We recently connected with Amanda Russo and have shared our conversation below.
Amanda, appreciate you joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea
I launched my business in 2023 after receiving my certification in Breathwork Detox, but the seed was planted long before that. Breathwork had completely changed my life. I had experienced how it could calm the nervous system, clear the mind, and help people reconnect to themselves in a way that’s hard to put into words. And I knew I had to share it.
So, when I came home from my training, I didn’t wait. I launched my podcast, Manders Mindset, as a way to start getting my voice out into the world. At the same time, I promised myself I wouldn’t focus on making money right away. I was fueled purely by passion and the desire to show others what was possible when they tapped into their breath.
I started reaching out to people I knew, offering free 1:1 virtual sessions in exchange for honest testimonials. It helped me build experience and confidence. Then I started looking for places to host group sessions. I didn’t feel ready for yoga studios yet. I was still new, didn’t have a following, but a friend connected me with someone who owned a nutrition store that had a back room.
I hosted three events there. No one came.
Still, I showed up. I led the session as if the room was full. I spoke out loud, guided the breathwork, and visualized the impact I knew I’d make someday. That season taught me how to stay committed when no one’s clapping. That’s something every entrepreneur faces: doing the work long before the rewards show up.
Fast forward to 2025, and things feel wildly different.
Earlier this year — March, I believe — I hosted my very first sold-out in-person event. And the best part? It was at Serenity Yoga, the studio where I took my first yoga class back in high school. It felt like a full-circle moment from student to facilitator, in the studio that started it all.
That event came to life because a high school friend of mine had attended one of my virtual sessions. Afterward, she messaged me and asked, “Are you ever coming to Western Mass to do this in person?” That one message nudged me to reach out to Serenity, and they welcomed me with open arms. The session filled up quickly, and I stood in that same studio — this time at the front of the room — feeling deeply grounded in how far I’ve come.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned through this journey, it’s this: stay the course, even when no one’s watching.
The quiet seasons, the empty rooms, the moments of doubt; they’re part of the path.
Keep showing up. Keep breathing. Keep trusting that the work you’re doing matters. Because one day, you’ll look up and realize the room is full… and so are you.
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?
Amanda Russo — proudly known as The Breathing Goddess — is a certified Breathwork Facilitator, mindset coach, and the host of two powerful podcasts: Manders Mindset, which explores personal growth, mindset shifts, and transformational stories, and Breathwork Magic, a space dedicated entirely to the healing power of the breath.
Before stepping into the wellness space, Amanda worked in family law and spent years supporting children and families in high-stress environments. But everything changed when she discovered Breathwork. After experiencing firsthand how it helped her regulate her nervous system, release emotional weight, and reconnect with her true self, she knew she had found her calling. Breathwork not only gave her the tools to manage anxiety and self-doubt — it helped her transform her grief into gratitude, a phrase that has since become a signature message in her work. In 2023, she became certified in Breathwork Detox and officially launched her business.
Amanda now offers a variety of services, including virtual and in-person breathwork sessions, group workshops, and immersive healing experiences that integrate breath, nervous system regulation, and mindset work. She also facilitates monthly New Moon and Full Moon Breathwork Rituals, designed to help participants release, reset, and align with intention using the natural rhythm of the moon. These gatherings have become a sacred space for her community to breathe, journal, and reconnect with themselves through ritual and reflection.
Known for her ability to hold grounded, transformational space — and not afraid to call people forward — Amanda blends love, truth, and just the right amount of fire. As she often says, “It’s called Breathwork… not breatheasy.” Her approach is nurturing, real, and deeply activating — helping people move through emotional and energetic blocks and step fully into their power.
What sets Amanda apart is the way she blends intuition, depth, and lived experience into her work. Her clients often describe her sessions as deeply grounding and transformational. The nickname The Breathing Goddess is one Amanda gave herself — a name born during a soul-searching trip to Utah. She loved that goddess has two D’s and two S’s — a reminder that a true goddess wears her own crown, but also helps others rise and wear theirs too. That name has since become a reflection of how she leads: with grace, strength, and a deep desire to empower others to reclaim their worth.
She is especially proud of a recent milestone: her first sold-out in-person Breathwork event, held at Serenity Yoga, the very same studio where she first practiced yoga in high school. That full-circle moment symbolized how far she had come, from hosting events in empty rooms to guiding a packed space in the place that sparked her own wellness journey.
Later this year, Amanda will be traveling to Bali to deepen her practice through a sound healing certification, expanding her offerings to include vibrational healing alongside Breathwork. She believes the integration of sound and breath will open new pathways for emotional release, nervous system support, and soul-level healing and she’s excited to bring that back to her clients and community.
Amanda reminds us that the breath can transform grief into gratitude, fear into freedom, and thoughts into powerful shifts.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
When I first started hosting group Breathwork sessions, no one showed up.
I had just received my certification, was pouring my heart into creating events, and found a back room at a local nutrition shop to host in. I planned everything, promoted it, set the space… and then sat there alone. Not once, but three times. It would have been easy to feel discouraged or defeated, but instead, I chose to lead the session anyway. I dimmed the lights, played the music, and facilitated the breathwork as if the room was full. I reminded myself that showing up, especially when no one else does, is part of the work.
That season taught me how to be with the silence, to trust the process, and to stay anchored in my purpose even without external validation. And now, just a year later, I’m leading sold-out events in the very studio where my own healing journey began.
Resilience, to me, isn’t about pushing through at all costs. It’s about showing up with heart again and again, even when no one claps, even when the room is empty. Because eventually the people come, but only if you keep coming first.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
One of the biggest pivots in my life was leaving my career in family law to pursue something that felt more aligned with my soul. I had spent years working in high-stress environments, supporting children and families through incredibly difficult situations. I cared deeply about the people I was helping, but I was emotionally drained, disconnected from my body, and starting to feel like I was losing myself in the process.
Then I discovered breathwork. At first, it was a personal practice that helped me heal and reconnect. But over time, it became clear that this wasn’t just something I wanted in my life. It was something I felt called to share. Making the decision to walk away from a stable career and step into a completely new path was scary. I didn’t have a business plan or a clear vision. I just had a deep knowing that this work could change lives because it had already changed mine.
That pivot required me to unlearn what I thought success was supposed to look like. It taught me to trust my intuition more than a paycheck or a title. Looking back now, that moment of uncertainty was actually the beginning of everything. Choosing alignment over comfort was the shift that changed my life.
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Dori Lou