Confessions Beyond the Food
Confessions Beyond the Food is a podcast about working in the Food Industry. People who work in the Food Industry have grit and lots of stories to tell. W3 Sales, a sales & marketing company, will host this podcast with their confessions on how they have a new, fresh approach and invite guests to confess their secrets to their sauce.
Confessions Beyond the Food
Leading Beyond Comfort
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When friends and colleagues get together, you’re bound to learn—and laugh.
In this episode, host Nancy Ridlen, Principal at W3 Sales, sits down with Shannon Tallon, VP of Merchandising at Edward Don & Company, for a candid conversation about growth, leadership, and facing fear head-on.
Shannon pulls back the curtain on the moment her promotion felt both surreal and deeply earned. Together, Nancy and Shannon explore what happens after the big win: navigating new responsibility, choosing courage over comfort, and leading with intention in an industry that often prioritizes speed over connection. From the surprising appeal of janitorial and margin strategy to the power of strong operator–distributor partnerships, this episode blends honest reflection with real-world insight.
In true confession style, Shannon also shares what it’s like to be an introvert learning to lead—by stepping directly into the fear that once held her back.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
- The surreal promotion moment and first reactions
- Fear, uncertainty, and responsibility after a big win
- Operators and distributor reps as complementary experts
- Speed expectations vs. the need for real relationships
- An unexpected love for janitorial—and margin strategy
- Changes at Edward Don alongside an enduring culture
- The funniest customer product request (and setting boundaries)
- Balancing assertive and approachable leadership
- An introvert’s confession on moving through fear
🎙️ Honest, insightful, and refreshingly human—this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.
Welcome to Confessions Beyond the Food. I'm your host, Nancy Redwin. Let's dig in and get inspired. Today on Confessions Beyond the Food, we're celebrating my friend Shannon Talon, the new VP of merchandising at Edwards On. And we're pulling back the moment when a promotion feels both unreal and completely earned. We talk about caring new responsibility, choosing courage over comfort, and why human connection still matters in a world obsessed with speed. And her confession, an introvert learning to lead by stepping straight into the fear that once held her back. Let's get into it. Hi, welcome back to Confessions Beyond the Food. So today I have my friend Shannon in the studio. Hey Shannon. Hey Nancy. So happy to be here with you today. So happy to have you here. Shannon, I'm really super proud of you. She was actually just recently promoted to vice president of merchandising and marketing for Edward Dawn.
SPEAKER_00:Yay, Shannon. Thank you. Thank you. Still sort of getting my feet wet, but uh it's been a pretty wild uh couple of months, and I'm just absolutely thrilled.
SPEAKER_01:Well, I'm so thrilled for you. Uh Shannon and I met about what was it, 15 years ago? Probably, if not more, yeah, 15 or so. And we were in the car together. She was riding with me, doing a ride along with me. And we just got started talking about our lives at over dawn, but also our personal lives. And I just felt like a just a kindred spirit in Shannon. So same. And we've been and we've been girlfriends ever since. I know she gives the best hugs. We'll run across each other in the room, whatever, wherever we are, convention center, and and she's awesome. So, anyways, I'm so happy to have you on the podcast. So let's jump into this. So sure. Okay, I want you to take me back to the moment that you found out that you were VP. What was your first unfiltered thought? Like the one you didn't want to say aloud. Oh, my first unfiltered thought was holy crap.
SPEAKER_00:If I'm allowed to say that, am I allowed to say that? Um, it was kind of the um, it was that holy smokes realization moment of not only did I get a role that I had was going for, but truly um it was truly the uh reaching or the accomplishment of a goal for myself uh to be the leader of this department, that I have I've had that goal for so long uh that it was really kind of the overwhelming feeling of, oh my gosh, I I I I did it. I I did it. I've I've achieved this goal. And holy cow, now we've got so much work ahead of us. So my initial reaction was truly that kind of holy crap moment.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. So who was the first person that you called or texted?
SPEAKER_00:Well, um, funny, um, uh funny story or kind of oddly enough, I was actually out of the country um on vacation uh and had received some electronic communication about it. And so it was it was actually in the middle of the night uh where I was locally. And uh so I woke my husband up to tell him. Um, and uh since we were in a you know in a different time zone, but I I woke him up to tell him and but the first true person that I reached out to was my mom. You know, that doesn't matter how uh how old you get sometimes uh if you're still fortunate enough to have your mom or dad around, sometimes they're still the first person. And at almost 45 years old, the first call was still mom.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, after my husband, it would definitely be my mom.
SPEAKER_00:So I mean, did you jump up screaming or were you just like no, because like I said, I was it was probably three, four in the morning where I was um uh in a completely different part of the world. And so it was I I was also a bit sort of out of it, right? Uh you know, like holy, holy cats. Um, and uh so it was it was just like, oh my gosh, uh this is amazing. And what a I'm so fortunate, obviously, to to get a tremendous opportunity like this, but also to be um on a great vacation, you know, somewhere outside of the country. Also very fortunate for that. And it was this, it was this a little bit of this surreal like, how blessed am I, how fortunate am I that I'm on this amazing vacation that, you know, some people go their whole lives without getting to take? And I'm finding out that I get this tremendous opportunity, this tremendous leadership opportunity to lead a great group of people and accomplish some really big goals for for Edward Don. And so uh yeah, it was it was uh surreal is is really the right word for it.
SPEAKER_01:Was there any part when you got back from vacation that felt scary or heavy?
SPEAKER_00:Still. Uh I mean that was a couple of months ago, and there are still things that feel heavy and scary. Um, so yeah, absolutely. Probably probably more heavy and scary at first than not, to be honest. Um, and I think some of that is, you know, sort of the just the the unknown, uh, you know, the the that that uncertainty of like, oh gosh, I did this and kind of the now what? Um so yes, uh very heavy and and scary and still, you know, still having some of those feelings, even, you know, a couple months in, to be very honest.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, no, I mean that's truth. I know I feel that every now and then I'll be just realize, oh my gosh, this is my business and people rely on us and it's scary.
SPEAKER_00:Uh yeah, and absolutely. I mean, and and whether you are, you know, uh achieving a dream, accomplishing a, you know, a role getting a role, or starting and having to manage your own business. Those I I think that um I don't think we'd be human if, right, some of those feelings, those feelings of fear and scariness and unknown and and all of that, that trepidation, I don't think we'd be human uh without it, right? Show me somebody who doesn't get some of that uh when they're faced with a new challenge, right? And we've got a unicorn on our hands. So think um par for the course, you know, you know what I mean, with just something like this.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I would be like, I would be like, if you didn't, that's really weird. So yeah, right.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, like are you okay? Are you are you human? Like, yeah, show me your ways, Yoda, if you if you're not getting nervous or scared about the unknown. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Um, yeah, who's who's has you captive right now? Okay, so um, so you've lived in so many categories over the years. What's the biggest thing that journey taught you about what operators actually need versus the rest of us assume they need?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that's a you know, I think that's um a great question. I think that um what I've learned is that that dynamic is two-sided. Um operators, my my in my experience, um, and I think in in working with the Edward Don sales team for 20 years, like I have, um, you find that both are experts. The operator is is the expert, but a a distributor sales representative is also an expert in a in a certain way. And so what I think I've learned is that uh and this is I think why relationships are still so important in our little corner of the world, in our industry and in our business, is because operators know so much about their business, but they have to know such a large umbrella of things, of whether it is processes or how the business runs or personnel uh uh related things or whatever the case may be, they have to know so much that when it comes to what what Edward Don does well in equipment and supplies, um, that operators can't know everything. They can't know every bit of of granular detail. And that's where the distributor sales rep comes in, right? And he or she, that person knows so much about the equipment and supplies that even when the operator thinks they in some situations, right, thinks they know what they need, um, that relationship becomes really important. That trust between the operator and that salesperson becomes really important because we need operators to listen to us when we're bringing our subject matter uh expertise to the table, right? And