Second Act Success Blog:
Business Tips, Career Advice, and Inspiration on Starting Over

Many women come to me feeling restless, unfulfilled, or quietly asking themselves, Is this really it? What if the reason you feel unfulfilled isn’t your job, your relationship, or your circumstances? In this powerful re-released episode of the Second Act Success Podcast, Shannon Russell sits down with happiness mentor Karyn Seitz, founder of the Happy Wife […]

Are you asking for advice from the right people? When you are standing on the edge of a career change or thinking about starting a business, one simple question can quietly shape everything that happens next. Whose advice are you listening to? Not all advice is created equal. Even when it comes from people who […]

What do you do when your life shatters on a park bench in Central Park? In this powerful episode of the Second Act Success Podcast, host Shannon Russell sits down with Vanessa Cardenas, a C-suite healthcare executive, relationship reset expert, and founder of Understanding Ear, to talk about how one devastating betrayal became the catalyst for her second […]

There are moments as an author that stop you in your tracks, not because of sales numbers or rankings, but because someone took the time to truly see your work. Reviews and thoughtful feedback are the heartbeat of a book’s journey. They help stories travel farther, reach the right readers, and create connection long after […]

A guide for women ready to launch their second act this year. There’s something magical about the start of a new year — the feeling of a fresh chapter, blank pages, and possibility. But if you’re a woman with a business idea tugging at your heart, the beginning of a new year can be more […]

Ready to start (or scale) your business, but want to do it without running on caffeine and chaos? Ready to start (or scale) your business, but want to do it without running on caffeine and chaos? In this episode 229 of the Second Act Success Podcast, Shannon Russell sits down with registered dietitian Lindsay Martens to talk about […]

It’s holiday season and we are talking Hallmark Christmas movies on the Second Act Success Podcast. We are officially fan-girling because film critic and host of the Hallmarkies Podcast Rachel Wagner joins us to talk about hosting this popular podcast with Hallmark and movies at its core.    Listen on Apple | Spotify | Amazon | […]

If you’re ready to make 2026 the year you start a business, grow your business, or finally bring those long-held dreams to life, you’re in the right place, my friend. Because guess what? success doesn’t come from big goals alone. It comes from the tiny steps you take every single month to bring those goals […]

What if you could start a profitable podcast before you quit your 9–5? In this inspiring episode of the Second Act Success podcast, Shannon Russell talks with Francesca (Fran) Stone. She is the founder of 9 to 5 Mom with a Pod, a podcast and consulting platform that helps mom content creators launch personal brands and grow with purpose.   Listen on […]