100 Episodes of Second Act Success! Career Advice, Job-Change Stories, & Inspiration | Ep 100

It's our 100th Episode of the Second Act Success Career Podcast! Today host, Shannon Russell, walks us through the past 100 episodes of career change motivation. She also goes into why she launched this podcast and how she wishes she had had this support when she left her television career to start a small business. The mission of this podcast is to show others what is out there, while motivating each listener to take a leap into a "second act" transition that will change their career and life for the better. 

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Listen to more of the Second Act Success Career Podcast at https://secondactsuccess.co/podcast.

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Second Act Success Career Podcast
Season 1 - 100 Episodes of Second Act Success! Career Advice, Job-Change Stories, & Inspiration
Episode - #100
Host: Shannon Russell
Transcription (*created by Descript and may not be perfectly accurate)


[00:00:16] Shannon Russell: Welcome to the podcast. My friend. This is a special one. This is episode 100. Crazy to think that I have spent 100 shows talking about career changes, life shifts, second acts, all of it with you. Whether you have listened to all 100 episodes, or if this is your first one. I want to say, thank you. I am beyond honored to have you here with me for this very special episode. 

Hey you, are you feeling stuck? Desperate for a career change or thinking of starting a business but you're just not sure how to make your first move? I'm television producer turned career coach Shannon [00:01:00] Russell and this is the Second Act Success Career Podcast. This is where you will not only get the career advice you've been craving but you'll get tips from career and business experts along with inspiration from others who have made a career transition to find second act success.

Let's get started.

As I climbed the podcast ladder to get into the triple digits here, it's been truly incredible to create a space where we can meet every week and talk about transition and really just embrace all of the aspects of change in our lives to make it more acceptable and less taboo. I don't try to sugar coat. That starting over. Isn't scary. It most certainly is, but this doesn't mean that change is not worth it. 

Every time I get a message from a listener or a DM from someone on Instagram who felt heard or encouraged by the topics that we discuss here on the show. I really feel giddy because this is why I [00:02:00] created this show. The main reason why is because I could have used this show when I was starting my second act. I needed a space where someone could tell me that it was O K to start over. I needed to hear that it was okay to leave behind what I had worked so hard to accomplish and start over doing something new that I was equally as excited about yet terrified at the same time. I wish I had had these stories and this level of support. When I left my career in television to launch a small business as a new mom of two little boys, it was very hard. And I have to say, and I've talked about it here on the podcast before for me, it was finding podcasts where I could feel like this could be possible. And I listened to Marie Forleo. I listened to Natalie Eckdahl all from the Biz Chix. I listened to John Lee Dumas, [00:03:00] Jenna Kutcher. Those were my people. Those are my friends. Outside of the television world that were telling me. Hey, you can use your experience. And you can create something else and it's okay. It can be done. 

And I feel like those shows that I listened to gave me motivation, but they didn't give me the tools that I try to provide. Now here at Second Act Success, the tools of really listening to other people who have gone through the motions. I love that here I'm able to share success stories of other people who have transitioned from their first act to their second act, or sometimes even their third and fourth act. To give other people who are listening that sense that it is possible. 

Second Act Success has given me the space to not only share my career change story. But it allows me every week. To share real life lessons that others have learned from their leaps into change. I am always in all the stories [00:04:00] that my incredible guests share, because I feel like they're very vulnerable and we've gone through some really dark, deep moments. Overcoming homelessness addiction, changing their sexual orientation, just all of these different, huge life and career moments. That they have gone through. And come out on the other side, being successful and leading a life of full empowerment. That to me is the most valuable story to share to those of you who are contemplating change. 

And I love sharing experiences that my coaching clients share with me. I feel like I can bring back here and share with you To make you know, that you are not alone in wanting to change. Sometimes we feel that guilt and that, imposter syndrome, of course, but really that guilt of wanting to change. Am I being selfish by wanting to leave this job and start over. I have a [00:05:00] partner. I have children. I have other responsibilities who am I to think that I can shake the status quo and try something new. And I hope that this show has been. 

Uh, catalyst to launch other people into their second acts. Showing people that it's okay to change and that trying to change. To find something better for yourself is not a selfish act. 



[00:05:23] Shannon Russell: When I began thinking about how I wanted to shape this special edition of the podcast. I have to admit that I drew a blank. Truth be told that this past month or so have been really, really rough on me. You see the problem with finding what it is that you love taking that leap and diving in is that you want to do it all right away. As you know, I own two businesses. I have two little boys. I caught myself in August trying to be the perfect mom, checking off the summer bucket list with the kids while running one business, overseeing a large incredible team. And dealing with customers. And then working with my [00:06:00] coaching clients. Producing this podcast and working on a launch of a brand new program. 

Oh, and did I mention that I started writing a book as well? Way, way too many things. Needless to say everything hit a wall at once. And I had to take a break. I had to take a breath. I had to step back. I put a pause on everything for just a few weeks as I got the kids ready and settled back into school, they are now there and I am back full-time. Into the businesses and into routine. Admittedly I had taken on way too much. All at once. And my health was paying the price. I decided to take it easy on myself and follow my own advice for once and just do what I can step-by-step. The great thing about this 100th episode is that I feel like it's kickstarting me into a new routine. Into the fall into just a new chapter. 

What I usually encourage my clients to do when they are pivoting into their careers is to break each step into [00:07:00] small tasks and tackle them one by one. So now I'm going to take my own advice as I move forward into fall. 

Looking back at these 100 episodes makes me so proud. And of course, if you know me, I'm incredibly type a. And so of course I have a list of already what I want to do with the next 100 episodes. So I'm really excited to dive in with fresh new episodes to offer you with more insight into planning your career change. Gaining the confidence to make the big move and feeling supported along your journey. 

I will be shifting slightly in this next season of the show to bring you more one-on-one episodes like this one where it's just you and I talking about a topic that will leave you with insight. And excitement. Think of me as that friendly reminder, poking you to take action, to achieve your second act and to make it exactly what you want it to be. 

If you're not already be sure to subscribe to the podcast because I have even more industry experts lined up to join me [00:08:00] this season to talk about different aspects of career transition, as well as inspirational women and men who have made a change and come out on the other side, even more successful. Listening to other people's stories is the whisper we often need so that we know that we are not alone in wanting to change the status quo. Before we say goodbye, please know how much it means to me that you subscribe and listen to the show. 

Whether you're listening on your drive to work while you're doing the dishes while you're working out. Whenever you listen, please know that it means the world to me. 

My goal is that you feel more supported and more motivated after each episode. I am. So looking forward to spending the next 100 episodes of the second act success career podcast with you. 

Remember that if you are thinking about change, Only you can take action to explore those possibilities. And I am here to support you as you do. Talk soon, my [00:09:00] friend.