06/01/2025
Growing up in a small business family, Shawna learned resilience early. When her mother suffered a life-altering work accident, leaving the family without a primary income, Shawna stepped upâbalancing her senior year of school and two jobs to help keep her family afloat.
Determined to carve out a brighter future, Shawna earned admission to Central Washington University, where she pursued Anthropology. Her studies werenât just about academicsâthey were about uncovering the interconnectedness of people, cultures, and communities. Shawna applied this understanding to her work, laying the foundation for a career dedicated to helping small businesses navigate challenges and seize opportunities.
Over the next decade, she leveraged her unique perspective as a consultant, supporting small businesses in health and wellness, technology, and design.
But the pandemic brought Shawna face-to-face with her toughest challenge yet. In the wake of the shutdown, losing all her clients, she watched friends and businesses collapse under the pressure of uncertainty. Determined to make an impact, Shawna joined Masks for Docs, volunteering to create life-saving face shields for hospitals.
This pivotal experience sparked a revelation: small businesses and nonprofits didnât just need stopgap solutionsâthey needed sustainable strategies to weather future crises. Inspired, Shawna founded Intention Labs in May 2020. Her mission? To build a platform that equips businesses with tools, resources, and community connections to grow and thrive, no matter what comes their way.
After years of dedication, research, and collaboration, Intention Labs launched its MVP flagship solution in December 2024âthe Impact Partner Network. This free innovative platform helps small businesses increase revenue through opportunity listings, personalized coaching, and collaborative connections with nonprofits and government agencies.
Shawnaâs vision is bold: to empower businesses with the resilience to adapt and scale, turning challenges into opportunities.
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