March 4, 2025 • 24 mins
Have you ever sat in your car alone, contemplating your work life, new job, career change, or second act? Do you feel unfulfilled in your professional life? Do you want to start a business?
We dive deep into Shannon Russell’s journey from a television producer to a career coach, exploring how personal experiences influence professional choices. Topics include the power of reflection, assessment tools for career clarity, and the supportive community needed to embrace change.
• Shannon's transition journey from TV to career coaching
• The pivotal moment of reflection that sparked her career change
• Exploring the YouMAP assessment as a tool for clarity
• Balancing financial stability with the desire for fulfillment
• The importance of support and community in navigating career shifts
• Emphasizing the necessity of asking oneself "Am I happy?"
Contact Shannon Russell for personalized advice and guidance if you're seeking support during your career transition!
Second Act Career Success Podcast
Start Your Second Act, How to Change Careers, Launch a Business, and Create your Best Life by Shannon Russell. Book will launch May 7, 2025!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey Jeanette, hi Rachel.
Today we just had a greatinterview with Shannon Russell
from Second Act Success.
She is terrific at givingpeople advice on how to
transition to a new job or topick yourself out of the
doldrums.
She mentions being in your cara couple of times at once and I
(00:24):
just totally captured.
I was like, yes, I remembersitting in my car.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I was there this afternoon, this morning.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
I feel like being in your car.
This is for people that don'tlive in the city right being in
your car and being depressed.
Happens, and being depressedhappens.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yes, it absolutely happens, and maybe if you live
in a city and you're on thesubway, it doesn't happen as
much because you're surroundedby so many people, you don't
have really that personal space.
It's like you're in a littletime capsule in the car, so it
happens.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Career is such a huge part of people's lives and also
just dealing with it in lifeand trying to be happy and have
a good career, and I think she'sa great resource for people and
I think you're going to reallyenjoy this interview.
I did so enjoy.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Enjoy.
Welcome to Lost in Jersey,shannon.
Thank you, I'm so happy to behere with you guys.
Well, we're happy to have youand we have lots to talk about,
since we're all women who havemade pivots and just keep
continuing to add differentthings to our careers.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Let's tell everybody that you're a career second act
coach, correct?
Is that how you say when youintroduce yourself, Like what do
you do?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
You say that I usually say career transition
and business coach, because Ihelp women go from a career to
opening a business.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
And you yourself have done this successfully and
you've had a couple of acts fromwhat you know, us researching
what you've done and alsolistening to some of your
podcasts, which are fantastic bythe way I was going for a walk
listening and I was like theseare great interviews and also
you do solo, like your ownexperience tips as well, that
(02:10):
you give people about how theyshould transition before, what
they should think about beforethey do it and that.
So tell us a little bit aboutyou, your transition, because
you were in TV.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
I was yeah.
So I grew up in New Jersey andI wanted to be in Hollywood.
That was my dream from when Iwas a little girl, and I ended
up being a producer.
I worked in New York City andLos Angeles for about 16 years,
so I produced many differentkinds of television, and then I
moved back to New Jersey.
When I began having a family andthen, when I got to the point
(02:43):
where I was about to have mysecond son I had a
three-year-old and then, youknow, almost a newborn I
realized that I just couldn'thandle the hours.
The commute from Manhattan wasabout like two hours door to
door each way for where I livedown at the beach in New Jersey,
and it was just too much.
My husband is a producer aswell, so between our hours and
(03:03):
our travel I just realized youknow what I can?
Check the box on this.
I did it, I accomplished it.
Let's figure out what I can dofor my second act.
Then I realized I just didn'twant to worry about that long
commute with two little kids,and so I decided to figure out
what I would do next, and that'swhere the whole idea for a
second act came.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
I would do next, and that's where the whole idea for
a second act came.
Well, awesome, that's scary,because you did work for some
very high profile.
You know TV shows and how Imean you seem like you wouldn't
leave those kind of jobs.
But what was the?
Was it really just like family?
You're like I need to have moreconnection to the family.
It was.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
I think I was go go go for so long, such a high
paced career, loving everysecond of it.
I think I was go go go for solong, such a high-paced career,
loving every second of it.
I mean, there was nothing aboutit that I did not like.
All of my friends my husband,everyone was in the industry.
But when I was pregnant Ialways tell the story about I
was eight months pregnant,running through the Times Square
subway station trying to getthe bus back to the suburbs, and
(04:02):
I just had this breakdown, thisepiphany, this aha moment of I
don't want to do this anymore.
Yeah, like I guess theexcitement of meeting the
celebrities and doing all thecool stuff had kind of you know
it just washed away.
I had done it, been there, donethat, and I wanted to focus on
being a present mom, and so forme I was able to just kind of
(04:23):
check that box and say, ok, well, what's next?
And that's where everyonelooked at me like I was crazy
because it was a reallywell-paying, you know, fun,
exciting job.
But I looked at it like, ok,well, I can do something else
that's equally as fun, let mefigure out what it is, and then
be able to be there because Ihad missed my oldest son's first
birthday Halloween.
I was missing all these bigmilestones.
(04:44):
Miss my oldest son's firstbirthday Halloween.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
I was missing all these big milestones and he may
not remember, but I do, yeah.
Yeah, I mean so when you'resaying like I think that is such
a big moment in so manypeople's lives and will continue
to be, when you make a decisionlike that, like this career or
job isn't working for me anymoreit was, but now it isn't, and
I'd like to do something else,how did you start to figure out
(05:09):
what that something else wouldbe, and how long did that take
it?
Speaker 3 (05:13):
took a little bit over a year, and I did.
I always say I had somemissteps.
I took a local nine to five job, thinking that was a
responsible thing to do and itwas very toxic and it wasn't
creative and it just ate away atmy soul.
And then I decided, oh, let mego for my master's in education.
Maybe I'll be a teacher.
That's really, you know, steadyand stable.
(05:35):
Let me do that.
And I realized I don't want todo that either.
So I tried a bunch of things Ithought I should do.
And then I just started sittingin my car over lunch at that
awful nine to five job and I waslistening to podcasts and I
started realizing I'd listenedto a Marie Forleo podcast
another Jersey girl and I saidyou know what?
Something she said made merealize that I had experience
(05:57):
from my first act and I could.
If I produce these largeproductions, why not produce my
own life?
And I started realizing, likeyou know what, let me start a
business.
And so then the wheels startedgoing and I ended up buying into
and investing in a franchise asmy first business and I was
able to bring my kids.
It was a children's STEMeducation franchise, so I was
(06:18):
able to teach other kids andbring my kids along and work out
of the house and it taught meeverything about business.
But in a franchise you get thatcorporate help, the other
franchisees as support, and soit was a great stepping stone to
get into business, and I gainedthat confidence.
My business succeeded and Isaid you know what?
There's something to this?
(06:38):
I took a chance on myself andit paid off, and I wanted other
women to feel that as well.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
That's so exciting.
One thing that you said thatyou were saying about that, I
think is so, I feel is reallyimportant.
When you said that you weresaying about that, I think is so
, I feel is really important.
When you said that you weresitting in your car.
I know that sitting in my car,right, yeah, complete and utter
sadness and depression andmisery and loss and just what am
(07:06):
I going to do with my life.
But I also listened to yourpodcast, one of them.
I listened to several of them,but one of them you were talking
about tips of like what to do.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
Yeah, I was really in a silo figuring this out myself
, but what I now teach clientsand I've realized is that I was
self-aware enough to stop, pauseand ask myself and maybe it was
sitting in the car in thatsilence, but asking myself,
turning inward and saying areyou happy, Would you be happy
going back to that dream job youhad, or will something else
(07:38):
make you happy?
And really asking ourselvesthose questions.
And I don't think a lot of ustake that break to ask ourselves
, especially if we're women,moms, partners working and we're
busy all the time.
We don't ask ourselves.
And I think the first step foranyone thinking about a change
is asking themselves am I happy,what would make me happy and am
(08:00):
I worthy of that right now?
And yes, you are.
And it's just getting yourselfto realize there might be
something better for you on theother side and you start doing
that research and then it's babysteps moving forward.
But until you're confident andhave that conversation with
yourself, I think you're alwaysgoing to wonder and you're
always going to be in that kindof confusion state.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
So I see that you all .
Because my question would alsobe like do you have clients that
say I have no idea what wouldmake me happy and then I see
that you offer this UMAP careerassessment make me happy, and
then I see that you offer thisUMAP career assessment.
So how did that come about anddoes that help your?
Speaker 3 (08:39):
clients who are like I want to change but I have no
clue where to even begin.
Yeah, that's a great question.
And I have a mentor in thecoaching space.
She actually coaches likecorporate executives in Silicon
Valley and she's become a friendand a mentor since I started
and she is UMAP certified.
And I asked her really what isthis assessment and how is it
different than other assessments?
And as I learned more about it,I said I want in, I want it and
I got certified, because itreally takes all aspects of your
(09:02):
personality, your strengths,your skills, your values, and it
brings it all together.
So it takes pieces kind of ofother assessments and brings it
together and gives you a profile.
So if you're thinking aboutchanging careers or opening a
business, either, or, and youknow that you might be really
good at numbers, but then yousee this other job and you go,
(09:23):
you know what, I might be reallygood at it, but I don't want to
do it anymore, then you havethat on your profile to say this
is not something I want to doas I make this change.
That on your profile to saythis is not something I want to
do as I make this change, and soit really it's like a roadmap
to help you staying focused onwhat is going to bring you joy
and what is going to meet yourvalues and help you bring your
strengths to the forefront,because when you're making a
change, you want to make surethat you don't end up in the
(09:45):
same place.
You are now just in a differentrole.
And so UMAP really gives clientsI even work with, like high
school students and collegestudents using the UMAP because
it gives them that clarity sothat they can move forward, and
a lot of women who do come to meand have 10 different ideas.
We can look at the UMAP and wecan look at their options and
we're able to whittle it downand cross things off.
(10:08):
Like the more we learn aboutthose options we can cross them
off the list and get down toreally what fills their UMAP and
fills what they want.
So it kind of encompasses allof that.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
The great thing is that there are people out there
now that can help you with this,to do something, to start to
piece away at that.
But I also think what's reallyinteresting is that about the
UMAP is that there may beseveral things that you want to
do, Like you might want to dothis, you know, be a writer or
you know whatever.
Like maybe try it.
You need to try those things andI think, for example, like
(10:42):
taking a class or dabbling inthose areas which I think you've
mentioned on some of your tipsis that, you know, and I think
that was one of the things thatI did I think was one of the
smartest moves that I ever madeis that when I first got out of
college, I had gone intointernational economics and I
was pursuing a business orientedcareer, and then I was working
(11:03):
and I, while I was working atthis place, I decided to take a
graphic art class at a communitycollege on the weekends and I
remember I was like, trying tobe really smart, I was like,
don't make drastic changes,right, I just took the class to
see if I liked it and I loved it.
