July 2, 2025 • 42 mins
Today's episode is a joyful ride through the woods, the stage and straight to the heart of what it means to truly be yourself and be comfortable in your skin. We're sitting down with our friend Amber, who's lived a lot of lives from romping through the forest as a little girl to strutting across the pageant stage as a beauty queen to gracing our TV screens as a host, and now, well, she's best known to her friends as the Feral Mountain Princess. That's a true story.
Amber has the incredible way of finding herself in the wild, both literally and metaphorically. She's an avid hiker, a seeker of joy actually. She is the og. Joy dropper. She's where we learned the term, and someone who's learned to come home to herself by coming home to nature.
Our chat with her is full of laughter, surprising stories, and a beautiful reminder that you do not have to fit a mold to feel completely at peace with who you are. So grab a cozy drink or lace up your hiking boots, and let's enjoy this journey with the one and only Feral Mountain Princess.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Today's episode is a joyful ridethrough the woods, the stage and
straight to the heart of what itmeans to truly be yourself and
be comfortable in your skin.
We're sitting down with ourfriend Amber, who's lived a lot
of lives from romping throughthe forest as a little girl to
strutting across the pageantstage as a beauty queen to
(00:21):
gracing our TV screens as ahost, and now, well, she's.
Best known to her friends as theferal mountain princess.
That's a true story.
Amber has the incredible way offinding herself in the wild,
both literally andmetaphorically.
She's an avid hiker, a seeker ofjoy actually.
She is the og.
(00:43):
Joy dropper.
She's where we learned the term,and someone who's learned to
come home to herself by cominghome to nature.
Our chat with her is full oflaughter, surprising stories,
and a beautiful reminder thatyou do not have to fit a mold to
feel completely at peace withwho you are.
So grab a cozy drink or lace upyour hiking boots, and let's
(01:06):
enjoy this journey with the oneand only feral mountain
Princess.
Let's get to it.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (02:15):
Today we are chatting with the Joy
Dropper original, the og.
Bitch in the house, our friendAmber Kenoy, and uh, if you're
local here, you may recognizeher from, channel 27 or WKYT.
She has had her face plasteredall over the place, and she's
(02:38):
very active and she has beenvery good to us and very kind to
us over the years.
but she's a wonderful person andso it was very important for us
to chat with her because wethink.
all will get even more out ofthe conversation, than we
realize, I think.
so yeah.
Dwayne, take it away.
How about that?
You can go from there.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (02:57):
Okay,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (02:57):
So
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (02:58):
Start with this.
jeremy-guest553_1_06- (02:59):
question.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (02:59):
Amber Kou, how
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (03:00):
long have, uh,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (03:01):
we known each other at this point,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (03:03):
Oh my word.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (03:05):
five plus years.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (03:06):
Oh, it's probably longer than that.
Yeah.
This is
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (03:09):
I
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (03:09):
2025.
We knew each other before COVID,so
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (03:13):
oh,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13 (03:13):
probably say,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (03:13):
did, they did some videos, I
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (03:15):
yeah, I'd say seven or eight years
probably, at least.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (03:17):
Yeah.
Okay.
Eight years.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (03:19):
Yeah.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (03:19):
So the,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (03:21):
the,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (03:22):
so you've known her since My third
husband
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (03:27):
I'm glad you put the timeline in
that.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (03:29):
I don't know.
So, I about this.
I'll tell, I'll do my truthtelling Amber when.
Uh, I knew very little otherthan she's on tv, and somehow I
understood that she came throughthe, the, the, the
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (03:45):
the program of, uh.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (03:46):
uh, miss Kentucky.
Okay.
Right.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (03:52):
I
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (03:54):
Then
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (03:55):
had tip on my shoulders about
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (03:59):
ladies who
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (04:01):
were part of that program, right?
That they were,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:07):
that they
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (04:08):
they were shallow,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:09):
that it
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (04:09):
it was all about their.
dwayne_1_06-27-202 (04:11):
appearances.
Okay.
Fast
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (04:15):
Forward
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:16):
and meeting with Amber.
came across in pretty quickfashion is that's not what she
was about.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (04:24):
and then
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:26):
As it
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (04:26):
it evolved, not
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:28):
much
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (04:28):
about what the.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130 (04:30):
program is about, that I got to
understand that it was for herand
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (04:35):
Many, many
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (04:36):
ladies a tool as a
jeremy-guest553_1_06- (04:38):
platform,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:39):
to
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27- (04:40):
giving them a voice,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:41):
to
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27- (04:41):
giving them an opportunity
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:44):
and
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (04:44):
to
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1 (04:46):
highlight
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (04:47):
both
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1 (04:47):
External, but more
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (04:49):
more importantly,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13 (04:50):
internal beauty, as hokey as that might
sound to some of you.
jeremy-guest553_1_0 (04:54):
truthfully, that's.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:55):
what I garnered within
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (04:57):
just months of being around my
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (04:58):
friend Amber.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (05:00):
And how important,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (05:01):
and
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (05:01):
how close, um,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (05:04):
the
jeremy-guest553_1_06-2 (05:04):
pageant, uh,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (05:06):
Genre
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (05:06):
is to
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (05:07):
to
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (05:07):
her.
Is that, is that
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (05:07):
that is.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (05:08):
So when I said that, is that a.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (05:10):
fair
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (05:10):
thing
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (05:11):
that you hear that people perceive,
uh,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (05:14):
the
jeremy-guest553_1_06- (05:14):
pageantry to be that kind of
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130 (05:16):
shallow
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (05:17):
thing in
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (05:18):
In general.
Yeah, because all they see isthe, uh, you know, the outward
facing aspect of it.
They don't see all theinterviews and all the
preparation beforehand.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (05:26):
Have people not seen mis
congeniality?
It's one of my favorite movies.
I mean, come on.
It's not a beauty pageant, it'sa scholarship or whatever.
Anyway, I love that movie.
Just feel like you justundermined everything.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (05:44):
said.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (05:44):
No, that was
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (05:45):
No, because it's true
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (05:47):
That was the
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (05:48):
is
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (05:48):
to the movie as well,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (05:49):
it was.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (05:50):
Bullock character thought it was just
all about these, you know, overthe top makeup queens, you know,
worried, not worried aboutanything else.
And then what she really foundout were these were real,
legitimate people who cared theover the top makeup queens.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (06:01):
are queens, which are quickly going
away, so that's a differentstory.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (06:05):
I hate to
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (06:05):
Oh, they ain't ever going away.
Mm-hmm.
Nope.
coach in some of those girls atthe pageant.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (06:14):
the That's right.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (06:17):
See, it's true.
It's true.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (06:18):
uh, I'll start with, tell,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (06:21):
Tell us your.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (06:22):
uh, for those in our world that
don't know where you originallyare from, and how you got into
pageantry then, then led tobeing a world class TV interview
or podcast or extraordinaire
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (06:36):
Oh dear.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (06:37):
And hiker.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (06:38):
Uh, thank you.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (06:39):
hiker.
Yeah.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (06:40):
Most importantly, um, so I'm from
London, Kentucky originally, um,I never dreamed of doing
pageants'cause honestly, I justnever g given those assumptions
that most, most people thinkabout.
I just never put myself intothat category.
But when I was in high school,there was the Miss North Laurel
pageant and you had had a talentand I had always, you know,
(07:01):
grown up singing all over theplace, uh, through four H
competitions, church.
Parks, you name it.
Um, so I was like, well, I cansing.
So somebody entered me and um,yeah, that kind of started all
of that.
So I was always really gearedtowards the ones that had like
some sort of talent competition.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (07:20):
How old were you when you started?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (07:21):
Uh, I was a freshman in high school,
so,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (07:25):
Well, at that time in my life, I
didn't
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (07:26):
So later,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (07:27):
at me, so
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (07:28):
yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (07:28):
me on a stage.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (07:29):
yeah.
Well, I mean, I mean, you justthink you just came from like
middle school, those really,really awkward years where
you're.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27- (07:34):
Right.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (07:35):
Going through all kinds of wonderful
changes and you're like, what isgoing on with me?
And then, yeah, throw you on astage.
So, but I grew up in likecommunity theater and stuff, so
being on a stage wasn't likereally scary.
And it kind of just kept goingfrom there and everything.
And then the Miss KentuckyScholarship Organization was a
great way to help pay forcollege.
So I was on a full tuitionacademic scholarship, but had to
(07:56):
be able to pay for all like theroom and board books and
everything like that.
So that was a way for me to helppay for my college, But the main
thing, the main thing, and I'llbe honest, it's really, really
easy in the pageant world toreally lose sight of the bigger
picture.
Um, because the first year I hadgot some award, it's been, it's
been a few years since then, soI can't remember everything.
(08:16):
Um,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (08:18):
You mean you don't wear your tiaras
daily?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (08:20):
no, no.
I don't know.
No,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (08:22):
I sure as shit would.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (08:24):
I.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (08:25):
no.
I actually think I gave away allmy tiaras to friends who had
little girls.
Um,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (08:30):
oh.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (08:31):
so they could play and stuff, so,
but like, so I think I went fromlike getting like a non finalist
award to like second runner upand then I was in top 10 and
then I fell outta top 10.
Um, you know, and it's easy.
Very, very easy.
Just like anything in life tokind of have your whole identity
racked up in something very,very quickly and lose sight of
what the really, really.
(08:51):
Big picture is, um, and it, andactually falling outta the top
10 after being in the top 10 andtop five several times was
probably the biggest blessingbecause, aw, look at.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (09:03):
She was holding up, showing, uh, his
little princess and, uh, doingher, her, uh, 6-year-old
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (09:09):
going on 18.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (09:10):
You said Tiara, she had three on
last night, so
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (09:13):
Mm-hmm.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (09:14):
Yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (09:14):
of which were to her
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (09:16):
But um.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13 (09:18):
Falling, falling out of the top 10 made
me really, really take a look atlike what I was doing.
Was I becoming the best versionof myself and a truer version of
myself?
Or was I trying to fit a mold?
and when you realize that it'sjust five people's opinion.
And those five people can havea, you know, like, like if you
took a different group of five,people would probably pick a
(09:38):
different winner.
The goal shifted instead oftrying to like be something that
I thought was, what those peoplewere looking for was just to be
the absolute best version ofmyself.
So regardless of what theiropinion was, I could walk away
holding my head up high and notso worried about that, and focus
more on the relationships of thepeople that I was interacting
with on that week.
So.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (09:59):
For you.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (10:04):
Well, I got back into the top five,
so, I mean, well, I, I think, Ithink the, the vast majority of
people in this world are lookingfor authenticity, right?
Not fitting into this mold thateverybody thinks that you need
to be in.
And sometimes that can be, youknow, can be isolating because
there might not be.
The same people that are readilyavailable that fit very well
(10:27):
with you.
But I tell my kids all the timeand they're like, oh, people are
weird, or he's weird.
I'm like, everybody's weird.
It's just being comfortableenough with yourself and being
authentically you so you canattract the same type of people.
