Welcome to Milestone Moments, the show where
we explore the journeys that lead to success.
I'm Sheila Slick, your host and founder of Five
Milestones. In every episode, we will bring you
insights from the minds of entrepreneurs, leaders
and experts who will share not just their expertise,
but the milestone moments that have reshaped
their journeys and led to significant achievements.
So if you're looking for motivation, you're in
the right place. Subscribe now and discover the
milestones that mark the path to success. Welcome
to another episode of Milestone Moments in Business
and Leadership. I'm Sheila Slick, your host,
and today my special guest is Shannon Russell.
Shannon is a career transition and business coach,
CEO of Second Act Success Coaching. She is also
the author of Start Your Second Act. How to Change
Careers, Launch a Business, and Create Your Best
Life. She's also the host of the Second Act Success
podcast. Shannon spent over 16 years as a television
producer before she decided to stop producing
shows for others and start producing her own
life. Welcome to the show, Shannon. Oh, Sheila,
thank you for having me. I'm looking forward
to this conversation. I love it too. Maybe it's
because I'm in my second act or like we mentioned
before, sometimes it's fifth act, right? I don't
know at what point you just stopped changing
versions. So let's start and tell me a little
bit about what was going through your mind. You
were, I mean, television producer sounds like
a really fun, neat job. And then you just decided
to stop producing shows. So what was that pivotal
moment or that thought that led you? to start
producing for you. Yeah. Yeah. I had wanted to
be a TV producer since I was five. It has been
a lifelong goal. I feel like everything in my
life led up to that. And so accomplishing it
was amazing and being in the midst of it. But
I had my first son. We were living in Los Angeles.
And I realized this is going to be really tricky
because my husband is a television producer as
well. And there's long hours and travel. So we
moved to the East Coast to be closer to my family
and have that support. And we were working in
Manhattan. And I was pregnant with my second
son. And the commute was so long, I realized,
how am I going to do this? I already missed my
first son's first birthday and Halloween. I was
missing so much and depending on others to do
bed, bath, dinner, all of that. And so there
was a moment I read about in my book where I
was supposed to go interview Taylor Swift and
we were getting ready to do it, but it meant
another night of not making it home in time.
And it was in that moment, game time decision.
And I said, you know what? You guys go without
me. I'm going to go pick up from daycare and
see my son. And I was pregnant, running through
the subway station. And it was in that moment
that I was like, you know what? This is just
not fun anymore. I've accomplished it. And I
don't want to do this with my second son. So
let's figure out what that second act looks like.
And that's kind of where everything started.
We have some similarities here, too. We have
some similarities we're going to touch base on.
When people think, oh, I'm going to, because
now you're starting that company from home and
you have two small children. So it's not easy
breezy because now you're having to wear not
just all the different hats of a company, but
you're also having a balanced motherhood at home.
So what advice would you have to someone, well,
in that second act? Because for me, it was about
15 years ago, maybe. Okay. Yeah, I think it's
never as simple as I'm going to leave this and
start that. So for me, there was probably a year
in between where I was floundering, figuring
it out, getting nine to five jobs, going for
a master's degree. I was just trying to see what
fit and entrepreneurship seemed to be the thing
that I felt like I can use my skills for and
control. And I really... looked at my why. And
that's what I would suggest to everyone who's
thinking about really making that second act,
whatever it is, work, is knowing your why and
having that be your anchor. And for me, it was
wanting to be present for my kids. So as I was
looking into businesses to start, I wanted a
business where I had that flexibility and I could
work out of my house and I could be there for
them. And so that's where I really started. making
sure that any decision, business decision that
I made went back to my why. And so I think that's
my biggest advice is saying, okay, when you're
starting over, you can start from a place where
you're a little bit more choosy. And you probably
know this too, right? Because you've been there
and done that. You know what you're good at,
what you want to continue doing. So make sure
that whatever you choose to venture into really
sits well with you and that you're able to use
everything from your past and take it in your
present and future. Were you producing videos?
Because I know now you're doing coaching and
you're helping others transition in their careers.
Was that first company producing more videos?
