Women Who Inspire - Amanda Lobasso

Amanda is a young entrepreneur that rose to the challenges of starting her own business. With two young children, she has learned to manage a work-life balance that suits her lifestyle. Read more to find out how she does it all!

What do you do?

I don't like to define myself by what I do. First and foremost, I am a mom and a wife. After that, I'm a woman, a friend, a daughter and a young entrepreneur. I am the owner of Lifestyle Ceramique.

What would you say was your greatest challenge in setting up this business?

I'm a big planner. I'm very organized and I've always been like that. Realizing that not everything is going go on schedule was a challenge. I had to be ready for bumps and hurdles ahead.

You grew up in this business and your father is a well-established business person in this industry. You could have simply continued under that banner. What made you want to start your own business?

I never had a clear idea of what I wanted to do, but I always knew that I wanted to do something creative. When I was 18 years old, my dad brought me to Spain for work because he wanted me to experience the other side of the business. I remember being blown away because it was so exciting and creative.

My dad told me to finish school and work for somebody else. He wanted to make sure that I was certain about working in this industry before working for him. I worked various jobs until I realized that I wanted to work with my dad. I was with him for 10 years, which was great. Around the time that I was pregnant with my second child, I expressed to my husband that I wanted to branch-out on my own because I knew that my dad wouldn’t retire soon. Even though I loved working with my dad, I reached a point that it wasn’t going to be fulfilling for me.

How would you define success?

When I was younger, I always thought that success was measured by how much money you have and the material things. Over time, I realized that I am successful in the life that I've built and the people that I’ve been able to surround myself with. I feel like I chose a really good partner. We balance each other out and we're good for each other. We’ve brought our kids into this world together. Trying to raise these little humans to be strong individuals, to be able to stand up for themselves, but at the same time, vulnerable and empathetic. This has been the hardest job but the most rewarding thing for me.

What characteristics do you admire most in other women?

I like it when women can be vulnerable, honest and show their realness. To be truthful about the good and the bad.

What was the best piece of business advice you were given?

The best piece of advice that my dad gave me was to not be afraid to roll up your sleeves and to work hard. Even if you are the owner of a business, you have to stay humble and let people see that you're a hard worker and that you can bring yourself to any level. This speaks volumes of your character and how you run your business.

If you could change one thing in this journey, is there anything that you would change?

I think the timing was perfect. Five years ago, when I was struggling with my identity, I would go back and tell myself that everything happens in its right time. You have to be patient sometimes. Things don’t always happen when we want them to.  

In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you build yourself back up?

When I'm having moments of self-doubt, I have to take a moment to myself and just calm down. I need to reflect and remind myself of all the positive things that I have going on right now. This is to remind myself that I gave it my all and the rest is out of my control. This is a way of talking myself through it.

What would you tell your younger yourself 10 years ago? 

Learn from your mistakes and move on from them. Also, don’t let fear stand in your way. Accept a challenge and give it your all. It's okay if it doesn't work out.

Do you have a group of women that have your back?

I consider myself to be fortunate to have the most amazing group of friends that I truly consider my sisters. They're girls that I can call on no matter what, girls that are not jealous and girls that celebrate my success with me.

What are some of the morals and the values that you hold true to yourself in your company?

I believe in being transparent and honest. Also, treating people the way I would want to be treated. When you show sympathy and consideration towards others, it speaks volumes and it's not forgotten.

What do you think is your best attribute as a businesswoman?

Starting off in this business, I have worked in a lot of different professional settings. I've worked with amazing bosses who became mentors, who then became personal friends. I believe that I brought a lot of that with me, and I learned the type of boss and leader that I wanted to be.

I want the dynamic of my team to feel like we're a team. I don't want anyone to feel that we're not at the same level. I want them to feel comfortable coming to me and asking me for help. We're in it together because my success is their success, and vice versa. 

Name a fear or a professional challenge that keeps you up at night.

Failure is my biggest fear as an entrepreneur. It’s even more prominent now because of the times that we're going through and because of the industry that we're in.

What's the biggest sacrifice you’ve had to make for your career?

My family. I had a lot of guilt leaving my kids. I want to be able to offer them everything and anything that I possibly could, but I'm also doing it for myself because it makes me happy.

If I'm happy, then I feel like I will be the best mom that I can be to them because I'm in a good place in my life. I had to come to the conclusion that I'm not being selfish. It’s a question of finding a work-life balance and accepting that it's not quantity, but quality time with my kids.

What inspires and motivates you?

Many people have inspired me at different points in my life. The staple of people that have continuously inspired me have been my parents. They've always led by example with everything. Even to this day. 

My husband is also my source of inspiration. I feel like I met him at the perfect time in my life. 

When I met him during university, he was very committed and passionate about school. This is one of the one things that attracted me to him, his consistency with it and how he made it a priority. His dedication and his perseverance were one of the qualities that inspired me.

In your opinion, what are the top three things someone should consider before starting their business?

Don’t let fear get in the way because you’ll never know until you try it. If something is in your heart and you truly want to give it a shot, you should go for it. You also need to have a solid support system to back you up. Lastly, you should always trust your gut.

What's your favorite thing about what you do?

I love how the industry is always evolving and changing. That's what you attracted me to it. There's such a fun and creative aspect to it.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned in running your business?

The biggest lesson I've learned with starting my business and learning how to run it has been that not everything is going to go as planned. You're going get thrown curve balls. You need to be prepared for them and not let those get to you. You have to be adaptable and have a solution based mind.

What's your favorite place in the world?

Anywhere in Italy. All of Italy is stunning in different ways. I've honestly been blessed that I've been able to travel to Italy many times. I also love Paris and Berlin. I would love to go back and visit these cities someday.

What is your favorite quality in a friend?

My favorite quality in a friend is honesty and loyalty.

What makes you feel powerful?

My kids. I’m amazed at how the human body works. I'll look over at them and I can't believe that I made those babies. I think it's the most incredible thing.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

 One of the things that I'm just most proud of the fact that at a young age, I was discerning about knowing what I wanted and what I didn't want. I surrounded myself with people that are hard workers, ambitious and all around good people. In its own way, it encouraged me to be that way. Ultimately, these are the examples for my kids.

Do you have a motto?

‘Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.’ 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

This was a verse that was read at my wedding, however I felt like that it also represents all aspects of starting a business. I find that there is a lot of jealousy in any business or industry you go into. This speaks volumes to me because I feel like we're here to help each other out. I want to be recognized for being a person that conduct herself with ambition but also grace and respect.

Who are the women who you look up to?

I look up to my mom. Both her and my dad sacrificed a lot to start off their business. There were a lot of sacrifices on her end as well but she was amazing through all of it. I admire that because I learned how to be independent, how to be a wife, how to be a friend, how to be a mom. I also have a beautiful group of girlfriends that I look up to.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Traveling and eating. My favorite type of travel is going to cities where I can walk and eat all day. Nothing makes me happier!

To learn more about Amanda Lobasso, owner of Lifestyle Ceramique, visit the website below:

www.lifestyleceramique.com