Founder's Story Ep 294:

"The Recovery Expert Who Danced In R. Kelly's Video: 'What If I'd Been Near Him?'"

Guest: Amanda Marino, Founder of Next Level Recovery Associates
Release Date: December 22, 2025
Host: IBH Media

Episode Overview

This episode of the Founder's Story podcast dives into the remarkable life journey of Amanda Marino—from a professional hip-hop dancer featured in iconic music videos to a recovery expert and entrepreneur. Amanda opens up about her childhood trauma, experiences in the entertainment industry, her path through addiction and healing, and her work today building Next Level Recovery Associates. The discussion highlights resilience, the dark side of fame, and the importance of authentic, customized care for those struggling with addiction and mental health.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Amanda Marino’s Early Life & Dancing Career

• Transition from Dance to Recovery Work

  • Amanda recounts growing up with childhood trauma, which steered her towards the entertainment world after turning 18.
  • Notable gigs included Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs” and R. Kelly’s “Feeling on Your Booty” videos (01:51).
  • Reflects on being “placed with Method Man and Redman. Thank God because they were cool and funny. But what if I would have been put near R. Kelly? Could my life have been different?” (01:51)

• Impact of #MeToo Revelations

  • Amanda draws parallels between her own experiences and recent news involving figures like P. Diddy and R. Kelly.
  • “A lot of things that have been coming up now with the whole P. Diddy thing, like and then R. Kelly prior, really just kind of triggered…I was abused as a child and that’s what brought me down my dark path, I believe.” (01:51)

2. Navigating Personal Healing & Helping Others

• From Struggle to Service

  • Amanda expresses deep gratitude for her path: “It had to get worse before it got better for sure. But I get to help people...with eating disorders, mental health, addiction…because I’ve been in so many dark situations, I can say I’ve been there in a lot of ways to people.” (03:02)

• Handling Client Trauma as a Recovery Expert

  • On boundaries: “I’m pretty good at keeping it separate and not taking on people’s things…But there are times where I cross my own boundaries. It happens. I’m human…I do extra, extra self-care just to be status quo with the stuff I deal with.” (03:53)

3. The Reality of Fame and Social Media

• Misconceptions About Celebrity Life
  • Amanda remarks on how being in entertainment is often dark and misunderstood: “Anyone in that space, it’s harder…you have to have some thick skin. You have to do work on yourself and remind yourself who you are.” (04:46)
  • Personal anecdotes include receiving hurtful comments online and threats after being on shows like "Intervention". “It made me stronger. Only matters what I think. Only matters what me and God think.” (06:05)

4. Reality TV: Authenticity vs Staging

• Experiences Filming ‘Intervention’ and ‘Digital Addiction’
  • Amanda insists on authentic care: “I have to be able to treat every single person I work with like they’re my real client…They were so supportive of it.” (07:06)
  • Contrasts with friends’ experiences on “Housewives” and other reality shows: “That’s a lot of staged and a lot of trauma.” (07:06)
  • Memorable moment: “In Memphis…clients were trying to run the camera people over and pulling out guns…We almost didn’t do Memphis…I’ll never go back to Memphis, just FYI.” (07:06)

5. Next Level Recovery Associates

• Personalized Luxury Recovery
  • Amanda explains the company provides discrete, specially tailored support for complex cases—addiction, eating disorders, hoarding, gambling, pornography, and more.
  • “We bring professionals from all around the world, speaking all different languages, to go live with people and create a concierge plan…whatever they need.” (08:38)
  • Her motivation: “I need to get to people that have never heard of…this kind of care out there. That’s my message now—to amplify that.” (08:38)

6. Mental Health and the Pandemic’s Effects

• COVID as a Double-Edged Sword
  • Amanda sees the pandemic as both a crisis and a catalyst: “Covid actually helped us a lot because…it smashed a lot of the stigma…People were left in a position where they had to ask for help.” (11:50)
  • Highlights a rise in depression, agoraphobia, hoarding, and eating disorders among both men and women. (11:50)
• Customized Care Over One-Size-Fits-All
  • “Everything we do is customized…and it’s unique to each person…We partner with clinical professionals and dietitians all around the world, also culturally competent.” (13:05)

