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May 18, 2025 • 23 mins
Bunny Ambrosia is a true modern-day Wonder Woman whose life story reads like a wild country song full of resilience, grit, and a rebellious spirit. From a deeply challenging upbringing in the conservative South, through motherhood and widowhood at sixteen and surviving homelessness as a single mother, Bunny has transformed every adversity into fuel for her growth. She shares how her daughter became her greatest motivator, and how, step by step, she fought her way to stability, entrepreneurship, and a deeply-rooted mission to help others thrive.
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(00:00):
Virgin, Bitch, Podcast, Inspiring women to overcome social stereotypes and share unique

(00:10):
life experiences without fear of being defiantly different.
Your hosts, Christopher and Heather, let's talk, shall we?
I am yet to meet a superhero who can leap tall buildings in a single bound, but we can
introduce you to a real life wonder woman.

(00:31):
Someone who has managed to overcome all that life has thrown her way and she is committed
to keeping others safe from harm.
Her name is Bunni Ambrosia.
Welcome Bunni to Virgin Beauty Bitch.
Hello, thank you.
You are a superhero today.
Thank you.
Now Bunni on your website, you introduce yourself with these words.

(00:53):
My story reads like a wild country song full of twists, grit and a rebellious spirit
that refuses to be tamed.
My first question after reading all that is, any regrets, and what have you overcome
in life that you are so passionate to share?"
Okay, so as far as regrets, no, I have zero regrets and I don't think that I ever will.

(01:22):
I live purposefully to not have those regrets.
I think it was Lucy, Lucy Obal, who, gosh, how did she put it?
That you are more likely to regret the things that you don't do than the things that you do.
So I am quick to do and then figure out what I did after it.

(01:48):
So your life has been, your life has been, I mean, reading your bio, your life has been a hurricane.
You've been through a lot.
Can you walk us through so people understand where you're coming from and when you are offering
what you offer now?
Sure, sure.
So I started out, I was born in the U.S. in the south.
I had a very Southern, proper family, Southern Baptist.

(02:10):
You obeyed the rules, especially if you were a girl.
Because I didn't, so I got in a lot of trouble.
They married me off pretty early.
I was 16 and we came pregnant right away and while I was having my daughter, I became widowed.

(02:31):
He passed away during my labor and that forced me to grow up in a lot of ways that I didn't
even know where possible.
I had to learn what it meant to be a single mom when I didn't know that was going to happen.
He died in the car that we had.
I had no car then.

(02:52):
I had very minimal support from anyone.
It was complicated after I got married with family, but I had less than 13,000 a year,
raising my daughter for the first few years, no car to begin with.

(03:12):
I got clean from drugs and put everything into giving her everything that I could.
And it took me across the country.
It gave me the chance to take her with me and to show her the world, which is beautiful

(03:36):
to be able to see it through the eyes of a child.
And during that process, I fought my way up every job I got better, every relationship I
got a little better.
And I've been collecting the pieces that made every time a little bit be a little bit easier

(03:58):
as I went and I've collected them all together and I wrote my book on it.
I love the title of that book by the way.
Give us that title.
It's great.

It's called Basket Case (04:09):
An Argument for Crazy.
I love it.
I mean, I love the name of your book, Basket Case, that feels part memoir, part manifesto.
And you speak very eloquently about surviving childhood abuse, homelessness, widowhood, some

(04:32):
of the hardest shit that life can throw at someone.
But then to become a thriving entrepreneur and coach.
And that is quite the transformation.
And just to hear just how young you were when you were made into a single mom, can you walk
us through some of the steps that kind of got you into, okay, this is where my life was

(04:58):
at.
But I want to make a transformation.
What did that look like for you?
So living in a tent with an infant gives you a lot of time to think about things and not
a lot of time to do things.
Because it's a situation that you do not want to be in for very long.

(05:23):
And that lit a fire in me to figure it out right now.
And I was able to, the timing worked out because it was almost tax time.
And it was my first year to claim hers a defendant.
So I got a little extra.
I was able to use that to move into one of those monthly hotels.

(05:50):
And then just every time we got a job that was close.
Enough like a walk to pay the bills saved a little bit, got a car.
Got a job that was a little further away that paid a little better.
Like just every time just a little bit more.
So just one step at a time surviving one day at a time kind of mentality.
Did you, would you say this is a, I don't know, it's kind of a brutal question to ask,

(06:15):
but would you say that your daughter saved you?
I mean, absolutely.
Would you, how would you describe that?
What was it about that child that made you become something that you may not have been?
Yes.
First off, she's amazing.

(06:36):
She's so precious.
And every, at the beginning, she's just a little potato.
And I had to do everything.
But once she got where she could walk around and started talking to hyperlexic,
she started talking, it says six months old, not big synatus, right?
But she hasn't stopped talking since then.

