An Interview With Edward Sylvan
The world of medicine is changing, and more and more, it is important for us to be able to take care of ourselves and our little ones in the home. When you leave the hospital with your newborn, no one teaches you what to do. I am here to help with that. You have your mama intuition, and you know your child best; so, if you pair that with education, you are capable of handling any child emergency that comes your way — that is what I empower moms to do. Because it’s not if an emergency will happen, but when, and the difference between life and death is often a small piece of education.
As a part of my series about leaders who are using their social media platform to make a significant social impact, I had the pleasure of interviewing: Shannon Tripp.
Shannon Tripp is a mom of five children and former Pediatric ER nurse of 10 years, who teaches and shares medical education surrounding keeping kids safe and healthy. Through online courses, blogs, emails, a medical kit, and social media platforms, Shannon equips mothers and caregivers with the tools to confidently handle any child emergency, big or small.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Growing up, I always wanted to be a mom and nurse. When I became a pediatric ER nurse, I was always the nurse who stayed back with the parents to make sure they were comfortable. I always have had a soft spot for helping parents care for their little ones, especially moms, and through my time in the ER, I realized parents aren’t taught how to handle so many big, and small, emergencies. So, I started sharing information on my Instagram simply to help educate others. Then there was one night in the ER when one parent specifically said to me after losing her son, “If I had only known what to do, I would still have him.” It was then that my mission became greater: I realized education could save a life, and a lack of education could lose a life. I didn’t want any other parent to ever have to go through what this sweet mom did.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this career?
There have been so many rewarding stories of moms saving their kids’ lives, but one that stands out is of a sweet mom, Eden, who took my online course, and weeks later was in a restaurant when she saw a child choking. The mom of this choking child was a nurse, but she was screaming for help and very panicked. So, Eden, who had taken my course, went over and saved the child’s life. Even though this other mom was a nurse, Eden had just brushed up on her skills and knew exactly what to do. No matter your background or job title, it is education and freshening up on skills that can be the difference between a positive or negative outcome. As moms, we have an innate intuition to care for our kids, and if we can pair that with tangible education, we can truly be prepared for any emergency. Eden is proof of just that.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When I first started sharing education on Instagram, I shared educational tidbits from my days in the ER. However, as my platform grew, so did the content I provided. I spent more time creating content, researching and ensuring that what was provided through Instagram genuinely held value for my followers. I see merit in a balance between holistic, at-home care, and western medicine; so, if you follow me, you will see both of these perspectives working together. In the beginning, it was hard to not take one negative comment personally, even if there were 200 or more positive comments on a post. So, I’ve learned to not take things personally, and I remain focused on sharing what I know to be correct information. I have “thicker skin” now than when I first started.
You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
When you are walking in your calling, you are never failing. We all have something to give, and once we recognize the gifts given to us, tapping into those will never lead to failure. We are capable of so much more than we often think.
Ok super. Let’s now jump to the core focus of our interview. Can you describe to our readers how you are using your platform to make a significant social impact?
The world of medicine is changing, and more and more, it is important for us to be able to take care of ourselves and our little ones in the home. When you leave the hospital with your newborn, no one teaches you what to do. I am here to help with that. You have your mama intuition, and you know your child best; so, if you pair that with education, you are capable of handling any child emergency that comes your way — that is what I empower moms to do. Because it’s not if an emergency will happen, but when, and the difference between life and death is often a small piece of education.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted by this cause?
We had the opportunity to be on “Good Morning America,” because of a mom who shared her positive story after taking my course. This sweet mom was at home with her child, eating chips and salsa, and looked over to see her child choking. She immediately picked up her child, ran outside and started screaming for help. Then, she realized she knew exactly what to do. She dropped to her knees and did what she had learned in my course. The chip flew out of her son’s mouth as she embraced him, tears streaming down her face: she saved her child’s life. We often feel like we need to run for help when things go wrong, but very rarely do we actually need to.
Was there a tipping point that made you decide to focus on this particular area? Can you share a story about that?
The day my son choked changed me forever. We were out to dinner with friends and family, and I had put Jack in his car seat carrier as I said bye to friends on the other side of the table. Then my daughter came running up to me: “Mommy, Mommy Jack is choking.” Rushing over, I found him purple, with a peppermint candy completely occluding his airway. I immediately picked him up, turned him over, and did exactly what I knew how to do. Time stood still as the restaurant froze around me. After what felt like forever, the peppermint candy shot out of his throat. Sobbing, so grateful to have my son, I knew I wanted to dedicate my time to helping parents prepare for the emergencies, both big and small, they will face. Because if I hadn’t known what to do, I wouldn’t have my sweet Jack.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
We as a society lack education around preventative care, both for ourselves and for our children. A great majority of what is promoted addresses solutions after a problem already exists, when in reality, we should lean in to promoting things that truly keep our children healthy: sunshine, whole foods, exercise, and adequate sleep just to name a few. Further, all parents should know some basic techniques before taking a child home from the hospital, including CPR and how to help a choking child. More education for parents on how to keep their children safe and healthy is a must.
What specific strategies have you been using to promote and advance this cause? Can you recommend any good tips for people who want to follow your lead and use their social platform for a social good?
- Avoid Complacency: I do the best I can, and I am learning every single day. I make it a priority to push myself to make sure what I put out in the world is the best, most up-to-date, researched information. It is important to always better yourself through education.
- Authenticity: Never do something that is not true to the core of your mission.
- Network & Collaborate: Through working with others in your space, you’ll not only grow your own network, but you’ll be able to produce and promote the best education, product, and content possible.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
- You can’t take anything personal when other opinions are shared, because everyone is at a different place in their learning and experiences. I genuinely love making others happy and providing a good experience for all, so knowing this when I started would have been helpful.
- How pressure-filled it is at times to try to make content: I know how valuable and important the content I produce is, and so sometimes it feels heavy to create that. Some days I want to just take care of my own kids and not think about sharing education with others. However, I am then reminded of my mission, and that helps me to keep wanting to empower others through education.
- The number of success stories shared with me each and every day is the greatest blessing. I knew parents needed this information, I just had no idea the magnitude of lives that would be saved. Knowing this on days when making content seemed overwhelming would have been wonderful motivation. Now, it inspires me daily.
- The amazing relationships I would make with Moms through my courses and platforms, including how much love you can have for a complete stranger because of your connection through motherhood. This is a piece of what I do that I had no idea would happen. I am touched daily by the amazing online community I have the pleasure of working with.
- It may not always be easy, but it will always be worth it. While sometimes being an entrepreneur running a business while raising five kiddos isn’t easy, hearing the success stories of parents saving their kids’ lives always makes it worth it.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
As humans, we all have so much more potential than we believe in ourselves. God has gifted each and every one of us with different talents. When we lean into those gifts and roles, whether it be as a mom, a teacher, a coach, a businesswoman, whatever it is, we find joy. To truly focus on your divine potential and turn inward, rather than focusing on the outside world (especially in such a noisy, confusing outside world), allows us to reach our greatest potential.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“What your mind looks for, your eyes will see.” → I try to avoid living in fear, and I genuinely try to have a positive outlook, no matter the season of life or circumstance I am in. I consciously choose to find gratitude and joy in every day, and avoid living in fear. What you focus on is what you will see, so focus on the positive, be grateful and choose joy.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
My honest answer would be one of my three best friends or my mama. I choose to spend time with those I can trust and who know my heart.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can follow me on Instagram @ShanTripp where I share daily educational content. You can also head on over to my website shantripp.com where you will see information on how to sign up for my online courses, email list, free blog posts, newly launched first aid kit for parents, and much more!
This was very meaningful, thank you so much!
Social Media Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Shannon Tripp Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.