Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Chase.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Ten years ago, I made it my life mission to live a life of authenticity and integrity all the while creating something that would inspire others to fulfill their lives desires and dreams. I grew up in the suburbs of Maryland. I would spend my teenage years creating mood boards on the floor of my room as a way to create a life that I only fantasized about. That dream life had a lot of sunshine, warm weather, a Hollywood sign in the background and a desire to work in the fashion industry. At 16 years old, I proclaimed to myself and my family that I was going to be Creative Director or EIC for a Magazine one day. How was I going to do it? I had no idea… but I was determined to figure that out.
Since, my parents refused to let me go to FIDM, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising right out of high school because they thought this was a hobby, I ended up going to the University of Maryland, College Park and graduated with a BA in Psychology. I was deeply unhappy, cold and surrounded by a lot of people that I felt like just didn’t get me. On any given night, I could still be found on the floor of my room creating mood boards of the life that I wanted to be living.
I worked for a year, saving up enough money to last me at FIDM because now that my undergrad degree was complete, I was finally allowed to go to FIDM. I remember looking out of that plane window as we were descending into LAX thinking, this is the happiest I had ever felt in my whole life. I had two suitcases, a friend that was hopefully going to be picking me up from the airport and a huge dream to fill. I graduated a year later and on the night of my last final, I was on a red eye from LAX to JFK en route to starting my full-time unpaid internship at Seventeen Magazine. I worked at several magazine startups before landing my first full-time job at fashion company as a Creative Services Assistant, with the responsibility of assisting not only 1 but 3 VP’s in the Creative Advertising Department. I worked 50+ hours a week for two years. I was burnt out, exhausted, and completely run ragged. I quit and got a job at a super cool (small and super less politically driven) fashion company. Everyone was cool, we were given freedom, and with my extra time on my hands from assisting three people to one, I ended up going for my yoga teacher training on the side.
A few months later, I graduated from my 200-hour vinyasa flow teacher training in Soho, NYC. A month later, I knew that I wanted more out of my life, I just didn’t quite understand what that meant. A couple weeks later, I put in my two weeks, asked 25 people for coffee that were in the wellness industry and I got my kids yoga certificate. I was determined to apply all these incredibly creative, marketing and editorial practices to wellness brands to help spread real healing.
I wasn’t passionate about promoting that happiness comes from buying the newest and most expensive handbag that would quickly be tossed to the side the next season. I was driven to help people feel good from the inside out.
August 2016, I launched both my accidental creative consulting company and my kid’s yoga company, Coconut Yoga. The inspiration for Coconut Yoga was to provide the tools for little ones to help them become their most authentic selves through yoga, mindfulness, creativity and breathing exercises. My consulting company now called, ōSHen Creative is a full-service creative, editorial and marketing agency for holistic wellness and beauty brands. Every morning I wake up and am head over heels in love with my life and jobs. I look back to where I was at 16 years old, and I think to myself, we did it. With a lot of hard work, dedication, authenticity, integrity mixed with all the blood, sweat and a lot of tears.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Nothing is easy. There is a life lesson at every single curve of the path. And to be honest, if it was easy, would I be as proud of my accomplishments? I don’t think so. I am the proudest of the fact that everything was hard and yet, I still made my dream happen. It didn’t happen overnight. It did come with a lot of hard moments of learning hard lessons and at the end of the day being true to who I am and what I want to create in the world. I didn’t have the road paved with gold, I painted it gold as I went along.
I think that’s the biggest misconception about becoming an adult – that things are easy. That’s just not how it goes. But, you get up every day and put one foot in front of the other. And you find support from friends, family, and colleagues – maybe even some self-care rituals such as meditation, yoga, massages, workshops, books or just a simple bath.
It’s about having the tools to help support you through the good and bad times, the ups and the downs and making sure to not go way too high or way too low. It’s the balance. How can we keep everything just going, ya know?
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Tell us about your business/company. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
ōSHen Creative is a full-service creative, editorial and marketing agency with a unique focus on holistic wellness and beauty brands. I only work with true healers, practitioners, and brands that are bringing authentic healing to the world. I work with clients in LA, NYC, and all over the world. When I first started consulting a year and a half ago, I had no idea that it would turn into a full-blown agency with employees and be supporting the top names in the wellness industry. I was just following my passion and doing it with extreme passion, care, and dedication.
Coconut Yoga is a children’s yoga company that provides tools for little ones to help them become their most authentic selves. The name, branding, and overall concept of this company are inspired by a simple desire to bring the calming, nurturing, and playful aspects of the sea to little ones on a yoga mat. As a child, I spent many days in daycare, unable to express myself and having a space to be seen both physically and energetically. I teach at WMN Space in Culver City once a week, on Mondays from 3-4pm and then some private lessons around the city. I’m currently in the process of creating something even larger that is intended to redefine the daycare industry. Stay tuned!
What were you like growing up?
As a child, I was quiet, reserved, emotional and highly intuitive. My family would sign me up for sports and I was the girl in the outfield doing cartwheels. My mind was elsewhere. I would rather be daydreaming, running around or picking flowers. From the time I was 12 weeks until 12 years old, I would be at daycare – being the first one to be dropped off and the last one to be picked up. I spent a lot of time with other kids.
Because I was highly independent (thank you daycare) I spent a lot of time on my own. I enjoyed moments in my room reading, writing, creating mood boards, painting — clearly right brain dominant. I was good at school, I didn’t need to apply myself too much to get pretty good grades.
In my senior year, I was pushed to attend AP English. This is when I discovered that I could mix my highly creative side with words. This is when I discovered Nylon Magazine and that would forever change my course of direction for my life. This is also around the same time that I took my first 3-credit yoga class at the local community college and felt contentment for the first time in my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.meamandac.com and www.coconutyoga.com
- Email: meamandac@gmail.com / hello@coconutyoga.com
- Instagram: @meamandac @coconut.yoga
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCoconutYoga/
Image Credit:
Personal Photo (on floor with hat): Kristine Lo
All others owned by myself
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
