Shinebright: Our Story & Team

Know Your Strengths. Create Your Best Life.

Shinebright is more than just a company, it’s a movement created by women. We offer coaching, real-world guidance, and a strong community rooted in shared experience and support.

Behind it all? A powerful team of women leaders who’ve turned their career paths into a shared mission to help people move forward with confidence and clarity towards a career they love.

Whether you are a stay-at-home mom who is ready to take on the business world, a professional looking for a new career, or a recent graduate trying to find the perfect job, we would love to meet you and help you discover your true potential.

Curious how Shinebright began? Here’s the story of how this woman-owned business came to life.

Our Story at Shinebright

Shinebright was formed when Shannon and Meike met during their freshman year of college in Santa Barbara, CA.

They formed a quick friendship and remained close over the years, even traveling abroad together a few times. In 2012, both found themselves at a career crossroads. Shannon had just completed a Master’s in Organizational Development from Pepperdine, and Meike was completing her Master's in German and teaching credential from Cal State Long Beach. Neither had a clear path on what their next steps would be.

Shannon was considering entering corporate America, but was feeling disillusioned by the landscape. She wondered if it was too late to truly make an impact on the people she would be working with.

During this time, Meike was working with freshman high school students who were barely reading at a 4th-grade level. She was also feeling discouraged about their future potential for success. After talking and sharing their concerns, Meike and Shannon had an “Aha!” moment.

They began to wonder, “What if Shannon’s knowledge of guiding people toward fulfilling careers could be shared with the students Meike was supporting?”

A spark had been ignited, which led them to create workshops and coaching programs designed to help young people discover their strengths, unlock their potential, and hopefully reclaim their belief in a bright future.

The first few years of Shinebright were spent working with hundreds of young people. Shannon and Meike saw firsthand the power of self-exploration. As they discovered their unique strengths, the young people felt hopeful for a successful future. As Shannon and Meike shared the young people's success stories with their community of friends and family, they began hearing from adults who were struggling to find satisfaction in their careers.

A few years ago, they expanded their services to focus on anyone who is looking to make a career transition. Shinebright now works with a broad range of clients, including recent college graduates, young professionals, mid-level managers, and executives who are looking for more fulfillment from their work to redefine their careers.

The type of clients has expanded, but the mission remains the same—to help people discover their strengths so they can create their best lives.

Two Women, One Purpose

Shannon Philip, Co-Founder

Shannon received her B.A. in Communications from UC Santa Barbara and her M.S. in Organization Development from Pepperdine’s Graziadio School of Business and Management. In graduate school, she focused on Adults Identifying Paths to Career Passion and helping leaders appreciate and leverage the unique talents of the people within their organizations.

Since co-founding Shinebright in 2012, Shannon has helped thousands of people, from young adults to high-level professionals, identify their strengths, understand what makes them unique, and find ways to thrive

In one of her last sessions of graduate school, as part of a future commitment exercise, Shannon wrote the following on a piece of paper: “I am the possibility of every person recognizing their unique gifts.”

Lofty, perhaps, but this personal commitment has grown into her hopes and dreams for Shinebright. “I want to reach as many people as possible and help them discover what it is they have to offer this world–and maybe in a little less time than it took me.”

Meike Hennon, Co-Founder

Meike had spent most of her career in academia and education before co-founding Shinebright. While completing her Master’s in German at Cal State Long Beach, she taught German 101 to incoming freshmen.

Teaching a difficult language to incoming freshmen sparked her love for students. She inspired them to learn and helped them to believe in themselves. Meike went on to complete her Master’s and then to earn Single Subject Credentials in both English and German, now knowing that working with students was what she truly wanted to do.

While teaching high school students and witnessing their challenges firsthand, Meike realized that keeping them focused and motivated was often just as tough as teaching German grammar. That’s when she began to think about how she could make a deeper impact by helping students uncover their natural strengths and motivations before they set out on their life’s journey.

Thus began the idea of Shinebright, a woman-owned business determined to help people discover their talents and build them into strengths. It’s been the perfect opportunity for Meike to apply her high school and college teaching experience to designing and leading workshops and programs.

She brings a genuine enthusiasm to her work that uplifts and inspires those around her.

A Career Coach Who Listens And Leads with Heart

For many people, having a professional career coach who truly understands their journey can make all the difference. At Shinebright, every session is built on that connection.

With deep experience across education, leadership, and organizational development, each coach brings a unique perspective. But they all share the commitment to helping people build careers that feel fulfilling and aligned.

So, what can a certified career coach help you with?

Identifying your natural strengths—and learning how to apply them in your current role or a new direction through personalized, 1:1 career coaching
Navigating career transitions with support from our group coaching course to uplift you alongside a like-minded community
Building confidence and a clear professional identity
Working through imposter syndrome, burnout, or unexpected layoffs or job loss
Rediscovering career happiness and not just checking boxes of traditional “success”

Whether you need resume services or deeper career transformation, your professional career coach is here to help you feel seen, supported, and ready to shine.

Coaching That Builds Community

One of Shinebright’s biggest strengths is how it brings people together. Beyond one-on-one coaching, they’ve created group programs, events, and ongoing communities where professionals can connect, support each other, and grow together.

That sense of community? It’s not an extra. It’s at the heart of everything we do.

This sense of belonging is especially valuable for people who’ve felt stuck in their careers or unsure of their next move. Shinebright reminds you that you’re not alone and that your next step doesn’t have to be so overwhelming.

With real stories, shared experiences, and a network of support, Shinebright is more than a woman-owned business that offers coaching. It’s connection.

What It’s Like to Work With Shinebright

"I worked with Shannon through her strengths-based career coaching program during a pivotal time in my life. After being laid off, I was feeling uncertain about my next steps, but Shannon’s thoughtful, structured approach helped me rebuild confidence, reconnect with what makes me thrive, and find clarity in my career direction.

She has a remarkable ability to listen deeply, ask the right questions, and reflect back your strengths in a way that feels both empowering and true. Shannon guided me through a process that helped me understand not just what I’m good at, but how I want to work, what I need from my environment, and how to align my career with my values. Thanks to her support, I landed a role that feels like a natural fit. I feel grounded and excited about what’s ahead.

I’m so grateful for Shannon’s encouragement, insight, and care throughout this journey. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a career coach who leads with empathy, clarity, and purpose."

– PJ, ★★★★★

"Working with Meike was exactly what I needed during one of the most disorienting moments of my career and life. I had just left a high-profile job under difficult circumstances, was grieving the unexpected loss of my mother, and was questioning everything about my next chapter. Meike met me there with grace, clarity, and zero judgment.

Our work together gave me language I didn’t even know I was missing. She helped me reconnect with my strengths, reframe my narrative, and remember my worth, something that’s easy to lose sight of when the world (and your inner critic) is loud. She didn’t push a linear plan or generic next steps. Instead, she listened deeply and offered grounded, strategic guidance that reflected who I actually am.

Fast-forward to today: I’m now in a senior role I never thought I’d land, making more money than I ever have, in what I truly believe is my forever company. And I walked into that opportunity clear-eyed, grounded, and confident because of the foundation Meike helped me rebuild.

If you're looking for a coach who will hold space and hold you accountable, who sees beyond your résumé, and who’ll meet you at the intersection of identity, ambition, and humanity—Meike’s it."

– L, ★★★★★

Step into What's Next with Support That Shines

Every person deserves to feel seen, supported, and confident in their career. If you're ready to reconnect with what makes you shine, now is the perfect time to start.

Find your Gallup-certified career coach here at Shinebright and take the next step toward a more fulfilling career. Start to plan your career here.