Her Story
About Shannon
My career has been shaped by understanding the power of storytelling. I started in journalism, writing, and reporting, which taught me how persuasion through storytelling naturally leads to marketing and sales. Over the past 25 years, I've built multiple businesses that capitalize on these talents and skills. I do a great deal of consulting work, mostly publicity and PR, and I still write extensively for publications like Entrepreneur Magazine and local newspapers and magazines. I work with authors, helping them with publicity, marketing, and book promotion. I also run Roadside Republic with my son, a produce distribution business where we sell Texas peaches seasonally from Memorial Day to Labor Day. We're in our 12th year with that business now. My day starts pretty early, around 4 AM, where I focus on consulting work for clients, helping them establish authority, reputation, and status with their body of work, mostly fiction authors. I also work with institutions and other small businesses on publicity, promotion, and marketing. My clients are located all over the U.S., not just in Texas.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Shannon
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to understanding that failure is not really failure - it's just new data points. I've learned not to take anything personal around failure or rejection. The key has been staying consistent, even when you don't have anything to show for it. Consistency and endurance are what matter most, along with being willing to keep learning as you go. People shouldn't be afraid to start a business or jump into something new - it doesn't require formal education, just the commitment to show up and stay the course.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've received is to sell the thing that sells the thing. What that means is that marketing is really what you should focus on, not necessarily the product itself. You have to sell the marketing in order to sell the product. It's about understanding that the marketing itself is what drives everything - that's where your focus needs to be.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I don't think today starting a business or jumping into writing requires any formal education. What it requires is consistency and endurance, and learning as you go. People shouldn't be afraid to start a business. Today, it's far easier to get started and make an impact than it has been in the last 25 years that I've been in marketing and communications. There's such a level of inconsistency and people not showing up - meaning people don't stay consistent and show up and committed to an effort, or a field, or a product, or a service. They bail too quickly. I think it's super easy today to get started with a product, a business, or a service, and make an impact with all of the social media platforms. Direct response marketing has been the biggest game changer in my marketing career.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I don't see it as a challenge - I think it's a great opportunity. Today, it's far easier to get started and make an impact than it has been in the last 25 years that I've been in marketing and communications. The reason is because there's such a level of inconsistency and people not showing up. People don't stay consistent and show up and committed to an effort, or a field, or a product, or a service. They bail too quickly. I think it's super easy today to get started with a product, a business, or a service, and make an impact with all of the social media platforms. Direct response marketing has been the biggest game changer in my marketing career.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are understanding that failure is not really failure - it's just new data points. I believe in not taking anything personal around failure or rejection. And most importantly, staying consistent, even when you don't have anything to show for it. These principles guide both my work and personal life, and they've been essential to building and sustaining my businesses over the years.
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