Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Hendrix.
Hi Amanda, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always loved writing and, like many millennials, I started a blog way back in the early 2010’s as a creative outlet. I had just moved into my first apartment with my then-fiance (now husband) and I wanted to document the process of making it ours. I loved the community and culture around blogging, and I never gave it up. Over time, my little blog grew and by 2016, I realized I could actually earn some money with it.
I shifted my focus and began pouring more energy and effort into my website and corresponding social media, and by the summer of 2017, I was able to leave my teaching job to pursue blogging full time.
Over the years since then, the landscape of blogging has shifted significantly. My website is no longer my primary source of income (though writing new blog posts still my favorite part of my job!) and I’ve had to learn a lot about social media, SEO, filming videos, and more. I run @amandahendrixhome on Instagram and love connecting with my audience there. I also have a Substack where I enjoy writing a little more like the early days of blogging (super personal and casual!) and a very small YouTube channel where I’m trying to stretch my video creation skills!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
For me, the hardest part of this career path has been learning how to shift with the ever-changing standards and expectations of the internet. I can get really set in my ways and resistant to change or learning new things, but social media is always. changing and you really have to stay on your toes if you want to keep up!
Things like watching Google and Pinterest’s algorithms shift towards AI content has also been a huge struggle in the last couple of years. It can be disheartening to watch the visitor count to your website plummet in favor of AI-created content, but it’s been a good chance for me to practice pivoting once again and learn how to remain relevant in a landscape where AI is starting to become more and more popular!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I run Love & Renovations (@amandahendrixhome on Instagram), a home & DIY blog aimed at homeowners who want to improve their homes but don’t know where to start. My mission is to teach people that you don’t have to wait until your home is finished or “perfect” to love it fully.
I specialize in making intimidating projects feel accessible and reminding people that perfection is overrated. I don’t want my content to feel aspirational – I want it to feel relatable and leave you feeling like you can do this too. The feedback I get most often is some version of “I finally tried this because of you,” and that truly never gets old.
Beyond the blog, I write a weekly Substack newsletter called “What I Meant to Say” that leans more into the personal side of things. I chat parenting, home life, and the honest (and often messy) reality behind the content. I’m also active on Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube. Each platform serves a different purpose for me, and I’ve been intentional about building a presence that feels cohesive across all of them rather than just repurposing the same content everywhere.
What I’m most proud of is my community. I have readers who have been with me from the very beginning and remember every house and every project. They’ve encouraged me through my failures and cheered me on as I’ve learned new skills, commiserated with me about living with anxiety, and watched my kids grow up. No matter how much changes in the world of blogging and social media, I’ve always had a genuinely kind and encouraging audience, and getting to chat with them over the years has been the most rewarding part of the job.
What are your plans for the future?
As social media continues to shift and AI becomes more prevalent, right now I’m just focused on keeping my content feeling human. I’m always looking for new ways to connect with my audience and make them feel seen, and I plan to continue to do that for as long as I can keep this job going!
We moved into a 1970’s fixer upper about a year ago, and now that we’re settled in I’m starting to work on some larger projects and tackling real change in the house, and it’s so fun and exciting to bring everyone along for all the ups and downs!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.loveandrenovations.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/amandahendrixhome
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/amandahendrixhome
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LoveRenovations