so that has to go both ways, right? It can't always be the sales rep um making their pitch and feeling like they know better. Uh, and the operator's got to give the little room too, right? There's that's gotta be a two-way street, I think, for that relationship to work in a way where we can optimize things for the operator, right? If you get one side that has got too big of an ego or knows, thinks they know too much, that that's when we end up with problems and challenges in the marketplace or at the you know at an operator's location. Um, and again, like I say, that takes me to a central point of the relationship still being so important in what we do and building building that trust because both sides think they they know better in a lot of cases. And the truth is always somewhere in the middle. Um, and so ultimately what I've learned is that we can be the biggest experts in equipment and supplies are in a given category. Um, but if we just try to, you know, strong arm our customers, strong arm operators, we're gonna get nowhere. And and the reverse being true, if a customer just tries to shut us down of like I know best, we're we're never gonna reach that truly symbiotic and optimized relationship. So I think I've it, you know, the the to boil it down, it's that the truth is in the middle, right? And we hear that just in in life uh day in, day out, right? You know, you know, might have a he said she said, and the truth is somewhere in the middle. That applies here. Mr. Customer, you you are so right, you know so much about your business, but please let us explain, please let us explain to you why we what what we know here, and let's find a solution in the middle that works for both. So that's what I've learned is in looking at all these categories, because you know, you have some categories that are far more um uh price sensitive than others. And um, right, it's not always about price. Um, but it doesn't matter if it's a price-sensitive category like disposables or a category where price might not be uh a category where price not might not be as uh high of a priority, whether maybe that's in uh equipment, right? Something that helps your kitchen run. That's still true. That's dynamic, that same dynamic is still true, and that you gotta have that that trust and that relationship so that you can listen to each other and kind of meet in the middle. Um it's an interesting um, it's a little bit of an interesting dynamic and challenges, I think, uh the um thought that the customer is always right. And it doesn't mean that the customer is wrong. It just means we gotta be open to listening to each other on both sides.
SPEAKER_01:I think that was one really cool thing that you that you did with me. I thought was really interesting, was getting in the car with me as a when I was a distributor sales rep and really understanding you wanted to know what the day-to-day looked like and the challenges. And I I really appreciate that. So, because it is, I mean, we all have to work together. And especially with supply chain issues and things like that. And I think COVID kind of opened operators' eyes because everybody was talking about freight. They were talking about um all these different costs and time, you know, added time that it's not every day is every order is not a two-day prime order. And so that's right.
SPEAKER_00:Well, that's an interesting point you make, Nancy, because you know, the Amazon effect has really had that domino impact on all of us, and I think all industries where you're, you know, you're transacting in goods of some kind, there is that mentality of we need everything and it's gotta be quick. And certainly that has impacted our business as we have seen um online channels available to operators. Um, but even even when accessibility gets easier, uh, that doesn't mean to your point that not everything is a two-day uh prime order. And we um as distributors and I think as as as manufacturer reps and and brokers throughout the industry, we're all kind of fighting that battle together, right? To uh help to educate customers just as they continue to educate us.
SPEAKER_01:Which is uh so important for salespeople to be out in front of your customer, don't don't just work behind your computer. You've got to have that relationship.
SPEAKER_00:You can't build a relationship and trust without absolutely that's not even the the more the world it digitizes in every way, and AI starts to ship change all industries and such. It's one of the things that continues to fascinate me about the food service and hospitality industries, and that is the need for human touch and human connection. And maybe that has something to do with that being at the core of food service and hospitality, and that it has trickled down to our part of the supply chain. But I feel in our business, if there's not a person that you can reach out to and talk to when the widget you bought online goes bad, you you you really end up in a can end up in allerge as a customer. And I I I it's one of the things I love about this business is that the relationships have remained so important and haven't really been diminished, even as as the like I said, as the world digitizes more and more.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. So switching gears a little bit, so for me, and you'll have your confession later, but confess in time that I want to know. What's a category you never expected to fall in love with, but you did?
