Amanda Golka, the creative force behind Swell Entertainment is driven by a passion for storytelling, captivating audiences with diverse content that sparks curiosity and exploration. Amanda has built a reputation for her honest and insightful commentary on products, events, film, TV, and the latest trends. With over half a million followers across platforms and an impressive engagement reach of over 90 million, Amanda is a voice audiences trust and admire.
Beyond her digital success, Amanda’s journey is rooted in resilience and balance. At just 18, she faced a battle with Bell’s Palsy, which her doctors determined to be triggered by stress. This life-changing experience taught her the importance of prioritizing health over hustle. As a part of her recovery she’s had to build systems that allow her to manage her workload while staying mindful of her well-being. Amanda is eager to discuss her strategies for juggling it all, her vision for the future of Swell Entertainment, her upcoming book, and the screenplay she’s currently developing.
As a creator, Amanda offers valuable insights into the evolving role of social media, the significance of fostering positivity online, and the need to unplug and reconnect with the world outside the screen. Additionally, she can delve into her passion for fashion, her favorite beauty staples, her philanthropic efforts, and her next travel adventure.
“I was a student of content before I became a content creator and I have continued to be a student. There is always so much to learn.”
– Amanda Golka
Amanda Golka, CEO of Swell Entertainment
Can you start by introducing yourself and telling us in your words, about your inspiring story?
I’m Amanda! I am a full-time content creator and the face, brains, and a little chaos behind Swell Entertainment. It feels so weird to call your own story inspiring, especially in today’s social media climate when everyone wants the overnight success story. I started my channel when I was sixteen and worked on it with varying degrees of dedication and focus throughout the end of my time in high school when I developed Bell’s Palsy after leaving an abusive home. I tried to get back into videos after I regained control of my face but I lost a lot of my motivation with graduating high school, getting a job, and starting college. After a two-year hiatus, I began making videos again because I desperately needed a creative outlet. I began doing my current series “I Tried It So You Don’t Have To”, which basically made my channel my expensive hobby for a few years. New Year’s Eve 2019 my friends told me it was time to give up on YouTube, that if it wasn’t going to work by then it was never going to work. I had already decided that in 2020 I was going to give it a real shot and do weekly videos, so I stuck to my plan because I couldn’t expect my friends to chase my dreams for me. By the end of February 2020, I had a video go viral and launched my whole channel since I had six years of videos ready for new viewers to watch. Now I’ve been full-time creating since August of that year.
What made you decide to go into business for yourself?
I always wanted to be my own boss, which is funny because I am an incredible employee. Raises and promotions in the first six months of jobs type of dedicated employee. My dad is a businessman and always encouraged me to pursue my creative endeavors and random money-making ideas growing up, so I guess it was always just ingrained in me that I would be working for myself as soon as I could. When my channel took off I wasn’t expecting it to go as it did, I especially could not have predicted a lockdown when it happened. I always said if YouTube ever turned into a real money-making job I wouldn’t leave my barista job until I was making three times as much a month from YouTube as what I made from the coffee shop. During lockdown with cut hours that wasn’t a hard feat. I ended up leaving when I did because I was drifting swiftly into burnout dealing with the stress of the coffee shop during Covid and being a full-time creator. I figured I needed to ride out making what I could from YouTube while it lasted, and here I am four years later.
What are the three most important habits to be a successful entrepreneur?
For me-especially as a creative- is structure. I need a routine and schedule to keep myself on track, otherwise, I will be locked in on ideas and not creation and action.
Finding time for yourself and especially finding time offline. Not only to make sure you aren’t consuming more than you create, but comparison is the thief of joy and social media is designed to show you the comparisons.
Constantly be learning! Everything under the sun if you can but especially in your field. I always say I was a student of content before I became a content creator and I have continued to be a student. There is always so much to learn.
If you had one piece of advice for someone just starting out, what would it be?
Just start. You can do all the research you want and buy all the expensive gear and courses and perfect outfits, etc, etc, but nothing will ever make you more ready than just starting. With content, you will never be able to please everyone. You can certainly learn, adapt, and grow but you can only do that if you actually make yourself start. You can’t make things better until you make them exist.
Every entrepreneur has a goal and problem they’re trying to solve. What was the inspiration that started your journey?
The overarching goal with my channel is how I want to get my audience to look deeper and ask their own questions, whether I’m talking about a movie, an event, or a social media trend rampaging through TikTok. When I came back to YouTube with my “I Tried It” series I was really motivated by the fact that so many influencers were peddling insane products to their young audiences. Why were so many people promoting laxative tea to teenagers?! I wanted to be the one to try these products fully and see what they were really like for the customer, not just what they were like for someone getting paid to talk about them.
What advice would you give to a new business owner? Or to your younger self?
File that LLC earlier haha. That one is to my younger self. I waited far too long to make my business something legitimate which is so common in the creator economy. You have a ton of people who simply started posting for a hobby and surprise you are now making money! Yay! But of course that leads to so many more questions on what’s next. I knew I needed an LLC but I kept putting it off because people I was working with didn’t put me in touch with their people again and again so I got burned in the long run. If there is any other advice I would give is do not be afraid to say “actually that isn’t going to work for me. I’m going with someone else.” Especially when working with friends, which is obviously very common in my industry.
What social media platform is the best for business growth and why?
I will praise YouTube till my dying day most likely. I also give them a hard time a lot, but at its core, it is still one of the best platforms if you are wanting to make a sustainable social media business. It does take more time and it can be more work than say the quick pop-off of potential growth on TikTok, but you will build a much more sustainable business and connected community.
Do you have a favorite quote or motto that inspires you?
“Champions adjust and pressure is a privilege.” – Billie Jean King
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Melissa Stewart is the founder of SheOwnsIt.com. She is a Purveyor of Possibility, Entrepreneur Advocate and Coffee Addict. She believes that behind every successful woman is her story. What’s your story?