Shannon Russell shares her journey from being a TV producer for 16 years at MTV, VH1, and TLC to becoming a career transition and business coach who helps women create their second act success. She discusses transferring skills from a traditional job to entrepreneurship and the importance of mindset shifts when changing careers.
• Identifying transferable skills is crucial when pivoting careers
• Planning a strategic exit requires research and financial preparation
• The UMAP assessment helps identify values, strengths, and skills for career alignment
• Creating a career story that shows the thread between experience and future goals helps with positioning
• Dedicate 15 minutes weekly to researching your ideas and studying others already in your desired field
• Keep your dreams close while in research mode to avoid discouragement from others
• Research equals confidence when making a transition
Connect with Shannon:
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Shannon (00:00):
I do often say, like, think about what it is that you
might want to do.
That's different.
Why do you want to do it?
Alyssa (00:06):
And research Welcome to Brilliant Ideas, the podcast
that takes you behind the scenesof some of the most inspiring
digital products created bysolopreneurs just like you.
I'm your host, alyssa, adigital product strategist who
helps subject matter expertsgrow their business with online
courses, memberships, coachingprograms and eBooks.
If you're a solopreneur withdreams of packaging your
(00:28):
expertise into a profitabledigital product, then this is
the podcast for you.
Expect honest conversations ofhow they started, the obstacles
they overcame, lessons learnedthe hard way and who face the
same fears, doubts andchallenges you're experiencing,
from unexpected surprises tobreakthrough moments and
everything in between.
Tune in, get inspired and let'sspark your next big, brilliant
(00:48):
idea.
Hello and welcome back to theBrilliant Ideas Podcast.
I'm your host, elisabel Serio,and my guest, shannon Russell,
is here today to talk about herjourney as a TV producer for 16
years for MTV, vh1, and TLC to acareer transition and business
coach where she helps womenditch the nine-to-five and
create their own second actsuccess.
If you ever thought I need tochange, but where do I start,
(01:11):
this episode is for you.
Let's dive in.
Welcome to the show, shannon.
I'm so excited you're here.
Shannon (01:20):
Thank you so much for having me.
Alyssa (01:21):
I'm excited for the conversation.
Of course, I've read about yourstory extensively and one thing
that I found interesting wasyour pivot from your TV producer
role to becoming a businessowner.
Now, typically what I know iswhen you're working in a role
for so long, you know the insand outs of what you're doing,
You've mastered the skills youcan do really the job in your
(01:41):
sleep and for a lot of peoplethere's a certain level of
confidence and also comfort thatcomes with that.
But when you step outside orinto your own business, suddenly
you're not just responsible forone area of expertise, you're
in charge of everything themarketing, the sales, the
systems, the decision-making.
It kind of all falls on you andthat shift can feel equal parts
exciting but also scary.
(02:03):
So I'd love to hear yourperspective, Like what was the
hardest part about going frombeing a TV producer to becoming
a business owner?
Shannon (02:13):
in a completely different field.
Yeah, you're right, it wasintimidating and scary, but I
think the hardest part wastrying to figure out what else I
could do with those skills,because we all have skills and
experience.
But it's really we're so siloedinto thinking that this is all
we can do.
And it's once you startthinking, oh, I think I can
transfer those skills into thisand be successful.
(02:35):
So I think that was the hardestpart is me thinking that that
very niche entertainmentindustry role could be utilized
anywhere else.
And once I started shifting mymindset to say, no, I've, you
know, worked with marketing,I've written scripts, I've hired
teams, all of those things canbe used in a business.
And then I started getting alittle bit more confident,
(02:57):
saying, yeah, I think I canproduce this business, like I
produced that show.
And then it kind of went onfrom there for me to just figure
it out.
It's still scary and still alot of the unknown, but I think
it's that mindset shift ofsaying no, I really can transfer
those skills and utilize themin a different way and I'm now
(03:19):
bringing all that experiencewith me and that is something to
be proud of.
Alyssa (03:25):
I love that and such an interesting take as well.
Like, I feel like thattransition is, as you said, like
a mindset shift and you know,for 16 years you were saying you
know, I'm sure at some pointthe way that you thought about
your work, how you definesuccess, even kind of your
identity overlapped with work ina way, because it was your life
for such a long time and I feellike for some people who are
(03:47):
leaving what they know and intosomething different, is scary.
But I also think that when youdo switch, I feel like if you're
just playing it safe, itdoesn't give you what you really
want, which is essentially youwant.
The reason that you're leavingyour corporate job is to have
more freedom and have more timewith your kids.
And so this really leads me tomy next question about exit
(04:11):
strategies.
You talk about this in yourpodcast, second Act, success,
and I was listening to it I wasI was think it was number 182.
And you mentioned things liketiming.
You mentioned being financiallyprepared.
Can you share some of the keysteps?
