Career Pivots and Opportunities

  • By Matthew Briggson
  • September 24th, 2025

In our latest episode of the Encoursa podcast, we sat down with Shanna Cooper to explore what it really means to build a career (and a life) with a focus on intentionality. Shanna has spent more than three decades as a CPA, wearing many hats along the way including: auditor, tax professional, consultant, technology leader, and entrepreneur. Shana's story includes a journey with more than 20 career pivots, each shaped by clarity about her values and a willingness to step embrace new opportunities

What stands out in Shanna’s journey is not only the breadth of her experience, but the wisdom she gained in aligning her professional life with what matters most to her family. From navigating promotions that required difficult choices, to being on the floor at NASDAQ for an IPO, Shanna reminds the audience that growth often comes from knowing what you don’t want as much as what you do. 

In this episode, Shanna shared practical strategies for self-discovery and career development, from the power of writing down goals, to honoring past pivots, to embracing patience as opportunities unfold. She also reflects on how to define non-negotiables, maintain balance as a parent and professional, and create work that is both meaningful and sustainable.

Whether you’re an accounting professional considering your next move, an entrepreneur building something new, or simply someone seeking encouragement to honor your own journey, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

We invite you to earn 1 hour of CPE while hearing Shanna’s inspiring story and take away lessons you can apply to your own career path. Click on any of the links below to listen! 

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  • Encoursa
About the author
Matthew Briggson
Matthew Briggson

Matthew is a licensed CPA in the state of Michigan and a co-founder of Encoursa.com, an industry leading CPE provider for accounting and finance professionals.

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