We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shannon Addison a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Shannon thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

As a devoted mother, mentor, writer, and entrepreneur, I am passionate about empowering young girls with the tools to navigate the complexities of social and emotional issues. That’s why I created The Breadcrumbz, a platform that offers valuable lessons for girls and parents alike. My mother, a highly qualified educator and counselor, was instrumental in helping me develop this program. Before she passed away, she urged me to continue this mission because of the value of the content and the growing need for it. Unfortunately, my youngest daughter’s chronic medical condition forced me to step back and care for her shortly after embarking on this journey. This experience opened my eyes to the devastating effects of continual cruelty on young girls. I saw firsthand how my daughter’s dreams of attending her graduation ceremony were shattered by the constant threat of three bullies in her class. As a mother, this was a heartbreaking experience that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. That’s why I am committed to changing the course of this kind of cruelty that exists between girls. I want to spare other parents of this kind of pain.

My goal is to protect pre-adolescent girls as they navigate the challenges of approaching maturity. By shedding light on the risks they may encounter, I aim to provide parents with the knowledge and the resources to build stronger connections with their daughters. Along with the tools I have created to help parents and caregivers, I have developed a speaking platform to help educate parents about these dangers and to encourage them to build these connections at the most opportune times to help girls grow into the strong, compassionate, caring individuals they can be.

Shannon, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

After taking some time off work to care for my daughter, I started a brand called My Crumby World in 2022. “The Breadcrumbz Present” is a series of interactive books that aim to teach young girls about resilience, friendship, communication, and acceptance. The second book in the series is entitled, “My Crumby Guide to Baking and Friendship Making,” which teaches girls how to bake all the breads represented in my brand, as well as the social skills listed above. The book is thoughtfully designed with stories and messages in addition to recipes that facilitate necessary conversations between adults and kids about issues that might be difficult to approach otherwise. Last year, I was fortunate enough to successfully raise funds for this book through a Kickstarter campaign. In addition to the book, I also created a set of color-coded coordinating measuring cups and spoons to help younger bakers with precise measurements. I have been thrilled to see that my baking boxes, which contain the book, the measuring cups and spoons, and a hat and apron set, have been a hit at large vendor events and have been awarded the “Parents’ Picks Award” for the best products for elementary kids for 2024. Additionally, I have created finger puppet versions of my characters and “Story Starters” that provide a dilemma for girls to solve by acting it out with the puppets. Girls will be able to share their solutions to these dilemmas on my website. I look forward to showcasing how well young girls can solve their potential friendship problems in a follow-up post or video that will be featured on my site. Establishing these kinds of problem-solving skills helps girls develop autonomy, another tool they will need to rely on as they mature.
My Crumby World is a place where girls can learn how to navigate ‘girlhood’ with the help of imaginative, imperfect friends who are quirky and relatable. Soon girls will be able to see them on their own YouTube channel teaching all kinds of tips about friendship and baking.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When I first launched The Breadcrumbz and My Crumby World, I was frequently asked to speak at schools to girls, teachers, and guidance counselors. At that time, I wasn’t clear on what I was offering, as my brand was mainly a concept with characters that taught social skills to girls. Shortly after the launch, my daughter developed a chronic medical condition, and I had to take a step back. This break allowed me to reevaluate my brand, concept, goals, and reasons behind my work. My daughter’s struggle with her health and return to school highlighted the necessity to understand what contributes to girls’ hostility toward each other during adolescence. I delved into literature on adolescent and teen girls and the challenges they face, which changed the direction of my brand. When I was able to, I started creating a series of interactive books focusing on failure, friendship, differences, gratitude, and other concepts, targeting a younger audience to influence girls’ behaviors at an age where it matters most. I now emphasize this change of direction when speaking to parents and caregivers, as I believe it’s essential for the future of our girls to make significant changes while they are young.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Last year, I ran a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the production of “My Crumby Guide to Baking and Friendship Making.” I strongly believe that to launch a successful crowdfunding campaign, it’s crucial to dedicate at least 60 days to intense self-promotion and marketing before the campaign begins, and throughout its duration. I reached out to all local news outlets, participated in podcasts, and attended conferences to spread the word about my project. It was a very busy month, but all the pre-planning paid off, and the campaign ended up being successful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mycrumbyworld.com
• Instagram: @mycrumbyworld
• Facebook: mycrumbyworld
• Linkedin: shannon addison
• Twitter: @mycrumbyworld
• Youtube: (Coming) Mycrumbyworld
• Other: Threads: mycrumbyworld
  Pinterest: mycrumbyworld