Women of Third Shift- Amanda

Bhavika: Welcome to our series Women of the Third Shift, where we talk about the multiple shifts women juggle—work, home, and womanhood. The time spent maintaining ourselves, the pressure to show up polished and high-functioning all the time—it’s the unseen third shift that runs parallel to ambition.

Today I’m joined by Amanda Emanuel. Amanda is a product leader and operator who has built across enterprise, fintech, and high-growth D2C, and has helped build a nine-figure beauty business. She’s now building her own company and has a strong voice around helping women think differently about building businesses.

Amanda, I’m so glad you’re here.

Amanda: Hi, thank you so much for having me. I’m so excited to chat with you—and that was such a wonderful intro. I don’t even always see myself that way, so it’s really lovely to hear.

On Hustle Culture & “Doing It All”, On Pressure Across Life Stages

Bhavika: You’ve been in a lot of demanding roles and now you’re building your own business. What are your thoughts on hustle culture—and this idea that women can do it all?

Amanda: I love this question. I’m in my 30s now, and I’ve been trying to build businesses for about 15 years. Before starting this company, I did a lot of reflection because I thought I knew what it would take.

For a long time, my narrative was: I have to suffer. I have to erode myself. I have to sacrifice the things that bring me joy in order to succeed.

And this time, I realized—I don’t actually have to do that.

I can choose my own narrative. I can still have huge, audacious goals and enjoy my life. That might look like taking two hours to get my nails done or do my hair—and not feeling guilty about it.

I used to be the person who would be out with friends but mentally still working. Now I try to be more present and kinder to myself. I’m embracing all parts of who I am instead of feeling like I have to pick one.

I haven’t figured everything out, but that shift has made a huge difference.

Bhavika: There’s so much pressure—especially in your mid-20s, 30s, even 40s—to show up a certain way. It’s hard to move away from that narrative.

Amanda: Completely. And I think we need to normalize that timelines don’t matter as much as we think they do. You can start something at 30, 40, even 60—and it’s still valid.

On Invisible Labor & Gender Expectations

Bhavika: Do you think ambitious women carry a different kind of invisible labor compared to men?

Amanda: I’d be lying if I said there’s no difference.

I think as women, we often see expectations and just go with them—we don’t question them. And yes, being more put together does change how people perceive you.

I struggled with that. I wanted people to value my brain, not how I looked. But I also enjoy embracing my femininity, and for a long time, it felt like those two things couldn’t coexist.

Now I see it differently. I see it as armor.

Also, something I didn’t realize for a long time is that being emotionally perceptive is actually an advantage. I used to think that belonged only in my personal life—but it absolutely helps in business.

And honestly, one of the biggest shocks for me was seeing how many massive beauty companies—built for women—are run by men. They hire women to understand women. Why aren’t we building those products ourselves?

On Women Juggling It All

Bhavika: You mentioned your friend—a mom of three—building a six-figure business from her bathtub. That’s insane.

Amanda: It really is. And I don’t think we give enough credit to women—especially moms—for what they’re managing.

There’s this invisible expectation that they have to run the household first, and then the business. And the fact that they’re doing both is incredible.

Even for me, without kids, building something feels like a lot. So the scale of what they’re doing is just… next level.

On Looking Polished & Being Taken Seriously

Bhavika: Do you think women have to look polished to be taken seriously?

Amanda: To some extent, yes. It feels like the reality of the world we’re in.

I don’t think it’s fair—but I also personally enjoy that aspect of my routine. So for me, it’s about integrating it in a way that doesn’t feel exhausting.

Sometimes it feels like the “entry ticket” to certain rooms. But I also think we’re slowly changing that narrative.

Bhavika: Yeah, and honestly, when I feel put together, I feel more confident. Like I show up differently.

Amanda: Same. But it also takes more time for us. Hair wash day is a real commitment—it’s literally a calendar event.

On Beauty Routines

Bhavika: Let’s get into your routine—skincare, haircare, everything. What does that look like for you?

Amanda: I’ve actually kept things pretty simple—thanks to my mom.

She always emphasized washing your face twice a day, keeping things natural, not overcomplicating it. I still follow that.

I’ve started adding things like niacinamide, vitamin C, and gua sha—but overall, it’s very basic.

For hair, I realized I love a big blowout look, but I cannot handle a round brush and a hairdryer. So I switched to heatless curlers—super affordable and honestly amazing.

I also get my nails done once a month. That’s kind of my baseline.

I prefer routines that feel integrated into my life—not like extra work.

On Product Clutter & Overwhelm

Bhavika: There’s so much clutter—so many products, brands, trends. How do you deal with it?

Amanda: It’s overwhelming, honestly.

I try to focus on basics and ingredients rather than trends. I still get influenced—like we all do—but I come back to simplicity.

I rely a lot on recommendations from friends too. And I don’t believe expensive automatically means better.

At the end of the day, it’s about knowing your priorities so you don’t get swept up in everything being marketed to you.

Bhavika: For me, I just want fewer products. Like one thing that does everything.

Amanda: That makes total sense. Honestly, having one product that works across multiple uses is ideal—especially when you’re busy.

On Time, Ambition & Balance

Bhavika: What’s one piece of advice for women juggling everything—career, family, personal life?

Amanda: Be kinder to yourself.

That doesn’t mean lower your ambition. It means recognizing when you’ve done enough for the day and giving yourself time to recharge.

Sometimes that means asking for help. Taking 20 minutes for yourself. Letting someone else step in.

We tend to prioritize everything and everyone else first—but you can’t pour from an empty cup.

Being kind to yourself is not a weakness. It’s actually a strength.

Bhavika: That was beautifully said. I think the biggest takeaway is—you can have ambition and still show up for yourself.

Amanda: Exactly. Both can exist at the same time.

Bhavika: Thank you so much, Amanda. This was such a lovely conversation.