Hey there! I’m Shan, a mum of three based in Brisbane, Australia. I’m a former ballerina turned multi-career juggler, full-time parent, chaos coordinator, and now, founder of Shanpagne Uncorked.

Ever since my ballet career pirouetted to an end back in 2005, I’ve had this itch to help people who were stuck in the “what now?” phase, whether they were healing from an injury, facing a major life shift, or simply trying to figure out what the hell to do next. I toyed with the idea of becoming a physio or OT (trust me, after years of injuries I had the injury bingo card nailed). But here’s the honest truth: I was terrified of studying again and more than a little broke. So, I jumped into the working world and started from scratch.

Since then, I’ve been on a bit of a wild ride, from the beauty therapy treatment room, to the skies in aviation and to ground-level in emergency services procurement and contract management. Sounds fancy, right? But the truth is, I never really felt like me in those roles. I’ve always wanted to make a difference, to help people and feel like my work actually meant something. But red tape and out-of-touch leadership made that feel impossible.

That’s when this blog idea started bubbling up (uncorked, if you will). After baby number three arrived, I began writing about the chaos, the career pivots, the parenting fails, and the surprising resilience you build when you’re sleep-deprived but still showing up. I realised I didn’t need a job title or an HR-approved framework to help people. I just needed a place to share, support, and be real.

So here we are: a cheeky, honest, no-BS space where I get to be me, and hopefully help you feel a little more like you, too. Whether you’re navigating a career change, feeling lost after kids, dealing with burnout, or just trying to figure out what’s for dinner (again), I’ve got you.

This blog is my way of saying: I see you. I get it. And you’re doing better than you think.

Here’s to finding meaning, laughing through the mess, and uncorking some sanity (and maybe a bit of champagne) along the way.