Influential Woman · Career and personal development
Shanelle Porter-Simmons, SHRM-CP
SHRM-CP
Founder, The Fifth Path LLC
North Charleston, SC 29406
Her Story
About Shanelle
Shanelle Porter-Simmons is the founder of The Fifth Path LLC and a solopreneur working at the intersection of executive coaching and career transition strategy. After dedicating two decades to the United States Marine Corps and retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel, she redirected her focus toward helping high-achieving professionals navigate moments when success no longer feels aligned with what they truly want. That transition became the foundation for her book, Try a New Path, which examines how conformity, fear, doubt, and comfort quietly steer people away from pursuing meaningful change. Before her military service, she spent seven years competing as a professional 400-meter track and field athlete, an experience that instilled the discipline and forward-focused mindset she now brings to her coaching practice.
Academically, Porter-Simmons built a diverse foundation that spans science, leadership, and military strategy. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, followed by a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Boston University Metropolitan College and a Master of Military Studies from Marine Corps University. She also completed a Graduate Certificate in Project Management through Boston University and holds SHRM-CP certification. Her professional network reflects her ties to both the military and human resources communities, including membership in the Women Marines Association, the National Naval Officers Association, the Society for Human Resource Management, and the Marine Corps Association. Her contributions have also earned her recognition among the Influential Women representing Columbia, South Carolina.
At the core of Porter-Simmons's approach is a belief in showing up imperfectly rather than waiting for the "right" moment. She encourages clients to move toward positive ideas without letting fear of judgment or the pursuit of perfection hold them back, a philosophy she sums up as doing things "messy" until clarity emerges. Guided by integrity and loyalty, she has little patience for envy or complacency, choosing instead to champion the wins of others without comparison. As artificial intelligence reshapes her industry, she sees an opening rather than a threat — a reminder that real human connection and shared experience remain irreplaceable in guiding people through their next chapter.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Shanelle
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being goal-oriented and always keeping an eye on the future. I pursue the life I want, and I focus my energy on whatever will help me get there. Financial security was one of the reasons I joined the military in the first place, so thinking ahead has always been part of how I operate. That same forward focus now shapes how I try to help others move toward what's next for them.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've received is that life is too short to sit on the sidelines waiting. If an idea feels positive, the right move is to act on it and trust that the learning will come along the way. My mantra right now is to "do it messy" — you work through things imperfectly until you eventually figure them out and can refine them. Too many people hold back because they're worried about being judged, and that fear of imperfection is often what keeps them from moving forward at all.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice is simple: just show up. Act on the ideas that feel right, even if the execution isn't polished at first — you refine it as you go. Don't let the pressure of doing everything perfectly, or the fear of what others might think, stop you from getting started.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges I see is that many people don't know how to market themselves or communicate their own story, even when they have something valuable to share. At the same time, I think this is a real opportunity — especially as AI becomes more present in our lives. It's a chance to remind people that there are still humans who genuinely care and are willing to walk alongside them. Everyone has a story in them that can resonate with someone else, and having a real person to talk to who has lived through something similar is invaluable.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity and loyalty matter most to me, both professionally and personally. I don't have much patience for slothfulness or envy in others. What I do value is celebrating people — I want to see others experience joy and success, because their success doesn't take anything away from mine, and mine doesn't take anything away from theirs.
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