We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Cassandra Shuck a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dr. Cassandra, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

The social media experience has seen a relatively recent push toward suppression, cancel culture, and aggressive bullying. Because of this, people are questioning their personal belief systems and accepting forced narratives more than ever. Our original idea was to create something that overlaid the existing platforms to provide a quick “fix” for the issues at hand. We brainstormed tools that would make for a more embodied and intentional use of time spent on social media, either in the form of a simple plug-in or a separate app. We quickly realized that this was a systemic issue that needed more than just a Band-Aid.

Aligned Social is a brand-new social media platform as a whole that started from scratch. We’ve looked at how current social media is being run and found commonalities between their underlying motives: their goal is to keep users on the app as long as humanly possible. Alternatively, Aligned Social is working to uplevel the social media experience to empower the collective. We’ve taken every detail of the existing apps into consideration as we work to burn down expectations and build a healthy digital platform. In the interest of a whole, healed, and healthy society, we are putting people and their overall well-being at the forefront of every decision we make.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My work happens at the intersection of spirituality and technology. Cross-culturally trained within the Peruvian, Colombian, Siberian, Hawaiian, Mexican, and Native American shamanic traditions, I have found a way to take ancient healing techniques and concepts and apply them to modern technology.

With over 17 years of experience in the social media industry, I can only truly connect the dots of Aligned by working my way backward. In November of 2019, I attended an event in New York at which I announced my plan to take on and disrupt what social media had become. It speaks to the soul purpose of the project that I have no recollection of making such a grand statement, but several friends and acquaintances have confirmed the declaration. Though it made no sense cognitively, this showcases my creative entrepreneurial side, going where I am led, rather than questioning or worrying about what it will look like. I believe everyone has a mission like this in their life. I work hard to bring that self-expression out in my individual clients and now to the contributors on Aligned Social.

My passion for the social media industry began like many others in 2007. I started out as an intern at a small boutique marketing agency. Only two months in, they monetized my position and turned my internship into a paid job. Two years later during my time at Hampton University, I found myself in charge of digital logistics and community, and I was heavily involved in the SEM (Search Engine Marketing) and PR side of things from 2007 to 2010. From there, I moved into education-based technology as a huge advocate for bridging the social gap of distance learning and keeping students engaged as part of a community. This experience becomes imperative in the rollout of Aligned’s innovative MTSS platform. More on that to come!

My social marketing expertise has led me to work for some of the largest companies in the world, building online platforms and social outreach for companies like Volkswagon, Audi, Cars.com, AutoTrader, NASCAR, and several other well-known brands. The satisfaction of creating experiential social media was nice, but not particularly exciting or fulfilling. Having worked on everything from digital marketing to innovative social campaigns and establishing impactful online reputations, I left corporate life behind to strike out on my own.

Nearly twenty years later, the social media landscape is in desperate need of an overhaul.

Combining my shamanic healing abilities and my experience in the social media industry, Aligned Social will disrupt what social media has become and propel the collective into a whole, healed, and healthy future.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Overcoming an abusive childhood comes with the side effect of extreme resilience. I have been able to heal myself from trauma no child should ever experience, but the repercussions do ripple into adulthood as history repeats itself. No stranger to abuse, I was able to recognize similar treatment as a grown woman in the masculine corporate world. It was the invitation I needed to buck the system and start my entrepreneurial journey, fighting for my vision even when others might not be able to see its value. Yet.

Resiliency requires remaining firm in your value, recognizing when you are not being treated well, and stopping the cycle in its tracks. Knowing your worth establishes a strong foundation that can’t be shaken by external forces, allowing you to overcome any obstacles that come your way.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Through my experiences in shamanic healing but especially since the birth of Aligned Social, I have had to unlearn EVERYTHING. I’ve released every expectation and “should” to find my truest, most authentic voice. Coming from an abusive childhood, finding my voice was more than learning how to speak out; it also meant learning to trust the right people to listen. Not everyone has been a safe space for my thoughts and ideas, something I still come up against to this day. We learn and unlearn life lessons all the time, aligning with the new and releasing the outdated along the way.      

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alignedsocialapp.com/home
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassshuck/