I’m Dr. Shannan Simms.
Career Strategist.
Rule Disruptor.
Jeep-Driving Realist.
I’m not here to help you play the game.
No ladder-climbing clichés. No performance plans.
Just clarity, strategy, and work that works for you.
I know what it feels like to hit that quiet breaking point when your gut keeps whispering..."this isn’t it."
I’ve made moves that looked reckless on paper.
I’ve made moves that didn’t make sense to anyone else.
Walked away from titles with no backup plan.
Climbed down ladders everyone else was still chasing - because the cost of staying was too high.
That’s what happens when what’s next doesn’t look like what came before
I’ve also led through what no one sees: Chronic pain. Brain fog. Grief. Pressure.
Moments that demanded clarity when all I had was exhaustion.
I’ve kept things moving, even when it felt impossible to hold it all.
I’ve performed through burnout, pushed through doubt, and still questioned if I was “doing enough.”
Not because I had it all figured out - but because “almost right” was never going to be enough.
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That’s why I built The Unapologetic EDGE™ -Â
- To help women do the same lead through what no one prepares us for.
- To name the next move - especially when the path isn’t clear.
- To build work lives that account for what we’re carrying, not just what we’re producing.
- And to stop shrinking inside systems that were never built to hold our power.
I believe women deserve to own their careers - without performing, proving, or pretending.
For over 20 years, I’ve helped them do exactly that:
Get clear. Move with intention. Lead without apology.
Credentials that Matter
Top 50 Women Leaders of Cleveland 2024
"Women We Admire"
 - Honored for leadership, impact, and commitment to empowering others
...and a few that won't show up on LinkedIn...
- Filed an EEO complaint - and didn’t back down, even while shaking in my boots
- Called out the bully no one else would - and refused to accept “that’s just how it is”
- Sat at tables as the token “diversity” checkbox—and made myself heard at 5’2”, in my 20s, 30s, 40s+
- Lived with chronic pain for 15+ years—and named it for what it is: a disability
- Navigated leadership while neurodivergent - quietly building systems that work for how my brain works
- Walked away from “dream roles” - twice - and built something better from scratch
- Helped hundreds of people - women, men, and non-binary folks - stop waiting to be chosen, and start choosing for themselves
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 From the Other Side of the Table
I’ve been in the boardroom—and the back office.
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Built multi-million-dollar consulting businesses
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Advised Fortune 500 leaders
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Made the calls that shaped careers—promotions, layoffs, restructures, culture overhauls
But I’m not just a strategist.
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I’m a behavioral scientist
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A former therapist
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A leadership coach
I don’t just help you figure out your next move.
I help you move through the fear, doubt, and pressure that usually keep smart women stuck - quietly questioning if they’re asking for too much.
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If you’re ready to figure out what’s next - Let’s find the path that actually fits you.
Learn How We Can Partner TogetherVoices from the EDGE
Real women. Real clarity. Real power - on their terms.
No overnight wins. No hype.
Just women who got clear, made bold moves, and stopped waiting to be chosen.
"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.Â
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."Â
- Ariana
Truth, Tears, and Dolphins:
A Not-So-Professional Bio
I once worked at SeaWorld… in Ohio.
 Yes, that was a thing. I joined the Education team to break out of my introverted shell and chase a dream of becoming a dolphin trainer—
until my dad asked, “How many dolphins live in Ohio, Shannan?”
Solid point, Dad. Career pivot: activated.
I cried before “group therapy” class. Every. Week.Â
Grad school + introvert + group therapy class = 20 minutes of tears in the car before I could even walk in.
The twist? I was studying to become a counselor.
(I see the irony. I really do.)
I thought I'd be Indiana Jones.
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Until I realized archaeology is more cataloging pottery shards than running from boulders.
I traded in the whip for a whiteboard and now dig for insight instead of artifacts. (Witty right?!)
I Want the Power Moves!
Because some days you need more than a pep talk -you need a plan you actually believe in.
Get unapologetic insights, sharp strategies, and reminders of your power - delivered straight to your inbox.
