Today we’d like to introduce you to Shenel Rimando.
Hi Shenel, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I am what people call a modern-day renaissance woman. My career is in the construction industry but my passion is shown through the work I do on my Save Sell Shenel platform. I was born in the Philippines, raised in Chicago, went to college in Houston, and moved to San Antonio in 2015 to start my career in the construction industry. I created my Save Sell Shenel platform in 2018 when my sister, who lived in Chicago, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She and I would talk for hours on the phone about how we saved and made money.
She encouraged me to share my tips via social media since she didn’t know how much longer she would be alive and she believed that even if I changed one person’s life that it would be worth it. My personal Instagram page didn’t have direction and I only had 100 followers at the time. I renamed my page to Save Sell Shenel to help my audience find ways to save (time, money, or the environment) and sell (on e-commerce or local apps). My sister encouraged me to host my first Posh N Sip for the Poshmark app in 2019 so that I could meet other e-commerce sellers. The day after the event, I flew back to Chicago to take care of my sister.
I had over 10 years of experience in retail but still loved thrift shopping as a way to save money. I shared thrift tips on my platform and it caught the attention of a producer at Great Day SA who wanted to do a segment about thrift shopping. I was helping take care of my sister in Chicago and I asked her if I should decline the offer to spend more time with her. She encouraged me to take advantage of the opportunity and said to me, “No matter what happens, promise me you will do all things I didn’t get to do and thank you for everything you have done.” I flew back to San Antonio to prepare for the segment. Shortly after that segment, my sister passed away on August 10, 2019, 8 days before my birthday. As a way to turn tragedy into triumph, I began volunteering at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to help raise awareness about pancreatic cancer.
The Great Day SA segment opened a lot of doors for me. I was asked to be a speaker at the Texas Associate of Journalism Educators to share how I was able to find different topics to discuss for my savesellshenel.com blog. I was one of the speakers during the Conquer Like a Girl international virtual summit in 2020 and I spoke briefly during Girls, Inc. San Antonio’s virtual science fair in regards to my career in the construction industry. I was asked to be the host of Friendly Pinoys of San Antonio and was able to document the opening day of Jollibee in San Antonio. In 2021, I was asked to be one of the local leaders of the Women’s Council of Entrepreneurs as a way to bring small business owners together.
In 2020, I was elected to be on the board of directors of my NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction) chapter. Women only make up 10% of the construction industry and I was so passionate about the mission that I helped raise awareness about the organization via social media. My marketing strategy allowed me to win the Marketing Star Award for my region and I was nominated to be the Vice President of my chapter for the 2021-2022 year.
I currently use my Save Sell Shenel platform as a way to keep my sister’s promise of doing all the things she didn’t get to do. I like demonstrating that you can still be a woman in construction, who has great style, finds ways to save money, shares information with others, and encourages other people to reach their full potential.
I now help organize different events for NAWIC, I host monthly thrift and sip events where I can help people go thrift shopping, I volunteer at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, I volunteer at Book Buddies SA on the weekends, and I help small businesses grow their business.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road. While I was growing my Save Sell Shenel platform, I was healing from my sister passing away in 2019 and my marriage also fell apart in 2020.
Losing two important relationships in my life was difficult while balancing my responsibilities at my day job and saying yes to opportunities that came my way. I now know the importance of mental health and emphasize it on my platform.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I previously worked as a sales coordinator for a manufacturing company. I knew nothing about the construction industry when I graduated college in 2015. I put in a lot of hard work and went from knowing nothing about the industry to helping train the inside and outside sales representatives. I was ready for a new beginning and applied for a project manager position.
In my spare time, I do business consulting for small businesses, I do personal styling sessions or personal shopping. My personal style is what sets me apart from others. I enjoy blending my classic style with modern pieces. My one-on-one sessions focus on what a person or business owner truly wants for their personal style or business versus trying to tailor their vision based on what others think it should be.
I believe that no one should feel that they are limited in achieving their true potential because of the clothes they are wearing. I personally went into an interview wearing a dress I paid $1 for at a thrift store and still landed the job.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memory is spending Christmas in Chicago. Playing in the snow with my family was better than any gift I could receive. I loved building snowmen and throwing snowballs at family members. Everyone’s laughter still plays in my mind and is the place I go to when I have a hectic day.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.savesellshenel.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/savesellshenel
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/savesellshenel
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/savesellshenel
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/savesellshenel
Image Credits
Great Day SA and Conquer Like a Girl
