S9E12 - Embracing Change and Empowerment Through Coffee, Community, and the Power of Mentorship!! #ShitHappens

What if a sudden life event could completely change the course of your business and personal growth? Join us on a heartfelt journey as we navigate the transformative power of life's unexpected moments, from a house fire that reshaped Holly's business to the joy of reconnecting with friends over our shared love for coffee. As we celebrate International Women's Day, we reflect on the value of community and enduring friendships amidst life's ups and downs. Holly reveals her unique coffee rituals, and together, we find solace in the simple pleasures that nourish our spirits.

Mentorship and community growth are at the heart of this episode, as Holly recounts her enriching experience at South by Southwest (SXSW). Where, She had the privilege of mentoring a diverse array of individuals, from building startups to ambitious students. This journey wasn't just about sharing wisdom; it was about the mutual exchange of knowledge and the power of mentorship to effect lasting change. We explore the vital importance of transitioning mentorship into paid opportunities, especially for women who often provide unpaid guidance, and highlight resources that empower women in the workplace.

Genuine engagement, whether in social media or in life, is a recurring theme as we emphasize the importance of attentiveness and empathy in building meaningful connections. Holly Shannon joins us to discuss how creativity can flourish through new beginnings and collaborations, inspiring listeners to embrace renewal in their pursuits. As we look forward to future projects and potential collaborations, there's an invitation to connect over coffee and cultivate enriching relationships. Whether you're seeking inspiration, empowerment, or simply a good coffee story, this episode promises to uplift and motivate.

To Get In-Touch with Holly Shannon - https://bio.site/hollyshannon

https://hollyshannon.com/

Chapters

• 0:00 Coffee Rituals and Life Changes
• 6:33 Mentorship and Community Growth
• 18:57 Negotiating Pay and Worth in Workplace
• 34:20 Understanding Social Media and Engagement
• 40:13 Seeking Inspiration and Creative Shift
• 54:11 New Beginnings and Collaborations

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Um, I had a house fire, like you, and I had to put everything away and, as you know, it depends your life, like you are. Nothing is the same after that. You have your life before fire and after fire, and I had to put everything away. And when I pulled everything back out, the model for that industry had shifted a lot and had moved from for sales to consignment. For small people I'm not talking like the anthropologies of the world, but for smaller entrepreneurs like myself that was always putting the stamp shop a little for a small business Saturday that was me it turned to consignment and it was really really hard to build and flourish in that kind of model, and so I lost my mojo on it and shit happens. Shit happens to you and me.

Speaker 2: 1:02

It doesn't matter if you're a wizard, a king or a queen, even if you are magic, you've got to agree it's worth it to talk shit out, no matter how messy shit happens shit happens.

Speaker 3: 1:44

FYI, this episode was recorded February of 2024 and we are now in March of 2025. I felt like this was the perfect timing, with everything that's going on in the world, but also the fact that it was just International Women's Day on March 8th, so enjoy.

Speaker 2: 2:06

Hey everybody, I'm about to hang out with the most beautiful human being.

Speaker 3: 2:11

I know I love this lady so much and I'm so sad I didn't get to see her last week, but I did get to see her last year.

Speaker 2: 2:18

So if you're new here, welcome to Shit Happens, because shit happens. I'm Paula, host of TalkShareW EP, and now we have Shit Happens. And before that, I'm going to go ahead and bring this incredible beautiful lady on the stage, polly baby.

Speaker 3: 2:37

Hi, how's my favorite, paula doing.

Speaker 2: 2:41

I'm amazing. Oh, my God, I missed you so much last week, so so much.

Speaker 1: 2:46

Podfest is like our little jewel, our little community, and I'm sorry I missed you on the stage, but I heard you crushed it.

Speaker 2: 2:55

I did Thank you, and even though you were not there, you were actually there because Charlie used our picture of DC on his slide, so you were there.

Speaker 1: 3:07

Oh, I love Charlie, charlie from Pondville. We all met in DC right for lunch. That was so good.

Speaker 2: 3:15

And it's funny because it was like you know how this community is more than because look at what we do even beyond the community. I was like, oh my God, yes take me back it's true. You know, Holly.

Speaker 1: 3:29

Yeah, I've been okay. It's been a little bit crazy my life. I had to sort of step off of the business and social media train to attend to a family emergency, so I've sort of been out of the loop from what feels like most of January. So like January feels like an entire year to me right now.

Speaker 2: 3:50

I mean, january is always like a year. That's why people always say like okay, we are starting the new year in February because January is just always so long. I'm right there.

Speaker 1: 3:59

New year in February. So happy new year, Holly. Happy new year. We need champagne and we need the like sparklers and everything.

Speaker 2: 4:10

Before we get to anything right, I want to know why you're obsessed with coffee, holly, because I've never like. I know people love coffee, but your love is beyond, so let's talk about that All right.

