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.

Rachel shares how a love of movie criticism led her to start creating online reviews, launch a podcast, and eventually build a thriving platform that’s now deep into its 9th holiday season (with thousands of episodes!). Along the way, she’s interviewed Hallmark writers, actors, and directors, yet she’s also honest about what actually grows a show: consistency, relationships, and being ready when opportunity knocks.

If you love Hallmark Christmas movies, rom-coms, podcasting, content creation, or you’re dreaming about starting a creative second act in the new year, this one is pure holiday gold.

Key takeaways from this episode:

• How Rachel’s love of film criticism turned into a real podcasting career path
• What it really takes to run a successful podcast
• Why you don’t need celebrity interviews to build a profitable, loyal audience
• How to “be ready when luck finds you” (and why creative success can be unpredictable)
• The truth about consistency, repetition, and making content that people actually want
• Why Hallmark is keeping rom-coms alive—and how Rachel built a niche brand around it
• Rachel’s best advice for anyone starting a second act (or launching a podcast in 2026)

*Get the full show notes here!

Leave a review for the Second Act Success Podcast here.

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What if you could start a profitable podcast and personal brand before you ever quit your 9–5?

In this inspiring episode of the Second Act Success podcast, Shannon Russell talks with Francesca (Fran) Stone, 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.

Fran shares how her winding career path—from talent agent to paralegal—gave her the business, sales, and people skills she now uses as a full-time entrepreneur. After becoming a mom, she realized her demanding legal career no longer fit the life she wanted, so she started her podcast as a side hustle, monetized it through consulting and affiliates (not sponsorships!), and eventually quit her job to work for herself… all while caring for her toddler at home.

If you’re a mom who dreams of starting a podcast, growing a brand, or leaving your 9–5 to work online, this conversation will show you what’s possible—without a massive audience or going viral.

Key Takeaways:

• Every job prepares you for entrepreneurship
  How Fran’s past roles in admin, accounts receivable, talent representation, and law all gave her skills she now uses in branding, sales, and running her business.
• Building a business while still in your 9–5
  How she tested her idea, validated demand, and stacked part-time income before quitting her job, plus what she put in place financially to make the leap.
• Running a business with a toddler at home
  Real talk on routines, support from her husband, working in focused 20-minute pockets, and swapping scroll time for CEO time.
• You don’t need to go viral to make money
  Fran proves you can monetize with around 2,000 followers if you have a strong brand, clear offers, and a nurtured audience.

SHOW NOTES:

https://secondactsuccess.co/227

Connect with Francheska Stone:

https://9to5momwithapod.com/

https://9to5momwithapod.com/podcast-episodes/

Tell us what you think and what you want to hear on the podcast!

You are listening to the Top 2% globally ranked podcast Second Act Success!

CONTACT Shannon and share your feedback about what you'd like to hear on the podcast! https://secondactsuccess.co/contact

Book a FREE Strategy Call with host and business coach Shannon Russell - https://www.calendly.com/second-act-success/coaching-strategy

Work with Shannon
https://secondactsuccess.co/coaching

FREE Resources
https://secondactsuccess.co/resources

READ Shannon's Book - Start Your Second Act: How to Change Careers, Launch a Business, and Create Your Best Life https://startyoursecondact.com.

LISTEN to the How To Quit Your Job and Start A Business Podcast!
https://secondactsuccess.co/listen

LET’S CONNECT!
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*Want to be a guest on Second Act Success Podcast? Send Shannon Russell a message on PodMatch,...

In this special episode of the Second Act Success Podcast, business coach, author, and host Shannon Russell celebrates an incredible wave of second act authors who published books in 2025—right alongside her own book, Start Your Second Act: How to Change Careers, Launch a Business, and Create Your Best Life.

Shannon spotlights powerful new releases from friends and former guests including Lisa Morton (Aligned at Home), Heike Yates (Pursue Your Spark), Gregory Andrus (A Walk Along the Jersey Shore), Sara Conklin (Fundamentally Frugal), Gina Riley (Qualified Isn’t Enough), Liz Alterman (You Shouldn't Have Done That, Clare Casey's Had Enough, A Different Type of Poison), Cindy Bertram (California Fork & Spoon), Maude McDonald (Retro Quilts), and Liz Mugavero (Claws Out). You’ll hear how each author used their second act, career change, or creative pivot to turn lived experience into pages that inspire, heal, and empower others.

