Meet Amanda DeWoody | Founder of Poised Avenue Design Studio

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda DeWoody and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The passion I have for female entrepreneurship. Women-owned businesses are in a category of their own and it is truly my greatest pleasure to work alongside other women in business. It is the support of and collaboration with my clients that propels me forward and has helped me build a successful brand design studio. The ability to create brands women everywhere can (and want to) enjoy — while also supporting the women behind them — is definitely what inspires and fosters my success.

What should our readers know about your business?
My entire life, I knew I wanted to be a business owner. However it wasn’t until 2019, after graduating college, that I discovered the branding industry. Believe it or not, I went to school for communicative disorders. But I was always the student who’d leave class and instead of continuing my studies, would pick up a book on entrepreneurship or marketing. I can’t say I regret not studying design or business in school, because I’ve always been a really good independent learner. The hands-on experience I get running my studio and working alongside my clients is all I need. It really is the greatest teacher and I am so grateful for every opportunity I get to advance my knowledge. Every project teaches me something new. I’m extremely proud of my studio and I love what I do (I’ve even been known to shed a happy tear every once in a while). In 2021, after getting married and having our daughter, it became apparent that working alongside other women was what was right for the studio. We shifted gears slightly and began targeting female-led and female-targeted lifestyle brands specifically. I’ve found that being able to relate to my clients on a deeper level (like the mutual understanding that a meeting may have to be squeezed into nap time or a baby babbling on our phone call is welcome) helps me balance both motherhood and business-ownership, but also helps me understand my clients big whys and reasonings for wanting a successful business. I’m grateful for the opportunity to help other female entrepreneurs build a brand they can be proud of too.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The last time I was in the city, my sister and I visited Griffith Observatory. It’s definitely one of my favorite places to visit in Los Angeles. The views are spectacular and I love that there is space both indoors but also outdoors in the grassy areas or on the patios. It’s a great place to grab some snacks and peruse… especially if you’re kind of a nerd like I am. My sister and I sipped our coffee as we walked the grounds and of course, grabbed a couple burgers at In-N-Out for lunch afterwards. If you’re a California native, you know this is a must. Yum! If you haven’t been to the original In-N-Out location in Baldwin Park, you need to go. It’s also where the In-N-Out University is located. And yes, In-N-Out has a university — I’m pretty convinced it’s why their burgers are so fantastic.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’ve had many mentors and supporters along my journey in entrepreneurship. But specifically, my dad comes to mind. My dad also owns a business in graphic design (he does professional printing and signage as well) and has successfully run it for all of my life. He is who helped build Poised Avenue’s original website back in 2016 when I had no idea where to even begin! He taught and continues to teach me the ins and outs of the Adobe Suite apps, designing for print and working with specialty print vendors, and what it means to be a business owner. My artistic talent is also passed down from him. He’s a great artist and as I was growing up, he always cheered me on in my creative ventures. He even gave me my first job working for him in the warehouse of his shop alongside the large format printers, where I got even more hands on experience in the graphic design world. Because I didn’t go to school to study design or business, his mentorship and support has been priceless to me.

Website: www.poisedavenue.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/poisedavenue

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandaleedewoody/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/poisedavenue

Other: https://www.behance.net/poisedavenue