Speaker 1: 4:26

So, admittedly and without apology, I am a coffee snob and I know I am. I've always just I'm kind of like that with all kinds of foods, like I really I don't know. I love to cook, I love to eat. I've been exposed to some really incredible little shops and boutiques and I I like to like share really nice things and coffee happens to be one of them and you know it's a ritual. I enjoy preparing it, I enjoy like having it freshly ground and using a French press or a mocha pod and it's like a ritual. You know, like I mean, I think a lot of people have like tea rituals and maybe around hot cocoa or maybe even just pouring a drink, like they like their drink made a very particular way. So I'm kind of like that with my coffee, I have to admit.

Speaker 2: 5:22

I like that. What's the best coffee you've had so far?

Speaker 1: 5:28

Oh well, that's a really good question, because I have a few. But right now I found this really cute place here in DC called Zeke's Shout out, and every Sunday I go to DuPont Circle here for the Farmer's Market, which is one of the biggest farmer's markets in all of Washington DC, and they are there and I get it's called the 1820 Espresso Blend, and so that's what I've been using for, but I've been using it as my French press, not as espresso, but I can use it for either.

Speaker 2: 6:07

So nice, I like that. I missed you and it's so sad that the one time I send you a package you don't get it, because I sent you Tanzanian coffee.

Speaker 1: 6:18

I know and you know what, sometimes there's like a lot of thefts here in DC right off the porches, like if they see a package, and I think that's sorry, so oh, you know.

Speaker 2: 6:32

Um. One thing I learned about you as I was preparing for this is um. You are a mentor at um. What is it? Sxsww? What's the long form? Oh my God, how can I know?

Speaker 1: 6:45

So they call it South by Southwest. Yes, south by Southwest.

Speaker 2: 6:51

And I know it's quite a very I call it the expensive niche in this world because they really are that brand. So I want you to share about that experience brand new stuff.

Speaker 1: 7:05

So I want you to share about that experience. Okay, so I took a chance and applied to participate in that and I thought it was kind of a long shot, but I got lucky in 2022. And I got to be a part of the program and one of the things that they do is, uh, they do like a mentorship program on one of their tracks. They have many tracks. They have technology, culture, uh, music, film you know all different ones, but they do have one track under um, I think it was under culture and technologies. I came in and I had this opportunity to mentor all different people. They might have been startups, they might have been planning on an entrepreneurial journey, they could have been students you never know who you'll end up with.

Speaker 1: 8:04

And, strangely, this woman from Ohio University for Scripps University there, which is a world renowned university, she put a bunch of her students in a van and came to Austin, texas, to South by, and I ended up interviewing them all in a row and it was a really cool experience. I also got to meet with three founders a really cool startup called Mogul that actually won the pitch challenge there and has gone on to do amazing things. And then there was one woman that I ended up mentoring. She had read my book at the time and I invited her to come work for me as an intern so she could get an opportunity to look under the hood of a podcast. And she took me up on it and she was a very gifted sound engineer. Sound engineer and we ended up working together for a couple of seasons and she's gone on to greater things. She's gone on to work with NPR. So I felt like maybe I had like this teensy little part in you know, maybe helping her round out a few skills that she wanted, but so that was like really cool being able to do that.

Speaker 1: 9:27

I got interviewed by a couple of different places an Asian channel which I think is featured on my website, and I got interviewed by an app called, two apps. One was called Ible, where I met our friend Johnny Um, and he interviewed me. And then, um, I'm embarrassed to say I forgot the name of the other app. I'm not even sure I think they were trying to compete with like a clubhouse or something. I can't remember the name, sorry to say it was two years ago, but applied again, and so I will be back in March, um, doing my thing.

Speaker 2: 10:09

I mean that's impressive. So that's how you met, johnny. Look at how all these connections end up coming. Yeah, yeah and um.

Speaker 2: 10:18

I like what you said about internships because I feel like most people when you offer them internships, they feel like, oh, I'm doing all this work for, but they forget how much you get from that being mentored, like being in an internship in there doing that with people, how much it's better than even being getting a job.

Speaker 2: 10:38

That's paying you, because you, when you get a job, uh, or you're being paid for a job, you just do the job, but when you're being an intern, you get to to learn all the different sectors and I feel like people are sleeping on that. And it's funny because the guy I was, who was here an hour ago, was engaged uh, I'm internshiping with him on his intern and trade year program. He started an intern program and I consider my mentors, so I figured you are a mentor. You have mentored people are going to do amazing things. I wanted us to talk about their mentorship and how it's important in community, in society, in your growth, of whatever you're doing, to have a mentor, your mentor to somebody. So did you ever have mentors or did you get into that?

Speaker 1: 11:28

um, I did have mentors along the way, um, throughout my my life. Um, I'm not sure that it was something that was, um I'm not even sure it really kind of had a name when I was like growing up and going through the business world. I'm not sure that we really identified it as that. You know, I'm a big believer in it. I'm also a big believer in being paid, you know, like I think mentorship is important. But I think women often get pigeonholed into offering mentorship as opposed to being safe consultants. So I think it's really important to sort of have a line in the sand as to how much you do of each. And I will point out I did speak to her on as an intern, the woman who did come to help me in the beginning and helped to level her up. But as soon as she started helping with other seasons, I paid her the same amount that I was paying my original editor for episode, because she was still doing the work and it was hours out of her day that she could have been maybe taking a part-time job somewhere. So I did move it into a paid internship once I realized that she really wanted to learn more and that we were growing together.

