Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shawna Sullivan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Shawna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

My parents never lived life alone and that has had the greatest impact on me as a woman, a wife, a mom and a writer. As an entrepreneur, my dad’s business endeavors caused a turbulent childhood with many moves. Yet, one thing remained the same. They consistently focused on forming community and serving the community wherever we lived. This radically impacted our home because we always had a full table. In fact, it was not uncommon that a friend or even stranger joined us for a holiday. Shared meals were more than tradition; they were an invitation to share our messy lives with one another which remains a priority for me and my family to this day.

Even more, my parents recognized the need for a community of faith to walk through the ups and downs of raising a family. During an intensely difficult chapter of my life, I witnessed my parents and their group of friends from church step in to help with everything from mowing our yard and meeting various daily needs, helping pay bills, and even providing the best Christmas we have ever experienced. The Church, notoriously flawed in many respects, became more than a group of messy, imperfect people during that time. They grew into a community of families that our family literally could not live without and informs the priority faith has in my life today.

Overall, from my parents, I learned that we need each other. I learned to let others vulnerably into my life. I learned that God designed us to be more than mere consumers in this life, but investors, using whatever we have for the good of others.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

With a BBA and a Master’s in Accountancy from Baylor University, I began my career at PwC in Austin, Texas as an Audit Associate and worked my way up to Manager at PwC in New York City before transitioning to full-time motherhood. It was during these 13 years in New York where my husband and I began wrestling with what defines a meaningful, successful life. Both with a financial background, me in Accounting and my husband as a CFA / Portfolio Manager, are wired to think about the financial implications of our decisions. In fact, I saw finances as a savior to protect me from the turbulence of my childhood.

My husband and I lived in NYC with the sole motivation to build our resumes but discovered that living on a mission to simply make money left us empty. We were confronted with the deeper purpose of what it would look like to live for something greater. So, despite the financial risks and costs, we stayed in New York for 13 years, had four children, helped serve the community and planted a church.

We each have a choice on what defines a meaningful life: one where we leverage our career, money, and time for our own purposes, or one where we use our resources for a greater purpose and the good of others. Dropping down to one salary while having kids, living in an expensive city, choosing to pay rent on an apartment for a decade – all of which looks foolish on paper – led us to a deep, heart change.

This helped us realize that our experiences and decisions, which often appear counter-cultural, led us to a more fulfilling, joyful and faith-filled life. We are now passionate about coming alongside others in helping them evaluate how to order their time and money for a greater purpose. Some costs are worthwhile while some investments return void, but it all starts with the heart.

We started First Things First Ministries to help others overcome the hidden obstacles that prevent them from loving the life they have been given. Through the lens of faith and the wisdom of the Bible, we help others look at their time and money redemptively.

What sets us apart is that we are not here to act as financial advisers as much as to help address the issues of the heart and what drives the decisions we make regarding our time and money. If you want to spend your time and money wisely, but feel stressed about your plans or finances, we get it. You may have achieved many goals but still feel like there’s more. We believe you can prioritize what matters most, even in a busy life. We want to help you discover a rich life that has nothing to do with how much money you make, and how to invest in a joyful life.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Our goal is to help others discover the joy that is found in spending our one life well. Often we chase after empty pursuits and short-term investments, neglecting the lasting impact on those around us. We started First Things First Ministries to help others think through how they are ordering their life with their time and money.

My husband and I have written a curriculum and desire to lead small groups through identifying obstacles with their money and how to develop a faith-forward money mindset. We currently have a literary agent who is working with us on a book to help walk others through a Biblical framework when it comes to money. Our overall goal of helping others discover a rich life that is not dependent on earthly measures is what drives us forward in all that we do.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

For the first ten years of my life, I watched my parents search for identity and healing in all the world had to offer. My father, a gifted businessman and entrepreneur was consistently absent in my early years, yet I enjoyed the finest fruits of a successful life.

Memories of being taken to preschool in the family limousine, riding in our family airplane, and vacationing on the family yacht still linger. However, those fleeting years of success were quickly replaced with adulterous relationships and unfortunate events that led to the end of life as we knew it. A hurting and broken home in dire need of healing remained, and I was right in the middle of it. Riding the emotional, financial, and spiritual roller coaster growing up left me searching for a better design. I had been taught about Jesus, and was confident that surely this was not what He had intended for a flourishing life.

This financial instability growing up led me to chasing after earthly success to prevent me from living through more pain and turbulence. However, I quickly learned that money is not the savior our hearts truly long for in this world. When I surrendered to following God’s design for life and when I allowed the Bible to define the ordering of my loves, is when I discovered joy unshakeable.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shawnasullivan.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnasullivan/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shawnasullivanwrites
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@shawnasullivanwrites
• Other: Substack: https://substack.com/@shawnasullivan