And then I took that next stepto like enroll in another class
(11:26):
in New York City, you know, andthen, because I was in DC at the
time, and then it just kind ofstarted to, you know, like it's
like I like that just trying outthese things, you know, and
then, because I was in DC at thetime, and then it just kind of
started to, you know, like it'slike I like that just trying out
these things, you know, couldalso help propel your career
Right.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
I agree.
And then you know, worst casescenario, you realize you don't
like it or that it's notsomething you want to pursue,
and then you never have thatregret or that thought in the
back of your head.
So that was really smart of you.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Rachel, you have a lot of those kind of similar
like writing and voiceover andacting.
You've tried a lot that youlike.
Now you have a big portfolio ofthings.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Yeah, I mean, and even, like you said, when they
don't work out.
I'm just saying like for theacting part.
When I was younger, it's someof the most favorite experiences
I've ever had in my life andintroduced me to people that are
still in my life that I love somuch that I never would have
met if I just, you know, onlystayed in the corporate and even
(12:22):
within corporate America.
I moved around a lot, from techto publishing to lots of
different jobs.
So I definitely always liketell my kids I don't love the
word career because it makes itfeel like you're locked in and
this is your thing, and I just Ithink that's rare for some
(12:44):
people to have a career thatthey fully enjoy and can keep
growing within and last, youknow, 20, 30 years in a career,
and I think it's selling our,setting our kids up for
disappointment rather than, yeah, get skills and follow
different things that you enjoyand you're going to have
(13:06):
probably multiple careers inyour life who knows?
Speaker 3 (13:09):
And that's exciting, right?
That's, I think, exciting thatin our generation and the
generations after us, that wecan have multiple adventures.
And I try to talk about it likethat too, like when I left I
said, ok, close that chapter,what's next?
Let's make it exciting ratherthan scary, and so we have this
one life to live.
Let's go and do all of thethings and have those adventures
(13:32):
.
And I tell my kids the samething you can be a doctor, but
why not have a business on theside or write some books or have
other options too, because itjust makes you a fuller person
Do people have a similar, likewhen you have people that come
to you that have not yet lefttheir job but they're itching
and thinking.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Is there a common theme of what they are unhappy
and?
Speaker 3 (13:56):
it's actually.
I have a lot of women our agewho are just, you know, parents
now have partners, have olderparents to take care of,
whatever it might be, and thingschange.
The career we picked at 20 justdoesn't align with where we are
now, and so a lot of them feellike they're unhappy.
They're willing for a change,but it's very scary because they
(14:16):
like the paycheck.
Very scary because they likethe paycheck.
They're afraid to disappoint orcause chaos in their family by
making a shift.
So it's us really talking abouthow you can make a change very
methodically, with planning itout, having a timeline, having
that roadmap.
And there are some other youknow big name people who go out
and say just put a date on thecalendar and say I quit, and I
(14:37):
don't do that.
I say, like you know, likelet's make it where you feel
confident, because the moreconfident you feel with your
decision, then it portrays toyour family and friends and
people around you and you're,you're willing to move forward
and be excited about it.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
What else do you like usually recommend for people
who are thinking of that?
Leaving work transition.
Leaving work transition.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
I think it's looking at your finances, which we don't
like to do, but just sayingokay, when you look at that
timeline of when you want tomake that.
Okay, this is my two weeksnotice kind of step to make sure
that you're okay financiallyand that you know.
Okay, maybe I need to work justa little bit longer to feel
that much more secure,especially if you're venturing
into business where a lot ofentrepreneurs don't make money
(15:19):
in that first year or two.
So you want to just make sureyou're financially set and I
started the podcast just forthat reason to really have women
who are thinking about changing, hear other women's stories so
that they can say, oh, if shedid it, I can do it, that's
always been so helpful to me isjust at least seeing other
people trying different things.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
It makes it less scary.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
It does.
And some of the guests most ofthe guests I've had are just so
genuine that they're like havepeople reach out to me.
So I always say, like reach outto these people, connect with
them and ask them questionsabout how they went from being a
teacher to a cake maker,whatever it is you know, like
just reach out and ask, becauseI think, as women, we're here to
help each other and lift eachother up and offer any advice
(16:01):
that we can, because we all wantourselves especially, to feel
happier and more fulfilled inthis life that we're given.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
As a coach, do you ever say if you think something
is not a good idea to go after?
Speaker 3 (16:15):
I do and I've definitely had.
You know you can sense peopleand I know you guys have had
really guests on like you get asense for someone and sometimes
I've had clients.
I had one just within the lastyear who we worked together
maybe three months or so andthen she went back to the job
that she left.
Like she left her job, starteda business and I could tell she
(16:38):
just wasn't, it wasn't goinganywhere and I think that's a
very specific personality.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
I have two entrepreneur parents, so OK, and
I, I would say I have notnearly as much of those genes,
but I feel like it's likeJeanette and I have interviewed
a lot of CEOs and there's apersonality type that goes along
with some of them and that'swhy I don't know if I would ever
be able to.
I mean, starting this withJeanette was scary for me the
(17:07):
podcast and everything but Iwouldn't have done it if it
wasn't with Jeanette.
Like I, I just I didn't havethat in me.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
So I think, well, I think one of the things that
people that are entrepreneursare going to and you probably
know this as well, doing whatyou do is that you kind of need
to be a workaholic.
I mean, it's like I hate to sayit but you really and truly have
to, and it's a tricky thingbecause you want to do.
