Building A Creative Life With Intention - A Candid Conversation w/ Shanon Wallace

Summary

Keep It Positive, Sweetie – “Building A Creative Life With Intention: A Candid Conversation w/ Shannon Wallace”

Podcast: Keep It Positive, Sweetie
Host: Crystal Renee Hayslett
Guest: Shannon Wallace
Date: February 1, 2026
Duration: ~51 minutes (main conversation content)

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Episode Overview

In this heartfelt and insightful episode, host Crystal Renee Hayslett sits down with actor, filmmaker, photographer, and creative storyteller Shannon Wallace. Their conversation delves into Shannon’s journey growing up in Long Island, his transition from social work to creative industries, building a life with intentionality, confronting grief, and the ongoing process of self-growth—especially through relationships, art, and community. The episode offers honest reflections on loss, career evolution, masculinity, love, ego, and the power of authentic storytelling, all while maintaining the show’s signature uplifting, candid, and supportive tone.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shannon’s Childhood & Early Identity (04:12–07:33)

• Shannon describes himself as a shy, quiet, and quirky child who didn't speak much until adulthood:
  • Quote: “To be honest with you, I think I am the little boy. … As a kid, I didn't… I was weird, like they thought things was wrong with me because I didn't, I didn't. … I would just sit by the door in my coat… and just not speak. I would not move until my mom came back.” (04:44)
• Grew up between two communities in Long Island: raised in Gordon Heights (historic Black neighborhood), attended a predominantly white school for better education—felt he didn't fully belong in either context.
  • Quote: “So I grew up in a neighborhood called Gordon Heights, which is like one of the first settled Black neighborhoods on Long Island… The school I went to was like, it was like a PWI… So I was kind of in between.” (06:43–07:13)
• Athletics provided structure, but he didn't form close friendships until college, which helped him “bloom.”

2. Discovering Creative Passions & Transitioning from Social Work (08:05–13:17)

• First creative pursuit: illustration, cartooning, and animation in college, but shifted due to the demands of drawing.
• A pivotal moment: sneakily auditioning for the school play (“Peter Pan”), signaling an early, though suppressed, interest in performance.
• Started as a social worker at 22; found the system emotionally draining and felt stifled by its inability to offer real change.
  • Quote: “I got into early… social work, and that's like a really heart-wrenching gig, and I didn't know how to balance it… the system, structure… wasn't built to change, you know? And that was really disappointing.” (09:20)
• Modeling became his way “in” to acting; he leveraged his height and looks, driven by outside encouragement and as a strategic step.

3. Breakthrough Roles and the Power of Impact (11:06–14:24)

• Shannon discusses the importance of making an impact, regardless of role size:
  • “That became important to me in my work… you have to leave the impact. Right? This show is basically about you without you being there. You have to be remembered.” (12:49)
• Emphasis on “putting the work first” rather than chasing fame.

4. Photography & Hustling in Creative Industries (14:39–16:40)

• Photography emerged as a strategic and creative extension of his modeling; he began taking his own portfolio shots to bridge gaps between campaign launches.
  • “I would reshoot the campaigns on my own… Put those pictures in my book until the campaign came out, then replace them.” (15:39–16:01)
  • Agency discovered his talent and started sending him other models to shoot—jumpstarting his professional photography work.

5. Navigating Setbacks & Lessons from Modeling (16:40–19:44)

• Leveraged his research skills and a Dave Chappelle quote to define success as “making a social worker’s salary while following his heart.”
  • Quote: “If I can make a teacher's salary doing comedy, then I've won… So coming from social work, that was my only goal… and I’ve kept that.” (17:54–18:21)
• Reframes career bumps, financial goals, and downtime between jobs as manageable given this perspective.
• Stresses the necessity of a side craft (photography) for creative control and sustenance.

6. Boundaries, Ego, and Representation (20:07–22:54)

• After losing his brother to gun violence, he initially vowed never to portray such roles—then took the role on “City on the Hill” for its nuanced depiction of humanity behind stereotypes.
  • Quote: “You do them because of the situations and the environment that you're in… For the first time, we got to explore what those things were. So it was a story that I needed to tell.” (22:15–22:36)
• Realizes nuance is key and not to “say no” too early.

7. Processing Grief and Masculinity (23:09–28:49)

• Shannon recounts receiving the call about his brother’s death—a powerful, candid story about immediate grief, shock, and rage.
  • Quote: “My stepdad calls, said, your brother's been shot. He didn't make it. … I just froze… wanted to kill somebody like myself. I really had to remove myself. So I wasn't there for my sisters… that kills me to this day.” (23:59–25:18)
• Initially “manned through it” and credits opportunities in acting for helping him process grief (“performing [that kind of protection in a scene against violence] saved me. … My therapy.”) (28:04)

8. Creative Authorship – Writing and Directing (32:21–35:57)

• His drive to write and direct rooted partly in ego, but also a desire to create nuanced roles for himself and others, feeling he hasn’t been allowed to fully act in roles written by others:
  • Quote: “I wrote what I feel like was an opportunity for myself… filled [the film] with five characters… colored these characters in ways that I feel they should be colored.” (34:54–35:08)
• Got advice from Tyler Perry: “Own it.” (36:07)
• Emphasizes a spirit of collaborative creation among friends and the new generation of filmmakers.

9. New Projects: Film at Slamdance & Storytelling Through Love (37:17–40:28)

• Describes his new film “A Story About You,” about a man learning about himself as five women leave him—based often on lived experience of growing through relationships.
• The film intentionally spotlights the women’s perspectives, providing space for “romantic language” and personal growth.

10. On Love, Relationships, and Vulnerability (41:05–46:57)

• Debunks relationship rumors with Crystal—playful dynamic.
• Reveals he is currently “taken” and happy.
• Lessons learned from past relationships:
  • “Shut up and listen. … I choose people who are smarter than me… the women that I've spent… time with, identify that [emotional] thing before I do. … I'm learning to listen earlier.” (42:26–43:56)
• Discusses the “conflict” between heart, gut, and mind—learning to reconcile internal battles in relationships and lean into growth.
• Self-describes as a “hopeless romantic,” craves intimacy, though notes nobody has ever called him “romantic.”

