We’re looking forward to introducing you to Amy Schultz. Check out our conversation below.
Amy, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
Author George Orwell once said, “Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else.” Recently I decided to see if I could change a reality that exists in my mind, which is that I’m not a morning person.
My old routine was to wake up after hitting the snooze a few times; check email on my phone, crawl out of bed; make coffee; eat breakfast; play “treat hide and seek” with my dog; then get ready for my first meeting or assignment of the day. It seems obvious now, but the sluggishness I was feeling every morning got worse as I was checking my phone. I thought this habit was helping me “get a jump on the day,” but instead it served only to make other people’s priorities more important than mine from the moment I opened my eyes.
My new routine is to wake up; do a five-minute mindfulness exercise; get out of bed; make coffee; eat breakfast; play “treat hide and seek” with my dog; then sit down with a notebook and write three pages about whatever is on my mind. I never know what I’m going to write, but by the middle of the second page, I almost always have a mini breakthrough about a chapter I’m working on, or an idea I’d like to explore on my blog, or a new concept to pitch to a client. By the end of Page Three, I’m clear on my priorities for the day. If there’s time before I have to get ready for my first meeting or assignment, I’ll throw in a little yoga. The most surprising thing about my new morning routine is that I’m now waking up before my alarm goes off. This gives me even more time to start my day with intention.
The idea to do “morning pages” comes from the book, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. If you’re an artist who’s feeling creatively stuck, or would simply like to discover more pathways to inspiration, I strongly recommend you read this book.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Amy J. Schultz, owner of Unplain Jane Studio. Whether I’m working with clients or on my own creative projects, my passion is to elevate stories that hide in plain sight. I’m excited to be celebrating my 10th year in business!
My collaborations with clients include branding strategies, marketing campaigns, feature stories, blogging, photography, web content, and more.
In my studio, I look for deep-dive projects that marry my love of photography and writing. My first book, MUMENTOUS®, actually began as a photography study of the homecoming mum tradition in Texas. By digging deep into its heritage, I realized that mums are a supersized, “you can’t judge a book by its cover” kind of story that I just had to learn more about.
In 2019, I had the incredible opportunity to scale up my photography study into a multi-media art exhibit during my time as the artist-in-residence at the Arlington Museum of Art. The AMA still manages my collection and lends it to other museums for special exhibitions. In 2023, MUMENTOUS became my first book, which was released in hardback and ebook by Atmosphere Press. In 2024, we partnered again to release MUMENTOUS as an audiobook. The book shares deep and personal stories behind and intersects broader topics like women’s studies, entrepreneurship, fan culture, and Texas history. Not long after my book was published, it was adapted into a traveling cultural heritage exhibit by the Texas Lakes Trail Region, a program of the Texas Historical Commission.
In addition to my consulting, client work, public speaking, and volunteer endeavors, I’ve started my second book. I also enjoy spending time spoiling my gigantic golden retriever Bentley, which includes taking road trips together with my husband whenever we can.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I’m forever grateful to my 8th grade social studies teacher Mrs. T. for seeing me so clearly. That was an awkward time in my life, full of my own preteen angst fueled by a friend group going through a mean phase. I kept my head down and got good enough grades not to be noticed. I call it my invisible year.
Mrs. T. was 1000% visible, and everything I was not. She walked with purpose, taking quick, long strides that made her bounce as she zoomed through the halls. She taught the same way she walked. Quickly, and with confidence. Clear e-n-u-n-c-i-a-t-i-o-n. Some of the kids laughed at her style, which made me feel even more like an outsider because I admired her so much.
In Mrs. T.’s class, we wrote a ton of short essays and book reports. I liked to read and draw, but I wasn’t confident in my writing. Early in the school year, I decided to put a lot of effort into creating a cover drawing for my first essay, hoping it would make up for my questionable writing skills.
The day she handed back our essays, Mrs. T. asked me to stay after class. I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong but I felt guilty anyway. When I approached her after the bell rang, she told me how much she enjoyed my drawing, and she encouraged me to continue to draw covers for my essays even if that wasn’t part of the assignment. I was so excited! From that point on, I looked forward to assignments so I could get Mrs. T.’s enthusiastic feedback on my drawings. Over the course of the year, I gained confidence in my writing, too.
Mrs. T. didn’t limit her encouragement to her classroom. She nudged me toward the school newspaper. The more I drew with purpose, the more confident I became. In my 9th grade year, I was asked to design the cover image for the school yearbook. I made new friends, and eventually, old friendships were repaired. And believe it or not, I also started walking faster and with confidence.
Just a couple of years ago, I got the itch to thank Mrs. T. for the positivity she brought to my life. I haven’t lived in my hometown for decades, but fortunately a “townie” friend of mine helped me track down her address. It was easy, actually, because even though she was retired, Mrs. T. was still very involved in the community. Of course she was. I put everything into a handwritten letter to her, and she put everything into the handwritten letter she wrote back to me. In addition to the letters I’ve kept from my parents, who are now both deceased, it is the most precious piece of paper I have.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
You’ve got a lot of tricks up your sleeve, kid. Don’t be afraid to use them.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I like this question because it gives me an opportunity to get a little philosophical.
To me, the question presents a bit of a false dichotomy. A false dichotomy basically means that by choosing one option you are rejecting the other, even when that’s not what you mean to do. I can’t think of a single person whose character I admire who hasn’t become more powerful or influential as a direct result of their character.
Character is who we are inside. It’s our personality, beliefs, values, and goals—our identity. Power is one way to describe our relationship to the world. It’s our capacity to influence others and affect outcomes.
Some people are power hungry. Some people feel powerless because of factors outside their control. Some people don’t recognize the power they actually have. Some people use their power to help other people. In all of these ways, I think power is a continuum—you can have a lot or a little. Character is not a continuum. Character is an engine, driving power to be used either to take or to give.
There are so many people I admire for their character and how it drives them to seek power so they can do the right things. Two examples of famous people who I admire are former First Lady Michelle Obama and former President Jimmy Carter. Even after they left Washington D.C., they both remained true to causes they cared about, such as education and affordable housing for all. They used their power for good.
There are also people in my day-to-day life whose character drives their power in admirable ways. A friend of mine, for instance, informally advises the leadership team at her church. Her wise and experienced counsel (aka her power) is driven by her genuine desire to serve (aka her character). Her insights allow church leaders to respond to needs in the congregation and community more quickly. She is well-respected without having any kind of title at all, and there is no doubt she is having an important, meaningful impact.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
When I finish a project several days before it’s due? Just kidding, sort of.
I experience peace whenever I visit an art museum, or go a road trip with my husband and dog, or as I’m taking photographs for fun. I also feel a special kind of peace when I’m writing and suddenly connect to an insight I’ve never had before. In all of these moments, peace and gratitude to a Higher Power go hand-in-hand.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.unplainjanestudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amy_unplainjane
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-j-schultz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnplainJaneStudio
- Other: https://www.mumentousbook.com
Image Credits
Amy J. Schultz
