Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelli Netko.
Hi Shelli, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in a small town in Ohio and moved to Arizona at 19 in search of a bigger life and new opportunities. Like many people, I didn’t have a master plan—I just kept saying yes to experiences that helped me grow.
I spent nearly 20 years in Corporate America, where I had the opportunity to work across multiple industries and roles. Those years taught me a great deal about business, leadership, collaboration, and people. More importantly, they taught me that success doesn’t have just one definition. It looks different for everyone, and often changes throughout our lives.
One day, I picked up a book with a simple message: Run toward your fears. That idea stayed with me. Eventually, I took the leap, left the corporate world, and started my own company. What followed was a journey as a serial entrepreneur, building businesses, taking risks, learning lessons, and discovering what truly mattered to me.
That path eventually led me to coaching, where I’ve spent more than two decades helping people navigate change, relationships, personal growth, and reinvention. More recently, I’ve expanded that work through writing and publishing. As an author and founder of Heart-to-Heart Collective Publishing, I help bring meaningful stories and ideas into the world while continuing to write about the lessons, perspectives, and experiences that shape who we become.
Today, whether through coaching, writing, publishing, or speaking, my work centers on helping people live more intentionally, show up authentically, and create a life—and legacy—that reflects who they truly are.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has not been a smooth road.
Like many entrepreneurs, I discovered that owning a business comes with a level of responsibility that few people truly understand until they’re living it. There are the long hours, the uncertainty, the financial risks, and the reality that you’re often carrying the weight of every decision. It’s easy to underestimate the stress that comes with being the person responsible for making it all work while still showing up for clients, employees, family, and yourself.
But the greatest challenge came when my husband died suddenly of a heart attack when I was 45 years old. Overnight, I found myself raising five children while managing grief, responsibilities, and a future I never expected to face alone. There wasn’t time to fall apart. There were children who needed me, bills to pay, decisions to make, and a life that still had to move forward.
That experience forced me to reinvent myself in ways I never imagined. I had to learn how to carry both the practical and emotional weight of life while continuing to show up for the people who depended on me. It wasn’t easy, but I’ve always believed that when life gets hard, you roll up your sleeves and take the next step.
I learned that mindset from my mother. She was one of the strongest people I’ve ever known and taught me resilience, perseverance, and the importance of keeping your focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t. Those lessons have stayed with me throughout every chapter of my life and continue to shape the way I coach, write, and show up in the world today.
Looking back, the struggles became some of my greatest teachers. They deepened my understanding of resilience, strengthened my compassion for others, and reinforced my belief that even when life doesn’t go according to plan, we still have the ability to create meaning, purpose, and a life we’re proud of.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Today, my work spans coaching, writing, publishing, and speaking, but the common thread through all of it is helping people live more intentionally and create a life that reflects who they truly are.
For more than two decades, I’ve worked with individuals navigating change, relationships, personal growth, career transitions, and reinvention. Through coaching, I help people gain clarity, shift perspective, and move forward with greater confidence and purpose. As an author and publisher, I explore many of those same themes through stories, life experiences, and practical insights that encourage reflection and meaningful change.
What I’m most proud of isn’t a title, award, or business milestone. It’s hearing from someone who read a post, watched a video, listened to a podcast, or read one of my books and tells me that something resonated. Knowing that a conversation, perspective, or piece of content helped someone see themselves differently, make a decision, or move through a challenge is incredibly rewarding.
I’m also proud of the books I’ve completed in recent years. Every one of them grew out of real-life experiences, lessons learned, and the work I’ve done alongside clients over the years. They explore topics like authenticity, purpose, personal growth, relationships, beauty, legacy, and the choices we make every day.
What sets me apart is that I don’t teach from theory alone. The insights I share come from a life fully lived—through success, loss, reinvention, entrepreneurship, parenting, and personal growth. My work isn’t about perfection. It’s about helping people recognize that how they show up every day matters. Those daily choices shape our relationships, our experiences, and ultimately the legacy we leave behind.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My biggest piece of advice is this: don’t build a successful business at the expense of a successful life.
Whether you’re building a business, growing a career, raising a family, or pursuing a dream, it’s easy to convince yourself that you’ll focus on the rest of your life later. Later, you’ll spend more time with the people you love. Later, you’ll prioritize your health. Later, you’ll slow down and enjoy what you’ve built.
The problem is that “later” has a way of never arriving.
I’ve spent much of my career helping people figure out what matters most to them and then actually live that way—not just think about it. Intention and purpose aren’t concepts; they’re choices. They’re reflected in how you spend your time, where you put your energy, and how you show up every day.
If I wish I had known anything earlier, it’s that success means very little if the rest of your life is suffering in the process. No achievement is worth sacrificing your health, your relationships, your peace of mind, or the things that matter most to you.
Balance doesn’t happen automatically. It won’t suddenly appear when your business reaches a certain level or when life gets less busy. You have to create it intentionally. You have to decide what matters and make room for it now, not someday.
At the end of the day, success isn’t just about what you build. It’s about building a life you’re able to enjoy along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shellinetko.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/shellinetko
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/shellinetkolifecoach
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shellinetko/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/shellinetko