So, as they're thinking aboutokay, I have all this experience
(04:31):
, I have done all these thingsfor the past how many decades?
What can I do now.
So where do they start toprepare and plan for all this to
happen?
Shannon (04:46):
Yeah, this is the most important part too, because you
don't.
I think there's a lot of gurusout there that'll say, put that
date on the calendar and say Iquit and just figure it out.
And I'm not that person.
I think you, I want you to besuccessful by planning it and
researching it and feeling thatconfidence so that you're not
wreaking havoc and chaos in yourlife and, you know, causing
(05:07):
your family trauma by makingthis change.
So I do often say, like, thinkabout what it is that you might
want to do.
That's different.
Why do you want to do it?
And research it, and research?
Because a lot of times the grasslooks greener and it's not
until we really research whatthe day-to-day and that role
looks like, that we can say, oh,maybe that's not really for me
(05:28):
after all, because I've learnedmore about it.
Or you can find something thatyou're like yep, that's what's
going to fulfill me.
I feel like I'm going to bestrong in that role, let me take
it on.
And then, once you feelconfident, you can look at
things like your finances andyou can say, oh, maybe I do have
to stay in this role and earn Xamount more before I make that
(05:48):
pivot Because a reminder is youknow, for entrepreneurs or want
to be entrepreneurs like usuallyit's the first year or two that
you start a business.
You're not making money thatyou're bringing in, you're
investing whatever you do makeback into the business.
So you wanna have that cushionset.
And so for me and my clients Ireally say let's look at
(06:09):
finances, let's look at what itis you wanna do, and then we'll
look at the calendar and maybeit's six months from now and
we'll pick that date.
But then we'll reverse engineerand kind of see what you can do
while you're still working andearning that paycheck to prepare
you, because the more confidentyou are, the more confident you
can step out and tell otherpeople about your change and
(06:30):
really be successful.
Alyssa (06:33):
That's a great point, and do you find that it's custom
for every client that you workwith?
Where do you have like a modelthat you go by, or is it mostly
just um custom, for it'sdifferent?
It looks different on everybody.
Their exit strategies lookdifferent based on where they're
working and their experienceand all those things yeah it's.
Shannon (06:53):
It's really different for everyone.
I have some clients that haveabsolutely no idea what they
want to do.
So we really have to break itdown and narrow into that.
You know that one thing becauseyou don they want to do.
So we really have to break itdown and narrow into that one
thing, because you don't want toleap into something and find
yourself in the same position.
And then there's other clientswho have launched a business but
they don't know what to do nextand they don't know how to
scale it and they're trying tofigure out this really isn't
(07:16):
working.
How can we fix it and how canwe bring in other revenue
streams?
So it's really working witheach person individually to
figure out what their needs areand to look at the timeline and
kind of make that roadmap fromthere.
And I'm certified in UMAP, so Iuse that with my clients, your
(07:42):
values, your strengths and yourskills, so that you can have
that in front of you when anopportunity comes along and you
can kind of say, oh, that'sreally not aligning with what I
want and what's on my UMAP.
So it's just this nice profilethat you get.
That kind of keeps you headingin the right direction.
Alyssa (07:55):
Okay, and so with the UMAP assessment, does that
change?
Like after like six or 12months?
Do they have to take it again?
Shannon (08:06):
No, actually no, Unless you feel like your values or
your strengths have changed oryou've up-leveled in some way.
It really is just that roadmap.
You know, for example, ifyou're an accountant and you're
trying to switch into a business, maybe you're really good at
numbers, but maybe you justdon't want to work with numbers
anymore.
So it keeps you on that line ofsaying you know what, if I'm
making this leap, I want it to,you know, check all the boxes
and make sure that it is exactlywhat I want, because you can be
(08:32):
a little choosy when you'restarting a second act, and so,
yeah, it just kind of leads youin that right direction.
Alyssa (08:37):
That's.
That's kind of perfect for you.
Wow, I wish I had that a fewyears ago.
You know, that sounds so good.
It's like it gives you apathway, at least some direction
, because I found also, like alot of my clients, they just
need that guidance at first,just some, a little bit of more
handholding to get to know where, exactly what the next step is
for themselves.
Because it is scary, I feel,like for myself, like when you
(08:59):
first start your business, youdo lose that safety net that
you've always known where thepaycheck was coming in.
Every two weeks you knew whatwas going on.
And suddenly you go into abusiness and you know, when
you're first starting, thechecks are not, or you know the
money is not consistent becauseyou're just starting out, and so
you have that roller coaster ofrevenue and then you think to
(09:21):
yourself is it me, is it mybusiness?
Is it?
What is it Like?
Why is this happening to me?
And it's not anyone's.
I feel like it's not anyone'sfault or it's not you or the
business itself.
It's just that it takes time toscale and grow.
And, um, it comes almost as ashock for some people when they
do see, like how long it takes,or you know, to do all the
(09:43):
things to make consistentrevenue.