SPEAKER_00:Excuse me. Um, so I have to say um janitorial products. I was wondering if you were gonna say that. I know that, and that's probably I was probably working in Jansan back when we were working together that day in the car. And maybe it has something to do with Jansan being one of the categories where I did cut my teeth more as a manager uh than as a person in a in a support role. But um it was, it's just a fascinating category and so interesting and so critical. It is a category that every operator needs. Um, it is certainly not as sexy as the tabletop products or some of the front of house products, but um, you know, I loved um the challenges that the annuity-based nature of part of the category would present. While there's it's a very broad category where you've got annuity-based reorder products, but you've also got products that require skill set to sell and bring solutions to operators. I also like the fact that, you know, um you can make good margin on certain parts of the category. You know, some parts of the category were always squeezed for profitability, but then you could, you know, you could make really good money on other parts of it. And I thought that that was really fascinating in terms of just this the merchandising strategy of um, you know, how we bring the right pricing to the market um and still make you know good profitability for the company or keep profits um strong when when you know every industry gets gets squeezed for profitability and margin. Uh, so it was just um a really great training ground. And there were things about it that just, you know, it feels I always feel like this business feels like what I call a behind the scenes business, right? So I we go out to eat people like you and I, Nancy, and we're flipping over plates and we're looking at our forks and we just it's occupational hazard. We know, we know too much, right? We know things about our dinner napkin and we know things about, you know, things we see in the bathrooms and and in the kitchens. Um but um and lost my train of thought a little bit there. Um, but it is a behind it, it's so behind the scenes. You can't everybody goes out to eat at some point or another, whether you go some, you know, fast food, fast casual, or a little bit nicer restaurant. And you never think about where all the stuff comes from. And so I love the, like I said, the behind the scenes scenes nature of our of what we do. But Jansan for me was um such a real like almost a pinnacle, right? Uh uh of that. And again, maybe it's because it's where I cut my teeth, but I she I I knew I would love tabletop. That was not surprising. I knew I was going to love those categories when I took them over a number of years ago. Um, I never expected to fall in love with Jansan, and I totally did.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, who doesn't love a urinal screen in Tophan?
SPEAKER_00:Especially if your brand is, especially if your brand is on it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. I just remember going in and doing some things in the men's bathroom. And I mean, it was just it was there was a lot of jokes. It was, but it's super fun. I I also really like that category as well.
SPEAKER_00:So funny, funny story about Jansan and you know, Edward Don and company, our brand says Don, the name Don, and we put that on our urinal screens. And um, funny story is that we've had a couple of gentlemen named Don over the years who have sent in uh customer service inquiries to ask um either if they could uh uh have some of the urinal screens or if we could take their name off of them. So no way. So gentlemen named Don can um have mixed reactions to the Don urinal screens, and it's always one of my favorite stories.
SPEAKER_01:That's awesome. Um so speaking of Dawn, you know, I think we you and I started around the same time, early 2000s, um, which seems like a whole nother world and error. So what changed, what's changed the most and what's still true about Dawn's DNA underneath it all.