11. Flowers, Consideration, and Emotional Insight (47:09–49:30)

• A playful conversation about why women want flowers, with Shannon unpacking the underlying reason as “consideration.” Crystal explains the importance of unprompted gestures in relationships.
  • Shannon: “If you don’t even know why you want [flowers], but you do… I can give consideration in different ways than just flowers. … Let’s diversify.” (47:10–49:12)
  • Crystal: “But the thought of my man… just sending me flowers because he thought of me or… to let you know that I see you—it is the consideration.” (48:39)

12. Upcoming Projects & Representation (49:44–51:16)

• Shannon mentions upcoming releases: “Channels” (short film), “A Story About You” (premiering at Slamdance Feb 21st/24th), and returning for Season 2 of “Dion from Detroit.”
• Crystal and Shannon affirm their support for each other's continued creative collaborations.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Growing Through Art & Grief:
  “Performing that thing, getting my nervous system through that thing… was my therapy. Like, I was okay after that.”
  – Shannon Wallace (28:20)

• On Defining Success:
  “If I can make a social worker salary doing comedy, then I’ve won… To make a social worker salary. But spare my heart in this thing.”
  – Shannon Wallace (17:54–18:25)

• On the Importance of Listening in Relationships:
  “Shut up and listen. … The women that I’ve been with… identify that thing before I do… so I’m learning to listen earlier.”
  – Shannon Wallace (42:29–43:56)

• On Choosing Impact Over Role Size:
  “You have to leave the impact. Right? This show is basically about you without you being there. You have to be remembered.”
  – Shannon Wallace (12:49)

• On Masculinity & Vulnerability:
  “I thought I could man through it, you know, I thought I could, you know, control this thing… but I do recommend grief therapy.”
  – Shannon Wallace (25:48–28:37)

• On Artistic Motivation:
  “Nobody knows how good of an actor I am still. I know. But nobody knows. I don’t get the opportunity. So I wrote what I feel like was an opportunity for myself.”
  – Shannon Wallace (34:46–34:54)

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Important Timestamps

• 04:44 – Shannon on being a shy and “weird” kid.
• 09:20 – Why he left social work.
• 12:49 – Impact in small roles and legacy.
• 15:39 – Taking his own photos to build modeling portfolio.
• 17:54 – Inspired by Dave Chappelle’s definition of artistic success.
• 22:15 – Navigating roles after losing his brother.
• 23:59 – Recounts the moment he learned about his brother’s death.
• 28:04 – Processing trauma through acting; “my therapy.”
• 34:54 – Writing to create opportunities that weren’t being offered.
• 36:07 – Tyler Perry’s advice: “Own it.”
• 41:42 – Relationship status reveal: “I am. Yes. I'm taken.”
• 42:29 – “Shut up and listen” – on personal growth in relationships.
• 47:10 – The flowers debate: consideration vs performance.

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Conclusion

This candid, often deeply personal episode is a rich exploration of what it means to build a creative, authentic life—embracing both the joys and the challenges of pursuing passion, healing from tragedy, and committing to growth. Shannon Wallace’s story, as skillfully drawn out by Crystal Renee Hayslett, illustrates how intention, humility, connection, and resilience weave together to form a fulfilling creative journey.

Key Takeaway:
Success is defined not just by external milestones, but by inner alignment, creative fulfillment, and the courage to keep “becoming” through every season—while always keeping it positive, sweetie.

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Transcript

[Host A]

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[Sponsor Announcer]

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[Shannon Wallace]

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[Sponsor Announcer]

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[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Calling all my sweeties to the forefront, I'm your host, Chris Renee Hazlett, and this is the Keep It Positive Sweetie Show. Welcome to the Keep It Positive Sweetie show, the space where we talk growth, healing and becoming in real time. Today's guest is actor, filmmaker and creative storyteller, Shannon Wallace. Shannon Wallace is someone whose journey has been shaped both in front of and behind the camera. From photography and filmmaking to standout roles on screen, Today's conversation is about how he's building his career with intention, choosing alignment over noise and staying grounded as momentum continues to grow. Kids Henley, please give a very warm welcome to the Shannon Wallace.

[Shannon Wallace]

Shannon, what's up? Hi.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

How are you?

[Shannon Wallace]

You look good.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

You look good too. Don't you start now. Don't you start.

[Shannon Wallace]

I had to. I had to.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

No, that's how we started the last one. We did BET Media House this summer. And after we finished talking, it was a brief interview. I was like, we gotta get you on.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

So I'm so excited to have but this episode, I wanted people to get to know you a little better. You're kind of like a little mystery. Yeah, you like that? But we about to get all in your business today.

[Shannon Wallace]

If anybody can get me out of this shoe.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Ok, I appreciate that. So first of all, from Long Island, New York, I want to know who young Shannon was. Because right now he's very funny. You're very funny. Yeah, very funny. Outgoing, but then also quirky and introverted. So who was a little boy?

[Shannon Wallace]

Okay. To be honest with you, I think I am the little boy. I think I've separated myself from the. This thing.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

You know, I. As a kid, I didn't. I was weird, like they thought things was wrong with me because I didn't, I didn't. I don't know. I guess I was like, I was really attached to my aunts. They tell me that whenever my parents would drop me off with them because my parents were young, so they, you know, they were. They had a lot to do, so they would drop me off with their older siblings or whatever and I would just sit by the door in my coat and just not speak. I would not move until my mom came back.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Oh, wow.

[Shannon Wallace]

And everybody thought like there was. There's something wrong with this kid. He's just.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

They probably didn't have the words, but like now we probably think maybe he's autistic or like.

[Shannon Wallace]

Exactly. Yeah, exactly. And I wasn't really. Not that I was non verbal, but I didn't speak. I think it was just. I was really shy, so I didn't speak much growing up. I didn't speak much until I really got to college. And then that's kind of when I came out of my shell, I think in being on my own and meeting people from different places because I was really junior high, middle school, high school. It was just sports. It wasn't even school. It was just play sports, go to school so you can play sports.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Right.

[Shannon Wallace]

Like, so I didn't have. I didn't have friends growing up.

[Host A]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

It was. I was a really shy, quiet kid. And then once I got out of college and came back, everybody was like, what just what happened? Who is this guy?

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

What happened?

[Shannon Wallace]

I. I don't know. I think, I don't know. I don't know that it was ever like a confidence thing. Maybe I just didn't, you know, what happened is I think I hope my mom don't get in trouble for this. We went. We lived in a different district than where we went to school.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

People do that all the time.

[Shannon Wallace]

So. Yeah. So I grew up in a neighborhood called Gordon Heights, which is like one of the first settled black neighborhoods on Long Island.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Wow.

[Shannon Wallace]

And my family's been there for a very long time, so that's where I grew up. The school I went to was like, it was like a pwi. Right. They just had a better education. So we. So I would. I was raised here and I went to school here. So I didn't go to school with these kids. So I didn't know them. And I only went to school with these kids. So after school I didn't, I didn't kick it at nobody house.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

Or anything. So I was kind of in between, you Know, I would go home and not know these kids because I ain't been in school with them for eight hours, and then vice versa. So I didn't really have friends. So I think in college I just made, like, my first real friendships and became social and learned how to do the thing. And then I just bloomed, I guess, blossomed from there, for sure. Yeah, it's weird.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I love that. So sports was something I feel like in most households, even for me, my parents instilled, find something that you want to do in sports, art, whatever the case may be, but you need to have something. So for me, it was competition, cheerleading and gymnastics. But, like, that structure that it builds. So a lot of us, we grow up knowing, like, all this sports and school or to be the best that you can be in whatever sport it is. At what point did you realize, hey, I actually have an interest in art and photography and acting and modeling.

[Shannon Wallace]

I think I always did. And not in the acting sense, not in the performing arts. I was a cartoonist. I was an illustrator. When I first got to college, I was animation, cartooning and animation. I used to draw a lot. So growing up, I just excelled in that kind of art. Once I got to school and realized how much drawing it took, I was like, this is nuts. And this is before. This is kind of like at the turn, a little bit of the digital. So we really have to draw these things out. It's like flip books, you know?

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah. Comic books and stuff.

[Shannon Wallace]

Comics. Right. I'm like, this is a little bit too much. Much.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

So I got out of the program, and. And in eighth grade, I. It's. Everything always is clearer in hindsight. But in eighth grade, I left basketball practice. One time I snuck out to the cafeteria to audition for the play they were doing, Peter Pan. I don't know why I did it. I wasn't prepared. I didn't even. I just went. I waited in line and they. I got on the stage and they were like, prepare. What's your song that you prepared? And I was like, what you like, song, song? So they're like, sing anything. So I sung Happy Birthday. Like, I was like. And my. The librarian was the director. So I was like, happy birthday to whoever it may concern. And everybody starts laughing. I'm in eighth grader. And then I just left and went back to basketball practice. And then in music class the next day, they were like, yeah, you got it. I was like, a lost boy.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

You were like, wait, what?

[Shannon Wallace]

And then. Yeah, and then I never did it. I never went to Shannon. I never know why I auditioned, but now I kind of, you know, I wanted to. A part of me wanted to, and it was just weird. But it wasn't until modeling came to me because I used to be a social worker and I wanted. I got into early. I was 22. I'm doing social work, and that's like a really heart wrenching gig. And I didn't know how to balance it. I didn't know how to bring it home or not bring it home. Right. Like, I didn't know how to leave it in the office. So I was like, I got to get out of this thing. I just didn't like what I saw in there as far as the system, structure of everything. It wasn't built to change, you know? And that was really disappointing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I got out and I was like, I just want more. I'm like, I'm tall. People call me handsome. Maybe, you know, stop. You said so much just now, but I was like, let me. You know, I got.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Maybe that's what the people said.

[Shannon Wallace]

That's what they said. I've been hearing it. Yeah. No, but I had been scouted, and I was like, let me try this modeling thing. And then that bled into the acting. I always wanted to act, but I needed a way in, and I used modeling as that way.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah, I love that. So modeling into acting. The first time I saw you was doctor From Detroit. And I was like, they had me actually do. We've talked about this. I saw it.

[Host A]

Sorry.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

They had me do a video to promote the show because it was a new show on bet. And I was like, man, this girl, Diara, she knows how to pick them. Like, you got Morris Chestnut. I was like, you got this guy who I didn't know. I was like, shannon, the guy who just went missing, I was like. I was like, all the men are fine. Like, this is great. And it's something about you. Like the character in that first season, it was like a quick thing, like a couple episodes. But your presence alone was so dynamic. It was like you couldn't forget you. It's like, when is he coming back? You know? So what was it like? Cause you've been on other shows. City on the Hill, Beauty in Black, Divorce in the Black. Yeah, but Dr. From Detroit was the first show that I saw you on, and that was, I think, the show that kind of pushed you out there the most. Talk about that.

[Shannon Wallace]

That was the thing. I don't know. Up until that point, I had always been on shows that nobody Saw, like, great critically acclaimed shows. Like, City on a Hill was a great experience. It's on Showtime. It's Aldous Hodge. It's Kevin Bacon. Me.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Isn't that crazy, the names you just said, right?

[Shannon Wallace]

You think? I'm like, yeah, this is the one. You know, and that was my third time. Like, this is the one.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

It's a lot of. I just had one of those issues. I'm like, this is gonna be the one.

[Shannon Wallace]

You don't know. You don't do the job. And then I was telling somebody the other day, you do the job, and then you have to let that thing go because you can't be precious to it. You don't know how it's going to be received.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

For sure.

[Shannon Wallace]

Do the thing. And you just. You hope it's good, and you hope it leads to another job. Yeah, maybe will be the one.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

Like, so Dr. From Detroit, it came, and it still had that feeling because I was in it, but I wasn't in it, you know? And that. That was. That became important to me in my work was like, you have to. You have to leave the impact. Right? This show is basically about you without you being there. You have to be remembered. So that became important to me, and that became the task, which made it fun because I wasn't. I didn't get to work with everybody.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Right.

[Shannon Wallace]

You know, I had. Jarrah was my only singing partner. But that made it fun, and it did kind of that thing. You. You saw me on it. You know, people had. Saw me on it. That kind of led right to the other stuff, you know? Yeah, yeah. But putting the work first, that was my goal. I was like, dude, you ain't gonna get noticed on this thing. You ain't even in it. But make sure that the work is significant enough that they remember you when.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

You'Re gone, and then they bring you back. And I think that's something that people miss. A lot of times they're like, no, I want the big role. I want something that's more prominent in the show. And you're like, no, like this. Can I think Kerry Washington. They talked about her in Django Unchained. She had a very. Kerry Washington had, like, such a small role, but she said it was not many times that the black woman got the opportunity to be the damsel in distress. So that's why she wanted to play that role. And a lot of times we miss the moment because we're looking for the big part. And that's good, because when you take that, you can turn something Even me. Like, you can turn something small into something really big.

[Shannon Wallace]

You constantly do that. Your story is nuts. You're annoying.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

It's okay, I'll teach you.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah, I'm here. I ain't going nowhere.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

All right, so modeling, acting. But you're also a photographer. Where did that come in? I feel like you just kind of like, okay, today I'm going to pick up this. I'm going to do this today. That's kind of how it goes.

[Shannon Wallace]

I build skills, I pick up skills.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I love that.

[Shannon Wallace]

But photography came weirdly enough. I think a lot of the slashes that I keep adding, they start in ego for some reason. Like, I think personally I don't have an ego. I think professionally I have a. I have one that I have to keep in check. Yeah. You know, don't co sign it that quick. That much.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

No, but you say you had to keep it in check.

[Shannon Wallace]

Okay.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I feel like. Yeah, I do not think you have. I don't see it. You said personally.

[Shannon Wallace]

Personally.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah, that's. I'm agreeing with you personally. You do not have one.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah, I do, but photography started because I was modeling and I would do these campaigns with like three to six month lead ins. So I'm doing the job and then it doesn't come out for another six months. So I'm like, nobody knows that I.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Did the job, right.

[Shannon Wallace]

So I would Taurus love. He's a photographer that scouted me. He was getting a new camera. He gave me his. And what I would do was I would reshoot the campaigns on my own. Wow. I had a tripod. I had a remote. I would shoot me in the clothes. Similar in the environment. Similar. Put those pictures in my book until the campaign came out, then replace them.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Wow. So you kind of was building your own portfolio.

[Shannon Wallace]

Building my own.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

So that you could shop and get other jobs.

[Shannon Wallace]

Exactly in between.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

You're a genius. Got it.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah. I had to hustle, but it comes from ego. It's like, man, I did this thing and nobody knows I did this thing.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Right. So I need them to know I did this thing.

[Shannon Wallace]

Like, at least see me in it. Right, Right. For now, yeah. And then my agency found out that I was. I was the one shooting them. And then that's how the photography journey began. Like, this is 2011, 2012. I started shooting myself. I didn't. It was just me and a tripod. And then they would start sending me models. And then from there I was, this is cool. I got representation. Start shooting bigger things.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah, I love that. So you've done so many things, and your life has taken so many turns as you've navigated this space. What have been some lessons that you learned or, like, some down moments where you're like, oof. Because a lot of times we see you now, and it's like, he's on this show, he's on this show. He's doing this, he's doing that, he's on. Keep it positive, sweetie. I mean, I'm joking.

[Shannon Wallace]

I made it.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I'm joking. But they don't see what it took to get there.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Some of those moments that you can share with us.

[Shannon Wallace]

Oh, man. You know, I think, I think I had, I really thank modeling for keeping my head in this whole thing. I always had that, and I made a good living off of that.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

You know, I had that to rely on. But I had said, I had told myself, I, I'm like a really big, like, researcher. I don't, I'm not, like, incredibly impulsive. I, I, I'm a Gemini. So it feels like that a lot of times I'm like, yeah, I know the eyebrow went up, but. Because the thing has been, it's been there, and I'm a really big researcher.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Got it. So by the time you do, by.

[Shannon Wallace]

The time I act on it, it looks like it's random, but it's really not. So in transitioning into, from social work to modeling, I had seen Dave Chappelle on the Actor Studio, and he was talking about his, his, one of his parents, maybe his mom wanted him to be a teacher, and he went into comedy and he tells her, he goes, if I can make a teacher's salary doing comedy, then I've won.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

Right. So coming from social work, that was, that was my only goal.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Got it.

[Shannon Wallace]

To make a social worker salary. But spare my heart in this thing.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Right?

[Shannon Wallace]

That was, that was it. And I've kept that. Like, that's the thing. So everything else is just a bonus. Like, I don't. A lot of the things I don't do, I do the art. For me, the commerce part of it is for the family. That's for my siblings, for my parents. Like, the art of it is where I find the fulfillment. Everything else, I just. The social worker salary is really good for me.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Wow.

[Shannon Wallace]

I'm good there. I keep life pretty simple, keep it pretty clean. So I think with that mindset, like, yeah, there's hardships, of course. Like, we got these strikes and we got the fires in la and, you know, all the things that we're kind of Just on the opposite side of a phone. We're just waiting on the phone a lot of times to ring. That drives me crazy.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah, no, for sure.

[Shannon Wallace]

There's a lot of downtime. Even if you look at my resume, I work every two years. Like, it's weird.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

It just. I have releases every two years, so I have a lot of downtime.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Shannon Wallace]

Don't particularly like it. Like, that's, you know, creatively, I Drives me crazy sometimes, but I have photography, you know, I have an art that I can control. For sure. Pick up that camera and I can aim it at anything. We have to shoot, by the way.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

We do have to shoot. Yes. I would love that.

[Shannon Wallace]

Did you get that?

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

We're gonna shoot.

[Shannon Wallace]

Okay.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

No, for sure. Yeah. I've been wondering why you haven't asked me to do that. I'm like, that's crazy. You shot somebody else again.

[Shannon Wallace]

I feel like I might have asked, but I'll let that rock.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Okay, well, we'll make it happen. I'll be in la. I'll be in LA soon, so. Yeah, I'll hit you.

[Shannon Wallace]

I believe you.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Okay.

[Shannon Wallace]

I do.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I will. Speaking of roles, is there any roles that you, like, have set boundaries on? Like. I'm not doing that.

[Shannon Wallace]

Man. Talk about ego.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Back to the ego.

[Shannon Wallace]

Back to the ego. Here he comes. I did. I did. There was a. You know, I lost my brother in 2017. So after gun violence, right? He was shot and he was killed. So after that, I told myself, I'm never playing that. I'm not doing, like, the street thing. I don't want to, you know, put that imagery out there, right? And then two years after he passed, City on the Hill comes. But. And I had told people that I wasn't like, I had done interviews, like. And, you know, people jumped on it. He was like, he says no to gun violence. And I was like, you know, but the city on the hill comes and I'm like, I gotta explain this, right? The reasoning, though, was like, my brother lived a really. He lives really fast. Like, he. He's. We're the same person inside, but outwardly, it looks different. He's really emotional. He's really. Just wears his heart on his sleeve. And in every way, I'm the complete opposite of that, Right? But inside, we're the same. We do the same dumb things. You know, it's just he. His was outward. So in reading the scripts for City on a Hill, I'm like, this guy's a. You know, he's a street guy, but he's Also a big brother, and he's a son. And that was for the first time that I had seen in a series, them actually go home at the end of the night. You do. You sell all these drugs, you shoot all these people, but you go home at the end of the night and you're older brother and your son. And we saw what that dynamic was and we saw what his motivations were. And to me, it was really important to tell that side of the story. It was more important for sure. That was. That's the reason you don't do these things because you want to. You don't grow up like, this is where I want to end up.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Right.

[Shannon Wallace]

You do them because of the situations and the environment that you're in and, you know, all of these factors. And for the first time, we had got to explore what those things were. So it was a story that I needed to tell, you know, and reading it, it was more powerful. Telling this story to me was more powerful than me not, you know, and I had to be the one to do it. You know what I mean?

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

So, yeah, so I did say, you know, I ain't never going to do it. And then I ended up doing. Yeah, but. But it was presented in a way that even I couldn't have imagined, you know?

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

I stopped saying no to things right early on because, you know, you don't know. Nuance is where. That's what gets you.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Exactly.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah. You did open up about losing your brother. And so many people have lost siblings and family members to gun violence. What was that? Where were you in that moment? Like when you got the call?

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah, it was crazy. Yeah. It was nuts. I'll never forget it. It was 2:25am I lived in Queens. My family's from Long island. It was 2:25am and my stepdad calls me. And, you know, you get it in the middle of the night, you hear that phone, you see who it is. You don't call me, right? Like, oh, man, here we go. And it was, you know, gave me the news. And it was. He was very. He was very quick with it. It was one sentence and got off the phone. And then I just froze. And I was like, what? What? It took a second to hit me. It was so weird. It was so weird. And then my phone started ringing. So now I'm like, okay, I gotta. I don't know. I know he's been shot.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

My stepdad calls, said, your brother's been shot. He didn't make it.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

That's all he Said gave me.

[Shannon Wallace]

He gave it to me, like, straight. He was in shock. Come to find out, like. So I'm. I'm. You know, every scenario is going through my head. I'm like, what? And then my dad calls me, and my dad is talking too fast. I'm like, what? He was at a casino? Like, he wasn't.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Right.

[Shannon Wallace]

That's just what I heard. Right. So I'm confused. I hopped in an Uber and went out. You know, I went out to the island and met everybody. My entire family was there. And we kind of just, you know, we dealt with it. And then. And then I didn't deal with it, you know, it was so weird. I wish I could play it back. I'm the oldest of five, and I didn't know. I didn't know how to handle something like that. Like, it was me, my brother. And then I have three younger sisters, and I just wanted. I wanted to kill somebody like myself. I really had to remove myself. So I wasn't there for my sisters. I really had to go away. Took a car and I just left. And I was gone for a long time. So I wasn't there when they got the news. I wasn't there for them when they got the news. So that kills me too day, you know, it drives me nuts, but I didn't know any other way to handle it.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Right.

[Shannon Wallace]

Like, how. How do you. Like, I just. I wanted to go on a spree, right? But, you know, I just needed to find. I don't even want to say peace. I didn't find peace. It took. It took me a very long time to find peace, but I just needed to remove myself from everybody. And then when I came back, it was, okay, what do we do next? How do we go about this? Let's plan this thing, right?

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah. Did you ever have to go through any therapy to really, like, deal with the guilt and those thoughts that you had?

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah, I. I never pulled the trigger on it. I knew that I should, but I never. I never did, I think. I don't know, I thought I could man through it, you know, I thought I could, you know, control this thing. Because there was a lot of. I'll tell you at that. At the same time, I. I'm like, modeling is really good. And then acting took off the next year. And I see it happen to people all the time where this traumatic thing happens, and then they just catapults them to these new heights. And it happened to me. So I'm working and I'm like, I'm good. This is cool.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

The problem with that, though, is specifically in the way that my brother was killed is we didn't know who did it. So now I'm out and about and people are recognizing me and that I can't tell what kind of stare that is.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Right.

[Shannon Wallace]

So now. And I'm still enraged. Right. I still have this thing driving me nuts. I couldn't be in public so then that I had a show called American Soul that came out and it was decently received and it was my first big thing. I couldn't enjoy that because I didn't know. I wasn't comfortable around people. Anybody could have been the one that.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

The one that did it, you know?

[Shannon Wallace]

And now I got people looking at me from across the room and you.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Looking like, why are you looking at me?

[Shannon Wallace]

It's a whole different thing. I had to. I left the business like, I. I had. I said, I don't want this thing. I can't. I don't know how to deal with that because I'm still, you know, I'm still seeing red.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Shannon Wallace]

You know, I had to. I left. I left the entire year 2019. That's why if you look at my resume, I work every two years. There's gaps.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

That was the reason for that gap. But it wasn't until City on a Hill that I was able to work through that thing. Because there was a scene where my character, his younger brother gets in trouble. He's cornered, they got him, they pull guns. Big bro pulls up, just starts shooting, saves his brother, gets there in time performing that thing.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

My body, feeling what that felt like, saved me, really did, because it did. It was. It was nuts. But being able to perform that thing, getting my nervous system, putting my nervous system through that thing.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

Was my therapy. Like, I was okay after that. Yeah. I shot it that day. I shot that scene that day. I went home, I cried, and the next day I'm fine.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

That was your therapy?

[Shannon Wallace]

That was my therapy, yeah. Yeah, yeah. But I do. I do recommend. I do recommend grief therapy.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Right.

[Shannon Wallace]

That was, for me. That was a little over two years later. Yeah. You know, I probably could have gotten there a lot sooner, but I just had. I don't know, there was so many things that, you know, toxic masculinity, I'm sure.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

Something to do with it.

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[Chris Renee Hazlett]

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[Shannon Wallace]

I got to confront it. I got to confront it. And you know what? Another thing is? Like, I have a lot of. I have a lot of women in my life. Like, I have all aunts. Like, I don't have any uncles by birth. Like, they're all through marriage. My whole family is women. And they were even my friendships, just solid. My foundation is really solid. Yeah. And I give a lot of it to them because I wasn't easy. I wasn't an easy person to deal with during that time.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I can imagine.

[Shannon Wallace]

You know, I wasn't. And all of them stuck by me and, you know, were accessible when I needed them.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Shout out to the women in your life.

[Shannon Wallace]

Shout out to. Yes.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Shannon Wallace]

Shout out to black women.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I love that.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yes.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

You are now a writer, a director, telling your own stories.

[Shannon Wallace]

Am I?

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

You are. We're going to talk about it, but I want to know, has your life and how you've seen storytelling told from other people's perspectives. Is that what pushed you to start writing and directing? Your own ego goes back. I love how honest you are. He's like, ego. I can do that. Let's talk about it.

[Shannon Wallace]

That's okay. Yes. I'll pick that up. Back to acting. The reason I chose acting is I, I, I lived in Vegas after college, and I was living with a, A boxer. His old friend of mine and one of his best friends is Lorenz Tate.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Okay.

[Shannon Wallace]

So we had a Memorial Day barbecue in the back of the crib. I'm, you know, shooting hoops. Ball. It's like a movie. Ball rolls off the court. I'm following the ball hit somebody's feet. I look up and. Or I look down. Look, you did not look up. We love you look down, and it was Lorenz. And I'm like, oh, snap. Like, whoa, buddy. Like, because for me, dead Prez, everything like Love Jones. These are my favorite movies to this day. So at the time, this was the, this is also the person I ever met that was on TV. I was like 8. It's like 20. I turned 21 in Vegas. So I'm, you know.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Wow.

[Shannon Wallace]

And it was meeting him that. Oh. And no offense. It's like, this is just a guy. Like, this is. This is the guy. But you're Just a guy.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

That thing in me that I have, a really competitive thing. If you can do it, I can do it.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

Like, if you can do it, I can do it. That's the thing that sparked me. So I went back to college, I took out all the books on acting, and that's what kind of research got me there. So with writing, it's almost the same thing, except with the acting. Up until. Well, now, today, I'm not really. I still don't feel like anybody's let me act. I never got a chance to act. I do this thing, and it's really specific, and they think. They keep hiring me to do the thing.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

The thing.

[Shannon Wallace]

But to me, it's like, you know. I know, right?

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Like, yes. I'm.

[Shannon Wallace]

Nobody knows how good of an actor I am still. I know.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

But nobody knows. I don't get the opportunity. So I wrote what I feel like was an opportunity for myself.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Shannon Wallace]

So I wrote this. This film channels with. I filled it with five characters, five archetypes that I was like, that'll be cool. And then I colored these characters in ways that I feel they should be colored.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Shannon Wallace]

You know, like fine. Fine strokes instead of the broad strokes, you know, And. Yeah, yeah, that. That's what. That's what drove me to it. And then in writing it, I just figured I had to direct it. Tyler, I'm coming out of, like, coming out of tps, Like, I can do.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Everything in a row.

[Shannon Wallace]

I was like, if you can do it, I can do it. And I told him that it's the same thing, for sure. There's a little toxic in there, but I need it. Yeah. You know, if. If you can do this thing, I.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Can do this thing.

[Shannon Wallace]

You're just a guy, really, at the.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

End of the day, I can do that. Yeah. He inspires a lot of people to go bigger than what they thought, you know, get out of the box and do it.

[Shannon Wallace]

I told him, I'm. I'm gonna catch you. And he was like, you can try.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

There you go. You can try.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah, but he wants you to try.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

He does.

[Shannon Wallace]

You know, that's.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

He does, and he pushes you to try. That's what I love about T. Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

So I called him. As soon as I made a decision about directing, I called him, I said, hey, man, give me advice.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

He was like, own it.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I love that.

[Shannon Wallace]

You just.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Crazy how we just call Tyler Perry.

[Shannon Wallace]

It's nuts.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

And be like, hey, I'm doing this thing. What should I do?

[Shannon Wallace]

How do I do it? Yeah, you've done all of the things. How do I do this thing? Yeah, this thing. And he didn't give me directing advice because he's like, you don't need that. You don't need the executive advice.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yep. Own it.

[Shannon Wallace]

Took it.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I love that. Yeah, we shot that. Was that two, three days in two days. Two days, yeah. That was awesome.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Come on. I had to pull up.

[Shannon Wallace]

You have to.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Well, in this season of my life, I'm very intentional about creating with my friends and I think that we are the future of filmmaking. And it's up to us. Now that we have these seats, what are we doing with it? You know, so when I heard you were doing, I'm like, let's go crazy.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah, you really can.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I did. Yes. It was so good. I'm so excited about it.

[Shannon Wallace]

Can't wait for it.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I can't either. It's going to be amazing. But you also have a new project, a story about you that is going to be premiering at Slam Dance. Let's talk about that. I'm excited that you have. You're just doing a lot of things. I thought. I didn't know you had something else you were working on too, so.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah, yeah, working, working. Yeah. I've been producing for a while, but that's, that's like the behind the scenes thing.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

But are you in this too?

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Okay.

[Shannon Wallace]

So, yeah, I'm in this one. Yeah. This was so. Yeah, this, this film is about, it's about a man who in the course of a week, the five women he's dealing with all leave him for different reasons.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Oh, wow.

[Shannon Wallace]

So this is, it's like a. He's a serial dater and he's, you know, he's flawed and they all point out a different flaw and he discovers himself through these women and it's about his journey towards. Why are you laughing? Say the words.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I have a follow up question. Go ahead.

[Host A]

Why?

[Shannon Wallace]

I took it.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Why?

[Shannon Wallace]

I relate. So wait, what's the draw? Yeah, no, I saw me. It was nuts. I. When it came, I was, I had to. Yeah, I had to do it. I saw myself on that page. And not, not because I juggle people, you know, like I've, I've been in many, many, many, many long term relationships, but I don't take time in between, you know, and that was, that was the thing. It was. I learned something from this relationship and I carry it and I want to put it into practice on the next one.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Immediately. Immediately.

[Shannon Wallace]

And I saw that in this guy.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Wow.

[Shannon Wallace]

Right? Like you, these Women are teaching you. Each one of them is teaching you something about yourself. So I've learned. I've probably learned more about myself through relationship than any other avenue, you know, So I needed to tell this guy's story. So, yeah, we shot this. It's a Brooklyn love story. It's. Yeah, it's.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

And in New York. Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

It all felt like. I'm sure it felt really real. Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

Like me on this page when I'm reading this guy. Yeah, it was nuts. He's a writer, you know, he's an artist. He's a writer. He's a. He's a Brooklyn dude who's just. Love life was in shambles, you know, but he wants to. Yeah, he wants to do it the right way. He wants to learn these things, you know, these women. It was also an opportunity for me where I saw it as an opportunity to spotlight these. Whoever these five actresses were going to be. The majority of the film. The film is told in vignettes. So it's through that there's this really romantic language that the writer, Denise Yoland, she's incredible. But the way that she had written this dialogue about these. These women telling this guy about himself, it was. It was wrapped in poetry. They're almost like soliloquies.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I love that.

[Shannon Wallace]

So just providing a space for these women to say the words, you know, and just being on the receiving end is something that I just needed personally. But professionally, I was like, let's shine the light on these actresses, you know? Like, let's. And they all killed it. They all killed it. So. Yeah, we premiere at Slamdance next month, which is. That's nuts.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

We weren't expecting.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Really.

[Shannon Wallace]

We weren't. No. I think.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Great. That stuff like that happens when you're not expecting it. Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah. It really came out of nowhere. It. Yeah. Yeah. We had been working on it for, like, three years almost, and. And, you know, our first festival run, we just didn't. We weren't happy with the product, so we went back into the edit.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

There we go.

[Shannon Wallace]

For it to be, like, you know, accepted and redeemed in that way as a producer, that was incredible.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I love that. Yeah, I love that. So this is the perfect segue to talk about love. Yeah, let's talk about it, Shannon.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

So. Because I know the ladies want to know. They already speculate that we go together. We don't.

[Shannon Wallace]

We don't.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

We don't go together. We do not.

[Shannon Wallace]

We don't go together. Yes.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Say with me.

[Shannon Wallace]

We don't go together.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Okay.

[Shannon Wallace]

Anymore. No, your people are crazy.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

They're crazy. So I know everyone wants to know, like, about your love life. You know, you are the heartthrob. They want to know, what does Shannon have going on.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Are you in a relationship? Are you single? Are you dating?

[Shannon Wallace]

I am. Yes. I'm taken. Oh.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Kip's exclusive.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Okay.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah. If anybody gonna get the exclusive, it's.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

You, and I appreciate that.

[Shannon Wallace]

No, no, yeah, no, I. I am taking. I'm very happy.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I love that.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I'm so happy for you, friend. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that really. Okay. So you said the movie, a story about you kind of mirrored your old habits. Have. What did you learn from that? And that you're carrying into this new.

[Shannon Wallace]

Relationship from the film.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah. Into your real life. We're keeping it personal.

[Shannon Wallace]

Shut up and listen.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

That's good.

[Shannon Wallace]

No, really, though. Like, I. I. I choose people who are smarter than me, like, in. In many ways. And. And I don't know. I don't know if it's a Gemini thing. I have. I have gut, and I have. I have three. I have gut, I have heart.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I have mine.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah. You know, and they're. They're constantly conflicting. Like, one tries to rationalize the other tries to rationalize the other, and they're always fighting each other. Yeah. And to me, with me, it presents. That presents as mood. Like, it presents as shift or change when I'm Each. When I'm in each of one of these, you know? But what I'm learning is that the women that I've been with, the women that I've spent, like, the most time with, identify that thing before I do, you know, like, they're. They're just smarter than me in that way. So I'm learning to listen earlier to that thing where they. They diagnose it. They. They see it, and they're like, you're doing this thing. I know why you're doing this thing. And now I'm just listening to that instead of just tracking it down and making it make sense for me.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Right.

[Shannon Wallace]

You know?

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

Like, that's the most valuable thing. Thing that I'm finding. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's. It's weird because I'm. I'm still learning, and I'm, like, kind of almost lost the thing because of that, you know? Almost lost the person.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

Because of that thing. And ego. Yeah, let's say it.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

And women go through the same thing. Like. Yeah. There's times I have to talk myself out of, like. Like a thought because I'm about to Mess this thing up.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

You know?

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

We can get in our heads too, for sure.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I live up there. I live up there. So. Yeah, I'm. I'm learning, but I'm really optimistic. Like, I've never had a bad relationship. I've always had. Every one of my relationships is a success. Like, my shortest is three years.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Well, yeah, you said, like, your relationships have been long term.

[Shannon Wallace]

Long term things. 3, 3, 6, 4. Yeah. Yeah. I'm learning, but I'm excited. I've learned a lot. I think I got it.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Okay.

[Shannon Wallace]

You know? I think so.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

You think this might be it?

[Shannon Wallace]

I hope so. All right. I do. I do. Because there's something about me, too, is that I don't date just to date.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Like, come on, talk about it.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah, that's good. I don't.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

So you date to.

[Shannon Wallace]

To stop dating. Like, take me out. Get off the market, please. Like, I'm talking like. Like, that is. That is always my intention going in. It's not to kill time.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Get me out these streets.

[Shannon Wallace]

I'm trying to. Like, every person that I choose is my person until it, you know.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Oh, my God. We were one and the same, Shannon. Like, literally.

[Shannon Wallace]

I knew that. You just found that out?

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Where have you been? He's like, I knew that.

[Shannon Wallace]

Don't do that. Don't do that.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

No, but, like, seriously, I'm the same way. Like, you're my person until you are not.

[Shannon Wallace]

Right.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah. Yeah, I get that.

[Shannon Wallace]

Which is. That's also tricky. That's also tricky because not a lot of people think like that. Yeah. And people kind of grow in relationship, and I just throw it all at you from the jump because I'm. I'm locked in.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

This is what it is. Yeah. Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

We're.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Would you classify yourself as a hopeless romantic?

[Shannon Wallace]

Why are you laughing?

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Because I am.

[Shannon Wallace]

Oh, you are.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Oh, yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

Hopeless romantic. I. Yeah. I crave intimacy. I crave closeness in a physical sense, but also in that. In love sense. And that thing. I'm. Yeah, I'm addicted to it. I can say that. Like, I'm addicted to. To that hopeless romantic. Nobody's ever called me romantic, so I'm like, can I call myself? Like, it's weird.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah. Do you feel like you're so. You're not wrong. Like, do you. I'm not. Like, you're so romantic. So, like, you don't.

[Shannon Wallace]

Like.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Do you get flowers, things.

[Shannon Wallace]

I've learned that.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Smart man.

[Shannon Wallace]

I've learned that too.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

You're smart. No, Let me tell you.

[Shannon Wallace]

I Was. I was just having this conversation. Let me explain this to you. The thing. Okay. I was in a relationship, like all relationships, and she wants flowers, and I'm. Okay, okay. You want flowers, right? Why do you want flowers?

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

It doesn't matter why she wants the flowers.

[Shannon Wallace]

Y' all are all the same. Listen, check this out. Why do you. Yeah, you with me, Wes? Wes, why do you want these flowers? You don't even know why you want them, but you do. And I think the reason you want them is. It's consideration.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Right? Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

So I can give you that consideration in different ways than just these flowers. These flowers now become performative. If I'm just doing it because you asked me for it. How about tell me more.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Okay. For me, I love fresh flowers. It's something about walking into my kitchen or my living room and, like, seeing a fresh bouquet of flowers. Even for me, like, I'll go to the store and make my own arrangement if I have to. I love flowers that much. But the thought of my man, like, just sending me flowers because he thought of me or. I'm so proud of you. You just accomplished something. And I want to let you know that I see you. It is the consideration. But also, if there's probably some things that she may not understand that you want done, and she's not going to be like, I'm just doing it because you asked me to do it. I'm doing it because this makes you happy and this makes you feel considered.

[Shannon Wallace]

Okay, so get the flowers. Well, at the end of the day, I'm getting flowers. It's just. I have a hard time with why I'm getting these flowers.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Right. No, because it makes her happy, bottom line.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yes. See, but you actually love flowers.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I do.

[Shannon Wallace]

Right, like that. Yeah, that tracks. But if you don't love flowers and you love the act of receiving flowers, I think I can. I can scratch that itch in a lot more ways. I'm going to do the flowers.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Right.

[Shannon Wallace]

But.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

But if it's consideration, if that's the root. I see what you're saying.

[Shannon Wallace]

The root of it. Consideration. Let's. Let's diversify so I'm not just doing this thing out of habit.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Oh, for sure. No, you know, Yeah, I like that. Yeah, I love that you got, like. What's your why?

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah, tell me the why.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I understand.

[Shannon Wallace]

No, I just want them. I'm getting the flowers. I just gotta let you know. I'm getting the flowers. I'm getting the flowers. I'm at. I'm at the flower shop right Send.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Her flowers today just because I promise you it'll be worth it next time you see her. Shannon, thank you so much. This has been an incredible conversation. We are gonna support you in everything you have going on. Can you please let our audience know? I mean, they already support you.

[Shannon Wallace]

They are.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

They troll you every day. Yeah, but how can we really support you?

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah, I got. That's cool, man. Thank you.

[Sponsor Announcer]

Yeah.

[Shannon Wallace]

Thank you. We have channels.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yes.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

We have channels.

[Shannon Wallace]

We have channels. There's a short film that'll be. Be out. We're in the edit. I just saw our locked cut.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Really?

[Shannon Wallace]

You're incredible. You're excited. You're gonna love it.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Thank you.

[Shannon Wallace]

It's great. Yeah. That'll be out. Middle of the year. A story about you is premiering at slam dance February 21st and 24th. Wow. Dion from Detroit. Season two, hopefully coming this spring. It'll be this year, but we don't know when exactly. Hopefully spring.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

We're excited about that.

[Shannon Wallace]

Very excited about that.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

And you're. You're in it. Are you in it?

[Shannon Wallace]

I'm in it.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Okay.

[Shannon Wallace]

Right?

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah. Like, you more than, like, what we said.

[Shannon Wallace]

No, you know, I'll tell you, like, I had said earlier that I hadn't really gotten a chance to act. They really threw. They threw the book at me this season. They really trusted me because they had heard me voicing this thing that I really wasn't given the opportunity. And they let me do something that nobody's ever let me do before.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Shout out, Diara Kilpatrick.

[Shannon Wallace]

Shout out, Diara Kilpatrick. Miles. Like, yeah. They threw. They threw so much at me.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I'm excited.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I cannot wait to see you do your thing.

[Shannon Wallace]

It's so good. Yeah. And now this.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I love it.

[Shannon Wallace]

And now this. And then we have a shoot coming up. Up, you and I.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Yes. Photo shoot. Yeah. It's gonna be crazy.

[Shannon Wallace]

And we're gonna do other things together, too.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I can't wait.

[Shannon Wallace]

We're gonna make movies and. Oh, yeah, we're gonna do things. I need to learn from you.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Thank you.

[Host A]

Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

I'm here and learn from you as well. Shane. I appreciate you at the best.

[Shannon Wallace]

You look good.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Thank you. You too, Fred.

[Shannon Wallace]

Yeah.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

Today's conversation is a reminder that growth doesn't always happen all at once. Sometimes it happens while you're still trying to figure it out in real time. Thank you for tuning in to another episode of the Keep It Positive, Sweetie Show. Be sure to subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs it, and as always, stay blessed and stay encouraged and keep it positive, sweetie. I'll see you all next time.

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[Chris Renee Hazlett]

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[Shannon Wallace]

Janice Torres here and I'm Austin Hankwitz.

[Sponsor Announcer]

We host the podcast Mind the Business Small Business Success Stories produced by Ruby Studio in partnership with Intuit QuickBooks.

[Chris Renee Hazlett]

We're back for season four to talk to some incredible small business owners.

[Shannon Wallace]

The big thing about working at tech is that it's ever evolving, ever changing. Everyone's a rookie, that's how fast the industry is changing. So what I'm really excited about is to be part of that change. So listen on the IHEARTRADIO app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.