Speaker 1: 12:55

But I think mentorship is really important because I think it's important to share whatever information you have. It's not new. Anything that we're sharing it's not new. You're not, you know, creating a universe, but you're sharing. You know you're sort of carrying the baton that's been handed to you, and so I think it's really important to mentor throughout life. And even if you haven't and give that gift to somebody, they'll probably pay it forward because it'll be worthwhile for them. And then at some point, you know, especially for women, I think it's really important to have um paid consultancy, I think. I think a lot of people love to put women in that mentorship program, similarly how they love to put women in volunteer work. It's all important, and I volunteered endless hours, but I think it's really important to pay women their worth. I think women get asked to do that more than men. To be honest, no shade, but it's just the truth.

Speaker 2: 14:01

It is the truth. I've also seen that, like I've seen more, even when it comes to volunteering. You see the numbers, you see where it's lacking. And I'm also don't get me wrong I've had internships where I've been paid and I haven't been paid, and I like it when, like, if I'm being an intern and I do the bare minimum, I get it.

Speaker 2: 14:27

It it's gonna stay there, but if I'm doing, I'm being an intern and I'm proving myself, I'm really putting in the work, I'm showing up, I'm doing the extra, I really want to learn. I feel like that I am putting in the work right, like how you, how you turned it into because she was putting it up, but if she wasn't, if she wasn't doing none of that, it would have stayed as an internal. Okay, your time is over, thank you, you know. But if you see that the ritual is growing and they really want it as much as they're showing it, because sometimes people say I want it so badly, but then when you look at what they're doing in this, I want it so badly, you don't, I want it so- badly in the actions.

Speaker 1: 15:08

you only see it in the words. Does that make sense? No, it makes perfect sense. And, and I think also, um, you sort of need a little bit of time to get to know each other so that you can um make sure they're not lazy or flaking out or disinterested. You know, sometimes people ask for things and they get it and and then they don't really show up for for the game, if you will.

Speaker 1: 15:31

So, um, I think I think it is important to mentor, I think it's important to show up, and I think there's, oh, it's always important to have a bit of a trial period together, as maybe an unpaid intern, um, and and then to assess it. And, that being said, um, I would also say to the person being mentored, that intern um, use your voice. You know, like, if you feel like, after a period of time, you're bringing some worth to the table, that you are um helping that person out. As much as you know it's reciprocal, it's okay to show up to the table and say hey, you know, I think we've reached a point in our relationship that I'd like to look at a paid opportunity with you.

Speaker 2: 16:17

I think that's important too, to have it be very two-sided and not one-sided two-sided and not one-sided, and that's so true because, no offense, some people will keep you in the not paid for as long as they can, especially if you don't voice it. Some people are just like that. Not everybody will be like oh my god, I see how much you're doing, let's see how far you can take it, or anything. There are only a few people who actually see that and do it, and that's why I like to be in places where I will do my part. If you're not seeing me, I will raise it to the table and bring it like hey, I've been doing this for this time and if it's not, it's fine, then my time is gone. It wasn't wasted, because I learned some stuff. I took a lot with me, but I just need to go take it elsewhere where they will pay me for it.

Speaker 1: 17:11

no, I agree with you, I agree. So, yeah, I think both are really good and and when I was speaking at South by Southwest, I had the opportunity to create mentorship relationships with people and consulting A couple of them flipped over from just our initial date together to mentor in Austin where they hired me to consult and help them build out their podcast. So that was a great opportunity and I think it's all good. I think everybody at some point should mentor and probably consult.

Speaker 2: 17:51

Yeah, because it builds relationships and you never know where those relationships lead you or take you. So you, as we're talking about being paid right, and we are women, for some reason we are always scared of when it comes to asking for a raise or getting paid fairly, like raising our voices in those departments. For some reason A man will walk up in there and be like I want a raise and walk out, but we will overthink it. How to go about it? What can I do? Am I really worth it? Am I asking too much? Am I asking too much? Like it's always so hard? What would you suggest for people who are like you know, as we're talking about, like your mentoring, your internship it gets to a point where you realize, oh my God, now I'm on this level where I need to be paid or even just getting a raise. How would you tell somebody to go about that? Because I know a lot of people have an issue with that.

Speaker 1: 18:54

Yeah, it's a tough one, they say. On the front side of that, when people apply for a job, women will make sure that they check all the boxes on the job description before they apply, and men don't do that. Even if they have, you know, 25% of the skill sets being asked for, they apply. So there is a discrepancy in how our brains work in terms of what we are worthy of for starters. Then, on the flip side of it, once you have a job, I think women tend to be timid about asking for what they deserve, so I'll probably share a couple of resources here.

Speaker 1: 19:43

So I had the gift of being able to interview two very powerful women. One's named Belly Gallant and she is the founder of Female Quotient, and they are an organization that really helps women understand their worth, helps women understand their worth and, uh, they are backed by a lot of very powerful women and they show up to all of the major events. Um, they have a podcast, but they're very um active on LinkedIn and in in those types of communities and they, I believe they have a lot of tools to help women ask for what they deserve. She's a pretty amazing woman. I did get to interview her about company culture from the beginning of my show.

Speaker 1: 20:37

And then another person with another resource. Her name is Lindsay Kaplan and she's the co-founder of CHEAP, and CHEAP is an organization they have. They started in New York and now I think they're in San Francisco, Chicago, DC, Miami I think they're all over now and they're a big organization of women and you have to be a certain level to get in. But they have a lot of resources to help them. You know, break through that proverbial glass ceiling, lift each other up on the ladder, kind of thing. So there's a couple of resources there that you know, maybe would help people to find some ways to use their voice. You know, sometimes you need that kind of mentorship. You need the resources that provide the tools that you need for your box we do, we do, and I feel like I've been in that place.

Speaker 2: 21:40

Well, now I'm very vocal. I mean, have you met me in life? I was in that place where, uh, even when I know what my worth is, what I bring for that, like I really go into a job and I learn everything, I try to do that and bring amazing customers. So at some point I'm like yo, I'm doing so much, I need a raise. But then at one point you're like but I should feel lucky that I'm, I even have this job. Like I. And men don't think like that, you know, and for some reason I don't know why we have that mentality, because I would sit with other women and I would be listening to them as to why they're not asking for raise and they have to say, man, I'm just lucky I have a job, I'm just lucky they hired me, I'm just lucky I'm in this position, I'm just right it really is.

Speaker 1: 22:26

It's kind of like it's very unfair. You know when you deserve it, but show up with the goods. So what I would say is I would look at your original job description and I would check off other things that you you know you are living up to that job description and maybe make a list of, um, what you are doing over and above that. Uh, a list of your accomplishments, you know, oh I. Uh, increased sales by 25%. Uh, in cater, your accomplishments, you know, oh I, increased sales by 25% in catering, or you know whatever it was like.

Speaker 1: 23:05

Make a list so that way, when you go to sit down and ask for that raise, you could say I'm coming to you to ask for a raise. For this reason you hired me for this job and I feel that I've done a phenomenal job of meeting all your expectations on that. But I also want to present to you that I've done this, this and this as well in my time here and I'd like to discuss a role going into my next calendar year with you, or something like that. So you know, position it so that it's not at the wrong time, like if you're coming on, like your one year anniversary or two year anniversary or whatever. Come in so that you're armed with what you need Technus for that raise and not just the conditional 4% or whatever the company deems appropriate, that you're coming for a raise that you feel merits more than the conditional raise for showing up. You know that. I think you have to come armed with evidence.

Speaker 2: 24:09

Yeah, and that's such a uh for me. Um, after listening to those women, I was like, oh my God. And then, when I sit with the guys and I hear how they talk and how they, I was like, yeah, this can be it. And it ended up being. At that time I was working retail at HomeGoods and we all had a base pay and then you know, every one year they give you that one cent Two percent, yeah, probably some ridiculous.

Speaker 1: 24:39

Now.

Speaker 2: 24:41

But because I made sure that I learned everything apart from just my job description. I made sure I became undisposable, like you know, even when this person is missing today or they called out Paula can do that, paula can do that, paula can do that. So I used that as my weapon. I was like so we're going to talk about how to live better than this. So I ended up when, when some of my friends later on, after I left I left I saw them how much exactly I was making for a person in my in the position, I was like because they wanted to promote me, but only with a dollar extra, with no worth, I was like I'm not doing that, because sometimes people think just having the title is fancy, like I want the money, you can keep the title right, I don't want the title. So I declined that. But with a position, I was the money, money I was making. There. Nobody was making, even the people who got promoted to that extra dollar position. I was still making more.

Speaker 2: 25:45

Because every time I went to when it was my one year and they were talking about we're going to give you this, I was like no, I do this, I do this, I'm the only one who does this. I work every day because I come to the weekends. So I ended up negotiating and I do this. I'm the only one who does this. I work every day because I come to the weekends. So I ended up negotiating and I learned that I was like you've got to stand up, because if you really know what you're bringing, if you really see what you're bringing, they will comply to it, especially when you try to make things undisposable. And I used to tell people I know it's just home because I'm rich, so people take it. I'm just here to do my job and leave. I'm like I'm going to learn everything. I'm going to take it as a normal job while I wait for the job I want and show up as even though I hate it, show up as I love it, do the damn thing and make my value that more higher.

Speaker 1: 26:38

I think it's amazing what you did, and I think what you did by sharing what your pay was when you exited with the people that were on the same level as you, I think that that was really huge that you did that, because I think we need more transparency so that people don't get taken advantage of. That's in women, that's in women of color, paula, because the scale is even lower right.

Speaker 1: 27:09

And I think you gave them a gift that most people don't do by sharing that, and I think showing up and asking for what you're worth is important. You have a unique skill, paula. You have a very high level of EQ, which is that emotional quotient. You know, like you are very sensitive and worn and pay attention to, to people, like when they drift off a little bit or you don't hear hear from them or you notice that they're not like engaging. Like you're very good at the, you're very empathetic and you recognize when somebody is hurting or is not really wholly present because maybe something's on their mind. Something's on their mind and that's a really valuable tool in business.