Whether you’ve secretly dreamed of writing a book, starting a business, or launching your own creative project, this episode is your loving nudge that it’s absolutely possible—especially in midlife.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How ordinary women (and one Jersey Shore storyteller!) turned their second act into published books
• Why sharing your story, expertise, or creativity can open new doors in career, business, and life
• The mindset shifts and courage it takes to say a big, bold “YES” to authorship
• Book recommendations in home alignment, wellness, money, career transitions, mystery fiction, quilting, food, and photography
• How your own second act might be the next book, podcast, or business the world is waiting for

If you’ve ever thought, “Maybe I could write a book someday…” let this episode be your sign. Press play, grab the book list in the show notes, and get inspired to start your own second act story.

SHOW NOTES:

https://secondactsuccess.co/226

Tell us what you think and what you want to hear on the podcast!

You are listening to the Top 2% globally ranked podcast Second Act Success!

CONTACT Shannon and share your feedback about what you'd like to hear on the podcast! https://secondactsuccess.co/contact

Book a FREE Strategy Call with host and business coach Shannon Russell - https://www.calendly.com/second-act-success/coaching-strategy

Work with Shannon
https://secondactsuccess.co/coaching

FREE Resources
https://secondactsuccess.co/resources

READ Shannon's Book - Start Your Second Act: How to Change Careers, Launch a Business, and Create Your Best Life https://startyoursecondact.com.

LISTEN to the How To Quit Your Job and Start A Business Podcast!
https://secondactsuccess.co/listen

LET’S CONNECT!
Instagram - https://instagram.com/secondactsuccess
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonrussellcoach

*Want to be a guest on Second Act Success Podcast? Send Shannon Russell a message on PodMatch,...

If you’re a mom who feels like you’ve lost yourself in motherhood, this episode of the Second Act Success Podcast is for you.

Host Shannon Russell, business coach for women and author of Start Your Second Act, sits down with former teacher turned stay-at-home mom and community builder Michelle DeKeyser, founder of Mama Genius and the Mama Genius Hub.

Michelle shares her honest journey from teaching to being a stay-at-home mom to searching for community with other women, and creating her own Mama Genius community.

If you’ve ever thought, “I checked all the boxes—marriage, kids, house—so why do I still feel empty?”, Michelle’s story will help you feel seen, less alone, and inspired to create your own second act.

We talk about motherhood, identity, mom burnout, community, and starting a business as a mom, and how to find the courage to listen to that quiet now-what voice inside.

Key Takeaways:

• Losing Yourself in Motherhood: Why so many moms feel stuck, burned out, and out of alignment after years of putting everyone else first.
• From Stay-at-Home Mom to Mom Entrepreneur: The moment she realized she needed “something more” and how she slowly transitioned into launching a second-act business for moms.
• Why Moms Need Community & Belonging: How Michelle created Mama Genius, a safe community for moms to be vulnerable, share ideas, and rebuild their identity beyond “just mom.”

This episode is perfect for:

• Stay-at-home moms wondering what’s next
• Working moms who feel misaligned in their careers
• Women craving community, purpose, and a second-act business
• Anyone interested in personal growth, mom entrepreneurship, and identity after kids
• 
  

SHOW NOTES:

https://secondactsuccess.co/225

Connect with Michelle DeKeyser:

https://connectingmamas.com/

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/mama-genius-hub/episodes/

https://mamageniushub.com/

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Tell us what you think and what you want to hear on the podcast!

You are listening to the Top 2% globally ranked podcast Second Act Success!

CONTACT Shannon and share your feedback about what you'd like to hear on the podcast! https://secondactsuccess.co/contact

Book a FREE Strategy Call with host and business coach Shannon Russell - https://www.calendly.com/second-act-success/coaching-strategy

Work with Shannon
https://secondactsuccess.co/coaching

FREE Resources
https://secondactsuccess.co/resources

READ Shannon's Book - Start Your Second Act: How to Change Careers, Launch a Business, and Create Your Best Life https://startyoursecondact.com.

LISTEN to the How To Quit Your Job and Start A Business Podcast!
https://secondactsuccess.co/listen

LET’S CONNECT!
Instagram - https://instagram.com/secondactsuccess
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonrussellcoach

*Want to be a guest on Second Act Success Podcast? Send Shannon Russell a message on PodMatch,...

In this special Thanksgiving episode of the Second Act Success Podcast, host Shannon Russell, business coach, author, and mom of two, reflects on the incredible milestones, personal growth, and business breakthroughs that made 2025 a transformational year.

