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From Broadway dancer to entrepreneur — Amanda Kloots discusses her entrepreneurship journey and the loss of her husband
Amanda Kloots, a fitness entrepreneur, author and television personality, has statistically beaten the odds to expand and grow her brand both on and off the camera.
A former cohost of CBS' Daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show, 'The Talk,' Kloots has partnered with brands such as American Express, Vita Coco and General Mills.
Her notoriety exploded when her husband, Nick Cordero, a well-known Broadway actor, made headlines when he contracted COVID-19 and passed away during the height of the pandemic, leaving behind his wife and newborn son.
Kloots has written a memoir, 'Live Your Life: My Story of Loving and Losing Nick Cordero.' Through her bedtime ritual with her son, she came up with the idea for her book, 'Tell Me Your Dreams,' as one of the ways to keep her late husband's spirit alive with their son.
Most recently she launched Proper Health, a line of super-food supplement powders that is available in stores across the country.
Soon, she'll be off to Africa to host a new reality show about finding the next fitness star.
And she is long-time fan of Spot Coffee.
Kloots spoke at Kaleida Health's Women's Wellness Summit on May 6. She opened her session with moderator Heather Ly Wesolek by recalling having enjoyed Spot Coffee while she was a cast member of Broadway shows that toured through Buffalo.
The seeds of entrepreneurship
It was her Broadway dancing career that prompted her to become the entrepreneur she is today. After enduring the unpredictability of that realm of entertainment for 15 years, Kloots sought work that gave her greater control.
"I decided to take a leap. I was going to start my fitness business," she said. "That was the first time I created something and it was so empowering."
It was unnerving, too.
"It can be scary sometimes, betting on yourself, especially when the rent and the family depend on it," she said. "I keep that in mind whenever I think, 'I can't do that yet because things aren't lined up.' Things will never be lined up correctly. There's never a perfect time. You have to keep believing in yourself and in what you really want to do."
She started teaching and enjoyed seeing her students evolve, especially those who started the class in the back row, unsure of themselves, and worked their way to the front row with confidence and a smile, ready to share their journey with her.
Kloots confessed to having been body-obsessed, comparing herself to other women and adopting odd eating habits that would help her achieve physical perfection. Then she got pregnant and developed a more well-grounded personal fitness philosophy.
"Fitness is not about your jeans size. It's about your mental health," she said. "Fitness has saved me in my life by giving me the ability to just move my body and remember how grateful I am that I can and how it's such a privilege to be able to go on a walk or a run or take a class, dance or jump rope. It's a privilege. We take our bodies for granted, but we only get one. This is it and you have to take care of it."
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Mark Mulville
Emerging from the COVID-19 loss of her husband
It seems especially cruel for someone so devoted to physical fitness to have had to face the heartbreak of watching her husband battle COVID-19 while she dealt with the constraints of the pandemic.
However she was comforted by coming home from the daily hospital vigils to her son and brother and sister who came to live with her.
She took solace in being with her siblings again, the nightly dinners they took turns making and the movies from their childhood they would watch together.
"Meanwhile, my husband's dying in the hospital," Kloots said. "The juxtaposition of my life at that time was insane. I felt bipolar, coming home to them and my son every night, but it was such a blessing."
Upon her husband's death, HarperCollins Publishers asked her to write a memoir about that period in her life. Never having kept a journal, she was surprised to find the writing cathartic and she encourages anyone faced with trauma or grief to write it all down to help with the healing process.
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Mark Mulville
She also recommends finding a community of people with like experiences who can offer understanding and support without judgement. Making those connections can be difficult for someone who doesn't often reach out, but accepting help is like getting an immediate hug, she said.
Death taught her how to live, do things in the moment and go after her dreams, Kloots said.
"I haven't fought with somebody since I lost my husband. There's no point to it; life is too short," she said. "Love is the most beautiful thing on the planet and it's such a gift we can give to ourselves and other people. Losing the love of my life taught me that."
