuff. That's a good idea. People should really take heart when you hear this. Guys students.
Speaker 1:Monday your manic Monday your manic Monday.
Speaker 2:It's so for me, yeah, because I see it in Mason, like he gets this burnout type of feeling and then you know if you're lagging and you're dragging your feet. You just become less proactive and then you're giving yourself all this like guilt for not being at your A game and I am a strong, like going back to my own rose, it was like you need to have fun first of all. And if you're feeling stressed, like go take a walk outside, like there needs to be balance and, like you said, we're nature loving people. We want to have fun crafting and making and I know it's hard when you have a business to like make things work out, but even if it's a minute, like go put your face in some sunshine, and I don't know.
Speaker 1:Not the whiskey, like I was saying earlier. Well, that's true.
Speaker 1:Bring it with you shine, bring it with you, and I think we need to also, like as a world, understand that most huge innovation came from someone's b game, because your b game allows you space to not be perfect and to let other things come in and mesh and blend, which creates the A game product. So maybe, maybe, you know all of us, being kinder to ourselves would probably be really helpful. Is there anything you want to share about Herb Rally? Before I let you go, because we're coming close to the end of our time, I could talk to you all day, but I know you have life and it's your fun day, so I can't monopolize you.
Speaker 1:But is there anything you want to share with us about Herb Rally, any any upcoming things that you guys are going to be doing? Or I mean, uh, I want our students to go and get memberships. I think it's a great place. I think it's way too cheap and I think you guys are definitely worth three or four times the amount of money that the membership costs. So I just want people to know that this is a really great value. So is there anything that you would like to share with us?
Speaker 2:I just have a quick question Do your screen? Am I still here? Yeah, okay, it just shrunk, sorry, like where did you go?
Speaker 1:I'm running to.
Speaker 2:no, I'm mine, you, you're, you're exactly where you've always been, oh, perfect, thank you, um, you're where you need to be.
Speaker 2:You're so sweet, um, I think, if for Herb Raleigh I think we are, because we are like a resource hub for a lot of different businesses and that is always the primary goal for Herb Rally is just to share as much diversity and just anyone and everyone is welcome here and that's always like really fun to be a part of.
Speaker 2:I think, for ourselves, we're giving ourselves more of the, the green light to be more out there, and that's why I think Mason is really thriving in like the herbalist hour, um, and for me, I think, like little creative projects here and there that like sort of feeds my, my itch, um, so I feel like we've been talking about like this herbalist book for a while, but that sort of kind of goes with the herbalist hour. I've always wanted like this cute little coffee book where we like grab a quote from one of the guest uh speakers and we do like some headshots with them when we can or when they're in person and that sort of thing. So that's always been like a really fun little project for for me and Mason, um, and yeah, I think, just what else do we got going on here?
Speaker 1:So what is your favorite part of the website? If you were coming as a user, where would your hub be?
Speaker 2:I think. Well, there's two that come to my mind. I think the schoolhouse is a really cool area. I feel like that's a good all-around feel for Herb Rally is it's still touching base with like sharing all different teachers and all their different point of views, while still having like some creative direction and just being able to highlight all these different courses. And, yeah, I really enjoy the schoolhouse.
Speaker 2:The art of frugal nutrition is also like a really fun idea. That Mason always, I feel like from a creative point, I had like the most fun doing that, because a lot of that is videos that I've worked with. And the dumpster diving segment is always like a fun topic to tell my friends like, oh, you should check this out. They're like what the heck is going on here? Like what the heck is going on here, um. So yeah, I would say those two places I like to venture out and check out. The monographs is also like a really resourceful place if you want to learn about like specific plants and yeah, so there's a lot of stuff for people to check out.
Speaker 1:So those were, those are three that, um, I think your descriptions were really good, like, so, hopefully, hopefully people will check it out. Um, you know, me and my five listeners that's perfect but um, but uh, so I should let you go.
Speaker 1:But, um, I just wanted to say thank you so much for being here. I really appreciate it. It's been so much fun. Huge fan of your work. Um, if I ever need an event poster, you're the first person I'm gonna call. I just really like it.
Speaker 1:I like your flow and your feel and I mentioned to Mason is that you I mean I have so much fun talking to Amanda because I started off art and art history in college, so that's, you know, we would. Any place we traveled. There was two places I would go or take the kids to our museum and a church, because they're so different everywhere in the world and it wouldn't necessarily be a church, it could be a, you know, a mosque or whatever but because those are the places where you can kind of see where how a culture developed from time and all that kind of anyways. So I was just excited to talk to someone who really uses their artistic ability to thrive in the herbal world. So I really like that and I was just excited to get to talk to you. So thank you so much for taking the time with us today.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I appreciate you.
Speaker 1:This is this is my first uh interview and yeah, well, I can't wait for the artist in the herbal world to be like ah, there is a place for us artist in the herbal world to be like ah, there is a place for us not just designing labels.
Speaker 1:Yes, like, because we have so many creative students who need to know that there's people out there just like them who are creative and artistic and all that fun stuff. So, anyways, I will let you go so you can get on with your day and have a fun day. Thank you so much for being here. Yeah, thank you, thanks, okay, bye, bye.
