Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Harrison.
Hi Amanda, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Since I was a little girl, I have always enjoyed crafting, I loved painting, scrapbooking, drawing, writing, really anything that allowed me to create. I grew up, married a soldier, had two beautiful daughters, and no extra money with which to furnish or decorate our home. So, I did what I do best… I got crafty!
I scoured thrift stores and flea markets to find ‘projects’. And slowly, piece-by-piece, I filled our home with one-of-a-kind refurbished furniture and decor. I shared my projects with family and friends on my personal Facebook page and they loved them. My friends suggested that I start a blog and share tutorials for these fun projects.
In 2017, I started my blog ‘Finding Mandee’ as a hobby. I started sharing craft and refurbishing tutorials. I also shared pictures and details from places that our family visited near the duty stations we were at and shared my struggles with this chaotic military life. And to my surprise, people actually read it!
I never dreamed that anyone other than my mom and a few high school friends would ever take the time to look at my little blog, but I was wrong. And since then, it has garnered more than 1.2 million views!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Blogging is definitely not an easy business to break into. And many say with the rise of social media, YouTube, and TikTok that written blogs are dead. However, my page views and revenue continue to increase. I credit that to nothing more than consistency and authenticity.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My blog is geared mostly towards military spouses. It’s no secret that military life presents its own challenges and hardships. And there have certainly been times where my blogging has suffered due to things that were going on in our life because of my husband’s service. On the flip side of that coin, those struggles also inspired content for my blog and social media.
The hardships that I face are not unique to me alone. Thousands of military spouses across the country can relate to them also. Helping other military spouses get through a deployment or decorate their home on a budget might seem small, but it’s something that I am immensely proud of. Being a military spouse can be overwhelming and isolating. Lessening that burden for others, even if only a little, brings me joy.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I think people might find it surprising that I struggle with imposter syndrome. Even though I have been blogging for almost 5 years and my blog has over a million views, I still feel like a beginner, that blogging is ‘just a hobby’, and in no way do I consider myself a professional at it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.findingmandee.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/findingmandee/