Right.
The same type of weird,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (10:40):
Yes,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (10:41):
There's people who think I'm weird
because they go hiking all thetime, you know?
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27- (10:43):
People unite.
Yes.
Yeah.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13 (10:45):
exactly.
Like you'll find your people,stop trying to fit this mold.
Be something you're not
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (10:50):
just
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (10:50):
true to.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (10:51):
are.
Be
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (10:52):
Yeah,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (10:52):
are, be comfortable in your own
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (10:53):
and I
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (10:53):
Yeah.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_1300 (10:54):
think, oh gosh, what was it?
So the last year I competed,they were doing onstage question
in the top five, which isprobably probably the worst
aspect of the whole entirething.
'cause you don't know whatthey're gonna ask you.
And I remember them asking mesomething about like one of my
college memories or somethinglike that.
And the gist of the story waslike.
Finding your people where youcan just truly be yourself.
(11:16):
And I made a reference to thissituation where I had people at
my, um, apartment and there wasa bowl of candy on, on the
counter, and there was dumbdumbs and there were smarties
and I made light.
I was like, don't eat one onetoo many of the other.
And they were just like, what?
(11:38):
That's my type of humor.
Like, you know, so I was like,and like there's probably
several people who thought Iprobably lost the passion'cause
of that question.
I was like, I don't care.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (11:46):
well be, yeah.
Yeah.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (11:48):
That was me being authentically.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (11:50):
you win?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (11:52):
No, I didn't win.
I got second.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1300 (11:54):
That's fine.
That's fine.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (11:56):
Yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (11:56):
you know, growing up we were
fascinated by toddlers andtiaras and, um, you know, it's
the, the, the
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (12:02):
Oh my God.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (12:03):
don't do this to your children.
But there's so many positivethings to it.
But I, I, I, not that I meant toget all off on this whole, uh,
pageant.
Tangent, but I think it reallywas key and, and integral in you
becoming who you are today.
Right.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (12:17):
Yeah,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (12:17):
know, we've, you've mentioned college
twice and I always love to tellAmber this, that we were at col
in college at the same time.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (12:22):
I
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (12:23):
were.
Yeah,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (12:23):
do remember that.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (12:24):
were, we, we went to the same
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (12:25):
Mm-hmm.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (12:26):
um, she had no clue who I
amber-_1_06-27-2025_1300 (12:28):
That's not true.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (12:29):
who she was because she was very
involved with sororities and wasvery photographed and very
around because she was veryactive and I was the little gay
boy in the corner going toclass.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (12:41):
I remembered you.
I, I remember one of our firstinteractions.
I was like, yeah, yeah, I thinkso.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (12:47):
Yeah.
So.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (12:49):
look, Jeremy, you now have found your
authentic you.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (12:52):
Oh yeah.
Listen, it took me a while.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (12:55):
box sometimes
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (12:58):
But he would,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (13:00):
Yeah, pop right on out.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (13:04):
You can't put me in no box.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13 (13:08):
dancing.
Queen found his voice.
There you go.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (13:12):
I love it.
Yeah.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (13:14):
yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (13:14):
okay, so how did you go from the
pageant and then like.
Into is, is that a natural liketransition into the television?
Like I don't know how that goes.
How's that go?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (13:27):
I think at one point there was a
lot of people who would majorin.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (13:30):
the only person that we knew, there
were a few others that thatsimilarly got involved.
I
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (13:35):
Well, and my, my route into television
was, is a little differentbecause I didn't go to school
for broadcasting.
Mine was more communications.
so actually in college, like Iwould prep whoever was the
commencement speaker for thestudents, I would help prepare
them for the delivery of theirspeech.
Right.
that happened several years andI was very comfortable with
public speaking.
(13:55):
And mediation and differentthings like that.
Dealing with people,interviewing, and so forth,
which stems a lot from the, thepageant side of things as well.
But when I was getting ready tograduate the career path that I
actually thought I was goinginto, which was like nonprofit,
like community service typestuff, the funding fell through
and I was like, oh, okay, great.
What are we gonna do now?
Like, wonderful.
Um, and one of my collegeadvisors was like, I think you
(14:17):
should look at sales.
And initially, of course, I hadlike the whole like used car
salesman, like, you know.
And I was like, what?
I was like, really?
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27- (14:27):
Honda.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (14:28):
Yeah.
Yeah, I just, I was just, Iwasn't very excited about it.
But, um, I interviewed'cause Itrusted them'cause they knew me
very, very well.
One of the good things about it,Eastern was like you knew a lot
of your professors very, very,very well.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (14:40):
They were
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (14:41):
They were very involved in your life.
So I interviewed for a coupledifferent jobs, got a couple
different job offers, went withthe television side.
'cause I thought that kind ofplayed it more to what would be
interesting to me at the time.
And it naturally, so I was insales and marketing, helping
people like.
Build campaigns for the, tobuild their business.
But then it naturally fell intoopportunities to do stuff on
air, um, with the, with theclients that I have because they
(15:04):
were so comfortable with me andthey didn't wanna just like,
work with some stranger, um, onthat aspect of the business.
So then I started doing thatregularly for other people and
then it just kind of keptevolving from there.
Another station in the marketrecruited me, um, specifically
for the sales and marketing, butalso to host a show.
Uh, because they were losing thehost of that, and then again, it
(15:25):
just kept evolving.
So,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (15:27):
Uh, well, you know, the overlying
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1300 (15:28):
sales.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (15:29):
that I hear like woven through that
was like, you know, you foundyourself, you were authentic and
you, you were just who you were,you were following what was
interest to you.
And then because that peoplewere then again attracted to the
authenticity and there's a trustthere.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (15:42):
yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (15:43):
And you're talking about your
clients because I know likewe're very.
when I think of you, like, whenyou say something, I trust you
because you are you, and I knowyou're gonna tell me the truth,
right?
And you're, you're we're gonnaknow either the good or the bad
or figure out how we approachthis or what's best.
And I think that's so importantfor, someone who, to hear that
who's maybe struggling, right?
(16:03):
Like may not feel like they'regetting their foot footing or
they're not really sure how to.
Handle, you know, whatever itis.
Okay.
Figure out, you know, go back toyour core, go back to your
center.
It's, I always remember that onescene in like center stage, like
there was a, a dancer and shewas struggling in her, in her,
um, choreographer was like, justgo back and find your center.
Go back to the
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (16:22):
And she was very different than the
typical ballerina that I.
jeremy-guest553_1_0 (16:25):
absolutely.
Love that movie.
See, it's of the generation,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (16:28):
Yes,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (16:29):
the generation.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (16:31):
I.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (16:31):
The other two are just.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (16:32):
Do you have a clue what they're
talking about?
No clue.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (16:36):
Not a clue.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130 (16:37):
they're talking about.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (16:38):
I mean,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (16:39):
are bonding over some
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (16:40):
twirl alone, twirl.
Twirl alone.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (16:46):
Well, and so I understand this why you
are the people that you workwith.
There is that trust that'sthere.
Uh, just because again,authenticity, like what you
said, people I think really docrave that.
And that even plays true in our,in our social media, right?
Like people, like to see likethe pretty and the fluffed and
all that, but they also love usbeing just a hot ass mess,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (17:06):
Mm-hmm.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (17:07):
Like, because that's just what we are.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_1300 (17:08):
'cause most of us are,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (17:09):
all of us are.
All of us.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (17:12):
Some of us like to pretend we're not,
but
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (17:14):
yeah.
Well, I
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (17:15):
most of us are.
jeremy-guest553_1_ (17:16):
conversation with my niece yesterday because
she was talking about doingsomething.
She's like, well, I know whatI'm doing.
I was like, oh, baby.
I was like, I remember I was 16too.
I remember, I thought I knewwhat I was doing.
I was clueless.
I was like, I still don't knowwhat I'm doing at 44.
Like but I'm trying.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (17:33):
I can speak for as you age,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (17:36):
Ah,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (17:37):
you realize is,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (17:38):
You
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (17:38):
less truthfully.
Right?
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (17:41):
that is true.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13 (17:41):
Stewart?
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (17:42):
The,
jeremy-guest553_1_06 (17:42):
everything
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (17:44):
know I just learned it and now it's
different.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (17:48):
dunno.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (17:49):
ever evolving.
I don't care.
Don't care.
But I dunno.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (17:53):
I don't know.
And I'll just.
What comes around to thatthought process is, I do think
as you, you do get older, youstart to realize who's in your
corner and what's important.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (18:09):
Yeah.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:09):
will
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (18:10):
I'll look at, I'm not dismissing you
at all, so don't take this as a
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:14):
a dismissal, but I
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (18:16):
can look at my, and I,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:19):
I,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (18:20):
I've always said.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:20):
this and I always wonder if, uh,
Stewart cringes a little or hegets mad at me or likes it, but
Stewart is a little harder toget to know, right?
He's not the instant, Jeremy bigover the top personality
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (18:33):
I mean, I didn't really like Amber
till last week.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (18:36):
There you go.
There you go.
Well, if people,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (18:39):
So I.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:40):
per, you know, people perceive
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (18:42):
that
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:42):
as, oh, he doesn't like
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (18:44):
mm-hmm.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:44):
or that, don't really say Cole, but
does, does he like me?
I mean, this is a
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (18:49):
Common.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (18:49):
thing,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (18:50):
And it's not that, I dunno if
you're,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:52):
I
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (18:52):
I won't get into it.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:53):
too deep into it.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (18:53):
I dunno if you're more guarded or
that's just your personality.
But the long story is,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (18:58):
reason I'm
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (18:59):
say,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:59):
this reason is
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (19:00):
I'm not trying to do analysis,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (19:01):
is
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (19:02):
that the two of you have a common
thread
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (19:05):
this in.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (19:08):
and you, you care for that person.
You are
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1 (19:13):
authentic
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (19:13):
and you will do anything for that
person.
Sure.
It has always been that for me.
Right?
Mm-hmm.
And I feel like that's you is.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (19:22):
when you work with a client, when you
meet with somebody and you
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (19:27):
You connect with them,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (19:28):
you will
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (19:29):
go with that.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (19:29):
you will do everything.
You will
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (19:31):
Be created and use every tool.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (19:34):
That is in your wheelhouse, to lift
them up, to make them better.
And I don't even say that, thatyou're necessarily doing it for
a self-serving reason.
I just think you're doing itbecause you believe in that
person and that's what you wannado for them.
And that's how I see you andStuart being the same, that if
you're in their corner, yourcorner, his corner, they're
(19:54):
gonna take care of you.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (19:55):
Mm.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (19:56):
Well, and at the end of the day, it's
all about people.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (19:58):
Mm-hmm.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1300 (19:59):
right,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (20:00):
Money is just a tool.
I try to tell my kids that allthe time.
I mean, tools can be yielded forgood.
They can be yielded for bad,right?
It's just a tool.
I mean, at the end of the day,it's how you treat people, how
you make people feel.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (20:12):
Amen.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (20:13):
I mean, yeah, it can't be just
about a paycheck.
I mean, how horrible is that atthe end of your life?
Thinking about like, oh, well,I.
That, that's all it was.
I'm like, that's sad to me.
There's got to be a greaterpurpose and for a lot of people
it's, you know, like it'shelping their businesses, but
what they stand, you know,behind like the, the charities
and what good they're able todo, even with your employees.
(20:34):
I mean, I see how you allinteract with your employees and
it's, gosh, it's so fun.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (20:38):
Well, and it's funny'cause I brought
up, I brought up hiking earlierand I know that's one of Amber's
uh, I won't say hobby, I'll say,I'll say free time because it's
your time.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (20:51):
Mm-hmm.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (20:51):
I actually follow your hiking
journeys secretly behind.
Because I, I do, I mean, and Iknow I don't, I don't.
Just like Dwayne said, I'm not,I don't talk a lot.
I don't whatever joke a lot, butI follow you behind and that's
how I've learned who you are.
So, which I think is super cool,you know, because you're in
(21:14):
different places, you're indifferent experiences, you're
pointing out different thingsthat me as a person enjoy.
Even though we work with you ona different aspect,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (21:26):
Yeah.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:26):
that makes any sense at all.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:28):
Oh yeah.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (21:29):
So
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:29):
So,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (21:29):
you saying your team member?
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:33):
I mean, I'm almost there.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (21:36):
Oh my God.
Good as it gets today.
Amber, I
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:41):
I will take it.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (21:43):
Just take it.
Just take it.
Okay.
So tell us,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:49):
How long have you been?
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (21:50):
wt?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:51):
14 years?
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130 (21:53):
Really?
Wow.
Yeah,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:54):
Hmm,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (21:55):
mostly good.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:55):
Huh?
What'd you say?
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:56):
and mostly good.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (21:57):
good,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:57):
Yes.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (21:58):
mostly good.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:59):
If not, I.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (22:00):
I, I would say this, that they have a
new head chief.
I don't know what their, theirtechnical, her name,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (22:06):
General manager.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (22:09):
do know her
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (22:10):
that,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (22:10):
well.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (22:12):
yeah, that it sounds like there
nothing against the person priorto, but, uh, feels like there
might be a new, fun littleenergy getting ready to come
into the station.
Uh, is that fair?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (22:23):
Yeah.
Oh absolutely.
Yeah.
She's bringing in a lot of newtechnology to make us a little
bit more relevant to certainaudiences, which I think is
huge.
So, and that's fun and excitingto see that change.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (22:34):
so we've been there 14 years.
What, what do you really dothere?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (22:40):
my technical title.
Um, senior media executive.
So I'm working with businessesto help grow their businesses.
So that could be televisionadvertising, it could be all
kinds of different things in thedigital space.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13 (22:56):
supposed to be doing here.
Well, we need to get on it.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (23:05):
Oh dear.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (23:06):
like I'm on.
I feel like I'm on, she's got onus on TV every seven minutes,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (23:10):
I know.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (23:11):
I'm not gonna complain.
Right.
Um,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13 (23:13):
audience loves you all.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (23:15):
I, I the, the one, um, and I've told
you this before and me because Itear wood names, but it's the
heating Cooling company outParis.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (23:24):
Oh, hover mechanic.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (23:28):
I.
You wrapped your arms aroundthem like you did with us, and
they heard you and they trustedyou, and you've helped them and
you've grown their business.
I do give you, I mean, he'ssmart, right?
And he's put things in intoplay.
But I do think you are, uh,tweaking their marketing and how
(23:50):
you approached him and made himand his people more personal,
uh, really has been a verysmart, smart approach to, uh, to
growing his business.
I don't know if he will give youthat credit or if.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (24:04):
No, I, I actually, I think I, I
think he would, I, I think hewould, even though I can't
obviously take full credit forit, because a lot of it comes to
the fact of who he is and whathe stands for and just
confidence.
Yeah.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (24:15):
He.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (24:16):
Yeah.
Because he's trying to break thestereotypes in that industry
and, it's been a unique dialoguethe whole time and stuff.
So, but he also doesn't care toget goofy, right?
Like, he doesn't care to like.
Make fun of himself.
Just, you know, because, well,that's him if you're around him
very long.
I mean, he's kind of got thatpersonality too, and it's, it's
great.
It's a breath of fresh air.
People who don't take themselvestoo seriously.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (24:38):
Well, that goes back to the
authenticity.
And if you take yourself tooseriously and you can't make fun
of yourself, people read thatand
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (24:45):
Yeah,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (24:45):
we always go back to all of us,
like, you were saying the samething.
We do not have it figured out.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (24:51):
no.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (24:51):
not have it figured out.
And the more we, more we keepgoing, the less we have figured
out.
And
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130 (24:56):
People.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (24:57):
that and it's like,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (24:58):
I.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (24:59):
it.
If this with younger people.
20 somethings even to, to evenmy age right now that we've been
in this cycle for the last,let's say 10 years of Facebook
and posting and
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13 (25:16):
Looking.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (25:16):
look at me, look what I did, look
where I went.
I had dinner on vacation and itjust started becoming exhausting
and it really was.
I can't remember what the, thesong was, but you was like, uh,
you know, you're comparingyourself to each other.
Um.
I just really at the, at thebeginning of the year, I was
posting and I was posting jobsof design stuff, and I love what
(25:41):
I do.
I really do, and that's ablessing that a lot of people
don't get.
so I would be posting stuff andthe posting the stuff was my joy
to tell the story of what I wasdoing.
And I also knew that Ipersonally would gain something
from it.
And I knew that the story togain something from it.
But then it started evolvinginto I had to post something
(26:04):
every night at six o'clock, thenit started an.
Dinner time and it was takingtoo long, or I was, whatever it
is, and at the end of the year,I just said, you know what, I, I
have no interest in doing itright now, even though it may
personally have an impact on thestore, and it may have a
personal impact on me havingbusiness.
(26:25):
I had to do it for my ownpsyche.
I, because I was.
For the last number of yearsbecause of the joy it brought to
me.
And it wasn't necessarily, lookat me, look at me, look at me.
It really was, look at megetting to have fun that I've
helped other people give theirjoy, right?
But then it started turninginto, look at me because I want
(26:46):
something from you.
then it become, it became lessauthentic, and that's when I had
to hear my voice and say.
I have the luxury or not luxury,I'm just doing it.
I have to drop out for a whilebecause I'm not, I'm not telling
the story of my joy and I justcan't do it right now.
And I think people, I don't knowif you, you agree with this
(27:07):
little debate, but the wholesocial media thing, people are
reading, people not beingauthentic
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (27:11):
Mm-hmm.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (27:13):
people are starting to, is this true,
Jeremy, that, you know, you doresearch on this stuff.
Is it an issue?
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (27:18):
Uh, well, I definitely think that
there's, there's been a momentumin, not being so active.
Actually, oddly enough,yesterday I saw this whole, um,
YouTube video about someone who,they're, they work with a lot of
different companies andbusinesses, and they were
talking about what seems to bemoving the algorithm and
(27:40):
changing things.
Now, of course, that's whateverybody's always worried
about, but um, and they weretalking about.
Uh, we were also obsessed withdoing reels and videos and all
this moving, moving, moving,moving content and keeping it
just all out there.
And now it's kind of like,people are, now we're starting
to respond to slower content andcarousels and, um, because it's,
(28:02):
uh, it's not the, you're burnedout is what it comes down to.
Really.
I think that, that people arejust, they're tired.
Like you, it's, we've consumedso much.
Um.
And our attention spans are soshort now, um, which my poor
niece, Lord, I'm gonna beat herto death in this episode.
(28:23):
Uh, yesterday we were at thehouse after a funeral and she,
she was like, what are we gonnado?
I'm bored.
I'm like, we literally sat downminutes ago, like, you cannot be
bored.
Like, I'm exhausted.
Can we just sit here for like, Idon't know, 10, 15 minutes?
Um.
But yeah, no, I think that thereis this momentum of, all right,
(28:44):
everybody's figured out how todo video and everybody can do
all this, and it's reallyslowing it down and being more
authentic and, and, and notposting as much for sure.
I, I think so.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (28:53):
Well, I mean, I took a six week hi off
social media back at, uh, theday before my birthday.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (28:58):
Yeah.
It was.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (28:59):
And it was a, it was a bunch of
different events that kind ofled up to that, but it was so
refreshing.
I, I mean, it was, it wasdefinitely breaking habits
because you don't realize howmuch you check social,
especially like with our jobsand different things, making
sure you're not missingmessages.
And I just, I went cold Turkey,I mean, for six weeks and then
came back and, you know, I kindof alluded to it.
(29:20):
I didn't make a big like prefacelike, oh, I'm gonna go dark.
I just, I just did.
Um, and I was like, the peoplewho know me best.
Will will know to reach out tome.
They have my phone numbers.
The rest of everybody will be,will be fine.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (29:31):
Mm-hmm.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (29:31):
You know, like I've got to make sure
that I'm doing this for theright reasons and, and just kind
of, social media has its prosand it cons just like everything
in life, right?
There's, like I said, withmoney, it's just a tool.
Um, I had to refocus and justcenter myself to make sure that
I wasn't just depleting myselffrom the social side of
everything and just, I mean, Iwent.
(29:53):
Like cold, cold Turkey.
I mean, I started doing puzzles.
I read all kinds of books.
I mean, I felt like I was justembracing my old lady habits.
I was like, I'm gonna startbirdwatching.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (30:08):
Well, another one of the things that
you did, which I really wannaget into, to, to, to find out
why this has become like yourlittle, not why, but how you got
into it.
But one of the, the newest, notobsessions, but where she, Amber
finds her piece now is hiking.
It's in the nature.
It's a, it's in the woods,y'all.
I mean, her Instagram is just.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (30:30):
Where
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (30:30):
Oh, okay.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (30:32):
But it, it's called When Nature
Calls Dwayne.
I don't know what
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (30:35):
does a,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (30:36):
Okay.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (30:36):
a bear shit in the woods, Dwayne.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (30:38):
I guess
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (30:39):
So do people.
So do people.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (30:43):
Okay, folks, there's your in.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (30:48):
but, so, yeah.
So what, what
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (30:50):
Yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (30:51):
your life to where this, what
happened?
How, how did that happen?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (30:58):
A divorce in.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (31:00):
Oh well Lord won't it do it?
Won't he do it?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (31:05):
Yeah, I'll preface it with like, my
dad always asks me, he's like,Amber, why hiking?
Like, because I go a lot bymyself.
'cause I don't wait on people,our schedules to magically align
so we can do it together.
Like if I, if I need to go, Ijust go, I just go hiking.
Um, he's like, why?
And I was like, okay dad.
Well let's think about it.
When I was a kid, my mom's mom,so my grandmother lived down by
(31:26):
the creek.
Pulaski County and I grew upplaying in all that creek,
damning up the creek, trying tofeel like I was part of the, the
old movie Swiss Family Robinson,if anybody remembers that movie.
