We recently connected with Amanda DeVito and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, thanks for joining us today. Often outsiders look at a successful business and think it became a success overnight. Even media and especially movies love to gloss over nitty, gritty details that went into that middle phase of your business – after you started but before you got to where you are today. In our experience, overnight success is usually the result of years of hard work laying the foundation for success, but unfortunately, it’s exactly this part of the story that most of the media ignores. Can you talk to us about your scaling up story – what are some of the nitty, gritty details folks should know about?

How did we scale from 60 to 300? Here’s the part no one really talks about.

Of course, there’s a playbook for scaling—org design, process rigor, operational efficiency, hiring frameworks, and delegation strategies, which are all important. There are entire courses, books, and business school lectures devoted to them.

But what has always fascinated me, and what I don’t think we talk about enough, is the emotionality of scaling.

The truth is, scaling a company is a series of identity crises. Every stage demands that you become a slightly different version of yourself, not just as a leader, but as a business. We had to let go of being “nimble and scrappy” at 60 people and become “structured and intentional” at 100. Then we had to evolve again—this time to “distributed and scalable” at 200. Each leap forward required us to grieve the version of the company we just outgrew.

And here’s the twist: you can’t scale if you’re still clinging to control.

I had to learn, sometimes the hard way, that I couldn’t be in every room, every decision, every pitch. You have to let go of your need to know everything in order for others to step up and lead. That’s where scale truly happens: not in spreadsheets or strategy decks, but in how much you trust your people to carry the mission forward.

Scaling isn’t just about growing bigger. It’s about growing truer to your values, your purpose, and your people, even when everything around you is changing. And sometimes, especially when it is.

Amanda, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My path into this industry hasn’t been linear, but it’s been intentional. I actually started my career at an agency, then moved into TV sales, then into tech (including a few start-up adventures), one of which failed miserably and one that did not. The entire experience was magical and humbling.

Eventually, I found my way back to agency life. But the real turning point came when I picked up the phone and called Sue Butler, the co-founder of Butler/Till. I told her, “I want to work for a dynamic woman leader, and I think that’s you.” That conversation changed everything.

Today, I have the privilege of working for another incredible woman — our CEO, Kimberly Jones — and helping lead Butler/Till as we partner with clients across healthcare and highly localized markets through our BetterLocal platform.

What sets us apart? We combine the sophistication of a national media agency with the empathy and focus of a purpose-driven business. We’re a B Corp, employee-owned, women-owned, and committed to doing meaningful work with people we respect. Our clients come to us for growth, and we deliver it by blending data, strategy, and a deep understanding of human behavior.

Personally, I’ve always loved marketing because I believe marketers are cultural anthropologists at heart. We observe. We question. We connect the dots between people and possibility. That curiosity has fueled every chapter of my career, including the decision to go back and get my Executive MBA at 45, simply because I needed to push myself.

What I’m most proud of, though, isn’t a title or a campaign. It’s the people I’ve had the chance to support, FEMtor, and champion along the way. Lifting others isn’t a side project. It’s the work.

If there’s one thing I hope people take away about me or Butler/Till, it’s this: we’re not just here to win business. We’re here to build something that lasts — with people who lead with heart, and brands who want to make a real impact.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

One book that has profoundly impacted my management and leadership philosophy is “Quiet” by Susan Cain.

As a natural extrovert, I’ve always felt at home speaking up, leading the charge, setting a tone. In many ways, I’ve been rewarded for that in school, in my early career, and even socially. But the real turning point came after a loving (and slightly heated) argument with my wife, who is a deeply thoughtful introvert. She challenged me to read “Quiet” as a kind of “homework assignment.” And I’m so grateful she did.

The book opened my eyes to just how much the world, and business especially, tends to reward outward energy over inward insight. I started to realize that some of the most powerful contributions come not from the loudest voices, but from the quietest perspectives. And more importantly, I started to understand how often I’d unintentionally fill space that didn’t need filling, or speak when I could have made more impact by listening.

That shift changed everything for me, not just at home, but in how I lead. I now see part of my role as an extrovert is not just to lead, but to draw out. To create space for voices that may not rise first, but often speak with the most precision and clarity when they do. I’ve learned that sometimes the most effective way to make a point is not to echo it myself, but to elevate the person who said it quietly and beautifully before anyone else noticed.

But make no mistake. I continue to be a major work in progress. Just ask my wife.

That insight, though, has served me well at every level of leadership, including how I run meetings, build teams, shape strategy, and navigate complexity. “Quiet” didn’t just change how I think. It changed how I see.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

For me, resilience has always been rooted in authenticity, meaning choosing, over and over again, to show up fully as who I am, even when it would be easier not to.

I came out in my twenties, but the truth is, I still come out all the time. Just last week, I was at my doctor’s office, and the receptionist, while helping me fill out a form, casually asked, “What’s your husband’s information?” I smiled and replied, “Actually, it’s my wife’s info.” It wasn’t a big moment, but also — it kind of was.

There are a hundred moments like that in life and in business. They don’t always require a grand statement, but they do ask something of you: to be seen, to correct an assumption, to stand a little taller in your truth. And that’s where my resilience lives—in the quiet decision to be honest, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable.

My personal experiences have deeply shaped how I lead. As someone in the LGBTQIA community, I carry a heightened awareness of how often people are navigating invisible layers of vulnerability, whether it’s about identity, ability, background, or simply feeling different. I think that’s made me a more empathetic leader. I don’t just think about what our clients’ audiences are doing—I try to imagine what they might be feeling. What they’re carrying. What might be unsaid.

Resilience isn’t always loud or dramatic. Sometimes it’s just the steady, everyday choice to live openly and lead with compassion, and to create spaces where others feel safe to do the same.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.butlertill.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butlertill/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ButlerTill
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/butler-till/