You're like, maybe I need tospend more time with my family,
(17:37):
and I have had that Right.
I need to spend more time withmy family, and I have had that
right.
I have really and truly had ablessed career that I have
worked at home for almost 30years and been there for a month
, but I work a lot, you know.
I mean like a lot.
I don't get the vacations thatI want to, you know so there,
but I like it like that, youknow.
But sometimes, sometimes youknow you're like maybe an eight,
(18:01):
nine to five or whatever it isnow would be a better idea.
You do have that.
So you're right, rachel,there's a certain type of
personality that.
And back to your.
Don't burn a bridge.
I heard you say that in one ofyour podcasts you might want to
go back.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Yeah, you never do, like this client of mine.
Right, she went back and and nolike shade to her at all, like
she tried it, and now she'llalways know she tried it.
So I think that's such abenefit too.
It's good and realizing whatyou need with your family.
She had a baby during that timeand she realized she just
needed the benefits and all ofthat.
But I think you're right.
I think as an entrepreneur, youhave to love what you do, and I
(18:34):
have these conversations withfriends where we say, okay, with
friends, where we say, okay, Iknow the kids are coming home at
three and I want to be able tototally be with them, take them
to their activities.
But sometimes I just want to domy work because I'm so excited
about what I'm working on, orthe podcast feels like a
separate business sometimes andyou just want to do it.
But then you say you know what,I can get back to it tomorrow
because I'm the boss and Icontrol the schedule and there's
(18:57):
something to that.
That is what I truly enjoyafter having crazy schedules for
so long.
But it's true, you're working.
You're definitely not goinginto business to work less.
You're just working maybedifferent hours and on your own
schedule.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Yeah, and I think sometimes they have to try it to
realize it Right, I mean.
I have a friend who always sayslearning all the different
things that go in it.
Then you're like I have a friendwho always says learning all
the different things that go init.
Then you're like, oh wow, thisis a lot, this is a lot, yeah.
Well, as we we get close tothat, I want to say two things
that I really I liked that I sawon your social media posts.
(19:31):
Is that what if it works outLike you know?
Some things that affect.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
What if it works out?
You know, instead of like whatcould go, what could go right,
instead of what could go wrong,yeah, what if it all?
Speaker 3 (19:41):
goes right.
Yeah, instead of all goes wrong, yeah.
Like you're worrying fornothing right Like getting ahead
of what is the getting the cartahead of the horse right?
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Like you're thinking about all these things that
could go wrong before you get tothat next step, and sometimes
we just have to take that onestep in front of the other and
just hold our breath and hopefor the best you know, and a lot
of times, the majority it doeswork out yeah, it does well, but
even if it doesn't work out,what rachel said, I think,
(20:11):
really stuck with me earlierabout the different things that
she's done and the friends andthe people that she's made and
the things that she in the andalso you just trying it and
doing it and knowing about it.
It's like it's not all aboutcareer, you know it's, it's just
not.
It's about what you had said.
Am I happy?
You know I'm happy.
I tried it.
(20:32):
I'm happy I gave it a shot youknow and I'm happy with having
experienced it and learningthese things.
When you said that you weresitting in your car and I'm just
like, oh my God.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Jeanette's going to get in her car after this
podcast.
I don't know if you guys watchSeverance, do you?
Speaker 1 (20:45):
see anybody watching Severance where he's sitting in
his car before he goes into hisjob.
Yes, yeah, it's it's.
A lot of us can relate to thatfeeling.
Yeah, this your innie versusyour outie life, those reels of
people like they're discoveringwhat their outie is like while
they're in their innie.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
No, I haven't.
I want to see that.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
They're so funny.
Is there anything?
That we haven't touched on thatyou would love to like tell
people.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
I'm big on learning before you leap.
So if you do have an inklingthat you might want to pursue
something, then start doing thatresearch.
See what the day-to-day ofsomeone in that role business
owner or employee what theday-to-day is like you know,
because you might realize thatthat is just not for you and now
you'll know.
But I always think thatresearch equals that confidence
(21:32):
and then that allows you to leap.
So learn about it.
Listen to podcasts, read books.
Just learn about what you'rethinking about, whatever that
voice in your head is.
This way you'll know one way orthe other if you want to pursue
it.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Anyway.
Well, what do we do at the endof every episode?
Speaker 2 (21:51):
We always ask what's your favorite thing about New
Jersey?
Or give us a shout out of aplace, a person, a thing.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
I love the boardwalk you love what.
With my uncle owning stands inSeaside at that boardwalk, and
now we take my kids to PointPleasant Boardwalk all the time.
So I think, the arcades, therides, the food, I just love
living at the beach and beingable to do that?
Speaker 1 (22:14):
What kind of stands did he own?
Speaker 3 (22:17):
He owned just the regular wheel stands and he
would have different things eachyear he sold like porcelain or
gave away porcelain dolls, bigbaskets of candy and junk.
But he had it forever, fromwhen I was very little and then
I worked with him in like highschool and college there over
the summers.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
I bet it's so nostalgic for you to go to the
boardwalk and telling your kidsstories about it.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
It really is and it's yeah, and it's not like what
the Jersey Shore, you know,shows.
It's really.
At least back then it was sofamily oriented.
And yeah, it was great.
So that's my favorite part.
I would say Thank you.
That's great.
That's a great one.
The boardwalk.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Yeah, I need to spend more time on the boardwalk.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
So do I, so do I, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Well, it's been a pleasure to get to know you and
I think the work you do is justso helpful to so many people,
and I mean we're grateful thatyou know you've done this and
you're sharing your experiencewith people like us.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Yeah, thank you so much for having me.