(06:58):
So, it's lovely.
But she's got such a unique perspective on everything.
And she always finds something to be happy about.
And when there was a time that we had to do something that wasn't maybe fun or didn't
get to go to the amusement park or like whatever that she wanted to do, if you asked her if she

(07:23):
had a good time or she liked it, she would say, well, that was an experience, right?
And so, I like this perspective changed me in itself, right?
But then also the just understanding how much goes into caring for a human, right?

(07:49):
Like I can deal without a lot of things, but I wasn't going to let her deal without a lot
of things, you know?
So I had to, I had to keep going.
I had to give her everything.
And there were times, it was very hard.
I remember she was in, I want to say, it was the summer between six and seventh grade.
She got invited to a Duke University summer camp program.

(08:17):
And we qualified for the scholarship.
So we got the scholarship, but it was still another $3,200 or something.
And for a few months to be able to save that money so she could go, I only ate every other
day.
So.
So I talked about super, super human, right?
Wonder Woman.

(08:37):
Before this.
You resonate with anybody?
I do.
I do.
I try to be humble, but like also I want to share it with people.
So you just put your boots on, Frank.
I want to dive into the myth of the healed woman.

(09:01):
Since you know, you say on your website, you don't need more therapy.
You need strategy.
And that is a hard pivot, which I love.
Can you tell us more about what you mean by that statement?
Sure, sure.
I do want to clarify that more is in there for reason.
Therapy is good.

(09:22):
Like do that for sure.
But laying out your roadmap gives you a clear idea of where you're going.
If you must have chush our cats, say, if you don't know where you're going, any road will
get you there.

(09:43):
You'll just be wandering around forever, not accomplishing anything.
And even if it's just like a little goal, right?
Maybe you want to have 20 bucks at the end of the month.
This doable, but you have to know what you're working towards.
So start with your biggest dream, right?
And put it at the end and then work backwards for what?

(10:09):
Like think about what two or three big things if you accomplished would get you to that end
goal and then break each of those down and keep breaking it down until you have something
that you can do daily to get you there.
Little things.
Because it's important to have a win every day.

(10:30):
I enjoy that so much because I feel that there has been a lot of conversations over the
years around healing and so many different ways to let go or to move forward or to shed
the past, not be burdened by shame, especially as women.

(10:51):
What is your thoughts around different elements of healing or even the word itself?
What's your journey been like with that?
Sure.
A friend of mine a few years ago sent me a meme that said something to the effect of, don't

(11:11):
try me.
I said, I'm healing, not healed.
I really have a little bit of a dark sense of humor and so that cracked me up.
I'm going to remember that because it's true.
I am a work in progress.
Just like everybody else.

(11:32):
Until we're done here, we're doing something every day.
So every day I work a little bit on me.
I work a little bit on what I want to do and I think just remembering that it's that you'll
never be done.
Right?
It's not something that you get to the end and are just like, well, everything's fine now.

(11:59):
I don't have to do any more work because every day you can do better for yourself.
I'm so happy to hear you say that because I think we are under this false belief of the
Hollywood story of the happy ending and happily ever after.
We may not consciously be thinking of that's what we're striving for.

(12:22):
However, that's how life rolls out.
It's like, okay, where is my rainbow?
Right.
And my body goes.
Right.
Right.
Right.
So I would, you know, reading through your website, is it fair to say that you offer
a tough love?
Yes.
Yes.

(12:42):
That's what I needed.
And so I, you always are better at conveying things that you've experienced.
So I got the tough love that I needed a couple of times and I can hand it out to you.

(13:06):
Something that really shines through for me in your website and your work is, got the
undertone of a discussion around feminism.
But I want to lead into that conversation with a question that we love to ask our guests.
And that's what does feminine mean to you?

(13:28):
I love that question.
I love that you guys asked that.
And I was thinking about it, how I wanted to word it for you.
I think being feminine, feeling the feminine is seeing the strength in your softness, being

(13:52):
being strong in your ability to be gentle.
And it's so poetic and so beautiful.
Thank you.
It's so beautiful.
I want people to understand that we're talking to Bunny right now.
She is in the cabin of her truck.
She's a trucker.
Okay.
We're talking feminine and people wouldn't necessarily put those two things together.

(14:14):
Right?
Mm-hmm.
I get it a lot.
You're a trucker.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But we love that on this show that it isn't just one way, right?
Absolutely.
And I think that sometimes when feminism has been tied to a traditional view of feminine,

(14:42):
we lose sight of some of the important pieces of just as you've said, what is the strength
in our softness and to own that as something that's important for us as individuals, but
also for us within community.
And I feel that sometimes feminism kind of gets also lost in today's world with CEO,

(15:07):
boss girl vibes or brunch panels on feminism and rebranding the patriarchy.
Mm-hmm.
And, you know, so what I appreciate so much about your work is the inclusion of what it's
like for a single young mom or for sex workers or for different types of bodies or disabled

(15:28):
folks.
Like, so if just a bridge on your definition of what feminine means to you, what is your
feminism?
Inclusion.
Um, my, I was raised by a wonderful woman who happens to be blind as she taught me a lot
of being gentle.