I mean like I loved it.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130 (31:38):
getting your crawl.
Dad's in the mud.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (31:40):
yes, yes.
And then my dad's mom lived upon the hills in Wayne County, so
I grew up playing in the rockshelters.
So I said, when I'm in thewoods, it's like the one place
where like my A DHD brain slows.
It's not running 90 miles aminute, and it feels just so
(32:00):
peaceful.
Like I'm a kid again.
Like before the world got justcrazy and I became aware of it.
Right?
So it just, I always tellpeople, it also just feels like
a big bear hug from God becauselike, you know, you weren't
meant for all this chaos, allthis noise.
Like what's really, reallyimportant, slow, like.
And, um, being able to payattention to just like, even
(32:20):
like the little things aroundme, like those little orange
noots.
Oh my gosh.
When I see those in the woods, Iget so excited.
Oh
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (32:26):
Is, is that like a little
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1300 (32:27):
Little lizard.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (32:28):
And they don't move really, really
fast.
Um, you're not supposed to pickthem up, even though I'll pick
them up, um, because
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27- (32:34):
Great.
Now we're gonna have
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (32:35):
say
jeremy-guest553_1_06-2 (32:35):
wildlife organization coming after us.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (32:37):
well have'em come at me.
Um, but I mean, I love thoselittle oranges and you just
getting so excited aboutsomething so.
Well, actually a lot of peoplego hiking and they never see'em
'cause they're just not in tuneto it.
Like my brain's like, where arethey?
Where are they?
They just, you can just pop oneout.
I'd be like, huh.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (32:57):
Yeah.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (32:57):
Instant mood changer.
Yeah.
But yeah, divorce and COVID, itwas just a way for me to like,
you know, I mean obviously weall felt like the world was just
falling apart and ending duringCOVID and then you layer a
divorce on top of that.
Um,'cause we had actuallyseparated going into COVID.
I mean, it was just a way for meto.
Calm my heart.
Calm,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (33:17):
it was, it was going back to your
center.
It was
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1300 (33:20):
Right.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (33:20):
to the, the piece and finding it
where it was.
Oh, okay.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (33:24):
yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (33:25):
Yeah, I,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (33:25):
So.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (33:26):
it.
I'm much like you.
I get it in nature, but you getit in the woods.
I get it.
At the beach or in the water.
Like I, my friends make so muchfun of me when we go to the
beach because we'll go down andwe'll get on that little ocean.
Ocean.
Listen, I'm a water baby.
Like I will stay in that waterall day, like I will find.
Jaws and I will make friendswith the, with the shark, it's
(33:46):
fine.
But I will go out and I can stayin that water all day and I'll
have me a big old miss, youknow, miss Holly hat.
Like I'll have me a big hat so Idon't get to labor sunburn.
And I'll go out there and I'llhave me a little cocktail in my,
my little thermos, you know,which you're also not supposed
to do, but I can spend hoursI'll just be looking out into
the ocean and just going withthe waves.
(34:07):
And that's my moment.
Like, that's, and my friend's,like, he's out there talking to
Jesus and I was like,absolutely.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (34:12):
There's a lot of science that backs it
up too, like time and nature,whether it's the ocean or the
woods or whatever.
There's a lot of science thatbacks it up and I think there's
a lot of like eastern, um,countries that actually
prescribe you literally justgoing into like nature because
of what.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (34:27):
Get your feet in the grass.
Right?
Like, be grounded, like,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:30):
And they call it forest bathing.
Forest bathing and earthing.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1300 (34:33):
gotta, you gotta walk barefoot in the
grass every now and then
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (34:36):
Yeah.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:36):
it
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (34:37):
Yeah.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:37):
you back to the earth,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:38):
Yep.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:39):
so,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (34:39):
that.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:40):
oh, you do?
Yeah.
Have to.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (34:42):
All right.
I have to go walk out in thebackyard when we're done.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:44):
Hmm.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (34:45):
So.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:46):
Love it.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (34:49):
Well, I, I love that that is like
your, um, uh, the, the nature isso calming.
It is, it is.
It just kind of bring, likeslows your little blood flow
down.
Now has this also it out there,has it also,'cause you know, we
talked about interiors andinside stuff.
I'm just wondering, has thataffected how you approach things
(35:10):
in your home?
I'm just wondering because likeI see, so Amber in this, in this
uh, podcast, she was surroundedby bright, colorful floral
paintings, which, did your mamapaint all them or did you paint
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (35:20):
She painted all them except for this
one.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (35:24):
Okay.
All right.
I thought you did.
Oh, look at that.
I knew that your mom had paintedsome and they were really,
really cute.
And so those are bright andpreppy and colorful, and see how
those easily bring you Joy.
Has the, has the outside comingin has that, have you done any
of that?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (35:42):
There's a lot of earth, like, like wood
in my house.
So, um, but all of my artworkhas purpose.
Like I would say that, so likethere's a story because, you
know, y'all can't see behind me.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (35:56):
No, I see.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (35:56):
Okay.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (35:57):
No, I'm glad.
Your artwork has purpose.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (35:59):
Yeah.
It's a purpose for me because.
For the most part, I mom.
I mom,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1 (36:05):
personal.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_1 (36:06):
personal, the blue and white, which Dwayne
knows I have blue and whitepottery all throughout my house.
I didn't know what Shin was a,or whatever it's called, was.
Before that, all I knew is mygrandmother growing up all had
all this blue and white pottery.
So all my blue and white potterymakes me think of my
grandmother.
So there's usually just somesort of tie into everything in
my house with how it makes mefeel.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (36:27):
Mm.
Mm-hmm.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130 (36:28):
Mm-hmm.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (36:28):
you should do
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (36:29):
Mm-hmm.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130 (36:30):
Mm-hmm.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (36:30):
Yeah.
People would probably think Ihave a whole lot more like
hiking related stuff in here.
I don't have as much hikingrelated stuff, but I have tons
of pictures that I like myentire refrigerator.
I know it looks horrible, but Iliterally have all these
magnetic frames that I have onmy refrigerator that have
pictures of like all myadventures with my kids, my mom
friends by myself all overthere.
So like if I need my little doseof that, I just go to the
(36:54):
refrigerator.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (36:54):
this is what you're supposed to do in
your home, right?
Like you're
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1300 (36:57):
Right.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (36:57):
to make it a place where it is you,
it tells your story that makesyou feel home, that brings you
joy.
So, uh, and that ain't gonna beone of us that judges.
You know, if people ask us tocome into their home and to work
and fix on things, we're alwaysgoing to adjust and fix.
But part of our job is figuringout what makes this person tick,
right?
Like, what is their story andthen telling their story through
(37:19):
the stuff.
So all this totally makes sense.
Absolutely.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (37:23):
Last thing that I've got in my mind
is, you may not be there, butuh, do.
See Amber 2.0 years down thefrom, you think you thought have
given yourself even enough timeto get there?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (37:41):
I don't know exactly what I'll be
doing.
Um, I might still be doing somevariation of what I'm doing now.
And the, and the reason I saythat is, you know, like I, I
sing and people have alwaysasked me like, well, why didn't
you pursue a career?
And I'm like, God wouldliterally have to smack me
upside my head with that door.
Because there's a whole lot ofthings I can find joy in doing.
(38:02):
I
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (38:03):
I.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (38:03):
thank you, Jesus, that I have not put
all of my eggs in one basket.
Like I have to do this overhere, or I'm just gonna like.
Feel like I'm not being myself.
There's a lot of things I cando, and there's a lot of
different ways I can weavemyself into different aspects
and with the way that the worldis changing and the
opportunities out there to beable to make a living, who knows
what the next 10 years are gonnalook like.
(38:24):
All I know is eventually I wouldlove to live in the, the hills
of Western North Carolina orEast Tennessee
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (38:31):
Oh,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (38:33):
in a.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (38:33):
a tiny home in a, in a tiny home
now you
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (38:36):
Yes.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (38:37):
or a real tiny home?
Oh Lord.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (38:40):
I mean, not like so tiny, you
can't have somebody come over,but like, oh, there's some of
those tiny homes that are socute.
'cause they're cozy, they'refunctional, they have great
outdoor space and.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (38:50):
you are not a giant by any means,
but you are a tall woman.
Correct?
I mean, I,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (38:55):
Yeah, she's tall.
She's tall.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (38:56):
but you're, I mean,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (38:57):
Yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (38:57):
listen, she's not a monster, right?
Like, come on.
People need to stop.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (39:01):
No, but.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (39:01):
I just thought, how are people,
how are people gonna take thatif they've not seen a picture of
Amber?
But, but, Amber.
no, that's not her.
Listen, I have been in some ofthese tiny homes and I don't
fit, like height wise, not
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (39:13):
you, you
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (39:13):
with the girth.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (39:14):
like what I was, what I'm talking
about?
You could.
I mean, they're like six to 800square feet.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (39:19):
Oh, okay.
I'm okay.
I'm okay with that.
Yes.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (39:23):
is.
More zen, more peace.
It's, uh, that's your joy.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (39:28):
Yeah.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (39:29):
your joy.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (39:29):
Yeah.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (39:30):
Yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (39:30):
And being authentic to her and being
okay with that.
And that's, that's important.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (39:34):
guess
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (39:34):
Well.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (39:35):
what I'm hearing is, uh, slowing
down.
I hear slowing down.
Well, you, you know, you are oneof those people that, um.
You see each thing as anopportunity as opposed to a
challenge.
It's like, how can this.
Help me or be interesting orwhat can I do with it?
And that's part of who you areas a person.
(39:56):
It is always being open toexploring new opportunities and
possibilities and when you'reopen like that, that's the
reason I asked that question.
I'm curious to have known whereyou kind of what allow yourself
to dream a little bit because.
Necessarily dreamer, but open tothe next thing and the next
(40:20):
thing.
And the next thing that you'venever, and this, this, this
conversation has just solidifiedmy belief is you've never
allowed anybody to put you in abox you are a tiara wearing, uh,
salamander uh.
In the woods kind of girl thatcan wear high heels, put some
(40:42):
lipstick on and sing in her car,but yet she needs to, I can go
the swimming and I think that'sa pretty, pretty
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (40:51):
Yeah.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (40:51):
girl.
That's a pretty interestinggirl.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (40:53):
One of my hiking friends calls me
the feral mountain Princess.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (40:56):
Ha.
That's perfect.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (41:01):
Yeah.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (41:02):
is perfect.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (41:03):
is the perfect, the perfect point.
I love that.
Well, hopefully, um, ourlisteners should like, have
gained a little bit of, uh,inspiration to being open to
what being at Peace means forthem and finding their
inspiration and.
Just being good with who theyare and how God made them in
whatever capacity that is.
So Amber, thank you so much forjoining us
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (41:23):
Well, thank you for having me.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (41:25):
Yes.
Thank you.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (41:26):
Yes, and thank you for everything
you've ever done for us.
We can never say thank youenough,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (41:30):
Oh, it's.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (41:30):
you are one of a kind.