SPEAKER_00:Well, we talked a little bit about what's what's stayed the same, and that's the relationships, right? Um, and I think a lot of the um what I feel from our sales force and how ingrained they are with their customers and with our partners in the supply chain, with vendors and and and manufacturers' reps, um, that still feels very, very strong. Um, our culture. Um, I feel like Don had a really good culture when I started 20 years ago. And we've made it, we we've grown so much, we've made it even, we've made it even better. And that's not to say that everybody's perfect, right? That would be a ridiculous thing to say. But I've been proud of this company for the way we've been able to hold on to our core values, our mission and vision statement, and those things that have always Always made Don great, you know. And one of the things we've always done as an as an organization is kept service of our customers and solutions for our customers at the center of what we do. And that solves for a lot of other things. When that is your true north and your guidepost, um, everything a lot of other things can fall by the wayside because it's about taking care of the customer and taking care of them in a collaborative way and quickly. And when everybody's focused on the same thing, uh, like I said, that it takes care a lot of a lot of noise. Um, what has changed? Oh, so much has changed. I mean, you look at Edward Don's trajectory, you know, we were growing organically as a company, and then we started to acquire companies to grow through acquisition as well. Um, you know, a number of our competitors were doing the same thing, and to make sure we stayed with the big dogs as one of the biggest, if not the biggest, in certain years, um, we needed to grow differently. And so we started acquiring companies and we had a private equity uh partner that was helping us do that. And we had a lot of learnings through that. Certainly, COVID has changed not only our business but the industry for good. There are things that will always be a little bit different or just evolved because of COVID. Um, and then Edward Don is if a global pandemic wasn't um enough for us in that time frame, we suffered um from a um from a uh a cyber attack. We were hacked. Um and when you have eclipsed a billion dollars in revenue, when you become a company that's now talking in billions rather than millions, I mean a hack is scary no matter what, but you take it to that next level when you become as as big as as Don has become, that has changed our business uh because there are things that we do differently to stay safe from a cyber standpoint. Um, and and I mean, then we were required by Cisco, right? So we've had a trajectory of change that has that change was going to be inevitable for us. I think when we look more globally, um, technology has changed us and has changed the industry. The we talked we we've talked a little bit about um online channels and and and um uh digital channels for commerce and for customers that is um part and parcel to pretty much every industry these days. Um, and but also the invention of AI, and we're just scratching the surface of what AI is doing for to and for our business, um, uh both as a Don and as the industry. And so um, you know, we've been uh the change that a lot a lot of the change that we've experienced has been because of things going on in the world or the industry. It has been those impacts to the supply chain, uh whether COVID or tariffs or what whatever the topic of the day is. Um so you know, we've had to, we've had to be smarter from a supply chain perspective. And also the consolidation in the industry that we've seen. Consolidation at all levels. We've we were acquiring, and then we got acquired. Uh at the supplier level and in the supplier community, there is rampant consolidation going on. It's going on at all levels, really. Even, you know, when we look at our our the manufacturer rep group partners that we work with day in, day out, there's consolidation going on there. Um, and so that has presented unique challenges, opportunities, and challenges for us. Uh, so really I think that quite frankly, it feels like once we got to what is often referred to as the Great Recession back in 08-09, between then and now, it has just been constant change and a trajectory of, you know, keep your head on a swivel or you're never going to be able to adapt. Um and I think food service, I I would, I would assume that many folks in food service have felt the same way, that there's just been so much um global and macro change that we've all had to react to down to the micro levels and down to our individual organizations and the department levels. Um, but been proud that what's made Don great and successful has been what we have held very tightly to through that trajectory of change. Um, so that like I said, those things like the relationships we have with our customers and internally, um, the culture that we have and what and the focus that we have on what makes us successful hasn't hasn't altered very much. And that's great. That's been really wonderful.
SPEAKER_01:That's awesome. So you've seen a lot of products come across your desk. What's the one that made you laugh out loud?
SPEAKER_00:So as um when I was managing tabletop um front of house categories, you know, one of the trends that we've seen, or one of the things going on in in the US has been um the in at the state level, legalization of marijuana in a number of states. And as those regulations and the laws evolve and and change state to state, that starts to have a trickle-down effect to food service and to hospitality. And um so this um I'm I'm probably answering this in a with a little bit of an answer. So it wasn't a product that came across my desk, but it was a customer request for a product. Um the customer wanted a drinkware or glass drinkware, but that looked like a vessel for consuming or smoking marijuana. And that just we were beside ourselves that because now we were off on a mission to source a cocktail vessel that looked like a bong, if I can say that. Yeah. So that more so than any product than I've ever seen, it's been the request for the product. And, you know, not a stretch, you can understand why a customer might be requesting um something like that. Uh, we then had to circle the wagons and have some internal discussions about what we uh the types of the categories of product that we could or could not uh engage, engage with. And when you are a when you have a national scope as a company um and you service all states, and all states do it a little differently, right? You have to be very mindful of that. So that was the last product-based thing that really gave us a really good belly laugh. Um, as creative as it was, we couldn't help with that request, but that was a good one.