No, it wasn't at all. It was STEM education for
kids. So I opened a franchise called Snapology,
where we taught kids Lego building, coding, robotics,
all of that. But I could go into school. schools
and rec centers and libraries and teach. So I
was, for the first year or so, I was based out
of my home and getting those partnerships and
going in and teaching. And then I opened a brick
and mortar about a year, maybe 18 months into
the business. And then I had my brick and mortar
store where we would host birthday parties and
camps and all of that. But it was fantastic and
nothing like I used to do. It really stemmed
from my three -year -old at the time, just wanting
to create and build with his hands. And I loved
the idea of whatever you think in your head,
you can create in your hands. So I wanted to
really teach kids that aspect of STEM, which
I know you have a background in too. Well, that's
where we have something else in common. It sounds
like part of your drive led to education and
then incorporating your children and weaving
them in. At the same time. So when I learned
how to code, which I told you, my first apps,
they were all little fun games of things or homeworks
that my children would bring home. Like, Mommy,
I got to learn the multiplication tables. I mean,
how do you learn the multiplication tables? I
was a math teacher, too, a couple years. It's
pure memorization. It's practice, right? Practice
makes perfect in math. I think that's why I like
coding, because I really love math. But my daughter
didn't, but they'd love playing little games.
And so then I thought, well, why not make it
fun for them? And that way she can learn her
tables. And then when my youngest, he came home,
they're called the Dolch words. It's 40 sight
words that they have to memorize in order to
start, I guess, learning how to read. So I made
him a little train game with sounds and little
monkeys. You know, he got the words right. And
then we're Catholic, so when he did his first
communion, he had to learn the prayers. So I
actually hired someone to record, someone with
a beautiful voice, a singer, to record the songs
or to recite the prayers, but with beautiful
music in the back so it was something that they'd
want to listen to. And it's got graphics, and
that interactive iBook still lives. Wow. But
everything was fueled because, I don't know,
I guess I mixed motherhood with that. So the
fact that you did STEM, which now if we want
to talk about STEM, not many women go into STEM.
How do you feel about that? I think it's true.
I think it's changing. But I had experiences,
which I'm sure you have too, where there were
parents who would want to sign their kids up
for our classes and say, but I have a little
girl. Will she enjoy it? And that would bother
me so much because I'm like, of course, she can
think and build the same as anyone else. hope
that by having my business, it helped foster
that creativity in little girls. I have two boys,
but they love to build and create, and so do
their friends, boys or girls. So yeah, I feel
like it's starting to change, and I want it to.
I think me venturing into STEM was never anything
that I would have thought about, but I felt so
good helping other children and families in my
community. So I do hope it's changing. What are
your thoughts? That's how I felt. Yeah. My daughter,
she's actually doing STEM. She's earning a PhD.
Wow. Congrats. Well, and I thought science, you
think doctors and researchers, but she says that
it's still not. so to speak. So I don't have
data and statistics like maybe I had many years
ago with technology. I do see a lot of women
embracing AI or maybe I'm looking for women.
Yeah, I do too. With AI and with automation,
you know, working with the funnels and stuff
like that. So I do think that it will be, you
know, equal. In my case, many years ago, it wasn't
just, you know, being a woman. It was also being
a 36 -year -old woman with three children when,
you know, the apps had just come out and they'd
be like, what do you mean you program? And it
was self -taught because I didn't go to college.
I actually learned through, we didn't even have
like online courses like we do now where you
can join Coursera or Kajabi. This was Apple had
sent one of their employees to Stanford. And
because the class was so filled, they were live
streaming it with a little camera in there. So
it wasn't like I could do homework or reach out
to, you know, the professor. But if you join
the Apple developer program, those were the opportunities
that you had to learn, you know, hands on, which
was. It was very unique. That was about 15 years
ago, maybe, to be able to just, you know, even
utilize the Internet to learn. Good for you for
jumping. Take advantage of this because that's
amazing. Well, I was afraid of AI. Yeah. I was
like, you know, I've already learned. And AI
and machine learning, it's just. changing too
rapidly, but I got out of that comfort zone and
now I feel like a kid again. Because it's working
beautifully. It's not just working. And it got
me out of my own comfort zone. Good. So I encourage
that. And that's why I think I just, you know,
reading, I have a big connection with you. Now
I also see a butterfly in the cover of your book.
That's Start Your Second Act. Tell me about your
book. Yeah. So while I was running my franchise
business, I ran that for eight years. I sold
it successfully last year. And in the interim,
started a coaching business because a lot of
women would come. you know, bring their kids
to my classes and my center and say, oh, what
grade did you teach? And I would say, oh, no,
I was a television producer before this. So it
would spark these conversations of how did you
go from that to this? Can you help me? So naturally,
I just started helping other women start businesses.
And this past year, I decided I wanted to write
a book to reach women who aren't necessarily
working one on one with me or taking my courses,
but they can. grab this book as a resource to
really just inspire them, no matter what their
second act is, that they can, you know, kind
of have step -by -step, you know, roadmap to
kind of get to where they want to go and make
that change and not feel so alone. And I share
my story of career transition and a lot of my
clients and women from the podcast in the book.