For sure.
Listeners, if you have notdownloaded our mobile shopping
app, house Floral, be sure todownload that in the app store
wherever you get your apps, andwe'll see you next week.
All right, thanks.
Bye.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (41:45):
Bye.
Today's episode is a joyful ridethrough the woods, the stage and
straight to the heart of what itmeans to truly be yourself and
be comfortable in your skin.
We're sitting down with ourfriend Amber, who's lived a lot
of lives from romping throughthe forest as a little girl to
strutting across the pageantstage as a beauty queen to
(00:21):
gracing our TV screens as ahost, and now, well, she's.
Best known to her friends as theferal mountain princess.
That's a true story.
Amber has the incredible way offinding herself in the wild,
both literally andmetaphorically.
She's an avid hiker, a seeker ofjoy actually.
She is the og.
(00:43):
Joy dropper.
She's where we learned the term,and someone who's learned to
come home to herself by cominghome to nature.
Our chat with her is full oflaughter, surprising stories,
and a beautiful reminder thatyou do not have to fit a mold to
feel completely at peace withwho you are.
So grab a cozy drink or lace upyour hiking boots, and let's
(01:06):
enjoy this journey with the oneand only feral mountain
Princess.
Let's get to it.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (02:15):
Today we are chatting with the Joy
Dropper original, the og.
Bitch in the house, our friendAmber Kenoy, and uh, if you're
local here, you may recognizeher from, channel 27 or WKYT.
She has had her face plasteredall over the place, and she's
(02:38):
very active and she has beenvery good to us and very kind to
us over the years.
but she's a wonderful person andso it was very important for us
to chat with her because wethink.
all will get even more out ofthe conversation, than we
realize, I think.
so yeah.
Dwayne, take it away.
How about that?
You can go from there.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (02:57):
Okay,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (02:57):
So
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (02:58):
Start with this.
jeremy-guest553_1_06- (02:59):
question.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (02:59):
Amber Kou, how
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (03:00):
long have, uh,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (03:01):
we known each other at this point,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (03:03):
Oh my word.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (03:05):
five plus years.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (03:06):
Oh, it's probably longer than that.
Yeah.
This is
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (03:09):
I
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (03:09):
2025.
We knew each other before COVID,so
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (03:13):
oh,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13 (03:13):
probably say,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (03:13):
did, they did some videos, I
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (03:15):
yeah, I'd say seven or eight years
probably, at least.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (03:17):
Yeah.
Okay.
Eight years.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (03:19):
Yeah.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (03:19):
So the,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (03:21):
the,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (03:22):
so you've known her since My third
husband
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (03:27):
I'm glad you put the timeline in
that.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (03:29):
I don't know.
So, I about this.
I'll tell, I'll do my truthtelling Amber when.
Uh, I knew very little otherthan she's on tv, and somehow I
understood that she came throughthe, the, the, the
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (03:45):
the program of, uh.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (03:46):
uh, miss Kentucky.
Okay.
Right.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (03:52):
I
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (03:54):
Then
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (03:55):
had tip on my shoulders about
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (03:59):
ladies who
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (04:01):
were part of that program, right?
That they were,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:07):
that they
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (04:08):
they were shallow,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:09):
that it
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (04:09):
it was all about their.
dwayne_1_06-27-202 (04:11):
appearances.
Okay.
Fast
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (04:15):
Forward
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:16):
and meeting with Amber.
came across in pretty quickfashion is that's not what she
was about.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (04:24):
and then
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:26):
As it
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (04:26):
it evolved, not
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:28):
much
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (04:28):
about what the.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130 (04:30):
program is about, that I got to
understand that it was for herand
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (04:35):
Many, many
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (04:36):
ladies a tool as a
jeremy-guest553_1_06- (04:38):
platform,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:39):
to
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27- (04:40):
giving them a voice,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:41):
to
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27- (04:41):
giving them an opportunity
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:44):
and
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (04:44):
to
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1 (04:46):
highlight
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (04:47):
both
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1 (04:47):
External, but more
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (04:49):
more importantly,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13 (04:50):
internal beauty, as hokey as that might
sound to some of you.
jeremy-guest553_1_0 (04:54):
truthfully, that's.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (04:55):
what I garnered within
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (04:57):
just months of being around my
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (04:58):
friend Amber.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (05:00):
And how important,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (05:01):
and
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (05:01):
how close, um,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (05:04):
the
jeremy-guest553_1_06-2 (05:04):
pageant, uh,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (05:06):
Genre
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (05:06):
is to
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (05:07):
to
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (05:07):
her.
Is that, is that
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (05:07):
that is.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (05:08):
So when I said that, is that a.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (05:10):
fair
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (05:10):
thing
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (05:11):
that you hear that people perceive,
uh,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (05:14):
the
jeremy-guest553_1_06- (05:14):
pageantry to be that kind of
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130 (05:16):
shallow
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (05:17):
thing in
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (05:18):
In general.
Yeah, because all they see isthe, uh, you know, the outward
facing aspect of it.
They don't see all theinterviews and all the
preparation beforehand.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (05:26):
Have people not seen mis
congeniality?
It's one of my favorite movies.
I mean, come on.
It's not a beauty pageant, it'sa scholarship or whatever.
Anyway, I love that movie.
Just feel like you justundermined everything.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (05:44):
said.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (05:44):
No, that was
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (05:45):
No, because it's true
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (05:47):
That was the
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (05:48):
is
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (05:48):
to the movie as well,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (05:49):
it was.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (05:50):
Bullock character thought it was just
all about these, you know, overthe top makeup queens, you know,
worried, not worried aboutanything else.
And then what she really foundout were these were real,
legitimate people who cared theover the top makeup queens.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (06:01):
are queens, which are quickly going
away, so that's a differentstory.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (06:05):
I hate to
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (06:05):
Oh, they ain't ever going away.
Mm-hmm.
Nope.
coach in some of those girls atthe pageant.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (06:14):
the That's right.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (06:17):
See, it's true.
It's true.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (06:18):
uh, I'll start with, tell,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (06:21):
Tell us your.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (06:22):
uh, for those in our world that
don't know where you originallyare from, and how you got into
pageantry then, then led tobeing a world class TV interview
or podcast or extraordinaire
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (06:36):
Oh dear.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (06:37):
And hiker.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (06:38):
Uh, thank you.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (06:39):
hiker.
Yeah.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (06:40):
Most importantly, um, so I'm from
London, Kentucky originally, um,I never dreamed of doing
pageants'cause honestly, I justnever g given those assumptions
that most, most people thinkabout.
I just never put myself intothat category.
But when I was in high school,there was the Miss North Laurel
pageant and you had had a talentand I had always, you know,
(07:01):
grown up singing all over theplace, uh, through four H
competitions, church.
Parks, you name it.
Um, so I was like, well, I cansing.
So somebody entered me and um,yeah, that kind of started all
of that.
So I was always really gearedtowards the ones that had like
some sort of talent competition.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (07:20):
How old were you when you started?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (07:21):
Uh, I was a freshman in high school,
so,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (07:25):
Well, at that time in my life, I
didn't
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (07:26):
So later,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (07:27):
at me, so
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (07:28):
yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (07:28):
me on a stage.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (07:29):
yeah.
Well, I mean, I mean, you justthink you just came from like
middle school, those really,really awkward years where
you're.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27- (07:34):
Right.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (07:35):
Going through all kinds of wonderful
changes and you're like, what isgoing on with me?
And then, yeah, throw you on astage.
So, but I grew up in likecommunity theater and stuff, so
being on a stage wasn't likereally scary.
And it kind of just kept goingfrom there and everything.
And then the Miss KentuckyScholarship Organization was a
great way to help pay forcollege.
So I was on a full tuitionacademic scholarship, but had to
(07:56):
be able to pay for all like theroom and board books and
everything like that.
So that was a way for me to helppay for my college, But the main
thing, the main thing, and I'llbe honest, it's really, really
easy in the pageant world toreally lose sight of the bigger
picture.
Um, because the first year I hadgot some award, it's been, it's
been a few years since then, soI can't remember everything.
(08:16):
Um,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (08:18):
You mean you don't wear your tiaras
daily?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (08:20):
no, no.
I don't know.
No,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (08:22):
I sure as shit would.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (08:24):
I.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (08:25):
no.
I actually think I gave away allmy tiaras to friends who had
little girls.
Um,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (08:30):
oh.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (08:31):
so they could play and stuff, so,
but like, so I think I went fromlike getting like a non finalist
award to like second runner upand then I was in top 10 and
then I fell outta top 10.
Um, you know, and it's easy.
Very, very easy.
Just like anything in life tokind of have your whole identity
racked up in something very,very quickly and lose sight of
what the really, really.
(08:51):
Big picture is, um, and it, andactually falling outta the top
10 after being in the top 10 andtop five several times was
probably the biggest blessingbecause, aw, look at.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (09:03):
She was holding up, showing, uh, his
little princess and, uh, doingher, her, uh, 6-year-old
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (09:09):
going on 18.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (09:10):
You said Tiara, she had three on
last night, so
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (09:13):
Mm-hmm.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (09:14):
Yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (09:14):
of which were to her
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (09:16):
But um.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13 (09:18):
Falling, falling out of the top 10 made
me really, really take a look atlike what I was doing.
Was I becoming the best versionof myself and a truer version of
myself?
Or was I trying to fit a mold?
and when you realize that it'sjust five people's opinion.
And those five people can havea, you know, like, like if you
took a different group of five,people would probably pick a
(09:38):
different winner.
The goal shifted instead oftrying to like be something that
I thought was, what those peoplewere looking for was just to be
the absolute best version ofmyself.
So regardless of what theiropinion was, I could walk away
holding my head up high and notso worried about that, and focus
more on the relationships of thepeople that I was interacting
with on that week.
So.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (09:59):
For you.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (10:04):
Well, I got back into the top five,
so, I mean, well, I, I think, Ithink the, the vast majority of
people in this world are lookingfor authenticity, right?
Not fitting into this mold thateverybody thinks that you need
to be in.
And sometimes that can be, youknow, can be isolating because
there might not be.
The same people that are readilyavailable that fit very well
(10:27):
with you.
But I tell my kids all the timeand they're like, oh, people are
weird, or he's weird.
I'm like, everybody's weird.
It's just being comfortableenough with yourself and being
authentically you so you canattract the same type of people.
Right.
The same type of weird,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (10:40):
Yes,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (10:41):
There's people who think I'm weird
because they go hiking all thetime, you know?
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27- (10:43):
People unite.
Yes.
Yeah.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13 (10:45):
exactly.
Like you'll find your people,stop trying to fit this mold.
Be something you're not
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (10:50):
just
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (10:50):
true to.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (10:51):
are.
Be
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (10:52):
Yeah,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (10:52):
are, be comfortable in your own
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (10:53):
and I
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (10:53):
Yeah.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_1300 (10:54):
think, oh gosh, what was it?
