I’m Shannan!
Rule Defier.
Status Quo Squasher.
Belief Breaker.
Career Catalyst.
I’m not here to help you play the game—
I’m here to help you name what fits, challenge what doesn’t, and build a career that actually works for your life.
I know what it feels like to hit that quiet breaking point—when the role looks good on paper but something inside keeps whispering "this isn’t it."
My Story...
I didn’t start The Unapologetic EDGE™ because I wanted to build a coaching business.
I started it because I hit a point in my own career where the titles, the promotions, and the so-called “success” didn’t solve the misalignment I was feeling.
I spent 20+ years inside leadership rooms and at decision-making tables—shaping careers, guiding executives through tough calls, and navigating the politics, pressure, and power dynamics no one teaches you how to survive, let alone lead through.
And I saw it—over and over:
The most capable women being overlooked, overthinking, or overextending themselves to fit into systems that were never designed with them in mind.
And I saw myself in them—being praised, performing, but quietly misaligned and questioning.
Doing everything “right,” but still wondering, is this really it?
I’ve made bold moves that shouldn’t have worked—on paper.
I left roles without a backup plan.
I climbed down the ladder (twice) to protect my energy and build something that fit me.
I’ve advocated and negotiated for visibility, for boundaries, and for the space to lead on my terms.
I've wrestled with doubt, pressure, and perfectionism—and moved anyway.
With intent.
I built The Unapologetic EDGE™ to help women do the same:
To find and speak the words that matter most to you, to position with purpose, and move with power—in a way that makes sense to you, on your timeline.
This is your career and your life.
Let’s make sure it actually fits.
I believe women deserve to own their careers—without settling for less or selling out.
For the last 20+ years, I’ve helped them do exactly that: get clear, move with intention, and build careers that align with who they are and what they’re really here to do.
Top 50 Women Leaders of Cleveland,
"Women We Admire"
Honored for leadership, impact, and commitment to empowering others.
From the Other Side of the Table
I’ve been in the boardroom and the back office.
For over 20 years, I’ve built and led multi-million-dollar consulting businesses, advised Fortune 500 clients, and helped senior leaders make the calls that shape careers—layoffs, restructures, promotions, culture shifts, and power dynamics where you can't capture the 'feeling' of the experience in a leadership books.
But I’m not just a strategist, business leader.
I’m a behavioral scientist, a former mental health therapist, and a certified leadership coach.
I don’t just help you think through your next move—I help you move through the doubt, the fear, the pressure to perform, and the patterns that keep you stuck.
I see the full picture: the systems you’re navigating, the identity shifts you’re managing, and the quiet tension between being praised for your performance—and still questioning if the life you’ve built actually fits.
You don’t need to have it all figured out.
You just need a place to start.
That’s why I built this—
For the woman who’s already accomplished so much…
and still wonders if there’s more.
For the woman carrying pressure no one sees.
For the woman tired of playing by rules that never really fit.
You’re not alone in this.
And you don’t have to navigate it by yourself.
Ready to start your next move?
Let’s find the path that fits.
Work With Me
20+ years business consulting, leadership, & behavior science experience
Doctorate, Organizational Development & Leadership
Master of Arts, Psychological Services
Contributing Faculty & Dissertation Chair
15+ Years
Chronic Pain Warrior
Voices from the EDGE
Real women. Real shifts. Real power reclaimed—on their own terms.
"My life felt like an emotional roller coaster. After struggling with a rare health diagnosis, I was left feeling discouraged and depressed with where my life was heading. Enter Shannan.
Shannan showed me an incredible amount of patience while I sorted out my goals. She motivated and guided me to the next chapter of my life."
-Roledine
"Last year, I went through a major career transition - and it took a tool on me mentally and physically.
The exercises in Dr. Shans coaching program allowed me to recognize my core values and start to build alignment to my goals and move forward...I realized that much of the conflict between my career and life are values misalignments.
I now recognize and redirect more quickly."
- Annie
"Thank you so much for this session!
It was so powerful to meet other women in similar situations—and incredibly validating to realize I’m not alone.
I’m walking away with clarity, a plan to identify a few STAR examples, and a new mindset:
thinking two steps ahead instead of just reacting to what’s next."
- Ariana
You're 3 Steps to a Career on Your Terms
Choose your preferred learning style
Work at your own pace
Watch the dial move on your results
Self-Guided Programs
Move at your pace—with purpose.
Access powerful tools, guided exercises, and expert strategies you can apply right away.
Designed for self-starters who want clarity, traction, and direction—on their own time, in their own way.
Group Coaching
You don’t have to do this alone.
Join a community of women leaders ready to stop second-guessing and start making intentional moves.
Get real-time coaching, practical tools, and bold accountability—in a space that’s strategic, supportive, and refreshingly real.
Membership
Ongoing support. Sustainable momentum.
Stay plugged in with regular tools, insight, and community to help you keep moving forward—without burning out or backtracking.
Ideal for women who want space to grow and structure that keeps them focused.
IT'S MY BELIEF THAT
Owning your career on your terms isn't just a plan - it's a mindset shift.
And every woman has the capacity within her to do it.
Most women aren’t stuck because they lack skills.
They’re stuck because no one ever showed them how—or gave them the tools—because the systems they’ve been navigating weren’t built with them in mind.
In my 20+ years in leadership, I was often the token “diversity” in the room. I’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and what actually moves careers forward. And I’ve got the strategies—and the scars—to prove it.
Let me show you how to shift from guessing to leading strategically—so you can stop spinning and start making moves that actually fit you.
That first shift in clarity? It opens the door to long-term traction, visibility, and real ownership over your work—and your future.
Learn More
Truth, Tears, and Dolphins: A Not-So-Professional Bio
I once worked at SeaWorld… in Ohio.
Yes, Ohio. SeaWorld Ohio. In the Education department to help me get out of my introverted shell. I thought I wanted to be a dolphin trainer—until my dad hit me with, “Exactly how many dolphins live in Ohio Shannan?”
Solid point, Dad. Career pivot: activated.
I spent a whole semester crying in my car before “group therapy” class.
Not because anything was wrong, but because I’m an introvert who needed a full pre-game cry to psych myself up to talk to people.
(And this was in grad school for counseling. The irony is not lost on me.)
I wanted to be an archaeologist—until I realized Indiana Jones wasn’t a documentary.
Turns out, it's less running from boulders and more cataloging shards in desert heat.
I traded in the whip for a whiteboard and now dig for insight instead of artifacts. (Witty right?!)
I Want the Power Moves!
Emails that deliver a pep talk and a game plan — every time.
Get real strategies, bold reminders, and unapologetic insights designed to keep you visible, confident, and moving forward — even on the hard days.
*We never spam - we hate that and you can unsubscribe at anytime.
