strelo’s story
In the beginning…
Shannon, born and raised in Idaho, was a veteran corporate change agent yearning to speak for and answer to herself — to act on her desire to make organizations better and, by extension, improve the lives of their teams and stakeholders. Joanne, the daughter of Chinese immigrants who grew up in a small town in Upstate New York, was a former college professor turned organizational change consultant. Business was good, but she wanted to expand her ability to help institutions thrive and honor their people.
No surprise, given their shared passions, Shannon and Joanne ran in the same circles for years, slowly coming to know and respect each other through their experiences at conferences, retreats, and personal and professional development programs.
Shannon was impressed by Joanne’s ability to analyze data and her intellectual approach to challenges. Joanne was taken by Shannon’s success in the corporate world and her ability to form and maintain high-trust relationships. Each saw in the other a rare kindred spirit when it came to work ethic and passion.
Then one day, while attending a retreat in California wine country…
Shannon was putting together a workshop for her employer’s sustainability team. When a mutual acquaintance pointed out that Joanne had deep knowledge of sustainability issues, Shannon asked for Joanne’s collaboration. The duo’s late-night work session produced a killer experience. It also got Shannon and Joanne thinking about what they could accomplish as a team. You know, maybe one day.
For the next year, they talked regularly. Dreaming and blue-skying about how they might work together. How they could help organizations and people reach their full potential. They discovered shared philosophies and differences of style, all of which they would bring to bear in meaningful, impactful work. Some day. Down the road.
How it finally happened …
Gradually and then suddenly. In 2018 both Shannon and Joanne were at career crossroads. Shannon was rapidly losing interest in her corporate identity, and Joanne was pining for a new challenge. When Joanne pulled together a set of colleagues from a diverse range of industries to re-imagine a new leadership playbook, Shannon jumped right in, even as she continued in her day job.
Creating a new product and starting a business are demanding tasks that require unwavering belief and long-term commitment. In the end — which doubles as the beginning — Shannon and Joanne chose to go all-in. Shannon left her long-time corporate career, and Joanne took down her solo practitioner shingle.
They flew to Houston and holed up for several days, hammering out their vision for a company that would make a difference.
That company is Strelo®.
what we say about one another
What Shan Says about JC:
Joanne is wicked smart.
Her intellectual rigor and natural curiosity drew me to her from the beginning of our relationship. I had a deep knowing that Joanne’s gifts of discernment and clarity were qualities I wanted in a business partner. Joanne is an illuminator of paths. She brings this gift to me and our clients daily. Joanne can sit with total comfort in the pocket of the unknown. The enthusiasm Joanne brings to complex problem-solving is also present in a vitality she brings to our work and life.
What JC Says About Shan:
Shannon is powerful.
I’m delighted that she is my fellow co-founder of Strelo Group. Shannon’s decades of experience and passion for bringing about complex organizational change support our clients to achieve the extraordinary. It’s a joy to see how she creates the conditions for people, teams and organizations to thrive. Shannon is an amazing strategist and is adept at bringing out the best in the people with whom she works. Shannon’s clients feel truly seen and cared for while being supported to create phenomenal results.