(15:49):
But then also my daughter, right, has taught me from the other direction on what it means
to love her well and keep, keep it soft and still lead her.
I think we've got it just keeping it all together and being able to do that for everyone in

(16:15):
my life from learning from both of them and getting to share it with, I have, I have friends
all over the country and a couple others.
And it's really, it's inspiring to get to learn from everyone that I get to meet and

(16:36):
by being open and soft and a safe place for others, I get to learn from them.
And that's amazing.
Mm-hmm.
I feel like you've really carved a path from survival and softness and that both of those
elements in your life have forged a very strong woman that demands or commands space.

(17:03):
And that, that is just really uplifting to see.
Thank you.
I want to also expand on your strength and softness because I believe that applies
not only to one sex or one gender, but applies across the board.
So that's why that is so universally beautiful and it's a remarkable statement.

(17:24):
I really enjoy it.
I really enjoy the way that you put that.
Thank you.
I think it is important to remember that we all have pieces of masculinity and femininity
and there's a time for both, right?
Yes, yes.
But, Bunni, this has been remarkable to catch you and to have this conversation with you.

(17:51):
You are a remarkable human being.
It's really our...
It's funny, Heather and I, we just get to spend a few minutes with the individuals we speak
with.
But, in the time, and I, I don't know, again, maybe it's us attracting, I don't know what it

(18:12):
is, but we always seem to get human beings like yourself who emote such beauty and such
richness out of life.
It makes us overjoyed to be able to have these conversations.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I watched a few of your episodes this week.

(18:32):
I've been trying to watch more.
I love it.
The people that you get on.
This is a very good collection.
I'm grateful to be one of them.
Thank you.
And just to, you know, to showcase where you are now, can you tell us more about, you know,
a little bit more about your book, about the empire that you're building, about your coaching

(18:56):
and just kind of this person that you've really stepped into over these years?
Yes.
So, with my book, I had the goal, I don't know, maybe a decade ago, but it's, that's a scary
thing.
Like, write a book.
A lot of people want to write a book and never do it, right?

(19:17):
And so, my goal was to publish a book, right?
Like, I don't want to be in the New York bestseller list, like, write out the gate, you know,
I'm like, that's, that's a huge book.
That's terrifying.
So, I'm like, I just get it published and that, that will be my win, right?

(19:38):
And so, I collected the things that I've been learning and put it together and it took years.
It took years, it took probably five years to even start typing the first page, you know?
And then inevitably some life happened and I put it on hold and came back to it.

(20:00):
But I really wanted to make it condensed so that there's not a lot of filler in it, you
know?
It's, if I wanted to give you the vehicle to reach your goals without fluff to get it out
so that I knew that I could do it.

(20:21):
But now I'm working on my next book, which will have more of me in it and more of the
nuance to it and what I teach.
And I put all of that into my coaching when I work with people, we find a goal and we
get them to it.
And that's, I'm a Transitional End Goal coach.

(20:45):
It's a lot of people going through big transitions, you know, like, just became a empty nester or
went through a divorce or changed careers.
There's so many big things that can feel just crushing, right?

(21:07):
Like, how do you move forward from here?
But that's a goal.
So to put them both together really helps propel people forward.
And I just love that.
I love seeing people succeed and find themselves again and it's the warmth, my little heart.
And how do they find you?

(21:29):
Tell us how they can connect with you.
Sure.
A lot of where I've found clients so far have been word of mouth and then searching and
finding my book or my website.
I'm also just started with Numani, which is a new coaching platform where we're bringing

(21:52):
clients and coaches together.
And so I hope to find more people there.
But that's, yeah, that's really exciting place.
You wish you would share your website with our listeners?
Yes, absolutely.
It's shiftwithbunni , B-U-N-N-I with an I, dot com.
Fantastic.

(22:12):
It is a pleasure to meet you.
Likewise.
When that next book comes out, make us one of the first calls you make, okay?
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
I will be in touch first.
Okay.
Thank you so much.
And you?
We would love to hear more about it when it comes out.

(22:34):
And it's been so lovely to hear your story on the show.
So thank you for coming on.
Thank you so much for having me.
It is truly a pleasure.
And the pleasure comes to you because you've been listening to the Virgin.
the Bueaty and the Bitch.
Yes.
Find us.
Like us.
Share us.
These incredibly fantastic conversations continue.

(22:59):
Bring yourself on back.
Bring your friends if you really love them.
To become a partner in the BBB community, we invite you to find us at virginbeautybitch.com.
Like us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
And share us with people who are definitely different.

(23:20):
Like you.
Until next time.
Thanks for listening.
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