Her Story
About Shannon
Shannon Oakley serves as CEO and owner-operator of two home services businesses in Spokane, Washington, in addition to managing multi-rental unit properties with a focus on affordable housing. Her career began in hospitality, where she progressed through various service positions in restaurants and hotels before securing a management role at Starbucks. She later advanced to management within a small home services company, which she acquired in 2020 after joining in 2016, and subsequently expanded by opening another home services business in a different territory. Oakley has acquired six rental units to address affordable housing needs in her community. She is deeply engaged in local philanthropy, sponsoring the Spokane Impact soccer team for intellectually disabled athletes and leading initiatives such as the Cleaning Authority Cares food and homewares drive. Her affiliations include the Chamber of Commerce, Greater Spokane Incorporated, Vanessa Behan, Maddie's House, and the YWCA. Oakley credits her success to believing in herself and the ability to reflect on what works and what does not, while advising aspiring female entrepreneurs to build supportive communities and networks.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Shannon
01What do you attribute your success to?
Believing in myself. You have to be able to believe you can do it, because if you don't believe you can do it, no one else will. And really being able to take a step back, and when things are hard, being able to say what worked, what didn't work, and above that, how am I going to repeat the things that did work and not repeat the things that didn't work. Being able to really hold up the mirror and say what is within my power, and what can I change, and what can't I change.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Finding your community is really important, for any woman who is entering the entrepreneurship realm, is finding those people that are gonna stand behind you and stand next to you and pull you along and support you is really important. And those networks in those communities can be found in a lot of the obvious places, but a lot of the non-obvious places. So really understanding where your community can come from and lean in, because that community will give back to you tenfold.
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