I'm on a path to self discovery and loving every minute of it. Follow your heart, use your head,and go with your gut. This life was meant for you to use, not abuse. Cherish it, live it, breathe it, love it, and do it. If you don't like it, change it. You have the power to live your dreams.

1. Life by A. Wisth:
The Abridged Version
Enjoying the Journey

2. MRS. BUSINESS
WOMAN
“Honey, what do you want to
be when you grow up?”
– Mama Wisth
Before I responded, I threw Mama
Wisth straight static with some
serious nonverbal communication –
I placed my hands on my hips, stuck
my left foot out, and started tapping
my toe. I tilted my head to the left
and replied, ever so matter-of-factly,
“A single, independent business
woman who lives in New York City.”
At six years old, there was no
stopping me.

3. COLOR ME PRETTY
Every time I could accompany my
mother on a salon visit, I was there.
My activities included but were not
limited to:
• Gazing at all of the work the stylists,
manicurists, and makeup artists were
doing while thinking, “I will do that in
New York City.”
• Coloring in face charts with makeup
• Look through hair magazines
• Paint my nails, put on makeup, cut
my bangs (it happened)

4. HIGH SCHOOL
BEAUTIFUL
Cut, color, makeup, brow shaping –
you name, I did it.
School dances, school pictures,
house party – whatever the
occasion, I was your girl.
In your bathroom, my garage, your
best friend’s bedroom – wherever
there was good light and space, I set
up beauty shop.

5. THE GRAND HU$TLE
I’ve been employed since I was first a teen,
but the minimum wage from the age of 13
and 18 was between $4.25 - $5.15. After
buying my first car for $1,000 and not
minding my minimal finances, I didn’t have
much (or any) in my savings account.
I was 18 years old, knew I wanted to go to
cosmetology school, but couldn’t afford to
and nobody else was going to pay for it. So I
took action, and a lot of it. From mid 1999
to September 2001, I held down anywhere
between 3-4 jobs at a time to save money
for school.
I moved out on my own in September of
1999. I had rent, a car payment, groceries,
utilities, and life to pay for while trying to
stash money away for my education. I
averaged 80-90 hours per week of work. I
worked as a Merry Maid, a customer service
rep, a Visual Specialist for Kohl’s, a
receptionist for a car dealership. I was a gas
station attendant, a waitress, a cocktail
server, a bartender… Whatever I could do
(legally) to get myself to the career I
dreamed of.

6. NO LOANS, NO MONEY, NO
COSMETOLOGY
I couldn’t afford it. I couldn’t afford $10,000
for school. I couldn’t afford to go to school 40
hours/week because I needed to work 90 to
have enough to pay for school and live.
Federal Financial Aid was not applicable to
beauty schools until years later. It was early
2001 and I was 19 years old. I didn’t know
what to do.
Until I had an epiphany while dressing a
mannequin at Kohl’s. I was thinking “What the
hell am I going to do?!” when then I answered
myself with, “DUH!! You will go to school for
esthiology (facials, waxing, body treatments,
and makeup application) and get your foot in
the door into the beauty industry! It’s half the
cost and you can go part time so you can still
work 90 hours a week.”
So I dropped what I was doing ( I literally left
the mannequin half-dressed for a poor,
defenseless child to stumble upon), called the
Institute of Beauty and Wellness, and
scheduled my tour and interview.

7. THE GAME CHANGER
In September 2001 I attended The
Institute of Beauty and Wellness (IBW)
for esthiology. I continued to work 90
hours a week and paid for school out of
pocket.
I graduated in April 2002 and went on to
find my dream job as an the lead
makeup artist and esthetician at Erik of
Norway Salon and Spa.
Loving the industry and Aveda, I wanted
more – to do more, to give more, to
have more.
In March 2004, I started as a Part Time
Esthetics Instructor at IBW.

8. AVEDA, ME, AND NYC
MAKES THREE!
In September 2005 I accepted a dynamic
opportunity to work in NYC at the Aveda
Institute New York.
I was a single, independent, broke, mostly
sad, esthetics instructor – but hell, I made
it!
I gained 20 lbs even though I walked
everywhere. I figured $2 for two hot dogs
was a far better deal than $2 for one apple.
I made two of the greatest friends I could
ever ask for – they are still two of the
greatest friends I could ever ask for
I shared a one bedroom apartment with
my friend in Spanish Harlem. We liked to
call it “dorm style” not “broke style” It was
$1700/month.
I did makeup for fashion week. Boom.

9. POWER IN THE PNW
The Pacific Northwest (PNW) had never been on my
radar outside of the fact that it was home to some
of my all time favorite musicians in High School
(Especially Seattle as it was the birthplace of Grunge
Music). That all changed the day after I did makeup
for Fashion Week Fall 2007.
I remember walking out of the venue where the
Aveda Team and I provided 8 hours of stellar
makeup applications to the models of seven shows. I
thoughts to myself, “Yeah, you just did that. You did
makeup for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week! And now
you’re done. On to the next goal on your list, kid.”
The following morning I received a call from
Elizabeth, the Director of the Gary Manuel Aveda
Institute in Seattle, WA. She had heard about me via
the Aveda channels and wanted to interview me for
the position of Esthetic Education Director. They
would fly me out, put me up, take me out and show
me around, and interview me all within a 36 hour
time span.
I had the goal to be the Director of Esthetic
Education in an Aveda Institute by the time I was 25.
I jumped on that plan, toured that city, killed that
interview and became the Esthetic Education
Director for Gary Manuel Aveda Institute two
months prior to my 25th birthday.

10. WHERE DREAMS ARE MADE
OF
After fulfilling my contract with the Gary Manuel
Aveda Institute; growing spiritually, personally, and
professionally; meeting fabulous, lifelong friends;
and getting a hold on who Amanda Wisth really
was, I moved back to NYC.
Now I didn’t leave New York that first time with
the best taste in my mouth. I was hesitant to go
back - but I knew I had to. My gut was telling me
to do it, rediscover it, and uncover all that is
Amanda A. Wisth. And I did.
I experienced pain, loneliness, sadness,
heartbreak, happiness, monetary gain, love,
friendship, beauty, and most importantly, I
discovered myself.
I tended bar, met amazing people, lived my (then)
dream NYC life, was fit and of healthy mind and
body, and had money in my bank account. I fell in
love with New York. Madly, deeply in love.
And I knew if I wanted to take this love affair a step
further, I would need to take my career to the next
level.

11. TUNE IN:
THE EDUCATION STATION
I wanted my next step in my career to be a one
that included beauty, business, marketing, and
world travel.
As I perused possible career advancement
avenues, they all required, at a minimum, a
Bachelors Degree.
While washing glasses at my daytime bartending
gig, I was having some intense inner dialogue
when it hit me – I had to move back to
Wisconsin, go to college, graduate with honors,
and then move back to NYC!!
Say what?! Leave to come back?! That didn’t
make any sense!
Well, let’s figure it out:
NYC:
$35,000/year at NYU + $2,000/month in rent =
Another broke New York Amanda.
Milwaukee:
NOT $40,000/year at a College + $750/month in
rent = One monetary intelligent Milwaukee
Amanda
Even though I am not the best at math, I could
see that the better monetary choice was
Milwaukee.

12. UPWARD MOBILITY
March 10, 2008 I moved back to Wisconsin. On a
dreary day in early April I had an interview with
Neroli Salon and Spa (the sister company to IBW).
I was greeted with open arms and left with not
one, but two career opportunities.
As I drove toward I-43 North, I thought to myself,
“Okay, you landed the perfect gig, now where will
you go to college?”
I am pretty sure the angels started singing as
clouds parted and the sun shone down in a single
beam on an Alverno College billboard that read
“Upward Mobility.”
As soon as I returned home I got on my
computer, went to Alverno’s website and started
the application process.
I am currently a senior and will graduate May
2015.
In coming home I found home; plain and simple,
Alverno is the greatest decision I have ever made.
And through this process, I have loved and
continue to love every part of the journey that is
“Life by A. Wisth.”