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Two Minutes With Shauna Ireland

Shauna Ireland is a woman who radiates beauty, warmth and femininity. She runs a successful Toronto-based public relations company and somehow manages to find time to teach yoga. Though it is her personal radiance that, in my mind, is her true marker of success.
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Shauna Ireland is a woman who radiates beauty, warmth and femininity. She runs a successful Toronto-based public relations company and somehow manages to find time to teach yoga. Though it is her personal radiance that, in my mind, is her true marker of success. With a background primarily in fashion and communication, she has lived around the world and, today, is whole-heartedly focused on being an ambassador for nutrition and healthy living.

While Ireland has a knack for breaking down complex brand profiles and uncovering what is truly at the core of one's business, I wanted to know what is at the core of a woman who does so. And so, I asked Ireland my pull-back-the-curtain "Two minutes with..." questions to draw out her essence, learn about what drives her and the secrets of her success.

1. Describe what your job entails.

SI: Business development, branding, marketing and public relations. Sometimes I feel like a councilor or life coach. It also entails teaching people to work together, educating and dreaming, client relations and media relations. As well, it entails being creative, innovative and a quick thinker. It is important for someone to understand who they are and what their message is before they can expect anyone to receive it. It is also important to align with oneself and be authentic, because if you are truly authentic, you do not have any competition.

Of course, since it is a business there is a lot of work involved, such as meetings, emails, calls, follow up, etc. But my real job is to deliver someone's message. When an artist paints a picture, the creative force works through them. The artist rarely knows what he or she has created. I work with someone and decode what they have created.

2. What is your gift?

SI: My gift is to understand and interpret.

3. Who is your target market?

SI: Health, wellness, lifestyle, fitness, beauty and sport.

4. Your motto is "Align and Shine" - what does that mean to you?

SI: "Align and Shine" means to align with yourself first and then you can shine. Once you are shining, you are able to surrender to ego and align with others to shine even brighter. We are a community working towards the same thing: happiness, health, abundance and success. Collaboration replaces competition. It is beautiful to see people working together rather than against one another. We are all meant to be successful. Good intention and integrity are the key players.

5. What are you currently reading?

SI: Becoming Like God: Kabbalah and Our Ultimate Destiny, by Michael Berg.

6. What is your greatest regret in life?

SI: Selling my first condo while I was traveling through Southeast Asia. I didn't want the responsibility. A year later, Calgary had the biggest real estate boom.

7. What drives you?

SI: My passion drives me. Helping others is my passion. I want to see the entire world living healthy, balanced and fulfilled, physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. Also enlightenment and positivity. I strive to be the best version of myself.

8. What is your guilty pleasure?

SI: Ketchup chips!

9. You've lived around the world - what is your favourite place?

SI: This is such a hard question! Each place holds a special place in my heart. I was born in Calgary; it will always be where I am from. When I lived in Mexico, I created a family. I created a business in Argentina. I found myself in Chile. I explored in Australia. I was inspired in Thailand. I worked hard in Istanbul. I danced in Ibiza! I lived fully in Miami. Each place was my favorite at the time.

10. What is the one thing you have done in your life that surprised you the most that you did it?

SI: Everything! I bought a condo in a city I didn't live in because I had a "feeling." I moved to San Francisco with two bags and no job because a friend said "she needed me." I accepted a job in Malta because it was offered. My life has been a series of events that I said: "I can't believe I did that."

11. If you could be a superhero, who would you be?

SI: Wonder Woman -- a woman fighting for justice, love and peace. Powerful, graceful, smart, strong and independent!

To learn more, I invite you to watch my full interview with Shauna Ireland on Extraordinary Women TV.

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