SPEAKER_01:That's a great one. That's a good example.
SPEAKER_00:I didn't even think about that. And I can't believe we haven't gotten more. Maybe or maybe it's because our sales team knows when they have to set a boundary with the operator. Um, but we haven't gotten more of those, but that was a that was a good one.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. I mean, this industry is wild. So you just never know. Certainly. You just never know. So I have a desert island question. So if you can click only one, only one bond product with you forever, what's your pick? You're deserted on a oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, I'm gonna go back to my love of Jansan, and this is probably going to sound ridiculous. I also, for any people who for any um fans of the show Friends, uh and anybody knows that Monica Geller is a crazy uh clean freak, neat freak. She was always cleaning. Um, this is the part of my Monica Geller heart. But um, I talked about loving Jansan or having fallen in love with Jansan. One of the products that I fell in love with was our Don Cloth, which is gonna sound crazy and ridiculous. But our we have a number of Don branded wipers, but we have one called the Don Cloth. And I think it is one of the best, if not the best, products that we have. It is great for like drying off glassware and not leaving lint and not like that's what it's supposed to be used for. And you can use it in golf courses, and you know, it's really good for, you know, cleaning clubs and cleaning different things around, you know, whatever. But it is just this unicorn of uh of an item. And I feel like I could probably like stitch together a blanket out of it, I could stitch together a flag if I'm stuck on a deserted island, I could use it to filter things, I could use it to clean things. And so if I'm stuck on a deserted island and I can only bring one Dawn item with me, I'm bringing our Dawn cloth. It's just it's awesome.
SPEAKER_01:It's just that good. It's just that good. I don't know what I would choose, but that's a good one. Uh that's a hard one too to think about. I know.
SPEAKER_00:I yeah, especially when you know you have 25 product categories from everything from oh, people will probably be like, well, why wouldn't you choose like a like a walk-in cooler, you know, a some sort of freezer where you could keep food? Well, I don't know, because that doesn't how we get to power that on the deserted island. I don't, I don't have, I don't have power on the deserted island, but I got plenty of things I can use. If if you if I uh am stranded with a plane crash full of Doncloth, I'm gonna be okay. I'm gonna be able to do some things.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, it's a simple use of my so um I yeah, I mean you could get along with well, I mean, was it Wilson? The Yes, Wilson. Wilson. I mean, I'll be your Wilson. So be your buddy. So um, so when you when people think about your leadership and merchandising style, what do you hope that they remember?
SPEAKER_00:Hmm. It's a great question. Um I hope that I am remembered as a leader who isn't one note, um, that I am, you know, viewed as somebody who um has got the yin and yang ability in in in terms of leadership, somebody who can be really um tough uh and um very assertive when needed, but also has the ability to um, you know, sit with a sit with an employee who's going through one of the hardest times of their life and work through with them what they need and the support they need from from a work standpoint. I um it's very it as I've grown and developed, it's it's been very important to me to have self-awareness so that I could build a more well-rounded skill set as a leader. Because I think when I was younger and just kind of unvarnished, uh, I was probably a little too the pendulum was a little too far, probably, and being um assertive with a capital A, probably when assertive starts to become aggressive, right? Because I was a little kind of just this wild child with these good skills, but uh hadn't had uh enough coaching yet or what have you. And as I started to rein in some of that, um, it was really important to me to make sure that I had the other side of that develop, the soft skills and the ability to be really approachable and collaborative and not have um not have a reputation of just kind of, you know, being uh sassy and spicy and that being what what I'm about. And so I hope that's how I'm remembered over time as somebody who uh was really well-rounded in that way and could use both sides of her abilities when it when it was appropriate, right? For the company and for the business. Um that would be that would be a measure of success for me.
