A Real Acapella Competition? Aca-Scuse Me? With Amanda Newman
We all loved the Pitch Perfect movies but did you know that they were inspired by a real collegiate Acapella competition? Today on All Up In My Lady Business we are joined by the owner of Varsity Vocals, the brains behind the biggest Acapella college competition, and queen of Acapella herself, Amanda Newman! In this conversation, you’ll hear all about how Amanda found her love for Acapella, how her competitive background led her to transform her college Acapella group, what led her to take over Varsity Vocals, and so much more! We hear all about her involvement in Pitch Perfect before she tells us what it’s like to raise kids and run a business. From handling conflict, to working through the pandemic, to dealing with being underestimated as a woman, to difficult parents, Amanda has faced every challenge you can think of and in this episode, she tells us how she got through it all! She even discusses how she unintentionally perpetuates patriarchal standards. Finally, we delve into the differences in how children were raised in our day versus now and the kind of mothers we are. To hear all this and so much more, tune in now!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Introducing Amanda Newman to the podcast.
- How Amanda got involved in Acapella.
- What led her to making a career out of Acapella.
- The release of Pitch Perfect and Amanda’s involvement in it.
- How she and her husband met and what it’s like to run a business and raise kids.
- The prices to participate in one of Amanda’s competitions.
- Why she feels sensitive to complaints from people as a female business-owner.
- Dealing with difficult families during the competitions.
Don’t forget to smash that subscribe button so you never miss an episode, then come hang with us on Instagram & Twitter!
Quotes:
“Pitch Perfect is weird for us!” — @acamandanewman [0:11:45]
“People love [Acapella] and think it’s so cool. But it’s also bizarre because it’s a bunch of guys singing “Hit Me Baby One More Time” in you know, sweater vests, like how? It’s organized nerd singing, like, how is this a thing?” — @acamandanewman [0:15:36]
“I try to be accommodating and then I am too accommodating and then I sometimes have gotten stepped on.” — @acamandanewman [0:44:49]
“I’m assertive. It doesn’t mean that I am a bitch.” — @acamandanewman [0:47:54]
“Having a baby fully made me realize how much I was part of the [patriarchal] problem and women in general too are part of perpetuating the same problem and the same cycle.” — @acamandanewman [0:54:16]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Connect with Amanda Newman on LinkedIn
Follow Amanda Newman on X
Check out Amanda Newman’s Instagram
Keep up to date with Varsity Vocals
Sign up to Support the Show (All Up In My Lady Business (Mary's Version)
Learn more about A Mary Nisi Production
Find your next DJ at Toast & Jam
Launch your DJ business with the Toast & Jam Lab
