We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shawna Danielle. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shawna below.

Shawna , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

Back in 2021, I began to prepare myself for a huge career change. I wasn’t learning anything new & my job at the time wasn’t aligned with where I was going. A year prior, I had just launched my wellness brand & this was a challenge because it was 100 % self-funded & I didn’t know much about business. I’m big on entrepreneurship, but I also understand that working a 9-5 can be a stepping stone, a considerable means of investment, & guide as you continue to pour into your craft. So I studied, did a lot of research, built some connections & ultimately did a complete career pivot into project management in February of 2022. But unfortunately, a few months later, I was laid off due to budget cuts. At the time, I didn’t understand why. My business also wasn’t in a place where it could sustain me, so I paused everything & spent the whole summer of 2022 looking for another PM role. In September, I received a job offer from Google & an offer from the company where I’m currently at now. I declined to work at Google for many reasons, but the ultimate cause was that I needed to work somewhere that aligned & mirrored my path. I realized that accepting all opportunities does not always favor your highest good. The space I work in now divinely reflects where I want to be. I would say this experience is even better than my last one, where I was laid off. I’ve been  learning a lot about the technical aspects of building a wellness brand, from the legalities to marketing, strategy, team building, growth, scaling sustainably, etc. All of my previous opportunities led me to a space where I now have the flexibility to access  resources to nurture the seeds so my passion projects can grow. The right opportunities will always flow effortlessly with ease if you put yourself in the position to receive them.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Outside of my 9-5, I’m an herbalist. Herbalism came to me naturally because this was practiced by my ancestors & I’m here to continue this labor of love. I’ve also just always cared deeply about healing the body & spirit holistically. So working with plant medicines is one way that I’m able to do so. My wellness brand is Akoma Sol & my offerings are botanically based supplements created to assist those who who are fiercely taking ownership of their healing journeys. In order to embody wellness, we have to make way for nourishment and take care of our vessels that continue to show up and do so much for us every day. Akoma Sol focuses on healing holistically through a heart-centered & earth-conscious lifestyle.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

As an herbalist, succeeding in this field requires a lot of intention, a heightened intuition, presence, and a well-rested body. When working with others to heal the mind, body, and spirit with plant medicine, you must operate from a place of ease. Whether working with clients or creating herbal products yourself, it has to be done from a space where the person has the energetic capacity to do so. Because if not, that energy will bleed into what you create or harm the person you’re working with. I think in today’s society, many are pushed beyond their limits & every day, we see the effects of this. But when doing such deep spiritual work or having a spiritual practice, it’s vital that you don’t pour from an empty cup. Being able to tune in, recognize, and understand your capacity will take you far, and you’ll receive the best outcomes because you’re nourishing yourself & honoring your needs. I also take the same approach when working as a project manager. I’m very vocal about my capacity & my team’s bandwidth.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

I will always choose herbalism & project management. Herbalism is a part of my life’s purpose & project management helps me build strong organizational & risk management skills needed for building my own brand. I’m apart of two completely different industries but both specialties compliment each other.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.akomasol.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solshawnaa/

Image Credits:
Chris Yang took the first two photos