
Episode 62: Every Idea Is Worthy of Investment: Building Courage, Community, and Longevity in Leadership
From Main Street Success Stories by Jennifer Kok
January 26, 2026 · 33 min · Season 3 · Episode 62
About this episode
Jennifer Kok interviews Shannon Cohen about leadership, community, and the journey into entrepreneurship.
In this episode, Jennifer Kok sits down with Grand Rapids icon, author, and “hope dealer” Shannon Cohen for a conversation that feels like both a leadership masterclass and a deep exhale. Shannon shares the threads that shaped her, from being the kid who noticed the “visibly invisible,” to watching her grandparents use business as a catalyst for social good, to an unexpected career pivot after 9/11 that ultimately led her into entrepreneurship. Together, they discuss leading in the “brave mid...
People in this episode
Host: Jennifer Kok
Guest: Shannon Cohen
Topics covered
- leadership
- entrepreneurship
- community building
- social good
- courage
- career pivot
Keywords
- leadership
- entrepreneurship
- social good
- community
- career pivot
- Shannon Cohen
- Jennifer Kok
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Grand Rapids
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