PVLF 2025

Interview with Shannah Kennedy and Colleen Callander, Author of "Elevate Unlock Your Extraordinary Potential"

Discover insights from Shannah Kennedy & Colleen Callander in their book 'Elevate: Unlock Your Extraordinary Potential' in this exclusive Frontlist interview.
on Jan 08, 2025

Interview with Shannah Kennedy and Colleen Callander | Frontlist

Shannah Kennedy is one of Australia’s foremost strategic life coaches. She works to transform her clients’ careers, well-being, and lives. She specializes in executive strategy, transition, values, vision, overcoming burnout, and life planning for individuals. Her proven expertise enables clients to gain control of their lives in order to achieve their visions and goals and find happiness and fulfillment. She is the author of The Life Plan, a wellbeing specialist, keynote speaker, workshop facilitator and media contributor, and a wife and mother of two.

Colleen Callander spent 30 years in the retail industry, serving as CEO of two iconic fashion brands, Sportsgirl and Sussan, where she established winning cultures and empowered people to reach their full potential. She is the author of Leader By Design: Be empowered to lead with confidence in business and in life.

Frontlist: Elevate emphasizes three core pillars: Life, Leadership, and Longevity. How do these pillars interconnect, and why are they crucial for achieving an extraordinary life?

Shannah & Collen: The three pillars of Life, Leadership, and Longevity are deeply interconnected, forming the foundation for living an extraordinary life. Each pillar supports and enhances the others, creating a holistic approach to personal and professional success.

Life is about self-awareness—knowing who you are, what you value, and where you're headed. When you take ownership of your life and make intentional decisions, you create a strong base for everything else, including leadership and longevity.

Leadership begins with leading yourself. Self-leadership is about being a role model, building confidence, and cultivating the habits and mindset needed to influence and inspire others. Leadership is not confined to titles; it's about how you show up in all areas of life. When you invest in becoming a great leader, it naturally enhances your life and creates a ripple effect that positively impacts those around you.

Longevity ties it all together, emphasizing the importance of maintaining health and well-being for a sustainable and fulfilling life and career. It's about creating habits and boundaries that prevent burnout, ensuring you have the energy and resilience to pursue your goals for the long term.

These pillars are crucial because achieving an extraordinary life requires balance. You can't lead effectively without investing in your life and health, and you can't sustain a meaningful life without the habits and leadership skills to guide it. Together, these pillars create a blueprint for thriving personally and professionally while leaving a lasting impact. This is why this book is so incredibly unique.

Frontlist: Leadership is one of the pillars in Elevate. How can young professionals develop leadership skills that not only advance their careers but also foster mindfulness and well-being?

Shannah & Collen: Young professionals can develop leadership skills that advance their careers while fostering mindfulness and well-being by focusing on three key areas: self-leadership, building authentic connections, and prioritizing self-care.

1. Cultivate Self-Leadership: Leadership begins with leading yourself effectively. Young professionals should invest time in understanding their values, strengths, and long-term goals. Developing a growth mindset, practicing emotional intelligence, and consistently building self-confidence is critical. Tools like journaling, goal setting, and reflection can help them gain clarity and create a roadmap for their personal and professional growth.

2. Build Authentic Connections: Effective leadership is not about authority but about influence and relationships. Young professionals can foster mindfulness and well-being by leading with kindness, inclusivity, and empathy. Developing skills like active listening and clear communication helps create meaningful connections that inspire trust and collaboration. Surrounding themselves with mentors and role models who embody these qualities can further guide their journey.

3. Prioritise Self-Care and Boundaries: Longevity in leadership comes from balance. Young professionals should embed well-being into their daily lives by creating routines that support mental, emotional, and physical health. Practices like mindfulness, regular exercise, and taking breaks to recharge prevent burnout and enhance decision-making. Setting clear boundaries between work and personal life helps maintain focus and resilience.

By committing to self-leadership, fostering authentic relationships, and prioritising well-being, young professionals can build leadership skills that not only advance their careers but also ensure a fulfilling and sustainable path forward.

Our book invites everyone to be a leader of their own life, no matter the title, and do so with longevity in mind.

Frontlist: Both of you bring unique perspectives—life coaching and executive leadership. How did your experiences shape the development of this book, and what unique insights do each of you contribute?

Shannah & Collen: Our combined experiences in life coaching and executive leadership brought two powerful yet complementary perspectives to the creation of 'Elevate'. Together, we were able to address the needs of individuals and organisations by focusing on the whole human—life, leadership, and longevity with a spotlight on high performance.

