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Interview with Amy D. Taylor
Amy D. Taylor is the founder of Advancing With Amy, a life and business coaching brand dedicated to helping women move from “stuck mode” into thriving, authentic lives. As a Mental Health Warrior & Neurospicy Mama, Amy draws from her almost 30 years as a social worker and her lived experience with bipolar disorder, ADHD, OCD, anxiety, and the hard-won lessons of divorce, single motherhood, and cancer survival to guide others with honesty and heart.
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Her journals, toolkits, and workbooks—including the Neurodivergent Parenting Toolkit and How to Keep Going When You're Stuck In The Mud—blend soulful reflection with practical action. With her signature mix of real talk, compassion, and a dash of Gen X sarcasm, Amy encourages women to face their shadows without fear, embrace every messy part of themselves, and rewrite their stories on their own terms.
When she’s not writing or podcasting, you’ll find her enjoying time with her children and grandchildren, or cheering on women everywhere to keep advancing, one step at a time.
What kind of work do you do?
I am a full time social worker / member advocate during the weekdays. During the evenings and weekends I am a life & business coach, digital product creator and podcast host.
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What inspired you to get started as an entrepreneur?
I live with bipolar disorder, anxiety, ADHD and OCD and am raising a daughter with autism. I want to end the stigma against mental health and neurodivergence and contribute to the conversations in these arenas.
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What was your biggest struggle to get things going for your online business?
Learning the tech to build my website and funnels and the podcasting equipment and tech.
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Was there a time you thought about giving up? What kept you from quitting?
Yes about a year into it I thought about quitting and did take a few months off but then I missed it a lot and started again.
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What have you learned since beginning?
That success comes from consistency. You can do everything right but if you aren’t consistent it really doesn't matter because you aren’t getting anywhere.
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What’s the best advice you’ve received?
To just do it and not wait till it’s perfect, just get it out there in the world.
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What advice would you give someone just starting out?
To do something that lights them up.
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What’s the professional win you’re most proud of?
Learning how to podcast and getting my message out into the world.
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Which book(s) would you recommend to help entrepreneurs with success and personal development?
Mel Robbins, Let Them. Don’t let other people’s opinions of you or your thoughts about what others might think, hold you back. Get out there and do your thing and let others do theirs.
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Do you have a routine that you attest to your success? If yes, what is it?
I get up in the mornings before I work my full time job and spend some time doing what I love and then I do it again before I go to bed at night. That way my day is bookended with a job that brings me joy.
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How has social media played a factor in your success?
It has allowed me to connect with people who want to hear what I have to say and want to work with me. I use LinkedIn mostly but also dabble in Facebook and Instagram. LinkedIn has really been a great networking tool for me.
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What are the biggest social media mistakes you see commonly made?
Thinking you have to use social media every day or post multiple times a day or have millions of subscribers online. You just need a small group of super fans who are engaged. You don’t millions or even thousands to get going.
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What is the business tool that’s been most helpful?
For podcasting, it’s been Descript. It allows me to edit my podcast and put out a good product. For my business as a whole it’s been Kajabi. It costs a little more than other CRM tools but it is easier for me to use and helped me feel comfortable in the tech world.
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Is there something you wish everyone knew?
I wish everyone knew what they have to say matters. Everyone has something to say and there is someone out there that needs to hear it.
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What’s coming up for you in the next few months?
I plan to grow my business by adding a membership / support group and more coaching customers and add some courses to my website library.
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What has being successful taught you?
That it’s important to build friendships with others in the same industry you are in. Networking is not just to get ahead, it's a great place to build lasting friendships and get the support you need to sustain what you’re doing.
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What are some fun facts about you?
I used to be a cheerleader in junior high and I still love to cheer people on. I was also big into music and theater and sang in a band when I was younger. I also think a lot of people might be surprised that I followed my Bachelor’s in Social Work up almost thirty years later, at the age of 52 with an MBA.
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How can our readers find you online?
You can find me on my website at https://www.advancingwithamy.com, e-mail me at [email protected], follow me on stories on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/stories/advancing_with_amy/ or check out my favorite place to be, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-danielle-taylor-2023802b/.
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