032: How to Leave Your 9–5 and Start a Business with Shannon Russell

You’ve done everything “right.”

The career, the credentials, the calendar that somehow stays full year after year. But underneath the success, you’re quietly wondering…

Is this really it?

In today’s episode, I’m joined by business coach, author, and top podcast host Shannon Russell—who walked away from a successful career in television to start a business that finally fit the life she actually wanted.

Shannon shares the truth about pivoting out of a 9–5, how to start over without starting from scratch, and what it really takes to move from burnout to alignment. Whether you're still working the job that drains you or you've already taken the leap into entrepreneurship, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.

This isn’t just about leaving a job. It’s about claiming your next chapter—with purpose and a plan.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE: 

✅ Why “success” in your first act might still feel misaligned
✅ The biggest mindset shift you need to go from employee to entrepreneur
✅ What stops most women from starting their second act—and how to move anyway
✅ How to build a business that gives you more freedom, not just another to-do list
✅ Shannon’s personal story of pivoting from producer to CEO and author

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1️⃣ You don’t have to burn it all down to start over—you just need to be brave enough to shift.
2️⃣ Your 9–5 gave you skills. Your business gives you freedom.
3️⃣ The best time to start your second act isn’t someday—it’s now.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

Grab Shannon’s book → Start Your Second Act
Connect with Shannon → secondactsuccess.co
Listen to her podcast → Second Act Success

MORE FROM ME:

Follow me on Instagram → @janditchfield.co

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