7. Legacy, Mission, and Resilience

• Family as Motivation
  • Amanda’s children are her driving force: “My son…I had him at 24. He’s the reason I decided to work on my trauma…Now he wants to work for me and be a firefighter.” (13:53)
  • Aspirations for legacy: “I want to help them buy a home…give them great life experiences and know that mom was a woman of integrity and pushed herself, even if she was scared.” (13:53)
• Resilience in Practice
  • Amanda describes her resilience: “I get knocked down and I crumble behind the scenes…I so sit with it…with resilience, it’s being scared and doing it anyways. Failing isn’t failing because failing, you’re actually trying.” (15:25)
  • Her “turning point” came starting with just $100—“I built an international brand in Covid.” (16:17)

8. Defining Successful Entrepreneurship

• Solving a Real Need
  • Host’s analogy: “If I'm solving a problem that's a supplement, people may or may not want it. But if it's a medicine…that is something I can create a thriving business from.” (16:57)
  • Amanda acknowledges this, citing survivor’s guilt during the pandemic but seeing herself as a “first responder,” filling a vital need for crisis care. (17:27)

9. Company Values & Selection

• Hand-picking Professionals
  • Amanda stresses the need to only send trusted, vetted staff to clients: “I’m not going to just put someone in someone’s multimillion dollar home that I don’t know and trust.” (18:03)
• Validation and Growth
  • On being nearly acquired: “Once we did that valuation…I was like, wow, we actually are worth, like, something. That was a cool moment.” (18:03)

10. How to Connect with Amanda Marino

• Amanda shares her contact details and encourages anyone struggling to reach out directly—showing her genuine commitment to helping:
  • Instagram/TikTok: @amandamarinoofficial
  • Website: amandamarinospeaks.com
  • Direct Phone: “You can text me, call me, schedule a call if you’re struggling. I will personally speak to you.” (18:58)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On narrow escapes in the music industry:
  “What if I would have been put near R. Kelly? Could my life have been different?” —Amanda Marino (01:51)
• On gratitude and transformation:
  “It had to get worse before it got better for sure. However, I am so, so grateful...I get to help people with all kinds of things today.” —Amanda Marino (03:02)
• On boundaries in recovery work:
  “There are times where I cross my own boundaries. It happens. I’m human… I have to do extra self-care.” —Amanda Marino (03:53)
• On the reality of fame:
  “Anyone in that space, it’s harder…you have to have some thick skin.” —Amanda Marino (04:46)
• On being threatened after reality TV:
  “People were coming into my website, my social medias…threatening things. It made me stronger. Only matters what me and God think.” —Amanda Marino (06:05)
• On her company’s mission:
  “I need to get to people that have never heard…that they’re not alone, that there’s this kind of care out there.” —Amanda Marino (08:38)
• On mental health after COVID:
  “Covid actually helped us a lot because…people were left in a position where they had to ask for help.” —Amanda Marino (11:50)
• On resilience:
  “I get knocked down and I crumble behind the scenes…with resilience, it’s being scared and doing it anyways. Failing isn’t failing, because failing, you’re actually trying.” —Amanda Marino (15:25)
• On her motivation:
  “My kids…are the reason I decided to work on my trauma and change my life.” —Amanda Marino (13:53)
• On business values:
  “I'm not going to just put someone in someone's multimillion dollar home that I don't know and trust.” —Amanda Marino (18:03)
• On direct outreach:
  “You can text me, call me, schedule a call if you’re struggling. I will personally speak to you only.” —Amanda Marino (18:58)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Background & Dance Career: 01:20 – 02:42
• Childhood Trauma & Path to Recovery: 01:51, 03:02
• Handling Client Trauma: 03:53
• Dark Side of Fame & Social Media: 04:46 – 06:05
• Reality TV: Authenticity vs. Staging: 07:06 – 08:17
• Building Next Level Recovery Associates: 08:38 – 09:52
• Pandemic Mental Health Trends: 11:50 – 13:05
• Legacy, Mission & Children: 13:53 – 14:56
• Resilience & Turning Points: 15:25 – 16:32
• Company Growth & Handpicked Team: 18:03
• Contact Information: 18:58

Final Thoughts

Amanda Marino’s journey is a testament to resilience, self-awareness, and purposeful entrepreneurship. Her willingness to discuss difficult personal topics and industry issues, combined with a commitment to authenticity and service, offer deep insights and inspiration for anyone facing trauma or pursuing impact-driven business.

To connect with Amanda Marino:

• Instagram/TikTok: @amandamarinoofficial
• Speaking Website: amandamarinospeaks.com
• Direct Phone: 561-735-2590