So, yeah, like I, I totally canrelate, um, but for someone who
is, you know, there have allthese skills that they have
gained in their career and theywant to translate it all into
their business, now, obviously,some things like they're going
(10:04):
to have to learn as they go likethat's for every business owner
.
But I'd like to know, like,what is your advice for figuring
out where to start and then howto position themselves?
Like, if they do go into abrand new space, they have
skills that are, I mean,hopefully transferable, but how
(10:24):
would they position themselvesin a brand new space that maybe
they're not even totallyfamiliar with?
Shannon (10:29):
Well, I think you know the UMAP can help, but not only
that, like just looking at theskills and looking at what that
thread is from what you weredoing to what you want to do.
And I always try to have myclients write kind of a career
story of you know, okay, I didthis, now I want to do this.
What is that line?
That is, you know, commonthroughout both.
(10:52):
And then it actually helps youposition yourself as that
business owner when you'remarketing the business.
So for me, going fromtelevision to, say, coaching, I
was able, or actually I wentfrom television into owning a
franchise business and thencoaching.
So I was able to, whenpromoting my coaching business,
say I went from this to abusiness.
(11:15):
My business was service-based,it was a brick and mortar.
So I have experience in allthese different areas and now I
can teach other people how to dothat too.
So it's like that story leadingthroughout those different
stages.
And so if you're thinking aboutgoing from the classroom into,
say, teaching swimming lessonsto kids, for example, you're
(11:38):
still teaching in thesedifferent avenues of you know,
from the classroom to nowteaching through your own
business.
So finding that story, if youwill, will help you market and
then, as you're doing that, youcan start to say, okay, looking
back at the skills, these arethe things I'm really strong at,
that I can bring with me, andhere's what I'm not as strong at
(12:00):
and maybe I need to outsourcethose or hire people to help me
with those.
And here's what I'm not asstrong at and maybe I need to
outsource those or hire peopleto help me with those.
But it's really getting clearon what you bring to that
business and that in your rolethat you're playing in the
business, and then seeing wherethose holes are and how you can
fill a team to help support you.
Alyssa (12:18):
That's a really great way to looking at it, because
it's not just about startingover.
You're not starting overbecause you bring a wealth of
experience, it's just in adifferent way.
Um, I feel like that a goodword with that would be like
reframing, like what you alreadyknow and then like using it a
new way, like I I mean formyself, like I struggled with
long, I struggled a long time tolike figure out, like I'm a
(12:38):
professor, like how does thatrelate to like coaching, and
it's like well, you're teaching,mentoring, it kind of all is in
the same category, and so I hadto stop thinking that they're
that they're siloed, likethey're different, they're it's
the same, it's similar and theyuse the same principles.
So I think that's just you know, reframing and having that
(13:02):
mindset shift that you do bringa lot to the table and it's not
just you're not starting fromthe absolute beginning, which is
such a relief for many, formany people.
Now I'm actually curious.
So I'm actually curious aboutwhat advice you have.
We do this segment calledBrilliant Bite of the Week, and
(13:23):
it's something where I asked myguests to share one quick,
actionable piece of wisdom thatour listeners can take and apply
to their own journey right away.
And so I'm curious if you haveany advice to someone who is
ready to step into their secondact and build a business.
To someone who is ready to stepinto their second act and build
a business, what would you sayto that person, or what
strategies can you give to themto kind of spark some ideas that
(13:46):
they have?
Shannon (13:48):
I love this.
I would say give yourself 15minutes on your calendar, maybe
once a week, maybe daily, if youcan afford it, but 15 minutes
over your lunch break, beforebed, whenever it is, and take
down your ideas even if it'sthree ideas, two ideas that
you're thinking about and spendthose 15 minutes researching.
(14:09):
Just go on to LinkedIn, findsomeone who's already running a
business that's similar orsomeone who's in that role that
you're thinking about, and juststudy them.
Study what they're posting,what they're sharing.
If it's a website for abusiness that already exists,
what is the pricing?
What are their customers sayingas reviews?
So do that research to kind ofget a better idea of what that
(14:32):
day-to-day looks like and, evenbetter, schedule a call with
that owner.
I tell clients sometimes ifthey're thinking about, say,
opening a boutique, clothingstore or a gym or some kind of a
brick and mortar, if they canfind one that's maybe outside of
their state, not in competition, but they can reach out to the
owner and say you know, I foundyour business, I'm really
(14:55):
impressed.
I would love to chat with youfor five minutes and just ask
you some questions, because I'mthinking of opening a similar
business.
A lot of owners will take thatas a compliment and want to
share, especially if it's not inthe competitive space.
But really that research, thattime you take to give to
yourself to study what you'rethinking about moving into, is
(15:16):
so valuable and we don't oftengive ourselves that time.
But then you'll learn more.