Speaker 1: 28:03

And it's a bit of a lost art because a lot of people aren't comfortable talking to other people. You know and there's nothing wrong with that there's a lot of introverted people that don't want to really engage. They don't want to do that customer service level, if you will. But for those who are comfortable with it, like you, and for somebody who has that sixth sense about people, like you recognize when somebody needs like a little special attention, a little call of love, you know like hey, how's it going today? Or a little text. You know sending, sending hearts, like that's your gift. Um, and that's a big thing.

Speaker 1: 28:37

Like in different jobs that you choose, there's a lot of people that can't do it. I would probably say 80% of the people out there can't do what you do, and that's always going to be a really big gift that you can bring to the table and make more money with, because you'll be telling the higher ups. I'm the one who has my finger on the pulse of what's happening here, because I'm able to talk to people and I'm able to recognize when people aren't doing well and a healthy, strong workforce is important to you and I can ensure that they stay that way because I'm dialed in. I can tell when somebody is not doing well and I'm okay with approaching them. So that's a gift that you have. I truly believe that.

Speaker 3: 29:25

Thank you so much. You're going to make me cry.

Speaker 2: 29:29

And it's funny because when you grow up I've always been the emotional, the empathy and I read a lot, like I read people a lot. But those were the things when I was growing up appreciated. Because you're too emotional, you're a cry baby, you're too loud, you're all in our business. Because when you be like so, how are you really, why are you in my business? You know all that because people were so defensive back then and people really didn't wanna.

Speaker 2: 30:00

Right now, a little bit, people are more open, warm and willing to. They want to be asked out what you're really doing and they want to be like they are being seen for whatever they're going through. But back then it was like get out of my face, leave me alone. So to still be able to not lose that because it's so easy for somebody to be like oh my God, everybody, fuck all this. Why am I being? You know, I'm just going to keep it to myself. So for me to be able to still be that throughout all the things that has happened and for people to appreciate me for that now means a lot. And even when I, if I wasn't scared about being fired at that time I would have probably told everybody how much I was making and how to get to make more. I know there's specific people who I literally talked to and I know they won't run to go say, but they'll find a way to use that information to help themselves. So those I shared with while I was still at home.

Speaker 2: 31:00

Then, when I left, that's when everybody was like, listen, I met this man. So don't listen to them when they say they can't. You just got to tell them what you have, because they see it. They just pretend they don't see it Because it's retail, right, I know they see it. They just pretend they don't see it Because it's retail, right, I know they see it. They know what you're capable of, because when people call out, when people do this, all that, they call you, you're the first one to step in. So they're just playing stupid, especially since you also don't know how to approach it. And they're like well, this is not coming. Why should we be the ones to go to them? Because, and they're like, well, this is not coming. Why should we be the ones to go to them? Because it's future. It's not like a company that actually cares about your people. You get fired today. They'll have another person to hire.

Speaker 1: 31:47

Well, it's interesting that you say that it really degrades the company culture when you cycle through people repeatedly like that and it costs the company a ton of money to onboard and then offboard people. It's really a shame, because to pay somebody another dollar an hour or whatever it is, maybe even every six to 12 months, and to let them know that they're doing a good job and to give them little perks along the way Not that perks are necessarily company culture, you know, just because there's, you know, kombucha and iced coffee in the fridge doesn't necessarily make you want to stay. But being recognized for those things, being recognized for your gifts, and paying you a little bit more and keeping that trail of money coming in says we like you, paula, and we appreciate the work you're doing and we are going to give you money to you know we're, we're, we're putting on the bottom line. We're not just patting you on the back and saying thank you, we're saying, hey, here's some cash to put in your back pocket. Um, you know that makes such a huge difference and I and I don't know why there's such a disconnect in businesses that way, but there is.

Speaker 1: 33:04

And I do want to say something. I just want to jump back to something you said when you were younger how being empathetic and having, you know, that sixth sense of emotion, like recognizing when people were blue or bad or you know whatever and you were, you know, given a hard time, you were called emotional or too sensitive, or to whatever. It was the same thing for me, by the way, and I truly think now, now that we're more open about discussing mental health without it being like as much of a stigma I mean, I'm not saying it's not, but like people are a little bit more comfortable like being forward about, like hey, I'm going to take a little personal time this afternoon Just got some personal things happening. I'm not doing so well, like people actually talk now and say it. So I actually think and I've said this before but I think our emotional, sensitive side is actually our superpower and not a negative. So I'm sorry that that's what you were given, as that's what was said to you when you were younger, because the same thing was said to me.

Speaker 1: 34:20

But I think now it's really our strength, because I think like, for example, we let you know that I had gone silent on social media for a period of time because I was going through some shit and you reached out to me to check in and I have some people in my life, um, friends, that I've known for years that didn't do that, um, so you have your finger on the pulse of that and it it is your power. It might have been presented to you as a negative when you're younger, but it is powerful, um, I, I appreciated that you did it, and then we started corresponding a little bit more because I felt very comfortable doing that, because I knew that you were paying attention and we just all want to be paid to. You know, we want somebody to pay attention to us, right, we want to. We want to be seen when, when we need to be Right.

