In this special episode of the Second Act Success Podcast, business coach, author, and host Shannon Russell celebrates an incredible wave of second act authors who published books in 2025—right alongside her own book, Start Your Second Act: How to Change Careers, Launch a Business, and Create Your Best Life.

Shannon spotlights powerful new releases from friends and former guests including Lisa Morton (Aligned at Home), Heike Yates (Pursue Your Spark), Gregory Andrus (A Walk Along the Jersey Shore), Sara Conklin (Fundamentally Frugal), Gina Riley (Qualified Isn’t Enough), Liz Alterman (You Shouldn't Have Done That, Clare Casey's Had Enough, A Different Type of Poison), Cindy Bertram (California Fork & Spoon), Maude McDonald (Retro Quilts), and Liz Mugavero (Claws Out). You’ll hear how each author used their second act, career change, or creative pivot to turn lived experience into pages that inspire, heal, and empower others.

Whether you’ve secretly dreamed of writing a book, starting a business, or launching your own creative project, this episode is your loving nudge that it’s absolutely possible—especially in midlife.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How ordinary women (and one Jersey Shore storyteller!) turned their second act into published books
Why sharing your story, expertise, or creativity can open new doors in career, business, and life
The mindset shifts and courage it takes to say a big, bold “YES” to authorship
Book recommendations in home alignment, wellness, money, career transitions, mystery fiction, quilting, food, and photography
How your own second act might be the next book, podcast, or business the world is waiting for

If you’ve ever thought, “Maybe I could write a book someday…” let this episode be your sign. Press play, grab the book list in the show notes, and get inspired to start your own second act story.

SHOW NOTES:

https://secondactsuccess.co/226

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Claws Out

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