So the last year I competed,they were doing onstage question
in the top five, which isprobably probably the worst
aspect of the whole entirething.
'cause you don't know whatthey're gonna ask you.
And I remember them asking mesomething about like one of my
college memories or somethinglike that.
And the gist of the story waslike.
Finding your people where youcan just truly be yourself.
(11:16):
And I made a reference to thissituation where I had people at
my, um, apartment and there wasa bowl of candy on, on the
counter, and there was dumbdumbs and there were smarties
and I made light.
I was like, don't eat one onetoo many of the other.
And they were just like, what?
(11:38):
That's my type of humor.
Like, you know, so I was like,and like there's probably
several people who thought Iprobably lost the passion'cause
of that question.
I was like, I don't care.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (11:46):
well be, yeah.
Yeah.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (11:48):
That was me being authentically.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (11:50):
you win?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (11:52):
No, I didn't win.
I got second.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1300 (11:54):
That's fine.
That's fine.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (11:56):
Yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (11:56):
you know, growing up we were
fascinated by toddlers andtiaras and, um, you know, it's
the, the, the
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (12:02):
Oh my God.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (12:03):
don't do this to your children.
But there's so many positivethings to it.
But I, I, I, not that I meant toget all off on this whole, uh,
pageant.
Tangent, but I think it reallywas key and, and integral in you
becoming who you are today.
Right.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (12:17):
Yeah,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (12:17):
know, we've, you've mentioned college
twice and I always love to tellAmber this, that we were at col
in college at the same time.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (12:22):
I
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (12:23):
were.
Yeah,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (12:23):
do remember that.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (12:24):
were, we, we went to the same
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (12:25):
Mm-hmm.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (12:26):
um, she had no clue who I
amber-_1_06-27-2025_1300 (12:28):
That's not true.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (12:29):
who she was because she was very
involved with sororities and wasvery photographed and very
around because she was veryactive and I was the little gay
boy in the corner going toclass.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (12:41):
I remembered you.
I, I remember one of our firstinteractions.
I was like, yeah, yeah, I thinkso.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (12:47):
Yeah.
So.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (12:49):
look, Jeremy, you now have found your
authentic you.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (12:52):
Oh yeah.
Listen, it took me a while.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (12:55):
box sometimes
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (12:58):
But he would,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (13:00):
Yeah, pop right on out.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (13:04):
You can't put me in no box.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13 (13:08):
dancing.
Queen found his voice.
There you go.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (13:12):
I love it.
Yeah.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (13:14):
yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (13:14):
okay, so how did you go from the
pageant and then like.
Into is, is that a natural liketransition into the television?
Like I don't know how that goes.
How's that go?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (13:27):
I think at one point there was a
lot of people who would majorin.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (13:30):
the only person that we knew, there
were a few others that thatsimilarly got involved.
I
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (13:35):
Well, and my, my route into television
was, is a little differentbecause I didn't go to school
for broadcasting.
Mine was more communications.
so actually in college, like Iwould prep whoever was the
commencement speaker for thestudents, I would help prepare
them for the delivery of theirspeech.
Right.
that happened several years andI was very comfortable with
public speaking.
(13:55):
And mediation and differentthings like that.
Dealing with people,interviewing, and so forth,
which stems a lot from the, thepageant side of things as well.
But when I was getting ready tograduate the career path that I
actually thought I was goinginto, which was like nonprofit,
like community service typestuff, the funding fell through
and I was like, oh, okay, great.
What are we gonna do now?
Like, wonderful.
Um, and one of my collegeadvisors was like, I think you
(14:17):
should look at sales.
And initially, of course, I hadlike the whole like used car
salesman, like, you know.
And I was like, what?
I was like, really?
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27- (14:27):
Honda.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (14:28):
Yeah.
Yeah, I just, I was just, Iwasn't very excited about it.
But, um, I interviewed'cause Itrusted them'cause they knew me
very, very well.
One of the good things about it,Eastern was like you knew a lot
of your professors very, very,very well.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (14:40):
They were
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (14:41):
They were very involved in your life.
So I interviewed for a coupledifferent jobs, got a couple
different job offers, went withthe television side.
'cause I thought that kind ofplayed it more to what would be
interesting to me at the time.
And it naturally, so I was insales and marketing, helping
people like.
Build campaigns for the, tobuild their business.
But then it naturally fell intoopportunities to do stuff on
air, um, with the, with theclients that I have because they
(15:04):
were so comfortable with me andthey didn't wanna just like,
work with some stranger, um, onthat aspect of the business.
So then I started doing thatregularly for other people and
then it just kind of keptevolving from there.
Another station in the marketrecruited me, um, specifically
for the sales and marketing, butalso to host a show.
Uh, because they were losing thehost of that, and then again, it
(15:25):
just kept evolving.
So,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (15:27):
Uh, well, you know, the overlying
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1300 (15:28):
sales.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (15:29):
that I hear like woven through that
was like, you know, you foundyourself, you were authentic and
you, you were just who you were,you were following what was
interest to you.
And then because that peoplewere then again attracted to the
authenticity and there's a trustthere.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (15:42):
yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (15:43):
And you're talking about your
clients because I know likewe're very.
when I think of you, like, whenyou say something, I trust you
because you are you, and I knowyou're gonna tell me the truth,
right?
And you're, you're we're gonnaknow either the good or the bad
or figure out how we approachthis or what's best.
And I think that's so importantfor, someone who, to hear that
who's maybe struggling, right?
(16:03):
Like may not feel like they'regetting their foot footing or
they're not really sure how to.
Handle, you know, whatever itis.
Okay.
Figure out, you know, go back toyour core, go back to your
center.
It's, I always remember that onescene in like center stage, like
there was a, a dancer and shewas struggling in her, in her,
um, choreographer was like, justgo back and find your center.
Go back to the
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (16:22):
And she was very different than the
typical ballerina that I.
jeremy-guest553_1_0 (16:25):
absolutely.
Love that movie.
See, it's of the generation,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (16:28):
Yes,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (16:29):
the generation.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (16:31):
I.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (16:31):
The other two are just.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (16:32):
Do you have a clue what they're
talking about?
No clue.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (16:36):
Not a clue.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130 (16:37):
they're talking about.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (16:38):
I mean,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (16:39):
are bonding over some
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (16:40):
twirl alone, twirl.
Twirl alone.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (16:46):
Well, and so I understand this why you
are the people that you workwith.
There is that trust that'sthere.
Uh, just because again,authenticity, like what you
said, people I think really docrave that.
And that even plays true in our,in our social media, right?
Like people, like to see likethe pretty and the fluffed and
all that, but they also love usbeing just a hot ass mess,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (17:06):
Mm-hmm.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (17:07):
Like, because that's just what we are.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_1300 (17:08):
'cause most of us are,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (17:09):
all of us are.
All of us.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (17:12):
Some of us like to pretend we're not,
but
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (17:14):
yeah.
Well, I
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (17:15):
most of us are.
jeremy-guest553_1_ (17:16):
conversation with my niece yesterday because
she was talking about doingsomething.
She's like, well, I know whatI'm doing.
I was like, oh, baby.
I was like, I remember I was 16too.
I remember, I thought I knewwhat I was doing.
I was clueless.
I was like, I still don't knowwhat I'm doing at 44.
Like but I'm trying.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (17:33):
I can speak for as you age,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (17:36):
Ah,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (17:37):
you realize is,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (17:38):
You
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (17:38):
less truthfully.
Right?
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (17:41):
that is true.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13 (17:41):
Stewart?
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (17:42):
The,
jeremy-guest553_1_06 (17:42):
everything
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (17:44):
know I just learned it and now it's
different.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (17:48):
dunno.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (17:49):
ever evolving.
I don't care.
Don't care.
But I dunno.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (17:53):
I don't know.
And I'll just.
What comes around to thatthought process is, I do think
as you, you do get older, youstart to realize who's in your
corner and what's important.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (18:09):
Yeah.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:09):
will
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (18:10):
I'll look at, I'm not dismissing you
at all, so don't take this as a
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:14):
a dismissal, but I
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (18:16):
can look at my, and I,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:19):
I,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (18:20):
I've always said.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:20):
this and I always wonder if, uh,
Stewart cringes a little or hegets mad at me or likes it, but
Stewart is a little harder toget to know, right?
He's not the instant, Jeremy bigover the top personality
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (18:33):
I mean, I didn't really like Amber
till last week.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (18:36):
There you go.
There you go.
Well, if people,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (18:39):
So I.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:40):
per, you know, people perceive
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (18:42):
that
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:42):
as, oh, he doesn't like
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (18:44):
mm-hmm.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:44):
or that, don't really say Cole, but
does, does he like me?
I mean, this is a
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (18:49):
Common.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (18:49):
thing,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (18:50):
And it's not that, I dunno if
you're,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:52):
I
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (18:52):
I won't get into it.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:53):
too deep into it.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (18:53):
I dunno if you're more guarded or
that's just your personality.
But the long story is,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (18:58):
reason I'm
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (18:59):
say,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (18:59):
this reason is
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (19:00):
I'm not trying to do analysis,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (19:01):
is
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (19:02):
that the two of you have a common
thread
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (19:05):
this in.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (19:08):
and you, you care for that person.
You are
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1 (19:13):
authentic
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (19:13):
and you will do anything for that
person.
Sure.
It has always been that for me.
Right?
Mm-hmm.
And I feel like that's you is.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (19:22):
when you work with a client, when you
meet with somebody and you
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (19:27):
You connect with them,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (19:28):
you will
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (19:29):
go with that.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (19:29):
you will do everything.
You will
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (19:31):
Be created and use every tool.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (19:34):
That is in your wheelhouse, to lift
them up, to make them better.
And I don't even say that, thatyou're necessarily doing it for
a self-serving reason.
I just think you're doing itbecause you believe in that
person and that's what you wannado for them.
And that's how I see you andStuart being the same, that if
you're in their corner, yourcorner, his corner, they're
(19:54):
gonna take care of you.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (19:55):
Mm.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (19:56):
Well, and at the end of the day, it's
all about people.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (19:58):
Mm-hmm.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1300 (19:59):
right,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (20:00):
Money is just a tool.
I try to tell my kids that allthe time.
I mean, tools can be yielded forgood.
They can be yielded for bad,right?
It's just a tool.
I mean, at the end of the day,it's how you treat people, how
you make people feel.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (20:12):
Amen.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (20:13):
I mean, yeah, it can't be just
about a paycheck.
I mean, how horrible is that atthe end of your life?
Thinking about like, oh, well,I.
That, that's all it was.
I'm like, that's sad to me.
There's got to be a greaterpurpose and for a lot of people
it's, you know, like it'shelping their businesses, but
what they stand, you know,behind like the, the charities
and what good they're able todo, even with your employees.
(20:34):
I mean, I see how you allinteract with your employees and
it's, gosh, it's so fun.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (20:38):
Well, and it's funny'cause I brought
up, I brought up hiking earlierand I know that's one of Amber's
uh, I won't say hobby, I'll say,I'll say free time because it's
your time.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (20:51):
Mm-hmm.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (20:51):
I actually follow your hiking
journeys secretly behind.
