Meet the HerCanberra Team: Amanda Whitley
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Ever wondered who exactly is behind HerCanberra?
Just as much as we love exposing the best bits of our city and those wondrous and creative souls who live here, we accept it can’t be an entirely one-sided thing.
You’ve told us you’re keen to learn more about our HerCanberra team, who we are and what makes us tick. So here we are, exposing a little of our personal lives. Enjoy getting to know us as much as we enjoy getting to know you.
First up, Amanda Whitley…
We pick the brain of the HerCanberra Founder and Head Chick, Mother to Olivia (13), Sophia (nearly-11), and George the Burmese cat who thinks he’s a person (2), and partner to Drew.
What sparked you to set up an online community from your living room way back when?
Sophia was born at 30 weeks, weighing just 1.43kg.
Oh God, I’ve told this story so many times that I’m sure it’s incredibly boring. But it all stems from the very premature birth of our youngest darling girl, Sophia—this time 11 years ago, I was in Canberra Hospital, where I’d been languishing on bedrest for a few weeks (and had another few to go).
To cut a long story short (if you want the long version, click here), Sophia was born at 30 weeks, spent another 10 weeks in hospital, and came out the other side with Chronic Lung Disease. Childcare (and therefore my career as an APS Comms Director) was not an option for at least a couple of years.
I was lonely and disconnected and, after helping out on a little site called Mamamia when it WAS a little site, discovered a) the power of the web to connect people and b) Canberra really needed an online community.
I thought ‘maybe I should make something’…and so I did. The rest, so they say, is history (and eight-plus years of blood, sweat and tears).
What’s an average day like?
I guess the thing I like about running my own business is that there really isn’t an average day—this is excellent news for my brain, which likes to be doing a lot of different things at once.
I could be writing an article, conceiving a fashion shoot for Magazine, developing a communication plan for a client, or emceeing an event.
There are a few constants. I will invariably be woken stupidly early by my marathon-running husband—who, despite his best intentions, cannot quietly unpack the dishwasher—before he heads off on his training run.
He makes up for it by bringing me tea in bed, while I enjoy snugs with George.
Snugs with George are a compulsory (and lovely) part of Amanda’s morning routine.
I head into our office in the morning, which is airy and filled with green plants (brown thumb’s tip—turns out Peace Lilies are pretty much impossible to kill). It also has a killer green velvet couch and a drinks trolley which boasts our HerCanberra x Canberra Distillery French Earl Grey Gin.
HC’s Online Editor Bea Smith demonstrates the rather excellent interviewing-properties of the green velvet couch.
Afternoons are for Dance Mum Taxi duty, which sees me barrel up Adelaide Avenue to pick the girls up from school to bring them back to the office in time for training which is held just a few doors up the road at Dance Central (DC)—the dance school where they spend a combined 18 hours per week training with their respective eisteddfod troupes.
Amanda’s girls are both in DC’s eisteddfod troupes, and she loves what they’re learning about teamwork, resilience and the value of hard work.
We recently moved from Barton (which was also wonderful), but the new location has meant amazing things for my work-life balance, plus I absolutely adore the Phillip community—it’s such a great neighbourhood!
Coffee/Tea/Coke?
Tea in the morning (really hot, a spot of milk, two sugars), and Coke Zero (now the inferior Coke No Sugar, dammit) any time after that but before 3 pm.
I’ve tried to like coffee, I just don’t. I do really like Chardonnay, though.
Most guilty pleasure?
Probably the aforementioned Chardonnay. My relationship with Scarborough Yellow Label may be one of the most enduring of my life. I know it’s so unfashionable, but I love a good bit of oak in my Chardy (and reckon the unoaked versions are pointless).
Hidden talent?
Amanda leads a Zumba class at Dance Central
Well, I can dance. I always wanted to dance but never got the chance to take lessons as a child, so set myself a goal to learn by the time I was 40. It was always one of those things I just felt drawn to.
I did my first class aged 39 and have now done pretty much every Latin style, dabbled in Contemporary and Hip Hop, and have recently gone back to teaching Zumba after a four-year hiatus (9:30 am every Wednesday at DC, if you’re keen to join!) Dancing is my happy place.
I also have a talent for absorbing useless celebrity gossip (my husband calls me “The Sponge”) and I do a mean Ice Ice Baby at karaoke…
Complete the sentence: There is nothing I loathe doing more than…
It’s a real toss-up between washing my hair and invoicing. Both are ridiculously tedious but equally necessary.
If you had $100 left to your name, you’d spend it on what?
Obsessed.
Probably bloody petrol so I could ensure I could continue to run the office-school-dance gauntlet. Or groceries because, you know, my family likes to eat.
But if we were to ignore boring, unsexy reality, I’d probably indulge my cosmetics obsession and head to MECCA for a purse-size spray of Musc Ravageur and a NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in any bright pink, red or orange shade. The combined total is actually $110, but I’m very confident I could scrounge up another $10 from my husband’s coin drawer.
Favourite city?
New York City. I’ve travelled a fair bit, but Manhattan is the only place I feel an almost-physical pull towards. I just felt at home there and can’t wait to return (just need to save up some dollarydoos). One of the highlights was doing a dance class in a massive warehouse-style space at Alvin Ailey—I felt like I was in Fame (sans legwarmers).
Where will you be in five years?
I’m not a five-year-plan kinda girl, but I’m pretty certain I’ll still be in Canberra—I mean, the name of my business almost dictates that I stay put…although on a cold and grey winter’s day, Her Byron Bay starts to sound pretty damn good.
Until recently, I’ve been someone who was always chasing the ‘next thing’. I’ve always been driven to do more. But in the last 12 months, I’ve remembered my ‘why’ (it’s about connection and being part of this city, not about being the biggest or making a lot of money) and am more content than I have been in a long time.
I hope that in five years, HerCanberra will be better—but not necessarily bigger—and that our community still views us as relevant and important.
Fave Canberra hangs?
With a child who answers “pizza” every single time Amanda asks what she wants for dinner, Trecento is a firm fave.
Despite the fact that HerCanberra has become a bit of a ‘what’s on’ bible, I’m actually a bit of a homebody. I have such a busy work life that on the weekends I just love to hang out with my family.
But if I do manage to motivate myself to leave the house, we love ONA in Manuka for breakfast; XO, eightysix, Lilotang or Trecento for dinner; and Joe’s Bar or The Pop Inn (wherever it may be) for a tipple.
What does the city need more of?
Vibrant local shops. As a small-town girl, I love feeling a sense of connection to my neighbours and local community, and I’m lucky that where we live is within walking distance to three fabulous local shops—but not every suburb is that lucky.
I’m really pleased to see that many future developments and new suburbs are recognising the importance of having a community heart and planning as such.
There’s something really special about having familiar faces around you.
Who inspires you?
Amanda says her family inspires her every day.
My team, my kids, my husband—they’re all so passionate and hard-working and focused on doing their best. I feel so grateful for being able to spend my life with them.
On your bedside table?
Nothing particularly profound, I’m afraid. Random books, a lamp, a water bottle and my phone charger (essential, given I roll over and compose our first Facebook post of the day each morning at 6:25 am or earlier…small business life is nothing if not glamorous.)
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