We had the good fortune of connecting with Shanell Penn and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi shanell, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I came up with starting SharcuteriebyShanell from when I made a charcuterie board for some friends of mine visiting from Cincinnati! I bought a board and all this food and told my mom, I’m going to make a board! I didn’t really know what I was doing lol bit watched some videos on Instagram and started following some people who created boards so I said I’ll try it. My mom is a caterer and my older sister and I would help her make meat and cheese trays when we were younger so I figured I could put together a nice board for my friends. They loved the board and my friend Danielle made a video on Instagram saying that I make boards and I can ship them and to place your orders! I said oh I can’t do that lol . From thar video I ended up getting my first order from another friend in Cincinnati and I shipped it to her and that’s how SharcuteriebyShanell got started!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have been an educator for 16 years now. My journey to my career as a teacher took some time. I changed my major my junior year of college and completely started over! It was hard and a lot of tears and calling my older sister Desiree every day and crying some more lol but it all worked out and is apart of my story! I’ve been teaching since I graduated in 2009 and went on to receive my Masters Degree in Education and curriculum in 2014. I think my journey to becoming an educator showed me that whatever you want in life you can achieve with hard work and dedication! My drive has always been one of my best traits about myself and if I say I’m going to do something I don’t stop until I do. I use that same mentality throughout my life. With my business I’m the same way. I wouldn’t of dreamed that finding a love for meat and cheese would reach people the way that it has and I still pinch myself when people love my work so much that they hire me for their events! Ive been featured on the local news several times ( thank you to my Fox 8 Family) It fills my heart with so much joy! I’m extremely proud of myself and where my business is headed.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I had friends visiting we would definitely check out a sports event and tail gate, we would check out downtown, do dinner and maybe even a Winery. I’d also take them to some local sports bars to enjoy some live music also.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My daughter Skylar is my why and reason I do what I do. My mother, Virginia Stevens has always been my inspiration and her drive and hustle has always inspired me to do anything that I put my mind too!

Website: https://www.sharcuteriebyshanell.com

Instagram: @SharcuteriebyShanell

Facebook: SharcuteriebyShanell

Other: Tik Tok: SharcuteriebyShanell
Facebook:SharcuteriebyShanell

Image Credits
@dricolamar

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