Her Story
About Shea
Shea Hartmann is a professional artist and real estate industry leader based in Ankeny, Iowa. She serves as Vice President of the Des Moines Market for The Title Resource Network, where she oversees operations and contributes to business development within the title and settlement services sector. Alongside her corporate career, she has maintained a long-standing commitment to visual art, building a creative practice that spans more than two decades.
Her professional background is rooted in real estate, title services, and transaction management, where she has progressed through roles including title examiner, real estate closings supervisor, settlement services manager, and operations manager. Over time, she developed a reputation for strong leadership, dependability, and process improvement, particularly in high-detail, client-facing environments. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and Art Studio Designs from Morningside University, where she combined her academic interests in communication and visual arts.
In addition to her corporate leadership, Hartmann continues to grow her personal art brand and online presence as galleries become less central to artist discovery and sales. She is focused on building direct connections with audiences and adapting to the evolving art market while balancing a dual career. A single mother for many years, she has emphasized discipline, adaptability, and resilience throughout her personal and professional journey. She is also exploring opportunities in public speaking and developing ideas for a podcast, reflecting her broader interest in storytelling, creativity, and connection.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Shea
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to knowing how to fail. It's never giving up - every time I've failed, I might have taken 12 hours to be sad about it, or a week to be sad about it, and then okay, pick yourself up, put your big girl pants on, put on some mug boots, and grab a shovel. My main goal for going back to school was that my oldest had been diagnosed with dyslexia as well, and I wanted to be able to prove to my children that it was attainable. So my boys are a lot of my inspiration. I married my muse a couple years ago, so that helps. It takes a village, and I would say just even random strangers - people gravitate to me, they will be at a bar and I will hear an entire life story. A lot of the models that model for me model for me to gain confidence.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to make decisions based on your own priorities and long-term goals rather than the expectations of others, and to consistently center your choices on your own agency and direction.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field right now is the decline in traditional gallery opportunities, which requires artists to take a more proactive approach in building their own visibility and audience. This shift creates an opportunity to develop strong direct-to-audience online presences and cultivate meaningful, personal connections with buyers outside of conventional gallery systems. At the same time, balancing multiple roles—creator, marketer, and business manager—can be demanding, making it essential to establish strong routines, clear priorities, and healthy boundaries to sustain long-term growth.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that guide my work and personal life are persistence, authenticity, self-reliance, community connection, meaningful conversation, and self-care. I strive to stay committed even through challenges, remain true to my own voice and vision, and take responsibility for building my own path. At the same time, I value maintaining strong connections within my community and engaging in conversations that are thoughtful and purposeful. Equally important is prioritizing self-care, which allows me to sustain balance, creativity, and long-term resilience.
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