An Inspired Chat with Shannon Pruitt

We recently had the chance to connect with Shannon Pruitt and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Shannon, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
It starts early… like REALLY early. Most days I’m up by 4:15 am because my daughter’s in preschool, and I don’t work when she’s home. That means I have to get up early to get something done. I tiptoe to the kitchen, drink a full glass of water while the coffee brews, then head straight to my office. I light a candle and my laptop is open by 4:30 am. That’s when I get my deep work in…usually client work (brand strategy, branding, web design, messaging frameworks, client decks). And by 6:30 am, I’m getting ready for the day (I can do hair, makeup, and get dressed in 15 minutes… it’s a mom superpower at this point). My daughter is up by 6:45 am, and from there, it’s school drop-off and back to work for 2 hours.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Shannon Pruitt… designer, strategist, and founder of Sunday Muse. I help small business owners build brands that don’t just look good but actually make sense—brands that grow with you instead of boxing you in. Around here, strategy comes first, always. Because I’ve seen too many brilliant founders spend thousands on “pretty” branding that doesn’t actually move the needle.

I started Sunday Muse after closing my wedding planning business. I still wanted to work for myself and help people, but in a way that made more sense for my life and skill set. After years of watching talented business owners miss out on $5K+ bookings because their websites, branding, and copy didn’t reflect how good they really were, I knew I could help. That turned into Sunday Muse: a studio focused on strategic branding, messaging, and web design that works as hard as you do.

Before this, I spent over a decade in the wedding industry and another 13 years as a writing teacher, which is probably why my approach is so rooted in storytelling, emotional clarity, and making sure your message actually lands.

Today, I work with founders who want to slow down, get clear, and build something that supports their life instead of consuming it.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I’d always been a high-achiever, all-in kind of person—the kind who answered emails at 11 pm and thought rest was something you earned after burnout. But becoming a parent cracked that wide open. Suddenly, my time wasn’t just mine anymore. My energy had to be rationed. And the version of success I’d been chasing stopped making sense.

That moment reshaped how I view work, ambition, and the kind of legacy I want to build. It’s the reason I’m so adamant about designing brands that support real life, not steal from it. Business should feel expansive, not all-consuming. That’s the bar now.

Is there something you miss that no one else knows about?
I miss being near the ocean. I lived in South Florida for a while and still think about those beach days, the salty air, the way everything felt a little slower by the water. The area I lived in has changed a lot since then, but I could absolutely see myself landing on the Carolina coast someday.

I also used to visit Costa Rica almost every year when I was a teacher. I took high school students on trips there, and it quickly became one of my favorite places. I even almost moved there once. There’s a depth and intentionality to life in Costa Rica that’s always stuck with me. Between that and my time living near the beach, I think I’m just always chasing places that help me slow down and reconnect.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
By asking: is this helping people make better decisions?

If a new trend just adds noise, confusion, or more “stuff” to do, it’s probably a fad. But if it actually clarifies the way people choose, connect, or move forward in business, it’s probably a shift worth paying attention to.

Foundational shifts tend to be quiet at first. They solve deeper problems. They often look boring to the outside world—until you realize they’re the reason someone’s business is running smoother, selling faster, or feeling easier. That’s the kind of change I care about. I don’t care about chasing fads or trends.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
That I helped them feel more like themselves.

That I created things that were honest, useful, and beautiful, but never just for show. That I asked good questions, listened well, and made things simpler when they felt hard.

And maybe that I made them laugh or cry a little bit, too. In a good way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sundaymusedesign.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/sundaymusedesign
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonroyalpruitt/