Amanda's path to Wild Flier wasn't a straight line — and that's what makes it real. After earning a graphic design degree, she spent years as an art teacher, a sales associate at boutiques, and doing graphic design work for a publishing company. She followed her passion to the water, and paddleboarding took her on trips from Fort Walton to Key West and even out to Los Angeles, and eventually back home to Mississippi, where she saw an opportunity to build something of her own. She started small — a mobile paddleboard business — and grew it into a beloved storefront in the heart of Ocean Springs.
I'm Amanda Mavar-Schmidt — founder, owner, and the heart behind Wild Flier. What started as a paddleboard company on the Mississippi Gulf Coast over 15 years ago has grown into a full lifestyle brand rooted in coastal culture, free-spirited fashion, and a genuine love for life on the water.
Our History
In 2013, Amanda launched a mobile paddleboard business on the Mississippi Gulf Coast — selling boards, teaching lessons, and falling deeper in love with the coast. What began on the water quickly grew into something bigger: a storefront on Government Street in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, where paddleboards gave way to longboards, skateboards, crystals, jewelry, apparel, and everything in between. Over 15 years later, Wild Flier is still right here — and now online too.
The Paddleboarding Days
As the store grew, so did Amanda's world. The brand expanded beyond Ocean Springs, with a Wild Flier location in Destin, Florida that ran for four years. She began attending trade shows, curating unique brands, and hosting events to benefit causes she believed in — from The Cure Starts Now Foundation to the Wounded Warriors Project. She traveled to Costa Rica to study yoga, volunteered at festivals like Envision, Sonic Bloom, and Huluween, and kept bringing the inspiration back home to her customers. One day, she overheard someone walk past her store and say, 'just keep walking, that's just a paddleboard shop.' That was the moment she knew it was time for a change.
Wild Flier
She renamed the store Wild Flier — a blend of 'wildflower' and 'wildfire' — a name that captures beauty, passion, and the free spirit she wants every customer to feel. Whether you visit us in Ocean Springs or shop online, Wild Flier is a place where you can be exactly who you are. Be your own Wild Flier.