We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shannon Jackson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Shannon, we’ve been so fortunate to work with so many incredible folks and one common thread we have seen is that those who have built amazing lives for themselves are also often the folks who are most generous. Where do you think your generosity comes from?
My generosity comes from my family. I come from a family of pastors and leaders in the community. My whole life I watched my family help others in need. They would provide shelter, food, and so many things that will help another in need. So it’s really in my blood. I learned that generosity produces generosity. Giving, to me, has satisfying results and it makes me feel really good to give to others in need.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I was born and raised in Akron, Ohio. As a child, I was very active in sports and performing arts. I was in gymnastics, ballet, jazz, tap, and modern dance, I ran track and played basketball. I sang in choirs and I’ve had a bit of experience in show-biz onstage and behind the scenes. In 2006, I received a foundation degree in broadcasting for radio and television and from there I started my own video production company, mostly specializing in weddings, and commercials and many more things. In school, I learned the importance of networking and began to network my way through the entertainment industry.
In 2013, I quit my full time job in healthcare and combined my passion for helping people with my education, my skills, my talents, and designed a system to help a certain type of people create wealth and success out of their gifts and talents into what will become a multi-billion dollar empire. I am taking my experience in charity, business, music, and film and have been creating a pool of networks to team together to create a new entity in the entertainment industry for the near future.
In a nutshell, I help clients by figuring out first what they are good at and what they want to do rather it’s behind or in front of the scenes. Once I know what they are capable of doing, I use my doors in the industry, I connect you as a partner with our company and allow you to take the spot that was open for me and train you how to stay and keep the position if needed.
I have met so many people that needed me to be there for them rather it was my time, my skill, or the resources I had access to that could help them. Seeing them come from something they thought they could never achieve until I connected with them and helped with the puzzle piece is success to me. It may not have been the way that they wanted to experience me, but knowing that I came into their life and when I left out of it they have more wisdom than before is all that matters.
The newest project I am currently working on is managing my son who is training for the NFL draft. It is a new door for me. I’m excited to learn this industry, so that I can help other football players as well.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
3 qualities that were impactful to me on my journey was 1) Consistency. I never gave up. I kept going no matter how bad it looked. Consistency goes a long way and people acknowledge it and they open more doors for you because they can see you won’t give up no matter what. 2) Faith. Believe, believe, and keep believing. Even when it seems hard to believe, keep believing and watch others believe with you and then they come to help you because they see how much you believe so they believe it with you, making it real. 3) Ambition. Stay determined to make it happen. Stay passionate about your mission your goal and enjoy what you’re doing while your on your journey. When people see that, they are more than likely going to help you achieve it!
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
When I feel overwhelmed, I take a step back and stop all activity so I can figure out what’s overwhelming me. Once I figure it out, there are only 3 things I can do about it. I can either change it, adapt to it, or leave it. So I ask myself those three things. 2 of them will not be possible for you so you are left with one option. If you can’t change it, adapt to it, if you won’t adapt to it, then leave it. If you can’t leave it, then you change it. Once I decide which 1 I can actually do, I am not overwhelmed anymore because one of those decisions has calmed me down and now I am not overwhelmed anymore.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shayjent.com
- Instagram: shaykeepsmegoing@gmail.com
Image Credits
Photos by Lee Stanley Make up by Santeria Johnson
