Success Story Interview:
Shawn Maus
Your Next Business May Be Hidden Inside the Work You've Already Done
When Shawn Maus lost his full-time job nearly two years ago, he found himself asking a question many experienced professionals face: Now what? After decades working in communications, education, filmmaking, theater, and marketing, he knew he had valuable experience—but he wasn't yet sure how to package it into a business of his own.
In this conversation with AWAI Executive Director Katie Yeakle, Shawn shares how that period of uncertainty became the catalyst for building Mighty Maus Media & Communications. Instead of trying to reinvent himself, he looked back across four decades of helping organizations communicate complex ideas and realized he'd been solving the same problem all along: helping people uncover the story hidden inside their message. That realization became both his positioning and the foundation of his signature Story Finder System™, which now serves organizations, authors, nonprofits, and business owners alike.
Shawn also offers a refreshingly practical look at how consulting businesses actually grow. His first client came from an existing relationship. One successful project became a retainer. One satisfied client led to referrals. Along the way, he refined his LinkedIn presence, became more intentional about creating content, and learned that business development isn't about “selling”—it's about nurturing relationships and helping people solve problems. Today, with multiple retainer clients and income approaching what he earned in his previous career, Shawn's story is proof that your greatest business asset may be the expertise you've been quietly building for years.
What You'll Learn
- Why losing a full-time job became the catalyst for building Shawn's own consulting business.
- How one nonprofit project turned into a retainer—and eventually a referral-based business.
- Why relationships—not cold selling—have been the foundation of nearly every client opportunity Shawn has created.
- The “Christmas lights” analogy he uses to help clients untangle confusing marketing messages.
- Why experienced professionals should start with the problems they've already spent years learning to solve.
One of Shawn's most powerful insights is that careers aren't usually a series of disconnected chapters. More often, they're one long apprenticeship. Every job, every industry, and every project builds skills that eventually come together into something uniquely yours. Once you recognize that pattern—and can clearly communicate it—you stop trying to invent a business from scratch and start building on the experience you've already earned.
Recommended Resources:
The AWAI Method™ for Becoming a Skilled, In-Demand Copywriter
The AWAI Method™ combines the most up-to-date strategies, insights, and teaching methods with the tried-and-true copywriting fundamentals so you can take on ANY project — not just sales letters. Learn More »
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