Shannah's expertise in life coaching brings deep insights into self-awareness, self-leadership, and self-management. As Colleen's coach for over a decade, Shannah played a pivotal role in fostering a high-performance culture at Sportsgirl and Sussan by also coaching the executive team. Her work helped align personal and professional goals, which became the foundation for creating empowered, high-performing leaders. Her vast experience guiding elite athletes, CEOs, and teams influenced the book's emphasis on building sustainable habits, self-awareness, taking action, committing to the written word and focusing on intentional living.

Colleen's journey as a CEO of iconic brands like Sportsgirl and Sussan provides a leadership lens focused on culture, strategy, and empowering teams. Drawing on her 30-year career, Colleen highlights the importance of inclusive leadership, resilience, and the role of leaders in inspiring others while maintaining balance. Her collaboration with Shannah shaped her own leadership style, blending self-leadership with actionable strategies to drive results.

Together, our unique insights shaped 'Elevate' into a practical guide that blends life strategies with leadership tools. Whether it's creating a personal vision, building leadership confidence, or designing habits for long-term success, our combined voices ensure that readers can navigate their careers and lives with purpose, confidence, and clarity.

Frontlist: In Elevate, you encourage readers to design a plan for success. Can you walk us through the first steps someone should take to create this plan?

Shannah & Collen: Designing a plan for success begins with intentional reflection and self-awareness. In Elevate, we guide readers through foundational steps that empower them to take control of their lives and careers:

1. Pause and Reflect: Start by evaluating where you are in your life and career. Ask yourself three powerful questions: What do I need to stop doing? What should I start doing? And what should I keep doing? These questions help identify habits, behaviours, and choices that either support or hinder your progress.

2. Define Your Vision: Picture what success means to you, both personally and professionally. Think about your ideal life in 5-10 years. What does it look like? How do you feel? Who are you with? A clear vision provides the motivation and direction for your journey.

3. Align with Your Values: Identify your core values—the guiding principles that shape your decisions and priorities. By aligning your goals with your values, you create a plan that feels authentic and sustainable.

4. Set Specific Goals: Break your vision into actionable steps. Set clear, measurable goals in areas such as health, relationships, career, and self-care. These goals should be ambitious yet realistic, designed to challenge and inspire you.

5. Commit to Habits: Success is built on daily habits. Identify small, consistent actions that align with your goals. From practicing mindfulness to scheduling downtime, these habits create the foundation for long-term progress and joy.

Every chapter in Elevate encourages readers to take immediate action. At the end of each section, we prompt you to write down what you will stop, start, and keep doing to elevate your life. High performance isn't just about learning—it's about applying that knowledge and taking consistent, meaningful action. Success comes from owning your journey, embracing growth, and staying committed to creating your extraordinary life.

Frontlist: With the start of the new year, many individuals focus on achieving a better work-life balance. How does Elevate help readers design a balanced lifestyle that fosters both productivity and happiness?

Shannah & Collen: Elevate offers a fresh perspective on achieving balance by helping readers design a lifestyle that seamlessly integrates productivity and happiness. It encourages readers to reflect on what truly matters to them, personally and professionally, and to take intentional steps toward creating a life they love.

The book introduces practical strategies for aligning actions with values, managing energy effectively, and setting boundaries that protect well-being. By focusing on small, consistent habits, readers can create routines that support their goals without compromising their health or happiness.

What sets Elevate apart is its emphasis on actionable outcomes. Every chapter inspires immediate change through the Stop, Start, Keep framework, prompting readers to evaluate their choices and take steps toward a more balanced and fulfilling life.

To complement the book, our High-Performance Planners are designed to help you stay organized and focused, ensuring that your efforts are sustainable and aligned with your goals. As high achievers, we understand the importance of success without burnout.

Elevate equips readers with the tools to remain productive while fostering sustainability, enabling them to thrive both now and in the future.

Frontlist: New beginnings often come with fear of failure. How does Elevate help readers develop resilience and confidence to overcome setbacks?

Shannah & Collen: Elevate helps readers develop confidence and resilience by diving deep into the power of self-leadership. Confidence isn't something you're born with—it's built through consistent action, self-awareness, and taking ownership of your choices. The book shows readers how to take full responsibility for their actions, mindset, and progress. By practicing self-leadership, individuals gain the clarity to face challenges confidently, knowing they are in control of their reactions and outcomes.

The self-leadership chapters provide a step-by-step guide for cultivating confidence from within. It starts with understanding who you are, what you value, and how you want to show up in the world. The book teaches readers how to set clear intentions, create actionable goals, and adopt habits that align with their vision. Self-leadership also means being adaptable—learning from setbacks, staying focused on your long-term goals, and remaining committed to your personal growth even when things don't go as planned.

In these chapters, we emphasize that leadership isn't about being perfect; it's about consistently showing up as the best version of yourself, even when facing uncertainty. By focusing on building self-confidence and embracing the leadership journey, readers can face any challenge with the belief that they have the skills and strength to navigate through it.