From publishing her book Start Your Second Act, to speaking on stages across the country, to running global LEGO® Serious Play® workshops, to celebrating precious family moments…Shannon shares the moments she’s most grateful for and the lessons that shaped her second act as an entrepreneur.

This episode will inspire you to slow down, reflect with gratitude, acknowledge your growth, and step confidently into 2026 with clarity and intention. Whether you're planning your own second act, building a business, or craving a fresh start, this warm and honest year-end reflection will help you recognize just how far you've already come.

Grab your journal, settle in, and let’s celebrate gratitude—one meaningful moment at a time.

SHOW NOTES:

https://secondactsuccess.co/224

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Tell us what you think and what you want to hear on the podcast!

You are listening to the Top 2% globally ranked podcast Second Act Success!

CONTACT Shannon and share your feedback about what you'd like to hear on the podcast! https://secondactsuccess.co/contact

Book a FREE Strategy Call with host and business coach Shannon Russell - https://www.calendly.com/second-act-success/coaching-strategy

Work with Shannon
https://secondactsuccess.co/coaching

FREE Resources
https://secondactsuccess.co/resources

READ Shannon's Book - Start Your Second Act: How to Change Careers, Launch a Business, and Create Your Best Life https://startyoursecondact.com.

LISTEN to the How To Quit Your Job and Start A Business Podcast!
https://secondactsuccess.co/listen

LET’S CONNECT!
Instagram - https://instagram.com/secondactsuccess
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonrussellcoach

*Want to be a guest on Second Act Success Podcast? Send Shannon Russell a message on PodMatch,...

Ready to trade burnout for a life that actually fits? In this empowering episode, Shannon Russell talks with Dani Cee, a former Chief Marketing Officer who walked away from a 20-year corporate career to launch the Happy Life Agenda and work as an empowerment consultant. Dani shares the moment she knew the 9–5 was costing her everything, how journaling, faith, and clarity guided her exit, and the simple pillars she now uses to help women design a happier second-act career. If you’re a working mom craving work–life balance, purpose, and flexibility, this conversation is your roadmap to a smart, values-aligned career change.

Key Takeaways:

• Career Change After Burnout: Why Dani left a high-pressure marketing leadership/CMO role to become an entrepreneur.
• Happy Life Agenda Framework: The four pillars—openness, clarity, connection, purpose—for designing a life and business you love.
• Practical Exit Steps: How journaling, devotion/meditation, and networking coffee chats created clarity before resigning.
• Working Mom Priorities: Building a business that supports family time, presence, and flexibility (without losing income goals).
• Avoid the Shiny-Object Trap: Validate ideas so you don’t recreate the same misery in a new job or business.
• Faith & Mindset: Using stillness to make bold decisions—and allowing space for the grief that can follow a big career pivot.
• What’s Next: Local workshops and events with built-in childcare so moms can learn, connect, and grow.

SHOW NOTES:

https://secondactsuccess.co/223

Connect with Dani Cee:

https://happylifeagenda.com/

https://happylifeagenda.com/podcasts/

https://www.instagram.com/happylifeagenda/

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Tell us what you think and what you want to hear on the podcast!

You are listening to the Top 2% globally ranked podcast Second Act Success!

CONTACT Shannon and share your feedback about what you'd like to hear on the podcast! https://secondactsuccess.co/contact

Book a FREE Strategy Call with host and business coach Shannon Russell - https://www.calendly.com/second-act-success/coaching-strategy

Work with Shannon
https://secondactsuccess.co/coaching

FREE Resources
https://secondactsuccess.co/resources

READ Shannon's Book - Start Your Second Act: How to Change Careers, Launch a Business, and Create Your Best Life https://startyoursecondact.com.

LISTEN to the How To Quit Your Job and Start A Business Podcast!
https://secondactsuccess.co/listen

LET’S CONNECT!
Instagram - https://instagram.com/secondactsuccess
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonrussellcoach

*Want to be a guest on Second Act Success Podcast? Send Shannon Russell a message on PodMatch,...

Feeling out of alignment in your life or career? In this episode, host and business coach for women Shannon Russell sits down with Dina Berrin, former fitness pro and staffing leader turned intuitive life coach, to share how she transformed a long corporate chapter into a purpose-driven second act.

