EP 129: Building What's Next — Career Pivots, Leadership & Reinvention with Shannon Russell
What happens when the career you've always dreamed of no longer fits the life you're trying to build?
In this episode of Thriving in Intersectionality, Dr. Lola Adeyemo sits down with Shannon Russell, Strategic Leadership and Team Facilitator, entrepreneur, author, speaker, and host of the Build Better Teams podcast.
Shannon shares her journey from a 16-year career in television production to entrepreneurship, business ownership, team facilitation, and coaching women through career transitions. Together, they explore how our identities evolve through different seasons of life and how those changes often require us to rethink what success, leadership, and fulfillment look like.
The conversation begins through the lens of intersectionality, examining how roles such as daughter, first-generation college graduate, television producer, entrepreneur, leader, and mother have shaped Shannon's career decisions and leadership approach.
They also explore the importance of human connection in today's technology-driven workplace, why meaningful collaboration matters more than ever, and how creative approaches like LEGO® Serious Play help teams communicate, solve problems, and build stronger relationships.
At its core, this episode is a reminder that careers do not have to follow a single path. Sometimes the most meaningful opportunities emerge when we allow ourselves to pivot.
In This Episode, We Discuss:
- How identity and life transitions influence career decisions
- Moving from television production to entrepreneurship
- The role of motherhood in redefining success and priorities
- Why career paths are rarely linear
- Lessons learned from building and selling a successful business
- Human connection in an increasingly digital workplace
- The power of creativity, collaboration, and hands-on learning
- Building stronger teams through communication and trust
- LEGO® Serious Play and its impact on leadership development
- Advice for professionals considering a career transition
- Why there doesn't have to be only one path to success
About the Guest
Shannon Russell is a Strategic Leadership and Team Facilitator certified in LEGO® Serious Play methodology, founder of Build Better Teams Consulting, and host of the Build Better Teams podcast.
She works with organizations to strengthen communication, improve collaboration, and facilitate strategic planning through hands-on, human-centered experiences. Shannon is also the founder of Second Act Success®, where she coaches women navigating career transitions and entrepreneurship.
Her background includes 16 years as a television producer in New York and Los Angeles, building and selling a successful franchise business, authoring Start Your Second Act, and helping leaders and teams move forward with clarity, creativity, and confidence.
About the Podcast
Thriving in Intersectionality explores how identity, lived experience, and leadership intersect in today's workplace and beyond. Through conversations with leaders, founders, and changemakers, Dr. Lola Adeyemo uncovers the stories, challenges, and insights that help people thrive across the many intersections of their lives.
If This Episode Resonated
• Share it with someone considering a career pivot or transition
• Leave a rating or review to help others discover the podcast
• Join the conversation through the Substack deep-dive reflection accompanying this episode
Reflection Question
What part of your story might be preparing you for a future opportunity you haven't considered yet?