Today we’d like to introduce you to Shanee’ Wilson.
Hi Shanee’, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in the small town of Beaumont, California where the population was less than 11,000 people as a child. Growing up, our towns excitement was eating out at Denny’s, which was the only restaurant in town or walking around K-Mart because that was our only source of shopping for quite some time. Having grown up in such a small town where routine felt normal and most people found retirement within this town, I have always known that I was different. I always knew that I desired so much out of life and coming from a town full of fields with cows with no true entertainment, it truly sparked something within me to always chase more.
As time went on, I graduated from High School and quickly took off to California State University San Bernardino where I obtained my Bachelors Degree in Marketing. Living in a town larger than mine, seeing so much diversity and knowing that so many people I stumbled across came from so many walks of life, I continued to chase more. Therefore, I went on to obtain a Masters Degree in Strategic Communication and a Masters Degree in Education. While life continued to progress with my education and career, I still knew that there was so much more out there for me. It was a very hard feeling to explain because my life was getting better, yet I could not consider any pit stop my final destination because I knew I had so much more to give to this world.
As life continued to move forward and I found jobs more aligned with my degree and my passion, I still always knew something was missing. It was as though I was meeting these great milestones but the satisfaction I expected was never achieved. That is when I knew that my calling was much higher than what an organization could provide me.
This is when I took the leap of faith and started my wedding planning business, Your Day Your Way Coordinators. This is when I discovered a newfound joy in what I was putting out in the world. The satisfaction on my couples faces made me feel more alive weekend after weekend. In the midst of growing this brand new business venture, this is when life changed in entirety when I was suddenly diagnosed with stage four lymphoma cancer and fought for my life.
This was not an ordinary fight but instead, this was the ultimate battle. My cancer was so aggressive that I did inpatient treatment, in which I checked into the hospital for 7 days to undergo around the clock treatment, went home for two weeks and repeated for an entire year of my life. Knowing that my outcome could only go one of two ways, I questioned all of my decisions in life to that point. This is when I realized that I had so much more to give this world and it may have been too late to do anything about it. I sat in the hospital bed night after night again crying, praying, plotting and envisioning the life I was going to chase if God allowed me to make it through.
By the grace of God, I beat stage four cancer and could officially live again. This is where the work began. It felt as though I had to rebuild my life now that I was wiser, more in tune with who I wanted to become and much more aware of just how short life can truly be. Therefore, I got to work. My first step into my higher calling was walking away from my amazing career to pursue my wedding business full time. It was a bold move that I never knew I had within me but with God, faith and the most supportive husband that believes in me more than I believe in myself some days was all I needed.
Over time, I was blessed with two more beautiful children, I started two additional businesses. One is Fighting & Fabulous in which I provide journey boxes to cancer fighters who need inspiration, helpful items and a reminder of their strength. I also created Your Yard Cinema which is an outdoor movie rental business that was a passion project which brings the full movie theater experience to Your Yard.
While life has been a blessing beyond measure, I also know that God called me for so much more. This is where my new book was born. In my upcoming debut book, scheduled for release this fall, the working title Playing with Your Potential serves as a powerful wake-up call. A reminder that we are capable of more. This book is for anyone whose ever felt stuck, complacent, or destined for more.
This book isn’t just a read—it’s a redirection. It’s a guide designed to help people stop settling, start seeking, and realign with their purpose. In a time where many are silently battling burnout, indecision, or self-doubt, Playing With Your Potential offers practical insights, honest reflection, and motivation to help readers move from existing to truly living.
As I embark on this new journey in life of becoming an author and finding my own voice that I allowed to slowly silence itself over time, I welcome you to take this journey with me. I welcome you into my world of possibility. A world where age doesn’t matter, social status is just a fancy title and all of us are on equal playing field to achieve our most impactful dreams.
So, whether you’re rebuilding, rediscovering, or simply ready to rise, Playing With Your Potential is your invitation. Your invitation to break cycles, silence doubt, and finally say yes to the version of you that’s been patiently waiting.
Because deep down, you know there’s more. Not just more to do but more to be.
I’m not just turning the page in my own life. I’m handing you the pen to rewrite yours.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, this has not been a smooth road at all. The biggest challenge is finding your own place in life through parts that are not familiar. We don’t have many entrepreneurs in my family so not having anyone to look up to, talk to things about or be inspired by required a higher level of motivation and self belief to come from within because this is not my families norm.
Writing a book is one of those dreams that many people place on their bucket list and it stays there for the rest of their days on earth. Pushing past all of my own doubt, lack of time, lack of knowledge and to just find a way to the finish line was one of the toughest challenges I have ever overcome. Writing a book made me dig deeper into who I was while gracefully stepping me into what I was always meant to be.
Battling cancer felt like I was at war with myself. This was a phase in life that broke me in more ways I knew were even possible but also built me into someone I never knew existed. While I was fighting with every breath in my body, my soul was ramping up for my most meaningful years to follow.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My name is Shanee’ Wilson and I am an author. Wow, I love getting used to the ring of how that sounds. I am a new author set out to help others with some of the challenges I have battled for years. I am setting out to pour the self into self help books, as I expose some vulnerable truths that may of us face. I am most proud of the fact that I finally wrote my first book. This has been a long time coming and to see it get this close to the finish line is astonishing. Finding this level of focus within myself has opened up a new playing field for the heights I can reach and I am so excited to fully step into me.
What sets me apart most from others is that this book was born on what I believed to be my death bed. It comes from a very vulnerable place and does not hold back my struggles, mishaps and actions that slowly hindered me from achieving my life’s calling. My story was born in struggle and will boldly uplift anyone ready to make the shift. There are many authors in this world but there is just one me.
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Image Credits
Arlyne Renee Photography
