The Invisible Mentor

These interviews are meant to provide you with useful information that you can use. In this segment of the interview, Shannon shares the three threats to her business, why her service is unique, how she integrates her personal and professional life, five life lessons she has learned so far and a whole lot more.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I am married, with five children, two of which are getting married within the next 6 months. Lately I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night “angsting” over table centerpieces, floral arrangements and crash diets.

What are the three threats to your business, your success, and how are you handling them?

Three threats to my business and success would be

1. Not placing God first.
2. Lack of discipline
3. Getting distracted (can you spell f-a-c-e-b-o-o-k?)

I handle these threats, more or less, depending on the day, by starting it with God, keeping a day planner and working through the tasks I set for myself one at a time. Keep on doing the next thing.

What’s unique about the service that you provide?

I like to weave a story around a real issue, not normally in our radar, that will hopefully, not only inform and entertain, but also lead readers to compassion and empathy. Information dumps have caused us to shut down to the need, because we are intimidated by the enormity of the situation—especially in the third world arena. I believe touching hearts through the power of these stories can pull one out of that inertia into a state of true identification and hope.

What do you observe most people in your field doing badly that you think you do well?

OK. Tricky question. I am new to the whole “published author” thing, so cannot speak with experience, but I constantly pray that I do not lose sight of the importance of my relationships with my husband and kids in the light of being published and the extra demands it brings to my life.

How do you integrate your personal and professional life?

Relationships are more important to me than business. By choice. I have found, possibly due to the decision to put people first, a greater interest in the issues I am writing about and the professional aspects of my life from those closest to me.

What’s a major regret that you’ve had in life?

Causing pain to others; to see family splinter and break apart and not be able to fix it.

What are five life lessons that you have learned so far?

1. Ask God for help, the sooner the better.
2. Forgiveness is always easier than resentment—and healthier.
3. I can forgive myself all I want, but unless God has forgiven me, I get no peace.
4. Nobody is free from insecurity or dysfunctions. Some are just better at hiding it.
5. Life doesn’t last forever so speak the truth.

When you have some down time, how do you spend it?

With a good book. And I love to listen to great music and just move to it…

What process do you use to generate great ideas?

I ask God to give me His ideas, which are better than mine all the time. Then I wait. Eventually something begins that I can only describe as brain percolation. It’s this craziness of ideas and connections that bubble up and spill over into story.

What’s your favourite quotation and why?

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me.” –Jesus (John 14:6)

I don’t like being lost, lied to or living without a purpose. In this quotation I find the remedy.

How do you define success?

Success is more than good living; it is living in agreement with God’s purpose for your life.

In your opinion what’s the formula for success?

Without a doubt it is to trust God and obey Him.

What excites you about life?

Watching God

How do you nurture your soul?

Same as above

If you had a personal genie and she gave you one wish, what would you wish for? Or, if I gave you a magic wand, what would you use it for?

To pay off the mortgage

Complete the following, I am happy when…..

I’m just moving through normal and then something happens that is so perfect and surprising and good, like autumn leaves falling or a baby’s toothless smile or the first taste of a mandarin orange, and I think, “Thank You.”

How might you apply the information from this interview? Let’s keep the conversation going, please comment.

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