Meet Shannon Rhymer... CEO of Southern Royalty
Jan 28, 2026
Interview with Shannon Rhymer
What kind of work do you do? I am the founder and CEO of Southern Royalty, a lifestyle brand that includes a blog, an Etsy shop and a new podcast. For the Etsy shop, I create designs for coffee mugs, t-shirts and digital products to sell. On the blog, I share lifestyle content that includes travel, recipes and reviews. For the podcast, I produce episodes that are mainly focused on lifestyle, faith, and intentional living.
What inspired you to get started as an entrepreneur? Well, I've always loved to write, design and encourage others to do the things they love. Years ago, I kept seeing a free class come up on social media for learning how to blog. I finally clicked on it one day and that one action is what kicked it off. Entrepreneurship gave me a way to combine my own creativity with my purpose while building something of my own.
What was your biggest struggle to get things going for your online business? Confidence, focus and consistency. Knowing what to focus on, having the confidence to put my voice out into the world and trying to do it in a consistent manner was a struggle. To be honest, sometimes it still can be.
Was there a time you thought about giving up? What kept you from quitting? Yes, many times. What kept me going is the thought of - I know this is my purpose, this is what I am passionate about and if just one person was inspired by me today, then I know it is worth it.
What have you learned since beginning? First of all, at even the small wins are still wins. Success is how you define it and not what society tells you it is. Next, stop comparing yourself to others because their journey is different than yours. Lastly, you will never stop learning and growing.
What’s the best advice you’ve received? I can't remember where the advice came from, but I know I have been repeating it to others for a very long time. Everything happens for a reason. Every experience, every person and every conversation has a purpose. It may be for you, or it may be for someone else, but it still has a purpose.
What advice would you give someone just starting out? Set the foundation and then start before you feel ready. Learn as you go and focus on one step at a time without comparing yourself to anyone else. There is a beginning and an ending to each chapter in life, you just have to figure out the in between.
What’s the professional win you’re most proud of? When I was able to make Southern Royalty an LLC. That made the brand feel more real and solid.
Which book(s) would you recommend to help entrepreneurs with success and personal development? Atomic Habits by James Clear, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, 5 Things Successful People Do Before 8 A.M. by Terri Savelle Foy, The Having by Suh Yoon Lee & Jooyun Hong
Do you have a routine that you attest to your success? If yes, what is it? On a personal level, I try to read, exercise and visualize my goals on a daily basis. Business wise, I use ChatGPT to help me plan out my social media each month to stay consistent. I don't always follow the plan, but it does help by bringing standard work practices. Each week have one day that I use to create and schedule all the social media posts for the upcoming week, do the podcast and send out the email. This frees up the rest of the week for brainstorming, design creation, doing videos and any other necessary activities. I really like doing it this way because it's one of the few things that I can set it and forget it.
How has social media played a factor in your success? Social media is what helps build the connection, the brand, and tell the story of Southern Royalty. It also helps with building a global community that wants to be a part the Southern Royalty family.
What are the biggest social media mistakes you see commonly made? Trying to be everywhere all at once can cause you to lose connection with the followers. Posting on every social media channel every day, multiple times a day may get you seen, but it can also burn you out. To the other side of that, not being consistent enough will not keep your followers either. There needs to be a happy balance. Next would be using too much AI, because the authenticity and connection will get lost. People may be amused at first, but that soon fades like a trend, and you want to build something that lasts.
What is the business tool that’s been most helpful? Canva would be the most helpful tool I use for designing and content creation plus it integrates with well with other tools and apps that I use. I totally love Canva.
Is there something you wish everyone knew? Create a vision for your life that aligns with your purpose, and each day take inspired actions towards it. If you woke up this morning, then you still have a purpose.
What’s coming up for you in the next few months? I just launched my eBook "Girl Squad Goals" and now I am working on a new eBook "The Ultimate Bucket List Blueprint" that will be coming out soon. Another main focus will be on building up the podcast. It's new and I have a lot of work to do on it, but I am happy just to be out there doing it. Other than that, it's just business as usual with new blog posts and Etsy products.
What has being successful taught you? There will always be ups and downs but it's about enjoying the ride. I get to define what success looks like for me regardless of how anyone else sees it. Did I inspire someone else today? Then I did what I set out to do which to me is a success.
What are some fun facts about you? One fun fact is that I got my engineering degree at the age of 50 which shows that you are never too old to accomplish your goals. Another fun fact is that I have some strange trait combinations for example: I am actually an introvert, but I have the natural ability to lead others. Another example is that I hate public speaking, but I love podcasting and creating videos. The last fun fact I will share is that I always match. From my hair clips to my jewelry, from my clothes to my shoes, I always match. Most of my life I had to wear a uniform so the only thing I could do is change up my accessories which is where it all began.
How can our readers find you online? For the blog my website is www.southernroyalty.co without the "m" on the end because it was not available. I send out a weekly email that readers can also sign up for on the website. I can be found on social media and the Etsy shop @southernroyaltyus. As for the podcast, it can be found on most podcast apps under Southern Royalty.
Affiliate Disclaimer
Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services I genuinely believe in and that I think will provide value to my readers. Your support helps keep this site running, and I truly appreciate it.
Stay connected with news and updates!
Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.
Don't worry, your information will not be shared.
We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.