Ultimately, Elevate demonstrates that confidence is a skill that's cultivated over time through self-leadership. The more you take charge of your life, make decisions aligned with your values, and remain persistent in your growth, the more resilient and confident you become in your ability to overcome setbacks.

Frontlist: What is the one key message or mantra from Elevate that you hope readers will carry with them long after they've finished the book?

Shannah & Collen: The key message from Elevate that we hope readers carry with them is: "You are in control of your life, and every small action you take today shapes your extraordinary future."

Elevate can be more than just a book—it can become your word for life. It invites you to challenge yourself every day, to question your actions, and to take small, intentional steps that lead to big impact. Use Elevate as a reminder to stop, start, and keep doing what's necessary to create the life and leadership you desire. Whether it's fine-tuning a habit, adjusting your mindset, or making a decision aligned with your values, Elevate is a call to action that encourages continual growth and progress.

Elevate—one word that can change your life. Let it remind you to take action, stay focused, and commit to the changes that will lead to a more fulfilled and high-performing life. Elevate brings high-performance results to every person on the planet, no matter where you are on your journey. It's about unlocking your extraordinary potential and applying it every day for lasting success.

For Shannah Kennedy

Frontlist: As a life coach specializing in overcoming burnout and life planning, how does Elevate reflect the strategies you've used to help your clients regain control and fulfillment in their lives?

Shannah: Elevate reflects my personal journey of rebuilding myself after experiencing burnout, chronic fatigue syndrome, and depression. I've been through the deepest lows, and through this process, I became a well-being master—not just for myself, but for others too. I had to own my growth and take responsibility for my actions, my words, and my days, and that's when everything changed.

As a coach, I've brought to the book the very questions I ask myself and my clients, the tools I've mastered over the years, and the high-performance planning strategies that have helped me—and countless others—achieve lasting success. I realized early on that writing everything down and having a clear, visual roadmap is a game-changer.

That's why we've incorporated our high-performance planners into Elevate. They're designed to keep you focused and on track by putting your goals, visions, and action steps right in front of you.

Through trial and error, I learned to shine a spotlight on my strengths, values, and vision. I started by setting clear goals and committing to daily habits that would allow me to become a high-performing human being. I knew that to thrive, I needed to focus on the life and wellness skills that would help me build the resilience to handle life's challenges without burning out again. These soft skills—something we deeply emphasize in Elevate—are the real key to longevity.

The book captures all the skills I've learned, refined, and studied over the past 20 years of coaching, personal development, and living a high-performance life, all while managing chronic fatigue syndrome. It's about turning hardship into strength and creating a sustainable path forward, both personally and professionally. Elevate isn't just a roadmap to success; it's a guide to thriving without burning out, and it reflects everything I've mastered in my journey to becoming an athlete of life and business.

For Colleen Callander

Frontlist: Drawing from your experience as a CEO of leading fashion brands, what leadership principles in Elevate can help readers inspire and empower others in both their personal and professional lives?

Drawing from my experience as a CEO, I've come to understand that leadership isn't just about driving results – it's about inspiring and empowering those around you to unlock their extraordinary potential. These leadership principles have guided me through decades of shaping high-performing teams and thriving cultures.

Here are some of the core principles I believe can empower anyone to lead with impact and purpose:

1. Lead with Confidence

Confidence isn't about knowing all the answers – it's about believing in yourself enough to navigate the unknown and inspire others to do the same. When we lead with confidence, we create an environment where others feel safe to take risks and grow. Confidence is contagious, and by modeling it, you empower those around you to discover their own.

2. The Power of Purpose

Purpose fuels passion, and passion drives performance. Whether you're leading a team or supporting a loved one, connecting people to a greater "why" creates a sense of meaning and motivation. When leaders articulate and live their purpose, they inspire others to bring their best

selves to everything they do.

3. Kindness is the New Currency

In a fast-paced world, kindness stands out as a powerful leadership tool. It fosters trust, builds meaningful relationships, and creates a culture where people feel valued. By leading with kindness, we empower others to show up authentically and contribute fully

4. Empower Through Connection

Great leaders don't walk ahead; they walk beside. Building strong, genuine connections allows us to see the unique strengths in others and help them rise to their potential. Whether in business or life, empowering others begins with listening, understanding, and creating opportunities for growth.

5. The Brand of You

Leadership starts from within. Understanding who you are – your values, strengths, and what makes you unique – is the foundation of inspiring others. When you lead with authenticity, you create a ripple effect, encouraging others to embrace their true selves and contribute with confidence and purpose.

These principles are relevant and meaningful to everyone. They remind us that leadership is a mindset and a way of being, not a title or position. When we elevate ourselves, we naturaally elevate those around us, creating a ripple effect of positivity and potential in both personal and professional spaces.