Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawnene Vance.
Hi Shawnene, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I got started working in retail working at Kmart for 15 years. I learned a lot about retail, marketing, and customer service, in which I started as a stock person, and merchandiser, and then got promoted to run a few departments such as kids/ babies, health and beauty, and menswear department. Almost at the end of my era of working there, I started working with many sales and marketing companies part-time being a merchandiser.
Once Kmart had closed, I was already working as a team lead merchandiser for other companies such as Footprint, and Acosta Sales and Marketing, but then had changed my position to part-time with Kmart. A few years passed, I became a Supervisor for a company, Retail Merchandising Solutions, Inc. (RMSI), at this point I had so much merchandising experience I wanted a change and continued to seek a different career in marketing.
I had not gone to school right away after high school, I tried many programs, but did not stay long because they were not for me. So, in 2010, I finally decided to go to college to get my Bachelor of Science with a concentration in Information Technology. After a four-year college, I realized the type of job that I wanted was in Internet Marketing I had to learn more about the trade of marketing online, so then a year after that I enrolled for my Master’s Business Administration and concentration in Marketing.
I continued to search for a job and had no luck. Then I was introduced to Market America, as a shopping consultant, (but eventually stopped this business) and continued to work as a supervisor at RMSI. During this time my health had started to interfere with my working abilities slowly. When I was 14 years old I got hit by a car and damaged my leg, got a cast, and got all better.
At this time, as I got older the same leg would give me issues, hurting a lot, and I would work but not efficiently. So I had to change jobs, and became a Data Collector, for a company Retail Data LLC, collecting prices in retail stores. I was working with them full-time for one and a half years. Right before the shutdown of the pandemic of 2020, the last day of my work, before quarantine, I had gotten injured at work, I twisted my same leg, and now I am disabled. My doctor says I have severe Osteoarthritis in my leg, which is very hard to walk long distances and stand too long. I thought I could continue working with this severity, but I cannot do it. So, I got a medical letter stating that I need a medical reduction of hours, working part-time for Data Retail LLC.
I currently have three businesses, my first is SMB Connections, I work as an Internet marketing manager with SEO capabilities, web analytics, and promotions for small businesses. I started SMB Connections 10 years ago, I wanted to work for small businesses creating websites and digital print, and digital advertisements. I have been changing what I want to do in my business so many times, I just knew I wanted to be in marketing working with promotions, and advertisements.
Also, right before the pandemic, in January 2020, I enrolled in a certificate program for one year of BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE & ANALYTICS MANAGEMENT. From all my research, and the type of job or profession I wanted to do online and internet marketing, I knew that was my passion. But currently looking for a job is not easy, without any skills. This leads me to work at home for my business because I cannot properly do my job functions for Retail Data LLC of collecting prices in retail stores, which I have to walk a lot, travel, and stand a long time. So, now I have time to learn and teach myself by reading other blogs, and Youtube videos. I have plenty of time to learn now.
Unfortunately, working part-time does not come with great money, and now on partial unemployment to make ends meet, till my businesses get up and running.
Second, my business is I became a Shopping Consultant with Market America again, I educate people on shopping annuity and ways to provide income shopping online, my un-franchise website is www.shop.com/smb77. I decided to go back into the business because I really enjoyed it, there were other life situations that lead me to stop, but this time I am working it till it prospers. My third business I am a blogger, which I just started less than a month ago, in the cannabis community, my website is www.cannaeastcoastguide.com. My cannabis business is for the east coast dispensary list and I will also do product reviews and recommendations of my affiliate partner companies.
So as of now, I am working my business the best way I can at home, and continue to work for Data Retail LLC. part-time.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Many of my struggles during this time were moving in with my mom. I had to leave where I was staying, because the apartment I was living in a house, was getting foreclosed. So I moved in with my mom, who needed help anyway, so we agreed on living arrangements in a small one-bed apartment for about 10 years. Things went well after that.
Then I was reunited with an old friend and started dating him for five years, after finding out the severity of his mental health issues. I thought I could help him to continue with the relationship but could not, even though I cared for him. I was with him for four years and live with him for one year. After that, I moved back with my mom.
In the year 2020 of the pandemic, which wasn’t bad for me as Covid is a concern, the real issue was twisting my leg before quarantine, and becoming disabled.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
SMB Connections is a company that specializes in small business advertisements and promotions, SEO, and web analytics. We are very creative, with doing digital and hard copy print. We can also make customized design gifts, with photoshop and photo manipulations.
My passion is for anything creative with photos and technology! I have been doing my own photo editing, and advertisements for another business venture I did years ago and loved it. I also do videos and editing.
For my other two businesses as a Shopping Consultant, which is a partnership, with Market America educating people on shopping annuity and ways to provide income shopping online on items you are already buying. I really enjoy that and the concept
Canna East Coast Guide business, I am a blogger, which I just started less than a month ago, in the cannabis community, I wanted to be in the cannabis business so I started my own. It has a list of all the east coast dispensaries and I will also do product reviews and recommendations of my affiliate partner companies on my website and Youtube channel.
I want to finally create a business for myself where I can use my technical skills and be creative while doing it.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
The role of luck in many situations in my life also happened, I have been able to overcome a lot of things. Being lucky that I have not experienced homelessness, and have a mother and friends that support me in anything I do.
Recently, with my shop website, I made a few sales stating how I lost weight with a particular product that I sell.
Overall, not so much being lucky, but continue to work hard to one day be financially independent in my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shop.com/smb77
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canna_ecg/ and https://www.instagram.com/smb_connections/?hl=en
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CannaECG and https://twitter.com/SMBconnections
- Other: www.cannaeastcoastguide.com
