Shannon Cohen is a self-described “hope dealer.” Cohen is the Founder and CEO of Shannon Cohen, Inc., a company specializing in inspirational products and stationery, which can be found in national retailers such as Target and Meijer, as well as podcasts and speaking engagements. The company will soon be branching out into coaching and networking. WGVU’s Dave Limbaugh spoke with Cohen as she prepared to give Grand Valley State University’s Fall Commencement address.
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Shannon Cohen: I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Grand Valley. My undergraduate degrees are in political science and international relations. I double majored and then I returned about 10 years later to pursue a master's degree in public administration and nonprofit management. As of now, I lead a parent company called Shannon Cohen Inc. And under the umbrella of our parent company, we curate products, spaces, and experiences. for nourishing human souls. And that takes on a couple of elements. We have a product line of inspirational products that are in national retailers like Meijer and Target. We have a licensing agreement with American Greetings. I am the founder of the Rock Star Woman movement, which is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, intergenerational movement for women. We invest in their aspirations, ambition, and wellness. We serve women spanning 20 states and three countries through that work. And then I also do consulting for companies that are thinking about ways in which to invest in the wellness of their people. So, I'm really passionate about wellness at work and the connection between holistic wellness and sustainable leadership.
Dave Limbaugh: That sounds like it's got to be incredibly rewarding work. Was that something when you were in school that you knew you wanted to get into?
Shannon Cohen: Absolutely not. I think that there are threads, right? I think all of our lives have threads. Our career paths can be journeys, but I have found that for most folks, there is a thread. I've always been an encourager, ever since I was a little girl, so I've always been an encourager. I've always been someone who was keenly aware of folks that were visibly invisible. And I always knew that I wanted to be a difference maker. That I wanted to use my strength for service and not status. And so those threads are absolutely, those flow through my undergrad and graduate experiences at Grand Valley and the things that I was involved in and the legacy I left there. But my career has taken on a variety of paths, and I think that's really normative.
Dave Limbaugh: Is this your first time being asked to give a commencement speech?
Shannon Cohen: It is and from my understanding I am the first alum that has been invited to be the commencement, you know, to deliver the commencement keynote address.
Dave Limbaugh: How did that feel?
Shannon Cohen: It is…that's a great question, David. I've always counted it an honor to go back into places that have been catalytic from my personal growth. And Grand Valley was. Grand Valley was this incubator for both my innovation as a leader and discovering my leadership style and leadership gifting. And Grand Valley created pathways for me to explore and to discover those things. And so, to be able to come back and now be catalytic in the lives of the graduates that we will be releasing out into the world to be difference makers themselves is great, it's a gift. My keynote address deals with this iconic truth that the top of one mountain takes you to the bottom of your next. And so, graduation is that milestone, is that pinnacle, mountain moment in the life of a scholar, in the life of a student, it's this culmination of this progressive climb. And even with this particular cohort of graduates, I'm really, I'm aware that much of their educational experience and journey at Grand Valley was punctuated by a global pandemic. And so, when you think about how they have had to journey through, not just ever-changing realities in their educational experience and how learning occurred and where learning occurred, but to do that in the midst of pandemic is something that they should celebrate and something that they should commemorate. However, what I do know is that while this weekend is a pinnacle moment, Monday takes them to the bottom of their next mountain. And that next mountain is how, you know, to that next journey, to that next phase of their life and leadership. And so, my keynote, in my keynote, I'm sharing three strategies, three tenants of inspiration and strategy to anchor their hearts and their resolve as they tackle this next mountain.