From Struggles to Strength: My Journey to Glacier Growth Marketing

Every business has a story, and mine is one of resilience, reinvention, and finding purpose.

I never thought my journey into marketing would begin as an influencer. Back then, I partnered with brands that aligned with my interests, never realizing that behind every campaign was a strategy I was instinctively drawn to. Looking back, it was the spark that ignited my love for marketing—connection, creativity, and impact.

When I entered college, I initially pursued a degree in psychology. I’ve always been fascinated with people—their thoughts, decisions, and what drives them. But something didn’t feel complete. I wanted not only to understand people but also to communicate with them on a larger scale. That’s when I made the switch to Mass Communication.

Mass Communication is more than a degree; it’s a foundation for building bridges between people and ideas. It teaches you how to create, analyze, and deliver messages through journalism, public relations, advertising, and digital media. The hands-on projects and strategic coursework gave me a toolkit for real-world problem-solving. I began to understand not only how media impacts society, but also how to craft stories that truly resonate.

After graduation, I began working as a marketing contractor in Wyoming and later joined an investment firm, where I spent about three years. My role focused on compliance—ensuring clients were protected and obligations were met. It may not sound glamorous, but those years taught me invaluable lessons. I learned discipline, the importance of integrity, and how to always advocate for the client’s best interest. That job instilled in me a moral compass I still carry today.

I also enjoyed planning events during that time—client appreciation gatherings, community workshops, moments where people came together. I realized how much joy I felt creating experiences that built connections.

Eventually, I moved to Montana, where I fell in love with the Flathead Valley. The nonprofits, the small businesses, the chamber events—it was a community unlike anywhere I’d been. I knew I wanted to be a part of preserving and celebrating it.

At the same time, health challenges began. I ended up leaving that job to work from home in a position with a local public relations firm with some amazing women. The need to have a work-from-home option to deal with the now-strange symptoms I was experiencing was a must.

At the time, we had no idea what was causing the symptoms until three years later. Toxic mold exposure had triggered a storm of symptoms: rashes, migraines, nausea, blurry vision, balance issues, and more. For two years, doctors tested me for every autoimmune disease, landing on the possibility of m

ultiple sclerosis. Nothing was confirmed, and the uncertainty weighed heavily. Meanwhile, sick days were scarce, bills piled up, and my spirit sank.

Despite all this, I kept contracting on the side, picking up marketing projects to cover medical bills and keep a spark of passion alive. Working late at night and over the weekends. I eventually formed an LLC on January 1, 2024, though at the time, I didn’t imagine it would become my full-time career.

Then, the breaking point came. My job left me drained, my health was declining, and my creativity was withering. A kind stranger at the time asked, “Why don’t you just quit and work for yourself?” The idea terrified me. What if I failed? But the truth was, staying where I was felt like failure, too.

On my last day at the PR firm, I got a phone call that changed everything: “We’ve all been exposed to toxic mold.” Finally, the answer I had been waiting for—validation for my almost three years of unexplained illness. And strangely, that same day, I also felt something I hadn’t in years: hope.

Quitting was the scariest, hardest decision I’d ever made, but it forced me to step into what I was meant to do. With no help, no financial backing, and no safety net, I built Amanda M Andrus Marketing, now Glacier Growth Marketing. I leaned on discipline from my compliance years, creativity from my influencer days, and resilience forged in the darkest moments of my health battle.

Slowly, life began to return to me. My health is starting to improve. My joy came back. My energy to dream reignited. Most importantly, I started to see that everything I went through wasn’t wasted—it prepared me for this moment.

Today, Glacier Growth Marketing isn’t just a company. It’s proof that even in the hardest seasons, growth is possible. That sometimes, you have to lose yourself to find where you truly belong. That's when life strips you down, it’s not the end—it’s a clearing for something stronger to take root.

This is the story of my valleys, my growth, and the glacier that reminds me that even at the lowest points, you just keep climbing.