STARLIGHT SPOTLIGHT | AMANDA CERNY

Amanda: Yeah, that, that would be like a good goal to run towards. Like they say some people when they run, they’re either running away from their problems or running towards their goals. Right, so I like to think I’m running towards them.

Robert: It definitely seems like you’re running towards your goals. And more goals of which are growing this wine business, I understand. How did you get involved in the wine industry? I’m super curious about the company and all the great things I hear about it online.

Amanda: It’s simple. I like drinking it.

Robert: Awesome.

Amanda: Like COVID started, quarantine was happening. I saw like everybody’s just staying at home more. Just celebrating with themselves more, getting creative and having a glass of wine myself and I’m like, you know what? I’ve always loved wine. It’d be so much fun to start a brand like this. And my best friend, uh, King Bach. I don’t know if you’ve met him yet?

Robert: Not yet.

Amanda: But you will. Um, he also loves wine. We usually drink it together and we’re like, let’s do a wine together. Why not start a business together? And make, find opportunity during these times as well, you know, be innovative, create new brands and so we came up with six26 wine, which is our birthday and we have the same birthday.

Robert: Nice, oh my gosh

Amanda: Celebration wine.

Robert: Hell yeah.

Amanda: And it’s delicious that it all has like 91 plus ratings and fully plugging it right now. Six26wine.com.

Robert: Casual plugging.

Amanda: Don’t drink and drive.

Robert: Drink responsibly. Um, so we’re actually are familiar with that part of the business because we’ve been listening to your podcast a little bit and we saw, he was recently on an episode and there was actually a question that you asked him at the end of this podcast that we thought was super interesting and I wanted to ask you a version of the same question. I don’t know if you remember. I think it was at the end of like a glass or a bottle of wine, or so, the question was like, what kind of advice would you give to the younger entrepreneurs and these people that look up to you guys as giant social media influencers, people that are looking to build their own brand. How would you advise the younger generations?

Amanda: I would say, um, be yourself and do what you believe in because a lot of people try to copy and paste and you’re just like another, just more noise in a crowd. So to really stand out, you just have to do what’s true to you. Um, and also just don’t let fear stop you. Cause a lot of people are scared of what other people will think or if it will fail, but even if it does will fail, it’ll be, it’s just a building block for you. And you’re just going to grow from that and be even better at your next venture or trying it again.

Robert: Absolutely. That’s really great advice, trying to learn, learn from all your failures and getting better every time.

Amanda: Yeah, I mean, cause we all fail like in small ways, big ways, but. I, I feel like life. It’s such a clichè saying, but life is a complete rollercoaster. You have your ups, you have your downs, but it’s like, it makes the ups even better and you can really appreciate them and work harder towards them.

Robert: Oh my gosh. What a poetic answer.

Amanda: I’m in a poetic car. It’s inspiring me. The star lights are inspiring.

Robert: Yeah, this, this kind of inspired us to even start the show. We just loved the headliner so much. Then we put together the idea. We get to interview the celebrities we get to work with.

Amanda: I love it. All cars should have this.

Robert: Speaking of the rollercoaster of life, this year is a great example of that. I wanted to ask you how this year has been for you and, and all of your businesses. I know the wine benefited that you do a lot of things, you have your hands in so many things. How has this year been for The Amanda Cerny,  experience and…?

Amanda: Well, I’m blessed in that. A lot of things remained online, especially with everybody being at home, they’re online even more and consuming direct to consumer items, more so than going out and shopping. So for me, it’s, I’ve been doing well and I’ve, you know, I’ve seen even with my friends businesses where people usually come in or like my mom owned the largest karate studio in the state of Florida. And she like, saw a struggle even with COVID going on because the kid’s going to come and do karate. So, but she got innovative with it also, and just started doing zoom classes and zoom training. So it was coming up with, like, for me, it’s like kind of exciting as well to be able to problem-solve. And I love just, like finding solutions. Whenever I have a roadblock, it’s very exciting to be able to find a way around it. It’s like the same thing with stereotyping when people put you in a box and just like finding your way out of it.

Robert: To break out.

Amanda: Yeah, so it’s like, it’s a time for that now for sure. And a lot of people have to start over a lot of people’s businesses haven’t done well. Haven’t done a bit. Yeah, you, you have to, and you can’t let it keep you down, even though it just feels like the world is like crashing on you. It’s just, like you said, as motivation to pick yourself up again and just get out there, you know, or get on there.

Robert: That’s, that’s incredible. What an answer.

Amanda: What about with, um, with you guys, with everybody, with renting cars and people in the, like, has business kind of slowed down for you guys? Or is it…

Robert: We definitely were impacted. So a lot of our business comes from people who travel internationally. So we’ve actually been doing a lot more work with locals, which is kind of cool, a blessing in disguise. We’ve had to work with a lot of locals and people from the neighboring States that still come here. Now there’s a lot of business in Snowbirds, people that come down for the holidays. So now with people gathering in smaller groups, what we’re anticipating is people just delaying their Miami vacation. So instead of having one massive, busy season at the end of the year, we actually think 2021 is going to be incredible for us because everyone’s just waiting to go on vacation. Oh yeah. So, and that’s where we thrive is, is serving tourism and giving people that really high quality exotic automotive experience.

Amanda: I feel like a lot of people are even renting now more too, because you know, my friends in New York or my friends in LA, a lot of them are moving to warmer places and places to where they can be outside more outside of the city or outside of, you know, and just like being able to go on little joy rides and stuff. So even in renting homes and renting apartments, like I’m sure that could pick up too, even with renting cars while they’re down here, because a lot of people come into Miami and they really liked the lifestyle, especially when coming up from the freezing, coming down from the freezing cold. So see, like, there are ways.

Robert: Absolutely. To make it work. We’d like to say, you didn’t actually visit Miami until you drove a Lamborghini on your stay.

Amanda: Oh yeah. No, it’s so true. You have to… necessarily.

Robert: So for 2020, moving forward, I know we’re at the very end of this year. I think a lot of people are looking forward to 2021, a lot of awesome opportunities. What’s next for Amanda Cerny?

Amanda: Um, just producing more… I’m, I’m home a lot. I’m writing a lot too. So I’m coming up with different ideas and, you know, I’ve actually made some, like, even stronger connections during COVID times just from being able to reach out to people more because I’m not traveling all the time and having like creative conversations. So, definitely producing more, working on the wine, continuing the podcast, running marathons and, uh…

Robert: Incredible.

Amanda: Yeah, but it’s like, I, I was supposed to run a marathon that was with, you know, an actual marathon when you go and you have the energy of the people around you. Yeah. And I want to have that experience, but eventually.