It's great to have theconversation that we've all kind
of been through it.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
Yes, no one's alone If they're listening to this
podcast episode.
You're not alone.
If you need some help giveShannon a call and get your map,
your UMAP, done.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Your UMAP.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Shannon and we'll you know, keep listening.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
Thank you guys so much.
I'll keep listening to you aswell.
Check out our website atlostinjerseysite and don't
forget to get lost.
Hey Jeanette, hi Rachel.
Today we just had a greatinterview with Shannon Russell
from Second Act Success.
She is terrific at givingpeople advice on how to
transition to a new job or topick yourself out of the
doldrums.
She mentions being in your cara couple of times at once and I
(00:24):
just totally captured.
I was like, yes, I remembersitting in my car.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I was there this afternoon, this morning.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
I feel like being in your car.
This is for people that don'tlive in the city right being in
your car and being depressed.
Happens, and being depressedhappens.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yes, it absolutely happens, and maybe if you live
in a city and you're on thesubway, it doesn't happen as
much because you're surroundedby so many people, you don't
have really that personal space.
It's like you're in a littletime capsule in the car, so it
happens.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Career is such a huge part of people's lives and also
just dealing with it in lifeand trying to be happy and have
a good career, and I think she'sa great resource for people and
I think you're going to reallyenjoy this interview.
I did so enjoy.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Enjoy.
Welcome to Lost in Jersey,shannon.
Thank you, I'm so happy to behere with you guys.
Well, we're happy to have youand we have lots to talk about,
since we're all women who havemade pivots and just keep
continuing to add differentthings to our careers.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Let's tell everybody that you're a career second act
coach, correct?
Is that how you say when youintroduce yourself, Like what do
you do?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
You say that I usually say career transition
and business coach, because Ihelp women go from a career to
opening a business.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
And you yourself have done this successfully and
you've had a couple of acts fromwhat you know, us researching
what you've done and alsolistening to some of your
podcasts, which are fantastic bythe way I was going for a walk
listening and I was like theseare great interviews and also
you do solo, like your ownexperience tips as well, that
(02:10):
you give people about how theyshould transition before, what
they should think about beforethey do it and that.
So tell us a little bit aboutyou, your transition, because
you were in TV.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
I was yeah.
So I grew up in New Jersey andI wanted to be in Hollywood.
That was my dream from when Iwas a little girl, and I ended
up being a producer.
I worked in New York City andLos Angeles for about 16 years,
so I produced many differentkinds of television, and then I
moved back to New Jersey.
When I began having a family andthen, when I got to the point
(02:43):
where I was about to have mysecond son I had a
three-year-old and then, youknow, almost a newborn I
realized that I just couldn'thandle the hours.
The commute from Manhattan wasabout like two hours door to
door each way for where I livedown at the beach in New Jersey,
and it was just too much.
My husband is a producer aswell, so between our hours and
(03:03):
our travel I just realized youknow what I can?
Check the box on this.
I did it, I accomplished it.
Let's figure out what I can dofor my second act.
Then I realized I just didn'twant to worry about that long
commute with two little kids,and so I decided to figure out
what I would do next, and that'swhere the whole idea for a
second act came.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
I would do next, and that's where the whole idea for
a second act came.
Well, awesome, that's scary,because you did work for some
very high profile.
You know TV shows and how Imean you seem like you wouldn't
leave those kind of jobs.
But what was the?
Was it really just like family?
You're like I need to have moreconnection to the family.
It was.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
I think I was go go go for so long, such a high
paced career, loving everysecond of it.
I think I was go go go for solong, such a high-paced career,
loving every second of it.
I mean, there was nothing aboutit that I did not like.
All of my friends my husband,everyone was in the industry.
But when I was pregnant Ialways tell the story about I
was eight months pregnant,running through the Times Square
subway station trying to getthe bus back to the suburbs, and
(04:02):
I just had this breakdown, thisepiphany, this aha moment of I
don't want to do this anymore.
Yeah, like I guess theexcitement of meeting the
celebrities and doing all thecool stuff had kind of you know
it just washed away.
I had done it, been there, donethat, and I wanted to focus on
being a present mom, and so forme I was able to just kind of
(04:23):
check that box and say, ok, well, what's next?
And that's where everyonelooked at me like I was crazy
because it was a reallywell-paying, you know, fun,
exciting job.
But I looked at it like, ok,well, I can do something else
that's equally as fun, let mefigure out what it is, and then
be able to be there because Ihad missed my oldest son's first
birthday Halloween.
I was missing all these bigmilestones.
(04:44):
Miss my oldest son's firstbirthday Halloween.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
I was missing all these big milestones and he may
not remember, but I do, yeah.
Yeah, I mean so when you'resaying like I think that is such
a big moment in so manypeople's lives and will continue
to be, when you make a decisionlike that, like this career or
job isn't working for me anymoreit was, but now it isn't, and
I'd like to do something else,how did you start to figure out
(05:09):
what that something else wouldbe, and how long did that take
it?
Speaker 3 (05:13):
took a little bit over a year, and I did.
I always say I had somemissteps.
I took a local nine to five job, thinking that was a
responsible thing to do and itwas very toxic and it wasn't
creative and it just ate away atmy soul.
And then I decided, oh, let mego for my master's in education.
Maybe I'll be a teacher.
That's really, you know, steadyand stable.
(05:35):
Let me do that.
And I realized I don't want todo that either.
So I tried a bunch of things Ithought I should do.