Speaker 2: 35:22

Yeah, and that's true, all that you said. First of all, thank you so much for saying all that stuff. And and I'm a person who don't listen to people when it comes to my life, so I'm glad that I was that way, that way. That's why I am still who I am Like. Yeah, okay, they told me that I was a negative. It is what it is, but it didn't stop me from continuing to be that way. And then now those same people thought I was a negative. Now they're the ones who want my life when they are going through their darkness. But oh, so now it's good enough for you. But no bad luck, but something about, because I tell people a lot.

Speaker 2: 36:04

Right, social media as good as it can be in building relationships with people all over and promoting whatever, but it's also as bad because people see you posting or being on social media media. They assume you are good. They forget that there's also tools. Not everybody when they post, they're actually what they're feeling, what they're going through. Sometimes most of us content creators, we are always constantly being told you need to post, you need to post. So even I might be in my bed crying and I'm putting a post up, but that's not what I'm going to. Or some people have scheduling tools. They schedule posts. So, whether I'm on social media or not, my post will still be going, but people have started using the social media. Oh, as long as she's on social media she's fine.

Speaker 2: 36:56

And me I'm a person who I really read people's posts or like I see the switch. Because when I see somebody posting whether it's tested or not and depending on how they're posting, it's over, like very, I'll be like something ain't feeling right here, feeling right here, and I will tell. But when I call not the typical just scroller, I literally will, my friends will be like analyzes social media posts. I'm like, yeah, because I really want to understand. But yeah, I don't want to score, because even in my post, that's why I want engagement, I want people to actually read, feel and engage.

Speaker 2: 37:37

So I so I'm going to go through that. So most of the time when I see I'm like I need to reach out to her, I don't think she's really okay or she's feeling bad. Or even when I see people who are normally online and then I'm like wait, I haven't seen Holly in here for two seconds. I haven't seen Christophe's post, because you guys are always in my timeline, right? So I'm like I need to reach out and just make sure that okay, because sometimes people just take social media breaks. You know, just like, oh, I'm good, I just need a time off, you know, because Instagram can do that to you.

Speaker 1: 38:15

Yeah, well, it's a lot of work, but I think it's really great that you're paying attention to the details and the nuances of people's posts and you can tell, like, when it's a scheduled post and when it's like a more spontaneous, in real time kind of post, and I think it's really great that you do that. I like to read too. I guess I'm one of those weirdos that read all the captions. I follow this influencer, taryn Delaney Smith. I think she's freaking adorable and she posted once. I'm going to read. I'm going to put my finger on every story of my friends and read every last word that they put on there, and I'm that person and read every last word that they put on there.

Speaker 2: 39:00

And I'm that person. Also, if I'm in a place where I can't read, I'll screenshot it, so I can come back and read it.

Speaker 1: 39:10

Juices right, like people are putting stuff on there for a reason. You know what I mean. It's not just like hey, here's a fire emoji when people really type some stuff on there. I want to read it.

Speaker 2: 39:19

I want to read it you know and we talked about this when we were in DC together about how people don't really read. That's why people like, they just like. But there's no engagement, because if you actually read the post, you would have had to respond, because have you seen how juicy my post was? And that shows me that people really don't read, they just like. Because how are you gonna see a whole caption like that and not respond like come on, you're right, it's so true. So before we get to an end, I just want to find out is coffee culture coming back? Are you giving us our coffee culture back? What's going on?

Speaker 1: 40:04

Oli, I'm having trouble. I am Hello, universe, where are you? I've gone quiet for a while with it. My last episode was with Steph Bowden the end of May and I have been on hiatus and I believe that stands for. I hate this because I have been waiting for the epiphany. I've been waiting for the universe to speak to me. I've been waiting for somebody to reach out and say what about this? I just I hit a wall with it.

Speaker 1: 40:40

You know, I every season it kind of the storyline shifted and that really worked for me. I loved rebranding it from season to season. It worked for me. Um, it's very much suits my personality.

Speaker 1: 40:54

I'm very, um, impulsive and I have a lot of things that interest me. So I have to keep shifting with the tide and with trend and I have been unable to dream up a season six that I can wrap my heart around and be passionate about. And, as we know, in the podcasting world, if you don't have passion, drive, interest and heart what it is you're talking about, it's pretty hard to carry your podcast and to show up and to interview people or moderate and create the content and edit it and upload it and share it. There's so many things you have to do with a podcast. It could end up being a full-time job, if you allow it, and I have been stuck, holly has been stuck and I have just not found the answer yet, so I don't know if I have a season six in me or if somebody sees something in me that, uh, I should be doing. Feel free to reach out, I don't know that's why I had to ask you.

Speaker 2: 42:08

You never know who will listen to this and be like wait, I know how to get a group. We are gonna get Holly's protesting group back.

