Episode 121: Producing Your Own Life—with Shannon Russell

Let’s talk second acts—and what it really takes to walk away from the job that looks good on paper. Maybe it was your dream job once. Or maybe it never was—but it’s comfortable, it pays the bills, and it’s what people expect you to stick with.

But what if it doesn’t fit anymore? What if your priorities have shifted? What if you're craving something more creative, more fulfilling, more aligned with who you are now? What if what you really want is to build a life—and a career—on your own terms?

This week, I’m joined by Shannon Russell—former Hollywood TV producer turned franchise owner, coach, podcaster, and now author of Start Your Second Act. Shannon left a career in entertainment to raise her kids, reclaim her time and build a business that actually felt aligned with her life. And she did it all without a roadmap—until she built one for other women to follow.

We talked about:

• Letting go of what “success” is supposed to look like

• Shifting from a job that no longer serves you to a life that lights you up

• How to create time for writing and your creative business—even with a full schedule

• Shannon’s journey to self-publishing her first nonfiction book

• Why confidence (and a plan) are your secret weapons

• What Hollywood taught her about storytelling—and how that shaped her writing

Shannon didn’t just quit a job—she made a conscious choice to produce her own life. To take all the skills she honed in a fast-paced industry and use them to build a second act full of impact, creativity and empowerment.

If you’ve ever looked around and thought, “This isn’t it,” but felt too overwhelmed to pivot— this conversation is for you. (That has definitely been me!!)

What I loved most about Shannon’s story is how honest she is about the in-between: the messy, unglamorous, often-overlooked middle ground between the old life and the new one. The part where you're still working the day job, still raising the kids, still squeezing in writing after bedtime—but starting to believe that change is possible.

This episode is your reminder that:

• You don’t need to wait for permission to start over

• Big life changes begin in small pockets of time

• There is no wrong time to become the next version of you

And if writing is part of your second act? There’s never been a better time to start.

🎧 Listen now and take the first step toward producing your own life.

About Shannon:

Shannon Russell is a former television producer who spent over 16 years working in Hollywood and New York before making the leap into entrepreneurship. She is now a career transition coach, host of the Second Act Success Podcast, and author of Start Your Second Act: How to Change Careers, Launch a Business, and Create Your Best Life. Her mission is to help women design lives they actually want—whether that means starting a business, writing a book, or simply choosing themselves.

Find Shannon:

📚 Start Your Second Act (book): secondactsuccess.co

🎙 Second Act Success Podcast

📸 Instagram: @secondactsuccess

Connect with Liz:

🌟 Join The Creativity Lab membership (doors are open now!): getwritingwithliz.com

📸 Instagram: @lizmugavero

💻 Website: cateconte.com

🎧 Like what you hear? Subscribe, rate and review the show to support more creative voices— and to kickstart your own writing journey.

Chapters

04:03 From Television to Entrepreneurship

07:35 Mindset and Confidence in Career Transitions

17:26 Coaching and Supporting Others

21:30 The Journey of Writi