You'll learn what you do wantout of that, you'll learn what
you don't and then you canreally be confident.
And my other thing, real quick,is to keep your thoughts to
yourself.
I often say like hold yourdreams close to the vest while
(15:36):
you're in this research mode,because the last thing you want
is to tell everyone what you'rethinking and having other people
who are not so risk averse, youknow, or people who are risk
averse to just say, oh, I don'tknow if you should do that, why
don't you stay in the safe laneand keep going?
You just don't want people'sopinions getting in your head
while you're figuring it out anddoing your research.
Alyssa (15:59):
Those are really great, I feel like.
I feel like that's such anactionable tool that they can
implement right away.
They can do tonight and juststart Now.
My question is how long now?
I'm thinking in my mind.
In my mind there's like a phase, like there's you start with
the research, then you go to thenext stage.
So is this for people who arejust thinking of like they're
(16:22):
still working in their corporatejob and they're just thinking
of what possibilities?
Is this like phase one, andthen there's like they go
through phases.
So is there like a certaintimeline that they have to do
research for?
Is it kind of just likewhenever they want, type of
thing?
Shannon (16:37):
It's really individual and, like when I work with
clients, it'll be eight weeks,six months or longer, depending
on what their timeline is, andso it's not a rush.
You definitely don't want torush into a big change like this
, so sometimes I'll have clientswho come and have no joke like
10 different ideas.
So obviously it's going to taketime to whittle those down, and
(16:58):
then eventually you get down tothat one that really feels
right and you've done yourresearch and you've looked into
the cost of starting it and howlong until you'll be profitable,
and then you can do the nextstep or you can figure out okay,
now I feel confident, I'm readyto look at my finances, make
sure I have enough money saved.
Okay, I'm ready to give my twoweeks, I'm ready to do this and
(17:19):
do that.
And then there's other peoplewho might know right off the bat
what they want to do, but theirfinances aren't set or they're
a little bit more timid, and sowe say, okay, well, let's take
three months, let's make yourlogo, let's start the website,
let's get some things going,start the LLC, whatever it is
that you can do while you'restill working, that at least
you're checking a few things offof your list and you're feeling
(17:41):
like there's momentum happening.
So, yeah, I feel like the firststage, if there's phases, is
really that research piece,because you want to know what
you're working towards and thatcan take some time.
So, yeah, it really justdepends on where you are and how
urgent it is for you to move.
If you're obviously in a reallytoxic job and you need to move
(18:02):
out sooner than later, then wespeed that up.
But I think that's the mostimportant piece, because
research equals confidence.
Alyssa (18:10):
For sure.
And then, at what point do theydo the UMAP assessment?
Shannon (18:14):
Well, usually when you start working with me, we do the
UMAP right away.
That's actually the first thingwe do.
So we do the UMAP, we have ourdebrief about what it actually
says and then we get into likegoal setting and really starting
from there.
So yeah, that is actually thefirst thing.
And then I do work with clientswho just come in and they just
want the UMAP and we'll do theUMAP and what comes with that is
like three 60-minute coachingcalls where we debrief
(18:37):
everything and then they can gotake it and run on their own.
Alyssa (18:46):
So that's another option as well.
Oh, that's awesome.
Shannon (18:47):
I'm even curious about the UMAP.
I'm going to go check that out.
It's really fun.
I've done it for my son, myhusband yeah, I really.
It makes you look at peopledifferently, whether it's in
relationships or at work.
It's really great for leaderswho want to know more about
their team members.
Yeah, it's a fun tool.
Alyssa (19:01):
That's really cool, and I know there's a lot of
listeners right now who arethinking, well, I'm ready, I'm
ready to take that next step.
You know whether it's, you know, finally quitting their job or
starting their own business orkind of just figuring out like
what their next move looks like.
So this has this has reallybeen a really fun and inspiring
chat.
So how can people connect withyou?
Shannon (19:20):
You can well.
I have a book coming out andit's called Start your Second
Act, so that I'm really excitedabout because it's a way to
learn my strategies and learnmore about the things that I
coach and teach in book form.
So that's a great way you cango to startyoursecondactcom and
there's a free resource thereand you can get on the list for
when the book's available in may, um, and then you can also link
(19:42):
to my regular website, which issecond act, successco, and
there's my podcast and blogs andfree resources there as well
well.
Alyssa (19:50):
Thank you, shannon, for those resources.
I will be sure to link them inthe show notes, so please check
her out and check out the bookthat's coming out in May.
That's so exciting.
And, of course, if you lovethis episode, hit that follow
button so you don't miss outwhat's coming next.
Thank you so much for hangingout with us today and I will
catch you next time.
Thank you so much, shannon, forcoming on the show today.
(20:12):
Thank you, alyssa.
This is so fun.
I know it's great.
I love this chat and I lovetalking about all things
building your own business, soit's been great For everybody
else who's listening.