Because I, I do, I mean, and Iknow I don't, I don't.
Just like Dwayne said, I'm not,I don't talk a lot.
I don't whatever joke a lot, butI follow you behind and that's
how I've learned who you are.
So, which I think is super cool,you know, because you're in
(21:14):
different places, you're indifferent experiences, you're
pointing out different thingsthat me as a person enjoy.
Even though we work with you ona different aspect,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (21:26):
Yeah.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:26):
that makes any sense at all.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:28):
Oh yeah.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (21:29):
So
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:29):
So,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (21:29):
you saying your team member?
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:33):
I mean, I'm almost there.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (21:36):
Oh my God.
Good as it gets today.
Amber, I
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:41):
I will take it.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (21:43):
Just take it.
Just take it.
Okay.
So tell us,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:49):
How long have you been?
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (21:50):
wt?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:51):
14 years?
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130 (21:53):
Really?
Wow.
Yeah,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:54):
Hmm,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (21:55):
mostly good.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:55):
Huh?
What'd you say?
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:56):
and mostly good.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (21:57):
good,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:57):
Yes.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (21:58):
mostly good.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (21:59):
If not, I.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (22:00):
I, I would say this, that they have a
new head chief.
I don't know what their, theirtechnical, her name,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (22:06):
General manager.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (22:09):
do know her
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (22:10):
that,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (22:10):
well.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (22:12):
yeah, that it sounds like there
nothing against the person priorto, but, uh, feels like there
might be a new, fun littleenergy getting ready to come
into the station.
Uh, is that fair?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (22:23):
Yeah.
Oh absolutely.
Yeah.
She's bringing in a lot of newtechnology to make us a little
bit more relevant to certainaudiences, which I think is
huge.
So, and that's fun and excitingto see that change.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (22:34):
so we've been there 14 years.
What, what do you really dothere?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (22:40):
my technical title.
Um, senior media executive.
So I'm working with businessesto help grow their businesses.
So that could be televisionadvertising, it could be all
kinds of different things in thedigital space.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13 (22:56):
supposed to be doing here.
Well, we need to get on it.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (23:05):
Oh dear.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (23:06):
like I'm on.
I feel like I'm on, she's got onus on TV every seven minutes,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (23:10):
I know.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (23:11):
I'm not gonna complain.
Right.
Um,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13 (23:13):
audience loves you all.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (23:15):
I, I the, the one, um, and I've told
you this before and me because Itear wood names, but it's the
heating Cooling company outParis.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (23:24):
Oh, hover mechanic.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (23:28):
I.
You wrapped your arms aroundthem like you did with us, and
they heard you and they trustedyou, and you've helped them and
you've grown their business.
I do give you, I mean, he'ssmart, right?
And he's put things in intoplay.
But I do think you are, uh,tweaking their marketing and how
(23:50):
you approached him and made himand his people more personal,
uh, really has been a verysmart, smart approach to, uh, to
growing his business.
I don't know if he will give youthat credit or if.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (24:04):
No, I, I actually, I think I, I
think he would, I, I think hewould, even though I can't
obviously take full credit forit, because a lot of it comes to
the fact of who he is and whathe stands for and just
confidence.
Yeah.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (24:15):
He.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (24:16):
Yeah.
Because he's trying to break thestereotypes in that industry
and, it's been a unique dialoguethe whole time and stuff.
So, but he also doesn't care toget goofy, right?
Like, he doesn't care to like.
Make fun of himself.
Just, you know, because, well,that's him if you're around him
very long.
I mean, he's kind of got thatpersonality too, and it's, it's
great.
It's a breath of fresh air.
People who don't take themselvestoo seriously.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (24:38):
Well, that goes back to the
authenticity.
And if you take yourself tooseriously and you can't make fun
of yourself, people read thatand
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (24:45):
Yeah,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (24:45):
we always go back to all of us,
like, you were saying the samething.
We do not have it figured out.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (24:51):
no.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (24:51):
not have it figured out.
And the more we, more we keepgoing, the less we have figured
out.
And
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130 (24:56):
People.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (24:57):
that and it's like,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (24:58):
I.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (24:59):
it.
If this with younger people.
20 somethings even to, to evenmy age right now that we've been
in this cycle for the last,let's say 10 years of Facebook
and posting and
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13 (25:16):
Looking.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (25:16):
look at me, look what I did, look
where I went.
I had dinner on vacation and itjust started becoming exhausting
and it really was.
I can't remember what the, thesong was, but you was like, uh,
you know, you're comparingyourself to each other.
Um.
I just really at the, at thebeginning of the year, I was
posting and I was posting jobsof design stuff, and I love what
(25:41):
I do.
I really do, and that's ablessing that a lot of people
don't get.
so I would be posting stuff andthe posting the stuff was my joy
to tell the story of what I wasdoing.
And I also knew that Ipersonally would gain something
from it.
And I knew that the story togain something from it.
But then it started evolvinginto I had to post something
(26:04):
every night at six o'clock, thenit started an.
Dinner time and it was takingtoo long, or I was, whatever it
is, and at the end of the year,I just said, you know what, I, I
have no interest in doing itright now, even though it may
personally have an impact on thestore, and it may have a
personal impact on me havingbusiness.
(26:25):
I had to do it for my ownpsyche.
I, because I was.
For the last number of yearsbecause of the joy it brought to
me.
And it wasn't necessarily, lookat me, look at me, look at me.
It really was, look at megetting to have fun that I've
helped other people give theirjoy, right?
But then it started turninginto, look at me because I want
(26:46):
something from you.
then it become, it became lessauthentic, and that's when I had
to hear my voice and say.
I have the luxury or not luxury,I'm just doing it.
I have to drop out for a whilebecause I'm not, I'm not telling
the story of my joy and I justcan't do it right now.
And I think people, I don't knowif you, you agree with this
(27:07):
little debate, but the wholesocial media thing, people are
reading, people not beingauthentic
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (27:11):
Mm-hmm.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_1300 (27:13):
people are starting to, is this true,
Jeremy, that, you know, you doresearch on this stuff.
Is it an issue?
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (27:18):
Uh, well, I definitely think that
there's, there's been a momentumin, not being so active.
Actually, oddly enough,yesterday I saw this whole, um,
YouTube video about someone who,they're, they work with a lot of
different companies andbusinesses, and they were
talking about what seems to bemoving the algorithm and
(27:40):
changing things.
Now, of course, that's whateverybody's always worried
about, but um, and they weretalking about.
Uh, we were also obsessed withdoing reels and videos and all
this moving, moving, moving,moving content and keeping it
just all out there.
And now it's kind of like,people are, now we're starting
to respond to slower content andcarousels and, um, because it's,
(28:02):
uh, it's not the, you're burnedout is what it comes down to.
Really.
I think that, that people arejust, they're tired.
Like you, it's, we've consumedso much.
Um.
And our attention spans are soshort now, um, which my poor
niece, Lord, I'm gonna beat herto death in this episode.
(28:23):
Uh, yesterday we were at thehouse after a funeral and she,
she was like, what are we gonnado?
I'm bored.
I'm like, we literally sat downminutes ago, like, you cannot be
bored.
Like, I'm exhausted.
Can we just sit here for like, Idon't know, 10, 15 minutes?
Um.
But yeah, no, I think that thereis this momentum of, all right,
(28:44):
everybody's figured out how todo video and everybody can do
all this, and it's reallyslowing it down and being more
authentic and, and, and notposting as much for sure.
I, I think so.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (28:53):
Well, I mean, I took a six week hi off
social media back at, uh, theday before my birthday.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (28:58):
Yeah.
It was.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (28:59):
And it was a, it was a bunch of
different events that kind ofled up to that, but it was so
refreshing.
I, I mean, it was, it wasdefinitely breaking habits
because you don't realize howmuch you check social,
especially like with our jobsand different things, making
sure you're not missingmessages.
And I just, I went cold Turkey,I mean, for six weeks and then
came back and, you know, I kindof alluded to it.
(29:20):
I didn't make a big like prefacelike, oh, I'm gonna go dark.
I just, I just did.
Um, and I was like, the peoplewho know me best.
Will will know to reach out tome.
They have my phone numbers.
The rest of everybody will be,will be fine.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (29:31):
Mm-hmm.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (29:31):
You know, like I've got to make sure
that I'm doing this for theright reasons and, and just kind
of, social media has its prosand it cons just like everything
in life, right?
There's, like I said, withmoney, it's just a tool.
Um, I had to refocus and justcenter myself to make sure that
I wasn't just depleting myselffrom the social side of
everything and just, I mean, Iwent.
(29:53):
Like cold, cold Turkey.
I mean, I started doing puzzles.
I read all kinds of books.
I mean, I felt like I was justembracing my old lady habits.
I was like, I'm gonna startbirdwatching.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (30:08):
Well, another one of the things that
you did, which I really wannaget into, to, to, to find out
why this has become like yourlittle, not why, but how you got
into it.
But one of the, the newest, notobsessions, but where she, Amber
finds her piece now is hiking.
It's in the nature.
It's a, it's in the woods,y'all.
I mean, her Instagram is just.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (30:30):
Where
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (30:30):
Oh, okay.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (30:32):
But it, it's called When Nature
Calls Dwayne.
I don't know what
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (30:35):
does a,
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (30:36):
Okay.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (30:36):
a bear shit in the woods, Dwayne.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (30:38):
I guess
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (30:39):
So do people.
So do people.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (30:43):
Okay, folks, there's your in.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (30:48):
but, so, yeah.
So what, what
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (30:50):
Yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (30:51):
your life to where this, what
happened?
How, how did that happen?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (30:58):
A divorce in.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (31:00):
Oh well Lord won't it do it?
Won't he do it?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (31:05):
Yeah, I'll preface it with like, my
dad always asks me, he's like,Amber, why hiking?
Like, because I go a lot bymyself.
'cause I don't wait on people,our schedules to magically align
so we can do it together.
Like if I, if I need to go, Ijust go, I just go hiking.
Um, he's like, why?
And I was like, okay dad.
Well let's think about it.
When I was a kid, my mom's mom,so my grandmother lived down by
(31:26):
the creek.
Pulaski County and I grew upplaying in all that creek,
damning up the creek, trying tofeel like I was part of the, the
old movie Swiss Family Robinson,if anybody remembers that movie.
I mean like I loved it.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130 (31:38):
getting your crawl.
Dad's in the mud.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (31:40):
yes, yes.
And then my dad's mom lived upon the hills in Wayne County, so
I grew up playing in the rockshelters.
So I said, when I'm in thewoods, it's like the one place
where like my A DHD brain slows.
It's not running 90 miles aminute, and it feels just so
(32:00):
peaceful.
Like I'm a kid again.
Like before the world got justcrazy and I became aware of it.
Right?
So it just, I always tellpeople, it also just feels like
a big bear hug from God becauselike, you know, you weren't
meant for all this chaos, allthis noise.
