Guest featured in this episode:
Amanda Perna is a mom, wife, fashion designer, author, illustrator, speaker stylist and serial entrepreneur (that’s right, she wears A LOT of hats).
Amanda honed her craft while designing for Oscar de la Renta and Calvin Klein and studying at the University of Alabama and FIT in New York City.
She then launched her own brand, The House of Perna, which has been sold internationally to major retailers including Anthropologie, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, BHLDN and more.
Throughout her career, Amanda has taken every opportunity to see the world from a new point of view; styling for celebrity and corporate clients, creating cards for Hallmark, frequently partnering with major retailers for in-store events and appearing on two seasons of the hit TV series Project Runway.
In late 2018, Amanda launched a second brand, Neon Bohemians, which debuted at Nordstrom. Inspired by her young daughter’s love of fashion, Amanda became a published author in 2019 with her first children’s book, F is for Fashion, an illustrated book of fashion ABCs for kids.
Amanda believes we are stronger together and that life is too short not to follow your dreams. She believes in maximalist style -bright colors, bold prints and always a touch of the unexpected – with minimal waste – designing and manufacturing in small batches, with eco-friendly materials and ensuring that the local and global artisans bringing her vision to life are treated fairly.
Above all, Amanda’s mission is to help other women feel beautiful and confident and find their place in the world.
Things you will learn in this episode:
- Her early years, what were some of her upbringing beliefs?
- When she told her parents she wanted to be a fashion designer, what was their reaction?
- She had a dream job at Calvin Klein but wanted more. So in 2012, she went against the advice of everyone she knew, and took a leap of faith and quit her job to launch The House of Perna. We talked about what kind of mindset work she needed to do on herself in order for this to happen?
- The beautiful story behind why she named her brand The House of Perna instead of just her name.
- She appeared on the hit TV series Project Runway, how that publicity pivoted her business?
- What she wish she knew when first started her business?
- And much more
Lucy Liu is a global business strategist and certified life coach helping high achieving
women in life transitions unstuck, kiss overwhelm bye, cultivate rockstar confidence, see clarity, reach dream goals, and live a joyful fulfilling life! She is an unshakable optimist, wife, mother, easy-going entrepreneur, certified #IamRemarkable women empowerment workshop facilitator, and international motivational speaker. She is the author of two international bestselling books and also inspires as the host of her weekly podcast The Lucy Liu Show, which is the fueling station for your mind, business and life. She has been featured in Medium, VoyageLA, Elephant Journal, ThriveGlobal, FOX, CBS, NBC and dozens of other media outlets. 
