Humanity Is The Heart Of Media

Amanda Farrand played her first commercial on a jumbotron in front of 80,000 people and watched 30 seconds of story change an entire stadium. Now she's turning Upworthy into what she calls "humanity's media company," betting everything on the idea that community, not content, is the real center of gravity.

30 Seconds on a Jumbotron: She cut a spot for women's soccer at Texas A&M and played it in front of 80,000 fans. They cheered, attendance soared, and her whole career clicked into place. 🏟️

Hold the Pepsi Can Just Right: Her first entertainment job was getting actors to eat Doritos on screen. She realized the power of story could do more than inspire consumerism and followed it to social impact. 🎬

Community Is the Whole Castle: Content is king, but community is queen, if not the whole castle. It's the lesson she carried from Hello Sunshine with Reese Witherspoon straight into Upworthy. 👑

Shoulder to Shoulder: Robots can amass people online. True power is getting them in the same room, sharing a potluck meal. 🤝

Death, Magic, and Creativity: The masterclass she would teach. She lost her mom and aunt young, started baking biscuits through the grief, and found that working with your hands is how you heal. 🍞