Like what's really, reallyimportant, slow, like.
And, um, being able to payattention to just like, even
(32:20):
like the little things aroundme, like those little orange
noots.
Oh my gosh.
When I see those in the woods, Iget so excited.
Oh
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (32:26):
Is, is that like a little
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1300 (32:27):
Little lizard.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (32:28):
And they don't move really, really
fast.
Um, you're not supposed to pickthem up, even though I'll pick
them up, um, because
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27- (32:34):
Great.
Now we're gonna have
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (32:35):
say
jeremy-guest553_1_06-2 (32:35):
wildlife organization coming after us.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (32:37):
well have'em come at me.
Um, but I mean, I love thoselittle oranges and you just
getting so excited aboutsomething so.
Well, actually a lot of peoplego hiking and they never see'em
'cause they're just not in tuneto it.
Like my brain's like, where arethey?
Where are they?
They just, you can just pop oneout.
I'd be like, huh.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (32:57):
Yeah.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (32:57):
Instant mood changer.
Yeah.
But yeah, divorce and COVID, itwas just a way for me to like,
you know, I mean obviously weall felt like the world was just
falling apart and ending duringCOVID and then you layer a
divorce on top of that.
Um,'cause we had actuallyseparated going into COVID.
I mean, it was just a way for meto.
Calm my heart.
Calm,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (33:17):
it was, it was going back to your
center.
It was
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1300 (33:20):
Right.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (33:20):
to the, the piece and finding it
where it was.
Oh, okay.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (33:24):
yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (33:25):
Yeah, I,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (33:25):
So.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (33:26):
it.
I'm much like you.
I get it in nature, but you getit in the woods.
I get it.
At the beach or in the water.
Like I, my friends make so muchfun of me when we go to the
beach because we'll go down andwe'll get on that little ocean.
Ocean.
Listen, I'm a water baby.
Like I will stay in that waterall day, like I will find.
Jaws and I will make friendswith the, with the shark, it's
(33:46):
fine.
But I will go out and I can stayin that water all day and I'll
have me a big old miss, youknow, miss Holly hat.
Like I'll have me a big hat so Idon't get to labor sunburn.
And I'll go out there and I'llhave me a little cocktail in my,
my little thermos, you know,which you're also not supposed
to do, but I can spend hoursI'll just be looking out into
the ocean and just going withthe waves.
(34:07):
And that's my moment.
Like, that's, and my friend's,like, he's out there talking to
Jesus and I was like,absolutely.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (34:12):
There's a lot of science that backs it
up too, like time and nature,whether it's the ocean or the
woods or whatever.
There's a lot of science thatbacks it up and I think there's
a lot of like eastern, um,countries that actually
prescribe you literally justgoing into like nature because
of what.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (34:27):
Get your feet in the grass.
Right?
Like, be grounded, like,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:30):
And they call it forest bathing.
Forest bathing and earthing.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1300 (34:33):
gotta, you gotta walk barefoot in the
grass every now and then
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (34:36):
Yeah.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:36):
it
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (34:37):
Yeah.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:37):
you back to the earth,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:38):
Yep.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:39):
so,
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (34:39):
that.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:40):
oh, you do?
Yeah.
Have to.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (34:42):
All right.
I have to go walk out in thebackyard when we're done.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:44):
Hmm.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (34:45):
So.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (34:46):
Love it.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (34:49):
Well, I, I love that that is like
your, um, uh, the, the nature isso calming.
It is, it is.
It just kind of bring, likeslows your little blood flow
down.
Now has this also it out there,has it also,'cause you know, we
talked about interiors andinside stuff.
I'm just wondering, has thataffected how you approach things
(35:10):
in your home?
I'm just wondering because likeI see, so Amber in this, in this
uh, podcast, she was surroundedby bright, colorful floral
paintings, which, did your mamapaint all them or did you paint
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (35:20):
She painted all them except for this
one.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2 (35:24):
Okay.
All right.
I thought you did.
Oh, look at that.
I knew that your mom had paintedsome and they were really,
really cute.
And so those are bright andpreppy and colorful, and see how
those easily bring you Joy.
Has the, has the outside comingin has that, have you done any
of that?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (35:42):
There's a lot of earth, like, like wood
in my house.
So, um, but all of my artworkhas purpose.
Like I would say that, so likethere's a story because, you
know, y'all can't see behind me.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (35:56):
No, I see.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (35:56):
Okay.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (35:57):
No, I'm glad.
Your artwork has purpose.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (35:59):
Yeah.
It's a purpose for me because.
For the most part, I mom.
I mom,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1 (36:05):
personal.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_1 (36:06):
personal, the blue and white, which Dwayne
knows I have blue and whitepottery all throughout my house.
I didn't know what Shin was a,or whatever it's called, was.
Before that, all I knew is mygrandmother growing up all had
all this blue and white pottery.
So all my blue and white potterymakes me think of my
grandmother.
So there's usually just somesort of tie into everything in
my house with how it makes mefeel.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (36:27):
Mm.
Mm-hmm.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130 (36:28):
Mm-hmm.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (36:28):
you should do
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130 (36:29):
Mm-hmm.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130 (36:30):
Mm-hmm.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (36:30):
Yeah.
People would probably think Ihave a whole lot more like
hiking related stuff in here.
I don't have as much hikingrelated stuff, but I have tons
of pictures that I like myentire refrigerator.
I know it looks horrible, but Iliterally have all these
magnetic frames that I have onmy refrigerator that have
pictures of like all myadventures with my kids, my mom
friends by myself all overthere.
So like if I need my little doseof that, I just go to the
(36:54):
refrigerator.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (36:54):
this is what you're supposed to do in
your home, right?
Like you're
stuart_1_06-27-2025_1300 (36:57):
Right.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (36:57):
to make it a place where it is you,
it tells your story that makesyou feel home, that brings you
joy.
So, uh, and that ain't gonna beone of us that judges.
You know, if people ask us tocome into their home and to work
and fix on things, we're alwaysgoing to adjust and fix.
But part of our job is figuringout what makes this person tick,
right?
Like, what is their story andthen telling their story through
(37:19):
the stuff.
So all this totally makes sense.
Absolutely.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (37:23):
Last thing that I've got in my mind
is, you may not be there, butuh, do.
See Amber 2.0 years down thefrom, you think you thought have
given yourself even enough timeto get there?
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (37:41):
I don't know exactly what I'll be
doing.
Um, I might still be doing somevariation of what I'm doing now.
And the, and the reason I saythat is, you know, like I, I
sing and people have alwaysasked me like, well, why didn't
you pursue a career?
And I'm like, God wouldliterally have to smack me
upside my head with that door.
Because there's a whole lot ofthings I can find joy in doing.
(38:02):
I
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (38:03):
I.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (38:03):
thank you, Jesus, that I have not put
all of my eggs in one basket.
Like I have to do this overhere, or I'm just gonna like.
Feel like I'm not being myself.
There's a lot of things I cando, and there's a lot of
different ways I can weavemyself into different aspects
and with the way that the worldis changing and the
opportunities out there to beable to make a living, who knows
what the next 10 years are gonnalook like.
(38:24):
All I know is eventually I wouldlove to live in the, the hills
of Western North Carolina orEast Tennessee
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (38:31):
Oh,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (38:33):
in a.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (38:33):
a tiny home in a, in a tiny home
now you
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (38:36):
Yes.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (38:37):
or a real tiny home?
Oh Lord.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (38:40):
I mean, not like so tiny, you
can't have somebody come over,but like, oh, there's some of
those tiny homes that are socute.
'cause they're cozy, they'refunctional, they have great
outdoor space and.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (38:50):
you are not a giant by any means,
but you are a tall woman.
Correct?
I mean, I,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (38:55):
Yeah, she's tall.
She's tall.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (38:56):
but you're, I mean,
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (38:57):
Yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27 (38:57):
listen, she's not a monster, right?
Like, come on.
People need to stop.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (39:01):
No, but.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025_ (39:01):
I just thought, how are people,
how are people gonna take thatif they've not seen a picture of
Amber?
But, but, Amber.
no, that's not her.
Listen, I have been in some ofthese tiny homes and I don't
fit, like height wise, not
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (39:13):
you, you
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (39:13):
with the girth.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (39:14):
like what I was, what I'm talking
about?
You could.
I mean, they're like six to 800square feet.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (39:19):
Oh, okay.
I'm okay.
I'm okay with that.
Yes.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (39:23):
is.
More zen, more peace.
It's, uh, that's your joy.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (39:28):
Yeah.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (39:29):
your joy.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (39:29):
Yeah.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (39:30):
Yeah.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (39:30):
And being authentic to her and being
okay with that.
And that's, that's important.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (39:34):
guess
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (39:34):
Well.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_130030 (39:35):
what I'm hearing is, uh, slowing
down.
I hear slowing down.
Well, you, you know, you are oneof those people that, um.
You see each thing as anopportunity as opposed to a
challenge.
It's like, how can this.
Help me or be interesting orwhat can I do with it?
And that's part of who you areas a person.
(39:56):
It is always being open toexploring new opportunities and
possibilities and when you'reopen like that, that's the
reason I asked that question.
I'm curious to have known whereyou kind of what allow yourself
to dream a little bit because.
Necessarily dreamer, but open tothe next thing and the next
(40:20):
thing.
And the next thing that you'venever, and this, this, this
conversation has just solidifiedmy belief is you've never
allowed anybody to put you in abox you are a tiara wearing, uh,
salamander uh.
In the woods kind of girl thatcan wear high heels, put some
(40:42):
lipstick on and sing in her car,but yet she needs to, I can go
the swimming and I think that'sa pretty, pretty
stuart_1_06-27-2025_13002 (40:51):
Yeah.
dwayne_1_06-27-2025_13003 (40:51):
girl.
That's a pretty interestinggirl.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (40:53):
One of my hiking friends calls me
the feral mountain Princess.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (40:56):
Ha.
That's perfect.
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (41:01):
Yeah.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (41:02):
is perfect.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-2025 (41:03):
is the perfect, the perfect point.
I love that.
Well, hopefully, um, ourlisteners should like, have
gained a little bit of, uh,inspiration to being open to
what being at Peace means forthem and finding their
inspiration and.
Just being good with who theyare and how God made them in
whatever capacity that is.
So Amber, thank you so much forjoining us
amber-_1_06-27-2025_13002 (41:23):
Well, thank you for having me.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (41:25):
Yes.
Thank you.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-20 (41:26):
Yes, and thank you for everything
you've ever done for us.
We can never say thank youenough,
amber-_1_06-27-2025_130029 (41:30):
Oh, it's.
jeremy-guest553_1_06-27-202 (41:30):
you are one of a kind.
For sure.
Listeners, if you have notdownloaded our mobile shopping
app, house Floral, be sure todownload that in the app store
wherever you get your apps, andwe'll see you next week.
All right, thanks.
Bye.
stuart_1_06-27-2025_130029 (41:45):
Bye.
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