Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shannon Vogel. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Shannon, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
The story behind my mission comes from a place of helping people be seen and heard. For their voices to be heard and their stories to be told. Most people think of social media as something that doesn’t matter or is not important to businesses. Social Media gives businesses a platform to talk about where you came from, what sets you apart and what you can provide as a solution in your community. It’s a place to celebrate your company culture, your team, your projects and your successes. It’s a place to use your voice and share your story.
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
I started in my industry as a designer working for my family’s construction business. I enjoyed working with people and helping people, but when the opportunity came to start a blog for the flooring industry, it allowed me to work with people, help people, and write, which is something I love to do. I found that I was able to help more people, more efficiently. Because I started in 2007, I got the opportunity to learn and become an expert in a brand new business segment. That was very exciting!
At Reach Social, we provide social media strategy, content, training and reputation management services specifically for the construction industry. It is definitely a niche that wasn’t an opportunity that was offered to me at my high school career fair!
I’m proud and grateful that I get to help businesses have a presence on social media. It is very rewarding to help a small business tell its story online. Business owners know how to run their businesses, but often don’t have the desire or the knowledge to represent themselves professionally on social media.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I started in social media before it was a household term. When I first started, I spent most of my time explaining and defending that social media was used for businesses. I found that part challenging and exciting. However, For 14 years I was a female in construction, a male-dominated industry, working for a digital marketing agency that my father-in-law owned selling a product that people still think is just for kids to waste time on. Before walking into any business situation, I had to prepare for the the look on every man’s face which equated to there’s the little girl that her father in law gave her a job doing something silly.
This drove me to work harder, become an industry expert and command a room with a handshake and eye contact that would make the Marines want to recruit me on the spot. I now represent companies, write for magazines and speak to audiences all over the world.
We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.
I met my business partner somewhere along the way in the flooring industry. I’ve got 25 years in the industry and he just retired from one of the largest flooring manufacturers in the world after more than 30 years of service. I don’t remember the exact moment, but as Maya Angelou says, I forget what he did (or where we were), but remember the way I felt. He has this magical ease about him that makes you feel safe and smarter after hanging out with him. When you meet his past employees, the people he managed show an unmatched loyalty to him that warms your heart to witness.
I’m sure when we met, he was telling a story that captured my attention. He’s one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met and I’m from the South! When Brian tells a story, you lose all track of time and lean in so that you don’t stand the chance of missing any detail he’s sharing.
I’m also pretty confident that when we met, he did that superpower that he and I both have which is seeing past what people are saying and really see what’s happening inside them. And then he started doing it to me…
One of those times is when he walked up to me at an event and said something along the lines of “What’s going on? Clearly, you’ve got a problem with someone right now!” I confirmed that I did, in fact, have a problem with someone at the moment. I’m sure I gave him a look like ‘how on earth did you know?!?’ He didn’t hesitate to lay down some wisdom on me that I’ll never forget. He said, “Shannon, when you have a problem with someone, the first thing you need to do is haul your ass straight to the mirror. Start there. That’s where your problem really is.”
I now have a symbol of that message tattooed on my body which gives me the opportunity to share the story and the lesson with others often.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://reachsocial.media/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reachsocial.media/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GetSocialWithReach/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonvogel/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReachSocMedia
Image Credits
Image Credit: Dan Honore, Honored Photography https://www.instagram.com/honoredphotography/