Name: Deborah Shane
Age: Proud Baby Boomer
Location: Miami/Ft Lauderdale, Fla
Education: BA English/Teacher Certification
Job title: Career Author, Branding Strategist, Speaker, Writer
What she does: A published singer/songwriter, teacher and broadcast radio sales and management professional turned author, consultant, speaker, media host and published writer, Deborah Shane is truly a Jack – or should we say Jane – of all trades. Tapping into her incredibly diverse background, Deborah helps small businesses, entrepreneurs and professionals create, promote and market themselves so they can stand out, get noticed and make an impact. Deborah’s slogan is “empowering your brand and branding to succeed,” which she does through consulting, media, writing and speaking.
How she got her gig: With a resume that includes work in entertainment, education, media, and business, Deborah spent a large part of her career as a broadcast radio sales and management professional. After spending two decades working with Cox Radio, Clear Channel and Classical WTMI-FM, she decides it was time for a change. “In August 2006, I voluntarily left my corporate career in Miami to answer the questions, ‘What’s next?’ and ‘What do you really want to do now’?” says Deborah. “DeborahShane.com was born out of my passion for creating and presenting workshops, training events, dynamic motivational speaking and insightful consulting.”
Life is a progress: If there’s one thing that’s been consistent throughout Deborah’s career, it’s her willingness to evolve and ability to accept change with open arms. “There are benchmarks that let me know I am growing and succeeding, but a continued commitment to change and evolve is a key in today’s business pace,” says Deborah. “My goals and intentions keep morphing.” In fact, one of her most memorable moments in her career so far came in the form of an epiphany: “After the fall of 2008, I realized I had to shift my business model from a local one to a national one and diversify my services and how I delivered them.” Now, she helps companies from coast to coast brand and promote themselves, and she reaches an audience of thousands through her website, motivational speaking, consulting, and her book Career Transition, which was published in March 2011.
No better moment than the present: Deborah lives by a saying that was her mother Ruth’s favorite: “You only come this way one time, so do it, try it NOW.” Deborah’s aware that life can lead you down any number of paths, and that you should always seize an opportunity when it presents itself – and that sometimes requires moving fast. “I know that the yin and the yang need each other and differentiate each other. I really try to stay in the moment and look for the signs,” she says. “They are there everyday. I need to pay attention.”
This job’s for you if: you come prepared. “Make sure you have a clear brand and branding strategy, become a master marketer, lead with your strengths and heart, and flex with the winds.” But that’s not all – sometimes you’ve got to follow your heart’s lead. “Never give up when you believe, make optimism a way of life and everything you need is already inside of you.”