And then I just started sittingin my car over lunch at that
awful nine to five job and I waslistening to podcasts and I
started realizing I'd listenedto a Marie Forleo podcast
another Jersey girl and I saidyou know what?
Something she said made merealize that I had experience
(05:57):
from my first act and I could.
If I produce these largeproductions, why not produce my
own life?
And I started realizing, likeyou know what, let me start a
business.
And so then the wheels startedgoing and I ended up buying into
and investing in a franchise asmy first business and I was
able to bring my kids.
It was a children's STEMeducation franchise, so I was
(06:18):
able to teach other kids andbring my kids along and work out
of the house and it taught meeverything about business.
But in a franchise you get thatcorporate help, the other
franchisees as support, and soit was a great stepping stone to
get into business, and I gainedthat confidence.
My business succeeded and Isaid you know what?
There's something to this?
(06:38):
I took a chance on myself andit paid off, and I wanted other
women to feel that as well.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
That's so exciting.
One thing that you said thatyou were saying about that, I
think is so, I feel is reallyimportant.
When you said that you weresaying about that, I think is so
, I feel is really important.
When you said that you weresitting in your car.
I know that sitting in my car,right, yeah, complete and utter
sadness and depression andmisery and loss and just what am
(07:06):
I going to do with my life.
But I also listened to yourpodcast, one of them.
I listened to several of them,but one of them you were talking
about tips of like what to do.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
Yeah, I was really in a silo figuring this out myself
, but what I now teach clientsand I've realized is that I was
self-aware enough to stop, pauseand ask myself and maybe it was
sitting in the car in thatsilence, but asking myself,
turning inward and saying areyou happy, Would you be happy
going back to that dream job youhad, or will something else
(07:38):
make you happy?
And really asking ourselvesthose questions.
And I don't think a lot of ustake that break to ask ourselves
, especially if we're women,moms, partners working and we're
busy all the time.
We don't ask ourselves.
And I think the first step foranyone thinking about a change
is asking themselves am I happy,what would make me happy and am
(08:00):
I worthy of that right now?
And yes, you are.
And it's just getting yourselfto realize there might be
something better for you on theother side and you start doing
that research and then it's babysteps moving forward.
But until you're confident andhave that conversation with
yourself, I think you're alwaysgoing to wonder and you're
always going to be in that kindof confusion state.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
So I see that you all .
Because my question would alsobe like do you have clients that
say I have no idea what wouldmake me happy and then I see
that you offer this UMAP careerassessment make me happy, and
then I see that you offer thisUMAP career assessment.
So how did that come about anddoes that help your?
Speaker 3 (08:39):
clients who are like I want to change but I have no
clue where to even begin.
Yeah, that's a great question.
And I have a mentor in thecoaching space.
She actually coaches likecorporate executives in Silicon
Valley and she's become a friendand a mentor since I started
and she is UMAP certified.
And I asked her really what isthis assessment and how is it
different than other assessments?
And as I learned more about it,I said I want in, I want it and
I got certified, because itreally takes all aspects of your
(09:02):
personality, your strengths,your skills, your values, and it
brings it all together.
So it takes pieces kind of ofother assessments and brings it
together and gives you a profile.
So if you're thinking aboutchanging careers or opening a
business, either, or, and youknow that you might be really
good at numbers, but then yousee this other job and you go,
(09:23):
you know what, I might be reallygood at it, but I don't want to
do it anymore, then you havethat on your profile to say this
is not something I want to doas I make this change.
That on your profile to saythis is not something I want to
do as I make this change, and soit really it's like a roadmap
to help you staying focused onwhat is going to bring you joy
and what is going to meet yourvalues and help you bring your
strengths to the forefront,because when you're making a
change, you want to make surethat you don't end up in the
(09:45):
same place.
You are now just in a differentrole.
And so UMAP really gives clientsI even work with, like high
school students and collegestudents using the UMAP because
it gives them that clarity sothat they can move forward, and
a lot of women who do come to meand have 10 different ideas.
We can look at the UMAP and wecan look at their options and
we're able to whittle it downand cross things off.
(10:08):
Like the more we learn aboutthose options we can cross them
off the list and get down toreally what fills their UMAP and
fills what they want.
So it kind of encompasses allof that.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
The great thing is that there are people out there
now that can help you with this,to do something, to start to
piece away at that.
But I also think what's reallyinteresting is that about the
UMAP is that there may beseveral things that you want to
do, Like you might want to dothis, you know, be a writer or
you know whatever.
Like maybe try it.
You need to try those things andI think, for example, like
(10:42):
taking a class or dabbling inthose areas which I think you've
mentioned on some of your tipsis that, you know, and I think
that was one of the things thatI did I think was one of the
smartest moves that I ever madeis that when I first got out of
college, I had gone intointernational economics and I
was pursuing a business orientedcareer, and then I was working
(11:03):
and I, while I was working atthis place, I decided to take a
graphic art class at a communitycollege on the weekends and I
remember I was like, trying tobe really smart, I was like,
don't make drastic changes,right, I just took the class to
see if I liked it and I loved it.
And then I took that next stepto like enroll in another class
(11:26):
in New York City, you know, andthen, because I was in DC at the
time, and then it just kind ofstarted to, you know, like it's
like I like that just trying outthese things, you know, and
then, because I was in DC at thetime, and then it just kind of
started to, you know, like it'slike I like that just trying out
these things, you know, couldalso help propel your career
Right.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
I agree.