Speaker 1: 42:20

Yeah, who knows? Who knows what I'm supposed to be doing. I've done a lot of things, as you know.

Speaker 2: 42:26

Let me share some of those amazing, incredible things you have done, because I was amazed by them. When we were having this, I was like, wait, you didn't. I was like, oh my god. And that's why people she's my number one influencer Like when people talk about, oh, that's my favorite influencer, holly is my favorite influencer, because I feel like people feel like to be an influencer.

Speaker 2: 42:48

You really need to have high numbers, but if people really watch your stories and the incredible stuff you do and the incredible people you put on Like you have put me on to so many people I wouldn't have met, and that's what an influencer is. And you don't have to put me personally. But you're putting the content out there. I'm watching, I'm dissolving it, I'm resonating with it and then I'm moving further and I mean we just connected on a, on we're all following the same uh poet oh, my god, I forgot her name.

Speaker 2: 43:21

She does incredible poems. And then you introduce me to somebody else who now I'm in love because that's what that man's point. Well, I know that's the type of influence I want, not you having numbers and just trying to make me to go buy some shit or anything. A person who really just shares, because, holly, you go to comedies, you go to poems, you go to fashion shows, you go to and you just share. You support people, you support your friends, you share their work and we can find it. That's incredible, Because people these days, even your friends, will come to your stuff and they won't even post you or whatever. Like when I'm at Fortress. Everybody knows I'm at Fortress because my entire content is Fortress. If I'm at somebody's event, I'm not going to worry about taking a picture of me or whatever. I'll make sure I capture whatever so people can know your greatness who in tears, so that they can want to be here next time.

Speaker 1: 44:19

And that's what you do, thank you, thank you, and I'll have you know I have toyed with the idea. I just haven't found the right thing yet. But when I was thinking about a season six, I was kind of thinking like what if it's something that was truly where culture shifts and where friends start and things that I see happening? Because I have like this weird thing where I will create something and like six months later I'll watch it blow up Like it's a weird thing that happens. It's happened throughout my careers. You know, like I like here's a weird thing that happens. It's happened throughout my careers. You know, like here's a random thing, so like people don't know this, but I was a jewelry designer for about 15 years and I was very fortunate.

Speaker 1: 45:09

I got to collaborate with some really incredible designers and my work was carried in some pretty cool places. So I'll leave it at that. I won't get into too much detail there Because sometimes all the names often say boring, right. So anyway, that's something that I did and I did this series of I called it All Things Wings and I did scarab, beetles and butterflies and hummingbirds and I made them from a process. It was well. I won't get into that detail, but it's made with a precious metal clay. So I hand sculpted them and I made these scarab beetles.

Speaker 1: 45:50

And I'm not kidding you, six months later I'm seeing them in Soho, new York City, at me and, ro, I'm seeing them in anthropology, you know, a year after that I'm seeing them on Tory Burch and I'm like, yeah, been there, done that. So it's that weird thing. Like there was this really incredible comic that I saw here in DC. There might have been 50 to 100 people in the room and I kept, yeah, I posted about him. I'm like this guy is gonna go to the top and I'm not kidding you, in under a year he has sold out every stadium across the US and across the world. Since then. Like I just I see something, I can't put my finger on it. I just I feel it. And then I I see something I can't put my finger on it. I feel it and then I want to share it.

Speaker 2: 46:41

Didn't he get a Netflix special?

Speaker 1: 46:45

Yes, he did. Yeah, Matt Rife yeah.

Speaker 2: 46:49

I kept on seeing him on your post and watching him on your post and then the next thing I I saw him from the beginning when you used to share him, when it was just you people in the room, and I'm like I say you are my influence, like when people tell me what, who's your top one influencer?

Speaker 1: 47:05

that's you, holly, like oh you're so sweet I don't know about the Kardashians or nobody.

Speaker 2: 47:11

I just know Holly Shannon. I don't know. I just know Holly Shannon speaking of of Jerry. You know, holly, I'm turning 35 this year. I feel like you should make, you should cast me a piece.

Speaker 1: 47:24

Oh, look at that, you're so cute. Well, so here's the thing. Happy early birthday. When is your birthday?

Speaker 2: 47:31

All the way in June. You have time, you have enough time I have time, okay, so here's the problem that I have.

Speaker 1: 47:37

So I do miss making jewelry. So the reason why I stopped doing my jewelry because a lot of people are like, why don't you get back into it. I had a house fire, like you, and I had to put everything away and, as you know, it depends your life. Nothing is the same after that. You have your life like you are. Um, nothing is the same after that. You have your life before fire and after fire and I had to put everything away.

Speaker 1: 48:04

And when I pulled everything back out, the model for, uh, that industry had shifted a lot and had moved from um for sales to consignment for small people you know I'm not talking like the anthropologies of the world, but for, you know, smaller entrepreneurs like myself. You know that was always putting the stop, the stamp, shopping little little small business Saturday, that was me Um, it turned to consignment and it was really, really hard to build and in that kind of model, and so I lost my mojo on it. And now I live in DC and I live in a smaller setting, and so I don't have a bench and I don't have my torch and I don't have all of my tools. I'm just not really set up for it here, so I will send you something from a prior collection for your 35th birthday that I still have, but I haven't been able to set up shop again.

