Meet Shannon Russell

We were lucky to catch up with Shannon Russell recently and have shared our conversation below.

Shannon, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I found my purpose running through the Times Square Subway Station in heels while 8 months pregnant. This is when my a-ha moment hit me and I realized that my dream job no longer suited me. I had accomplished my goal of being a Television Producer, but now with a 3-year-old and another child on the way, my dream had shifted. My new dream job was being a mom to my boys. While I was on maternity leave, the show I was producing was canceled. I took this as a sign that it was time to start my second act. I struggled trying to figure out my new purpose, aside from raising my kids. After some missteps, I decided to produce my own life and open a franchise business. I took my experience as a Producer, taking an idea and bringing it to life, to grow my business. My franchise grew to be one of the highest grossing in my company. I had found work that fit my family, and I was very grateful. However, I was still on a mission to uncover my career’s purpose. Many customers and friends were asking me how I made the leap from the entertainment industry into small business, and I began to advise others on how they could make a career shift as well. This is when I launched Second Act Success® Career Coaching to help women transition careers to find work that fits their lives and fulfills their purpose. Now I work with women to get the confidence to start over and launch a “second act” to find fulfillment. This is how I found my true purpose in helping other women just like me.

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Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am a Career Transition Coach, certified YouMap® Coach, Speaker, Writer, and Host of the Second Act Success Career Podcast. My mission is to help women in unresolved careers pivot towards a second act career that produces a balanced life of abundance. I spent over 16 years in my dream job as a Television Producer in New York City and Los Angeles working for MTV, E!, Yahoo!, Pop Sugar, A&E, TLC, VH1, etc. I then pivoted to open my own business running a Snapology® franchise teaching children S.T.E.M. education, so that I could be a more present mom for my children. It dawned on me that I “checked the box” in becoming a Producer, which was my lifelong dream, so it was time to move on to my next adventure.

A few years into running my business, I decided to pursue another venture as a certified Career and Business Coach, I now support women as they change careers, start a business, or follow their creative passions to the fullest. I find that many women don’t think pivoting careers, in a way that doesn’t disrupt their whole life, is possible. These women need a hand to hold and guidance along the way to find fulfilling work that fits into their current lifestyle. Oftentimes, the career we choose at age 20, no longer fits us in our 30s and 40s.

My motto is “produce your best life” and my company is Second Act Success®. I love being able to motivate women to make big moves in life, and I am lucky to be able to do so through my coaching practice, my Second Act Success Career Podcast, speaking engagements, and through my forthcoming book.

Through my work, I help women in their 20s through 60s find the confidence they need to steer their career in the direction that will fulfill them. I started the Career Clarity Collective Membership program, where I meet with members weekly for group coaching and to review resumes, websites, and anything they are working on as they prepare to pivot. It’s always inspiring to see these women rally around each other in support, as they move from where they are to where they want to be.

I’m busy writing my book about how to make a career change, and it lays out my strategies on how to make a career transition or start a business in a way that doesn’t leave your life in chaos. It’s so exciting to get to tell my story, along with experiences my clients have had, and share advice on how to start a second act in this book. I am so excited to have it out soon!

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There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three of my favorite words that I try to live by are Ambition, Resilience, and Communication. I feel theses qualities have been thread throughout my life in different ways and have served me well through the chapters of my career.

Ambition is a tremendous quality to foster because it means you are eager and are working towards a goal. I wanted to work in Television since I was 5-years-old, so I have always used ambition as a force to get me to my goal. I believe utilizing ambition as a skill will help you keep your eye on your goal, therefore you will work hard as you do what you need to do to achieve it.

Resilience is a trait that also helps you keep your head down as you focus on staying on your path towards success. To me, being resilient means you have the ability to get back up when someone or something knocks you down. Remembering that life and work has ups and downs, but by being resilient and going with the flow you will always remain in control. This is a trait I have held close at many different stages of my career, and I highly advise others to tap into their resilient side as they build their roadmap as well.

Communication is key in all aspects of life and career. I was always a talker from a young age, and I could and would talk to anyone. I ended up majoring in Communications in college, learning about Television and Film. How I communicated throughout college, led me to land internships. These internships led me to landing my first job at MTV in New York City right out of college. Working in the entertainment/media industry is all about communicating. We take ideas and bring them to the screen. In doing so, we work together on teams, with large crews, and casts of people, all communicating to accomplish one common goal. As a producer, I had to talk to everyone from talent to agents to crew members, and this skill was one I took which me when I launched my first business and it helped me become successful as an entrepreneur as well. Communicating with staff, customers, partners, and clients, is all how to get your point across so others understand your intent. Currently, I use communication in not only working with my clients, but as I grow my brand, produce my podcast, speak on stages, and in writing my book. In my opinion, the most crucial quality in succeeding in anything you do in life is Communication.

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What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?

Only you know your strengths best, so trust that your strengths will take you exactly where you want to go. I work with clients on professional/personal branding as they start a “second act” in their career, and I always focus on strengths. If you take time to really reflect on all of your skills and experiences in your career, you will see all that you have accomplished. These strengths will help you as you move towards your next goal. It is all about how you position your strengths as you move forward.

I believe going all in on your strengths is key, rather than trying to know all of the things. If you want to learn a new skill or invest in a course to help you improve in another area, and you think this will give you confidence to continue on your path, then go for it. However, if you are trying to be an expert in all of the areas, you may waste time and energy.

Pat Flynn once said, “The riches are in the niches.” This is a great reminder to focus in on your goal, your audience, your skillset, and your niche. This helps you become an “expert” in this field. For example, when I set out to open my career coaching business, I could have set out to help anyone who needed help in finding a new job. However, I niched down to help women ages 30-60 or so who want to transition from one career to another. This was my experience and my strength. I know this demographic because I am this demographic. I had already made a career transition, and I now specialize in helping hundreds of women do the same. I focus on my strengths and expertise, rather than trying to help everyone under the sun.

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