Taylor Davis spent last semester commuting between Auburn for classes and Birmingham for her role on Style Network's "The Amandas," a show featuring the projects of Amanda LeBlanc's organizing company.
"The business owner (LeBlanc) is my aunt," said Davis, sophomore in broadcast journalism. "Before the show came about, I had been working for her whenever I could help--just whenever she needed an extra set of hands.
"When the show came around, it just happened that they would be filming in the fall semester, and I had a light class load and a flexible schedule. That's why I'm not always on the episodes because I had to go back and forth between Auburn and Birmingham a lot."
LeBlanc started the business in 2003 and began her career helping people manage and makeover their living spaces.
"We're all organizers," Davis said. "We go into cluttered spaces and pull everything out and start from scratch. We redesign the room so it's aesthetically beautiful. We set up organizing systems so things are easier to access and less likely to be lost. It helps create a less stressful environment."
When she was approached by the network about doing the show, LeBlanc said Davis was an obvious choice for the cast.
"It was just natural to me to have to her there," LeBlanc said. "I knew we would be doing lots of high-end projects in really tight time frames, and I needed to make sure I had someone working with me that was going to be able to get the job done and do it right.
"She got that family gene of knowing how to organize and make things look the way they're supposed to. She has a great eye for design. At her age, to have the kind of work ethic she has is very rare."
Dustin Canez, LeBlanc's personal assistant, expressed similar sentiments about Davis's role on the show and in the company.
"Having Taylor was invaluable," Canez said. "We felt a lot the days she wasn't with us and was at school. When she would rejoin us, it was always a communal sigh of relief that she had returned."
Canez said a lot of Davis's success results from the qualities she shares with her aunt.
"She's so much like Amanda," Canez said. "She has a natural ability to work well with clients, especially with the hard stuff like getting them to purge unnecessary items and setting up new organizational systems. They're both very sweet, kind-hearted people who enjoy helping others."
While Davis's organizing prowess got her on the show, she saw a great opportunity in working on a television show, because of her major.
"My major is broadcast journalism; it fit hand in hand," Davis said. "It was the perfect experience for something I want to do. It gave me an insight for the business, and I met people who are going to be influential in my career."
She said her time on the show expanded her outlook of her future career.
"Reality television never even crossed my mind," Davis said. "What are the odds a 19-year-old girl from a very small town would get such a huge opportunity? It really took me by surprise. I love being in front of the camera. Who's to say that I won't try acting? The sky is the limit."
This stint in showbusiness hasn't solidified a celebrity life for Davis yet, however; she still holds true to her Auburn roots.
"Whenever I'm in Birmingham I get recognized, especially when I'm with members of the cast," Davis said. "I've been asked for pictures and stuff, but not in Auburn. I'm just a normal sophomore here."
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