And then you know, worst casescenario, you realize you don't
like it or that it's notsomething you want to pursue,
and then you never have thatregret or that thought in the
back of your head.
So that was really smart of you.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Rachel, you have a lot of those kind of similar
like writing and voiceover andacting.
You've tried a lot that youlike.
Now you have a big portfolio ofthings.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Yeah, I mean, and even, like you said, when they
don't work out.
I'm just saying like for theacting part.
When I was younger, it's someof the most favorite experiences
I've ever had in my life andintroduced me to people that are
still in my life that I love somuch that I never would have
met if I just, you know, onlystayed in the corporate and even
(12:22):
within corporate America.
I moved around a lot, from techto publishing to lots of
different jobs.
So I definitely always liketell my kids I don't love the
word career because it makes itfeel like you're locked in and
this is your thing, and I just Ithink that's rare for some
(12:44):
people to have a career thatthey fully enjoy and can keep
growing within and last, youknow, 20, 30 years in a career,
and I think it's selling our,setting our kids up for
disappointment rather than, yeah, get skills and follow
different things that you enjoyand you're going to have
(13:06):
probably multiple careers inyour life who knows?
Speaker 3 (13:09):
And that's exciting, right?
That's, I think, exciting thatin our generation and the
generations after us, that wecan have multiple adventures.
And I try to talk about it likethat too, like when I left I
said, ok, close that chapter,what's next?
Let's make it exciting ratherthan scary, and so we have this
one life to live.
Let's go and do all of thethings and have those adventures
(13:32):
.
And I tell my kids the samething you can be a doctor, but
why not have a business on theside or write some books or have
other options too, because itjust makes you a fuller person
Do people have a similar, likewhen you have people that come
to you that have not yet lefttheir job but they're itching
and thinking.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Is there a common theme of what they are unhappy
and?
Speaker 3 (13:56):
it's actually.
I have a lot of women our agewho are just, you know, parents
now have partners, have olderparents to take care of,
whatever it might be, and thingschange.
The career we picked at 20 justdoesn't align with where we are
now, and so a lot of them feellike they're unhappy.
They're willing for a change,but it's very scary because they
(14:16):
like the paycheck.
Very scary because they likethe paycheck.
They're afraid to disappoint orcause chaos in their family by
making a shift.
So it's us really talking abouthow you can make a change very
methodically, with planning itout, having a timeline, having
that roadmap.
And there are some other youknow big name people who go out
and say just put a date on thecalendar and say I quit, and I
(14:37):
don't do that.
I say, like you know, likelet's make it where you feel
confident, because the moreconfident you feel with your
decision, then it portrays toyour family and friends and
people around you and you're,you're willing to move forward
and be excited about it.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
What else do you like usually recommend for people
who are thinking of that?
Leaving work transition.
Leaving work transition.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
I think it's looking at your finances, which we don't
like to do, but just sayingokay, when you look at that
timeline of when you want tomake that.
Okay, this is my two weeksnotice kind of step to make sure
that you're okay financiallyand that you know.
Okay, maybe I need to work justa little bit longer to feel
that much more secure,especially if you're venturing
into business where a lot ofentrepreneurs don't make money
(15:19):
in that first year or two.
So you want to just make sureyou're financially set and I
started the podcast just forthat reason to really have women
who are thinking about changing, hear other women's stories so
that they can say, oh, if shedid it, I can do it, that's
always been so helpful to me isjust at least seeing other
people trying different things.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
It makes it less scary.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
It does.
And some of the guests most ofthe guests I've had are just so
genuine that they're like havepeople reach out to me.
So I always say, like reach outto these people, connect with
them and ask them questionsabout how they went from being a
teacher to a cake maker,whatever it is you know, like
just reach out and ask, becauseI think, as women, we're here to
help each other and lift eachother up and offer any advice
(16:01):
that we can, because we all wantourselves especially, to feel
happier and more fulfilled inthis life that we're given.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
As a coach, do you ever say if you think something
is not a good idea to go after?
Speaker 3 (16:15):
I do and I've definitely had.
You know you can sense peopleand I know you guys have had
really guests on like you get asense for someone and sometimes
I've had clients.
I had one just within the lastyear who we worked together
maybe three months or so andthen she went back to the job
that she left.
Like she left her job, starteda business and I could tell she
(16:38):
just wasn't, it wasn't goinganywhere and I think that's a
very specific personality.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
I have two entrepreneur parents, so OK, and
I, I would say I have notnearly as much of those genes,
but I feel like it's likeJeanette and I have interviewed
a lot of CEOs and there's apersonality type that goes along
with some of them and that'swhy I don't know if I would ever
be able to.
I mean, starting this withJeanette was scary for me the
(17:07):
podcast and everything but Iwouldn't have done it if it
wasn't with Jeanette.
Like I, I just I didn't havethat in me.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
So I think, well, I think one of the things that
people that are entrepreneursare going to and you probably
know this as well, doing whatyou do is that you kind of need
to be a workaholic.
I mean, it's like I hate to sayit but you really and truly have
to, and it's a tricky thingbecause you want to do.
You're like, maybe I need tospend more time with my family,
(17:37):
and I have had that Right.
I need to spend more time withmy family, and I have had that
right.
I have really and truly had ablessed career that I have
worked at home for almost 30years and been there for a month
, but I work a lot, you know.
I mean like a lot.
I don't get the vacations thatI want to, you know so there,
but I like it like that, youknow.
But sometimes, sometimes youknow you're like maybe an eight,
(18:01):
nine to five or whatever it isnow would be a better idea.
You do have that.
