Today we’d like to introduce you to Shatanese Reese
Hi Shatanese, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
It was August 2016 and I was seated on the couch next to my husband. The phone rang. It was the doctor. “Mrs. Reese, the biopsy results returned. It is breast cancer.”
My heart sank and I had no words. The tears began to flow…slowly dropping onto my lap and eventually disappearing into my jeans.
There’s nothing like a medical emergency to force you to pause and reflect on your entire life. Which is exactly what I did.
Born and raised in Des Moines, IA, the eldest of four, I learned early on in life about the importance of resilience and perseverance. Education was an outlet doe me and I found achievement as the key to a different life than what I’d known as a child. On a quest for success, I obtained both my undergraduate and master’s degrees from Iowa State University.
A few years after completing my master’s degree and starting a family, I moved to Atlanta with my small family of four. At the time of my cancer diagnosis, I’d been in Atlanta for 17 years. While I’d enjoyed a successful career in Human Resources for nearly two decades in various industries such as banking, retail, and higher education, I wondered if I was truly doing what I was called to do.
That’s when I decided to launch out on my own.
My husband and I reside in Fairburn with our now much larger family. I love that when my 6 kiddos (yep – six) think about the word CEO, an image of their mom is what comes to mind. I know all too well about the impact food insecurity and a spirit of lack can have on a person’s mindset. I know that with each contract I secure, I am breaking generational curses and setting high standards of success for my children.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like most, childhood experiences shaped who I am today. Building a business can truly reveal areas of growth, both professionally and personally. If your foundation is shaky, it will not take much to question your purpose.
Throughout my life, I struggled with insecurity and low self-esteem which are ingredients in a recipe for failure when you are attempting to build something long-lasting. For example, if I received unfavorable feedback after facilitating a session or a door of opportunity was closed, I had difficulty separating my identify from those events. Yes, it is important to learn from feedback and to assess why doors may close, but it is not healthy to dwell on those matters for long periods of time. Sometimes, I would become stuck in self-review. Early on in my entrepreneurial journey, I knew I needed support and therefore surrounded myself with others who are on this journey as well but in different spots – some are in sync with me while some are several steps ahead of me.
On August 5, 2017, this is what I wrote to myself:
Where do I belong?
Sitting in my empty bathtub fully clothed.
Lying on the couch in my family room, tears streaming down my face.
Feeling a sense of failure.
Lacking confidence.
What am I good at?
Can I do it?
How will we make ends meet?
How will we afford this house?
Husband concerned about finances yet supporting me in my efforts.
What are people thinking about me?
What is God thinking?
Feeling very alone.
How is this going to end?
Worried about insurance.
Test of faith.
Where is God?
What have I done?
What lessons have I learned?
Fast forward 7 years later and I am grateful I still have the opportunity to positively impact lives while shaping workplace cultures. I am not simply surviving – I am thriving!
As you know, we’re big fans of Shatanese Reese LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Through executive coaching and thought-provoking workshops, my leadership development firm helps leaders reach their greatest potential. As a certified emotional intelligence and John Maxwell DISC consultant, I utilize several tools to not only understand how someone responds to various situations, but also why. Seeing leaders experience mindset shifts is one of the best parts of what I do.
Organizations invite me in to assist teams who are experiencing conflict or to work with executives are in need of an external perspective of a challenging aspect of their career. I also enjoy conducting team building exercises where teams explore their WHY and focus on their mission and future as a team. This requires leaders to cast a vision and I enjoy being a strategic partner in those sessions.
I also collaborate with other similar firms on large-scale projects.
My dream currently is to one day soon travel internationally for a client under my own brand. My motto is “Have laptop, will travel.”
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Family matters to me. My self-care matters to me. My cancer diagnosis really impacted me. The loss of my mom to COVID really impacted me. I try not to take moments for granted (hence the titles of my books, Live Every Moment and Collect Beautiful Moments, both on Amazon).
I cannot do what I do on a daily basis without my husband and our tribe. And I recognize there has to be balance. I take a day once a month just for self-care. Whether that means I get a massage, pick out flowers for myself or simply take a nap, I am intentional about unplugging to replenish so I can pour out to others.
In August of 2019, I penned the following advice with the intention of sharing it with others:
ALWAYS REMEMBER
– Hard work and sacrifice will pay off
– While you’re building a legacy, God is building you
– Remember you are ALWAYS on – sell your brand
– Learn from your mistakes
– Truly Own your brand! Every person is an opportunity
– Remember your WHY
Pricing:
- Pricing is available for virtual and on-site sessions.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shatanesereese.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shatanesereese/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shatanesereese/
- Twitter: https://x.com/shatanesereese
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ShataneseReese
Image Credits
Julius Grimes is photog of family pic.
Terry White is photog of images with aqua background.