I will catch you next time onanother brilliant idea.
Thanks for tuning in to thisepisode of Brilliant Ideas.
If you love the show, be sureto leave a review and follow me
(20:33):
on Instagram for even moreinsider tips and inspiration.
Ready to bring your next big,brilliant idea to life?
Visit AlyssaVsrcom forresources, guidance and
everything you need to startcreating something amazing.
I do often say, like, think about what it is that you
might want to do.
That's different.
Why do you want to do it?
Alyssa (00:06):
And research Welcome to Brilliant Ideas, the podcast
that takes you behind the scenesof some of the most inspiring
digital products created bysolopreneurs just like you.
I'm your host, alyssa, adigital product strategist who
helps subject matter expertsgrow their business with online
courses, memberships, coachingprograms and eBooks.
If you're a solopreneur withdreams of packaging your
(00:28):
expertise into a profitabledigital product, then this is
the podcast for you.
Expect honest conversations ofhow they started, the obstacles
they overcame, lessons learnedthe hard way and who face the
same fears, doubts andchallenges you're experiencing,
from unexpected surprises tobreakthrough moments and
everything in between.
Tune in, get inspired and let'sspark your next big, brilliant
(00:48):
idea.
Hello and welcome back to theBrilliant Ideas Podcast.
I'm your host, elisabel Serio,and my guest, shannon Russell,
is here today to talk about herjourney as a TV producer for 16
years for MTV, vh1, and TLC to acareer transition and business
coach where she helps womenditch the nine-to-five and
create their own second actsuccess.
If you ever thought I need tochange, but where do I start,
(01:11):
this episode is for you.
Let's dive in.
Welcome to the show, shannon.
I'm so excited you're here.
Shannon (01:20):
Thank you so much for having me.
Alyssa (01:21):
I'm excited for the conversation.
Of course, I've read about yourstory extensively and one thing
that I found interesting wasyour pivot from your TV producer
role to becoming a businessowner.
Now, typically what I know iswhen you're working in a role
for so long, you know the insand outs of what you're doing,
You've mastered the skills youcan do really the job in your
(01:41):
sleep and for a lot of peoplethere's a certain level of
confidence and also comfort thatcomes with that.
But when you step outside orinto your own business, suddenly
you're not just responsible forone area of expertise, you're
in charge of everything themarketing, the sales, the
systems, the decision-making.
It kind of all falls on you andthat shift can feel equal parts
exciting but also scary.
(02:03):
So I'd love to hear yourperspective, Like what was the
hardest part about going frombeing a TV producer to becoming
a business owner?
Shannon (02:13):
in a completely different field.
Yeah, you're right, it wasintimidating and scary, but I
think the hardest part wastrying to figure out what else I
could do with those skills,because we all have skills and
experience.
But it's really we're so siloedinto thinking that this is all
we can do.
And it's once you startthinking, oh, I think I can
transfer those skills into thisand be successful.
(02:35):
So I think that was the hardestpart is me thinking that that
very niche entertainmentindustry role could be utilized
anywhere else.
And once I started shifting mymindset to say, no, I've, you
know, worked with marketing,I've written scripts, I've hired
teams, all of those things canbe used in a business.
And then I started getting alittle bit more confident,
(02:57):
saying, yeah, I think I canproduce this business, like I
produced that show.
And then it kind of went onfrom there for me to just figure
it out.
It's still scary and still alot of the unknown, but I think
it's that mindset shift ofsaying no, I really can transfer
those skills and utilize themin a different way and I'm now
(03:19):
bringing all that experiencewith me and that is something to
be proud of.
Alyssa (03:25):
I love that and such an interesting take as well.
Like, I feel like thattransition is, as you said, like
a mindset shift and you know,for 16 years you were saying you
know, I'm sure at some pointthe way that you thought about
your work, how you definesuccess, even kind of your
identity overlapped with work ina way, because it was your life
for such a long time and I feellike for some people who are
(03:47):
leaving what they know and intosomething different, is scary.
But I also think that when youdo switch, I feel like if you're
just playing it safe, itdoesn't give you what you really
want, which is essentially youwant.
The reason that you're leavingyour corporate job is to have
more freedom and have more timewith your kids.
And so this really leads me tomy next question about exit
(04:11):
strategies.
You talk about this in yourpodcast, second Act, success,
and I was listening to it I wasI was think it was number 182.
And you mentioned things liketiming.
You mentioned being financiallyprepared.
Can you share some of the keysteps?
So, as they're thinking aboutokay, I have all this experience
(04:31):
, I have done all these thingsfor the past how many decades?
What can I do now.
So where do they start toprepare and plan for all this to
happen?
Shannon (04:46):
Yeah, this is the most important part too, because you
don't.
I think there's a lot of gurusout there that'll say, put that
date on the calendar and say Iquit and just figure it out.
And I'm not that person.