SPEAKER_01:I love that, little A and big A, because I think it's hard that that balance between assertive and aggressive is uh is definitely Especially as women.
SPEAKER_00:Especially in right, wrong, or indifferent, whether whether we deserve it or not, that is an even harder balance as women.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, because then you can be considered all the things. All the things. I won't go all the things. So I love that and approachable. I love those words. So um I'm just so proud of you, Shannon. I'm so excited. Thank you for so much new, you know, this new stage for you. And it's just cool to see your friends grow and and just, I mean, well deserved. I mean, you were super dedicated and um you're someone we we all look up to. So I'm just super proud of you. So thank you so much.
SPEAKER_00:I so appreciate it. That really means a lot.
SPEAKER_01:Well, you're welcome. And I can't let you go without your confession. I'm dying to hear, I don't know it.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, so um my confession is that um it was it's really great coming, uh, I think good timing coming on the heels of that very kind um compliment that you were just giving to me. Um because my confession is that I am probably um, I it would probably surprise most people, um, two things, how somewhat introverted I actually am. But also so many things scare me. You know, we talked we started this conversation, Nancy, and I don't know how the listener will hear it, though, you know, because there is some editing that happens, I know, but we started out by talking about fear and scary things. And I think that I come across to a lot of people as somebody who like nothing scares me. Um, but that's my confession is that things scare me all the time. And this confidence that most people see gets shaken all the time. And um uh, and and that I am a little bit more introverted than people than people realize. And, you know, I would just encourage young leaders, I would encourage women in particular and and and women looking to positions of leadership of like, it's okay if you're scared and unsure, it's okay if you have insecurities because we all do, just keep going. You have you have to keep going. You can still have those insecurities and bring them with you. Don't let them stop you. You keep moving forward with those insecurities and with those things that scare you because over time some of them work themselves out, and some of them you gotta actually work on. But I think we get caught up in we gotta we gotta write the ship and we gotta fix things that feel like they need to be fixed before we can do hard things. No, just go full steam ahead and and and try to do the hard things and bring bring the baggage with you and don't let the baggage or the hard thing, the scary part stop you. You can be scared and do the big things at the same time and you work it out as you go. Whether, like I said, those things fall by the wayside organically, or you have to actually work at quieting those noises. Um, I get scared all the time and I get insecure all the time. And I just would encourage people keep going. Push, don't, don't ignore it, but bring it with you. It's okay to bring the scary stuff with you and you'll work through it as you go. And you're always gonna have some of the scary stuff. You're always gonna have some of the insecurities. You'll have them till the day you retire. Don't let them stop you. Just bring them with you and work through them.
SPEAKER_01:I love you so much. I just love this confession. I love you so much. I mean, that confession is so, y'all. That is really good advice. I mean, I love that we're ending this way because it's real, it's honest, it's being who you are, which that's what this is all about. It's you know, it's not the glossy what we see, you know, from 10 feet away. It's what's really happening. And I think it's really cool to be vulnerable and um, but also not to let it hinder you or, you know, handicap you from moving forward. So I love that advice, Shannon. I mean, this is one of the million reasons I just love you best. So I'm just so thankful for you joining on today and um getting to share your story and um really good tidbits that I think anybody wherever you are can learn from. So thank you so much for joining.
SPEAKER_00:And thank you for having me. This was so much fun, really appreciate it.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, we loved it. I loved it. So, all right, guys, um, check us out soon. For more inspiration, follow our social media at W3Sells. Please like, comment, and subscribe. You know, all the things. We would love to connect with you.