Q&A with Inspiring Entrepreneur, Amanda Campbell
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Accredited Sports Kinesiologist Amanda Campbell founded Bend Like Bamboo in 2013, a private practice, where her team helps others rebuild their lives from illness and stress. She has dedicated her life to helping others find balance to repair and heal emotionally and physically.
Taking a balanced approach, Amanda travels Australia, giving health and wellness seminars and speeches. She educates her audience sharing the lessons she learned along the way on her recovery from paralysis, five years after her diagnosis of MS at age 24. Motivating and inspiring others that they too can make a transformation in their life is her passion.
Amanda has now dedicated her life to helping Australians improve the way that they feel physically and emotionally whilst maximizing their nutrition. Amanda at her core believes that renewal is possible if you give your body the right environment it needs.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
Today, I wear a few hats in my career. I am an Ambassador for MS Limited (Australia), a Sports Kinesiologist, and a Motivational Speaker.
In 2009 at age 29, I suffered a major MS attack that left me paralyzed and I was given a 50% chance of ever walking again.
Unprepared to accept this as my fate with the odds stacked against me, I had no choice but to succeed. I learned to focus on what I wanted instead of what I was scared of. With a lot of determination and the help, doctors and a Kinesiologist, within six weeks, I stunned us all by not only walking but running again.
What inspired you to start your business?
This prompted me to swap a fast-paced career in the fashion industry for learning all about my recovery. Having become an accredited Sports Kinesiologist, I founded Bend Like Bamboo, my private practice in 2013, where I have dedicated my life to helping others rebuild their lives from illness and stress. Bend Like Bamboo specializes in autoimmune disease and the emotional links to disease and physical stress.
Where is your business based?
Glen Iris, Melbourne
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
After studying for a few years, I saw clients and slowly started to understand that I had value to offer helping others with Autoimmune Diseases. Sharing all the lessons I learned along the way, learning how to walk again, optimizing my nutrition, unpacking subconscious stress, and doing a literal mind-body reset, I started to see that my clients were getting fantastic results, too.
I opened Bend Like Bamboo in 2013 and a year later I had another amazing opportunity to start another company. I co-founded Nourissh www.nourissh.com with my partner and VinoMofo in 2014, delivering ready-made meals to people across Melbourne.
Taking a balanced approach, I believe that nourishing our bodies on a cellular level, understanding our minds, and connecting with ourselves again, gives the best chance of recovery and living a happy, fulfilling life.
My cookbook (out soon) includes recipes that include optimal macro and micro nutrients that have been studied, backed by science, to nourish the body on a cellular level improving the brain, gut, and cellular health. As a result, you are giving your mind and body the best chance to repair, reorganize and thrive again.
Looking back I think the key ingredient is really believing in yourself.
Because I was so passionate about my results, I just had to share it with as many people as possible. I felt so much better, my MS Symptoms subsided, some that were really debilitating.
I saw a pattern as I started to get busier and busier and now work with other Autoimmune diseases, anxiety, stress, and any setback in life.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
We are still learning and tweaking, but Facebook has been great for us. I find videos are great too..
I am also a Speaker. This all started at my volunteer role with MS Australia (Limited) about 7 years ago.
I became an MS ambassador and started speaking at events of them helping to raise awareness by sharing my story of recovery.
In my latest project, I share my work of mind-body connection with a balanced eastern/western approach. In speeches, I cover the three pillars I live by of eating better, feeling better leading to connection, and believing in yourself.
By doing so has not only changed the course of my disease but have also achieved a reset of my mind and body.
I also speak at events and businesses to educate and inspire others that they too can make a transformation in their life.
At my core, I believe that renewal can be possible when you give your body the right environment it needs.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
Maintaining a balanced life whilst working so hard! You have to schedule it in and walk your talk. That is why I love my job as it forces me to be accountable. I cannot work with clients unless I feel well!
In 2014, my business boomed at Bend Like Bamboo and it was a new career for me.
Pete Evans shared my page and my diary was booked out for 6 months in advance, that continued for years.
I am so grateful as I started to see so many clients from all over the world that flew in. It made me the practitioner I am today.
When I started Nourissh in 2014, it was so hectic! But I had a few Sports Kinesiologists step in and see most of my clients for me at my Practice.
I can now see how I can expand Bend like Bamboo, more specifically, mentoring Kinesiologists.
How do you stay focused?
I have a review hour on Mondays and Fridays where I work on admin tasks, and other business activities.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
My clients often say they love to see me as I have been through it. I have been to the other side and back. I understand their symptoms and what they are going through first hand.
Moving forward at Bend lIke Bamboo, I want to take advantage of technology to scale the business. I want to reach broader markets with our online courses. There are many other businesses doing this.
Perhaps it is my story that helps to explain the benefits of Kinesiology that inspire people to make a change in their life?
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
Facebook and videos that communicate what I do, why I do it, and how I can help you.
What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
Believe in yourself. Know your why and just go for it with an open heart and people will connect with you.
What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?
I read a great book last month called The Courage to be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi. I highly recommend as it proposes that we are not a product of cause and effect, but rather, we can change our mind and life regardless of what happened.
I do love Daily Om for inspiration and Chronic Entrepreneur for other news.
I love the Buddhify meditation app for meditating on the fly. What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
Trello - helps you be organized
Who is your business role model? Why?
I love any business that has a balance of achieving great things, doing good in the world and inevitably helping people.
Though producing profit is important as it allows you to help more people, what a person or business does with their success is inspiring to me.
What do you have planned for the next six months?
www.amandacampbell.com.au is launching a 5-week online course for people who can't get to Bend it Like Bamboo.
I also have a cookbook and a second book about my journey coming out so I am working pretty hard on those 3 projects whilst seeing clients at the practice.
How can our readers connect with you?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandacampbellspeaker
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/amanda_campbell_health/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmandaC_health
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BendLikeBamboo
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/bendlikebamboo/