I think you, I want you to besuccessful by planning it and
researching it and feeling thatconfidence so that you're not
wreaking havoc and chaos in yourlife and, you know, causing
(05:07):
your family trauma by makingthis change.
So I do often say, like, thinkabout what it is that you might
want to do.
That's different.
Why do you want to do it?
And research it, and research?
Because a lot of times the grasslooks greener and it's not
until we really research whatthe day-to-day and that role
looks like, that we can say, oh,maybe that's not really for me
(05:28):
after all, because I've learnedmore about it.
Or you can find something thatyou're like yep, that's what's
going to fulfill me.
I feel like I'm going to bestrong in that role, let me take
it on.
And then, once you feelconfident, you can look at
things like your finances andyou can say, oh, maybe I do have
to stay in this role and earn Xamount more before I make that
(05:48):
pivot Because a reminder is youknow, for entrepreneurs or want
to be entrepreneurs like usuallyit's the first year or two that
you start a business.
You're not making money thatyou're bringing in, you're
investing whatever you do makeback into the business.
So you wanna have that cushionset.
And so for me and my clients Ireally say let's look at
(06:09):
finances, let's look at what itis you wanna do, and then we'll
look at the calendar and maybeit's six months from now and
we'll pick that date.
But then we'll reverse engineerand kind of see what you can do
while you're still working andearning that paycheck to prepare
you, because the more confidentyou are, the more confident you
can step out and tell otherpeople about your change and
(06:30):
really be successful.
Alyssa (06:33):
That's a great point, and do you find that it's custom
for every client that you workwith?
Where do you have like a modelthat you go by, or is it mostly
just um custom, for it'sdifferent?
It looks different on everybody.
Their exit strategies lookdifferent based on where they're
working and their experienceand all those things yeah it's.
Shannon (06:53):
It's really different for everyone.
I have some clients that haveabsolutely no idea what they
want to do.
So we really have to break itdown and narrow into that.
You know that one thing becauseyou don they want to do.
So we really have to break itdown and narrow into that one
thing, because you don't want toleap into something and find
yourself in the same position.
And then there's other clientswho have launched a business but
they don't know what to do nextand they don't know how to
scale it and they're trying tofigure out this really isn't
(07:16):
working.
How can we fix it and how canwe bring in other revenue
streams?
So it's really working witheach person individually to
figure out what their needs areand to look at the timeline and
kind of make that roadmap fromthere.
And I'm certified in UMAP, so Iuse that with my clients, your
(07:42):
values, your strengths and yourskills, so that you can have
that in front of you when anopportunity comes along and you
can kind of say, oh, that'sreally not aligning with what I
want and what's on my UMAP.
So it's just this nice profilethat you get.
That kind of keeps you headingin the right direction.
Alyssa (07:55):
Okay, and so with the UMAP assessment, does that
change?
Like after like six or 12months?
Do they have to take it again?
Shannon (08:06):
No, actually no, Unless you feel like your values or
your strengths have changed oryou've up-leveled in some way.
It really is just that roadmap.
You know, for example, ifyou're an accountant and you're
trying to switch into a business, maybe you're really good at
numbers, but maybe you justdon't want to work with numbers
anymore.
So it keeps you on that line ofsaying you know what, if I'm
making this leap, I want it to,you know, check all the boxes
and make sure that it is exactlywhat I want, because you can be
(08:32):
a little choosy when you'restarting a second act, and so,
yeah, it just kind of leads youin that right direction.
Alyssa (08:37):
That's.
That's kind of perfect for you.
Wow, I wish I had that a fewyears ago.
You know, that sounds so good.
It's like it gives you apathway, at least some direction
, because I found also, like alot of my clients, they just
need that guidance at first,just some, a little bit of more
handholding to get to know where, exactly what the next step is
for themselves.
Because it is scary, I feel,like for myself, like when you
(08:59):
first start your business, youdo lose that safety net that
you've always known where thepaycheck was coming in.
Every two weeks you knew whatwas going on.
And suddenly you go into abusiness and you know, when
you're first starting, thechecks are not, or you know the
money is not consistent becauseyou're just starting out, and so
you have that roller coaster ofrevenue and then you think to
(09:21):
yourself is it me, is it mybusiness?
Is it?
What is it Like?
Why is this happening to me?
And it's not anyone's.
I feel like it's not anyone'sfault or it's not you or the
business itself.
It's just that it takes time toscale and grow.
And, um, it comes almost as ashock for some people when they
do see, like how long it takes,or you know, to do all the
(09:43):
things to make consistentrevenue.
So, yeah, like I, I totally canrelate, um, but for someone who
is, you know, there have allthese skills that they have
gained in their career and theywant to translate it all into
their business, now, obviously,some things like they're going
(10:04):
to have to learn as they go likethat's for every business owner
.
But I'd like to know, like,what is your advice for figuring
out where to start and then howto position themselves?
