Second Act Success: Business Tips & Career Change Advice for Women

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. Have you ever wondered if it's too late to change careers, start a business, or even write a book? Think again. In this inspiring episode of the Second Act Success Podcast , Shannon Russell sits down with entrepreneur and author Kay Paschal, whose career journey proves that your best chapter may still be ahead. After spending 18 years...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. What if the key to a successful career transition isn't starting over, but connecting the dots of everything you've already done? In this inspiring episode of the Second Act Success Podcast , Shannon Russell sits down with purpose-driven leader, career strategist, and Senior Alumni Engagement Manager at Management Leadership for T...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. What if the real reason you want to start a business isn't about money? What if it's about freedom? In this heartfelt solo episode #259 of the Second Act Success Podcast , host and business coach Shannon Russell shares the deeper reason so many women pursue entrepreneurship. Not just for financial independence, but for the freedom...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here.   What if the career skills you've spent decades building could become the foundation for a completely different and more meaningful second act? In this inspiring episode #258 of the Second Act Success Podcast , Shannon Russell sits down with Rebecca Bloom, former workplace and benefits attorney, women's health advocate, author, a...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. What happens when life forces you to slow down? In this powerful episode of the Second Act Success Podcast , Shannon Russell sits down with Patricia Sasser, independent school leader and incoming Head of School, to talk about taking a mid-career sabbatical, also known as a “mini retirement,” after experiencing profound personal loss.  After...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. What are your children learning from the way you approach work, stress, ambition, and dreams? In this heartfelt episode #256 of the Second Act Success Podcast , Shannon Russell shares a deeply personal story about attending her son’s school presentation and realizing just how much our children are watching us as we navigate our careers, bus...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. What does a successful career transition really look like? In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast , Shannon Russell sits down with Betty Galvan, a former teacher turned female entrepreneur, digital marketing expert, and coworking space owner, to talk about her inspiring journey from education to entrepreneurship. Betty shares how...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. Building a business is exciting, but it’s not always easy. In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast, Shannon Russell dives into one of the most important topics for entrepreneurs and women starting a business. How to handle roadblocks, setbacks, and challenges without losing momentum. If you’ve ever felt stuck in your business, fru...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. Have you ever dreamed of becoming a published author but told yourself you don’t have the time? In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast , Shannon Russell sits down with Liz Mugavero, traditionally published author of 20 books and counting, to talk about how she built a successful writing career while working a demanding corporate...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. Have you ever stopped yourself from starting a business or changing careers because you were worried about what people would think? You are not alone. In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast, Shannon Russell dives into one of the biggest blockers for women navigating a career transition, self-doubt and the fear of judgment. Listen...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. Are you a stay-at-home mom thinking about going back to work, starting a business, or navigating a career transition? In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast, Shannon Russell sits down with Lorie Jones, a financial advisor, entrepreneur, and mom of five, who shares her inspiring journey from stay-at-home parent to successful busin...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. What if retirement didn’t have to wait until you were 65? In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast, Shannon Russell dives into the growing trend of mini retirements and why more women are choosing to take intentional career breaks to reset, recharge, and rethink their next chapter. A recent study shows that more professionals are p...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. What would you do if you were laid off tomorrow? In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast , Shannon Russell sits down with Kelly Schuknecht to talk about turning an unexpected layoff into a powerful second act career. After years climbing the corporate ladder in publishing and marketing, Kelly found herself at a crossroads when her...

In this special episode of the Second Act Success Podcast , Shannon Russell participates in Podcastathon 2026 , a global initiative where podcasters dedicate an episode to highlight a charity that matters deeply to them. The organization Shannon chose to spotlight is Big Brothers Big Sisters, specifically Big Brothers Big Sisters of Coastal and Northern New Jersey. Before becoming a business coach...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. If you have a business idea you're excited about, it can be tempting to jump straight into building it. But before you invest your time, energy, and money, there's one critical step you shouldn't skip. In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast , Shannon Russell walks you through how to research and validate your busin...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. Have you ever worried that changing careers means everything you’ve done up to this point was a waste? In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast, Shannon Russell sits down with Kayla Sweet , a transformational life coach and founder of Internally Guided Leadership Consulting, to talk about transformation, alignment, burnout, and car...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. I missed my son’s first birthday. And that moment changed everything in my career.  In this deeply personal episode of the Second Act Success Podcast , Shannon Russell shares the story of the day she was producing a major MTV shoot at South by Southwest while her baby celebrated his first birthday without her. On paper, it looked like succe...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. Have you ever been more afraid of your dream coming true than of it failing? Fear of failure is real, but what about the fear of success? In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast , Shannon Russell, business coach for women and author of Start Your Second Act , dives into one of the most overlooked blocks in entrepreneurship and car...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. Are you struggling to get your resume noticed in today’s competitive job market? Wondering how to get past AI resume screeners and actually land an interview? In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast, Shannon Russell sits down with former recruiter turned career strategist Sindy Thomas, host of The Insider Career Club Podcast. With...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. If you don’t want your boss’s job… why are you still climbing the ladder? This episode of the Second Act Success Podcast with business coach Shannon Russell is your wake-up call. So many high-achieving women are working long hours, chasing promotions, and saying yes to more responsibility. Yet when they look at the next level, they realize...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. If you have ever read Two Weeks Notice by Amy Porterfield , you know she encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to pick a quit date and put it on the calendar. For many women, that bold move is exactly what helps them finally take action. In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast, Shannon Russell shares a different approach. One rooted i...

👉 Start Your Second Act Strategy Call with Shannon here. Do you feel guilty about wanting to change your career when your partner is unhappy in their job, but refuses to make a move? You’re not alone, and this episode is your permission slip to move forward anyway. In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast , business coach and author Shannon Russell tackles one of the most common emotiona...

*Book a free strategy call to discuss your business or second act idea with Shannon here . Don’t let anyone tell you that your side gig isn’t legitimate. In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast , career transition coach and business coach for women Shannon Russell sits down with Cheryl Fischer , a former corporate professional turned math and economics teacher who reinvented herself agai...

*Book a free strategy call to discuss your business or second act idea with Shannon here . If your business feels quiet, slow, or stuck right now, this episode is for you. In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast , business coach for women Shannon Russell shares 3 simple, practical ways to create momentum in your business . Especially during seasons when motivation is low, sales feel inco...

*Book a free strategy call to discuss your business or second act idea with Shannon here . What do you do when you’re ready to launch your business and suddenly a job offer lands in your lap? You’ve done the work. You’ve given notice. You’re building a business. And then… an opportunity shows up that makes you question everything. In this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast , career transiti...