I help creators and innovators dig through the data, optimize the RIGHT metrics, & get a firm grasp on their business finances.
^^ (All in a judgement-free zone)
Bring it in for a sec—do you hear it? “More … more … more … “ That’s what our weary world tells women and entrepreneurs like us. But what if there’s a beautiful place of ENOUGH where abundance and contentment meet? This is the space for the lifestyle entrepreneur.
I believe in defining enough, because I believe the hustle of fast-lane striving has served you far too long. It’s time for us to lay down the chaos—I’m here to help you steward well what you’ve been given.
^^ ANONYMOUS SURVEY RESPONSE 2020
And, that’s why I do what I do.
Okay, fine—I do know who said this.
But I’m not going to tell you …
… because truthfully it could be any business-owner who wants to keep fulfilling her professional calling while also being a present, rested mother, sister, friend, wife, or daughter in the process.
My mission is to start a movement of creative entrepreneurs—just like you—committed to building profitable, sustainable businesses purpose-built to support the lifestyle of their dreams. I believe in laying down the chaos. I believe in picking up contentment. I believe we can bring the basics back to your business. I believe in hard work and stewardship of gifts and talents.
I believe in 3 month sabbaticals involving s’mores & campfire kisses somewhere under the Wyoming sky. I believe just because you’re an artist doesn’t mean you have to starve, and sometimes I can't believe that I get to spend my days looking into your eyes and reminding you of that… you can make money doing something you love and don't have to sacrifice every ounce of sanity to do it.
My mission is to start a movement of creative entrepreneurs—just like you—committed to building profitable, sustainable businesses purpose-built to support the lifestyle of their dreams. I believe in laying down the chaos. I believe in picking up contentment. I believe we can bring the basics back to your business. I believe in hard work and stewardship of gifts and talents.
I believe in 3 month sabbaticals involving s’mores & campfire kisses with my husband somewhere under the Wyoming sky. I believe just because you’re an artist doesn’t mean you have to starve, and I’m praise-hands for looking into your eyes and reminding you that … so let’s hit pause and start a new conversation about how “enough” will show up in your life.
Like any classic overachiever, I double majored and double minored in college. (I know, I know.) Chalk up two bachelor's degrees in business and psychology, plus two minors in art and accounting.
I’m a numbers girl who loves beautiful things and creative people.
Managing client portfolios as a Fortune 100 financial advisor had its perks (The biggest? Found my husband in the office next door.), but after five years I scooted to a private equity firm (think Shark Tank, but not Shark Tank, wink) to serve as controller for an up-and-coming fashion designer who was part of their investment portfolio.
And boom. Stars colliding, movie-magic moment: for the first time, I saw first-hand how creativity and finance could work hand in hand. Instead of stifling the visionary leader, their numbers could actually open up the realm of possibility for their business—and their lives.
I believe numbers tell the story—not just of financial success and profitability, but of life’s greatest goals fulfilled in work-life balance and ground-breaking growth.
After the fashion designer, I moved on to flowers … and the rest is history.
In 2013, I officially launched Skidmore Consulting. And after years of working 1:1 with clients, in 2016 I opened the doors to my signature course, The Blueprint Model—which packaged up the process I’ve used with all of my one-on-one clients to serve more than 1,500 students as they’ve paved the path to their own definition of success.
And now? I’m here to help you do the same.
Like any classic overachiever, I double majored and double minored in college. (I know, I know.) Chalk up two bachelor's degrees in business and psychology, plus two minors in art and accounting.
I’m a numbers girl who loves beautiful things and creative people.
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While I (Shanna) may be the face of the company, the real MVP is my husband Kyle! Though he didn’t officially join Skidmore Consulting until 2020, it’s been his unpaid part-time job since day one! His official role is Head of Operations—translation: he’s the one dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s so I can focus on what I do best… working with awesome business owners like you! In addition to managing all the behind-the-scenes operations, Kyle handles the entire online education side of the business.
What you probably don’t know about Kyle: Kyle actually started his career with a business degree in marketing & lucky-dog ended up working at the same financial firm as me! Yep, as fate would have it, the money world actually brought us together! He probably won’t admit it, but he was totally crushing from day one! After a year of friendship, we both admitted what everyone else knew and finally started dating. Four months later Kyle proposed, and three months after that we said “I do”.
But the real crazy started after we tied the knot. Slightly jaded by the finance industry, Kyle looked at me and said his dream was always to build airplanes. Long story short, two quit jobs, and two sold-cars later, we were in the thick of student life again in Atlanta, as I rode my bike to work and we paid the grocery bill off Kyle’s tip money from his after-class job.
It only took ten years + ten home addresses later to figure out we were meant to work together all along! In 2020, Kyle quit his aerospace engineering job to focus solely on building Skidmore Consulting together!
And the rest, well.... is still being written.
While I (Shanna) may be the face of the company, the real MVP is my husband Kyle! Though he didn’t officially join Skidmore Consulting until 2020, it’s been his unpaid part-time job since day one! His official role is Head of Operations—translation: he’s the one dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s so I can focus on what I do best… working with awesome business owners like you! In addition to managing all the behind-the-scenes operations, Kyle handles the entire online education side of the business.
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Leaning on your math-nerd husband (love him!), aunt who’s a retired accountant,
or your well-meaning budget-savvy dad will only get you so far … they’re kind to help,
but you’ve always felt like they weren’t exactly the right fit for you or your business.
That’s where I come in!
Because hey, ya don’t know what you don’t know, and that’s ok.
You need a true financial professional to dig into the data.
- Erin Benzakein, Founder, Floret Flower Farm