Like, if they do go into abrand new space, they have
skills that are, I mean,hopefully transferable, but how
(10:24):
would they position themselvesin a brand new space that maybe
they're not even totallyfamiliar with?
Shannon (10:29):
Well, I think you know the UMAP can help, but not only
that, like just looking at theskills and looking at what that
thread is from what you weredoing to what you want to do.
And I always try to have myclients write kind of a career
story of you know, okay, I didthis, now I want to do this.
What is that line?
That is, you know, commonthroughout both.
(10:52):
And then it actually helps youposition yourself as that
business owner when you'remarketing the business.
So for me, going fromtelevision to, say, coaching, I
was able, or actually I wentfrom television into owning a
franchise business and thencoaching.
So I was able to, whenpromoting my coaching business,
say I went from this to abusiness.
(11:15):
My business was service-based,it was a brick and mortar.
So I have experience in allthese different areas and now I
can teach other people how to dothat too.
So it's like that story leadingthroughout those different
stages.
And so if you're thinking aboutgoing from the classroom into,
say, teaching swimming lessonsto kids, for example, you're
(11:38):
still teaching in thesedifferent avenues of you know,
from the classroom to nowteaching through your own
business.
So finding that story, if youwill, will help you market and
then, as you're doing that, youcan start to say, okay, looking
back at the skills, these arethe things I'm really strong at,
that I can bring with me, andhere's what I'm not as strong at
(12:00):
and maybe I need to outsourcethose or hire people to help me
with those.
And here's what I'm not asstrong at and maybe I need to
outsource those or hire peopleto help me with those.
But it's really getting clearon what you bring to that
business and that in your rolethat you're playing in the
business, and then seeing wherethose holes are and how you can
fill a team to help support you.
Alyssa (12:18):
That's a really great way to looking at it, because
it's not just about startingover.
You're not starting overbecause you bring a wealth of
experience, it's just in adifferent way.
Um, I feel like that a goodword with that would be like
reframing, like what you alreadyknow and then like using it a
new way, like I I mean formyself, like I struggled with
long, I struggled a long time tolike figure out, like I'm a
(12:38):
professor, like how does thatrelate to like coaching, and
it's like well, you're teaching,mentoring, it kind of all is in
the same category, and so I hadto stop thinking that they're
that they're siloed, likethey're different, they're it's
the same, it's similar and theyuse the same principles.
So I think that's just you know, reframing and having that
(13:02):
mindset shift that you do bringa lot to the table and it's not
just you're not starting fromthe absolute beginning, which is
such a relief for many, formany people.
Now I'm actually curious.
So I'm actually curious aboutwhat advice you have.
We do this segment calledBrilliant Bite of the Week, and
(13:23):
it's something where I asked myguests to share one quick,
actionable piece of wisdom thatour listeners can take and apply
to their own journey right away.
And so I'm curious if you haveany advice to someone who is
ready to step into their secondact and build a business.
To someone who is ready to stepinto their second act and build
a business, what would you sayto that person, or what
strategies can you give to themto kind of spark some ideas that
(13:46):
they have?
Shannon (13:48):
I love this.
I would say give yourself 15minutes on your calendar, maybe
once a week, maybe daily, if youcan afford it, but 15 minutes
over your lunch break, beforebed, whenever it is, and take
down your ideas even if it'sthree ideas, two ideas that
you're thinking about and spendthose 15 minutes researching.
(14:09):
Just go on to LinkedIn, findsomeone who's already running a
business that's similar orsomeone who's in that role that
you're thinking about, and juststudy them.
Study what they're posting,what they're sharing.
If it's a website for abusiness that already exists,
what is the pricing?
What are their customers sayingas reviews?
So do that research to kind ofget a better idea of what that
(14:32):
day-to-day looks like and, evenbetter, schedule a call with
that owner.
I tell clients sometimes ifthey're thinking about, say,
opening a boutique, clothingstore or a gym or some kind of a
brick and mortar, if they canfind one that's maybe outside of
their state, not in competition, but they can reach out to the
owner and say you know, I foundyour business, I'm really
(14:55):
impressed.
I would love to chat with youfor five minutes and just ask
you some questions, because I'mthinking of opening a similar
business.
A lot of owners will take thatas a compliment and want to
share, especially if it's not inthe competitive space.
But really that research, thattime you take to give to
yourself to study what you'rethinking about moving into, is
(15:16):
so valuable and we don't oftengive ourselves that time.
But then you'll learn more.
You'll learn what you do wantout of that, you'll learn what
you don't and then you canreally be confident.
And my other thing, real quick,is to keep your thoughts to
yourself.
I often say like hold yourdreams close to the vest while
(15:36):
you're in this research mode,because the last thing you want
is to tell everyone what you'rethinking and having other people
who are not so risk averse, youknow, or people who are risk
averse to just say, oh, I don'tknow if you should do that, why
don't you stay in the safe laneand keep going?
