Podcast Summary: Success Story with Scott D. Clary - Shauna Brittenham on Emotional Intelligence and Transforming Fear into Business Advantage

Introduction

In this compelling episode of the Success Story Podcast, hosted by entrepreneur and business executive Scott D. Clary, listeners are introduced to Shauna Brittenham, an emotional intelligence expert. The conversation delves deep into Shauna's personal journey of overcoming trauma, building successful businesses, and leveraging emotional intelligence to transform fear into a significant business advantage.

Shauna Brittenham’s Background and Journey

Shauna begins by describing her professional identity under the umbrella term "Human," emphasizing her focus on wellness and creativity ([02:24]). She founded Alliance Naturals driven by her personal battle with autoimmune issues, aiming to provide reliable and effective wellness solutions for herself and others ([02:52]). Shauna shares,

“I start from a place of passion and interest, and then generally speaking, success follows. It's most fun in life to do the things you love because they end up being a service to others.”
— Shauna Brittenham ([03:50])

This philosophy underscores her approach to entrepreneurship—solving her own problems first and then extending those solutions to the wider community.

Overcoming Trauma and the Path to Healing

At the age of 19, Shauna faced significant personal trauma that surfaced due to repressed childhood experiences. Despite her academic and professional successes, she struggled internally, leading to her stay in a psychiatric ward ([04:51]). Shauna reflects on this period, stating:

“Healing isn't linear... but a place where I'm integrated, in all capacities.”
— Shauna Brittenham ([05:00])

This experience was pivotal, teaching her the non-linearity of healing compared to the structured progression of building a career.

Emotional Intelligence as a Business Advantage

Shauna emphasizes the critical role of emotional intelligence in both personal and professional realms. She explains that much of anxiety stems from our imagination and fear of worst-case scenarios:

“So much of anxiety is our imagination. It's our imagination playing a mean game and thinking about the worst possible case scenarios.”
— Shauna Brittenham ([01:51], [59:11])

By harnessing emotional intelligence, individuals can transform these fears into strategic business advantages, enhancing decision-making and leadership capabilities.

Building Alliance Naturals: A Personal Solution

Driven by her autoimmune issues, Shauna founded Alliance Naturals to bridge gaps in the health and wellness industry, focusing on trust, quality, and cleanliness in products ([02:36], [03:21]). Her entrepreneurial journey was characterized by iterative learning, embracing failures as learning opportunities, and adapting strategies organically rather than adhering strictly to predefined formulas. She shares:

“Failing doesn't even exist. It's just more information about what's working and what's not.”
— Shauna Brittenham ([32:37])

This mindset allowed her to build a resilient business grounded in personal experience and authenticity.

Setting Boundaries and Maintaining Authentic Relationships

A significant portion of the conversation centers on the importance of setting healthy boundaries to foster authentic relationships. Shauna explains:

“You have more authentic relationships with people when you're authentically creating your boundaries.”
— Shauna Brittenham ([51:36])

By defining and communicating her boundaries clearly, Shauna ensures that her relationships—both personal and professional—are built on mutual respect and honesty, thereby enhancing their quality and depth.

Motherhood and Intergenerational Healing

Shauna discusses how motherhood brought resurfacing trauma memories, highlighting the impact of intergenerational patterns on parenting. She reflects:

“When you have kids, a lot of your unprocessed trauma... surfaces because I believe, because you see how vulnerable they are.”
— Shauna Brittenham ([47:03])

This realization has influenced her approach to personal healing, ensuring that she provides a supportive and nurturing environment for her children while continuing her own growth and healing journey.

Self-Care and Personal Wellness Strategies

Highlighting the essential role of self-care, Shauna shares her personal wellness strategies, including adequate sleep, movement, and self-soothing techniques. She emphasizes:

“Sleep is huge... I am most productive when I sleep eight hours and then I wake up energized.”
— Shauna Brittenham ([28:25])

Additionally, Shauna discusses the importance of self-soothing, inspired by parenting, to foster self-compassion and emotional resilience.

Balancing Service to Others with Self-Care

Shauna articulates the balance between serving others and prioritizing self-care. She notes:

“Everything I pursue is ultimately in service to others and I happen to love it.”
— Shauna Brittenham ([13:22])

This balance ensures that her professional endeavors are both fulfilling and sustainable, without compromising her emotional well-being.

Embracing Failure and Adaptability in Business

Shauna encourages embracing failure as a source of learning rather than viewing it as a setback:

“Failing doesn't even exist. It's just more information about what's working and what's not.”
— Shauna Brittenham ([32:37])

This perspective fosters adaptability and continuous improvement, essential traits for sustained success in any business venture.

Final Wisdom and Takeaways

In concluding the conversation, Shauna imparts profound wisdom on self-compassion and resilience. She advises:

“Be gentle with yourself. Be kind with yourself. You know, forgive yourself quickly.”
— Shauna Brittenham ([69:03])

Shauna underscores that emotional freedom and peace stem from trusting oneself, letting go of the need to control every aspect of life, and nurturing self-love and care.

Notable Quotes

• Passion-Driven Success:
  “I start from a place of passion and interest, and then generally speaking, success follows.”
  — Shauna Brittenham ([03:50])

• Anxiety and Imagination:
  “So much of anxiety is our imagination. It's our imagination playing a mean game and thinking about the worst possible case scenarios.”
  — Shauna Brittenham ([01:51], [59:11])

• Authentic Relationships:
  “You have more authentic relationships with people when you're authentically creating your boundaries.”
  — Shauna Brittenham ([51:36])

• Self-Compassion:
  “Be gentle with yourself. Be kind with yourself. You know, forgive yourself quickly.”
  — Shauna Brittenham ([69:03])

Conclusion

Shauna Brittenham's insights on the Success Story Podcast offer a profound exploration of emotional intelligence, personal healing, and their integral roles in building successful and meaningful businesses. Her journey exemplifies how confronting personal trauma, embracing authenticity, and setting healthy boundaries can lead to both personal fulfillment and professional excellence. Listeners are encouraged to adopt her strategies of self-compassion, emotional resilience, and passion-driven entrepreneurship to transform fear into their greatest business advantage.

For more resources and to connect with Shauna Brittenham, visit her website at helloshauna.com and follow her on Instagram at @shaunabrittenham.writer and @liahnaturals.

This summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting key discussions, insights, and notable quotes while maintaining a structured and engaging narrative for those who haven't listened to the podcast.