We recently connected with Shana Yao and have shared our conversation below.

Shana, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us a story about a time you failed?

It’s so funny – we are taught to fear failure. And honestly, no one actively wants to fail But failure is a part of life – and for me, it was a big part of my success.

I was raised in a family of smart people. My dad was the Head of the Civil Engineering Department and Texas A&M. My brother and sister were super smart. I was kind of the rebel of my family – and instead of following a laid out path into a secure job after college, I decided to go to LA and pursue my dream to work in the retail industry.

That dream quickly came crashing to the ground when I realized my college years were quite sheltered and did not prepare me for life in the corporate world.

Eventually I found my footing and became an award-winning, successful Marketing Director for 4 major shopping centers in Los Angeles and the famed Rodeo Drive.

But life has a funny way of hitting you when you least expect it. In 2006 my mother suddenly died. It tore my life apart and shortly after in 2009, I lost my corporate job when the economy crashed.

I was unable to get another job as my background was so specific and the world was changing before my eyes as the internet started to become a significant part of the marketing industry.

I was forced to “start a business”, and I stumbled into becoming a business coach. I never wanted to be an entrepreneur and while I saw success, I was plagued by self judgement and comparison that I saw on social media.

This eventually led to me losing confidence and lacking direction, I floundered for many years in the coaching world.

Eventually I “found” myself again. I was reminded that I had worked with thousands of businesses over the course of my career and eventually started to connect to brands that hired me to do what I do best – business strategy and copywriting.

Today, I am so happy doing what I do – behind the scenes.

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

I am a Business Strategist and Copywriter for small businesses. My specialty is communicating a brand’s voice and value through targeted and relatable copy that produces results.

In the past, my work directing the marketing for four regional shopping centers in Los Angeles, Rodeo Drive, and other international retailers, along with working with several entrepreneurial-run brands, has given me the knowledge and experience to clarify a brand’s unique messaging, and turn it into customized marketing solutions across applicable digital platforms.

In my current work, I help my clients with brand strategy, copywriting, email, and social media.

What sets me apart is my ability to understand a brand’s mission and personality at a core level. I use my knowledge of psychology and neuroscience to use my skills to communicate my client’s mission and value in everything I do.

I’m the best at what I do because I actually CARE about my clients and their success. This is not just a job for me, it’s a mission – to help my client’s express their mission and values to their audience, and in turn, make the world a better place because of it.

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

I had to unlearn the brainwashing of corporate America and life itself. People don’t realize that watching TV, listening to other people – you’re being brainwashed everyday.

Today I only listen to podcasts and youtube – channels and content that I CHOOSE. I don’t have a TV and I don’t follow the status quo.

Once you decide to take control of your mind and life, you’ll find talents and clarity you never knew you had.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I love classic marketing. While the tactics have changed, strategy has not. Jay Abraham’s – Getting everything you can out of everything you’ve got
Oren Klaff – Pitch Anything
Bob Burg – The Go Giver
Shawn Achor – The Happiness Advantage
Bruce Lipton – The Biology of Belief

Contact Info:

• Website: https://holisticgenius.co
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/total_genius
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanalynnyao/