Living Fearlessly with Rhiannon Joyce
My guest today is Shameless Media's Rhiannon Joyce. Rhi is an integral part of the Shameless team – spear heading brand partnerships which is an integral role in growing what is a really fresh new approach to media. If you haven’t heard of Shameless let me fill you in. Co-founded by Zara McDonald and Michelle Andrews two young women in their 20s in 2018 –it started as a podcast called Shameless a show for smart people who love dumb stuff. Think: Pop culture! Hollywood! Influencers! Reality TV! Basically, all the things we’re told we shouldn’t care about, but secretly do. Fast forward to 2022 and Shameless is now a media company that also represents a community of whip-smart young people who connect via Instagram, TikTok, an ever-passionate book club, and a weekly newsletter called ASK SHAMELESS. After launching they have quickly become a leading voice for Gen-Z and Millennial Australians. With more than 40 million podcast downloads, 280,000 social media followers and 40,000 newsletter subscribers under their belts, they have also grown from a team of two to a company of seven. Today, the team that works to bring you Shameless every week comprises of Co-founders Zara McDonald and Michelle Andrews, Partnerships Director Rhiannon Joyce, Podcast Producer Annabelle Lee, Content Coordinator Ruby Tonzing, Researcher Justine Landis-Hanley, and Video Editor Sarah Ruhullah.
Rhi talks today about how she came to be on the Shameless team, about being a young woman in the advertising space at a high level and what she loved and also hated about working in that environment. About her incredible mum and the role model she gave her for womanhood. We talk about fear and career ambition and what happens when you are a strong opinionated young woman. Rhi also talks about her first meeting with Zara and Mich and what it took to take a leap of faith and join their team. She also talks openly about living alone during lock down and what she has learnt about looking after her mental well being. Rhi is wise and warm and funny and as a friend recently coined an entire vibe in and of herself. I was so thrilled to record this conversation at Shameless HQ and cannot wait to watch Rhi’s star continue to rise.