Yeah, that was really just like such a passion
project of wanting to not only become a published
author, which is something I always wanted to
do, but really get, you know, these resources
out in the hands of other women who need them.
Another thing we haven't come in. Shannon, I
don't know. I think you're going to have to be
like a co -host or we may have to start a new
podcast. Seriously. Published my first book,
too. It's been on that bucket list. Yes. And
I look forward. to seeing, to reading yours.
So I love the butterfly. Thank you very much.
Yeah, I feel like it represents transition, right?
Which is really what it is when you're starting
something new. Yeah, going from that cocoon,
it's like the flower blooming, right? So it's
beautiful. So you sold the business, you're writing.
What other plans do you have? What's your next
milestone? Well, I'm speaking a lot more. I feel
like, like we said, and I know you know women
like this too, but just there's a lot of women
who feel that calling on their heart that they
would want to do something else or they're really
unhappy or as a mom, the career that they chose
at 20 doesn't fit anymore in midlife. And so,
but they are too afraid to step out of that.
cocoon, if you will, and start something. So
I want to speak on more stages and get the message
out there, giving permission to make that pivot,
you know, and and so I've been doing that a lot
more speaking. I have my podcast, of course,
but going around the country and speaking at
women's events and trying to get, you know, my
message out there along with my book. And then
funny thing I'd love to share with you, Sheila,
because I don't know. I had told you this, but
I have a corporate arm of my business where because
I worked with Lego and STEM education, I got
certified as a Lego serious play facilitator.
And so I work with corporations and organizations
and I go in and teach Lego to adults. And it's
all based on like using the Lego. We do team
building and strategic planning. And it's just
a really cool way of still bringing that STEM
into. offices and schools and hospitals and nonprofits
and working with adults. So I'm continuing that
as well. So I love that. And what you have that's
really unique, which before the conversation,
I said, you know, where we don't see eye to eyes
in the video and the producing, I struggle with
that creative side when it comes to social media,
creating graphics, right? I can read, I can write.
And so it seems like you have both. brains activated
your left and your right like your creativity
and then your stem side so that makes you yeah
I'm trying because the producer side of me was
all creative it was taking that idea for whatever
needed to be on the tv and coming up with all
the aspects so that type a brain but then also
having that creative side of writing the copy
and the scripts and doing that so I try to take
that into my business. Now, even when I'm helping
clients, I like to be able to say, okay, so what
is your vision? What's the practicality of it?
Let's go through, you know, finances, scaling,
all of that. And then the branding and then creative
side as well. So yeah, I try to use a little
bit of both, but you are much more math STEM
than I am for sure. Yes. No, I would probably
enjoy the Legos, right? Because then I see we're
building like. Back in my time, it was SimCity.
And I loved building the city. But then I was
going to get a bit too addicted. And I thought,
well, what am I going to do with this city, right?
I could do better things with my time. So the
thought of using play with Lego in your trainings
just sounds really fun. It is. And we always
say, like, you get those ideas. out into your
hands and build something. And then you're looking
at it and you feel that sense of pride. And also
your ideas are now visible to others on your
team. And so often there's always people who
sit quietly in the back of meetings and don't
share. And in LEGO Serious Play, we always say
100 % participation. So even the quiet, shy person
is building and sharing. And so their voice is
heard, which I think is important in any. Any
corporate office, any school, any team setting.
And not, you don't have to give specific age,
but are your children still in school? Are they
in college? They're still in school, yeah. I
have a 10 -year -old and a 13 -year -old. So
we're still in school elementary. Have you thought
about incorporating that into the youth program?
Well, I mean, I did with my franchise and then
I sold that. So I don't want to step on the new
owners in my community to do that. But I am working
with certain like Girl Scout and Boy Scout groups
that have come to me and said, you know, we want
to start working with our girls and boys scouts
to think about college and think about planning.
And really through a lot of what I do with Lego
Serious Play, I can work with them on kind of
visualizing the future in that sense. So, yeah,
I'm doing a lot of those kind of workshops for
the. Middle to high school. Love that. So where
can we find you online? Yeah, everything's at
secondactsuccess .co. And that's links to everything
we talked about, my social media handles and
everything. And I'm going to go ahead and put
your podcast below in the summary as well, so
that after you finish listening to this episode,
perhaps you click and go tune in to Second Acts
Success. I'd love that. Thank you so much. And
thank you for joining me today. And thank you
all for tuning in to another episode of Milestone
Moments in Business and Leadership. Until next
time.