Dina reveals how tarot, numerology, astrology, and her original charm reading method help clients dissolve limiting beliefs, reconnect with their authentic selves, and step into their full potential. If you’re a woman in midlife craving a career change, a more soul-aligned business, or a clear path to your next chapter, this conversation is your roadmap.

Key Takeaways

• Career Change & Second Act: How Dina moved from fitness and staffing to a thriving practice as an intuitive life coach.
• Alignment Over Hustle: Practical ways to spot when you’re out of alignment and how to realign your life and business with your values.
• Tools That Transform: How tarot, numerology, astrology, and charm readings create powerful breakthroughs and action steps.
• From Side Hustle to Full-Time: Building skills on the side while in a 9–5—and knowing when to leap into your own business.
• Confidence & Clarity: Reframing “failure” as data, strengthening intuition, and making courageous choices during career transitions.
• Year-Nine Numerology Insight: Why releasing what no longer fits sets you up for a strong next cycle—and a more authentic second act.

SHOW NOTES:

https://secondactsuccess.co/222

Connect with Dina Berrin:

https://dinaberrin.com/

https://www.instagram.com/dinaberrin/

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Tell us what you think and what you want to hear on the podcast!

You are listening to the Top 2% globally ranked podcast Second Act Success!

CONTACT Shannon and share your feedback about what you'd like to hear on the podcast! https://secondactsuccess.co/contact

Book a FREE Strategy Call with host and business coach Shannon Russell - https://www.calendly.com/second-act-success/coaching-strategy

Work with Shannon
https://secondactsuccess.co/coaching

FREE Resources
https://secondactsuccess.co/resources

READ Shannon's Book - Start Your Second Act: How to Change Careers, Launch a Business, and Create Your Best Life https://startyoursecondact.com.

LISTEN to the How To Quit Your Job and Start A Business Podcast!
https://secondactsuccess.co/listen

LET’S CONNECT!
Instagram - https://instagram.com/secondactsuccess
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonrussellcoach

*Want to be a guest on Second Act Success Podcast? Send Shannon Russell a message on PodMatch,...

What if a layoff is the nudge you needed to quit corporate, start a business, and design a second-act career you actually love? In this inspiring conversation on episode #221 of the Second Act Success Podcast, Aransas Savas—innovation leader turned coach, community builder, and host of The Uplifters—shares how losing her role at Weight Watchers became the catalyst to redefine success, create flexible income, and prioritize a life that fits.

We dive into career change after layoffs, how to leverage your network, and Aransas’s framework for building “courage capital” so you can take bold, confident action—whether that means launching a business, starting a podcast, creating a community, or pivoting roles. If you’re craving purpose, freedom, and fulfillment, this episode is your roadmap to a second act.

Key Takeaways

• Career Pivot After Layoffs: How Aransas transformed a corporate layoff into a second-act career with more freedom and meaning.
• Courage Capital: A practical framework to build self-belief, take risks, and make bold moves in business and life.
• From Corporate to Creator: Lessons from innovation, research, and service design that translate into entrepreneurship.
• Network Power: Why your network, mentors, and community accelerate a successful career transition.
• Iterate to Clarity: Use rapid prototyping and feedback to validate offers, events, and new business ideas.
• Holistic Success: Rethinking compensation—time freedom, family presence, and well-being vs. a predictable paycheck.

Show Notes:

https://secondactsuccess.co/221

Connect with Aransas Savas:

https://www.aransassavas.com/

https://www.aransassavas.com/podcast

https://www.instagram.com/aransas_savas/

-----------------------------

Tell us what you think and what you want to hear on the podcast!

You are listening to the Top 2% globally ranked podcast Second Act Success!

CONTACT Shannon and share your feedback about what you'd like to hear on the podcast! https://secondactsuccess.co/contact

Book a FREE Strategy Call with host and business coach Shannon Russell - https://www.calendly.com/second-act-success/coaching-strategy

Work with Shannon
https://secondactsuccess.co/coaching

FREE Resources
https://secondactsuccess.co/resources

READ Shannon's Book - Start Your Second Act: How to Change Careers, Launch a Business, and Create Your Best Life https://startyoursecondact.com.

LISTEN to the How To Quit Your Job and Start A Business Podcast!
https://secondactsuccess.co/listen

LET’S CONNECT!
Instagram - https://instagram.com/secondactsuccess
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonrussellcoach

*Want to be a guest on Second Act Success Podcast? Send Shannon Russell a message on PodMatch,...