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Our Story
In the summer of 2023, a woman and our founder, Shannon, were preparing for an AWS sales enablement session. At the time Shannon was with Talkdesk and the woman had just joined AWS - after a decade at Nordstrom. They could finish each other sentences.
Why? Because they both came from retail and the energy is uniquely different than any other industry, in particular tech.
After the session she said, "I've never met someone who came from the business and went into tech like you. Maybe we should start a community." From that an idea and a mission was born that has led us to where we are today, but like any good story goes, it wasn't that simple.
It was that time of year, NRF was approaching, and their goal was simple: get some cool women together for cocktails. Then, Talkdesk, AWS, and SAS stepped up to sponsor a launch party. At NRF 2023, Retail Women in Tech (RWIT) officially launched—and the response was amazing!
Enter plot twist. A week following Shannon reached out to the woman, who's idea this was, saying let's get this party started. She replied saying she couldn't do anymore and then ghosted Shannon. Say what?! Dumbfounded, Shannon proceeded to do one virtual event for IWD and then spent the rest of the year feeling guilty. She didn't have the bandwidth to truly get RWIT off the ground.
The universe decided to get involved. Late 2023, Shannon was asked, "whatever happened with Retail Women in Tech." Then, for NRF 2024, she was asked by AWS to join a panel on the topic which was overwhelmingly warmly received. Two days later she was told she was no longer a good fit at the tech company she was working for. Coming from retail, she was no stranger to mean girl clubs, but this was something different. She didn't fit in. How many of us understand that feeling?
Sssoooo....Shannon decided to re-launch RWIT on March 8th, 2024 and what an incredible ride it has been since! 2024 was a labor of love with support of wonderful women, affectionately known as her helping hands. Scrappy and organic are two words that best describe the year. Even so, impact happened! 8 virtual monthly mixers were hosted. Two IRL meet-ups in the Bay Area and one in NY, plus get togethers at industry events, happened. A LinkedIn community was set up, a LinkedIn page created and a slack channel started. Also the Power of WE Wednesday series was launched, sharing stories of our members and last but not least a mentorship program was piloted.
And here we are—2025—at a place Shannon could have never dreamed RWIT would be. We now have official volunteer-led teams, membership, partnerships, marketing, events, sponsorships, and, most importantly, mentorship. AND—big news—we’re planning to become a nonprofit in the year ahead.
To say this journey has been anything short of extraordinary is an understatement.
Lives have changed because of Retail Women in Tech.
The outpouring of love, support, and action proves just how important our work is.
Come be a part of our story.
Let’s write the future together.
From our Founder
Shannon Flanagan
Never in a million years did I imagine creating something like this.
Mental health in the workplace was my cause. For a moment during the pandemic, I seriously considered pursuing my dream of becoming an advocate, author, and speaker on the topic. However, with three teenagers, two households to support, and no windfall ever, it wasn’t the most financially responsible choice. Then, an unexpected turn in my career led me to a job at a tech company as the GM of Retail & Consumer Goods—an unplanned fork in the road that became the most incredible part of my professional journey yet, because it led me here.
I've always seen the potential in people. It’s one of my greatest gifts (and sometimes a curse—best discussed over drinks). Because of this, it breaks my heart when people don’t realize how amazing they are. What I didn’t expect as I started meeting women and our community grew was how widespread self-doubt was—so not okay! It made me reflect. As much as I projected confidence, I, too, felt like an imposter, torturing myself by comparing my accomplishments (or lack thereof) to others. It became crystal clear how much we all needed one another.
Want to know something funny? I had never been involved in any community outside of ERGs. But hearing others' stories, reflecting on my own experiences, and witnessing the shifts in women's rights and support—now reaching a fever pitch of injustice—made committing to RWIT a no-brainer. It wasn’t just an idea; it became my passion. Fiercely.
They say if you do what you love, success will follow. My retirement plan was to start or run a nonprofit. And here I am, 15 years ahead of schedule, beginning to manifest it. My financial situation hasn’t changed, but instead of running away, I’m leaning in. I couldn't be a false prophet, telling others to go after what they want while not doing the same myself. I hope more of you do the same. Why is money the measure of success? Let's rewrite the playbook!
My gratitude for everyone, women and men, who have encouraged me to keep going, is beyond measure.
