Amanda Russell grew up in El Paso, watching both her grandfather and father woodwork and restore antique clocks. She moved to Austin, Texas in 2015 to pursue a Woodworking Certification from Austin Community College. One of her instructors, Philip Morley, took her into his shop as an apprentice for four years. During that time, she did everything from working at a sawmill, running a woodshop in a non-profit, teaching and assisting classes at Austin School of Furniture, to building fences and installing custom cabinets.