Speaker 2: 49:10

We need the gods to hear. Please bring all the mojo for Holly. We need to get her because she hasn't wrote another book. By the way, she's also an Amazon bestseller. She hasn't given us another book. There's no, any signs of season six. There's no jewels coming to life. There's been some mojo over here. All the gods, I need to go do my god gods rainy dance tonight so that some sprinkles can fall down on you, okay, yeah, I have to come up for my.

Speaker 1: 49:47

I have to rise. I have to be the phoenix rising. I need help. Come home and let me do something special with you. I love to collaborate, so that's what I need.

Speaker 2: 49:59

Oh, you'll be like if you ever watched oh my god. Oh my god. What was that show where everybody Game of Thrones, when the dragon finally got out of there and flew and they blew out the? That's how you're going to rise.

Speaker 1: 50:18

I'm going to have a GOT above my head right, like a little symbol. Come on, gots, where are you? It's the biggest audience They'll find me.

Speaker 2: 50:30

But if anybody wants to collaborate with Holly or some ideas, whatever, we are always creators. We're always willing to listen and hear, because you never know, by talking to somebody else I just have having a coffee meet up and just talking something might, because you might be inspired from somebody who you don't even. You didn't even expect from a conversation that you weren't even expecting to be inspired. So y'all send some positive mojo to Holly, okay.

Speaker 3: 51:01

Thank you.

Speaker 2: 51:03

Thank you so much for hanging out with me. And people go get her book Zero to Podcasts. It's on Amazon and this is why I tell you she's an influencer, because it was top 10 best seller in three categories. Okay, and it was also Amazon's hot new release. It was also 40 under 40. She's like, oh, my God, let's bring we need this human back in this creative world. So let's bring her back.

Speaker 2: 51:31

But before we end this, ali, since you are like in that stuck moment, so I'm going to put you in the hot seat. Maybe this might also because sometimes you know, sometimes we are very good to advise somebody and then we are going through the same shit, but the advice we give we don't give ourselves. I'm asking you if I was that friend who was stuck right now, who was in your position, who was feeling what you're feeling, what advice would you give me?

Speaker 1: 52:05

You're good. You are good, paula, yeah. So I would probably say, reach out to people that you trust. I would totally say, reach out to people that you trust, that have seen all of your true colors and still love you without judgment, and maybe ask them what they have seen in you at the height of your creativity. You know what, what really showed up, um, and where you think, uh, their passion was along the way, cause you know, passion ebbs and flows. So I think talking to the people closest to you could help reveal that, um.

Speaker 1: 52:52

And I would probably say, if you're more introverted and you're not really comfortable having those deep dive conversations I'm a deep dive girl, so I admire it, but, like some people don't like it I would say trust in yourself and grab a pad, like old school with a pen, not your phone Cause then of course, yeah, if you have your phone, you're going to be like checking social media, instructed Yep.

Speaker 1: 53:17

So yeah, so like you need to go like sit quietly on your back porch with a pad and a pen and just writing down anything you have enjoyed doing throughout your life. I don't care if it's like rock climbing, writing to your grandmother, you know, making fun drinks with friends. Maybe it was a particular job and there was a role that you played, like I don't know editing podcasts, whatever. Just like write down all of the things that you've ever enjoyed doing, and then just sit with it for a little bit and come back to it, because we're always our best editor later. Come back and look at it later and see if you see any through lines in your creativity or something that you might want to go back to that you've done before. So that's what I'd probably advise now look at that.

Speaker 2: 54:07

That is a perfect advice. And since february is your new year, we are beginning february, so I'm gonna give you a homework in this month. Go do something like that. Start with that, go, go, go. The same advice you're giving us. Do that, please, thank you.

Speaker 1: 54:27

I will thank you before we go.

Speaker 2: 54:30

I love you too, holly, and thank you for coming on um. Let the people know where they can find you if they want to connect with you or just vibe with you or have coffee with you, yeah, so, um, I'm in dc so I'm always open for coffee, but, uh, hollyshannoncom, that's people's symbol.

Speaker 1: 54:50

Um, if you want to launch something, collaborate podcast, start podcast, need a speaker for something, holly shannoncom. And um, I'm on instagram. I have like two followers, paula's one of them and probably my mom's the other. So, like, I am not an influencer and I don't profess to be, but I do have some fun on instagram and I'd love if you join me on there and feel free to follow, if you want or not. Whatever, I hope to see you somewhere.

Speaker 2: 55:20

You should, because you're going to enter a different world. The stuff she shares especially if you're into the world of us, you will find a lot of things that will end up calming you into a whole different world. So follow her, go ahead and follow her and, with that said, thank you all for those who joined. Thank you for joining. If you're going to watch this later, I do hope that this inspires you, motivates you or maybe ends up connecting you with Holly for a collaboration, because we are looking forward to that. Thank you all for chilling with Shit Happens, because shit happens, shit happens, shit happens, shit happens, shit happens, shit happens, it happens, it happens.