So you're right, rachel,there's a certain type of
personality that.
And back to your.
Don't burn a bridge.
I heard you say that in one ofyour podcasts you might want to
go back.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Yeah, you never do, like this client of mine.
Right, she went back and and nolike shade to her at all, like
she tried it, and now she'llalways know she tried it.
So I think that's such abenefit too.
It's good and realizing whatyou need with your family.
She had a baby during that timeand she realized she just
needed the benefits and all ofthat.
But I think you're right.
I think as an entrepreneur, youhave to love what you do, and I
(18:34):
have these conversations withfriends where we say, okay, with
friends, where we say, okay, Iknow the kids are coming home at
three and I want to be able tototally be with them, take them
to their activities.
But sometimes I just want to domy work because I'm so excited
about what I'm working on, orthe podcast feels like a
separate business sometimes andyou just want to do it.
But then you say you know what,I can get back to it tomorrow
because I'm the boss and Icontrol the schedule and there's
(18:57):
something to that.
That is what I truly enjoyafter having crazy schedules for
so long.
But it's true, you're working.
You're definitely not goinginto business to work less.
You're just working maybedifferent hours and on your own
schedule.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Yeah, and I think sometimes they have to try it to
realize it Right, I mean.
I have a friend who always sayslearning all the different
things that go in it.
Then you're like I have a friendwho always says learning all
the different things that go init.
Then you're like, oh wow, thisis a lot, this is a lot, yeah.
Well, as we we get close tothat, I want to say two things
that I really I liked that I sawon your social media posts.
(19:31):
Is that what if it works outLike you know?
Some things that affect.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
What if it works out?
You know, instead of like whatcould go, what could go right,
instead of what could go wrong,yeah, what if it all?
Speaker 3 (19:41):
goes right.
Yeah, instead of all goes wrong, yeah.
Like you're worrying fornothing right Like getting ahead
of what is the getting the cartahead of the horse right?
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Like you're thinking about all these things that
could go wrong before you get tothat next step, and sometimes
we just have to take that onestep in front of the other and
just hold our breath and hopefor the best you know, and a lot
of times, the majority it doeswork out yeah, it does well, but
even if it doesn't work out,what rachel said, I think,
(20:11):
really stuck with me earlierabout the different things that
she's done and the friends andthe people that she's made and
the things that she in the andalso you just trying it and
doing it and knowing about it.
It's like it's not all aboutcareer, you know it's, it's just
not.
It's about what you had said.
Am I happy?
You know I'm happy.
I tried it.
(20:32):
I'm happy I gave it a shot youknow and I'm happy with having
experienced it and learningthese things.
When you said that you weresitting in your car and I'm just
like, oh my God.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Jeanette's going to get in her car after this
podcast.
I don't know if you guys watchSeverance, do you?
Speaker 1 (20:45):
see anybody watching Severance where he's sitting in
his car before he goes into hisjob.
Yes, yeah, it's it's.
A lot of us can relate to thatfeeling.
Yeah, this your innie versusyour outie life, those reels of
people like they're discoveringwhat their outie is like while
they're in their innie.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
No, I haven't.
I want to see that.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
They're so funny.
Is there anything?
That we haven't touched on thatyou would love to like tell
people.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
I'm big on learning before you leap.
So if you do have an inklingthat you might want to pursue
something, then start doing thatresearch.
See what the day-to-day ofsomeone in that role business
owner or employee what theday-to-day is like you know,
because you might realize thatthat is just not for you and now
you'll know.
But I always think thatresearch equals that confidence
(21:32):
and then that allows you to leap.
So learn about it.
Listen to podcasts, read books.
Just learn about what you'rethinking about, whatever that
voice in your head is.
This way you'll know one way orthe other if you want to pursue
it.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Anyway.
Well, what do we do at the endof every episode?
Speaker 2 (21:51):
We always ask what's your favorite thing about New
Jersey?
Or give us a shout out of aplace, a person, a thing.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
I love the boardwalk you love what.
With my uncle owning stands inSeaside at that boardwalk, and
now we take my kids to PointPleasant Boardwalk all the time.
So I think, the arcades, therides, the food, I just love
living at the beach and beingable to do that?
Speaker 1 (22:14):
What kind of stands did he own?
Speaker 3 (22:17):
He owned just the regular wheel stands and he
would have different things eachyear he sold like porcelain or
gave away porcelain dolls, bigbaskets of candy and junk.
But he had it forever, fromwhen I was very little and then
I worked with him in like highschool and college there over
the summers.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
I bet it's so nostalgic for you to go to the
boardwalk and telling your kidsstories about it.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
It really is and it's yeah, and it's not like what
the Jersey Shore, you know,shows.
It's really.
At least back then it was sofamily oriented.
And yeah, it was great.
So that's my favorite part.
I would say Thank you.
That's great.
That's a great one.
The boardwalk.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Yeah, I need to spend more time on the boardwalk.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
So do I, so do I, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Well, it's been a pleasure to get to know you and
I think the work you do is justso helpful to so many people,
and I mean we're grateful thatyou know you've done this and
you're sharing your experiencewith people like us.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Yeah, thank you so much for having me.
It's great to have theconversation that we've all kind
of been through it.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
Yes, no one's alone If they're listening to this
podcast episode.
You're not alone.
If you need some help giveShannon a call and get your map,
your UMAP, done.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Your UMAP.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Shannon and we'll you know, keep listening.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
Thank you guys so much.
I'll keep listening to you aswell.
Check out our website atlostinjerseysite and don't
forget to get lost.
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The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.