You just don't want people'sopinions getting in your head
while you're figuring it out anddoing your research.
Alyssa (15:59):
Those are really great, I feel like.
I feel like that's such anactionable tool that they can
implement right away.
They can do tonight and juststart Now.
My question is how long now?
I'm thinking in my mind.
In my mind there's like a phase, like there's you start with
the research, then you go to thenext stage.
So is this for people who arejust thinking of like they're
(16:22):
still working in their corporatejob and they're just thinking
of what possibilities?
Is this like phase one, andthen there's like they go
through phases.
So is there like a certaintimeline that they have to do
research for?
Is it kind of just likewhenever they want, type of
thing?
Shannon (16:37):
It's really individual and, like when I work with
clients, it'll be eight weeks,six months or longer, depending
on what their timeline is, andso it's not a rush.
You definitely don't want torush into a big change like this
, so sometimes I'll have clientswho come and have no joke like
10 different ideas.
So obviously it's going to taketime to whittle those down, and
(16:58):
then eventually you get down tothat one that really feels
right and you've done yourresearch and you've looked into
the cost of starting it and howlong until you'll be profitable,
and then you can do the nextstep or you can figure out okay,
now I feel confident, I'm readyto look at my finances, make
sure I have enough money saved.
Okay, I'm ready to give my twoweeks, I'm ready to do this and
(17:19):
do that.
And then there's other peoplewho might know right off the bat
what they want to do, but theirfinances aren't set or they're
a little bit more timid, and sowe say, okay, well, let's take
three months, let's make yourlogo, let's start the website,
let's get some things going,start the LLC, whatever it is
that you can do while you'restill working, that at least
you're checking a few things offof your list and you're feeling
(17:41):
like there's momentum happening.
So, yeah, I feel like the firststage, if there's phases, is
really that research piece,because you want to know what
you're working towards and thatcan take some time.
So, yeah, it really justdepends on where you are and how
urgent it is for you to move.
If you're obviously in a reallytoxic job and you need to move
(18:02):
out sooner than later, then wespeed that up.
But I think that's the mostimportant piece, because
research equals confidence.
Alyssa (18:10):
For sure.
And then, at what point do theydo the UMAP assessment?
Shannon (18:14):
Well, usually when you start working with me, we do the
UMAP right away.
That's actually the first thingwe do.
So we do the UMAP, we have ourdebrief about what it actually
says and then we get into likegoal setting and really starting
from there.
So yeah, that is actually thefirst thing.
And then I do work with clientswho just come in and they just
want the UMAP and we'll do theUMAP and what comes with that is
like three 60-minute coachingcalls where we debrief
(18:37):
everything and then they can gotake it and run on their own.
Alyssa (18:46):
So that's another option as well.
Oh, that's awesome.
Shannon (18:47):
I'm even curious about the UMAP.
I'm going to go check that out.
It's really fun.
I've done it for my son, myhusband yeah, I really.
It makes you look at peopledifferently, whether it's in
relationships or at work.
It's really great for leaderswho want to know more about
their team members.
Yeah, it's a fun tool.
Alyssa (19:01):
That's really cool, and I know there's a lot of
listeners right now who arethinking, well, I'm ready, I'm
ready to take that next step.
You know whether it's, you know, finally quitting their job or
starting their own business orkind of just figuring out like
what their next move looks like.
So this has this has reallybeen a really fun and inspiring
chat.
So how can people connect withyou?
Shannon (19:20):
You can well.
I have a book coming out andit's called Start your Second
Act, so that I'm really excitedabout because it's a way to
learn my strategies and learnmore about the things that I
coach and teach in book form.
So that's a great way you cango to startyoursecondactcom and
there's a free resource thereand you can get on the list for
when the book's available in may, um, and then you can also link
(19:42):
to my regular website, which issecond act, successco, and
there's my podcast and blogs andfree resources there as well
well.
Alyssa (19:50):
Thank you, shannon, for those resources.
I will be sure to link them inthe show notes, so please check
her out and check out the bookthat's coming out in May.
That's so exciting.
And, of course, if you lovethis episode, hit that follow
button so you don't miss outwhat's coming next.
Thank you so much for hangingout with us today and I will
catch you next time.
Thank you so much, shannon, forcoming on the show today.
(20:12):
Thank you, alyssa.
This is so fun.
I know it's great.
I love this chat and I lovetalking about all things
building your own business, soit's been great For everybody
else who's listening.
I will catch you next time onanother brilliant idea.
Thanks for tuning in to thisepisode of Brilliant Ideas.
If you love the show, be sureto leave a review and follow me
(20:33):
on Instagram for even moreinsider tips and inspiration.
Ready to bring your next big,brilliant idea to life?
Visit AlyssaVsrcom forresources, guidance and
everything you need to startcreating something amazing.
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